Peter Gabriel

So

Phenomenal

Review Score:

(10/10)
A watershed recording; undoubtedly Peter's greatest commercial success, and to many his greatest artistic success as well. (I give that title to Passion instead, but what do I know?) PG2 may be too morbid for some, PG3 may be too disturbing, Security may be too heavy & frightening.. but for So, it's just about impossible for anyone not to find something to like. The sarcastic "Big Time" is a heaping dose of pure funk, "Mercy Street" sounds like Nick Drake at his most painfully honest, and "Don't Give Up" could almost be described as 'ambient soul music.' The simply-perfect "In Your Eyes" - no description necessary, you know you've all heard it - is moved to the end of the running order rather than the middle. Peter originally wanted it as a closer, but had to put it at the beginning of side 2 due to the clarity limitations of the vinyl format. I for one think it works much better where it is now, ending the album on a joyous note rather than the slow fade-outs of "We Do What We're Told" and "This Is the Picture."

"Remasters, eh?" you say. "But they sound great already. How much can they be improved?" you wonder. Well I wondered too. After replacing my first PG disc (Passion, natch) with the new CD, I didn't hesitate to spring for all the others as soon as my budget allowed - and they're worth every penny. The first time I cranked "Big Time" in the car, my friend turned to me and asked why the mega-bass on my stereo was cranked up so high. I had to patiently tell her it wasn't even turned on. (I don't think I'll scare her with "Rhythm of the Heat" just yet - that would be cruel.) Any muted fuzz is gone, the clarity is nothing short of stunning, and the bass end is more monstrous than ever - but not to the point of overwhelming anything else. Heck, this edition even has that chant at the end of "In Your Eyes" printed in the lyrics. Now if I only knew what it meant...

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