Peter Gabriel - Up

[Felix_dup1]

Anyone else excited about this release coming up Sep 24th? I am!

[BP3]

As much as I like Peter's stuff (3rd and Security, especially), I'm not counting on this one to do much for me, unless he's gone back to a more experimental approach.

[synthetic]

I've been looking forward to it for a year. He's been posting previews on his website every month for months now, and it sounds really cool. I'm not sure if I'd call it experimental, but definately more cutting edge than Up. Great rock songs with amazing production and musicianship, I can't ask for more. Now if he would only announce the dates for his US tour, coming in two months.

[Mark Zeger]

I was once a big fan, but I'll be more interested to see him live than to pick up the new album. One of the most personally influential concerts I've ever seen was Gabriel, circa '78-79, in support of his second album (Jan Hammer Group was the opening act).

[Felix_dup1]

Originally posted by synthetic:

Now if he would only announce the dates for his US tour, coming in two months.

I didn't know he'd announced any US dates - what are they?

[Steve LeBlanc]

I like Peter Gabriel a lot.

[Synthguy]

I need to go back to petergabriel.com, but from what I saw last month his songs aren't rocking very much, a lot more introspective if anything. Poor Peter is getting on in years and weight too, sigh. What mortals these foolish humans be.

 

I'm writing some Gabrielesque things now, because he really is something special. Depressing sometimes - well, often, but special.

[sevush]

from the site - proposed dates:

5-Nov Atlanta Philips Arena

7-Nov Cleveland Gund Arena

8-Nov Columbus Nationwide Arena

11-Nov Washington MCI Center

13-Nov Chicago United Center

15-Nov Minneapolis Target Center

17-Nov E. Rutherford Continental Airlines Arena

25-Nov Boston Fleet Center

28-Nov Montreal Bell Centre

2-Dec Toronto Air Canada Center

3-Dec Detroit Palace

5-Dec Denver Pepsi Center

8-Dec San Diego Sports Arena

11-Dec Los Angeles Staples Center

12-Dec Phoenix America West

14-Dec Oakland Arena

15-Dec San Jose Compaq Center

18-Nov Philadelphia First Union Center

21-Nov NYC MSG

[sbrock1san.rr.com]

Originally posted by sevush:

8-Dec San Diego Sports Arena

I'll be there because "I know what I like and I like what I know".

 

Gabriel always puts on a great show.

[Magpel]

I heard what I'm assuming is a single from the CD. It seemed to be called "What a Show," and in Gabriel's very deliberate lyrical way it concerned Jerry Springer and Montel and the like.

 

Musically, it was very "Modern," replete with drum loops and some heavy filtering of his voice. At first I thought, oh well, Pete's fallen prey to all the overused production techniques of the moment, then I remembered that he invented a lot of that stuff...

[Felix_dup1]

Yeah, the new track is called "The Barry Williams Show" - you can see the video on the website. (Is that Morton Downey Jr. as the talk show host? ) Seemed to have a little more of an edge - the melody line reminded me of "Games Without Frontiers."

[BP3]

So what's UP?

[synthetic]

Just giving it the first listen now. My client is supposed to show up any minute, so I'll post what I can.

 

First track, Darkness, could only be Gabriel. Not at all poppy, I think it will calm your fears a bit. Great contrast, very dark.

 

Track 2, Growing Up. Wow. Go buy this CD right now. Not sure how to descibe this one, a bit like "I Have the Touch". So far it's amazing, not poppy but just fantastic. Modern, dissonance/release. It sounds incredible; I was disappointed with the mix of US and this one sounds a thousand times better. Tchad Blake recorded and mixed the album, maybe the best sounding album I've bought this year. Track 2 is over 7 minutes long.

 

Track 3, "Sky Blue". The first sample collage has more production value than the Top 40 playlist. Production is incredible. This is a slower song, kind of like "Mercy Street". The ethnic influence on this album are still there, but they are very processed and filters to where you really have to listen for them. Snare on this has been distorted and compressed to the point where it sounds like your stepping on a pistachio. The layers are incredible -- there's a dreamy voicey layer off in the distance, with bass, voice and guitar up close, like two songs playing at once. Peter is credited with Firefly keys, Bosendorfer, Bass Pulse, MPC Groove on this one. His usual band is on most tracks - Katche, Levin, Lanois, Sancious, Rhodes, etc. Again nearly 7 minutes in length.

 

Track 4, "No Way Out". Interesting groove starting with upright bass, brushes and twang guitar, very different. Still has the ethnic groove and piano. I haven't been listening to the lyrics yet, there's just too much to process. This arrangement really breathes -- it goes from upright, piano and bass to a big "In Your Eyes coda" arrangement. Odd sounds at the end, credited as backwards piano. There's just so much creativity here. I'll bet this will get panned critically, especially after all of the five star reviews of the flat new Bruce Sprngsteen album. Fading out at 7:30 with a huge drum outro.

 

You're still reading? If you like PG at all you're in the car right now heading to Tower and laying down your $12.98.

 

Track 5, "Grieve". I remember this one from the download. He said that many people have told him that "Don't Give Up" saved their life, literally brought them back from suicide. He wanted to add a song about grieving to his "emotional toolkit", because none existed. I think it was in "City of Angels" but he decided to re-record it. The production is scaled back here to make room for the vocal and the message. It's still very layered, delayed tamborine samples and fiddle improv, but mixed way back so it all blends into a big pad to sing over. Surprising shift five minutes in, a cool uplifting section. You can tell that he's never finished with a song, he just keeps working on it until they pry the tapes away from him. Again over 7 minutes, he crams so much in. There isn't a song that has a typical form on here, they all have a life of their own.

