So

Pretty solid album. The songs were a little lengthy. However, since the album only has 9 songs, that didn't really bother me. Peter Gabriel has an amazing an outstanding voice

Quiet chill pop/rock

I WANNA BE YOUR SLEDGEHAMMER

I give it 4 stars, Sledgehammer is a classic, and the video was impressive at the time of release.

i like Peter Gabriel, my father used to listen to him often

Very solid, definitely the best from this week. Honestly I would have given this album a 4 star even if all the other songs on it were purely mid because In Your Eyes is just that good. Thankfully the other songs were very nice to listen to. There was a nice mix of poppy stuff and then more relaxed and mellow songs such as Mercy Street. Mr. Gabriel has a very lovely voice and this was a very lovely album. In Your Eyes is the second best song we've heard so far behind Layla.

great album-Red Rain is a fantastic track. wonderful building sound & emotion. good to hear the rawness in his voice & it's not overly stylized or autotuned.

A diverse album when it comes to the tempo of the songs. I especially enjoyed the more energetic tracks like Sledgehammer and Big Time. I also liked the hypnotic nature of This Is The Picture.

80s synth rock, love it. Gives vibes of films you’d watch with your parents in the 90s 00s in the living room on free tv

Do you fall on the side of Team Peter or Team Phil? Phil has always given me the creeps a little bit. I think he dances weird and it makes me uncomfortable. I’ve preferred the Peter albums of Genesis, so I’m excited to listen to a solo album of his in full. Songs I already knew: Sledgehammer, In Your Eyes Favourites: In Your Eyes I didn’t actually know In Your Eyes until I heard the cover by Ninja Sex Party, but what a nice song it is. There were parts of this that sounded like it could be the soundtrack to Tarzan (Mercy Street) which is good for my head canon of Phil and Peter wanting a fight. Overall, this was a very 80s-sounding album, and I really quite enjoyed it. Still Team Peter for me.

Previous Familiarity: Moderate. Only heard the singles. But those single are HUGE! Those 3 singles: "Sledgehammer" "Big Time" "In Your Eyes" Those 3 singles. Those 3 singles stand apart from everything else on this album. Both in a good way and a bad way. Theses songs are all pretty darn good (if not cheesy) pop songs compared to the brooding dream-pop that occupies most of the album. But, their noticeable difference is what also makes them feel out of place on the album. The carnival soul of "Sledgehammer" and "Big Time" are much louder and robust than the rest of the album. While the lovely (if noy hokey) "In Your Eyes" is the only meaningful attempt at relatable romanticism. It works, but it's out of place here. As usual for me, the 80's were not kind to my music listening sensibilities. I still hate the overuse of electric keyboards and synthesized instruments that plagued most pop acts in the 80's. I would love to hear these songs played on acoustic instruments in a more intimate setting. The songwriting is pretty good, I just think I could appreciate it more if the noises and sequencing were more in line with my tastes. Still pretty respectable!

Lots of classics. I prefer the earlier and "weirder" Gabriel, but plenty to love in this album.

What I would have expected. Some big hits.

Not a great voice but listenable

Really enjoyed this Album. I must say it’s a great album, start to finish. "Mercy Street" is probably my favorite song on the album.

I enjoyed the old school sounds

Sledgehammer! Bow down to the Sledgehammer! Ziemlich gut produziert und auch sonst ein gutes Album. This is the picture besonders gut 3.5 Kneel, you dogs...

I like almost every song! So moody, lyrical. An interesting old Gaelic sound to some of the songs.

Was actually listening to bits of this the day before. Downloaded this onto my iPod in like middle school or something but it’d been awhile since I listened to the whole thing. Lots of hits, a few I’m colder on, love Kate Bush’s bit. Solid fun

Good songs using 80s production enough for it to sound sleek and energetic, But not dated and cheesy.

I definitely know who Peter Gabriel is. I've heard a few songs here and there but haven't listened to a whole album. I'm excited! Love the sound of this so far. Actually, the two songs I know from Peter Grabriel are on this album lol. Track 3 has an interesting gospel sound to it. I'm also curious to know who the female singer is on this track. It seems like she sings at least half of the track so it's odd she's not credited. (I now know it's Kate Bush) Track 7 has a really interesting sound. Almost like it could be in the background of a CSI episode or something. Wow track 8 is not for me. 4/5 Late 80's music is a favorite of mine, so I was excited to see this album come up. Most of the songs on this album are too long for my taste, but I still enjoyed listening to them.

Legendary auteur makes a pop record and its really good and thought provoking and danceable...The 80's were a magical time.

Big sounds, great instrumentation, powerful lyrics, incredible voice, and excellent production. This is a stellar album from a legendary frontman. It’s got that 80s sound which can easily be overdone, and sometimes it gets close, but the artistry shines through in this excellent composed LP.

Oof, this '80s production is going to be tough for me to overcome. "Red Rain" is such a cool song but the instrumentation is so Beverly Hills Cop soundtrack. The more subdued production works really well on "Don't Give Up." Nice featured vocal by Kate Bush. "Mercy Street" is another cool one. I think I like the darker/quieter songs more. I like Gabriel's vocals and the harmonies are really nice on this one. I don't know if the production has just ingratiated itself to me, but I really like "Big Time." It doesn't sound as corny as the first couple of tracks did to me. Lots to listen to, including lushly layered vocals. I'm coming around.

A very nostalgic album for me. We listened to it a lot. Peter Gabriel can be a bit wacky but he also writes great tunes. Another 4*

I actually reallt enjoyed this, i didnt think I would like it

4 1/2

It aight -7/10

Felt like a very 80s album, like songs that could have been in the Top Gun soundtrack. Enjoyed the vocals and the Kate Bush feature. Some songs kind of dragged, but overall great album.

I like some of the songs a lot, other were eh, I think all of the songs ran a bit long for my taste but overall good 8/10

7/10 - Overall pretty good. I have heard most of these songs before. There are no songs I hate but there are not any I think I would ever be like I have to listen to it.

