So

Great album, I have listen to it many times in the past

okay i liked this! it was fun! i mean like two songs were a lil ?? but i enjoyed it and i enjoyed the lore juyeon told me about him. good job peter!!!! I ALSO KNOW IN YOUR EYES I AM NOT THAT MUCH OF A MUSICAL FAILURE HELL YEAH

Vabbè peter gabriel grande voce (phil collins merda). Oltre a sledgehammer che è iconica mi è piaciuta molto don’t give up con kate bush

It's a pretty fun listen but I am partial to 80's pop

I enjoyed this at a 3 or 4 and appreciate how good it is at a 4 or 5. Each song sets its own feeling, story, has its own uniqueness. Yet the album blends to its own identity too.

Very 80s but some classic songs and amazing bass

Gabriel seems to have ditched more of his stranger ideas and comes out with a great mid-80's pop album. It still has the weirder elements here for his fans, but you have to peek into the darker corners. Best Tracks: Red Rain; Sledgehammer; Big Time

This took me to another dimension.

I was skeptical of this record because it was so omnipresent in my early 20s. Pleasantly surprised at how good it is. The playing - particularly the bass - is excellent and the songs are for the most part strong.

- falando em grandes letristas, temos um dos maiores de todos os tempos - não conheço a discografia solo dele, mas esse álbum parece um apelo ao mercado brit pop com influências de soul e ritmos africanos - é uma experiência, cada música da um tom diferente e gera imersão, com momentos descontraídos e reflexivos

4/5

Oh good a Peter Gabriel album! I'm biased here I think I own or owned all of his stuff. I have listened to it so much I have heard these track in years yet knew the beats and lyrics. I'm in the bag. The 80's were weird for music a lot going on and Gabriel used a lot of the idea of art and music for his stuff. He used a lot of layers and influences in his music. Performance art at his shows. The man's music has an interesting mix of drama and freedom in his music. Some of it feels heavy yet you aren't burdened by it. Great album. I hope some of his later stuff is on the list. I have been listening to his stuff recently anyway but it's enjoyable coming across an artist you have many great experiences with already.

Much better than expected.

Day 68 7/10 Highlights Red Rain Sledgehammer Big Time

1 extra star for "In Your Eyes"

Nice blend of pop, rock and some soulful lyrics. At times it can be really emotionally charged and then at other times its just funky and smooth. I liked the number with Kate Bush. But also loved the more upbeat tracks like Sledgehammer. Vocally very strong and unique sounding. I love the layered backing vocals, almost another instrument. So many textures, really produced to an exceptional level. Every little detail is spot on, especially listening with headphones. Also love the attention to subtle rhythms. Even on slower tracks the percussion and bass keep songs alive. Enjoyed. Favourite track - In Your Eyes. 8/10

I can see why this is a must listen. It sounds gorgeous.

I love this album.

Had a few great songs but a lot of it jst soundes ok

M'ha encantat sa cançó amb sa que obri s'album (Red Rain). M'ha duit es bon humor, super top.

Great album that I didn’t appreciate in the 80s because I was a kid.

Super enjoyable and easy to get into, like the quality of these songs is quite undeniable. Peter Gabriel's vocals are super powerful, he really makes you feel every words he's saying. It's the sort of music that just takes you on a journey to its own world. Sledgehammer is so cool, sounds so massive and funky, the grooves are crazy and has an amazing triumphant energy to it. Contrarily, Don't Give Up is beautifully gentle and minimal, but doesn't need much except for the strong vocals and atmosphere. The bass outro is really cool too. I love the kinda mysterious vibes of Mercy Street and the instrumentation is so lush and serene. Big time is so funky, just made me wanna damce even tho I was dead from hiking while listening. We Do What We're Told is a decent closer but not super exciting. Really like this album, it's a great expression of romance and romantic struggles and is a great contributions to one of the most consistent discographies I've heard.

My first touch to Peter Gabriel's music. "Red Rain" is a powerful start to an album with a lot of energy that gets you hyped up. The first song with the beginning of "Sledgehammer" really feels like the album building up. I love the bass/guitar in that song. Such an uplifting song that just grabs you and you get so drawn to the instrumentals. So many levels to it as well! An almost perfect song. Kate Bush is great in the next song "Don't Give Up". After two massively energetic songs this is where you just close your eyes, calm down and enjoy the heavenly sounds. The bass in the end is amazing. The songs fade away making space to the next one. Ok in "That Voice Again" the energy is back. The bells in "Mercy Street" are hypnotic. Sort of a spooky and melancholic atmosphere. (Unsurprisingly) energy is back with "Big Time"! I love that none of the songs sound similar to each other. Not at all surprised this album was huge. I am not even sure how to describe "We Do What We're Told" or "This Is The Picture". I like them a little less than the other ones. "In Your Eyes" sounds like a celebration and has this Lion King soundtrack vibe to it.

Solid album from Peter Gabriel considering the others I’ve gotten on this list were disappointing. I was glad to finally get one of his albums where I actually knew a song. Outside of Sledgehammer, I didn’t really know the rest, but I enjoyed it overall

Pretty solid

Great album. More than a few quintessential 80's classics on here.

I mean, come on...

Banger.

Very 80s sounding but not in a bad way. The production was absolutely massive on some of these songs (there must have been dozens of instruments playing on "Sledgehammer") but also totally sparse in others. "This is the Picture" was striking in relation to the rest of the album. Overall it was fun to listen to, but the hits do really overshadow the rest of the album for me. His voice honestly sounds a lot like Phil Collins to me, which is funny since they both were in the same band before.

He’s got a good voice and it’s generally soothing and pleasant with a few standout bangers. Sledgehammer and In Your Eyes are excellent

Not only one of the better eighties "pop" albums in this list, I think it's the first I would rate more than 3 stars, but if only for the song "Don't give up" I would rate it 3 stars. Add to that "In your Eyes", a beautifully written love song, the hits "Sledgehammer" and "Big Time" and last but not least "That Voice Again" that essentially asks: How do we overcome that persistent inner critic - that voice of judgment that was likely instilled in us during childhood - to achieve genuine human connection and self-acceptance? Absolute brilliant! Unfortunately, not all the songs on this album share this sheer brilliance, therefore 4/5.

I've never listened to this album before, but I've listened to other Peter Gabriel albums. So, this one is great, yet not his best project. I've liked it a lot. As always, Peter Gabriel explores different genres, sounds, even cultures, and at this he is excellent. This album is exquisite, with a lot of textures and layers. It is delicious. But, yet, I get to the conclusion that it's great but not excellent. Although, of course, this one is an album to listen to, and I will revisit it more than once.

Never listened to this before and now I want to listen to more albums of his.

Good vibe, but a bit generic

Really like this. I know he was in Genesis and of Sledgehammer but a lot of this stuff is new to me. It's punchy with an 80s feel. I like it a lot

A staple for 80's pop, with bangers and classics. A few more iconic moments and I'd rate it 5 stars. A lot of people draw a comparison of Phil Collins, and of course it makes sense. I lean more to the side of "it's kinda different, actually". And to my ears it is, almost like two sides of the same genre. I like Phil Collins more, but Peter Gabriel is a genius, and this album stands the test of time.

