So

Kicking myself for not recognizing Kate Bush on "Don't Give Up." Overall I didn't enjoy this one as much as Gabriel's quirkier 1977 debut album, although "Sledgehammer" and "In Your Eyes" both probably outshine anything on the debut. Most of the slower songs on this album didn't really speak to me. The version I listened to followed the post-2002 sequencing that puts the slower "Don't Give Up," "That Voice Again," and "Mercy Street" together - a weak run in my view. Worth checking out the "Sledgehammer" music video if you haven't seen it; it's weird and inventive and includes a Peter Gabriel made out of fruit.

I listened to So by Peter Gabriel, and it turned out to be a genuinely interesting experience. First of all, it’s a very easy album to listen to. It’s concise, well-paced, and doesn’t overstay its welcome, which I appreciated a lot. Lately, the length of some of the albums I’ve been exploring has been affecting my listening experience. So encountering a record that feels tight and intentional was refreshing. One detail that really caught my attention was discovering that this album competed for Album of the Year at the 1987 Grammys against No Jacket Required by Phil Collins, which ultimately won. Knowing that made me even more curious, because it set a certain expectation. I thought, well, if it was in that conversation, it must be strong. And it is. I ended up giving it three stars, which I think is a perfectly respectable rating. It’s a solid album. At times, I did feel that some tracks stretched a bit longer than necessary, but not in a way that significantly hurt the experience. There are three clear standouts for me. Don’t Give Up, featuring Kate Bush, is emotionally powerful and beautifully performed. That Voice Again has a compelling intensity, and Big Time is energetic and sharply produced. I’d also include Sledgehammer as a highlight, even if, for me, it doesn’t quite reach the same level as the other three. Overall, it was an engaging listen. I don’t see myself returning to the full album, but I will definitely revisit those standout tracks. Now, I’m excited to move on to the next record on my list: Beyoncé by Beyoncé. That’s an album I already love, so I’m looking forward to diving back into it. It’s going to be a good one.

Very 80's sounding record. Decent but unremarkable.

Mid

Okay but I find his voice to be a bit harsh

It was a mediocre album for me. The only song that I really remember after listening to this album was "Sledgehammer" and I'm not sure if that is because I heard it on the radio so many times that it stuck in my memory or not.

I did end up listening to all of this album. The production is great. The sound is clean. He knows how to mix a song. I just don't love the songs he wrote. I can see the influence from this album without needing to enjoy it

Best Song: In Your Eyes. The layered chorus worked quite well. Worst Song: This Is The Picture (Excellent Birds). This is far too arthouse for me. Repeating your lyrics in a stage whisper doesn't somehow make them more meaningful. Overall: Something about this album just completely evades conscious attention. I can tell that I'm listening to it, and while I'm listening to it I find it okay, but absolutely none of it touches me. I can tell that it's trying. He sings with obvious heart and yearning, and it approximates what you might call soulful music, but for me it feels somehow soulless.

Not too shabby Liked some of the songs Very 80's

I slept on this album. I should have known that an album with Sledgehammer, Red Rain, Don't Give Up, and In Your Eyes would be decent. This one is going into the rotation.

Odd how much Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins sound like the same person

Love the vibes, poppy and classy but I'm not sure I'll remember this

This is the definitive Peter Gabriel solo album. However, it remains significantly below any album of his time at Genesis. 8/10 [KEEP]

Good album, I enjoyed it! 6.7/10

괜찮은데 내 취향은 아님3

5/10

It’s been years since I listened to this. Lovely memories. It’s a bit hit and miss with no real stand out tracks. But good overall

A lot of it blends together but there are some stand out tracks, especially the opener and the closer.

Wholesome only got to listen to it for a seond though

Pac okej sam zadnje case se mi mal ne da tega poslusat

Down to personal preference – I'm not massive on this 80s sound. That's just me. I enjoy listening to Gabriel's voice and his poetic, sometimes fantastical and humorous writing style, and I love the detailed production. Mercy Street was my favourite track. The atmosphere and the story telling is haunting and draws you in closer and closer. All in all, it's just a little too polished for me. Not enough groove and sauce for my taste. Good album!

Some great songs but didn’t move me bad

Pleasant enough.

Sadly, the only song I really knew off the bat was Sledgehammer. Throughout the day, I gave it two spins. I read about it, and after doing so, I don’t know that I have anything particularly good or bad to say about the album. I definitely wasn’t eager for the listen to be over or anything like that. I feel like I knew Gabriel was the lead singer of Genesis back in the day, but when I read about the album I was reminded of it. Not a bad first entry on this journey.

Fui con expectativas bajas y no me sonó nada mal. Muy ochentero, algo aburrido en ciertos tramos, pero en general no me ha resultado desagradable. Es un OK.

I love his voice, but am not too familiar with anything beyond the hits. Let's see what the 80's has to offer... I mean sledgehammer fucks

It was enjoyable, nothing crazy but pretty alright

the one song is good

This album is almost perfect again! In Your Eyes is a perfect song.

I can’t work out why I haven’t heard this album before; all of its contemporaries (“Brothers in Arms”, “Graceland”, “Hounds of Love”) were never far from the family car's cassette deck, but never this. The singles still hold up well, “Sledgehammer” particularly is a great piece of art-rock adjacent, impeccably crafted pop. Even the slightly self-indulgent moments work. Good fun and one I might well listen to again.

So feels like it lacks any real depth. And this is not for lack of trying; the production is cinematic in sheer quantity of effects at times. But this doesn't boost what is, in my opinion, average pop.

The creative fusion of different styles of music make So by Pete Gabriel an interesting listen. Gabriel's songwriting is a strength of the album that helps it keep the listeners attention, but the length and sometimes repetitive melodies of certain songs might make them feel like they drag a little too long.

don’t think i’ve ever rly delved into his solo stuff, it’s solid some is a bit melodramatic (@ dont give up)

Just alright

58/1089 Started out really strong but then just kinda fizzled out a bit. I liked it more than I expected for "white male singer songwriter in the 1980s not named Bob Dylan". I did think it sounded a lot like Phil Collins and I'm glad I'm not the only one that clueless, according to the reviews. Also I had heard Sledgehammer a bunch before but I never knew who sang it, or that he's singing "I'll be your sledgehammer" rather than slick jammer or something nonsensical.

It’s fine, I guess? I don’t particularly enjoy some songs, but most are decent, nice even. Not a fan of this more pop stuff from him. I don’t think I’d listen to any of these songs on their own, but I wouldn’t mind getting them on a playlist or recommended on Spotify or something. At least they are kinda interesting. The instrumentals are pretty great, so I'd like to like this more but I just can't.

Was alright but not really my style, got slightly boring

Ta bien, tiene buenos temas pero no es lo que más escucharía. Sale beboteando en todas las fotos y en una parece Ricardo Darín pelado, god. Sape pero no es pa mi

I think this was a great album and really liked the sound of it.

ehhhh

So, 80s reverb drenched production aside, there are some goods songs on here. Drops off significantly towards the end.