Un 4 por Mercy Street y Don't Give Up.

Damn do I love "Sledgehammer" and also "In Your Eyes". Really great album - strong from start to finish. 8/10.

Nice

Weird to hear it outside of the singles, which were so popular at the time. Pretty solid

Classic 80s

You know, I said this would probably be a 2 in my review of his first album, but it’s better than I remembered. I always like ‘Sledgehammer’ and ‘Big Time’ and thought all the other songs were too slow, but those actually turned out to be great, too. An album my stance has actually positively changed on.

So much synth! So much emotion! Was he the Shawn Mendes of his generation? It’s so dancey and 80s…also maybe too much whispering and chanting especially in the essential birds song, also who was the random gal that came in? Some lingering questions but also with this album I totally get why he is a mega star

He’s on my list.

First listen Saved 6/9 Top track: Sledgehammer

An iconic album with some amazing songs.

The voice reminds me of Blue October sometimes

Had to go back and listen to this one and was pleasantly surprised. I actually had favorited one of the songs before "In Your Eyes", so I was familar with Peter Gabriel a little before but the whole album was actually a fantastic listen. Got that classic 80s sound.

I don't think I ever actually owned this but I sure heard a lot of it in its day (not all though, given I had no idea there was a version on it of the song I knew as Excellent Birds from Laurie Anderson's Mister Heartbreak). The clever video for Sledgehammer was ubiquitous back when my only access to music videos was Friday Night Videos on NBC. And of course In Your Eyes as featured in Say Anything. There are some flat points but overall a great album.

It was decent, I like Sledgehammer and the Kate Bush duet. Clearly a little more poppy than the earlier Peter Gabriel albums. 7/10

Zet dit op en je ziet cassettebandjes, Engelse-drop-achtige interieurs, schoudervullingen en opgeblazen kapsels. De jaren tachtig in al hun opgepoetstheid, na de over-the-top jaren zeventig. Keyboards, strakke percussie, blazerssectie. Genesis-collega Phil Collins kon er ook wat van. En toch klinkt dit bij lange na niet zo gedateerd als bijvoorbeeld Prince. Iets voor de lange autorit over de Franse snelweg, op de achterbank met een overdosis Fruitella en een stapel Suske en Wiskes.

Het is ontzettend jaren '80, bombastisch, drumcomputers, synthesizers. Maar de stem van Peter Gabriel is op zijn best en de nummers zijn echt goed, zelfs als Kate Bush er door heen loopt te heksen. De sterkste nummers zitten wel aan het begin, als het allemaal wat meer toegankelijk is. In het tweede deel wordt er wat meer geexperimenteerd, wat niet per se slecht is in dit geval, maar de vaart gaat er wel een beetje uit. Als geheel vind ik het wel redelijk in balans, zeker een goede albumervaring. En dus ook absoluut een notering waard in de 1001 albums die je ooit gehoord moet hebben lijst.

Beautiful album, especially the slower songs. I recognised Sledgehammer and Don't Give Up. Unfortunately the second half of the album was a bit worse. Stand-out: Red Rain

The first album of Peter Gabriel that I truly appreciated. It's been a while since I've listened to the whole album and it hit me way differently - In Your Eyes, Sledgehammer, and Big Time are the top songs and I love them, but I am reminded of how powerful his lyrics are, particularly with That Voice Again and Don't Give Up - So heart wrenching for me. Mercy Street is so brooding. Wonderful album to hear again.

Slick, solid, 80s pop. Some great songs like Sledgehammer, Don't Give Up, and In Your Eyes, but hard to really connect with most of the other tracks.

Great album with several excellent songs, in particular 'Don't give up', although I don't get that superb exxperience over the full record.

Wasn’t expecting to be jump scared by the Wrestlemania 22 theme today but there you go The first three tracks are fantastic and the album does lose a bit of steam afterwards, but the more experimental couple of tracks towards the end brings it back

I’ve always enjoyed Peter Gabriel’s music, so of course I enjoyed this as well. He has a unique voice and good instrumentals that makes for an eclectic combo of songs.

Featuring up front production, some decent songs and Gabriel's powerful slightly raspy vocals, this is a solid album. The tracks are a bit overlong though.

Straight bangers

I noticed some bass sections that felt very familiar and a lil weird (in the good way) and even some sounds that felt very familiar, like I'd heard them somewhere else in the same era. That's when the truth smacked me in the face , of course I know that bass sound and some of these other sounds, in fact they're off of King Crimson's Triple album suite "Three of a Perfect Pair" (Discipline, Beat, Three of a Perfect Pair), and that has to be Tony Levin! And it was! I will say most of this album is a lil too 80's for me (I really hate the 80's nostalgia thing IDK I'm more of a 60's 70's guy), but it has some great standouts like "Sledgehammer" and "Don't Give Up", though "Mercy Street" also has some amazing sounds and I think overall, it's a good album with some great moments. I might have to give this another listen, but I enjoyed the package as a whole.

I really don’t get the complaints from people who say this is too commercial. They just hate fun.

Shweet

So good I listened twice

Sledgehammer is a bit played out but I enjoyed the rest of this album and was surprised that I had heard most of the tracks. I suppose that's a testament to the quality of the album when so many tracks got radio play. This isn't the type of thing I'd actively seek out on my own to listen to but I'd be pleased to hear it under almost any circumstance. Favorite song - In Your Eyes.

Dit vond ik echt een geweldig album!

Quite nice, wouldn't listen to it on a regular basis but could be fun from times to times. I especially liked "Sledgehammer" and the last song, "In your eyes".

Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins, Steve Winwood all sound so similar :) Sledgehammer! So many hits on this album...

Solid

Sledgehammer, a couple other good songs

So, it didn’t hit me like a Sledgehammer, but I did enjoy it. Kind of like Red Rain on a winter night, is what I think of when I hear That Voice Again. This is the Picture. This is the way.

4.25

More enjoyable than I expected feels very 80s

album longo, mas bom, musicas boas e temas de filme/serie

Red Rain and In Your Eyes were the standouts for me. Pretty solid album. Very of-the-time sounding.