A bunch of great songs, but pulled down by This is the Picture which should have been cut.

Beautiful singing from Peter Gabriel, the melodies are great as well. I really liked the bass tone especially on sledgehammer.

Enjoyed but don't feel a need to re-listen

Feels like I’m in top gun or a love themes action movie or shit you would hear at a 1980’s prom

Perfect

Honestly this album grew on me more than I expected it would - it was a shaky start but overall a great listen!

In Your Eyes is the quintessential example of corny 80s music that I love. It’s a bit of a guilty pleasure of mine. Red Rain/That Voice Again also scratches that itch, and bonus points for the Kate Bush feature in Don’t Give Up. I feel like I might in the minority for liking this album, but it’s good for me bro…

Weirdly good, although it feels very much of its time.

Loved this from the off, 4

I almost gave it 3, but on second listen this is great.

Aunque me gusta Peter Gabriel, nunca le he tenido la adoración que al parecer el mundo entero le tiene. So me pareció un muy buen álbum, pero veo dificl que lo busque para escucharlo completo. Regresaría por dos o tres hits que vienen por ahí, y ya. Supongo que tengo que escucharle más discos, pero tampoco es algo que me quite el sueño.

It is not difficult to see why this album entered the cultural zeitgeist in the 80s. Red Rain opens the album with the vigor of a raging storm. Sledgehammer needs no introduction: seductive, playful, and endlessly groovy. Kate Bush elevates Don't Give Up with her heartbreaking vocal performance. That Voice Again balances complexity with pop appeal. Mercy Street is pensive but rather boring. Big Time picks up the tempo again but doesn't reach the highs of Sledgehammer. We Do What We Are Told is an interesting interlude but doesn't work as a standalone song. This Is the Picture is exemplary of Gabriel's more avant garde work. In Your Eyes is nothing short of euphoric with Youssou N'Dour lending his voice like a ray of light piercing the sky. What a listen.

Funnily enough, given my general distaste for the 80's, this is probably my favorite Gabriel release, solo or Genesis. 3.5/5

This is a fantastic album which was on constant repeat in my first car sophomore year of high school. Red Rain is an incredible opener. Sledgehammer and Big Time were then and still are incredible ear-worms you can’t help but tap to. Don’t Give Up reminds me of 1980s social issues - oil spills, famine in Africa…Kate Bush sounds great. The ringing tap In Your Eyes still bothers my ears but the song is great. The album drags a little in the middle: Mercy Street, We Do What Told and Picture by overall a solid listen. 4/5

This is the sort of album where I don’t know if I like it because it’s good or because I’m so familiar with it.

Upbeat soulful full of 1980's pop

A very good album that falls short for me personally due to taste. Peter Gabriel is an excellent songwriter and this album has plenty of good tracks, but I wasn't into how 80s synth-poppy the overall sound was. Could have done with a heavier track or two, but that doesn't take away from how good the album is as a whole. The ballad tracks in particular are very strong. Top tracks: Sledgehammer, Don't Give Up, In Your Eyes

Great listen. Really hadn’t played any of his songs, only remember on the radio or MTV. Great voice, energy, horns. The hits were especially good to hear.

Не идеально, но хорошо Для фона во время ночной городской прогулкий идëт хорошо! Но на фоне всего альбома понравилась песня Sledgehammer

Pleasant

This is SHOCKINGLY good. I have never listened to a Peter Gabriel album, and could have only named Solsbury Hill as his. I would have said In Your Eyes was Phil Collins, and Sledgehammer could have been any number of yacht rockers. Hell, if you had put this album on without telling me, the majority of the time I would have thought I was listening to Sting. All that to say, what a nice surprise! 2 big hits with Sledgehammer as track 2 and In Your Eyes kicking off the B side. Kate Bush shows up on track 3 which was so pleasant. So many of the unknown-to-me tracks are such a soundscape. Again. I am shocked. This is great.

Ég hef ekki gefið Peter Gabriel nógu mikinn sjéns. Ég þekki nokkur af lögunum hans en ekki mikið meira. Þetta var virkilega góð plata. Ég dansa á línunni að gefa henni fjórar eða fimm stjörnur en þessi fer pottþétt aftur í spilun

absolute classic.

Pretty good pop album that exudes an 80's vibe. Sledgehammer and In Your Eyes are great tracks.

Enjoyable, a bit cliche feeling. So so 80s… So 80s.

It's amazing how many long standing hits are in this album. It's almost like a greatest hits collection but yet released all together. Big Time was surprisingly tonally distinct from all the other tracks, which was odd. I'm tossing between 4 and 5, but edging on 4 because it came across as a collection of pop singles instead of a single holistic and cohesive album, which is my preference.

Well written, nicely produced and engineered. A unique pop record. Also, anything with Kate Bush in it will always get plus points from me. Fave song on this listen: Don't Give Up

Tis simply a vibe.

Love this album. Iconic tracks. Falters a bit in the last couple of tracks but most of it's a banger for sure.

typical Peter Gabriel. enjoyed it

Some fantastic songs and a couple of ok ones that felt more like filler

This dude is weird but he can write a pop song. It'll be a weird pop song, BTWs.

I enjoyed this much more than I should have

Highlights: Sledgehammer, Big Time, In Your Eyes. In a nutshell: "this will be my testimony" Out of all the albums Gabriel has released in his life, “So” is the one that he will be remembered for. Not just for the music videos. It’s progressive yet accessible. Art pop with soul. Like Talking Heads before him, Gabriel embraced world-beat but in a way that didn’t misappropriate the sounds. To quote Jon Pareles of The New York Times "[he] doesn't just add on African drums or Indian violin to ordinary songs; they are part of the foundation." Innovative at time of release; a legacy recording for today. Overall: 7/10

Quite interesting, more artsy-pop than your typical 80s Pop, even with the typical 80s production on many songs. Quite like it

Surprisingly good. Versatile. Great sounding songs with important messages. I had heard of Gabriel setting up Womad (a biggie!) and knew he was with Genesis. So... I've decided he's ok 👍

85/100.

Solid 80s music, love in your eyes already, but was surprised how good the rest of the album was.

Funky! Surprisingly so. A little experimental. High 80s sound. Some afro beats in there? In Your Eyes is a long loved favorite track for me.

So it ends up I was a lot more familiar with Peter Gabriel than I thought. A lot of songs on this album that I was already fond of. I really enjoyed getting his music in the full context of a curated album. I love an album that starts with a bang and Red Rain is a fucking great opening song. Has me ready for the rest of the album. Then leading into Sledgehammer is a great 1-2 punch. Ending an album is equally as important and In Your Eyes is a fantastic closer. One thing notable to me was the emphasis on the percussion throughout the album. The drums give the melodic passionate songs their power and the upbeat songs their energy. I'm not usually one to take notice on intentional instrumentation but this was pleasantly obvious during my listen.

Pop Can Still Matter.Pop music doesn't have to be derivative. It can use interesting arrangements inspired by other cultures. It can break out of the two guitars, bass, and drums format. It can have lyrics that hint at a deeper meaning but leave it to you to work out what that is. Some artists understand that mass appeal and depth are not mutually exclusive — they’re just harder to do together. But when you pull it off? You get albums like this. The hits are there, "Don't Give up", "Big Time" and "Sledgehammer" all deserve a deeper listen than just having them on your car radio. This pop, but the best version of pop.