쏘쏘하다 좋은 노래라는 건 알겠음……

They're nice catch songs, but they aren't for me. Super cheesy. But not the worst thing to listen to in moderation.

This guy has the voice of Springsteen, but the song structure, diction, and creativity of Bowie. I thought the album was good but long for 9 songs. It also started strong but ended kind of meh. Overall a nice album and loved him and Kate Bush’s song.

So by Peter Gabriel really does sound like the 80s — for better and for worse. This was an OK listen overall, but it’s very samey and feels pretty dated now. There are moments where it absolutely works, but as a full album it sits firmly in the middle of the road. Slick, polished, and unmistakably of its time — sometimes that’s a strength, sometimes it really isn’t. That said, when it hits, it hits. The big singles still stand up and remind you why this album is so well-regarded. Outside of those, a lot of the deeper cuts feel locked in the decade and haven’t aged especially well. Favourite tracks: Sledgehammer and Don’t Give Up — easily the highlights and the reasons this album still gets played. Least favourite tracks: This Is the Picture and We Do What We’re Told — very dated, very 80s, and best left there. Album artwork: Standard album cover — fine, but nothing special. A decent album with some great songs, but not one I feel the need to revisit much beyond the hits.

Synthesizers.

Good nothing nutty

Better than expected

When I first heard Sledgehammer in the 80s, ten year old me wasn't a fan, so when this came up I was interested to see how this album would land for me forty years later It was ok. It is fairly literate pop/rock music, verging on pretentious at times, but there was no edge or excitement. The 80s production sound doesn't help, but that is a fair representation of the times. Just scrapes a 3.

Nice album that I was glad to discover and will definitely listen to again. It kind of gives me a Phil Collins vibe, for some reason.

The fact that Genesis produced both Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins is nuts. This album has 2/3 Peter Gabriel songs I know lol (Sledgehammer and In Your Eyes). Actually that's a lie I know Big Time.

Strong start but tapered off in the last few tracks

Ok this is actually pretty good, and I'm surprised by that, because this is usually the exact kind of music that I dislike. I also always hated Sledgehammer, but listening now on the album alone it's a good song! So many people talk about how it's one of the best music videos ever, but I actually think the opposite is true. Yes it's technically impressive, but it's so disjointed and stuttering that I don't think it actually vibes with the song at all. It kind of pulls that awkward vibe into the song itself and actively put me off it. I know I'm in the extreme minority on this. To the rest of the album, I think it's made with some skill, and you get the sense of an artist at work. I like the soundscapes and use of synths. It's a really nice listen. 3.5 rounded down.

it was good, i listened to it while cleaning up my room and organizing my jewelry. im not a music expert or anything so im not the best at describing or talking about it, but it was pretty calming for 80s pop. not my favorite, but im glad i tried something new. i really liked sledgehammer and big time

Would listen again

I felt like I was in a movie form the 80s in the best way I couldn't get behind the album fully. It was still an enjoyable listen and while I wouldn't listen to the entire album again their are certainty songs that I would listen to again.

This is very vibey. Gives you the Jazzy-Pop feeling of the 90s.

I liked most of these songs but I could do with out the purely instrumental songs in between

90s baby here 🙋🏻‍♀️ It feels very 80s, but not in a fun, nostalgic, pop radio way. It feels more like “this was your everyday album at the time.” Like how we casually listen to modern albums now this was that album … just in the 80s. And that specific kind of 80s vibe just isn’t really my thing. It’s an album that clearly mattered, I’m just not the audience it was made for.

so? more like so-so

I can find his voice really irritating so I was surprised to like some songs, and the instrumentals are great 3.25/5

Legal. Não conhecia.

The production is so rich and singular and the orchestration/arrangement is pretty great. The musicality on display is ambitious and not too proggy, given Peter Gabriels past band Yes. I hear strains of it in Tame Impala and more recently exploding artists like Mgkee. Then the man opens his mouth and out tumbles the corniest and most contrived shit. The lyrics attempt to flatten the human condition into that "get together and rise up kind" of 80's optimism, although I don't know if they're given that effect from Peter's wheedling voice or saccharine melodies. The anachronistic songwriting and vocal performance is what places this otherwise perfectly produced sonic world firmly in the camp of the 80's (no pun intended). So many moments on here would work as stellar samples and I almost wish it was an instrumental album, or sung by someone who doesn't sound like an middled aged establishment democrat who's really into model trains and star wars. But pls give me more of those beautiful synth pads, sample stabs, and deep chorused basses. What an atmosphere!

3/5

Yes on this one over all, probably overplayed in the 80’s and never gets old. Songs stick with you.

I get why it’s on the list, but I’ve always thought it was a little bland. It never really did it for me.

Alright tbf

Jag och pappa målar om i mitt rum i helgen, så vi tänker att vi passar på att lyssna igenom massa album jag missat! Jag tycker So var bra. Sledgehammer var inte så oväntat höjdpunkten. Trevlig överraskning att Kate bush kom in o sjöng lite! Nån låt hade oväntat bra triangel som jag reagerade på, men nu har jag glömt vilken. Stark trea. Pappa (som valde albumet) tycker att det har många klassiska låtar som håller än, även om hans röst låter lite likadan hela tiden. Stark fyra. Höjdaralbum.

Each song has an almost entirely different feel. Hard to follow, but entertaining to listen to. Might have a higher ranking after more listens.

Didn’t finish but it was okay

This is WAY better than the other Peter Gabriel album I got last week.

1st album 🥹🤞

An album of high highs and extremely mid lows. Hits are all great but the rest is filler.

i think i did definitely enjoy this but it’s definitely something i need to re-listen to! on my first listen my favourites were Mercy Street, Red Rain and In Your Eyes!!

kinda cool. Loved Big Time

This album was Peter Gabriel's attempt to get the mtv dollar. Sledgehammer is snd was a great pop record. Don't have up is moving and heartfelt. In your eyes is a great closer. The rest though is very up and down. Worth a listen though if you can get past the fact that when Gabriel reaches for the high notes he sounds like kermit the frog.

Some bangers, some mid

I love a few Peter Gabriel songs but this album wasn’t my favourite of his

Though there are some real big hitters in the start of this album, the rest loses it's every and becomes too slow/boring to listen to for me

There was a lot going against this one. Three songs ("Sledgehammer", "In Your Eyes" and "Big Time") that I never wanted to hear again under any circumstances. Another song ("Don't Give Up") so embarrassing and cheesy I couldn't make it through. And one more ("Mercy Street") so dull that I couldn't pay attention. And every single song is underwritten and far too long. That's most of the album. So why three stars? Production, production, production. What glorious, perfect sounds, perfectly separated. While every song was too long, the repetitive vamps in each were by far the best part. Also I can recognize the quality of something outside my genre, and I'm good at ignoring stupid lyrics. I'm adding at least a full star for the Laurie Anderson part on "This Is The Picture", my favorite song. My friend told me there are no cymbal hits on the album, which made it a fun game to listen to the endlessly creative drum programming. Finally, my kid opined that "We Do What We're Told" sounds like menu music from a horror game. It does, and it's fantastic. Skip the singles, put on headphones and you've got yourself an interesting time.