Really liked this.

Liked this which means I’m turning into my dad, probably worth a relisten

Fun, groovy, poppy and light!

most hits a miss or two in there. Love the story behind the album.

can't believe the first one is Peter gabriel. 007

I had listened to this album before, but this time it really resonated with me a lot more. The album is frontloaded with some of his best material first, but the whole album is solid. Love the features as well, especially Kate Bush. Also Tony Levin's bass playing is great.

Any album with 'Sledgehammer' on it is fine by me! Some other good tracks on there that I don't think I've heard before.

Great pop album that is the pinaccle of Peter Gabriel's work. Has the added bonus of being stuff you've heard plenty of times in movies, film, etc

Better than expected. At times funky, moody, or even a bit trippy. Didn't feel the urge to skip a single track, and many were added to my "liked" songs.

Solid album with several good songs. Sledgehammer still a favorite.

Couple bangers

I won't copy and paste my other reviews of Peter Gabriel albums here, but I feel the same. It's a more mainstream release for sure. I haven't ever loved "Sledgehammer," mostly because I remember seeing the video on VH1 and found it to be stupid. Probably not a popular opinion. This is my favorite Peter Gabriel album and it is probably a must-hear album for me. Will I listen to it again? Quite possibly not, as I seem to be a greatest hits Peter Gabriel person. Some of the songs are just lengthy and tend to fade in the background.

Ich fühle mich sehr an Phil Collins erinnert. Sledgehammer absolut kult. Very feely, dreamy, aber mit banger momenten

Such a classic, well thought out album with Gabriel at his peak.

Great album.

This was poppier than I expected it to be. Lots of incredible songs but a few too many that felt like some kind of 80s-style pandering.

Good stuff

About as generic as Nickleback

Great

Very 80s, mix of funk, early U2, and Paul Simon Graceland. Listened twice.

Drove out to play disc golf at Pineland - Emily had the dog on old speck so hit a good course that’s not dog friendly. Beautiful October afternoon - doesn’t get any better than this (except maybe if the wife and dog were here lol)

Beautiful album with superb musicians. Peter Gabriel had a very strong solo output, this one was perhaps the most successful. There’s a lot of musical influences, mainly pop but also, funk on Sledgehammer, ambient, ethereal soundscapes on Red Rain and Don’t Give Up. Very strong stuff! 8,5 out of 10

Great album. A few pop hits. Definitely can tell it’s from the 80s.

Enjoyable but a bit too surface level

Loved this album.

Rating: 7/10 Best songs: Don’t give up, In your eyes

Love it.

I enjoyed this album a lot more than I thought I would. That Kate Bush feature on Don’t Give Up was heavenly. Mercy Street and Big Time were also great songs.

Some masterpieces and some filler.

The music is expansive and unique. Some what uplifting. Sledgehammer may have the best video, but In Your Eyes is a better song

a classic but again quite dated

Nice

Gabriel’s So is an enjoyable affair, pushing that revolutionary synth sound to the forefront and layering up the vocals to make enjoyable, classy sophisticated pop. Sledgehammer is a smash hit (LOL), Kate Bush brings class to Don’t Give Up and there’s a bunch of other good stuff in here.

The production is incredible but this has a couple legit not very good songs that stop it from being a 5 star classic imo

Great album. Peter Gabriel is an artist that I don't think about much, but enjoy the music when it is presented to me. Don't give up is one of my favourites.

Really enjoyed the three listens! Lot of sampling which I enjoyed though wouldn’t know how to recreate . Good album, will listen again!

Une ouverture spectaculaire (Red Rain, Sledgehammer...) des moments plus faibles. Une production impressionnante mais clairement datée. Globalement très agréable à l'écoute

Pretty good. Had it on as background noise during a focus requiring activity so didn’t pay total attention but I liked it a lot. Favourite song definitely Big Time.

The production is impeccable, if very much of its time. Superior, intelligent pop with a couple of kicky cameos from Kate Bush and Laurie Anderson. What really sets this apart though are three absolutely bulletproof tracks - 'Sledgehammer', 'Big Time' and the mighty 'Red Rain'. A lovely listening experience - even when the energy dips, pleasure can be found in the aural textures Gabriel conjures. Features one of the Marotta brothers on drums - have a set of siblings ever played on so many capital T 'tasteful' recordings as these jabronis?

This one is just shy of great, imo. I've never listened to this entire album before, but the impact the videos for "Sledgehammer" and "Big Time" had on me as a wee lad was overwhelmingly apparent as soon as those songs came on. I couldn't tell you the last time I've listened to either of those two songs. But as soon as they came on, it was like stepping into a house I once lived in. Doesn't hurt that they're great songs, too. My critique here is mainly that the track order isn't right. But we can easily fix that. So, without further ado here is the proper track listing of "So (Taylor's Version)": 1. Red Rain 2. Sledgehammer 3. Big Time 4. Kate Bush song 5. We Do What We're Told 6. That Voice Again 7. In Your Eyes 8. Mercy Street "This is the Picture" gets saved for a B-side where it belongs and now the record is front loaded with the upbeat hits, giving the whole thing a better spread of energy and momentum that propels us to "In Your Eyes" and closes with a more contemplative note in "Mercy Street." That record is a 5 star record. But the one we got is 4. Hopefully, Peter Gabriel will read this and call me next time.

Love this album. Whilst not Gabriel's best it reminds me of my time at college when I listened to it often on my Walkman travelling between college and home.

This was fun to listen to but I don’t need to listen again. I liked Big Time a lot and of course In Your Eyes. No complaints but nothing that blew me away

Classic album of high quality deserves to be on the list, but I personally prefer Peter Gabriel III, this one just a verge too pop for my personal taste so it just misses out on the full marks

I was into Peter Gabriel before this album came out, going back to his Genesis days and I was obsessed with his 3rd (melt) and 4th (Security) solo albums. When this came out, to me it was kind of like his sell out album. Sure, there are some great songs on it but it also felt like a betrayal of sorts. I've since come to appreciate this album, but I still love those other albums more. Those are 5 star albums to me, this one is 4/5.

