Reviews (page 9 of 13)
hated it. I’d give it 0 stars if I could
Nostalgia
80s rock/pop/R&B.. not my speed
Rätt mycket 80-talsskit, mercy street och excellent birds räddar den lite för mig dock
feels 80s long songs, I like that they get to breathe shakuhachi and Wolof best tunes: red rain, sledgehammer, big time, we do what we're told
Kate Bush vocals was a nice add. (Dolly Parton vocal would have been interesting. More commercial LP and a time piece as an explore in technology. Stewart Copeland of the Police involved on some tracks showed Peter G reach. Like the LP
Classic 80’s vibes
Nostalgic but I'm not as impressed nowadays as I was when it came out.
Непоганий арт-поп альбом, хтось вважає його кращим у Пітера - я ні, мій фаворит це нью вейвовий однойменний альбо 1980-го року. Слухати було приємно та інколи навіть цікаво. Але, як на мене, весь шарм перебиває продакшн від якого прямо "тхне" типовим для арт-попу звучанням 80-тих. До речі, пісня Don't Give Up виконана у дуеті із іншою дівою арт-попу Kate Bush
Have to assume it's his best solo album. Some good hits but not something I would necessarily come back to.
I had forgotten how good this record was.
Beautiful.
was pretty good. sledgehammer was my personal favourite song. However some tracks sounded like generic 80s pop music and they didn't really have anything to offer to the album. 7/10
It was okay, sounded a lot like Phil Collin’s. Not my type of music but its good.
Notably more satisfying and substantive than any other blockbuster ever, with as strong an opening block of cuts as any record. Even the huge hits with annoying tendencies ("Sledgehammer" and "Big Time") are appealing when one sticks with them. Indeed, seems like it's PG just thinking, "what if we tried it like this..." Every stupid pop song should be as smartly designed and executed as "Sledgehammer" (and followed by as thoughtful a cut as "Don't Give Up") or "Big Time" (which has a perfect ending for a pop song). The contemplative songs ("Red Rain," "Don't Give Up" and "Mercy Street" and "That Voice Again") are elevating and optimistic in addition to being gorgeous -- they feel out ot place to a certain extent on such a big-selling album and are more akin to his (also excellent) previous records. And it's hard to a name a more honest, affecting and pleasing pop love song than "In Your Eyes." Obviously, this is a commercially minded effort that works equally well (which is to exceedingly well) on the aesthetic front, too. It's very close to the Platonic ideal of AKNF* but some might say the second- and third-last songs, thuough quite interesting, are a tick down on the impact scale from the other cuts. (*All killer no filler)
Yknow it was ok? I didn’t finish it because once again it just seemed like every song was the same and nothing stood out to me.
Hm kind of boring But oddly calming Kitschig for sure
Easy listening Pop. Good for background. Not quite my tempo, a bit basic.
What a lovely album to begin the project. Masterful music compositions through and through. I've actually been getting into Peter Gabriel recently. I re-listened to this album only a few days ago, and actually was listening to Peter Gabriel only half an hour ago.
There are far too many albums on this list that are known for that ONE good song. Here’s another one. I’m starting to think we should rename this list to, “1,001 albums with a really good song on them you need to listen to before you die, and here are the song title and track number” so we’re not spending all this time slushing through junk. Seriously though, how crazy is that video?
So trite, so glossy, so commercially compromised, so not my thing.
In 2022, I was given some tickets to a Peter Gabriel concert. I went in thinking I knew a couple of songs and it would be a night out. I left getting Peter Gabriel. What a concert, even at his age. Clearly So is his biggest album, it was everywhere after it was released thanks to MTV and Say Anything but listening to this album between the hits reveals a mastery for songwriting that excels. 5/5
Well, this is just so Peter Gabriel. By which I mean it's mostly pretty boring dross, with one absolutely huge banger thrown into the mix. Paraded around the house for a good day or so singing Sledgehammer, much to everyone's delight.
Ik zie wel in waarom dit een progressief pop album was destijds, maar ik heb zelf moeite om er echt lekker in te komen. Het schakelen tussen up-tempo new wave in 'Sledgehammer' en 'Big Time' en wat introvertere art pop als 'Don't Give Up' en 'Red Rain' gaat me niet heel goed af, en ik mis dan ook een beetje een rode draad. De hoogtepunten zijn lekker, maar de mindere momenten des te slaapverwekkender. 6/10 Highlights: Sledgehammer Big Time In Your Eyes
Ik heb me de hele plaat afgevraagd hoe het kan dat de stem van Peter Gabriel zo erg lijkt op Phil Collins. Is dit echt of komt het puur door beiden met Genesis te associëren? Ik ben er niet uitgekomen. Verder is deze middelmatige 80's popplaat geruisloos aan mij voorbij getrokken. Highlights Sledgehammer Don't Give Up
Brought back high school in a big way.
Red Rain - 10/10 song with a catchy ass. chorus Sledgehammer - looped tambourine beat style with occasional kicks. Peter Gabriel lays beautiful vocals. Beautiful drum pattern Don’t give up- much more mellow song in terms of instrumentals with constant snares, positive message and cute chorus lol. That voice again- banger In your eyes- beautiful song that can be interpreted as love for someone romantically or love for god. Very filling instrumentals Mercy street - sad ballad about a failed relationship Big time - catchy chorus, funky instrumental. Tuff. We do what we’re told- it’s very eerie feeling and the lyrics are cryptic about a nazi experiment apparently This is the picture- change my mind, this is my least favorite but it’s still a great track. 9.2/10
Last song is the banger that keeps this whole album soaring
There was time during the 80's when a lot of artists released very corporate sounding records that all had a very specific aesthetic, very different from the synthpop/new romantic look from earlier in the decade, a lot of them even had a similiar looking black and white portrait picture of the artist on the cover. Sting, Bryan Adams, Robert Palmer are just some examples. Peter Gabriel also did one of those albums, but his release blows all and any competition out of the water. While it does sound corporate, Peter infuses some left field ideas across many genres into the songs, like Otis Redding-style funk on "Sledgehammer", ambient soundscapes on "Mercy Street", or the african tinged rhythms on "In Your Eyes", you know, that song from that movie. A pop masterpiece for the ages. Key tracks: Red Rain Sledgehammer Don't Give Up Big Time In Your Eyes
fucking AMAZING
The question for today is not what came first the chicken or the egg? But who came first Peter Gabriel or Phil Collins? I am sure there are some super fans out there that will argue that Phil Collins hits a better high C or that Peter Gabriel has a better tamber, but seriously they sound exactly the same! For me who came first really impacts how influential this album is, because one of them just copied off the other! So during research I found out that that Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins both were the lead singers of Genesis with Peter coming first. Phil was the drummer and took over reluctantly (him and Peter are friends). Knowing that, I understand that this was influential. This was a different sound and unique (to Genesis, Peter and Phil). Its fun, it has emotion and its catchy. In Your Eyes is a great song. I really enjoyed Red Rain I like Sledgehammer, but not so much that I won't change it if something is better on another station. Then it becomes difficult though because he sounds so similar to Phil that its hard not to compare. Genesis and Phil just do it slightly better, better deeper lyrics, more catchy tunes and something I am less likely to turn the radio on. Phil took what Peter did and just made it better. So I will go with a 3 because it really is a good base for future music and sound but really others took this sound and did it better.