A bit como Tarzan. Me gustó.

These are good quality songs, but they’re not for me. I’ll listen to the final song, but semi-ironically. Nothing against him, he’s just a little goofy and hasn’t done enough to distinguish himself from Phil Collins. 4/5

Great opener, a really decent and varied record.

Про Гебріела я свого часу дізнався не як всі люди через Genesis, а з пісні Vampire Weekend. Власне не можу сказати, що прям дуже заслуховуюсь. Але So маю навіть на касеті, бо тут купа хітів та й принципі слабких пісень немає. Звук дуже приємний, бас по всьому альбому дуже крутий. Хороший приклад цікавого поп-альбому з 80х

Good album. Aged well and influential across a range of genres. Can see why it is iconic

Beautifully produced, middle-of-the-road rock music that I can't really fault in any way. For some reason it just doesn't appeal enough to want it in my collection though.

8/10

Great album. For me, his best.

Fabulous. Thoughtful lyrics and great production. This has aged well

It's giving Phil Collins, except.... I like it?

Great

Was quite looking forward to listening to this, enjoyed his other albums we've had. There is something about it that I really like, sounds weighty. Thought the opening track was probably the best. I obviously know sledgehammer, but it was a track we took the piss out of when I was in school so it's kinda going to be forever that. Don't give up is good too, hard not to be with Kate Bush. I think the album tailed off a bit after that. I did enjoy it though, but Peter Gabriel 3 is still my favourite. 3.5 might give it another go. This list has given me a liking of Peter though

Album slaps. Sledgehammer and In Your Eyes are classics obviously, but also really enjoyed That Voice Again and Big Time.

Another good one. Interesting sounds and lyrics. Another I’ll have to comb through deeper to listen for favorites.

Enjoyable.

It is rather fascinating that, among the gentlemen who have fronted Genesis, only Peter Gabriel is represented on this list. I doubt that people remember when Ray Wilson sang with the band for one album, but Phil Collins's tenure from the 1980s into the 1990s spawned some of their biggest hits. Not to mention, Phil's solo career was even more massive, particularly with his contributions to various movie soundtracks. Yet Peter gets all the representation here, not only as the first frontman for Genesis, but also boasting a more artistic and experimental solo career. That's not to say he couldn't enjoy success from a more accessible direction with his music, as would be the case with his fifth album, So. This is a progressive pop record where Peter took elements from soul and traditional world music to offer a more sensual and ethereal approach to his compositions. Opening with the strongly percussive crash of "Red Rain", running through cuts like his duet with Kate Bush, "Don't Give Up", his exploration of one's conscience, "That Voice Again", his minimal yet striking critique of Dr. Stanley Milgram's obedience experiment on "We Do What We're Told (Milgram's 37)", the elegant triangle and flute texutres with whispered poetry on "Mercy Street", and the reworked "Excellent Birds" with the supple bassline and lower registers, Peter struck a balance between thought-provoking ballads and complex rhythmic sections. Of course, the song most people remember from this album that demonstrated this balance is "In Your Eyes", with the combination of arpeggiated guitar, light synthesizer flair, talking drum percussion, and contributions from Senegalese vocalist Youssou N'Dour that proved to be an excellent choice for blaring over the boombox in the serenade scene of the film Say Anything. Yet with all the praise I can give for this record, it does feel dated in places. Notably, with the more upbeat tracks "Sledgehammer" and "Big Time", they come off as the kind of cheesy 1980s dance funk that feels of its time. Not helping matters is how many sexual euphemisms Peter lays down on the former track, while the latter is a more palatable critique of the purveying yuppie culture as the decade went on. Overall, it was nice to see Peter Gabriel have his cake and eat it too, with the more accessible yet experimental work done on So. I can see how many would argue this is his best solo album, and as such, it served as a nice introduction to his output.

5 stars

I forgot how many hits are on this album!

the last minute and a half of Sledgehammer are worth 4 stars alone

Extremely well produced album. Its World genre influences are really a time capsule of the mod-80s, but isn't gimmicky here. Despite the upbeat nature of Big Time and Sledgehammer, this is a album you have to be in the mood for if you're going to listen in full. Mostly moody themes, and slower tempo music.

Not a huge Peter Gabriel fan, but this album is pretty undeniable. Five of the nine songs are solid hits (and deservedly so). Really great album.

Not normally a fan of that 80s sound, but this was good. I also never realized truly how much Phil Collins and Peter Gabriel sounded alike. Makes a lot of sense why he ultimately took over as lead for genesis.

I can dig it, but a lot of it does seem a bit adult contemporary/radio friendly mush. Most of the stars are for Sledgehammer.

This is not something I'd reach for every day, but I enjoyed. The hits are undeniable

It definitely sounds like something you’d play on your newfangled CD player to impress your guests at a 1980s dinner party, but those Yuppies weren’t wrong about everything. In a very 80s way, a lot of this slaps.

Love this album. It's like a greatest hits album except an actual album. Plus Kate Bush for good measure. All thriller no filler!

so

Pretty much a classic.

This is one of the first albums I ever bought for myself. Still a classic.

Fun

Gabriel devient ici plus pop, avec des passages funk et des cuivres, des claviers omniprésents, tout en continuant ses revendications, non sans humour. Son interprétation entière et dévouée confère à l'ensemble une sincérité qui le rend plus humain – et personnellement j’ai toujours adoré sa voix, beaucoup écouté cet album dans ma jeunesse.

Peter Gabriel expone en “So” la grandeza del pop/rock de los 80. Se trata de un disco construido a partir de una instrumentalización basada en sintetizadores, guitarras eléctricas, teclados, bajos y batería, todo ello con la profunda voz de Peter como protagonista. En lo lírico, el artista plasma el amor en su máximo esplendor en “In Your Eyes” , el concepto del suicidio en “Don’t Give Up”, junto con la inconfundible voz de Kate Bush –quién representa la luz frente a la oscuridad –. Por otro lado “Sledgehammer” explora la sexualidad en una canción llena de metáforas y dobles sentidos. En su conjunto, “So” es una obra que explora los sentimientos de Peter Gabriel tanto en lo lírico como en lo musical, donde explora el género pop/rock de la década de los 80, utilizando sonidos sintetizados que suenan intimistas y llevan al oyente a un paisaje sonoro único.

Oops forgot this one since it's been a few days. Easy listening with some sneaky jams

Yeah solid and enjoyable, few different moments but overall pretty great

ok. very much reflects mid to late 80's. In your eyes is obvious stand-out.

This is music that makes you feel things. Plus some pretty cool grooves.

Overall, a really solid album. Of course there are the well-known hits like "Sledgehammer" and "In Your Eyes," but "Don't Give Up" (with the incredible Kate Bush) and "Mercy Street" bring a quieter, softer feel, and the album is rounded out nicely with some synth pop/electronic fun stuff. Great listen start to finish.

Þægileg og góð plata hjá Pésa. Ákveðinn Phil Collins bragur og funky dæmi inn á milli.

Eitís Gabriel var ansi góður. Ótrúlega mikið af góðum lögum á þessari plötu, en það voru ekki síst myndböndin hans sem þóttu geggjuð í áttunni. Nostalgíu fjarki.