What a great album. I remember the Sledgehammer video when it came out and the song is still great. Big Time is fun as is This Is The Picture (Excellent Birds) with In Your Eyes rounding out my favourites for today.

My rehabilitation towards 80s music is obviously proceeding apace, as I really liked this, and it's quintessentially, indeed, _archetypally_ 80s. Those collabs with Kate Bush and Laurie Anderson were awesome. I can't quite stretch to a 5, but would do 4.5 if possible. Fave track - "We Do What We're Told", I think - very atmospheric! Probably about half the other tracks are contenders, though, including "Sledgehammer", despite it being played incessantly everywhere from childhood onwards! 😆

Þrír og hálfur, námundað í fjóra. Margt mjög áheyrilegt en svolítið dated níundatugarproduction. Fínt stöff heilt yfir.

Very 1980s production, which is a good thing with this kind of material. Not sure if Genesis copied this LP or vice versa, but In Your Eyes could be lifted from albums like Invisible Touch or later. Big Time is essentially a remake of Sledgehammer, which is fine in my books. The only criticism I have for the arresting and brilliant Don't Give Up is that Tony Levin's superb bass groove in the last minute is not extended - gets right under the skin. And how does Gabriel bring out such quality from all those good collaborations (Kate Bush, Lori Anderson, Youssou N'Dour, Jim Kerr, Stewart Copeland, PP Arnold, Tony Levin...) Fantastic and very atmospheric and evocative of the serious nature political popstars found themselves in during the mid 1980s. Gets better on subsequent listens. It's not all just doesn't get going even if it's all about the lyrics; We Do What We're Told is an indulgent unfinished experiment that doesn't catch fire. Overall very impressive

Mostly a bit slower, nice deep synth backing instrumentals

Some of this sounds a bit cheesy and dated, but it's a fun listen!

Peter Gabriel s'efforce pendant tout l'album d'imiter la voix de Phil Collins et s'en sort plutôt bien, il faut l'avouer.

Huge hits off this album. Sledgehammer had big success and got lots of airplay on MTV.

Really enjoyed this album! Younger me didn't really care for Peter Gabriel. Despite that, this was really good. 4/5

I bought this album when it came out, and was excited to listen again after a long while. I was horrified to realise that it wasn’t as familiar as I thought! Back in the day, I must have skipped some tracks, 😂. The good ones are great, though, and it all holds up well.

I was digging it.

So was instantly impressive to my most musically-oriented friends at the time it was released. We were all big Kate Bush fans too, so loved seeing her appearance on Don’t Give Up. Big 80s sound from Big Time and Sledgehammer, but In Your Eyes is just wonderful. Really like this.

A very nice low four, some very good songs on here and some less interesting

Genuinely loved this far more than I thought it would.

Un 4 por Mercy Street y Don't Give Up

Had some bangers, better than I anticipated.

Not as daring as his earlier efforts, but 'So' finds Gabriel reaching his largest audience ever with songs that are smooth yet still idiosyncratically his.

This was really good, it just wasn’t 5 star material.

Some of the biggest sounds of the 1980s. I always preferred Gabriel solo to his work with Genesis. You know, I miss this whole thing artists in the 1980s did where all of their songs are long as fuck. Yeah, it makes some of the weaker tracks unbearable, but Sledgehammer could be twice as long as it already is and I'd still sign up for it and then some. God help the stop motion animators for the extended music video, though. So... good. 3.5/5.

Catchy classic Gab

I'm a latecomer to Peter Gabriel, having only discovered him in the last 5 years or so. This album begins and ends so strongly, and is evocative of a very specific type of "80s" feeling for me. I love it! If it didn't sag so much in the middle I think this would be an easy five for me, but there's a track or two in the middle that are very forgettable.

Highlight: Don't Give Up

Very arty. Very percussive. Very good. Yeah the production is somewhat dated by today's standards but the songs remain strong. Red Rain and In Your Eyes are gorgeous. Sledgehammer and Big Time are bangers. Love Tony Levin's bass work. Didn't know Stewart Copeland did some drum work on this album until now. An 80s standard.

I've had this album for years and never heard This is the Picture before. It was added years later. So, not really counting that one for the score. Standouts: Red Rain, Sledgehammer, Don't Give Up, In Your Eyes, Big Time Others: That Voice Again Mercy Street We Do What We're Told *This Is the Picture Rating: 4/5

LP

4.5 didn’t expect to love this so much

Bit too 80s at times, and falls well below the quality of his first 3 self-titled efforts, but a good listen nonetheless.

"All you do is call me, I'll be anything you need." "No fight left or so it seems, I am a man whose dreams have all deserted. I've changed my face, I've changed my name, but no one wants you when you lose." "Don't give up 'cause you have friends." --- Favourite Tracks: Sledgehammer/Don't Give Up/Big Time Summary: Really enjoyed the variety of sound on this album, feels like every track is completely different to the previous. Enjoyed the themes on Big Time and way it was structured to emphasise that kind of lifestyle. I was quite taken aback by We Do What We’re Told (Milgram’s 37) having looked up the experiment that inspired it, worth a read! I have been a long time fan of Sledgehammer as well as Don't Give Up which I feel is a genuinely beautiful song.

So good.

I see the influence of this album in many of my favorite artists of today. Whether the impact was real or not... its certainly my flavor of sound

Very good album, I love the dynamics and theater of it all.

The GOAT. His music is a balm for the soul!

This feels so unnatural, Peter Gabriel too... Sledgehammer and In Your Eyes. Lots of progressive, synth heavy music with the exact kind of gripping lyrics and fusions you'd expect.

Really an album of two sides of Peter, and even in just the first two songs you hear the them - the first full of mysticism and drama, the second of funk and pop genius. He balances the two really well to where neither gets too old. 8/10

Funny halfway through this album i was thinking "dang this guy sounds so much like Phil Collins". Turns out I should've known they both fronted the same band lol. Definitely haven't heard this guy's name nearly as much, but it was good!

