So

I was never a fan of Peter Gabriel, but was very surprised at how many songs I knew on this album. Not my style, but I enjoyed it for the nostalgia. Not super happy to see Kate Bush slide in for a song because she just needs to go.

Enjoyed it, but not enough to save the album. Dece

In Your Eyes brings up too many images of John Cusack holding up a jukebox outside of a girl's house who was out of his league to begin with. Plus Sledgehammer and Big Time are two of the most annoying songs to ever become monster hits. And I still can't get past my belief that Peter Gabriel is perhaps the most overrated artist on this list. He ain't Bowie.

Dit soort muziek doet me denken aan ellenlange autoritjes in de auto bij m'n ouders, waar steevast Skyradio of Radio 10 Gold aanstond. Dit is precies de muziek die je daar hoorde, tweede helft jaren '90. Een papje gemaakt van Phil Collins, Prince, Toto en Sting. Ik vind de muziek an sich nog niet zo verschrikkelijk, maar die jaren '80 productie maakt het voor mij wel vies. Van de drums tot de stabs van de blazers. Ook dat gekke geluidje bij 'Big Time' bijvoorbeeld, lelijk. Die track met Katrien Schaamhaar is op zich wel mooi en er staan een paar aardige hitjes op. Ik kijk naar m'n streak van 2 sterren en dit is dan wel het betere album uit die rij. Ik rond af naar een 3, ik wil er vanaf zijn.

Literalmente, JoseAlberto

Atmospheric 80s synthy pop rock. It's fine. Rating: 2.5/5 Playlist track: Sledgehammer Date listened: 02/04/24

Quintessentially late 80s music.. giving 3 only because of nostalgia.. the album not so much.. Phil Collins voice is better

I was ready to give this 4 stars (with a .5 star bump just for "In Your Eyes") and then "This is the Picture" came on and dropped it right back to 3.5 stars.

Some good tunes here Kate bush comeback album

Enjoyed this more than I expected to. Nice arrangements and a good production with some standout songs (Sledgehammer being one obviously). It is easy to tire of Gabriel's voice though and overall it's a bit 'pleasant'.

Yeah, nice. Sledgehammer 👍 Album is decent.

This is going to sound pretentious as fuck, but I think this album is too accessible. I prefer Peter Gabriel's earlier work that sounds like he was inhaling spore fumes from a whimsical mushroom land. This feels like getting smacked by a comically large book titled "The 80s - Beginner's Guide". Still good though. "Sledgehammer" is a classic, and I personally really enjoyed "Mercy Street" as well. Better than anything Phil Collins has done aside from the Tarzan soundtrack.

Enjoyed this one way more than I thought I would! Great bass lines, sledgehammer is a classic! Big time is very cheesy though

Decent.

Not my style.

Some great songs - the album hasn't aged well

Not bad, enjoyed his one famous song. The rest were fine

Positive message songs. Sounds like a sound track for a 90s TV show.

so 80s and so genesis

Great pop album, huge singles, though there a couple of filler songs.

Not bad. Lots of the songs sounded similar, but I loved the production. Every song on its own was good

3.5

A monumental pillar of teenage years and high school. Instant and constant nostalgia with every verse and chorus. And yet this is a tough one. I have never loved this album. I love Peter Gabriel but this was and still is hard to connect with. It's cold -> sterile/cold. Which I often like and even do here - plus "Red Rain" is as killer an opener as you can have. Then ... it's weird - I think the only way I can explain my conflicted feelings about this album is to *listen through headphones* which also demonstrates how amazingly detailed and intricate it is at every single moment. Listening to different subtle keyboard parts drifting in and out; repeating...it's a testament to Gabriel's skill as a composer and arranger that he was able to have 4 monster radio hits from this album - it was in many ways the perfect melding of complexity and commercial viability. Yet the negatives -> in a way the album cover is a perfect representation in some ways for this - the black and white starkness of the image is indicative of the sounds within ... back to the headphones - even after nearly 40 years of hearing this again and again I can hear parts i'd never noticed before. Which is amazing and interesting and yet oddly it further pushes me away from the album and points out how it's all a wash of cold synths that while don't *necessarily* sound dated (shocking for the mid-80s, truly) the lack of warmth gives it all a clinical sound that after a few songs starts to sound soulless. And by the end *is* soulless. I don't really *feel* anything from this album. Which might seem ironic since I'm sure many reviews have this as a "soulful" album but that's probably due to his voice (which I love). It feels as soulful as a pristinely clean marble-topped bathroom counter. The musicianship is fantastic, especially the drumming (even accounting for the extensive programming involved, often side-by-side with acoustic drumming) Maybe it was just that I miss/ed more of his earlier creepy/edgier style which "We Do What We're Told" would have fit in very well with; that weird track is the logical progression between his first 4 and "So" but not much else is. There's nothing I find inherently unappealing about any of the individual songs (outside of the big "Sledgehammer" which I never liked and still don't. I can appreciate the craft and the weaving lines constantly pulsing throughout - a perfect example of a pop song that structurally/chordwise is as simple as can be but the components are almost chaotic - I just don't like the song. Hmmm wait "Big Time" kind of sucks too in retrospect). It's the aggregate that leaves me hanging. Maybe I've been noticing one thing all along - the million little details and complexities hide the fact that the songs at their essence are simple and don't carry the weight of his previous work for me. TL;DR: Odd that when this popped up I thought "oh here's probably a guaranteed 5" based on nostalgia and familiarity and feelings for the artist but I listened twice and yeah I can see and would promote this being a 5 for many - it's just not my favourite. 6/10 3 stars.