Wonderful. Perfect vacation pool soundtrack

Some of my favourite songs of his are on here (Red Rain) as well as a song I dislike (Don’t give up, I never liked it). A great album though, just a shame it’s so heavy on the synthesizers.

C’est drôle, ça ressemble beaucoup plus à Synchronicity des Polices que la moindre toune de Genesis. «This is what the 80’s does to a MF», amirite? Je dis pas ça en mal, au contraire, y’a une bonne balance entre le niveau de tracks catchy et mélencholo-sentimentale, en plus d’avoir un mix stellaire. À revisiter

I bought this back when it was released in '85 and this was Peter Gabriel's most successful and commercial album. Really hit MTV hard with a great accompanying videos for Sledgehammer and Big Time. Excellent supporting musicians too with Levin's bass really driving this record. Hardly a bad track in sight. So that's a 4.5/5 from me

Para mi es perfecto, más no obra maestra.

Pretty good. Took me a couple attempts to get through it but I enjoyed the songs and Peter Gabriel's very distinctive tone.

Pretty cool album, it was a chill listen and a real enjoyable one too

This was some 80s music if ever there was some. That’s not a bad thing. This album moved gracefully between different moods and styles in a way that was refreshing. It’s funny how much you can hear the Genesis and Phil Collins in this music that Gabriel wrote. I would give this one another play to catch some things I didn’t hear the first time around.

Sounds A LOT like Sting

Good emotive songs thx!

A favorite! Part of my teenage soundtrack.

Great stuff. Mid 80s but a distinct Pink Floyd influence mixed in.

3.5 Sledgehammer is a burner. A standout was the bass on Dont Give Up, had a great sound and took over the percussion parts of the song, pretty cool stuff. Overall I would say the almost all of the instmentals were pretty interesting, maybe just starting to sound a bit dated

Great great mix. The impressive videos that came out don't hurt my appreciation. Often haunting. An exemplary achievement.

I liked it! 4 stars

Rock, 1986 -> 4

A classic.

Love this album!!!! 4/5 #musicsky #albumsky #musicchallenge

What else can be said about this masterpiece?

Couple good tracks. Nice revisit Some haven’t aged well but Peter Gabriel is still rad

Let's be real, the singles are so, SO good. Fortunately the rest of the album holds up to this as well, this was a great listen all round. Also, did not expect a moody, mostly instrumental track about Stanley Milgram's obedience to authority experiment, but here we are i guess

Perhaps it is because I have heard "In Your Eyes" a million times but it is difficult to really say with confidence that (at least, as far as So goes,) Peter Gabriel succeeds in the realm of romantic ballads... That isn't to say that he is bad at gentle tunes because I do really enjoy "Mercy Street" and "Don't Give Up." Really great album :)

Still weird this made him a huge MTV star. In Your Eyes is amazing

Твёрдый середнячок - альбом звёзд не хватает, но слушать фоном приятно. 6,5 из 10.

Good variety of moods. I prefer the less funky songs, but I find This Is The Picture to be the weakest song. I find it unclear whether I should count that song though, because it wasn't on the original vinyl release, but it was on the cassette and CD. I guess most people count it, so it's a 4 for me.

Mans got a lot of Hits but this is maybe the quintessential album.

So... I've already had I (Car) and III (Melt) and after a decade of experimental art pop, Gabriel seemingly says "fuck it, how about some dirty commercialism instead?". So... it produced monster single with an even bigger monster of an MTV video in "Sledgehammer" but I adore "In Your Eyes" and "Big Time" also, mainly the latter because it sounds like it was ripped from the Talking Heads. So what? So 80s.

I’ve got to admit that I had heard of Peter Gabriel but hadn’t heard any of his songs or albums. My first thought on listening to this album was that it sounded like Phil Collins… imagine my surprise when I did a little research and found that they were in Genesis together! Hoping my ignorance is forgiven by my age and the fact that I pieced them together from sound alone. In terms of the music itself, I found the drums especially strong in “Red Rain” which was a standout for me. I liked the funky elements of “Sledgehammer”, definitely feels classic 80’s. I thought “Don’t Give Up” was a nice change of pace, definitely showed range and solidified the album as solid rather than a few individual songs.

Hyped me up

The new wave anthems that sounded so good in my generic Walkman in 1986 like "Red Rain" and "That Voice Again" don't grab me anymore, but I am struck by what a grown-folks stone jam "Sledgehammer" still is. An updated remix of "Don't Give Up" would've been right on time with the recent Kate Bush renaissance. Peter Gabriel should have left "world music" for David Byrne to handle and just gone full R&B elder after this album.

If you wanted to distill what the ‘80s were like musically to someone who never experienced them, you could do worse than nominate Peter Gabriel’s “So.” The album was obviously huge, for starters, with several songs that received heavy rotation on radio and MTV. But it also encompasses a good span of the sounds and styles that defined the decade. There’s the anthemic, strident “Red Rain,” the tender ballads (“In Your Eyes” and “Don’t Give Up”), the blue-eyed soul of “Sledgehammer” and its pioneering video, and the Talking Heads-esque funk of “Big Time.” The synths, backing singers and glossy production are hallmarks of the era and keep everything on this side of accessible to wide audiences, even as Gabriel, like his peers Paul Simon and Sting, is indulging plenty of African and other global music styles and developing an interest in political and social activism. Regarding the non-hits, “We Do What We’re Told” brings some great aural textures but seems out of place on this album with its authoritarian subject matter, while “That Voice Again” is a dud and “This Is The Picture” sounds like a throwback to his prog-phase Genesis days.

Sledgehammer is an automatic extra star on top of whatever this album would have earned anyway.

As a kid, this was the only Peter Gabriel I really knew. And it was fine. Maybe overplayed in my limited exposure to music at the time. Later I began to explore a bit more of his work and eventually, a few decades later, I finally started understanding his full body of work. He absolutely belongs on this list. And this album sounds amazing even today.

Really good, even after all these years.

Never cared for whatever I heard on the radio but as a whole this album was quite good. Just needed some patience and a good set of headphones.

So amazing and so 80s.

Definitely an 80's album, there is not a song on here that you would confuse as a more modern track. Peter Gabriel definitely has a distinct voice and the music is very catchy. The second song, Sledgehammer, is listed as the most popular song on the album by YouTube Music plays, but it's one I'm honestly not familiar with. Red Rain and In Your Eyes are way more iconic to me and continue to get more play/pop culture reference so that's interesting to me. In Your Eyes always has been and always will be an absolute banger.

I remember Dad playing this in the car occasionally; I quite liked it then and quite like it now. Not sure this album is the front-to-back Peter Gabriel masterpiece I was hoping for, though, despite some notable big hitters in its ranks. Like other PG records the generator has thrown up the consistency isn’t quite there. To be fair though, several tracks are growers and I’m pretty confident they’d continue to grow with further listens. Also, who knows, without Sledgehammer perhaps there’d be no Wallace and Gromit, and what kind of world would that be?