Good stuff

Love me some happy 80s pop rock. Okay, let's talk about it. It has this cloud of happiness that welcomes you in. Some call that cheesy and silly, too soft and whimsical. I love it because it makes me feel like I'm in a joyful montage in an 80s movie. Pure innocence and fun. It's like a version of bliss. And so what if it's not realistic, it let's me escape to a better place. And for that I love it.

I've listened to this album many dozens of times. It's fairly commercial which is interesting as I think it's more the case of the songs being good, and people liking them, and they end up commercial... as opposed to Peter setting out to make something people would like. Honestly it's probably my least favorite Gabriel album. Then again, I more or less love the other ones, and this one I like a lot.

Classic rock is classic. Hurts my heart to say as I recall the MTV VMA show where the Sledgehammer video cleaned the house. Best song about a penis, ever. Mainly because no one clocked it as such for so long.

4.5 Outstanding!

Very 80s, not always a good thing but it works great here.

I know sledgehammer but the rest is new to me. Update I knew don't give up as well. This is pretty good, obvious 80s Genesis comparisons in both singing and production, but tbh Gabriel's voice is better. I really enjoyed this. Not an all time album, but a solid 4/5.

My favorites were the first and last tracks. The album had a lot of slow moments, but even at slow times the music was intricate and lush. I have a bias towards Peter Gabriel because I just adore the early 70s Genesis albums. I think I need to return to this one to think about it some more. I was listening to it in the car and the wind made it very hard to hear a lot of what was going on, so I'll have to listen without so much distracting noise.

Very good

Finally the album which fully deserves to be on this list! His voice, so dramatic yet not exaggerated, characteristic tunes. So many great songs: Sledgehammer, Don't give up, Mercy Street, Solsbury Street to name a few.

3.5/5 This album is inconsistent. It has some amazing hits - "Sledgehammer" & "Big Time" are great. And some songs make me think "How did it get in here???". After all it deserves a 4 out of 5

So 80s, So Gabriel, So Good

A constant reminder that while Collins was a great successor as a lead singer, Gabriel brought along much more than just his unique vocals. So is filled with great rhythms, grand ambitions and all-round complex pop. “Red Rain” is as great an opener as they come and you just feel overwhelmingly safe in the arms of Peter Gabriel. There’s a few songs that doesn’t quite live up to the heights of the highs. Nevertheless, So is still an album to be reckoned with.

Great album, Sledgehammer, Don't Give Up, Big Time, and of course In Your Eyes, we're all huge hits. Songs that are still good today

So's wildly spacious production was the workingest part, coexisting in some discomfort with a hymn-like Kate Bush duet. But even that has Kate Bush.

3.5 stars. This is one of those albums that I respect more than I like. The genre/sound isn't my cup of tea but I can appreciate the audio engineering and crisp, clean production. Standout is "Sledgehammer."

Lovely album, flows well and no bad tracks.

some really great moments (in your eyes especially), and a technically great album. it dragged a bit in the middle, but overall was still quite good.

Oh yes, 80s genius and also it contains Sledgehammer which is a true banger with a very excellent music video. Love love love the 80s beats, Peter Gabriel's voice, other vocals, instrumentation, inspiration and lyrics, the list goes on. Generally love it. I got influenced by an ex and his dad many moons ago and I really enjoy this album since, a classic.

ok

Great pop album. 80's were a very mixed bag when it comes to popular music but this album for sure is a winner. It's just very solid throughout and while not every song is a bona fide hit, none of them are actively pulling the album down.

Great album! Love Gabriel, really enjoyed this listen, haven’t heard every song but we’re all very good! Sledgehammer and In Your Eyes are two of the best I think but overall great album!

this is amazing! Really funky in parts but at its very best when darker and moody. a lot less silly than other Gabriel offerings and full of wonderful production. Best tracks: red rain, don’t give up, mercy street

listened to again an 80s classic

Positivamente sorpreso, è veramente piacevole da ascoltare e dopo averlo sentito la prima volta sto già pensando a riascoltarlo.

Some really great songs on this one. Sledgehammer and In Your Eyes are really good. There are a few mediocre songs in the mix too, but overall really enjoyable listen.

Ask me to name Peter Gabriel songs, and the first that come to mind are going to be "Sledgehammer," "Big Time," "In Your Eyes," and "Shock the Monkey." The first three are all on this album. Nuff said.

Brilliant album. I'll never turn down listening to some Peter Gabriel.

Though I prefer his more experimental material, this is still a great pop record. Starts off strong with "Red Rain" and "Sledgehammer." Reminds me of being in a mall in the 80s in a positive/nostalgic way.

Didn't expect to like this all that much tbh, but it's got quite a few bangers. Some less good stuff too, but overall I felt this was extremely solid.

Excellent stuff.

Un 4 por Mercy Street y Don't Give Up

Very good front half, wish it continued that energy throughout it, sledgehammer is a banger tho

Started off strong, kinda fell into the schlocky 80s cheese

This was fine. It has some good songs but really didn't resonate with me at all. It has a production that is a bit over the top and grandiose but I don't believe it. I may just be jaded because I really don't love the 80s. Again something about the production of that time doesn't mesh with me.

I owned this at the time it was released. Didn't everybody? I remember liking it at the time. It's a good album, but was overplayed. Not something I feel like I need to hear again.

The best tracks are the two where he collaborates with women and the worst are the two pop hits. A good record with moments of greatness.

added a couple of them to my liked songs. Its almost short enough to be an EP but it still has a consistent vibe

Some great music, track order was a rollercoaster tho

Some not so unpleasant tunes on here but nothing to convert me into a fan. Very much middle of the road, not as bad as I had expected.

iha jees, ei j''ny erityisesti mieleen

Idk its alright the last 3 were shit tho. I loved Big Time and obv sledgehammer is a good song so 3.

Really great record. His voice is awesome, the one two punch of sledgehammer and don't give up is up there with the best!