Some of the songs were too monotonous

It’s the 80s. Sometimes too much but I liked it.

some decent 80s pop. pacing is weird

Pretty good album. Didn't get into the weeds of this album but it was enjoyable

Solid

Both he and Genesis all songs sound the same. Not a fan

Gets a lil boring

Och neee de gseht genau so us wiener heisst. Hm. Es isch ned schlecht. Würklich ned. Aber ich chas eifach ned lose. Finds recht langwiilig, v.a nachem offspring album geschter. Aso sledgehammer isch scho au en banger? Ahh weiss ned. Ebe schlecht ischs ned aber grad ned so min vibe. Glaub es 3 wär ziemli fair

erste ihdruck isch tiptop aber ich glaub mis mami würs meh fühle als ich. bi don‘t give up hetti fast min überlebenswille ufgeh so kitschig und lang das gsi isch. that voice again no hard wnl. zwüschefazit: hetts no 80er? mercy street ned so spannend aber recht pleasing. this is the picture tschutet no fuessball. au wenn mich de düdüdü-düdümm chli anes lied us harry potter 3 erinneret. vlt au weg dem. okay fertig. finds no schwierig zum sege. han einigi lieder am ahfang recht nice gfunde aber denn 3/4 into it doch wieder recht unspannend. ich glaub ich bi chli zwenig 80s zums so richtig appreciate. sicher gueti musig aber nüt wo mich umhaut.

I remember my father having this on cassette when I was a kid. awesome title but not as good as I had hoped.

It's okay. Not as good as his best stuff

Only mildly like this one

Red Rain? BANGER. I bet for 1986 this was a master piece, but for my ears as a 90s baby this was not my favorite synth pop solo album.

Red Rain feels like an end credits freeze frame from an 80s movie where the Main Character is walking down the center of the road in the rain and jumps with their legs in the air as the credits roll. Not bad, very 80s. Sledgehammer is a designated "Walking" song. If I lived in NYC I would totally walk, sandwich in hand, listening to this song - and love every bit of it. Don't Give Up- makes me want to give it all up. I feel like this song would go hard if I was Christian, but alas I am not. That Voice Again-utterly 80s, background music for me. Mercy Street-No Mercy for Mercy Street (I don't like melancholic/slow 80s songs.) Give me that sweet sweet juicy nectar of synthesizers, electronic instruments, catchy melodies and even catchier back-up vocalists this is what I breathe. Big Time- Did exactly what I asked for when I started listening to this album. Gave me zazz, gave me exaggerated 80sness, gave me life. We Do What We're Told (Milgram's 37)-This song is peak existentialism, and I'm here for it. BUT NOT after the song 'Big Time' you're really sending me into a thought provoking orbit after making me listen to "BIG TIME!" get a grip. no. This Is The Picture (Excellent Birds)-Is a nice song to play if you're doing something that does require your attention. In Your Eyes- Is giving your local Church's 'concert' Friday. Once you get over that obstacle, the song is pretty enjoyable. TLDR: Red Rain-YES Sledgehammer-YES Don't Give Up-NO That Voice Again-YES Mercy Street-NO Big Time-YES We Do What We're Told (Milgram's 37)-NO This Is The Picture (Excellent Birds)-YES In Your Eyes-YES

1. Sledgehammer (1st) 2. That Voice Again (7th) ----------------------------- 3. In Your Eyes (2nd) 4. Don't Give Up (3rd) 5. Mercy Street (6th) 6. Red Rain (5th) 7. This Is The Picture (Excellent Birds) (9th) 8. Big Time (4th) 9. We Do What We're Told (Milgram's 37) (8th)

Great album

I've dithered between a 3 and 4. It's good songwriting but very conventional pop that I don't really listen to so much. So in the end I think it is only a 3 for me. Nice to listen to but I won't seek it out again.

Sledgehammer

3.5 Just not my vibe!

This is a strong album from Peter Gabriel with hits including "Sledgehammer" and "In Your Eyes." His instrumentation and vocals are tasteful and intimate. While not all of the tracks are successful as the above singles, there is still a quality to this album which is worth mentioning.

I mean, eh. It’s good but not my taste

Mercy street was good

I kind of like Big Time and sort of like This is the Picture

Sledgehammer is fun! Sounds like Dave Matthew’s sometimes. So 80s.

It's good, but I feel like all the songs are very dense and it's gonna take me a few listens to really get into the meat of it, so I can't rate it too highly just on a first listen. The Kate Bush cameo surprised me though, and for everything i've heard about Sledgehammer that song is a banger.

Favourite Song: In Your Eyes This felt like a film score. A really lovely, solid album, with enough going for it that it's quite enjoyable.

Not as good as the car

‘Twas my high school girlfriend’s favorite artist. Lots of play time.

- This is a hella vibe - Sounds like an 80s movie - Big Time and Red Rain were probably my favorites

- I like the background music, idk what it’s called but the synthesizer type sounds - a little less industrial sounding than PG3 - quintessential 80s sound

Talented for sure.

Would listen if it was on. Not seeking it out

Pop progresivo. Un megahit. Ni fu ni fa.

Glad I went to prom in the 90s…

It's okay. Better than some of the other albums as I like the songs but there were a few songs that I really didn't like too.

You know, he single handedly created WOMAD ?

Kate bush

Good

Catchy 80’s trash. It’s fine.

pretty swell 3

Jsuis étonnée d'avoir aimé ça.

Sledgehammer, Big time, In your eyes pretty solid. I've always been a sucker for sledgehammer. His lyrics are fantastic.

In Your Eyes is one of my favorite songs of all time, it’s too bad it was tacked on at the end of a mediocre album like an afterthought. Also have a distinct memory of Josh having Sledgehammer as his ring back tone for a long time 😆.

Solid 3.5. I needed this after all the metal.

This was... okay ... Bit of an awkward blend between prog and pop, the songs create a bit of an atmosphere but don't quite get there, and they're too long and complex to be properly poppy. A bit cheesy, but there are a couple of decent songs in here (Sledgehammer has been somewhat (sledge)hammered to death by Magic FM et al, but it's still good, and Big Time is decent too). 3/5.