I knew basically two things coming into this one: that Peter Gabriel, like Phil Collins, was once in Genesis, and that "In Your Eyes" appears in the boombox scene of Say Anything. The combination of those two facts led me to expect some forgettable 80s cheese here. It's a bit more memorable than I was expecting ("Red Rain", "Sledgehammer", and of course "In Your Eyes" are all good!), and cameo appearances from Kate Bush and Laurie Anderson are pretty cool, but it's still just 80s cheese.

To be clear, Sledgehammer is a 6. The rest of the album was a lot of 2-3, so on balance a 3 seems fine, though I considered a 4. Very decent 80s pop, enjoyed it fine, aside from Sledgehammer nothing I'd cue up again (and tbh I prefer the live version of Sledgehammer anyway :P)

I really love the 2 very famous songs on this album and don't really care for the rest of it. This was hard for me to put a number on

It’s trying to find something in me it can’t quite reach.

80’s

Classic 80’s

- reminds me of phil colins - overall like the vibe - just good background music too - tops - sledgehammer, in your eyes, - 6/10

Ratings: 5: I will happily play this album anytime 4: I may occasionally play this album of my own free will 3: I will happily listen to this if someone plays it in the background 2: I will tolerate this if it is playing in the background 1: I will leave the room if someone plays this in the background It's all right. I often wonder if I would have been a bigger Peter Garbriel fan if we had MTV in my household growing up....or if I saw Say Anything earlier than 2010.

Enjoyable but unsure if I’ll visit again.

only listen to the first few songs it was a fun experience loved the slow songs as well

Slow and groovy. Couple of funky songs too

6.5 paar bangers, maar niet amazing

This is a good album , not great, not excellent. I enjoyed my listen though.

Niamh Kavanagh outsold

Wordy. Need to listen again. Enjoyed sledgehammer

Enjoyed some of this album, Sledgehammer is still awesome, but some sounded too dated/80s to be my favourite- really synthy

Some good tunes, starts strong, got a little bored in the middle. Dig the sledgehammer and in your eyes, hits for a reason. Not sure I’d go back and listen more though. Listened again in the evening, liked it a little more. Some kinda hilarious indulgent 80s tunes with much flute and triangle and 80s drumming.

First Listen; 3.5; The music really sets a mood. Melonchaly and a little eerie without being boring. I actually thought this was a good example of a production sound associated with the 80s. Favorite Track: Red Rain

not exactly world-altering but what the hell sure! typical 80s music truly. i think my mom likes peter gabriel

Possibly the most 80's sounding album I've ever listened to - and this is in no way a bad thing. Each song was a completely different vibe from the previous, which left me wondering what I'd get next. I forget how much I love long songs until I listen to them. Might listen to this album again, depending on what mood/setting I'm in. Liked songs: - Don't Give Up (I loved the slow, floaty vibe and the woman's vocals). - Mercy Street (A really beautiful song. I loved the lyrics and the African music influence interwoven throughout). - Big Time (I loveddd the disco-y sound to this song and the satirical lyrics). - We Do What We're Told (haunting and beautiful instrumentals and vocals). Favourite song: Mercy Street

I love the deep songs like In Your Eyes, Red Rain and Don’t Give Up more than Sledgehammer

Es el primer disco que escucho de Peter y me parecieron interesantes algunos ritmos funk y los bajos. Le doy un 6.5/10, ya que algunos temas me gustaron bastante y otros no tanto. Tema favorito: Red Rain y In Your Eyes Mención para Big Time.

Good album but definitely not to my taste. Can't argue with the impact it had at the time of it's release though.

It’s Peter Gabriel. Probably at his best? It’s not bad. It’s better than Phil Collins.

I need a 3.5 stars option. Once again I liked this way more than expected and enjoyed listening but not sure if It will stick with me.

Very well produced mid-80's cheese. It's kind of an odd mix of big heavy drama like Red Rain and In Your Eyes, cartoonish hedonism of Sledgehammer and Big Time and a bunch of forgettable sleepy filler. Extra star for the absolutely fantastic Sledgehammer video.

I enjoyed the up tempo songs like Sledgehammer and Big Time but a lot of the album was dull. In Your Eyes ending the album makes this teeter between 3 and 4 stars but ultimately do t think I enjoyed it enough for 4 stars.

fav songs: red rain, mercy street, in your eyes This is a good album but I just think that I'm not really an 80s pop girl. In Your Eyes is the standout, it's the only song that's making me feel something other than "hmm okay this is good I guess". I'm probably offending a lot of people with this but oh well.

Favorites: Sledgehammer Big Time We Do What We're Told This Is The Picture In Your Eyes

Some classics on here

Definitely gave me like Phil Collins vibes but if he just didn't really want to make the music all that bad. In Your Eyes a classic though.

Sledgehammer is a masterpiece.

A bit too 80s big pop for me

Enjoyed. Proper 80s stuff with that reverb.

This was a fun listen. Definitely some bangers on here but I didn’t feel particularly strong feelings. Excellent pop record but maybe lacks some substance

- Ik was verrast dat ik een nummer kende. - 0 nummers toegevoegd aan MMMM - 0 nummer al toegevoegd aan MMMM

Before I begin this review, I want to mention that the only song I knew of Peter Gabriel going into this was “Sledgehammer”. Luckily, it happens to be on this album. This is the first of 3 Peter Gabriel albums on the list I’ve rolled, and the highest rated by the users on the site by a pretty good bit. I wonder if it’s because of the inclusion of that song. While undeniably the highlight of this album, I’m also obsessed with “Big Time” now as well. Listen, as a whole, I’m not in love with this album. It’s 9 songs, 46 minutes, which is a good length, and has 6 very light and slow songs, and 3 which are faster paced, better, and more to my personal taste and liking. The third song I really liked was “This Is The Picture (Excellent Birds)”. Undeniably, Peter Gabriel has an amazing voice I could listen to for a long time. The drummer beats the hell out of whatever he’s using. You get a lot of noticeable, heavy steel drum noises all throughout this album which are pretty awesome. If I was in to the more slow paced and pretty 6 songs, this would absolutely be a 5 star album. If those 6 songs were even remotely like the 3 I enjoyed, this would probably be a 10 star album. As it stands, I’m going to give it a 3.7/5. “Sledgehammer” happens to be my favorite music video of all time, and I recommend anyone that enjoys that song, or anyone who simply enjoys good art to go watch it!! Also humorously enough, but more off topic, Stranger Things finally just came back this week for a final season. I rolled a Kate Bush album earlier this week, and I’m ending the week with a song featuring her on this album. Anyone who has seen the show would know why that’s funny, and if I didn’t know any better I would say the owner of this website may just have a great sense of humor.