Gabriel embraces his commercial side (which was always lurking) but still enough of his trademark sonic sensibilities to keep things interesting. Consistently good with some outstanding tracks and ace vocal collaborations with Kate Bush and Laurie Anderson. Is the production too Eighties? Can agree a bit in hindsight but would argue that So in part defined the sound of mid- to late Eighties records which makes it hard to criticise in that way. BTW it’s only 4 stars for me since it’s not as good as Peter Gabriel 3.

Really great pop with great lyrics and sound.

Sledgehammer, Don't Give Up, That Voice Again, Big Time, In Your Eyes

Gabriel is another artist who’d be better served with a compilation. Sledgehammer is amazing. Don’t t give up is really incredible. Though I suspect he’d fervently disagree he is a singles artist rather than album guy.

Sledgehammer is an all-timer. Nothing else even really gets close to it on here. But still enough to scrape a 4. Simpsons: Yes

Absolutely solid album from start to finish. Could even be a 5.

Stupid Sexy 80s

Prime 80s. Loads of synths, African and Brazilian music. Movie soundtrack. His most accessible album. Some outstanding songs.

unexpectedly solid and contemporary sounding.

Outstanding production, albeit 80s-dated and unsuccessful at covering some of the weaker song efforts. But "Red Rain" and "In Your Eyes" are particular standouts, and "Sledgehammer" is tons of fun.

It’s not without filler in the back half but come on… red rain AND sledgehammer!!! Also in your eyes IK isn’t the ‘actual’ closer but fuck it works and shouldve been! 4/5

Surprisingly excellent. I say "surprisingly" because I very much dislike 80s pop. This, however, was very good. There was definitely some 80s cheese, but for some reason it just didn't grate on me the way 80s music normally does. I know it's a bit cliche to say, but this just sounds different. I'm not exactly sure what it is, but there were interesting soundscapes and offbeats that you just don't normally hear in this genre. Frankly, it's a little weird in the best possible way. 3.5 stars for sure, but I enjoyed it enough I might give it a second listen, so I'm bumping to 4 stars.

Been a while since I listened to this one. It’s so much better than Phil Collins music. Weird how similar their voices sound to me. This is a great record.

Amazing the impact it had on videos, but overall a solid album.

It's Peter Gabriel!

Love this guy. I have all the singles on my regular Playlist.

Great singing

What an album! Kate Bush is also a part of this masterpiece!

Good album

Muy bien Peter gabriel. Más monolitico que en Genesis.

This is a good album. I had already heard it a couple times before. The best track is "In Your Eyes" but "Red Rain," "Sledgehammer," and "Big Time" are also strong. There isn't a weak track amongst the others as well. I would listen to this again for sure.

Great album with several hits. Lots of variety and creativity. Nice Kate Bush cameo on this one too.

With almost 40 years behind it you can start to appreciate the 80s production for how futuristic it is. We're only just now starting to see this kind of futurism coming back into mainstream pop. I suppose this is the argument for Asian pop movements in the past 20 years (conspicuously absent from the list). Anyway, Red Rain has that 'neon in the rain' sheen. Sledgehammer is great maximalist funk. The Fairlight's sample rate struggles against every track. Don't Give Up is beautiful until the piano comes in and Kate Bush is given free rein. The bass solo at the end redeems it. The glassy anxious synths in That Voice Again match the paranoid lyrics perfectly. Mercy Street employs some wonderful overdubs. I feel like one thing that lets the album down is its insistence on resolving melodies, the latent anxiety is what prevents this kind of thing from being trite. Big Time is another digital funk number in the vein of Sledgehammer. The bridge fucking slaps. The first half of We Do What We're Told could be a Mira Calix track, with beautiful 16 bit drums and processed synth samples. More avant garde with some awesome polyrythms in This is the Picture. Its a testament that Vaporwave essentially created a whole genre in tribute to this album.

I liked it more than I thought I would. As a kid I thought it was cheesy. I still think so, but I like it.

Sledgehammer might be my fav from the album.

Sledgehammer is a bop rest of album is also good with similar notes Favourite song- Sledgehammer , In your eyes Added to Spotify

A thoroughly enjoyable album that sounds so much like the 80s. It is a step down from the previous albums I've listened to. But I do really enjoy Peter Gabriel.

Ganske ålreit. Veldig Phil Collins aktig. Innslag fra Kate Bush er jo alltid veldig velkomment

popzada experimental. tem até um triangulo digno dum forrózão aí no meio. bacana hein

At 8 or 9 years old this was one of my favorite cassettes, so (haha) this is a blast from the past. I was part of the original MTV generation, and the video for "Sledgehammer" and a lesser extent "Big Time" were in heavy rotation. Being a cassette though it was just easier to listen to the whole thing which is why all these years later I can still sing along for the most part. I find myself still enjoying this. It sounds great, a nice big 80's sound. I really appreciate the sick bass in "Big Time" Songs like "Red Rain" and "Don't Give Up" are a little over-earnest, and I don't find Gabriel to have a good singing voice, but it works on the hits, and "That Voice Again" and especially the closer "In Your Eyes" The latter which is probably Gabriel's masterpiece.

Interesting album overall - some clear Eno-ish "World Music" and Bowie-esque Art Rock influences although I thought they were a little muted underneath the 80s production. Sledgehammer full length here is amazing - probably one of the most defining songs of the 80s.. Suspect I will appreciate his earlier solo stuff even more, but probably not *quite* intrigued enough to check them out and will wait their arrival in this list in due course...

Solid 80s pop. First two songs are amazing, the rest of the album is a slight let down from there.

Another great fast-walking city commute soundtrack. A few classics here.

+1for nostalgia

Absolute roller - soulful and folky.

Liked it more than I thought I would. Sledgehammer an obvious classic. Probably his most mainstream album, perhaps peters out a bit towards the end, but very enjoyable otherwise.

Excellent album, love Peter Gabriel

It's not a record I'll go back to much, but it's undeniably very good. Peter Gabriel is under appreciated.

Very atmospheric and thoughtful. A lovely journey through emotions, culminating in the beautiful closer, "In Your Eyes."

Brilliant album. Always loved PG's distinct brand of power pop. This album is probably my favourite he's had anything to do with, including early Genesis. A true artist with vision and commitment to the craft. Great big soundscapes and catchy songs throughout and of course the mighty Sledgehammer which was of course the first real music video.

SLEDGEHAMMER! And other songs. Slightly unfair, but based on the popularity of the track above (holy shit that video) it was pretty much my first thought. Throw in Kate Bush doing her Gothic muse vocal thing and the synths of "Big Time" and you have one of the most 80s albums imaginable. And it's very very good.

Das Album So von Peter Gabriel wurde 1987 veröffentlicht und gilt als eine seiner erfolgreicheren Platten. Der britische Musiker bewegt sich hier im Bereich des Art-Rock und Pop, wobei er verschiedene stilistische Elemente integriert. Die Produktion fand in Gabriels Real World Studios statt, wodurch er große kreative Kontrolle über den Sound hatte. Besonders bekannt sind Titel wie Sledgehammer, das mit seinem markanten Bläsereinsatz und Groove auffällt, sowie Don't Give Up, ein Duett mit Kate Bush, das durch seinen emotionalen Gesang überzeugt. Auch Red Rain und In Your Eyes zählen zu den stärkeren Stücken des Albums. Mit So gelang es Peter Gabriel, seine experimentellen Ansätze mit eingängigeren Strukturen zu verbinden. Das Album ist klanglich vielseitig und zeigt seine Fähigkeit, komplexe Arrangements zugänglich zu gestalten.