A name I'm familiar with but don't know if I'd be able to tell you he's the guy who sung Sledgehammer. There's something that catches my attention in "We do what we're told" and "This is the picture", but then spotify autopalyed talking heads and I listened to that instead.

Et par gode sanger, men det hviler noe traust over hele greia.

I thought the vocals on the first track were really great. Album clearly draws inspiration from a ton of places. This kind of solo work never really grabs my attention beyond the surface level however.

6.8. 1:30 ujutro dok sam mislila da se roketa haha rocket raketa roketa tek treba zabiti u mjesec ali se vec zabila jucer (tako kazu) ispred kuce sjedim tako da mi legistremije zaklanjaju lampu koja mi ide u oci kako gledam mjesec sa vrata desna strana vrta ispod japanke na desno mi je po dijagonali tocno kut kuce na kojem je tabla s adresom // album kako ide dalje postaje bolji pre pop za mene 6/10

The high points of this one are up there, and the rest is pretty middle of the road. It is definitely a good record and one that deserves a nod on this list. If nothing else, the music videos for Sledgehammer and Big Time were unforgettable and worth a revisit for any listeners not familiar.

Wasn't quite like what I expected, yet I was definitely intrigued by it! Would maybe revisit and a few tracks are going into rotation including In Your Eyes which I believe is in Say Anything, a film I really like!

Was ok

For Gen X Nostalgia I have no idea who Peter Gabriel was supposed to be. On trying to discover it through So, I found a very 80s album... overproduced pop, synth, slap bass, digital reverb etc etc. All very much of the time. And weirdly, the whole thing is so white (?). The gentrification of traditional instruments from other cultures just for reviews to praise Gabriel using "ethnic" tools rubs me the wrong way. You can hear the appropriation of Africana music on "In Your Eyes" for sure. But that's a smaller comment. Overall, I miss some kind of humor. It's all so serious and I don't feel any fun. It's decent 80s popslop. Hyperpalatable. But nothing here is particularly moving. I don't like the sterile feel of it. There aren't even any curse words here. "Red Rain" instantly gave me an understanding of what this album was gonna be. The song itself is pretty energetic, yet melancholic. Pretty good just not for me. Love the drums and synths. Good background song for driving or studying. Bit too repetitive. 6/10. "Sledgehammer" is so stereotypically 80s that it actually kind of hurts. Cheesy is the word. Preys on the nostalgia for 60s black RnB for sure. 5/10. "Don't Give Up" is much slower. Kind of nice but still very 80s. Haunting duet. Love the woman's voice but it's too slow for me. Cool bassline at the end. 5/10. "That Voice Again" is the worst perpetrator of the 80s sound so far. It really has to do with how everyone switched to synth and that type of bass at the same time. Cool hi-hats and drumming though. 4/10. "Mercy Street" is kind of, folkish? very atmospheric. I like the flutes. Probably my favorite so far. Doesn't sound too 80s until the synth comes in. 5-6/10. "Big Time" is catchy but feels more like a product of its era than anything timeless. Flashy production but little to no substance. This song makes me sick. It's so 80s. 4/10. "We Do What We're Told (Milgram's 37)" is a weird interlude. Actually kind of pretty. Makes me nostalgic for something. I enjoy. 5-6/10. "This Is the Picture (Excellent Birds)" ...wtf are these lyrics. What is going on. 3/10. "In Your Eyes"... the chord structure is very familiar. The song itself sounds familiar too. Can hear the appropriation of Africana music for sure. 5/10 Decent variety but nothing here is particularly moving. Sounds very 80s and that's about it. Not anything I would really want to listen to very consistently. Rating: 5.5/10

30% buenos temas de pop rock, 70% mid

It's a nice, groovy album, but it didn't really hook me in very much as the 80s prpduction and the vocals got quite boring to me. Sorry, I'm busy at the moment and really don't have much more to say about this.

I was hopeful to find some.deep cuts I didn't know, because the hits I like, especially Sledgehammer, nothing wrong with the rest of the album, but nothing that stood out either.

Recognized a song or two. Was enjoyable.

Nice album, I dont have much to say, the best song is by far "Dont Give Up", rest is pretty good

No comments.

This album brought me back to phil collins

19. jul 2026. 17.51h kao it was ok best: mercy street

Sure, it doesn't sound bad, but it's also very boring. There are far better albums from the 80s.

Peter Gabriel is Dave Matthews favorite singer. The video for Sledgehammer was awesome. Kate Bush...what can't she ruin? Just kidding, Don't Give Up is not very good before she sings a note. I always liked Big Time. It's a hard album to rate. There are a couple of enjoyable singles and a bunch of weird stuff outside that. In Your Eyes is a great song, and produced the super iconic moment with the trench coat and boombox.

I like the hypnotic, calm songs, but the poppier ones less so; all in all, a solid album.

Decent variety but nothing here is particularly moving.

Stockholm Syndrome: I’ve got to give it points for the sheer amount of time I found myself exposed to this album. An innovative pop album that has not aged well.

Although sledgehammer is amazing, the rest of the album is mostly just 80s generic pop. 6/10

solo peter gabriel hey will it be as weird as i expect 💥red rain 💥sledgehammer 💥mercy street 💥in your eyes

Pretty pop and relatively straight, but still interesting.

def an album of that time but the instruments are really nice and i like some of the songs. def a completely diff vibe than what i am used to. some songs i prob will never listen again but it feels like im in 1980 america, i get it actually. also, these songs are a lot longer than im used to, they have build up, fade out, introduction of instruments before vocals, very standard musical procedures songs i added to album: red rain

- Interesting and unique sound. - Don’t agree with Apples definition of this being rock, maybe some songs like Sledgehammer, but not all. - Suprising to see Kate Bush on this album - Some songs are a bit too slow for my liking, makes me sleepy instead of interested

hammer on

Good

fajny gosc ladny glos takie okey jakis gosc spiewa mi w tle z lat 80 spoko moze byc 7/10 bo nawet ladnie spiewa chociaz w niemtorych piosenka spiewa tak ze tylko o jednym wyrazeniu i ono jest takie muzyczne jak np kurde ze jest młotem albo zamknij malpe a w innych tak jak lubie że opowiada historie wsensie

I first heard Sledgehammer in a Weird Al polka medley. The next time was by the band Northern Kings. Peter Gabriels original is still my third favourite. Still that's the standout here. The rest of the album is fine and enjoyable enough. Does not blow me away. 3 stars.