Wasn't my cup of tea

A few good ones but overall not great. Lots of repeating motifs. Reminds me of Pink Floyd but not as good.

40/1001 I saw a great documentary about the making of this album. Some of these songs are huge singles, others outright forgettable and the rest are pretty okay to me. 6/10

Tenker mye på Sting mens jeg hører den plata her. Det er vel det at begge har vært med på noe sinnssykt tøft på 70-tallet og ender opp med å lage noe helt streit poprock på 80-tallet. Trodde jeg hadde hørt "Sledgehammer" før, men kan ikke huske den. Er kult, og "That Voice Again" trodde jeg faktisk Sting var med på. Apropos duett så slår det jo aldri feil med litt Kate Bush.

I liked the music in this album; has that essential 80s sound with the cool synths. But holy fuck most of the songs went on for waaaaay too long.

Yah I didn’t realize how great of a voice Peter Gabriel has. And I also was super blown away by the production and instrumentation quality. Like it’s so clean and crisp, and it’s got that 80s funk to it which I love. It’s embarrassing how many of the songs on this album over heard a thousand times and always thought it was Phil Collin’s for some reason. I kinda think they sound similar. But regardless, the only problem I had personally with this album is I only ended up saving like 3 songs and those were the massive hits. The rest of the album isn’t bad just forgettable. Also the strongest aspect of his entire career is how sick sledgehammer is and how inventive and mind blowing the music video is. I don’t think I’ve ever complimented a music video in my reviews so far because I don’t think it’s important/relevant to my review. But honestly it might be hands down one of the greatest music videos of all time. It’s so iconic and fun that you could show it to someone of any age and any background and they will find something about it to enjoy. But at the end of the day I feel this is another album held up solely by the 3 massive hit songs on the album. Make of that what you will but go watch the Sledgehammer music video!

Quirky whimsical melodies, not what I expected. Reasonable for the era

Not too shabby. Pretty descent 80s pop hits some of which i've heard before. 3/5

This album floats between two worlds. One is a sleek, sophisticated take on 80s synthesizer pop. The best songs - "Red Rain" and "In Your Eyes" are in that mode. These songs are also weirdly empty though. The synthesizers are smooth, without intricate accents or percussion. This is most apparent on the pretty but overlong "Don't Give Up." The other world is big 80s pop, like on "Sledgehammer" and "Big Time." Weirdly, those songs feel less hooky than their more subdued albummates. Maybe they sound too big next to the more subtle tracks? This is an interesting one because it presents the sounds of the 80s next to what the 80s could sound like with more sophistication. It's nice, but both sounds are lacking in their own way. Which is a shame - an album that's all as good as the chorus of "Red Rain" would be incredible.

It’s not entirely Pete’s fault that some of this sounds like the ubiquitous soundtrack of roughly any 80s movie - I can see young strivers going up staircases to the tune of That Voice Again on some important task from Gotcha to Secret of My Success to The Manhattan Project’s myriad montages juxtaposing soccer practice and atomic bomb creation. I like So and might even love it if I could get past some of the more sappy moments, although Sledgehammer and Big Time are maybe the first memories I have of coming to dislike songs simply because they were played on MTV or the radio too much - you could not escape this album in throughout 1986 and 87! But it’s fun to go back to...almost 40...years later. Excellent Birds is further evidence I don’t care too much for Laurie Anderson, but that’s me and performance artists and along with the somewhat misunderstood Milgram’s 37 both feel like odd-fitting add-ons (or cast-offs as the case was) from different projects to keep So from being too, too commercial. Which is kinda silly.

OK

Slightly odd: felt a little like a concept album

Not my preferred vehicle for Peter Gabriel, but the album is great.

Donkey Kong Country-ass Music (complimentary)

Sledgehammer and I'm your eyes are classics, but tonally different from the rest of the album. Rest of the album doesn't really stand out to me. Red Rain is pretty good I guess. Excellent Birds is kinda funny, they do be excellent Birds

When this album started off, I thought I was going to rank it pretty high even with the 80s pop label. Red Rain into Sledgehammer was a fantastic start to the album. It slowed down after that into a ballad, then pepped up a bit for That Voice Again. Unfortunately, side 2 was where things really started to drag for me. Aside from In Your Eyes, I didn't care much for the last half of the album. It felt much more boring and drawn out compared to the liveliness of the first side. Similar to what I said about Dire Straits' Brothers In Arms, I think they needed to break up the track listing a little more to mix the upbeat stuff and the slower stuff better. I felt So was better about that, but still had sections that just got boring as they went. That brings down the relisten-ability for me. So, I ended up with a mostly so-so opinion about So. I liked Gabriel's voice and the diverse instrumentation he used. There were several songs that really were top-tier on there. That said, the rest of the album ranged from mostly fine to just meh. I'm much more likely to listen to the few songs I liked rather than the whole thing again. I still think it was good generally, just not as good as I had hoped it'd be from how it started. Overall: 3.3/5

i wasn't there in 1986 so i don't know what it was that made everyone lose their minds over this but it's SUCH an 80s album, down to the world music infusion coupled with digital synths. you hear the genesis ALL OVER THIS and kate bush is very welcome on this album but the standout for me wasn't the new wave but the melancholy ambiance on mercy street. VERY TENDER, VERY BEAUTIFUL...let me call my dad....

So-so, more like it.

1. Red Rain - good. 4* 2. Sledgehammer - OK. Don't really understand why it's the most popular. 3pt 3-6 forgettable. 2* x 4 7. We do What We're Told - OK. Seemed like it could have been an intro to a longer, better song. 3* 8. Didn't really like 2* 9. In Your Eyes - Love it, a classic 5* Avg = 2.78*, rounded to3*

There's something very Disney about In Your Eyes, but overall a pretty good album. I need to listen to it again. 3.5/5

B+

"Sledgehammer" and "In your eyes" are all timers. I was pleasantly surprised to see Kate Bush make an appearance in "Don't Give Up" but the rest of this was not for me.

Got some classic songs in it (sledgehammer, don't give up), but the songs aren't quite as punchy as other classic 80s albums

Kul, grem dokaj na slepo, razen zadnji komad (vidim, da je v večini verzijah sicer 5. komad?) poznam & ga mam na par playlistah, ker je a banger. Všečen začetek z "Red Rain". "Sledgehammer" se začne z neko piščaljo (shakuhachi - glede na wiki, japonska piščal, ma kasneje v komadu še majhen solo) & že misliš kva bo, pol pa najbl bobni udarijo in začnejo ritem. Kul komad. Ker zraven gledam wiki, sm si na začetku komada pokvarila, da bo v "Don't Give Up" tud Kate Bush. Evo jo. Sj je unmistakeably ona. Na splošno bolj miren komad sicer. U, kul bassline prot koncu komada. "That Voice Again" mi je prou fajn. In zdej "Mercy Street" (namesto komada, ki ga poznam, jebiga, djmo se držat tega vrstnega redu, ki ga mam). Začetek mi je zelo cinematic, počasen. Ma cel je tak. Kul. Uf, "Big Time" se poj ful preveč udarno začne, te čist ven vrže iz vajba, k ga je prejšnji komad ustvaril. Ta mi je manj ljub. Aggressively 80s. "We Do What We're Told (Milgram's 37)" je zanimiv. Čist neki drugačnega. Ozadje je tud zanimiv. "This Is the Picture (Excellent Birds)" je prou tako zanimiv instrumentalno. Bi blo čist logično, da je to zadnji komad, ne vem zakaj morjo dirat reči, ki so ok, kot so. In komad, ki ga poznam, "In Your Eyes". Ta mi je obviously všeč. Hud je, všeč mi je kako progressa. Vse.