Najbolje pjesme: 1. Don't Give Up 2. Sledgehammer 3. Red Rain 4. That Voice Again Ostale su mi ugl malo bzvz, ali ove sporije imaju neki bajkovit vibe. 3.5/5

A great album for its time. Loaded with hits. Stylistically, it's peak 80s.

Fand das Album etwas durchwachsen. Paar Hits dabei (vor allem Sledgehammer), aber die Quali war nicht durchgängig so gut. 3,49.

Sledgehammer is a favourite of mine that I've heard many times. I've never heard this full album however. Most of the album is quite serious compared to Sledgehammer. Lots of similarities between Gabriel and Phil Collins. It's easy to see why they were in Genesis together. A good album overall.

Not my thing but the vocals were good and I can see why this album is popular and highly praised for people who like 80s music.

Meh

Really good. while listening it sounded really familiar and a lot like phill collins, and a lot of other artist form the time obvi. 4 songs added to playlist.

La primera cançó m'ha encantat, però crec que després perd bastant. No sé, comença amb molta energia però després la perd de seguida. Expected Lorenzo Rating: 3/5

Not really my kind of music but not bad.

Solid 80s soft rock, a la, Phil Collins. Definitely will listen again

Not my fave but definitely an 80s classic must hear.

Not really my kind of music, but wasn't terrible.

Pretty solid. It's more consistent in tone than many of his releases, and doesn't suffer from the 80s cheesiness quite as bad. It never really blew me away but I found it consistently enjoyable.

Okay

Naja, an und für sich wirklich nicht schlecht. Es hat mich aber emotional nicht abgeholt. Empfinde es als eher sehr generisch. 5.0/10

3/5. A few really good songs. The stuff in between was forgettable. Very 80s.

I usually hate art-pop but this is great. Apparently this lost the AOTY Grammy against Graceland in 1986, which is wild because Graceland had the fart bass. This isn't perfect by any means, but it doesn't suck either. Sledgehammer and In Your Eyes are really good songs.

Good, but I couldn't do the live sections.

Ordentlicher over the top 80er-Vibes, viel Synthesizer (Drums). Ganz interessante Stimme. Am Ende war es aber nichts so richtig für mich. Wirkte ein bisschen aus der Zeit gefallen, vielleicht.

great music and compelling lyrics.

It was alright. Very middle of the road.

Pretty good. Not heard of the him but recognised in your eyes. Possibly something I’d choose to listen to again.

2/1001 It was good

Nothing that interesting 6/10

It was ok

I don't know, I guess I'm the one who's missing something but save for 3-4 tracks, I thought this was rather uneventful art pop.

Sting/Phil Collins vibes

As wild and crazy the 80s were there was still a lot of good pop music that really changed the way music was made. Peter Gabriel was one of those guys that could make music and while you listen you think this guy knows more about music than me. So many songs on this album are just straight up good. This is an album people should listen to you don’t have to like it but understand that sometimes 80s music was pretty solid. 7.1/10

A nice little "art pop" album with some tunes that immediately conjure 80s movie vibes.

Sone tracks were really good but I don’t see this record to be beneath the best records of the 80s.

I can go either way on this type of thing. Some of it I didn’t mind, but most of it I was ambivalent about. I think I liked “Big Time” the best. There is a very distinct 80s sound to this album, for better or for worse.

Some good stuff here I like how big it sounds.

6/10. So so

Er staat veel te veel 80's in de lijst. Maar als je een selectie gaat maken, dan hoort deze plaat er zeker bij. Dit toont dat het kenmerkende '80's geluid ook prima muziek kan opleveren. Het helpt dat Peter gewoon als Peter zingt. Weinig rare bokkesprongen daarin. In totaal staan er teveel softe nummers op. Er zakt teveel weg naar de achtergrond. 3+ sterren.

I liked that Kate Bush track and the intro. So far 6/10. Maybe I’m not into it right now but I’ll return eventually.

Sledgehammer and Your Eyes were good, the other song were forgettable.

In Your Eyes and Sledgehammer good, the rest was pretty forgettable to me.

It's Genesis, but it's not Genesis. It's Mr. Gabriel. I was never a particular fan, not ever really paid much attention to his music. So, it was good to hear tracks I'd never heard before. Red Rain was a good opener. (Sledgehammer and don't give up - skipped - too over played). I liked That Voice Again. Mercy Street - not so good. Big Time - meh. And that's about it really. It hovered towards a 4 but the needle fell back to its resting place of 3

This album is so unabashedly 80s. The production is filled with its sound. It’s ok. The songs are fun and catchy, but they’re mostly rather monotonous and longer than needed. Still cool.

Not a huge 80s fan, I like certain songs in this album Top tracks: In Your Eyes, Sledgehammer, Don’t Give Up

Almost a 4. Not always my musical taste, but there's some really cool parts in here. Sledgehammer has kind of been a meme in other friend groups I've been in (watch the music video for a ridiculous good time), but it's a good song.

A fun Phil collins-y time ! Sledgehammer is an all timer

Wow. I love Peter Gabriel but. This album fell off hard as it went on.

It was pretty good, nothing bothered me but nothing wowed me either.

Very 80s. I have a degree of nostalgia for this, but 16 year old me liked it more than i do now. Better than any of Phil Collins' solo efforts though.

Nice. A lot of recognisable songs. Nothing really objectionable.