Never listened to the whole album, just a few of the songs, but I'm glad I did listen to the whole thing.

mercy street is underrated

I own this album, but I can own up to not listening to it often enough. I completely forgot about the Kate Bush duet! I’m revisiting this one for sure, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

This is what Phil Collins wishes he could do. Which tracks I guess. Fantastic prog pop album. 4/5

A lot of nostalgia for family trips with this one, my parents always had this cd in the car. Surprisingly I find this album holds up pretty well, a couple of songs on the back end are weaker but still pretty good 4/5

Classic

Packed with hits, otherwise interesting, and come on —in your eyes is on this.

Some good hits on here.

Beautiful album.

Couple of 80s bangers on this album.

This is the second 80s pop album in 2 days but Peter Gabriel’s is much more polished.

Lovely, great sound overall and with a great smash hit in sledgehammer.

I think it’s really really good, but not quite for me if that makes sense. Nonetheless, a 4

87% Best: Red Rain; Sledgehammer; Mercy Street; Big Time; In Your Eyes Must-Hear? Sure

I want to be your Hedgeslammer!

I have hot take on this album (that I don’t think is that hot): Remove “Sledgehammer” and “Big Time” and it makes a lot more sense and is a much better album.

太正了

I’ve known about So since it came out. I was 13 years old in 1986. A constant MTV viewer, so the videos for Sledgehammer and Big Time are ingrained in my memory. Same with the boombox scene from Say Anything and In Your Eyes. These three songs have stayed with me to this day and I still enjoy them fairly frequently. However, I never really spent much time with the whole album. I knew Red Rain, Don’t Give Up and Mercy Street but for whatever reason they didn’t resonate with me as well as the “hits.” So, no pun intended, to revisit this album all these years later was actually a delight. I found it to be musically and sonically very pleasing. I read that Gabriel explored his love of R&B and soul for this record so I listened to it with that in mind. Clearly, my younger self couldn’t appreciate musical nuances presented in many of the songs. I enjoyed this album a lot. I can’t give it a 5 as it doesn’t hit that category for me but a really strong 4 feels right. 4/5.

What a killer pop record. Love the world music influences

Here we have some great 80's music! Listening to Peter Gabriel was a really nice surprise. He is one of the artists on my waiting list whose work I most need to explore in more depth. I'm going to give it 4 stars today. Very Nice!

Such a great pop album. Sledgehammer is one of the best songs of the '80s!

So is an album that almost works like a greatest hits record for Peter Gabriel’s solo career. It’s filled with plenty of prog-pop bangers and should be respected for that. No further thoughts, your honor.

Killer album, bangers all. Even if I didn’t know or love the song I was still grooving. It’s definitely of its time so there’s a little bit of the sheen worn off but that doesn’t make it any less great.

wipes the floor with phil collins. first two tracks are all-timers! also love how berlin trilogy the last song is

I'll take "Albums I got from Columbia house for a penny, Alex." Solid bangers on this, obviously. I do, however, feel like the studio ordered 45 minutes of music and Pete was tapped out of creativity at 25. It's taking everything I've got to not drive down to the local swap meet to buy a fedora and a faux-Damascus steel butterfly knife that I expertly flip around before writing "Peter Gabriel So... More like Peter Gabriel So So" into my keyboard and walking away.

My second Peter Gabriel album in a row and my third in so many weeks. And man, this is a towering pop album. Still interesting but not as slippery as 'Peter Gabriel 3'. The sonic palette of the 80s is all over it but it doesn't sound like a capitulation to me. "Sledgehammer" is an all-time banger. Even if it's probably just about his dick. That happens sometimes. The songs are a little long I guess, but that doesn't really bother me here.

Hard to listen to the hits from this album without thinking for the videos he put out. Don’t give up with Kate bush is great. In your eyes is just a beautiful song. I paid particular attention to the voice this listen and was kind of blown away. He has a really long and great career but I can’t think of much that he did besides this album and shock the monkey.

"In Your Eyes" inspired me to hold my Samsung Galaxy over my head outside my girl's window

Might have to come back to this since at some points I considered giving it a 5

I went into this one thinking I was not into Peter Gabriel. But I really enjoyed this one. Some slow songs but the groove was there the whole time. Highlights: Sledgehammer In Your Eyes

What is that acrid smell? Oh, it’s Ben smoking crack. This album is dope. Red Rain: CLASSIC. Sledgehammer: CLASSIC. Big Time: CLASSIC. In Your Eyes: CLASSIC. That Voice Again: NOT CLASSIC BUT A BANGER NONETHELESS. We Do What We’re Told and This Is The Picture: STILL GOOD SONGS. If Mercy Street’s verses Don’t Give Up weren’t on here this would be a 5. Disclaimer I’ve been listening to Sledgehammer and Big Time since I was like 7 bc my aunt would play a greatest hits CD in her car all the time (that didn’t have In Your Eyes on it for some reason). This may make me less inclined to gravitate toward certain Gabriel eras

Fantastische Stimme, tolle Songs.

This album is “So” 80’s. It’s so 80’s that it has an Africana inspired art pop duet with Kate Bush that sounds a bit like their version of “Bridge Over Troubled Water”. What was it in the 80’s? Paul Simon was also on this africana-inspired pop wave. Anyways, huge highlight here is “Mercy Street” for the stellar double vocals it’s got going on, the dual-octave effect makes it sound otherworldly and leans into the dreaming effect the lyrics go on about. Really really great song. “Big Time” sounds like it should be a modern day Djo song, with its tongue-in-cheek lyrics painting a goofy narrator. Another fantastic song is “We Do What We’re Told” which once again is very airy, dreamy, and strays away from the pop side of things. No offense to the Sledgehammers of this album (banger song), but the coolest passages on here are the more experimental bits. I suppose this is a great litmus test for diving into Peter Gabriels work - if the stranger stuff on this record interests you, then get into his stuff - I know I will! I’m feeling the lightest 4 stars here, mostly for the memorable, unique songs. While there are some flops peppered in here, Peter makes a strong case for his ability to perform thorough pop music. Especially when he ends the album “So” strongly. I’ll see myself out.

A masterpiece from PG Just love it

Surprised how much I liked this.

Oye oye, este disco me gustó bastante.

Bangers

Peter Gabriel - So I am immediately transported to the 80s! The definitive sound of a decade. Favourite track: Don’t Give Up

Such a nostalgic listen and lots of happy memories associated with this album. Sledgehammer is a confirmed bop (and my mum and dad’s first dance at their wedding) but then the likes of don’t give up and in your eyes make you feel all reflective and poignant. Great album.

Hot vocals & insttumentals.

Ein paar schöne Songs dabei, nochmal anhören

Might sound cliche, but In Your Eyes really is one of the most beautiful songs ever written. In general, Peter Gabriel is an artist I'm not going to rush to put on when I want to listen to music, but when I do listen to his music, it comes with deep appreciation for his songwriting.

Poderoso Sledgehammer!!! Empieza con un sonido muy ¿U2? ¿Puede ser que mi oído haya reconocido a Daniel Lanois detrás de las cortinas? Qué recuerdos del vídeo de Don't give up.

