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Everyone in the world wants you to click on this link to return to the main Peter Gabriel page... Peter Gabriel [2] the ROCKNROLLAWESOMEGUY
Overall Album Score: 9.0 out of 10 Peter Gabriel reminds us just why we all loved Genesis! ... He is a simply superb songsmith! (Of course, don't take that to mean that he is the finest melodysmith in the land ... but he is wonderful at studio wizardry, theatrical arrangements, and he knows just how to make a song click.) Indeed, this is a much-improved album after the first Peter Gabriel album, and the reason for that probably has single-handedly to do with the fact that there's not as much failed experimentation on here! ... And there's no more jazz! (Yay!) This is full of everything that was Genesis, except this is something different. This isn't prog. This is art-pop! ...Yeah, always keep in mind, though, that Peter Gabriel was never really one to hook you to death with melody, but this stuff remains to be first-class entertainment! Gabriel's just got this THING! He's fun, quirky, resonant (when he needs to be) ... he's a rock-and-roll awesome guy! (And, I don't throw around that term too often, you know.) Take it from me ... I listened to this album. And, it was wonderful! Hurrah! All that said, I can't genuinely pinpoint a track in here that I'd call a "priceless moment." I couldn't generate enough affection for a single one of these tracks to give it a 10. However, there were a few 9.5's and A WHOLE LOT of 9's ... so this album is not only good, but consistently good! And, to conclude, a highly recommended one! Overall Album Score: 9.0 out of 10 (Peter Gabriel delivers a mightily entertaining album, indeed!) Average Song Score: 9.0 (These songs are simply superb ... all of 'em! Nothing on here was great enough, by my standards, to get a 10, but nothing on here failed to impress me whatsoever.) Album Tilt: 9.0 (A highly entertaining album! It's good pop music with some theatrical qualities ... that I like.) Artist Rating: 9.0 (Eh ... while this is a mightily strong album, it can hardly be considered one of Peter Gabriel's foremost artistic masterstrokes!) Track Reviews On the Air 9.5/10 I love this song! ... It's a really entertaining and boldly put tune with very good instrument and a very strong vocal performance! I love those scaling synths in the background (sort of reminiscent of the Alan Parsons project), and ... yup, it's just suuuuper! ... It's a highly entertaining little ditty. D.I.Y. 9/10 I really dig that very deep and very loud bass-line at the beginning of this! ... I must say that I'm a little bit disappointed that it wasn't carried throughout the entire song! ... Oh well. This is an excellent song nevertheless. It's an entertaining one! Mother of Violence 9/10 This is a slower, sweeter piano ballad that's ... very enticing, indeed! Pete gives a rather heartfelt vocal performance, making this one very lovely song! A Wonderful Day in a One Way World 9/10 This one, in particular, strikes me as being very closely similar to a Genesis song! ... Okay, maybe there's no real justification for that statement other than the fact that the Genesis songwriter guy wrote this! ... Anyway, this is another very entertaining song! ... Petey is on a roll, baby! White Shadow 9.5/10 Whoah ... this is good! ... I enjoy everything about this song from the synthscapes in the background, to that wonderful electric guitar going off all over the place, to the melody ... all is simply superb! One of the album's best, certainly! Indigo 9/10 Holy crap ... how consistently good can a guy be? ... Another wonderful, semi-theatrical song with a lot of breadth and entertainment value. Peter Gabriel is freaking AWESOME! Animal Magic 9/10 Another marvelously strong song! It's a harder, upbeat song that uses a lot of piano! (And I love the piano in harder, upbeat songs!) A very good song ... Perhaps, this is one of the most solid rock *songs* on here ... all the rest seem to be theatrical meandering. Exposure 8.5/10 A collaboration with Robert Fripp (... Wow, Robert Fripp sure gets to work with the awesomest names in rock ... Brian Eno, David Bowie ... Peter Freaking Gabriel. Yeah, this track score is only an 8.5, but it's still a very entertaining song! ... It's just not as good as the other ones, I think. Flotsam and Jetsam 8.5/10 This song is more on the dramatic spectrum ... A very very good song, still, but it lacks the same quirky quality that the better dramatic songs on the album have. Nevertheless, it's very good! Prospective 8/10 I really enjoy this poppy song! ... I can't fathom giving it a 9 just because it has very little breadth. Just the same, I really like that awesome horn in this. The melody isn't so good ... but the horn is great. Home Sweet Home 9.5/10 This sounds like a John Lennon song, doesn't it? ... It's even as good as a good John Lennon song ... and that must mean that "Home Sweet Home" is really good! It's a dramatic, emotionally resonant song that'll likely carry your spirit up along with it. Wonderful!!! Peter Gabriel said he wants you to wang chung tonight and then send a comment here! slb23@shaw.ca (Simon B.) received Oct. 26, 2004 I would have to respectfully disgree with you that "this is a much-improved album after the first Peter Gabriel album". I think it is the opposite: that Peter Gabriel 2 is inferior to 1. Which is strange yet not strange, for two reasons:
It's strange becuse Robert Fripp (main member of King Crimson) produced
the record. When I first heard of the record, I expected some
incredible collaboration between guitarist extraordinaire/leader of the mighty
Crimso; and the charismatic, magnificent singer/leader of Genesis. I
guess my hopes were aimed a bit too high.
It's not strange because sophmore slumps do happen. Plus Gabriel's
voice took a slight turn for the worst in the rock songs on the album,
becoming quite raspy at points. (prime examples: "On the Air", "Animal
Magic"). That being said, the first two songs are a great way to open an
album, and there are a few heartfelt ballads on here, and also "Exposure"
is a lot better here than on Robert Fripp's 1979 solo album of the same
name. Plus PG2 has a cool cover (like the other self-titled ones).
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All reviews are copyrighted by the author, Michael Lawrence. He had an apple of his eye and but then removed it with tweezers. It really hurt.
