Peter Gabriel

Us

I might have bought it...but then I heard it

Review Score:

(4/10)
After a brilliant project like "Passion", one would expect PG to hold on to some of that when he came back to pop.

But it just ain't so.

Many of the musicians are the same. The artwork motifs are consistent. Some of the sound is still recognizable. But it sucks. The lyrics are weak, the songs are predictable, and the depth just isn't there. I was especially disappointed because it was promoted as an experimental album. The only experiments here are placed in such a way that only those involved in the recording would ever notice them.

It's especially sad when songs with potential, like "Come Talk to Me", wastes away with a linear arrangement that drags for 7 minutes with little change. Not to mention songs that shouldn't be there at all, like "Love to be Loved", where PG sings "I love to be loved." The obvious has never been stated more ... obviously! And then there's "Steam" (what is this, a "Sledgehammer, Part II"?) which sounds more like a safe bid for a hit and a Grammy than any kind of experiment. And the second half of the album I can't even remember well enough to rip on it--it's just plain unmemorable.

If there is any good news here, it's the song "Blood of Eden." The lyrics actually took a little thought. I'll also admit that the album has some very soothing moments, as did "Passion." The big difference is that with the "Passion" album, the music speaks. And "Passion" didn't even have words!

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