Random thoughts: * I owned this album on cassette in the 80s, so this brought back some great nostalgia of listening to this on my Walkman. * Besides the 2 massive hits, Red Rain and Don't Give Up were the 2 tracks that I definitely remember from those listens in the 80s. And they still hit, but Don't Give Up hit especially hard. * Of course, I was a kid of MTV and was very familiar with Big Time and Sledgehammer. Those videos are still cool today. * I honestly don't remember In Your Eyes being on this album. I know that song from Say Anything.

I really liked the sound of this one. Probably not gonna listen to it many more times, but can't give it a 3. Low 4 is a better fit.

not as good as scratch, lot of hits on this one

sledgehammer is obviously a 10/10 song. some great stuff in here but very 80s. milgrams 37 sounds like weird bowie so is automatically one of my favourite on the album. my enjoyment of that track means ill probably check out gabriels weirder stuff.

Reminded me of a mix of Phil Collins and Steve Winwood. Suprised to see it was a fairly new album cause I got hard 80's vibes from it. Overall good album

I quite enjoyed this.

This album is like 90% the way to being amazing. I love his voice, and the instrumentation is so so good. Some of these chord progressions are magical (That voice again, In your eyes, to name a few). There is something missing here though. I don't know why, but each song feels a little incomplete. "So was nominated for the Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 1987 but lost to Paul Simon's Graceland" Understandable (Graceland is a 5/5) ^ This album also contains the best song Peter Gabriel ever made, so that's a bonus.

Peter Gabriel has long been a favorite of mine. This album was great- it spawned so many powerhouse hits. Overall- 4.5/5.

A big childhood one for me here. Big, warm, beautifully produced. A couple of big zingy hits (Sledgehammer/Big Time) but the ones that really last more are probably slightly quieter - like In Your Eyes. Plus a Kate Bush cameo. If there was a 4.5 star button I'd push it.

Very good album, many hits that are tired

The upbeat singles of this album hide that the majority of it is sullen and deep. Both prove how solidly effective Gabriel is as a musician. I've grown a new appreciation of him through this project.

A really interesting turn here for Gabriel, fusing the artsy almost avant-garde work he previously did with the contemporary commercial pop sound of the time. This album made him a household name and an MTV superstar. Not my favorite album he's made, but still a great listen. I respond most to the tracks that could've fit on his older album though; Red Rain, We Do What We're Told, and In Your Eyes. Bonus points for featuring Stewart Copeland on drums for Big Time, and (LOL!) "hi-hat" for Red Rain.

enjoyed a lot!! red rain is stunning and prob the standout for me on first listen- although I’m always happy to hear Kate Bush too..! also we love animation therefore a kiss for sledgehammer

bold of peter gabriel to make a pop record where half of the songs are over 5mins. i rly enjoy the overall palette he explores in general so i had a good time with this one. i'll probably be coming back to it

This album is pretty good. It is such an 80s album lol. I think it’s biggest issue is I don’t know when I’d listen to this. It’s kind of too intense to be relaxing but too chill to pump me up.

Peter Gabriel's solo albums all seem to be really good, and this one in particular, absolutely fucks. It has most of the pop songs that he is known for, but the hole album is good. The fact that he doesn't get around to In Your Eyes until the last song is a testament to how good the whole album is 4/5

idk its not really my style but i liked it but i think like 3 stars is to bad but 4 stars is to high

Pretty good vibes, lots of bangers

It's been too long since I heard Peter Gabriel's gorgeous voice. The lush instrumentals make for a very easy listen and to hear multiple big hits that you might not immediately associate with him is a pleasant surprise. Favorite track: Big Time

As 80’s as it gets 4/5

I see why people love Peter Gabriel so much haha

I probably haven’t listened to this since it was rammed down our collective ears. As a result I believe much of the population grew to despise it. Or at least be “over it”. But with the benefit of almost 40 years gap… I find it’s really a good record. Sonically ear-catching, Gabriel has a great voice and fills the record with interesting instrumentation. Beautifully engineered.

The sound is smooth and thoughtful. Big melodies mix with personal lyrics. It reminds me of Phil Collins but with more layers and depth. The music feels polished but still real. It’s simple in the best way. Couple of absolute bangers, but some duds as well.

Дуже класний запис з чистим і яскравим звучанням. Мене повертає в дитинство

This album fucking slaps.

Kate Bush vocals was a nice add. (Dolly Parton vocal would have been interesting. More commercial LP and a time piece as an explore in technology. Stewart Copeland of the Police involved on some tracks showed Peter G reach. Like the LP

It was okay, sounded a lot like Phil Collin’s. Not my type of music but its good.

Red Rain - 10/10 song with a catchy ass. chorus Sledgehammer - looped tambourine beat style with occasional kicks. Peter Gabriel lays beautiful vocals. Beautiful drum pattern Don’t give up- much more mellow song in terms of instrumentals with constant snares, positive message and cute chorus lol. That voice again- banger In your eyes- beautiful song that can be interpreted as love for someone romantically or love for god. Very filling instrumentals Mercy street - sad ballad about a failed relationship Big time - catchy chorus, funky instrumental. Tuff. We do what we’re told- it’s very eerie feeling and the lyrics are cryptic about a nazi experiment apparently This is the picture- change my mind, this is my least favorite but it’s still a great track. 9.2/10

“In Your Eyes”, “Sledgehammer” and “Mercy Street” are peak 80’s art and place this album firmly in the top 10 of 1986 even if some of the other songs on here don't reach such heights. I’ve had this album in fairly good rotation for almost 20 years and it is still impressive. It vascillates between upbeat pop rock and rainy day moody. I regularly use the above mentioned songs in my yoga or water exercise classes. They feel of their time and timeless all at once. Beyond the hits you’ll find some weird little treats: “This Is The Picture” and “We Do What We’re Told” show Peter still indulging in the proggy creativity left over from his Genesis days. “Don’t Give Up” is a decent if somewhat mewling ballad with fellow British artiste Kate Bush.

Well. I'm pretty torn on this album. Huge fan of the hits on it, especially Sledgehammer, and Red Rain and Don't Give Up are pretty ok lesser known tracks. But I really didn't like a few of them, and that brought this down a notch for me. The songs I do like are special enough to keep this at a 4 for me though.

I like it a lot, but its reputation is that it's amazing, his best in fact. I prefer his 3rd album. The duets on this album - with Kate Bush and Laurie Anderson - are the best tracks.

Some Big Time bangers on this album

Pretty enjoyable for 80s pop

3 huge hits, what’s not to like. Sledgehammer, In Your Eyes and Red Rain. My only complaint is the inordinate length of many songs intros. 4/5

Say what you want about the 80s, but pop music peaked

A perfect slice of 1980s pop. Many of the refugees from the big rock bands of the 70s were trying to reinvent themselves in the mid 80s, Robert Plant, Roger Daltrey... Gabriel manages it better than most. If I was a fan of 80s pop I'd give this a five. I'm not but regardless of that it rates a 4/5. Catchy tunes, Gabriel is in fine voice and high production values.