 

Track 6, "The Barry Williams Show". This is the single, but the intro seemed different than what I heard online. Even though the production is reminiciant of "Big Time" or another of his hits, the lyrics are still dark. More layering too, odd samples and processed guitar pieces.

 

Gotta go. I strongly recommend this CD. It's going to take several listens to take it all in.

 

-jl

[Dogfur]

Yep - Go get it folks.

 

This is the most artistically produced thing I've heard in years.. Some very "early Gabriel" type things I'm noticing now as well.

 

Wow..I'm going on track 9. ( full string section, sounds awesome! )

 

A very good day in the CD player indeed!

[Geosync]

I want to hear it. He's using a ton of Kurzweil gear including the KSP8 effects processors.

[Mark Zeger]

OK, initially I was lukewarm on getting this record. I'll drop a hint to my wife to get it for my birthday in early October.

[eric]

Got it last night while picking something up at Walmart. A bargain at $10.84.

 

I have not heard it all yet, but the first 5 songs pretty much blew me away. There are no immediately catchy tunes, but the depth of sound and Gabriel's careworn voice are amazing. Every song I have heard cycles through very different moods and it sounds much more like old school Gabriel than his last couple of albums.

 

I believe it will be in my car's CD player non-stop for a couple of weeks. It will be interesting to see if it overtakes David Bowie's Heathen as my favorite new album. I think it probably will and cannot wait to finish listening.

 

Regards,

Eric

[Geosync]

Originally posted by Geosync:

including the KSP8 effects processors.

Update: The KSP8 was shipped but it may have arrived too late to be used on the tour.. Just want to be accurate. Kurzweil's Jeff Allison has taken a leave of absense to be the Keyboard Tech on this tour. Way to go Jeff.

[spoonman]

from what friends tell me gabriel has lost more then just a step. i was once a huge gabriel mark but times have changed. he should have just stayed in hiding or whatever you want to call it.

[Mike Martin]

I'm sure this is a limited time promotion, but Microsoft is allowing you to download the whole album in either stereo or 5.1 (wma format) for free. I'm not sure if Media Player 9 is required or not.

 

http://www.windowsmedia.com/mg/Music.asp

[Bucktunes]

Thanks for the heads UP, guys! I'll definitely get this one soon. "So" has been one of my favorite CD's since it came out. Sounds like this one's a winner, too.

 

Originally posted by spoonman:

from what friends tell me gabriel has lost more then just a step. i was once a huge gabriel mark but times have changed. he should have just stayed in hiding or whatever you want to call it.

I'd say you need to make some better friends. Or at least a few with better ears.

 

Peace all,

Steve

[copacapripacbell.net]

I've been listening to this album for over a week now. I am addicted. First Bowie with Heathen now Peters back just a wonderful listening experence.

[Wewus432]

Wow! This is amazing word of mouth promotion. Hey BuckTunes-So is one of my favorites too. Trying to get the download but I guess millions of other people are too.

[D_dup3]

Petey G. will be on Conan O'Brien Fri. 9/27...

[Dan South]

Originally posted by eric:

Got it last night while picking something up at Walmart. A bargain at $10.84.

Doesn't Wal Mart sell cleaned up, sterlilzed versions of popular recordings?

[eric]

Doesn't Wal Mart sell cleaned up, sterlilzed versions of popular recordings?

The version of Up that I purchased seems to be the full-length, non-sterilized version (I think I saw a couple of naked pictures inside). Just joking. I had not heard this about Walmart, but perhaps it's true for stuff like Eminem.

 

The PG album has no sketchy content, IMHO. It's a great album.

 

Regards,

Eric

[b3keys]

Caught Pete on Conan on Friday. He and another keyboardist played K2600s.

 

Got tix for the Cleveland show. The show is "in the round." Can't wait, but not looking forward to the 2 hour drive to get there!

 

Great fall concert season - McCartney, Gabriel, Cocker, Counting Crows, Springsteen and the Stones!

[Mark Zeger]

Originally posted by d:

Petey G. will be on Conan O'Brien Fri. 9/27...

Just caught the repeat on Comedy Central. Played "The Barry Williams Show".

[D_dup3]

Looked like a lotta sequencing/sample & hold.

Personnally, I preferred the "bouncing" babe on keyboard #2.

 

(& What's with all the bald guys?!)

[eric]

I've now been listening to this new PG album for over a week and wanted to post some more impressions. I do like it quite a bit. It is very deep sonically, and the songs are quite lengthy.

 

I will say that the lyrics are overall dark and depressing. The "hit" is said to be "The Barry Williams Show," and while it does have a catchy beat and somewhat of a hook, I just don't really get it from a lyrical standpoint. I know what PG is saying (basically bashing Jerry Springer-type shows), but it seems a bit trite and dated. What I've usually liked about PG is that his music is timeless. Lyrically, "In Your Eyes" would mean the same thing to someone 50 yrs from now, as would other great PG material like "I Have the Touch," "Secret World" and "Digging in the Dirt." If someone heard "Barry Williams" 50 yrs from now, my guess is they would say "Huh?"

 

I pulled out my PG Us CD today and I think it has much better songs than Up. Up is good, but just very dark. The one upbeat song (Barry Williams) just does not move me. I can't get into singing along with it. Maybe one could argue that "Sledgehammer" and "Kiss That Frog" were trite lyrics, but at least they are fun to sing.

 

Don't let my comments above stop you from buying the album. It is worth it and I am keeping it in rotation. It takes some hard listening to get into it and you have to accept that PG is not looking for the instant gratification with oodles of MTV pop hits (nothing wrong with that).

 

Regards,

Eric