115 Vi el nombre del artista tantas veces pensando que era Juan Gabriel, que me costó ajustarme a lo que estaba escuchando. Full 80ero con aires a Phill Collins. Mejh?

This is going in the "not for me" pile. I appreciate the craft behind these songs, and I recognize that this is some of the best pop music of the time. But I'm kind of allergic to that 80s pop sound.

Never really been my thing. Enjoy the hits on this one, and there's some nice moments I hadn't heard before but largely forgettable for me.

Bi-modal reaction: the big booming hits are still great; the meditative songs have become unlistenable.

This was less annoying than I remembered (although I did groan audibly at "hi there!"); the production isn't too overwhelming and the songs are ok. As monster albums of my college years go, I'd put it above Graceland and well below Cyndi.

3, but good 3.

Bit of a mixed bag. Some pop naff in there. Sledge Hammer holds the whole thing up

1986 I actually bought this in '86 (don't have it any longer). There's some good deep cuts here (Red Rain, This Is The Picture) providing a welcome break from the ubiquitous hits that are unfortunately overplayed. Good to hear again though, despite the over-produced 80s sound. Heard before ✅️ Listened this time ✅️ Revisit ❌️ probably no need ★★★☆☆ (6/10)

There were times when it was easy and thought provoking but I found myself meandering through this album, which ultimately means it wasn’t that interesting to dedicate my full attention to it

Reminds me of Phil Collins, not for me but good

It’s chill

Some good tracks but a bit dated

Chill 80s rock

Not bad, but a bit too much "of its time" with the music and instruments and some oarys felt forced. But listenable.

I was nine years old, homeschooled, and roaming up and down the West Coast in a Toyota Chinook with my mom when So came out…so needless to say, it completely passed me by. No radio hits, no MTV, just miles of adventures and a lot of imagination. By the time I hit thirteen and finally got the green light for MTV, Sledgehammer burst onto the screen and what a revelation. A true banger and visual feast. That stop-motion chicken? Iconic.

#737. There sure is a lot of Peter Gabriel on this list, isn't there? 3/5: fine.

What happen to the b side? In your eyes saves this album.

Whatever the opposite of “timeless appeal” is. An earnest, serious entry from Peter Gabriel that maybe even in 1986 was starting to be overtaken by more pure pop and heavier music elsewhere. It has some decent synth moments and Sledgehammer is a decent tune, but it’s missing the poppier elements you’d expect from a Genesis album. I don’t think it quite tips into parody but not far off. An album probably best left in the 80s.

So genesis vibes (my mum confirmed this thought / connection as she has album in her collection and happened to see her on same day) and we got a little Babooshka from Kate Bush no less. Not sure on the Kate input as was just as engaging as listening to your voice in a tunnel. ECHO...Echo....echo. I think this has aged a bit but has interesting elements. Its solid in almost all regards. Cant say I hate anything. I just think the plinky plonky, pan pibe / bells things just isnt for me. Its like your favourite pants that have been in the wash with that bright red jumper. I will wear the pants as nothing wrong with them but that day something changed!

This album is full-pelt artistic earnestness from the get-go and it's a bit difficult to take seriously. The upbeat tracks like 'Sledgehammer' are pretty good but in a very 80's synth pop way. He has a great voice and a unique style. The album has great sounding production which I've come to expect from this period. At first listen, this is a long way from the prog-rock of Genesis although you can still hear some influences, for example in 'Mercy Street'. It's a bit too mainstream pop for my tastes but definitely stands up as a great example of UK 80's music.

kate bush feature was the best thing about this album. 3/5

day 14: pretty decent 80s pop, some nice experimental droney stuff going on too. kate bush influence goes hard.

Painfully 80s but some really well-constructed pop tunes.

Great album, enjoyed it, hearing Kate Bush was cool

He intentado escuchar este disco varias veces. No entiendo su prestigio ni el de este señor como cantante. Podría hacer de padre de los Gallagher en un biopic, eso sí. Tras la escucha, realmente me ha gustado más de lo que esperaba. Sigue sin ser un cantante excepcional, pero la ambientación es muy personal y las canciones están bien compuestas.

Hits are the best

paar eher nichtssagende lieder, paar gute (red rain, (solsbury hill))

Pretty solid. Gabriel’s voice is interesting and In Your Eyes is a classic. However, this style just didn’t grab me. High 3.

so what

So-so

Não conhecia o cantor. Mas gostei da recomendação e escutei o album completo, não adcionei nas minhas músicas favoritas, mas o escutei

Wasn't a huge fan, but always love Sledgehammer

It’s definitely for a 60-70s audience but I do like “we do what we’re told”. It’s got a childish Gambino and OutKast type vibe. Overall I give it a 3.6.

Some songs are vibe 3/5

Kinda a vibe, funky but tasteful

Good

Enjoyed it quite a bit though a few of the sounds have unfortunately aged quite poorly, the kitschiness could definitely be seen as part of the charm but I found it kinda ruining my experience at times when he would break out the blue man group aahh drums. Still very nice and I could see it growing on me! Fav song: Don't Give Up not just cuz Kate but also bc it's quite beautiful but otherwise This is the Picture which is super interesting and actually reminds me of Hounds of Love a lot

It was pretty good - it had some 80s pop vibes at some points - some faux african music which was alright - it was calm all the way - dont really have a stabdout because it all kind of blended together

Some really good songs, like Sledgehammer, and some naff ones like This Is The Picture. Evens out to a 3

THE MUSIC VIDEO FOR ‘This Is The Picture (Excellent Birds)’ IS THE ABSOLUTE PINNACLE OF MODERN ART. The rest of the album is just okay. 🥀 But Laurie Anderson‘s collaborative visual masterpiece ‘This Is The Picture (Excellent Birds)’ FUCKING SLAPS. You heard it here folks! Now kick back, spark up something laced, and immerse yourself in the cutting-edge avant guard optical splendor which is the music video for Peter Gabri and Laurie Anderson‘s ‘This Is The Picture (Excellent Birds)’

I enjoy Peter Gabriel but i like him more when he’s leaning into the weirdness like he did on Melt. This album is fine, it’s really well done for what it is but it’s all so… I don’t really want to say bland because it sounds nice enough but yea, it’s kinda bland. I am being unfair to Gabriel for sure and I don’t dislike it, I just dislike it for a Gabriel album I suppose. I will say that it is hilarious he wrote a song about his dick being a Sledgehammer. 3 stars

Dominated by the big hits sledgehammer and Don't give up, otherwise an ok listen

Solid pop album, soft and mellow Did not know dont give up was peter gabriels song. Thats a good one, bit sad.