This album is a vibe and I’d happily listen to it again. The tracks don’t really stick out to me, aside from Sledgehammer and In Your Eyes (and Don’t Give Up, though that isn’t really hitting for me for some reason). I feel like this album could be a grower for me. Rating: 3.5

Need to listen more but not half as bad as I expected!

A very decent album. The highlights for me were, of course, 'Sledgehammer ', then 'Don't Give Up ' and 'In Your Eyes'.

What to do? Big Time and Sledgehammer are amongst the best songs ever written. The rest is just so forgettable.

💿 tracks I liked -Sledgehammer -Don't Give Up This album evidently draws on many musical influences, but it always seems to have this reflective sound throughout. I'd put in the same musical bubble as Africa by Toto.

Sledgehammer and In Your Eyes were the singles for a reason. The rest of the album didn’t really do much for me.

Rating - 6/10 My first album in the 1001 album generator to review. This is not my preferred genre but I enjoyed the album. Some songs that made me stop and think - Red Rain - Horrifying dream put into a song. Inner conflict if not resolved will bleed out into your life and manifest itself into real life signals that cannot be ignored. Mercy Street - Anne Sexton's song. Beautiful and haunting. Makes you stop and wonder about women in America especially during Anne's time and their lives battling the misogyny and mental health issues. Big Time - Wanting to become "big" coming from a small town makes you a wannabe.

He does his thing well, but it isn’t for me. Red Rain was pretty sick though.

It was fine. PG has never been my favorite, but this was pretty good.

I liked this! I wish Kate Bush got credited as the feature on "Don't give up". I know her voice (from this project) so I was able to pick it out. SLEDGEHAMMER IS GREATEST MUSIC VIDEO OF ALL TIME

It's oke

A bit better than I expected. I liked the song with Kate Bush.

***A good, easy listening album

Sooo 80s

The soulful “don’t give up” featuring kate bush was definitely the highlight for me. With a hit song as sledgehammer i expected more from this album. This album wasn’t really captivating enough to intrigue me for 46 minutes long. I like his earlier work for their complex layers. This album production wise was simplistic and not as intricate as his earlier work. I like the flute and triangle as appearing as addition form time to time. The bassline and groove in “big time” was also something i appreciated. Although i share this opinion i still can see the appeal of this album for people who enjoy 80’s pop more than i do. I have a wide knowledge of 80’s music but it’s definitely the decade of music i listen the least to with decades like the 70’s, 90’s and 00’s existing. I give this album a solid 7/10

This is Peter Gabriel’s attempt to create a big, anthemic mid 80’s album and he succeeds at times. I used to be really annoyed by the gated drum sound of the period but have become a bit more forgiving now that it’s not the default production approach. The two big hits are good, especially Big Time. The opening track is also good, but the three tracks after Sledgehammer really drag. The two tracks after Big Time are decent and it ends on a good track with its final hit. The production doesn’t keep this from four stars; the uneven quality of the songs does.

Es una lastima que la mejor versión de Sledgehammer sea la de Martin Miller Band 3.7

Kuuntelin tän ajellessani pohjoseen. Ei se huonoa ollut, mutta ei niin sykäyttävääkään.

Eh

Interesting and then innovative pop album featuring Daniel Lanois’ distinctive brilliance production and interesting contributions from Manu Katché and Youssou N’Dour.

Started this project on the last day of my high school freshman year, trying to get out of my musical comfort zone. Found this website from reddit (lol) This album is quite different or even opposite to what i listen to now (2000's metalcore/screamo: misery signals, chimaira, converge, botch, sevendust, etc.). Despite this, So is an album that anybody can enjoy. To me, listening to it now has been a soothing and uplifting experience. Album started off strong, and was still pretty solid the whole way through. Branching out from my usual genres was fun. 3.5 stars, leaning 3. Red Rain was the standout. Excited for all the next albums to come during this project.

Initial listing ranking: 7/10 Type of music / Reminds me of: fourstringish potential, sting Thoughts: Insane take, Sledgehammer is kinda overrated, the bridge is really good tho/ The bassist is always killing it. Favorite Track: In Your Eyes

One of the better examples of this ethereal pop music from that era.

this is another album from my "I admire it more than i like it" list i can see the influences of african music and non-western rhythms and how, in contrast to 80s pop, it manages to give it a more prominent role rather than using it as accompaniment really polished record capable of bringing gabriel's creative concerns to a more accessible yet sophisticated pop sound, and i believe thats exactly whats stopping me from getting hooked to it

Ok

No song really stood out, but decent soft rock. 3/5.

sledgehammer p good, kinda how i imagine songs from that period would sound if they werent disco,

nic specjalnego, taka muzyka z radia do samochodu

Couple of smash hits on this. Don't Give Up is amazing, Sledgehammer excellent. Sounds quintessentially eighties but not much the worse for that.

I liked this far more than I thought I would

Peter

3/5

3.5

It's fine, like, big 80s accessible pop, quite fun, not really for me tho sorry

Pretty sure I will always struggle with the signature sounds of the 80s, and this is no exception. It's not a bad album and I certainly didn't hate it, but the production just doesn't agree with my ears.

hmmmm just a bit too U2 big-issues kitchen-sink-80s-rock for me unfortunately! the first three tracks work well, even if Don't Give Up is really just made bearable by Kate Bush, and Mercy Street is quite beautiful if you allow yourself to feel earnest enough about the whole thing. i just can't really get with Gabriel lyrically though, it's all so staid and po-faced and Important which really drags some of the more sonically interesting tracks down. Sledgehammer, the big single and a manic sex-rock workout amongst big issues songs, is by far the highlight. bummed! i always thought Peter Gabriel would be my guy for some reason! don't think he's my guy!