Red Rain - 6/10 Sledgehammer - 10/10 Don't Give Up - 7/10 That Voice Again - 8/10 Mercy Street - 9/10 Big Time - 8/10 We Do What We're Told - 7/10 This is The Picture - 7/10 In Your Eyes - 10/10 TOTAL - 62/90

I love Peter Gabriel in Genesis. For me Genesis was a fantastic band up until the point that Gabriel left and then became a pale shadow, eventually devolving into cheesy 80s pop music. However, in the 1980s I only knew of the Phil Collins led Genesis and wasn't aware they were actually a great band in the 70s or even that Gabriel had been their singer/ main songwriter back then. I actually first came across Gabriel when he released Solsbury Hill, later Games Without Frontiers, both of which I loved. Then he had his smash hit with Sledgehammer, which was okay for pop music I guess and had an amazing video for the time. I didn't have much interest in listening to his album; I knew the 4-5 big hits already and I assumed the entire album would just be more of the same. It turns out I was right. It's not awful, but there's nothing here to make want to listen to this again. Probably the definition of a middle of the road pop album, deserving of a slightly reluctant 3 stars. It's a little telling that the world music influences here don't really stand out at all now. They probably were more ground breaking at the time this was released? The production is very 1980s, syrupy and a little cheesy in places. Syrup and cheese isn't a great mixture.

It's ok.

Sledgehammer is an amazing song Uh…I used to own this album but I don’t remember barely any of this album except Res Rain and In Your Eyes. It’s definitely more self-serious than I recall, in kind of a silly way. Hrm.

painfully 80s yet endearing, kinda dated, all the ballads, very schmaltzy, some bops tho

I know how acclaimed this one is, but just couldn’t get to more than a 3 on it. It’s a great merger of art rock and pop rock. Sledgehammer and In Your Eyes are obviously fantastic, well written pop songs that deserve their place as some of the greatest of the 80s. The other singles don’t hold up so well, particularly Big Time sounds very dated. The two “duets” are interesting tracks, although the Laurie Anderson one sounds like a second rate Talking Heads song. That Voice Again was the best non-single. But overall didn’t think this was that amazing.

Strong start, too long

Love the variety of instrumentation here. The female vocals are hauntingly beautiful on Don't Give Up. Big Time is a banger, but it sounds so aggressively 80's. Nothing quite lives up to Sledgehammer, but overall I like the album.

Dit is dan eindelijk weer een jaren 80 plaatje dat wel goed te hebben is!

Ook heel tof, maar ik denk dat ik 'Peter Gabriel 3' toch net wat bijzonderder vind.

Hier zitten een paar pareltjes tussen.

It's good. But it all sounds the same. It's a vibe. But not as good as Phil Collins or Morrisey.

Couple great tunes but not my style.

A major shift toward commercial radio-friendly music here for PG. A lower mark was in the cards but it's nice to finally hear Laurie Anderson on 1001.

Red rain - 3.3/5 Sledgehammer - 2.9/5 Don't give up - 2/5 holy shit this has Kate Bush but like what the fuck it's not music That voice again - 3.2/5 Mercy street 2.8/5 - intro sounds like burn by juice wrld lol. Wouldn't be surprised if it sampled this Big time - 4/5 We do what we're told - 1.8/5 ? Dissonant, off timed, random atmosphere This is the picture - 2.4/5 this feels like it should somehow be in a kids cartoon, yet feels like its alluding to very not family friendly things In your eyes - 3.2/5 lion king ass love song???

Not an angel but not bad

I always saved this one up and was so excited to listen to it, but... apart from Sledgehammer, Don't Give Up and Big, there wasn't much I was enjoying. I think I liked the self titled ones better.

Rien de particulier.

Not really my thing, not terrible, wouldn't listen to whole thing again. In Your Eyes the standout.

Ok but..

3.3

Songs you wouldn't mind hearing while you get your hair cut.

Average 80s album. I know Sledgehammer makes 80s aficionados feel tingling in their pants, but the song is just average. Always has been and always will be.

The good songs on this album slapped! Unfortunately that was like 1/2 of them… the others made me think of weird bad mandatory ballroom dancing lessons. But i do wanna be ur sledgehammer tho.

Nice for studying

Some head-nod-invoking songs, some slower sentimental synth rock ballads. Big Time is my favorite.

On certain days this could rate a 4. Not quite, today. It was definitely better than I expected. Turns out the most famous song on here is one of the more annoying ones.

Funk, rock, pop, indie. Melodie ritmate e accattivanti, splendidi bassi di accompagnamento che fanno da cornice a tutto. Voce non estremamente conforme ai miei gusti, dall'alto della mia ignoranza mi ricorda gli anni '80.

okay

I like Gabriel’s style and voice, the record is good but 3 stars down for that horrible 80’s production. 1 star up for “in your eyes”

Fun progressive pop album of 1986. It was a pleasant mix of commercial sounding with lots of other genres to keep it fresh throughout.

It was ok. Not my type of music. Some songs were pretty good. Others were rough.

I read that Phil Collins didn’t understand why critics hated him and loved Peter Gabriel. They were both in Genesis, they both put out monster albums in the 80’s with tons of hits. What made the critics love Peter Gabriel and hate Phil Collins? I think it’s cause Peter Gabriel is wearing a toupee on this album cover and Phil Collins just openly went bald. But who knows? This is a fine album. It’s hard to really hear the hits because of how often I’ve heard them before. I like Peter Gabriel’s Genesis stuff, and this is kind of three minute pop versions of that. It’s a good album. But “No Jacket Required” better be on this list too.

Interesting piece - it definitely captures the defining sounds of the mid-80s, Phil Collins-esque pop-rock. It was enjoyable even though it didn't give me much to motivate a re-listen in the future, and I think it makes sense to include on this list as an example of a time and genre.

Don't like Peter Gabrial much, but I enjoyed this more than I thought I would

Good. Loved the singles and didn't like the rest

7/10 Creative, tense, varied Highlights: Don't Give Up Mercy Street This is the Picture

My first album for this project. I suppose I don’t know what I’m looking for. It doesn’t seem like a cohesive album but maybe I’m not hearing it. The sound is nostalgic as I grew up with 80s music.

it's good ! the musical work displays notable strengths in production and rhythm. however, the length of the songs [in this genre] might not align with my personal preferences ig. nevertheless, i still appreciate the overall quality of the composition !

Good, not really a fan of this though

Ei ehkä albumi, johon ensimmäisenä tarttuisin, mutta sopii kyllä lenkille. Monta tuttua biisiä, mutta ei mitään megabängeriä.