I feel like this is an album I would need nostalgia for to enjoy. As it stands though, I'm not really feeling the heavy 80's vibe of this record, especially with the ballads not being quite as strong as the bangers like Sledgehammer and Big Time (great bassline though). Oddly, We Do What We're Told is probably my favorite song? It's got a very vibey, Nine Inch Nails feel. But yeah, pristine pop album that isn't really doing much for me.

Always preferred phil Collins, but solid.

I keep seeing people talking about how this is better than Phil Collins music…. Like how people fail to remember is that Collins released Fave Value before this album came out AND Gabriel left Genesis and got replaced with Collins 6 years before this. This album sounds like a Collins wanna be album to me IMO. I’m sure Collins was inspired by this album, no doubt but Collins and Genesis had this sound already before this came out. This album is super underwhelming imo, other than the stand out hits. I understand its use of early digital instruments and the impact it had but I found myself thinking that Gabriel wanted to be Phil Collins so bad on this album. Idk, just my opinion I was also not alive when this album came out and I’ve listened to all of Phil Collins solo work before this. This album was not bad by any means I was just throughly unimpressed. Fav track: Sledgehammer Least fav: That Voice Again

Very 80s

A so so album. I prefer Phil Collins.

It was a solid 80s album, In Your Eyes was a perfect anchor for this one.

I knew most of the big hits from this album, which are good. None of the other songs really blows me away though. Good production.

Cool to hear the sax intro on Sledgehammer that Mark Rivera wrote (I KNOW HIM). Otherwise, I don't know if I'm the biggest Peter Gabriel fan.

Didn't think I was going to like it, but it's actually good and so chill.

Nettes Album. Red rain - geiler Song.

Middle of the pack, enjoyable but nothing special

Good 80s vibes. A little bit Sting-like. I’d have to be in the mood for it.

5/10… art pop / 80s new wave

Red rain is good Like slegdehammer Don’t give up is awesome, good duet with Kate Bush Generally, a good album but songs feel a bit overstretched sometimes

Is Worldbeat Orientalist? Or is “So” the exception that proves the rule? In this essay, I shall…

Day 2 - Wasn't sure what to expect with this one. I had obviously heard (and love) Sledgehammer, and was hoping the rest of the album would be similar to that track. To my disappointment, it isn't. While I can apricate the album for what it is, with its good production and influences from other genre's. the rest of the album just doesn't bring the same energy. I can understand why people would enjoy the album as a whole but the rest of it isn't really for me.

6/10

I am sure I never listened to this whole album. Of course I know Sledgehammer from the video. That video is a core memory. This still of 80’s production/music has always been off putting to me. But I love his voice.

Previously rated: Peter Gabriel 3 (4/5) Peter Gabriel (4/5) ************************ Looks like I found his previous two albums interesting enough to earn a future re-listen. What about this one? This one has the big hits, but outside of those, I didn't like a lot here. It was very slow and forgettable. Except for that one with Kate Bush, Don't Give Up. That was just bad. I feel 1986 was when pop music just started going south, and over-produced stuff like this was part of the reason. Best track: Sledgehammer - The music video for this is still very enjoyable.

I prefer this album as background music, it's not something I'd listen to by itself. My favourite song was Red Rain, I liked the vocals in the background.

This was the number 1 album when I was born. What was yours?

So what?

I really liked Sledgehammer (such a hit!) and overall it was an average album

So many hits! I didn’t recall knowing all of this tracks. Even though this was an “album” era, I only know these songs as singles. In Your Eyes is an amazing last track!

Gostei mas não sou fã de Peter Gabriel no geral. Boas músicas mas não me encheram as medidas!

In Your Eyes is obviously great, and there are a few other surprising great songs on this album, but songs like This Is The Picture are a little weird for my taste and hold the album back

Man the production on this thing is insane, even if it sometimes feels sterile or commercial. Vocals are very much lacking for me, really wish Kate Bush was on every song and not just one track. Overall feeling meh about it, although I really like we do what we're told, this is the picture and Kate Bush's verses on don't give up

man, i wish i liked this one more. there are some fun hits that obviously get a lot of airplay. i wish this album had more of that. when it's not those handful of songs, it's a very soft, delicate album. but I don't really have a lot of fun listening to it. it's a little bit of a drag. i don't find it interesting, i find it boring. there's other peter gabriel that i really like! but this mostly is not it.

So: so-so. So?

In my review of The Verve's Urban Hymns album, I wrote the following about "Bittersweet Symphony": "Pre-listening: This album prompts an interesting question: what do you think is the single song you have heard the most in your life without ever hearing another track from its album? Because I think this one would be in the running for me (at least until today.)" This Peter Gabriel album contains three songs that I've probably heard more than "Bittersweet Symphony" but I am pretty sure I have never heard anything else off the album. I'm sure I don't even have to name them, but "Sledgehammer" and "Big Time" were of course MTV staples (and "staples" probably isn't even a strong enough word - MTV constants?) and then there was the Say Anything phenomenon for "In Your Eyes." I didn't dislike any of those songs at the time but it wasn't a style of music I was interested in so I never felt the need to explore further. So I am interested to see what 50-year-old me thinks of the rest of this album. Post-listening: wasn't expecting so many guest stars! I enjoyed this and would give it 3.5 stars if I could. I can't give it the same rating as Ill Communication (that rating is going to bother me on my deathbed) so 3 it is!

What?

3,5

I hate Sledgehammer but LOVE LOVE In Your Eyes

At times I had to check that this is the same artist that did PG3/Melt. A lot more accessible. I enjoyed most of it though, it definitely has some duds but then has some belters like Sledgehammer and In Your Eyes. Dont give up was canny too, and this is the picture. Im much more of a Melt fan. That felt weird, strange, and even though its older it felt a lot more fresh. This is very 80s pop.

The album disappears into nothingness after the first four tracks. Sledgehammer is a classic, and Don't Give Up is an all-timer. A really measured song, more complex than it needed to be, and Kate Bush really compliments P Gabey. I was seriously disappointed by the second half of the album, so have dropped my rating a bit.

So so

phil collins but less good?

This is a very 80’s album. The production on some of the songs, particularly Sledgehammer and Big Time was pretty dated, but I did enjoy Red Rain, Mercy Street, and We Do What We’re Told.

The 80s is a curious time period for popular music. The promise of new wave and new technology was infectious. This record represents the apex of that promise. After So, the music of that era started to change. It wasn’t as fun or inspiring anymore. I actually prefer Gabriel’s first untitled albums because of the promise they represent. This one is fully formed and lesser as a result. In Your Eyes is sublime, and there are a few more interesting moments here, but overall not my favourite Gabriel offering.

