Us usually click on this link to travel back to the main Peter Gabriel page ... Bus Overall Album Score: 9.4 out of 10 Dudes. This is what So ought to have looked more like. Sure, it's adult-contemporary, but it is adult-contemporary that's atmospheric, moody, tuneful, and delicately crafted. Contrary to popular opinion, this album is not boring. From every breath of my body, I tell you, this album is soooooooooooooo not boring. It's not even boring on the slightestmost bit that only a slight flea would be able to see without even the slightest vision impairment. Okay ... this album is boring a little bit. Maybe. But it was so easy for me to get caught up in thiiiiiiiiiiiiis! This is gorgeous stuff, man! And, when it's not gorgeous, it is DANCEIN'. ("Steam," anyone? Does anyone want to dance with me to "Steam?" ... Okay, any good looking babes want to dance with me to "Steam?" .............. Crap. I don't even know why I bother.) Some people (doodieheads) might want to criticize Gabriel for continuing to go off on that POP route ... But I wouldn't listen to these people, because as I said, they are all doodieheads. The POP route can be a great route for someone to go on! It wasn't such a great route on So, but was a great idea for Us. Because how can you enjoy a song better if it wasn't designed to be enjoyed by the masses? THIS IS NOT ELITIST MUSIC! ................ IT'S COMMUNIST MUSIC!!!!! Besides which, Gabriel really does a thoughtful job PRODUCING this and .................. holy crap!! how can anyone think Us is boring? Us is not boring! The world needs more of Us. It would be a better world if musicians would give Us some Us! Because few things are So artistic and enjoyable. Overall Album Score: 9.4 out of 10 (Brilliant!) Average Song Score: 9.2 (Very good songs throughout. Nigh without a weak link.) Album Tilt: 9.5 (Gabriel not only does a great job crafting every single one of these songs, but making this entire album seem to function as one. ... That is my idea of an archetypal album, after all.) Artist Rating: 9.5 (Maaaaan, everyone else who might attempt the same thing will come out BORING. Not Peter Gabriel. And he spend so much dang time in the studio with these songs, obviously. ... This is a golden product!!) Track Reviews Come Talk to Me 9.5/10 Hah haaaaaaaaahhhhhh! Now this is what was missing in So! Long drawn out, beautifully crafted music that's both entrancing and enthralling! Yeah, the world music influence is here (with some tribal drumming and Turkish violin and ... bagpipes, maybe). It's seven minutes long, and I love it! This is even poppy by nature, but it is so more mature than So! AND THE 80s IS GONE!!! Love to Be Loved 9.5/10 Adult contemporary??? How contemptible! But ... ohhhhh ... this is such a pleasant and serene song that obviously shows careful and delicate crafting by Gabriel in the studio. Perhaps it's a little tooooo slow and drawn-out, but I LIKE IT! ... My opinion, after all, matters more than anything else .................................... on this Web Site. Blood of Eden 9.5/10 ...Kind of like East of Eden, except there's blood there. ....... Oh yes. That's my deep thought for the day. And now, let's talk about this song! Man! It's another beautiful (and adult contemporary) song that's pleasant enough to even utilize some South African style harmony! Mmmmmm! ... Yeah, this is kind of boring, but it's beautiful too. DANG IT! LOVE THE BEAUTY OF IT! DON'T DWELL ON THE BORINGNESS!! BECAUSE IT'S NOT REALLY BORING IF YOU'RE CAUGHT UP IN THE BEAUTY OF IT!!!!!!!! Man ... it seems like I review too much early 90s adult contemporary malarkey that only wishes that it could be as cool as this, MAN. Steam 10/10 Allegedly a remake of "Sledgehammer" (...It took me awhile to see the similarity and I'm still not fully convinced of it...). Anyway, this one is slicker and *not* bred for the 80s pop radio, but bred for the 90s pop radio! And this totally kicks butt!!!!!!!!!!!! This is a dance song, even, and ... whoah! Nice groove, nice bass line, nice melody ... slick and awesome. Only Us 8/10 Hmmm............ The first song on the album that appears to be more boring than beautiful. It was still obviously worked on TILL DEATH in the studio, and I really really enjoy all those background noises that Gabriel incorporated in the song. So it's hardly a totally bleak, toneless sucker. It might be slow, but there is a melody here, and it can be very interesting for a listener who is willing to become immersed in this stuff. Washing of the Water 9/10 More verrrrrrrrry slowness, but this one AGAIN has that absolutely engaging, subtle beauty that makes this album one of the best of Gabriel's freaking career. ... Just gorgeous! This is a bare-song, too. Up until its final minute, there's only singing, drumming, and rather faint background synthscape stuff. The last minute of it gets more dramatic and awesome! Woohoooooo! Petey's awesome. Digging in the Dirt 8/10 Sort of another dance-type song like "Steam" was, except it's not as awesome. I still think this is an excellent, song, though ... I particularly like the instrumentation in the middle of it. I'm not sure what Gabriel did there to make it sound so alluring, but ... IT WAS AWESOME!!!!!!! ... A lot of this song gets on the boringer side of the beauty/boring spectrum, however. 14 Black Paintings 8.5/10 I like all these sounds! Nice'n'slow'n'alluring. I promise that these slow songs aren't that boring!! YOU JUST GOT TO BE IN THE RIGHT MOOD TO SOAK IT ALL UP, THAT'S ALL! AND IT'S NOT LIKE IT TOOK ME ANYTHING TO GET IN THIS MOOOOOD. Ohhhhhhhh, another super-duper-trooper song! Kiss That Frog 9.5/10 Maaaaaannnnnnn ... maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn ... **MAN** ... uhhhh ... Hey! This is a STRANGE song, yet it's entirely awesome in that good old way that only Peter Gabriel knows best! It's one of the bolder songs in the album (in the same clan as "Steam" and "Digging in the Dirt," except this one's a little more atmospheric). ... Crap! This is such a wonderful album!!! Secret World 10/10 Well, as far as the slow, long songs on here goes, this one is THE BEST! ... "Steam" was the best FAST song, and "Secret World" is the best SLOW song!!!! WOOOOWOOWOOOOOOOOOO!!!! And why is this song so great, do you ask? Why, that's a stupid question, you! Because the melody is REALLLLY good, the atmosphere is nice and alluringly calm, the beat is nice, and ................ I just freaking like it. So there!!!!! Sends us some comments here, precioussssssssss.

All reviews are copyrighted by the author, Michael Lawrence. He is a 293843 on a scale of ten.