The hits: Sledgehammer, Big Time, and In Your Eyes are all great songs but I didn't like the other songs that much. Cool that Kate Bush made a guest appearance.
“In Your Eyes”, “Sledgehammer” and “Mercy Street” are peak 80’s art and place this album firmly in the top 10 of 1986 even if some of the other songs on here don't reach such heights. I’ve had this album in fairly good rotation for almost 20 years and it is still impressive. It vascillates between upbeat pop rock and rainy day moody. I regularly use the above mentioned songs in my yoga or water exercise classes. They feel of their time and timeless all at once. Beyond the hits you’ll find some weird little treats: “This Is The Picture” and “We Do What We’re Told” show Peter still indulging in the proggy creativity left over from his Genesis days. “Don’t Give Up” is a decent if somewhat mewling ballad with fellow British artiste Kate Bush.
Well. I'm pretty torn on this album. Huge fan of the hits on it, especially Sledgehammer, and Red Rain and Don't Give Up are pretty ok lesser known tracks. But I really didn't like a few of them, and that brought this down a notch for me. The songs I do like are special enough to keep this at a 4 for me though.
There’s like, at least three songs on this thing that are transformative and make me feel like I’m seeing God. It’s the best.
After four eponymous records that saw him continually push the boundaries of what was possible in the artier aspects of rock, Peter Gabriel took a big leap and was rewarded with his most popular album. Providing the soundtrack to some of the most indelible moments of the 80s may not have been his intention but that's what happens when common innovations and far out inspirations conspire in the makings of a soon-to-be classic of the decade. Whether one sees it as a dated and craven cash-grab or yet another knock out of the ballpark, So marks the moment where Peter Gabriel had us finally see what was up.
I like it a lot, but its reputation is that it's amazing, his best in fact. I prefer his 3rd album. The duets on this album - with Kate Bush and Laurie Anderson - are the best tracks.
Phil Collins-y
100% 80s Pretty good first half, second half falls away a bit. I recognised more of this than I thought I would. Feel like my dad would love it.
Some Big Time bangers on this album
Pretty enjoyable for 80s pop
Love Peter Gabriel so much. Especially his first 4 albums. But I also really love this one. But his first 4 are some my favourite albums of all time. Again, this one is great too. Just don't listen it to as much as the first 4.
fun
I bought new speakers this year. Nearly every list of speaker test tracks included song off of this record. So I made sure to listen on my big system. However, I had things to get done so part way through I moved to the car. Then to AirPods. Really interesting to listen to the sonic deterioration as it progressed. This is such a well recorded album (on top of having good songs). There is space in the tracks. There is a great soundstage. You can get distracted just listening to how it’s recorded and presented. But this is about music and that is there as well. A great run of songs. He was an artist I grew up thinking was just boring adult contemporary. Turns out I just wasn’t ready to hear it at that time. Glad I’ve come around.
Omg Dave Matthews sounds like Peter Gabriel. Auto 3
3.5 a pretty good album that got a touch too 80s for me at times. Favorite songs: sledgehammer and in your eyes
3.5 I will definitely listen to it again.
At the risk of offending Eduardo, I just can’t get into Gabriel, beyond the cool stop motion, food-based video for ‘Sledgehammer’ when I was 16 and video was king.
A solid album that I never have the urge to revisit (sorry Vaz). When it’s on I enjoy it and then I go years without listening to it.
Not my jam. In your eyes is pretty ok
This is more a 7 than a 6. I would like to rate this album higher, because I like Peter Gabriel's voice and how good the production is throughout the whole album (even the drums with that distinct sound of the 80's). But I felt like a lot of the songs are a product of its time. Not that they aren't good, but they didn't felt that interesting.
3 huge hits, what’s not to like. Sledgehammer, In Your Eyes and Red Rain. My only complaint is the inordinate length of many songs intros. 4/5
Say what you want about the 80s, but pop music peaked
Vamos llegando a mediados de mes y toca Peter Gabriel. Primera vez que escucho un disco de su etapa solista: ubico alguna que otra canción suelta y nada más. Pop ochentoso, refinado, muy relax. Hasta el lunes.
The bangers bang hard. I wish I could read about why this one made it.
Nothing more than serviceable 80's radio
How dare she criticize Peter Gabriel, with her little screw me hair cut and all so 'neh neh neh' - doesn't she know he single handedly created WOMAD?! This is peak of 80s production - he just gloriously embraces synth, compression, rubbery bass, cheesy keyboard patches, and gated drums from top to bottom, and pairs it with a full on afro funk rhythm section, backup singers, great songs with a range of emotional tones and his own searching oddly alienated earnest vocals.
Meh
A perfect slice of 1980s pop. Many of the refugees from the big rock bands of the 70s were trying to reinvent themselves in the mid 80s, Robert Plant, Roger Daltrey... Gabriel manages it better than most. If I was a fan of 80s pop I'd give this a five. I'm not but regardless of that it rates a 4/5. Catchy tunes, Gabriel is in fine voice and high production values.
Not only could this essentially be a greatest hits album featuring some of the biggest and best pop songs of it's time (6 out of the 9 tracks ended up as singles, 4 of which peaked in the top 5), but it's also one of the best pop albums of all time! This came out a year before I was born and most of the songs on this album were still all over the airwaves through the 80s and into the 90s. If I could, I'd give 6/5 stars
Pretty good, solid 80s vibe and a couple songs I've liked
Rating: 6/10 The slower songs bring this down substantially, the highlights are quite good though.
meh
I own this album on vinyl and it's one of my favorites. Such an amazing experience, in terms of the music, production and just the overall soundscape of the thing. Easily 5 stars!
Don't Give Up and In Your Eyes are great, also liked the opening track Red Rain
One of his best albums with some of the best pop/rock songs of the entire 80s. A
Great record. Great vibe and very unique.