Pretty good, solid 80s vibe and a couple songs I've liked

Don't Give Up and In Your Eyes are great, also liked the opening track Red Rain

One of his best albums with some of the best pop/rock songs of the entire 80s. A

Great record. Great vibe and very unique.

1986, j'avais 16 ans soit l'âge con par excellence. Mes hormones faisaient les montagnes russes, ma pilosité faciale ressemblait à une mauvaise blague, et mes goûts musicaux étaient un champ de bataille entre la noirceur de The Cure et la frénésie de The Smiths. Dans ce paysage, Peter Gabriel était une figure à part. C'était l'ex-chanteur de Genesis, le type qui se déguisait en fleur sur scène, l'intello de la bande. Ses albums solo étaient des objets étranges, fascinants, parfois abscons, remplis de rythmes africains, de paroles angoissées et de clips où son visage fondait. C'était le genre de mec que tes parents trouvaient "intéressant", ce qui, à 16 ans, est le baiser de la mort. On le respectait, mais on ne l'invitait pas vraiment à nos boums. Et puis, le bulldozer est arrivé. Ce bulldozer, c'était "Sledgehammer". On ne peut pas parler de l'album "So" sans parler de ce clip car c'était un événement. Une putain de déflagration visuelle qui a colonisé MTV et toutes les chaînes de télé du globe. Les fruits qui dansent, les poulets en pâte à modeler, le train qui lui sort du crâne... C'était un chef-d'oeuvre d'animation image par image qui a fait passer tous les autres clips de l'époque pour des films de vacances tournés par un oncle bourré. Du jour au lendemain, l'intello cérébral était devenu la plus grande popstar de la planète. Et la chanson, bon sang, la chanson ! C'était un pastiche de la soul de la Stax, un hommage vibrant à Otis Redding, mais avec une production tellement moderne, tellement puissante. Cette section de cuivres, cette ligne de basse monstrueuse de Tony Levin, c'était un tube parfait : intelligent, sexy, incroyablement dansant et furieusement accrocheur. Et c'est là, toute la magie et le "problème" de "So" car c'est l'album où Peter Gabriel a réussi le casse du siècle : injecter toute son intelligence, ses expérimentations sur les musiques du monde et sa mélancolie dans une machine pop calibrée pour les stades et les radios FM. Et ça a marché au-delà de toutes les espérances car "So" est une véritable usine à tubes, une collection de singles imparables qui ont défini le son de la deuxième moitié des années 80. Tu as "Big Time", avec son funk blanc satirique qui se moque des yuppies et de l'ambition démesurée de l'époque. Tu as la ballade poignante "Don't Give Up", ce dialogue bouleversant entre le désespoir masculin et la compassion féminine, sublimé par la voix éthérée de Kate Bush. À une époque de cynisme reaganien et thatchérien, c'était une chanson d'une humanité folle. Tu as l'épique "Red Rain", avec sa batterie martiale signée Stewart Copeland (de The Police, rien que ça). Et bien sûr, il y a "In Your Eyes", ce monument de "world pop" avant l'heure, porté par la voix du Sénégalais Youssou N'Dour, et qui deviendra immortel grâce à John Cusack et son ghetto-blaster dans le film "Say Anything". Alors, face à cette avalanche de classiques, pourquoi un 4 sur 5 et pas la note maximale ? Parce que "So", c'est le son de la perfection et la perfection, parfois, c'est un peu lisse. C'est un album à la production tellement léchée, tellement "années 80" dans le bon et le mauvais sens du terme (la batterie qui sonne comme des coups de canon dans un hangar, les synthés omniprésents), qu'il a perdu un peu de la folie, du danger, de l'étrangeté abrasive de ses albums précédents. Le Peter Gabriel du masque de fleur, le type qui criait "Shock the Monkey", s'est un peu assagi. Il a mis un costard (de luxe), et même si ça lui va à ravir, on regrette parfois le vieux savant fou en blouse blanche. C'est l'album de la consécration, mais aussi celui de la normalisation, si l'on peut dire. Dans ma boutique de disques, des années plus tard, c'était une vente facile. C'était l'album de Peter Gabriel que tout le monde connaissait, celui qui mettait d'accord les fans de pop, les amateurs de rock et même les darons. Il était devenu consensuel. Un consensus de très, très haute volée, mais un consensus quand même. Les morceaux moins connus de l'album ("That Voice Again", "We Do What We're Told") sont excellents, mais ils s'inscrivent parfaitement dans le moule sonore de l'ensemble, sans la surprise déstabilisante qu'on pouvait trouver sur ses disques précédents. "So" reste une étape essentielle des années 80 et probablement l'un des meilleurs albums de Gabriel, ne serait-ce que pour sa capacité à marier ambition artistique et succès populaire massif. C'est le disque qui a prouvé qu'on pouvait faire danser la planète entière tout en parlant du chômage ou de la psychologie jungienne. Et rien que pour ça, chapeau bas.

Was mostly enjoying having this on and listening to Peter's voice, and the song with Kate Bush was nice, then Mercy Street hit and it had such a tone to it that I was so taken with it. Largely, pretty good!

Other reviews says it’s what a quality Phil Collins album might sound like. But a quality Phil Collins album is “in the air tonight” sorts of things repeating 12 times (just joking). This one is different every time. Genesis is a great band: but there’s no way of making fun of other members using other’s solo work to compare to thems. Peter and Phil are both great. 4/5

So great. Mature, but still groundbreaking and experimental. Avant gard, but still an enjoyable listen.

The duet with Kate Bush is divine

7/10

I liked it more than I was expecting too. Worth another listen.

Had low expectations for this one when I saw it, but was pleasantly surprised. Maybe that is the secret - go in without any expectations? Either way, I liked it. Not sure I would put it on a constant rotation but it was good.

This was VERRRRRY 80s. Maybe the most 80s album of the decade. I think I liked the other Peter Gabriel album, because it was a bit more varied and had some weirdness to it. This one is less weird, but it's still really eccentric and kind of dialed up to 11 in every song. Its really fun to crank this one.

Man this album jams so hard

Red Rain 3.8 Sledgehammer 4.2 Don't Give Up 3.6 That Voice Again 3.4 In Your Eyes 4 Mercy Street 3 Big Time 3.7 We Do What We're Told (Milgram's 37) 3.1 This Is the Picture (Excellent Birds) 3.2 Score: 3.555555556

Given how much I don't like a lot of the music of that era, Peter Gabriel is an exception. I'm not sure why, whether it's his voice or his creativity, I tend to like him and have listened to his music in the past.

I don’t know what to call this genre, but I definitely like the funk

4 stars

Hdp

This is my second favorite Phil Collins album. 4/5 Highlights: Big Time In Your Eyes

Great album. Three phenomenal songs and the rest are a solid listen as well.

A great album.

1/2 of the songs were hits and the other half is moody wonderfulness. IMO his one essential album.

it was SO 80s but i actually really enjoyed it

A fine album with 4 or 5 top notch songs. The 3 opening songs set the tone and get the album started really well, Sledgehammer might be his best "dance" tune with a killer bass line that drives the song. And the last 2 songs are as good as Peter Gabriel gets. The duet with Laurie Anderson is my sleeper pick from this album. A notch below PG 3, but about as good as mainstream rock music got in the mid 80s. 4 stars.