Klinkt wel lekker

Love Peter Gabriel's voice, but some of these tracks I can leave; production is very much of its time. Sledgehammer and In Your Eyes are the obvious stand-outs.

like the name so-so

I didn't like this at all until the very end. It has a really strong finish, particularly with "In Your Eyes" as the closer. Partly this reflects my longstanding belief that it's much easier to write songs people will enjoy if you make them fast and fun instead of plodding and slow. I think I've heard "Red Rain" before, and combined with the fact that it's the opener, it was probably a single - but that song sucks, what a total snooze. It is best-case the 2nd best song about a color of rain from the mid 1980s. But my favorite song on the whole CD, one I've never heard before, is "Big Time" - what fun song. It's a rocker, it's making fun of himself and other people like himself, it's catchy, that's a winner. That plus the closer makes for a really strong finish. But the first half is a bore, I've heard "Sledgehammer" before and it's fine but it has a totally cheesy 80s song. It's just better to finish on a strong note than to start strong and limp out.

Guide tunes

I interviewed Stephin Merritt once. First telephone interview I’d ever done. I borrowed a minidisc recorder from the editor who told me not to erase his live boot of Rocket from the Crypt. I didn’t. I just recorded over it. Stephin wasn’t unkind, exactly, but he did ask why I didn’t know shorthand. Fair enough. I didn’t. I still don’t. I wrote things down slowly and hoped I’d catch the rest on tape. At one point — I can’t remember if it was because Peter Gabriel had covered The Book of Love or just because the silence between us was beginning to feel cavernous — I asked him what his favourite Peter Gabriel album was. Also, I asked about Genesis. He said he’d never listened to the band, which seemed plausible for the weird pop songwriter. He did like Gabriel. Also plausible. In the piece I wrote, I said his answer was So. But the truth is the recording was unintelligible at that point. A glitch? Bad disc? Maybe I’d accidentally brushed the pause button with my trembling hand. Either way, whatever he actually said is lost to time, and I — somehow — decided So sounded right. It had Sledgehammer on it and Don’t Give Up. It sold very well. But it doesn’t sound right now. Not really. If you’ve listened to Stephin Merritt for more than three songs in a row, you know it wasn’t So. It would have been one of the early ones: one of the self-titled albums with nicknames that reference the album artwork: Car or Scratch or Melt. It was probably Melt. That’s the best one, isn’t it? Merritt covered Not One of Us some time later, which would have been a handy clue. Why I thought it was So — that smooth, glistening thing, with all its horn sections and MTV overtures — I cannot explain. Even the weird bits aren’t weird enough. Sledgehammer is weird for the Top 40, but not weird for Gabriel, who once took the stage dressed as a Giant Hogweed. There are hits on So, sure, but none of them hit like Games Without Frontiers or Intruder. It’s Gabriel doing smooth. Gabriel doing accessible. One of Them. I should have written Melt. I should have asked better questions. I should have learned shorthand. Sorry, Stephin. 2.5 Look at Peter Gabriel’s stupid face. I know this album isn’t bad exactly but I don’t like it. What display of skill Gabriel shows in forging interesting melodies and structures is smothered by his unshakeable determination to use every voice setting on the keyboard. I’m sure the customers were impressed when they pushed the demo button on those things in the showroom in 1986. But five years later they were asking themselves what could have been wrong with their heads that they spent the price of a car on these obsolete abominations. Playing the start of Moonlight Sonata with synth horns then steel drum then ‘Goblins’ is good for about 5 minutes entertainment but ultimately it sounds better on a real piano and the child can’t get any good on the instrument on those settings. Are the songs really that good anyway? The lyrics, Mercy Street for example, are self-regarding but poetically hollow. ‘Don’t Give Up’ has a pleasant sentiment but stumbles over itself musically. Kate Bush plays a blinder making those awkward lines of the chorus sound as musically natural as anyone could. But they’re still not right. Peter Gabriel can’t be accused of making dull melodies but it’s easy to sound interesting when you sacrifice elegance of line. It’s an inelegant album. 2.5/5

Wanted to like it more, but it didn’t seem to hold up as well as I expected. Just seemed dated and a little boring.

Pretty repetitive but overall solid. love the song with kate bush and sledgehammer

Cool soundscapes. Well, not cool exactly. Kind of dorky. But cool.

Very 80s not particularly memorsble

In Your Eyes is soooo good. Everything else was pretty meh though.

...

Quite dramatic at times. Overall pretty easy listening but nothing that wowed me.

Albums of this ilk really sound like the era, for better or worse. Some really great synth sounds and textures but some of the tracks veer into cheesy territory for me. The 'world music' influence is beneficial if not overstated. Sledgehammer & In Your Eyes are classics.

While it's not my thing, I guess I can appreciate it for what it is

Typical 80s synthesizer music. Not saying that is a bad thing. But, this album and especially with Peter Gabriel’s voice, sounds like if Phil Collins woke up and started making mediocre music.

Not bad! The legendary kate bush duet… I prefer Passion and Melt

Eh, medicore

Very 80s, very very Sting. Of its time. Not awful but I think you had to be there. Song with Kate Bush was decent despite being about suicide. He’s got a much better voice than I realised.

Great vocals and production. Very groovy with a lot of fun tracks. Just not my usual style.

This album has this Phil Collins vibe, but it is undeniable that most of the songs are a bit meh, although they are great for a chill environment while you're playing it in the background, while you're possibly on drugs in the 80s, BUT the most popular song on the album - Sledghehammer, is very cool and I enjoyed listening to it again, but I just didn't know that Peter Gabriel was the person singing it. Overall, a bit meh for the whole album, but not necessarily in a bad way.

6.5/10

The hits are great, everything else is meh

Too soundtrack-y for me, honestly. other than the one song I love

Great production! The studio musicians are excellent and there is a good variety in the songwriting. But I don’t like the songs at all. Not one of them. 5/10

There’s nothing to complain about with this album unless you aren’t a fan of 80s synth pop… which I am not. Sledgehammer is kind of a bop but the rest just isn’t my cuppa tea

I was getting excited, but after listening to the album I was a bit let down.

Classic easy listening

you could hear the "old" vibes... but it's quite easy to listen to... nothing catchy. It played in the background without much distraction to work

This was good. Sledgehammer and Don’t Give Up are absolute bangers but the rest kinda washed over me. I think I expected to like it a little more than I did in the end.

Everything I did whilst listening to this turned into an 80's montage.

Definitely should be experienced along with the music videos. Totally part of the experience

3,5/5

a few good tracks but overall not my vibe

Blind album, know the artist and the hits. Didn't hit as hard as I thought for sure. Some parts catchy but wasn't as good as people made it to be for me.

Although it sounded like a desperate attempt to make a 80s pop album, it was a damn good attempt. Nothing jumped out to me in either direction so I’d say it was a solid listen but lacked that spectacular feeling that the albums on this list SHOULD have.

kate bush <3

This was the height of the 80's techno phase. OK album, but it wasn't anything special for me. Sledgehammer is the only memorable song.