Pretty good 80's music. 3/5
So? More like No! None of these records appeal to me, I want to discover new music, even if it's old music, but it's always the same old bullshit I can't get in to.
1986, j'avais 16 ans soit l'âge con par excellence. Mes hormones faisaient les montagnes russes, ma pilosité faciale ressemblait à une mauvaise blague, et mes goûts musicaux étaient un champ de bataille entre la noirceur de The Cure et la frénésie de The Smiths. Dans ce paysage, Peter Gabriel était une figure à part. C'était l'ex-chanteur de Genesis, le type qui se déguisait en fleur sur scène, l'intello de la bande. Ses albums solo étaient des objets étranges, fascinants, parfois abscons, remplis de rythmes africains, de paroles angoissées et de clips où son visage fondait. C'était le genre de mec que tes parents trouvaient "intéressant", ce qui, à 16 ans, est le baiser de la mort. On le respectait, mais on ne l'invitait pas vraiment à nos boums. Et puis, le bulldozer est arrivé. Ce bulldozer, c'était "Sledgehammer". On ne peut pas parler de l'album "So" sans parler de ce clip car c'était un événement. Une putain de déflagration visuelle qui a colonisé MTV et toutes les chaînes de télé du globe. Les fruits qui dansent, les poulets en pâte à modeler, le train qui lui sort du crâne... C'était un chef-d'oeuvre d'animation image par image qui a fait passer tous les autres clips de l'époque pour des films de vacances tournés par un oncle bourré. Du jour au lendemain, l'intello cérébral était devenu la plus grande popstar de la planète. Et la chanson, bon sang, la chanson ! C'était un pastiche de la soul de la Stax, un hommage vibrant à Otis Redding, mais avec une production tellement moderne, tellement puissante. Cette section de cuivres, cette ligne de basse monstrueuse de Tony Levin, c'était un tube parfait : intelligent, sexy, incroyablement dansant et furieusement accrocheur. Et c'est là, toute la magie et le "problème" de "So" car c'est l'album où Peter Gabriel a réussi le casse du siècle : injecter toute son intelligence, ses expérimentations sur les musiques du monde et sa mélancolie dans une machine pop calibrée pour les stades et les radios FM. Et ça a marché au-delà de toutes les espérances car "So" est une véritable usine à tubes, une collection de singles imparables qui ont défini le son de la deuxième moitié des années 80. Tu as "Big Time", avec son funk blanc satirique qui se moque des yuppies et de l'ambition démesurée de l'époque. Tu as la ballade poignante "Don't Give Up", ce dialogue bouleversant entre le désespoir masculin et la compassion féminine, sublimé par la voix éthérée de Kate Bush. À une époque de cynisme reaganien et thatchérien, c'était une chanson d'une humanité folle. Tu as l'épique "Red Rain", avec sa batterie martiale signée Stewart Copeland (de The Police, rien que ça). Et bien sûr, il y a "In Your Eyes", ce monument de "world pop" avant l'heure, porté par la voix du Sénégalais Youssou N'Dour, et qui deviendra immortel grâce à John Cusack et son ghetto-blaster dans le film "Say Anything". Alors, face à cette avalanche de classiques, pourquoi un 4 sur 5 et pas la note maximale ? Parce que "So", c'est le son de la perfection et la perfection, parfois, c'est un peu lisse. C'est un album à la production tellement léchée, tellement "années 80" dans le bon et le mauvais sens du terme (la batterie qui sonne comme des coups de canon dans un hangar, les synthés omniprésents), qu'il a perdu un peu de la folie, du danger, de l'étrangeté abrasive de ses albums précédents. Le Peter Gabriel du masque de fleur, le type qui criait "Shock the Monkey", s'est un peu assagi. Il a mis un costard (de luxe), et même si ça lui va à ravir, on regrette parfois le vieux savant fou en blouse blanche. C'est l'album de la consécration, mais aussi celui de la normalisation, si l'on peut dire. Dans ma boutique de disques, des années plus tard, c'était une vente facile. C'était l'album de Peter Gabriel que tout le monde connaissait, celui qui mettait d'accord les fans de pop, les amateurs de rock et même les darons. Il était devenu consensuel. Un consensus de très, très haute volée, mais un consensus quand même. Les morceaux moins connus de l'album ("That Voice Again", "We Do What We're Told") sont excellents, mais ils s'inscrivent parfaitement dans le moule sonore de l'ensemble, sans la surprise déstabilisante qu'on pouvait trouver sur ses disques précédents. "So" reste une étape essentielle des années 80 et probablement l'un des meilleurs albums de Gabriel, ne serait-ce que pour sa capacité à marier ambition artistique et succès populaire massif. C'est le disque qui a prouvé qu'on pouvait faire danser la planète entière tout en parlant du chômage ou de la psychologie jungienne. Et rien que pour ça, chapeau bas.
another great album, loved having a little boogie to a few of these songs- sledgehammers always good. for obvious reasons very genesis, phil collins esque
Flying songs, Excellent songs Here they come. Despite inventing the sound of the decade when him and Phil Collins accidently created gated reverb, it took a John Hughes movie and a claymation dancing chicken to become a worldwide star. This is in the grand tradition of weird 70s artistes going pop on their own terms in the 80s. For all of the shimmering synths and glistening production tricks, this album doesn't really sound 'mainstream'. Gabriel's voice soars over gospel choirs, 'World' rhythms, and drumstick hit bass guitar. He delivers cutting social commentary on the yuppy mindset (the greatest WrestleMania theme), a minimalist song about birds featuring a conceptual artist, and love songs played endearingly straight. No-one else could have pulled it off. A classic.
Was mostly enjoying having this on and listening to Peter's voice, and the song with Kate Bush was nice, then Mercy Street hit and it had such a tone to it that I was so taken with it. Largely, pretty good!
The same as Phil Collins
Would I listen again: Yes! Most fav track: in your eyes come one bro Least fav track: that voice again Surprise awesome track: Mercy Street Weirdest track: we do what we’re told Lyrics: unbelievable. No skips?: no. I’d skip the yhe excellent birds song but it’s not bad. Cover art cool?: no Notes: very excited for this. I love Peter Gabriel but don’t know any deep cuts. Red rain beautiful sounding song. Goddamn it Peter Gabriel is so great. Such c a great voice. Sledgehammer is such a bop. That bass is awesome. Don’t give up has a cool vibe. Mercy street was beautiful. Big time funky af. Beautiful album. In your eyes is such a work of art of a song.
The soundtrack to my O Levels! The perfect album! Has to be a 5 for me.