Very solid album, I'm just not that into this style.

Hitto kun koko levy pitäisi Sledgehammerin tason niin olis aivan jäätävän kova setti. Muutama ohi-biisi seassa, mutta hyvällä fiiliksellä meni läpi.

So what?

This is not for me. The mid tempo is unrelenting and same-y, neither relaxing or exciting. The heavy use of synth accompaniment and the weirdly amelodic singing makes a lot of the songs sound like someone turned on a background song that came with their synthesizer and is improvising a song over it.

3/5. I love several songs on this album but there are definitely some misses, including the hit Don't Give Up, which loses me in the positivity and feels fake. There are some other good songs but the great songs like Red Rain, Sledgehammer, and In Your Eyes make up for it. Just an EP with those three and Big Time would be amazing. There is disco, electronic, and industrial taken from previous albums but it doesn't seem to find a place here. As an album as a whole though, pretty good but not awesome.

Great musical composition. Not my flavor of music but I did find some family songs I ended up favoriting.

It had some well known songs. It was overall an alright album. Relatively short and I did not skip any songs.

Great album but not a personal fan of the style,

A lot has been made about the production, and on Sledgehammer and Big Time it does rather go for it. But under all the gated drums and synths there's a clutch of very solid songs. At least half of this album is so over-exposed though it's difficult to actually rate it properly.

80's popelis, is aight

Not a huge fan of his voice, and the instrumentals are SO 80s. This is the Picture was my favorite instrumental.

Not my favourite but not bad

Besides Sledgehammer this is all a bit too epic for epics sake. I don't really get it

it was okay, cool 80s vibe

Peter har litt for raspete stemma, men don’t give up

Album was ok. Remember it coming out and was well received. Didn’t listen to the live tracks on remastered version.

Good 80s vibe

53/100

Sledgehammer is an all time amazing song, and I love Big Time, but honestly the slower songs were just... fine to me.

Had a distinctive sound for the timeframe. Always well orchestrated

Wasn't exactly my cup of tea but the first song was really good.

Decent 80s album. Loved “Mercy Street” and “Don’t Give Up” with Kate Bush. And of course, “In Your Eyes” is a classic.

My first though was "hmm, this sounds quite a lot like Phil Collins, but not as good". And sure enough, Peter Garbriel was the front man of Genesis, so I'm glad that my spider senses proved themselves working for once. But that was the most exciting thing with the album for me. Like many other albums we've had on the list, there's nothing bad about this really, it just doesn't get my blood pumping. It also sounds very 80s in a not-that-great way.

Most of this album sounds less like Gabriel branching out into a solo career and more like Genesis with the rest of the band missing.

This was fun! The exact change of pace I was asking for, smoother, easier to listen to. Didn’t blow me away but I found it enjoyable.

The big songs are still relevant today. Such a mellow sound, even if it’s a more upbeat sound. Cool experimentation. A distinct sound. High 3

Solid 2.8

Solid.

80s synth has not aged well. Would have given this 4 stars in the 80s - "Sledgehammer", "Red Rain", "In your eyes" are all classics. The rest hasn't held up well.

Solid if unspectacular

Sledgehammer is a high point, there's a few other okay ones, nice to hear Kate Bush, otherwise it's a bit mid 80s over produced, innit

whoah genesis is cool

Enjoyed the uptempo songs so much more than the ballads. These 80's ballads just don't do anything for me, even when they're sung by Kate Bush. 3/5

Sledgehammer truly is a brilliant track. The bass, the percussion, the lead guitar, all entirely perfect for the track it is. 37 years on, it sounds fresh and exciting. Gabriel's voice is just wonderful. The production is through the roof. The rest of the album - yeah, not so good. Both Kate Bush and Peter Gabriel have incredible sounding voices, but weirdly they chose to waste their pipes on an incredibly pedestrian song - Don't Give Up . Bizarrely, it starts going somewhere after 5 minutes and 45 seconds of interminable pap before just straight out giving up on an incredibly lazy fade. The irony, when they'd spent half an eternity telling each other not to. There's interesting drumming on That Voice Again, but the track turns out to be Gabriel cosplaying as Sting. The Sting cosplay continues with Mercy Street, and again in totally unironic irony, there is no mercy to be shown in over six minutes of meandering doldrums that take forever to get anywhere. You keep listening hoping to find some of the Sledgehammer magic, but it just doesn't come. Big Time thankfully has a bit of punch to it, but doesn't get close to where it should be, and then goes straight back to meandering with We Do What We're Told. This Is The Picture underuses Laurie Anderson. Again, someone with a magnificent and distinctive voice, just left to wander aimlessly. The finishing track - In Your Eyes - is not strong enough to finish an album on. I can't help but conclude that Sledgehammer was such a massive hit - a song (and video) that changed music - that its host album was sellotaped onto the 1,001 out of courtesy. This should be a two-star album, but the heights of sledgehammer brings it reluctantly up to a three.

Malgré des promesses propagées par mon camarade d'écoute robpecunière, cet album ne dépassera jamais le stade de mauvaise imitation de Phil Collins.

Just ok

A few bangers and some filler

I was a little underwhelmed by this

Some enjoyable songs.

enjoyable. nice songs

Every Peter Gabriel song sounds the same to me.

This probably the only Peter Gabriel album that appeals to me with many of his best known tracks, Sledgehammer, Red Rain and In Your Eyes. The rest of the record unfortunately sounds dated and at times dull, so clearly I'm not a PG aficionado. In general, his music doesn't excite me, but I can hear it in small doses.

Niet van omver geblazen

Some nice touches. Like the song about the Excellent Birds. Can understand why this album lost out to Graceland by Paul Simon that year. Doesn't really stand out.

Pop ochentero sin muchos alardes. Canciones tranquilas y relajadas. Buena voz. Sintetizadores y algo de ritmos novedosos

Pretty good. Really just waited for “in your eyes” the whole time.