Nothing crazy, but still not bad IMO

Three hits on this album that I like. They are fun, and I might even give the volume a nudge up when they come on. The rest of the album left me saying, So? So what? Sounds that annoyed my ears. It's like they're from a totally different artist. Took an easy 4 down to a 3.

Fine, not really my speed.

Better than Coldplay

Not really impressed by this one, definitely enjoyed PG's first solo album much more, as well as his work with Genesis. It's still a lot more interesting and better than pretty much all over-produced bubblegum pop. But there's nothing here that really grabs the listener's attention. It all sounds like perfectly fine filler material, but without anything standing out. People might point out Sledgehammer, but it hasn't aged well. Sounds like a generic soundtrack song from a mid 2000's movie playing in early 90's or late 80's New York. 3.5 rounded down.

Nice

Prior to So, Peter Gabriel seemed to have one foot firmly in the art world and another firmly in the pop world. If that is the case, then on So, he seems to walk around a bit, and end up with one foot in the art-pop world and another just in the pop world. To put it differently: this is the one with the hits. Sledgehammer, In Your Eyes, Don't Give Up, and Big Time were all, on some level, a hit. However, this album is also known for achieving this without sounding like Gabriel is trying to "sell out", the songs here all feel very distinct and personal, and he keeps his art cred intact. Especially since the deep cuts here do *not* sound like they were made for the radio. Mercy Street, We Do What we're Told and This Is The Picture all sound thickly atmospheric, future-forward and mysterious. My personal favorite on here is This Is The Picture, Laurie Anderson (check her out by the way) appears and performs an incredible vocal duet with Peter Gabriel. Not to brush by the singles, they are mostly great as well. Sledgehammer, for example is iconic for a reason: funky, catchy, and just a *touch* art damaged. The only song on here that I specifically don't like is Big Time. It just sounds kind of on the nose and silly to me, but I would like to give credit where credit is due to the bass-work. I overall enjoyed this quite a bit, but I get the sense I may personally get more out of Peter Gabriel's earlier work.

Good Art Pop Album, Maybe not my favorite Genre but i certainly caught my self toe tapping the hits. It's kinda just Dentist office music but not in a bad way?

Classic 80's album with some excellent tracks but loses steam in its 2nd half. Peter Gabriel's voice was pretty great though and it has some interesting world music influences.

This is one of those albums where I'm super familiar with the hit single (Sledgehammer) but haven't heard the rest of it, and yeah, it's a pretty solid bit of 80's pop rock. The slower ballad tracks are a little sappy for my taste, but tracks like That Voice Again, Big Time, and previously mentioned Sledgehammer are tons of fun.

Sledgehammer & In Your Eyes are the monster hits off this album that got played everywhere, and I'm more familiar with Big Time because the WWE played the shit out of this song for Wrestlemania 22. This isn't overly my kind of music, but I respect the artistry at play here.

This album has too much content and should just be Red Rain, Sledgehammer and Big Time.

Gabriel's style can be a tad melodramatic at times. Borderline two stars but it's not bad.

Muy banda sonora

A little tired of these songs

Had great moments for me with the rhythms and bass lines. Fantastic vocals with a lot of character and emotion. A 3 feels too low but a 4 feels excessive for me personally. I feel like he doesn't quite reach the dramatic peaks he had the potential to reach within the album. Overall very enjoyable - I could see myself blasting it in the car with the windows down and feeling alive.

I thought it was really cool to hear all the different sounds, I thought his voice was very unique and was very emotional which I liked. I don’t know if I would listen to it again but I didn’t mind it, and I can see how people would love this album it’s just not one I would personally put on and listen to so for that reason I gave it a 3.

This album was a little rough. I got a heads up from Jordan on her dislike of this album, I liked it more than her but not great.

The slower songs are great.

I’m… not sure. I love Gabriel-era Genesis but never really delved into his solo work as much. I did listen to Melt a lot which I love but this is different. Gabriel draws on a bunch of influences here, you get eighties sophistipop sense reminiscent of Sting and Tears For Fears, you get world beat that can sometimes sound like talking heads, you get some post punk of the claustrophobic kind he had in Melt, especially on the last two songs. It’s a strong record and Gabriel is an amazing vocalist and songwriter, I just don’t think it’s his best work.

Correcto

Hadn't realized his 3 monster hits were on here. Idiosyncratic enough to not be a pure pop album, but he can write a hook when he wants to. I'm not a fan of the slick production but I think this has aged pretty well.

2/3 star, in your eyes got it to a 3

red rain- he sounds like he just woke up and had to record this. 5 sledgehammer- 5 or 6. reminds me of fame dont give up- so true, pete. 4 that voice again- 5 mercy street- 4 or 5 big time- 5 we do what we're told- 6 this is the picture- 5 or 6 in your eyes- 5

So so

So has some cool synth and drum parts. I've always liked Gabriel's voice as well. The album has a weird mix of darker toned songs that are intriguing intermingled with poppy sounding 80s jams. Lyrically it didn't do much for me. Standouts were "That Voice Again" and "In Your Eyes," which is a classic and I love it and I will unabashedly belt it every time it comes on. Overall, the album was kind of slow for me, but I liked the mood. It was a good length too, any longer and I think it would have dragged and overstayed its welcome. So was cool sounding and it was a good listen but didn't really move the needle away from an average 3 stars.

I saw a review that said something to the effect of "Phil Collins if he was talented." That is a shit take, but I do enjoy Peter Gabriel and this album. It's a little bit too cheesy white guy 80's music to truly blow me away, but I did enjoy the track list and I'm certain that had I been alive at the time, I would've enjoyed this album a even more within the context of its release

Very ‘80s! I enjoy the big hits and Red Rain is a great opener but the majority of the songs ran together for me… not a resounding success for me but Peter Gabriel has a great voice and Sledgehammer’s about his penis so I have to assume he also has a great penis. Great song.

3/5 good but not my favorite style

Super fun first track

3.5

Peter Gabriel "So" came out when I was 16. And songs like In Your Eyes were iconic at the time. But at the same time, I was never a huge fan of this album. I always thought it was kind of cheesy and overwrought. The song Don't Give Up with Kate Bush. Is one of my least favorite songs in the history of music. And listening to it now. It hasn't gotten any better. Definitely feel like it is extremely dated.

I like Peter Gabriel, but I feel like some of these songs could have been shorter. Overall, a very good sound.

Some great tracks.

Some great tracks, I struggle with the whole album though

Overall a pretty decent album with two big standouts. I love sledgehammer.

We thrashed Gabriel in a doubles match on the crazy golf course in Brighton seafront. He thought he’d bought a ringer by inviting Mike Rutherford. He didn’t realise that Brighton was basically Len Houmous’ home course. He hit an incredible 18 hole in one’s in a row! 3.4

better than I expected but a lot of it was too much like paul simon

04/05/2025 This was an okay album.