Quintessential dad rock
While I prefer Gabriel's Genesis era, he really shows what a good musician he is. This poppy and funky but you also have some great prog leftovers in the mix. In this respect, he did a good and better genre transition than his old band. 'Don't give up' is a wonderful ballad.
Other reviews says it’s what a quality Phil Collins album might sound like. But a quality Phil Collins album is “in the air tonight” sorts of things repeating 12 times (just joking). This one is different every time. Genesis is a great band: but there’s no way of making fun of other members using other’s solo work to compare to thems. Peter and Phil are both great. 4/5
So great. Mature, but still groundbreaking and experimental. Avant gard, but still an enjoyable listen.
I was never a huge Peter Gabriel guy, but wow. This is a strong album. Don't Give Up would have been enough to give this a favorable rating, but there's a lot to love here. The production on just about every track is fantastic.
The duet with Kate Bush is divine
My first reaction was like … It has sledgehammer and in your eyes, this is by default 5/5. Then I listened to the rest and … spoiler alert - it’s solid 5. the Songs filled with compassion and kindness. Music wise it’s really complicated but sounds really tasteful. Some songs of course are not that memorable and hit material, but even greatest album ever does have skippers. Overall I feel like this album can heal, can entertain and it has sledgehammer
Basic 80s album. Even tho it is obvious that Peter Gabriel is a great musician, didn't think there was anything special about this album.
This album feels like it's part of the wrong decade. The eighties were great, and this fits more on the slop of nineties melodrama
Pop Peter at his finest. Bookended by absolute bangers. Don’t Give Up is a bit of a drag, but That Voice Again saves the middle of the album from mediocrity. It’s a stunning listen when you have a chance to listen closely with decent headphones.
7/10
I liked it more than I was expecting too. Worth another listen.
Damn, 2 Gabriel albums in one week? Someone up there must hate me.
He has such a good vocal range, but I like his later stuff more because of his matured voice. Here he seems too whiny. Overall good listen, some songs were more experimental than the others.
Wow Peter Gabriel two days in a row? This has got to be the most Peter Gabriel that I’ve listened to in a short period of time. Definitely enjoyed it. Still feel as though, upon further listens, I could end up really developing a love for his music. As of now, another solid 3.
This is an all time classic but in common with most PG albums for my own tastes there are really exceptional tracks which rank in my all time favourites but also tracks which I can take and mostly leave. This album is perhaps the best example of that. Red Rain, Don’t Give Up, In your eyes and Mercy Street are off the scale and beyond outstanding tracks which I could listen to on repeat all day. But then there’s Sledgehammer and Big Time. These are two of the biggest hits off this album but leave me absolutely cold. Despite the existence of these lesser tracks there is still more than enough to make this album a notable must have classic made by one of the most talented songwriters and performers of the last 50 years. Maybe he intended his albums to appeal to all tastes so that there is something in them for everyone which if true is again a measure of his talent. This trait continued in his subsequent albums. With the advent of easily made up playlists I believe that I have compiled for myself the perfect Peter Gabriel album spanning his post Genesis career right up to his recent album IO. But that is the abnomaly. IO is perfection in every track. Thought I’d say that because IO is unlikely to feature on this list until maybe the next revision? But I have it pencilled in as a possible 1001 ending choice. 5/5 29/11/24
Groovy shit yo bout to go to a roller derby arcade yo. Best track - sledgehammer
Fantastic! I never gave the whole album a listen until now. “Sledgehammer” and “big time” were so overplayed on the radio that I never bothered. “In Your Eyes” is one of those songs that never gets old to me.
Had low expectations for this one when I saw it, but was pleasantly surprised. Maybe that is the secret - go in without any expectations? Either way, I liked it. Not sure I would put it on a constant rotation but it was good.
Within the first minute of this album you can obviously hear just how good the production is on this album. It sounds and feels amazing. The bouncing panning of the drums back and forth on Red Rain makes it sound like it is raining which is so cool. It was a solid collection of 80s pop songs.
This was VERRRRRY 80s. Maybe the most 80s album of the decade. I think I liked the other Peter Gabriel album, because it was a bit more varied and had some weirdness to it. This one is less weird, but it's still really eccentric and kind of dialed up to 11 in every song. Its really fun to crank this one.
I thought I liked Peter Gabriel but maybe not any more. I found this album quite boring. It was also clearly quite vocally focused, so his voice must be the drawcard and it doesn't appeal to me. Rating: 2
Sledgehammer slaps hard but the rest of the album is a dud
Man this album jams so hard
Red Rain 3.8 Sledgehammer 4.2 Don't Give Up 3.6 That Voice Again 3.4 In Your Eyes 4 Mercy Street 3 Big Time 3.7 We Do What We're Told (Milgram's 37) 3.1 This Is the Picture (Excellent Birds) 3.2 Score: 3.555555556
Should be called "So-so." "Sledge Hammer" is great, and "Big Time" isn't bad, but the rest of this is the kind of limp, boring pop that dominated the 80s.
Given how much I don't like a lot of the music of that era, Peter Gabriel is an exception. I'm not sure why, whether it's his voice or his creativity, I tend to like him and have listened to his music in the past.
Isn’t John Cusack standing in the rain in Say Anything the first thing that pops in your head?
Like Phil Collins
Quite boring but I guess it's neater than most of '80s pop.
it's good. post-punky and fun
Interesting production choices make for some intriguing songs. Highlights: "Red Rain" (dramatic opener), "Don't Give Up", "In Your Eyes" ("world" music done right), "Mercy Street" (similar vibe to "Red Rain"), "Big Time" (Talking Heads vibe with the skittering guitar and prominent bass) Notable: "We Do What We're Told (Milgram's 37)" (mostly instrumental and chanting song that is appropriately creepy given the subject matter. Has a Pink Floyd The Wall feeling to it)
I don’t know what to call this genre, but I definitely like the funk
4 stars
Clearly a classic. I know videos aren't part of the challenge, per se, but because So came out in a time when videos carried weight, this album has even more magic in that context. Plus, Kate Bush is enough to immediately give anything 5 stars.
I’m not too familiar with Peter Gabriel’s work. I did assume this album had the majority of what I knew, and I was right. But mostly this is meh for me. I do question how the hell sledgehammer came out it ‘86, I was born in ‘87 and that music video remains prominent in my childhood memory.
Hdp
I know Peter. Stoked to find out what kind of tracks is on this album. I know Sledgehammer and In Your Eyes. These songs are classic and he is a great artist.
This was a pretty decent album and the source of several singles that I didn't realize came from the same album.
Kind of very 80s. In Your Eyes is classic though...