Zaskoczyło mnie to że znałem aż 2 piosenki z tego albumu: Sledgehammer i Don't Give Up. Zasługuje na mocne 3.5

Good

The only song I properly knew was Sledgehammer, although I would not have known the name of artists if asked. Very solid classic 80s album.

A bit too self indulgent sounding for me. But Sledgehammer is an all timer.

The bigger, bolder tracks like Sledgehammer and Big Time had me dancing in my seat, but most of the quieter songs on this album put me right back to sleep. I generally like Peter Gabriel but this album needed a better killer to filler ratio.

3.5

3/5 Best: In Your Eyes Worst: This Is the Picture (Excellent Birds)

I mean, "Sledgehammer" is a bop but the rest of the album? Not so much. Not that it's bad by any stretch of the imagination. It's just not all on the same level as "Sledgehammer" is it?

off to a good start tbh. i've been meaning to get into more prog rock, and this album was a nice starter i think. the strong points of the album was certainly the production, but i don't feel like it had anything that particularly stood out to me. the atmosphere was lovely. the lyrics are also pretty good, line delivery also alright. all in all, solid album that i enjoyed. will have to listen again!! 3/5.

So is the fifth album by English singer-songwriter Peter Gabriel. The album's music is inspired from many cultures and influences. It has elements of pop, soul, rock, and world music from specifically African and Brazilian styles. So was an immediate commercial success and launched Gabriel from a cult artist into a mainstream star. The album has been certified 5 times platinum in the US. This was a great album that mixed mainstream rock sound with exotic beats to create a variety of tones over the entire album. It showed true craftsmanship from an experienced singer-songwriter. This may be Gabriel's best album so I recommend everyone to give it a listen.

Gave an extra star due to the Sledgehammer song. This album just wasn’t for me.

Did not finish, very 80's tho.

cant remeber

The domineering final track overshadows one of the only good albums to come out of the 80s. Gabriel’s vocals are stellar, and while the instrumentals retain a certain cheese factor, it comes across as genuine and doesn’t make the album unlistenable.

Pretty good, I should listen to Peter Gabriel more

Don't really get on with his voice, like the music arrangement although it's very 80's Sledgehammer a good tune, but not brilliant the rest began to grate on me a little by the end. 2.6

This was alright. I'm not really a fan, but it's not bad.

Era defining production and genre jumping. Owes credit to Lionel Richie, Sting and Talking Heads. 'Don't Give Up' is still lovely though.

I've been surprisingly bored by Peter Gabriel's solo stuff. A bummer because I had high expectation since I love Genesis's Foxtrot

Ei pöllömpi! Tosi kasari, mutta jotenkin tää kasari on iskenyt viimeaikoina muhun. Ehkäs silti hieman alle nelosen. 3/3

Peterillä on kyllä hieno ääni, ja jollain tavalla tää toimi. Sanotaan 3.5/5, ei ehkä kuitenkaan vielä nelonen.

I remember this album from when it was first released and very popular. I enjoyed it back then but hadn’t really listened to it at all for decades. It was nice to hear these songs again. Brought me back to that time in my life. I don't feel compelled to listen to this album or any of these songs again anytime soon -- nothing against them, just heard them plenty of times for years in my youth.

I like Biko

my friends favourite album. i think it's ok

mmmm kinda disappointed. Sledgehammer and In Your Eyes were good but I already knew those. Not really a fan of many of the others on the album

Solid

ehh? he's just fine, some real cool ideas but it's just kinda annoying and brooding without feeling genuine. killer opening track but overall just mediocre

its an alright album. 3 of its songs are great which makes it good but the rest is alright.

Didn't love it, weirdly went from pumping 80s stuff to slow weird stuff. But I can it was quite out there at the time and definitely influential. Ask boomers about the video for Sledgehammer, they bloody love it.

It’s fine and everything, I’m just not into it very much.

Pop

A beautiful amalgam of musical styles and influences that converge together naturally, and yet create something entirely novel. I personally also can't think of this album without thinking of the music videos that came out on MTV, specifically for the track 'Sledgehammer'. The culminating and synergizing effect of the musical and artistic directions was sublime.

Was in the wrong mood but would like it another day

Good album lyrically and melodically. However blatant 80s production ruined some heartfelt moments.

Familiar 80s pop songs, maybe not for me

smooth moody echoey 80s with a twinge of that arena rock social justice philantropist kinda vibe. but maybe that's just from me reading his bio. 3.5/5

Poprock, nogle rimelig nice numre

Not bad. There is no doubt that this album is extremely well produced, has elaborate arrangements, and has very layered sound. This music is just a bit melodramatic for my taste.

The album where PG hits big. I'm not a massive fan of his faux-funk but its all sonically sound and holds together as an entity. Half the album are hits but i prefer more experimental stuff.

Honestly kind of disappointed with this one. The veritable banger that is Sledgehammer just barely earns it a third star, but aside from a small handful of other tracks this was kind of a snooze.

Mired in the 80s sound, but a few shiners come through. Just middle of the road to me.

Very slickly produced, with the sound instantly placing it in the mid-19080s. While I quite like Peter Gabriel and think Sledgehammer a fine song, most of the remainder of this album sounds quite dated and rather bland.

Best album in the last 3 or 4.