Like when I got Peter Gabriel (1977) there are some really strong songs on here, but the overall album falls a little flat. Still I really enjoyed Sledgehammer and Big Time; I definitely could see myself coming back to these songs even if I do not reblvisit the album in full. I think I liked this slightly more than Peter Gabriel (1977). Favorite Track - Sledgehammer Least Favorite Track - Don't Give Up ⭐️⭐️⭐️

I fully expected to like this more than I did. It’s such a strong start, with “Red Rain”, then into “Sledgehammer”, and “Don’t Give Up.” After that, it becomes a bit dull until you get to “Big Time” and “In Your Eyes”. It’s also very 80s, and sounds it (aside from “Sledgehammer”, obviously, which sounds as brilliant today). But generally, it hasn’t aged at all well.

Sledgehammer is a brilliant song with one of the best music videos ever made. It is so stupidly catchy, I love the vocals, the lyrics, the instrumental. Just a great, great song. Don't Give Up is really good too, but despite the addition of Kate Bush, it doesn't quite reach the same high points. I ended up liking a few of the other tracks (particularly That Voice Again) but there were more low points for me than high - for example Mercy Street, We Do What We're Told, This Is The Picture (Excellent Birds). Its all very of its time. Ultimately nothing comes close to Sledgehammer in my eyes and it's inclusion, plus me liking Peter Gabriel's voice, means an overall score of: 3/5

Don't really know what it is but Peter Gabriel never hits me the way I hope it will. These are some firm hits but they pass over me, even relative to other classic 80s synthpop

Couple old school bangers on here that I had completely forgotten about, rest of the album was ok

Maneirinho, não me agrada muito não

Good

nothing music

Very groovy from the first songs, it's definitely more my pace in terms of vintage or older albums! To be honest I do prefer shorter songs, so when they go a bit over 5 minutes I start to lose a bit of interest. Each song has a very specific mood, with different instruments for almost each of them, and the vibes you get throughout the album can varry, and I love when an artist is not afraid to depict or portray different moods or vibes from one song to another! It gets slower and slower by the end, which adds a kind of Thriller vibe, personally it's not my favourite style, but it's always lovely to just lay back and have relaxing sounds around you! Overall I would give this album definitely autumn and a good and a solid 6/10!

Some good songs on there, especially like sledgehammer (3.5 down)

Thought I would like it more. Highs are really high but lows are low.

better than the other one

3.5/5

Listened to this half asleep and still like a 5/10 experience. I guess i liked “Sledgehammer”

This album is ambitious, and I appreciated that immediately. While it isn’t entirely up my alley, the songs are nuanced and layered. The lyrics are emotionally delivered, and the synth elements fit the atmosphere perfectly. I do think some of the tracks could have been shorter, but overall it’s a worthwhile listen. My favorite tracks are "Don’t Give Up" and "We Do What We’re Told (Milgram’s 37)".

funky vibes but not quite my style

Quite enjoyable. What a great voice.

For In Your Eyes alone this gets a 3.

Liked it more than I thought I would, was OK

traust

It's ok. Some good classics, but not overly memorable as a whole.

It is very artful; some of the lyrics are kinda weird. It's alright. 3

"So what??" This is the kind of shii my mom would listen to, but I won't pretend like the music video for Sledgehammer is not one of the coolest mvs ever made. Not bad 3/5

Sledgehammer is an awesome song

Yes.. very Genesis coded, naturally! But I can appreciate the sound of his breakthrough from the past as well.

It's quite good

I heard this album so much growing up (mostly Sledgehammer and Dont Give Up) so it was a nice nostalgic visit. The rest was a pretty light hearted listen, man loves his synthesizer to the point where it overshadows the rest.

Some top notch 80s bangers on here. Favorite track: Sledgehammer

A nice way to start off my 1001 albums journey. Before my time, had heard of course In Your Eyes and also Big Time before, likely in my parents car during a wave of nostalgia. Very pleasant, multi-textured and thoughtful radio friendly music. Would totally listen again. Favs: Sledgehammer, We Do What We're Told (Milgram's 37), In Your Eyes

Two great tracks and a bunch of alright ones. 3.5 rounded down

The thing I like about Peter Gabriel is that he walks the line between weirdo and pop star pretty well. This album is probably his pop peak, but most the record is not pop. I'm not sure what it is, as it's not exactly avant-garde, experimental music, and it's not really prog. It's a little Gracelandy, just not as good. Big Time and the Say Anything song are still dope though. 3.5 rounded down, even though In Your Eyes Still touches a brothers heart.

Reminds me of Talking Heads, Phil Collin’s/Tarzan soundtrack. I like Don’t Give Up, That Voice Again. “And I wanna be with you, I wanna be clear”

Eh

I am amazed that Gabriel and Collins sound the same- it makes me second guess if I have been mistaking the two all along. It was nice walking around to this album while wearing Koss Porta Pros; a Patrick Bateman afternoon.

Felt like I was listening to the Jungle Book sequel where Mowgli goes to college.

You can feel the Genesis vibe still. But thats not a bad thing. Many great songs and great overall flow for this record.

3/5. So was the album that finally broke Peter Gabriel into the mainstream as a solo artist as it more openly embraced the pop sounds of its time. Despite being a poppier album there is still a sense of adventure underneath though which is probably the albums biggest strength and what makes it at the very least more enjoyable than a lot of other 80’s pop albums. But this is still a case where I liked it but didn’t love it, as there is still enough of that 80’s production that I personally tend to really dislike to where it gets in the way of a few of the songs. Also I was excited to see a song featuring Kate Bush, but it was sadly one of the weaker tracks here.

A couple of exceptional tunes on this. And it sounds 'different' even though it's very 80sish.

Don't Give Up

if you know me, you know i struggle with “80s sounding” music. but, this albums songs were good enough to push through a good bit :)

Decent. Not my favorite but some good parts

Nothing special just a typical 80s album.