Musically nice enough, propulsive. The lyrics aren't much to write home about, except "We Do What We're Told" (the Milgram one) and "This Is the Picture" (which has a somewhat Laurie Anderson vibe in the beginning... oh hey, apparently it was her!).
Нормально. Слушать можно
Fun album. I can never quite tell where I stand on Peter Gabriel. Some of the songs I absolutely love and others feel lost and wandering. This is album is definitely a unique experience and belongs on the list for that reason alone even if it's not mindblowing. 3/5
I used to consider In Your Eyes the most beautiful love song ever
This is my second favorite Phil Collins album. 4/5 Highlights: Big Time In Your Eyes
It was good but I wouldn't put it into my personal library
Great album. Three phenomenal songs and the rest are a solid listen as well.
A great album.
1/2 of the songs were hits and the other half is moody wonderfulness. IMO his one essential album.
Prog Rock/Blues record that has some great highlights. A mainly slow rock album with some catchy tracks. Standouts: Sledgehammer, Red Rain, Dont Give Up.
Sledgehammer overskygger resten. Fint nok lyt.
3 ting: 1) Det her album er 100% radio-u friendly med sine lange indløb hvor lyden starter næsten uhørbar lav. 2) Det er også et meget splittet album. Nogle numre er artsy musik. Andre er 80er bangers. 3) Og nu vi er ved 80er bangers, hvad fanden var det det årti gjorde ved ældre artister? Det er som om alle de gamle kofiæer fra 60erne og 70erne blev trukket ind i den klamme 80er pop lyd. Bowie lavede Let’s Dance, Paul Simon udgav Call Me Al, Yes faldt til 80er patten med Owner of a Lonely Heart osv. Peter Gabriel kan ikke sige sig fri med særligt Sledge Hammer og Big Time på dette album.
it was SO 80s but i actually really enjoyed it
the runner up for most 1986 album to ever 1986 (Graceland remains undefeated), So feels like a big motorcycle your uncle buys after his divorce. in my eyes, this isn't a negative quality: motorcycles are undoubtedly cool. however, that motorcycle isn't staying in your uncle's garage. i find this CD in the Goodwill reliably every time i peruse its section of your grandma's classical music CDs and your mom's copies of k.d. lang's Ingénue. So enters someone's life and, a few plays later, leaves it for worn-out pastures. i'm here to tell you, as a connoisseur of sparkly Sharper Image pop, that So is worth keeping around. so what if it sounds artificial at points? you're telling me you hate the sound of the Fairlight? of the Chapman stick stylings of Tony Levin? of "In Your Eyes" and "Sledgehammer"? i don't think there's a human being alive who hates "Sledgehammer" who isn't some dour metalhead with a drinking problem. there's a sort of enchantment to the record that makes me teary eyed. even though there are fun and life affirming moments, So feels filled with melancholy a lot of the time. it's in "That Voice Again", in "Red Rain", and in "Mercy Street" in spades. i couldn't call it bipolar, but i can definitely call it panicked, frantic. one second he dances in the clouds, the next he dips his head in the gutter. next time you go to buy some used pants or a set of discarded aluminum pans, give the lost CDs a chance. look at Peter Gabriel's pleading orphan eyes and give him a home. do this enough times and you'll be able to construct an Everything is Terrible!-style Jerry Maguire pyramid in the desert. you'll thank me later.
OK album but I found the slower tracks a bit dull and dreary. And they make up most of it
Saved Prior: Sledgehammer Off Rip: Big Time Cutting Edge: None Overall Notes: The new top review for this album is perhaps the most embarrassing bit of "I'm not like other Millennials" Gen X engagement farming I've ever seen. In terms of the album itself; it's fine, not really for me. Wish it was more Sledgehammer-y and less In Your Eyes-y.
Some catchy songs
A fine album with 4 or 5 top notch songs. The 3 opening songs set the tone and get the album started really well, Sledgehammer might be his best "dance" tune with a killer bass line that drives the song. And the last 2 songs are as good as Peter Gabriel gets. The duet with Laurie Anderson is my sleeper pick from this album. A notch below PG 3, but about as good as mainstream rock music got in the mid 80s. 4 stars.
The man named after angels!
Picasso, I like it. Favorite song from this album is sledge hammer. Positive vibes
A real rollercoaster. Some classic bangers (Sledgehammer, In Your Eyes), some nice, mellow atmospheric jams, but then some real 80s experimental wacky songs I couldn't get into. Overall not my favorite.
6.5/10 Kinda goofy beginning Better later on
Peter Gabriel’s So, released in 1986, is often hailed as one of his most accessible and commercially successful records. It marked a shift from the more experimental nature of his earlier solo work into a more pop-oriented sound. While that change worked wonders in terms of radio play and visibility, thanks to hits like “Sledgehammer” and “Big Time”, it also came at the cost of some of the edge and mystery that made Gabriel's previous work so compelling. One of the album’s strongest moments is “Don’t Give Up,” a haunting duet with Kate Bush that blends vulnerability with quiet resilience. It shows Gabriel at his most emotionally sincere, supported by Bush’s ethereal voice. Similarly, “Red Rain” opens the album with a cinematic sweep and emotional weight. Unfortunately, not all of the tracks maintain that level of depth or inventiveness. “Big Time,” while catchy, feels more like a product of its era than a timeless track; heavy on flashy production but light on substance. There’s a sleekness to the album that sometimes works against it. The immaculate production can feel a bit sterile at times, smoothing over the rawness and unpredictability that characterized Gabriel’s earlier work. It’s clear he was reaching for a broader audience, and while he succeeded in doing so, some of the material feels too calculated to leave a lasting emotional impact. That said, "So" isn’t a bad album. It's a well-crafted and often engaging record with a few standout songs, but it doesn’t quite live up to its critical reputation as a masterpiece. For those who prefer the more daring, experimental side of Gabriel, So may feel a bit too streamlined. As a result, it lands as a solid, if slightly overrated entry in his discography; worthy of respect, but not necessarily reverence. 3/5
Red rain is a strange way to kick an album off. Sledgehammer is exactly that. Is that Kate Bush on Don't Give Up? Only love can make love is a good line on That Voice Again. Your Eyes another monster hit. Good album!
It's got that distinct 80's sound. The drum machines, synths, and snares all scream Phil Collins. The vocal performances, however, scream Peter Gabriel. Big Time and Red Rain are great tracks that complement an unquestionably perfect track order in the context of energy and the artist's vision. They feed into tracks that elicit a forensic science montage like We Do What We're Told and This Is The Picture, before closing out with a medium-energy love song that beckons listeners to hit the "loop all" button. I was fortunate to give this gem a deep listen and can absolutely see why it's on this list.