Peter har litt for raspete stemma, men don’t give up

Darting through the technology-driven optimism of the eighties, Peter Gabriel finally reached pop stardom with *So*, his fifth solo album. While his prog-rock chops as a former singer and leader of Genesis could still be felt in various parts of his first four LPs, *So* is the record where Gabriel burnt all the boats behind him so as to fully embrace the commercial aesthetics of his day and age, and this for better or for worse. The better is obviously the hard-hitting, bass-heavy, rhythm'n'blues-via-Otis Redding-inspired cut "Sledgehammer", a legendary first single that was "horny" in all the senses of the word, and whose infectious melodies and arrangements, aided by an iconic video, blasted the doors of MTV wide open--giving Gabriel access to most American homes at the time. The "better" is also the touching duet with long-time accomplice Kate Bush, "Don't Give Up", and the equally touching "In Your Eyes", with Youssou N'Dour's backing vocals at its end--another stepping stone in the long-standing tryst between Gabriel and "global" music (best exemplified through his later Realworld label). The heartfelt and wide-eyed opening track "Red Rain", propelled by an interesting drum section, is also pretty good (in spite of a dated "gated" sound probably half-ruining said drums for today's ears--more on that later...). In all those songs, Gabriel's vocal performance displays this mix of strength and frailty that makes him such an effective pop singer. Somehow, and in spite of the 80s "cleanliness" of the mix, you can still sense sincere emotions bubbling through the surface. It's in those subliminal cracks in his voice--necessary breaths of fresh air piercing through all the gloss around them. Also worthy of note is the other duet in the album, "This Is The Picture (Excellent Birds)"--this time with the eccentric, avant-garde singer/spoken-word artist Laurie Anderson. You can find another version of this off-kilter experimental song in Anderson's second LP, *Mister Heartbreak*, by the way. Both mixes and renditions are haunting and evocative--with the *So* version being a little more straightforward, maybe, in keeping with the record's overall aesthetics. All of this is fine and dandy, but the album is not without a few borderline-unforgiving flaws. First, and we've just touched upon that, even for the good songs there's indeed a typically eighties aseptic sound that takes away all of the potential edges Gabriel could have retained to give more genuine flavors to the whole shebang--and none of that is more direly experienced than on the unashamed cheesefest "Big Time". Even when taking into account the song's sarcastic lyrics about a naive man moving to a city so as to "make it" there, the hackneyed, cliché-laden instrumentation on this one is jarring and, frankly, quite unnecessary. Besides, given how "commercial" Peter Gabriel wanted to sound back in 1986, it's hard to pinpoint the exact level of self-awareness behind those ironic lyrics about the capitalist zeitgeist of the middle eighties. One actually wonders if the line between self-deprecatory impulses and sheer cynicism was all that clear for the British singer at the time. If you go "meta", you should at least make your intentions clearer than any of the ones found there. Otherwise, it's just a silly joke you make on your audience. Secondly, some of the other tracks pale in comparison to the highlights of the album. Those cuts are admittedly not as horrible as "Big Time", but they still take their toll on the larger picture (this LP only has nine tracks, after all). "That Voice Again" is for instance a meat-and-potatoes eighties pop cut, enhanced by big-production ideas, but not striking enough as a barebones song to leave a lasting impression. "Mercy Street" is supposed to be as moving as "Don't Give Up" and "In Your Eyes", but its lack of clear dynamics and its unobtrusive instrumentation make it rather bland--a flaw that's quite ironical here given that the rest of the album is *not* subdued enough to age that well. And eerie "We Do What We're Told (Milgram's 37)" sounds fine, but it's mostly an instrumental, so it doesn't bring the necessary contents to make up for the album's shortcomings. Besides, one wishes that Gabriel taking the subject of Milgram's dreadful experiments as inspiration for a piece of music could have produced something more substantial, at least. The British singer had already used such "topical issues" for some of his most stellar songwriting in the past (see "Biko", "San Jacinto" or "Family Snapshot"). And under that light, "We Do What We're Told" is a disappointment. *So*, no pun intended there, what's the real deal with this album, beyond all the official critical praise? Well, let's just say that as far as "magnum opuses" go, Peter Gabriel's fifth LP is far from being a spotless affair. It seems like this album can be best appreciated if you put it back to the context of the middle years of the eighties, which makes it far less "timeless" than a large part of the records singled out in Dimery's list. 1986 did not leave us many lasting masterpieces compared to most other years of the 20th century, by the way--which might have helped *So* become a landmark of sorts, both for its creator and for 80s pop in general. Here is how a generally talented, part-zany, part-ambitious singer/songwriter managed to secure his place under the sun, along with his legacy. Peter Gabriel had what it takes to become a pop star. But did he have what it takes to pen and perform one of the 1001 most "essential" albums of all time? The jury's still out on this one. 3/5 for the purposes of this list (which means 8/10 for more general purposes: 5+3) Number of albums left to review: 583 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 200 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 96 (including this one) Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 123

Pop progresivo. Un megahit. Ni fu ni fa.

I do like a bit of PG, and this was no exception. Lots of known, a good amount of unknown.

Would be higher, but Kate Bush. Blech.

Great álbum so complete it brings a lot to this genre

highlight songs: red rain don't give up 2/9 songs i liked not my type of album genre

Fine

Not my fav. Retro, love his other music though

I dont really like classic that much

I spent 45 minutes wondering if I had accidentally put on the soundtrack to an HR onboarding video. Every song feels determined to be important, yet somehow ends up sounding like polished beige wallpaper. Every song takes itself so seriously that I started feeling guilty for not wearing a turtleneck while listening. I kept waiting for the moment where it would finally click. It never did.

My favorite Peter Gabriel song is just a cover of a David Bowie song. 2 stars

I did like some of his song but it wouldn’t be an album I keep

This was unfortunate

jeg kan godt lide red rain den er ret god. det er noget jeg godt kan lytte til men jeg ville nok ikke vælge albumet selv

muy plano

There’s something I just don’t care for about Peter Gabriel’s music…he’s always too serious or something. I like Genesis though hmm.

Red Rain is very much not for me as i just felt bored and slightly irritated by it (no mistaking what decade this was from). It is far too long. Sledgehammer is obviously a great tune and cannot be heard without conjuring up images of its equally brilliant video. Whilst i’m not a great fan of either Gabriel or Kate Bush ‘Don’t Give up’ is also a really good song, despite its synth pan pipe vibes. ‘That Voice again’ sounds like a poor Sting track and i much prefer Guy Garvey’s version of ‘Mercy Street’. Outside Sledgehammer it all feels a bit too Ernest and pretentious to be an enjoyable album. Big time brings the horrible 80s synths back to the fore, i do not like 80s synths

не мое

zzzzz

if I was a middle aged mom this would be awesome unfortunately I'm a man in his late 20s. There is glimpses of a really timeless album here. But it is lost in just odd production choices.