Eh, songs were familiar, maybe too familiar. Not a big fan. I understand why people like the music, not for me.
Sounds like the drummer from Genesis
Some great songs on here.
Such a great vocal style and varied arrangements. Reaches an emotional depth that his contemporaries didn’t.
This is just not good? Who voted for this crap?
Peter Gabriel has always been one of those guys that I’ve felt like I’m supposed to like. I get why he’s good, his rhythm section is impressive, it’s prog royalty, I get it. but I’m never sold. Also he sounds a LOT like Dave Matthew’s.
Je crois avoir aimé cet album encore plus que son premier. On est vraiment dans la même lignée de mélange de rock/pop/progressif/art rock, mais juste mieux exécuté que sur son premier. Super bon album. 9/10
I really hated Red Rain, so my expectations were low. But damn does the back half of this album deliver some classic 80s goodness. The run from Big Time to In Your Eyes is easily 5 stars. The album as a whole, I’ll have to round down to a 4.
Kind of weird.
Sledgehammer is a great song and to hell with anyone who says otherwise. This is the blown-out bombastic shit that I associate with my (unlived) image of the 80s. Pure energy around a horn line, what's not to love? We Do What We're Told is a strong one from the back half. A completely stripped away, brooding electronic track with ominous chorus referring to psychological experiments of compliance in the face of moral uncertainty. This is the Picture is a fantastic follow-up. The production is fantastic with all of the hidden effects (bells, plunking, etc.) around the flute line. In Your Eyes is a familiar one to close the album. Not among my favorite, but I understand the appeal. Listened to this straight through twice. I feel like this is somewhere in the high 3 territory for me. At its best it is interesting and varied. At its worst, it sounds like the 80s and Phil Collins. Sledgehammer is great, as is the run from Big Time > This is The Picture. But I doubt I'll be back for another listen any time soon.
3.5 stars for me. Almost a 4. Peter kind of reminds me of Phil Collins voice. Not a bad album to listen to. with a couple jams like in your eyes thrown in.
Listening to In Your Eyes wants me to make this a 4 so badly. Great song. Otherwise I'm pretty whelmed on the whole album. Definitely a unique voice and I really like how punchy the drums are.
Prototypical 80s pop sound. Some songs were good and some were not so good. Sledgehammer always slaps though. This is somewhere in the low 3 range
Weirds me out how much him and Phil Collins sounds alike and they were in a band together. Man some of these songs have that terrible 80s ballad sound. We Do What We're Told is solid turned it around for me a bit. In Your Eyes has that 80's sound but damn if it's not a jam.
strange
Pretty cool album, slow at times but solid
2/5
I like his voice and several of the songs were familiar. Some songs were kind of strange, but overall I liked this album.
Excellent. I didn’t appreciate this enough when I was a teenager.. wasn’t hard enough for my taste at the time. Glad I’ve evolved.
Movie memories!
Dont give up är en banger, resten helt ok
Listened to this album and really enjoyed it. Ended up listening to several other albums of his as well, mostly the earliest stuff. He is a very talented musician. Genesis for me has always been mostly a Phil Collins thing, but it's easy to see where they came from.
dont give up is corny (but it was probably my favorite) not bad at all, just not my thing or i have to warm up to it. ill come back to it sometime.
2 and a half stars, it was fine but a little too 80s for me. I can see how it was wild to hear at the time.
Relaxing, good for background. Nice, familiar voice.
Holds up surprisingly well.
Sledgehammer is great, so is the duet with Kate Bush. So are a lot of the other non big hit tracks. Its too drenched in 80's production for me to enjoy it a whole lot but there's a lot of good on here.
Listened to this while playing Isofarian Guard. I remember enjoying the previous Peter Gabriel album i heard on this list more, but that being said, this was still super solid. The duet with Kate Bush (maybe) was freaking excellent, and how can you go wrong with In Your Eyes...(which I just brainfarted to Time After Time...which is also a great song)...such a great ending.
sounds like non-famous eric clapton
Good
Great
One of the most PERFECT albums ever created. Yes, at times very POP, but brilliant in so many other ways too!
This was really cool, more Peter Gabriel please!
I had never listens to this all the way through. Obviously I knew the hits. There a couple of duds, but that won’t stop me from listening again. Perhaps they’ll grow on me.
Love this guys voice
Finally breaking a streak of threes!
Good stuff
A very good listen , high level production and quality . A couple of standard out tracks specially don’t give up is special. A strong 3
If you listen to enough music across eras, you can tell this is a 1980s record from the jump just by its tonal and sonic qualities. And yet, this is also one of the most well-mixed and produced albums of its time (quite possibly of all time). It sounds wholly itself. The beautifully crafted Red Rain is a masterful opener. Don't Give Up shows an affective range and emotional counterpoint to the other hits. With Sledgehammer, Big Time and In Your Eyes as tent pole songs it's difficult to see this as anything other than a high water mark for eighties popular music. These are smart songs where even the slower tempos (e.g. Mercy Street) give you plenty to sink into and for your ear to hear. Simply put, I believe it's one of the best sounding records with some of the best pop songs that I've heard.
I enjoyed that one…I thought it was very easy listening and all of them just stereotypes of 80s music
Zeker bangers, wel te poppig voor mij
Excellent
Haven't listened to this in years but, besides a few duds, this album is incredible. Mercy Street in particular (and it's cover by the Knife) is a great track.
1/5 Not my thing. The hits sledgehammer and In your eyes are fine. He’s obviously incredibly talented. Almost seems like trance music. I get that it’s fusion, just not what I care for.
Very calming
Great album
Great album
A handful of great songs, including a brilliant guet with Kate Bush, and a bunch of less engaging filler. I liked it a lot more than I expected to, given it is "old rock star in the 80s", but it falls some way short of his best work.
Not my taste. Not that bad though, instrumentals are solid just has that pretty generic 80's sound. Kinda sounds like phil collins. "Dont give up" has stood out so far
Nice voice.
Very 80s…for better and for worse. 2.5/5 stars
Really like this album. Fun tones, sounds, and beats. Peter Gabriel has pipes. I will definitely be coming back to this. Only song I knew was Sledgehammer. Favorite songs: Red Rain, Sledgehammer (duh), Big Time, In Your Eyes
liked (not "Liked") songs: Sledgehammer, Don't Give Up (Kate Bush!), Big Time, In Your Eyes This is the Picture is a too-long interlude. Overall, classic Peter Gabriel album. Probably more like a 4.25
A couple of tracks had me picturing ‘Mannequin’ type escapades but a whole album was a bit much for me. ‘Shadowy, sinister, secretive art-rocker’ sounded more interesting so it was a good reminder to go back and listen to some of his other work.
This seemed a bit incoherent. There are some good tracks but I don't think this is his best work.
Obviously Sledgehammer is one of the very best pop songs every written, and In Your Eyes is a tune, but I couldn’t help but feel that the rest of the album largely fails to reach these exceptional highs
This score was going to be a 3, but the second half of this album is a proper drag. I thought maybe I’d like it this time? I especially enjoyed Red Rain and Don’t Give up. Great musicianship. But when the “world music” influences come in… no thank you. Reminds me of Toto in the worst possible way.
He has a really lovely voice and I think the songs sound (to my untrained ear) proper good musically speaking. I like the catchy poppy tunes although I didn’t looove them. Sledgehammer is very fun. I think ‘don’t give up’ has been ruined for me by being used in charity adverts.
Don't Give Up is a proper classic (with such an interesting use of percussion and rhythm for such a popular ballad). The rest is more palatable than I anticipated, with some nice melodies and a couple of interesting experimental pieces (hooray for nine-song albums too!). Still a bit put off by how earnest it all is though. Not at all keen on that bombastic 80s overproduction too (especially evident on both Sledgehammer and Big Time, which are nearly unlistenable for me). And no way can I give more than three stars to an album that has a song with these lyrics: "Show me round your fruit cakes 'Cause I will be your honey bee Open up your fruit cakes Where the fruit is as sweet as can be"
Patrick Bateman vibes from this one. Nice album, probably got more appreciation for him now.
A nostalgic revisit of this album bearing in mind I was 18/19 years old when this was in my “cassette” album collection (sorry didn’t do vinyl then!) - it holds up well these day. Never forget seeing the Sledgehammer animated video for the 1st time when videos were a really big deal for a single release. Love Mercy Street- probably my favorite on the album.
So, I initially thought it was like Red rain, but then it hit me like a sledgehammer. I didn't give up and started to enjoy that voice again. I wasn't on mercy street when I enjoyed this album big time. In my eyes, this is an excellent picture (birds)
Brought up so many memories. Love the songs. Don’t miss those years.
Not bad, might listen again
So, so.
I enjoyed the gentler, slower tracks, but the more uptempo ones didn't hit for me Across the board, it seems like this album has the reputation it does because it can function as an effective gateway drug for pop-listening people to seek out weirder music in a tame, approachable environment
I like Genesis, I like Phil Collins, turns out this was good too. Who woulda thunk it?
Didnt have a clue what to expect but can't go wrong with 80s synth and suprise Kate Bush. Almost a 4.
Incredibly 80s. It’s remarkable how Gabriel and Phil Collins sound so similar, but there’s something about Gabriel’s gruffness that is irresistible. Sledgehammer and Don’t give up are radio classics. Strange that the last song originally was not the last song, given that song order is so important in albums. Overall SO good 4/5
Ironically nearly gave up during don’t give up. Kate Bush couldn’t even save this one for me
I think I was going for something better but some of it was alright. Some of it wasn’t great though. Half and half. A 3 then I guess.
Yes, this was very good.
2/10 Truly awful music. Lacking lyrically and instrumentally. Nothing special about this at all Favourite Song=None Least Favourite Song=Cant pick one
A heavyweight who doesn't get enough shine. This album rips.
All his best songs on one album
Didn't expect to love it, but I did! I completely forgot about Sledgehemmer, but now I remember seeing the video when I was a kid, and being completely mind blown. I am not a big fan of the 80's music, but Gabriel and Collins have always been up there for me. Haven't skipped a single song and listened to some on repeat.
Peter Gabriel did it – he stayed in his lane as a pop songwriter, and the result is a fucking phenomenal pop album!! And he did it will still finding ways to *gently* incorporate experimentation, and world music, and more theatrical elements. It’s not flawless, especially in its more downtempo, dour moments, but it comes really, really close. So is one of those albums I could see growing into one of my favorites ever if I gave it some time, because it’s right on that line. I think if I find it on vinyl and play it straight for a week, it will definitely get there. But for now, it’s still very, very, very good. Stick to pop, Gabriel!!!
Good stuff.
Luv sledgehammer and in your eyes me
This had all the elements of a great album, but I found it far too pretentious for my liking. Big time, however, is a solid 5/5 and I can’t stop listening to it.
Probably hits more at a 3.5 for me, but going up to 4 for that Sledgehammer Coda ... chills.
"Guarantee you anyone born after 1982 is not putting this in their 1001 albums to listen to list" was one of the reviews, and it was my initial gut reaction, but something about the bridge of "red rain" caught my interest. A nice listen,, but heavily too 80s for me 2* Highlight: in your eyes
This is clearly solid and well crafted, but I'm not blown away - possibly because I've heard every track tons of times without knowing.
No es para mi
I don’t think there is anything as 80s as Peter Gabriel’s So. That’s not exactly a compliment in most cases but I did like this album. The strength here is actually the soft, more haunting songs. love Red Rain, Mercy Street, In Your Eyes. The hits are so over the top 1980s. Still a very good album 8.0/10
Really fun. I liked this one.
son: mummy can we buy phil collins albome mum: no son we hav;e phil collins at home.. In all seriousness, this album was a fucking snoozefest. Red Rain and Sledgehammer were dope, but then Don't Give Up Played. Fuck. That. Song. Was. So. Shit. Sledgehammer & Big Time are getting slapped into my 80's shitbox playlist, the rest of these songs can go into the slop. Really wanted to enjoy this one as a fan of Genesis and a bigger fan of Phil Collins, who funnily sounds almost exactly the same but at least his music doesn't bore me to death with it's mediocrity. What a disappointment.
Beautiful and Bombastic in equal parts. In my opinion the best Peter Gabriel album in terms of having the majority of my favourite tracks of his included. I think anyone could listen to this and come home with one or two new songs for their likes/playlists. Extra kudos to Sledgehammer for having arguably the greatest music video of all time. Highlights: In Your Eyes, Don't Give Up, Big Time, Sledgehammer, Red Rain
Is Peter Gabriel evil Phil Collins or is Phil Collins evil Peter Gabriel? Based on appearance one would think that it is the former, but upon reading the personal life and political views section of either artist on Wikipedia, it’s pretty clear that it’s the latter. I did not like the songs where there was a woman singing. Sledgehammer obviously most notable song here. It was alright.