😴

album #65 peter gabriel please get over yourself ꩜ album rating: ★⯪☆☆☆ ꩜ number of albums left to review: 1,024 ꩜ number of albums from the list that i agree with being on the list: 32 ꩜ albums from the list that I would consider on my list: 13 ꩜ albums from the list I won't include on my list: 52

Some of these songs sound like they should be on Disney 90's movies. I hope I never have this album in my eyes or In Your Eyes again.

Fiz Kjedlig

Boring instrumentals and kind of annoying voice. Kate Bush was cool.

Very 80s. Perhaps not aged well, but I found this dull.

I listened to it… I think. Not much to say as it was not much of an album

The three singles are the only songs worth playing. I’m sure this album made more sense in the context of the scene it landed in - but without the familiar melodies of the singles there’s nothing pulling me in to listen again.

Bland

It wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t good. I knew Sledgehammer and In Your Eyes.

Sludgehammer is cool, but it is not enough to carry the rest rather boring album

By this point, any time this page refreshes and it’s not some whiny indie folk or sixties nostalgia slop feels like a gift. Red Rain and Mercy St are bangers. Never need to hear Sledgehammer again. Further confirmation that the Fairlight is the worst synth ever.

Eh, only liked a couple songs. Pretty boring.

Generic 80s. Nothing really to say here. A little dull.

The production value on this album is insane. Although, I did listen to a remastered version, but it sounds like this was probably still something special in the '80s. The problem is, the only good songs are the ones that were already radio hits. It's like Peter Gabriel only knows how to write a pop banger and can't do balance. Seriously, what was up with following up "Sledgehammer" with "Don't Give Up"? Absolutely terrible. Stick to the sexy stuff, Pete.

Yall mind if a white boy plays a little RnB? I was deceived this this not RnB

It’s funny how certain albums are products of their time and the people who were in those times cherish the music (and rightfully so). But as an outsider of this era, I feel like this is hit or miss as it didn’t resonate with me personally. Call me a jaded listener but nothing sticks out and separates itself from other music of its time. Just sounds like big, formulaic music with echoed vocals from a dramatic white guy.

A perfectly boring album seemingly obsessed with beating his former band (Genesis) to the top of the charts at whatever the cost. No doubt this was produced in the 1980s and the awful production weighs everything down further. No, it's not total crap but I wish it was maybe it wouldn't be so numbingly dull.

I’m just not a Peter Gabriel guy. This is fine but not something I’d listen to recreationally.

I prefer his work with Genesis and this album wasn't really my cup of tea. It's just too 80's for me. 1. In your eyes 2. Big time 3. Sledgehammer

Such a product of the 80s. Sounds so dated and corny. I really like Peter Gabriel's voice, but the music and production just doesn't do anything for me. Sledgehammer is such an annoying song and I don't believe people would remember it the way that they do without the admittedly very awesome music video. Giving it 2 stars for This is the Picture (Excellent Birds) cause it was actually a pretty cool song.

A few decent songs I know from the radio but mostly a slog of 80s synth piano. ⭐️⭐️

SLEDGEHAMMER IS MY JAM. In your eyes is also lovely. But the album as a whole doesnt do much for me.

Very average album. Some of the songs are great, others put me asleep. 4.5/10 Top song Sledgehammer

me aburrio

my eyes couldn't possible roll back farther into my head then this album made them.

총 9개곡 수록, 46분. 신스가 위융위융하고 후크 가사가 계속 나오고 후렴이 영원히 반복되면서 페이드아웃으로 끝나는 아하 전형적인 팝이구나 미묘한 아프리카 느낌도 있고 ㄱㅊ네용 슬레지해머는 이름만 몇 번 들어봤는데 제법 마음에 드는 듯 이라고 생각했는데? 머시 스트릿부터 갑자기 엄청 트랜퀼하고 사이키델릭한 신스와 부드러운 아프리카풍 북이 "ㅋㅋ 저 그런 대중가요만 하지 않습니다"를 주장하기 시작 심지어 그대로 끝까지 감 뭐랄까 한 곡 정도 더 신나도 되지 않았나 하는 아쉬움 나름의 미학적 선택이겠지만... 한줄평: 중간에 힘이 빠진다는 느낌 취향: ★★☆☆☆ 재방문: ★☆☆☆☆

Sometimes trippy, sometimes boring and repetitive There is a nostalgy of 80s behind it, but I don't get it Lack of craziness and charism

Seldgehammer has to be the best song on this album. I found myself wishing there was more of this. Partially because the 80's pop is not my favorite era of music - the slow songs tend to sound the same and the pop songs feel similar in structure. I found the psychedelic-esque/ambient/airy sound on Mercy Street interesting and unexpected. I don't think I'd reach for this album again, it was okay. Favorite tracks: Sledgehammer Mercy Street

Sledgehammer is nice, not sure about the rest.. prolly won't revisit

Lame

A couple middling bangers interspersed with some limp filler. No, I’m not talking about an old-school English brunch.

Everyone has a genre they just cannot stand, and this (80s soft rock?) is mine. I know people love it, but I cannot understand why. It’s like being passionately obsessed with aluminium or a Mazda CX5. Although Sledgehammer kinda rules so it scores as high as possible given the genre.

Nice try peter. I know a dud when i see one. That one from 1976 was so solid. But this was bloated and aimless. The Kate Bush feature and In Your Eyes are great pulls from this, but the rest of this was cheese.

For the genre of music it’s meant to be I’m sure it’s very good but it just didn’t click for me.