Music for attention seeking normies 7/10 Fav tracks - Red Rain, Don't give up, Mercy Street, Big Time, We Do What We're Told (Milgram's 37), This is the Picture (Excellent Birds) Least Fav - Sledgehammer
This was painful. I already didn't wanna listen to this just on the grounds of it not really being my kinda music to start with. It's very 80s, painfully so. The instrumentals were fine? Like I said I don't really listen to this genre. But man the star of this shit show, Peter Gabriel, ASS and I like one of his songs but I think that was later work. The lyrics for some of these songs were just fucking weird, song about birds, not giving up and just him singing about waking up and looking at the sun. Just hard to give a shit about something I really didn't wanna listen to in the first place, It did feel like a waste of my time. 1/5.
An album probably best known for the music video for Sledgehammer, this was an absolute joy to review. Each track is masterfully produced, the sheer amount of artists that Gabriel collaborated shows that he really cares about the craft of making music. Pulling influences from around the world, this lost out to a similarly innovative album for the grammy in the form of Graceland by Paul Simon. And fair enough, I would be hard pressed to decide which of these albums is better. Every song on this album rips, Peter Gabriel manages to turn every track into a groovy soundscape. Big shoutout to the bassline in Big Time, probably the high point of the album for me besides the entirety of Sledgehammer. No negative comments whatsoever, perfect album.
This album was made with great attention to detail. I like his voice. The album has very inconspicuous weird rhythms at times and some occasional uncommon chord progressions paired with a super tight 80s production. However, I can't relate to this music at all. To me, this sounds like the kind of music someone without any emotional urge would make for the sake of making music, applying all their music school tricks to conceal it. And the songs are soooo long. It's too well made and not annoying enough for 2 stars, so 3 it is. But barely. Favorite song: Big Time, but I don't like it very much.
Sledgehammer is great. All the tracks have interesting percussion, solid bass, and varied, engaging synth work. A few tracks go on a bit long and a few are just boring. But overall a fun and interesting listen.
Me gusto, suena muy ochentero no es mi musica favorita, algunas canciones suena del estilo de Depeche Mode, es inevitable no bailar con la cancion "Big Time" Digo ya se que es alrevez, pero suena como el sonido tipico de P.Gabriel, muchas canciones son ideales para el soundtrack del Rey Leon 7.3/10
I'm not really feeling this album—it feels awfully dated. While I was already familiar with the two big singles, Sledgehammer and In Your Eyes, the rest of the album leaves me feeling unfulfilled. One of the main reasons is the production. The 80s synth-heavy sound and the polished, almost sterile production techniques haven’t aged well for me. It’s a product of its time, and while that’s not necessarily a bad thing, it feels like So leans too heavily into the trends of the era, rather than transcending them. Emotionally, while Gabriel grapples with personal and political themes throughout the album, there are moments where it doesn’t connect with me as deeply as I'd hoped. Don’t Give Up, for instance, is a beautifully crafted duet with Kate Bush, but the emotional weight of the lyrics feels diluted by the overly polished production. It’s almost as if the emotion is there in theory, but not in execution. Maybe pop music is just not the thing for me. It needs to be way more visceral and raw. That said, I do understand its cultural significance. So marked a pivotal point in Gabriel’s career, merging art rock with mainstream appeal, and songs like In Your Eyes are undeniably iconic. However, even with that context, I’m left feeling like the album is more a relic of its time than a timeless piece of work. For me, it doesn’t quite transcend the 80s sound enough to feel relevant or emotionally resonant today. 2/5
Sledgehammer Didn’t finish the whole album cause it’s kinda massive.
Just okay. In Your Eyes was not as good as I remembered.
ehh, it’s okay… kind of boring.
Ok, sledgehammer is better than I remember and I’d forgotten about the song “Big Time” which was very fun. Otherwise, its very 80s and not particularly interesting to me.
There are some bangers in here and a few clunkers. I forgot how catchy Big Time was!
This was a nice album but I didn’t like every song. They were fine but my favorite song of this album is „Sledgehammer“. This song SLAPS!!😩
A couple of good songs on it but I never lived in the 80s so this does nothing for me
Rockzinho tranquilo. Talvez não parasse pra escutar mas, tocando na rádio, não ia mudar de estação. Gostosinho.
Sledgehammer might be the perfect song. Every component of the song fits together perfectly. The funk guitar holding the rhythm, the horns, the background vocals, the ascending volume on the horns during the chorus. Lead vocals rip, etc. Plus, it gets me fucking amped. The entire album feels like a fine suit, sometimes flashy and sometimes understated. The composition of the songs is super clean, high-quality production without adding superfluous instruments/solos. That said, some of the songs may be filler (This is the Picture/Mercy Street). The highlight (aside from Sledgehammer) was Big Time. IM ON MY WAY, IM MAKING IT!!! I need to revisit why I love Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins but don't like Genesis.
This would be a five except there is maybe one too many songs that feel like filler. Peter gabriel’s voice is so emotive- plaintive, wry and powerful all at the same time. The opening trio of red rain, sledgehammer and don’t give up shows off his versatility as a songwriter, then the album meanders a bit, but he brings it home with in your eyes. There are dance songs and songs about not killing yourself that are equally catchy. And the sound is so unique - right in the border of intricately complex and overproduced. He doesn’t quite tip over to the latter side, which is why it all works.
Red rain!!!!!!!!! Fun album. I respect Gabriel a lot more now. I didnt like the track with kate bush.
Pretty lame stuff, Peter Gabriel. Even the 'hit' didn't hit for me (Sledgehammer). Solsbury Hill is a shitty fun song but it isn't on this album. ONE STAR.
After a week of Korn and sitar covers, feels like we deserved this. I'd put Peter Gabriel and Genesis pretty high up on the list of bands that I knew I needed to hear more than I had, and drew me to slog through this list. Sledgehammer is obviously a total classic, maybe one of the best songs of all time - instantly takes me back to some of the best wedding dance floors of the last ten years. Some other tracks that stood out on their own - That Voice Again, Big Time, and even Don't Give Up somehow rocks in the end. There are some songs that I would call filler on a bad day - like Mercy Street - but I think they help the pacing and add up to a full album. Not every song can be a sledgehammer. This is the Picture is definitely "filler" but also a nice reminder from Pete that - yeah, this might be a commercially successful album, but I'm still a big fucking weirdo and I have to tell you about some excellent birds. And of course, In Your Eyes. This is live version is one of my favorite YouTube videos of all time: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evN6DIGPIJM - such a goofy and talented dude. Went down a bit of a rabbit hole on the personnel on this album: Kate Bush on vocals, Stewart Copeland for some reason only on the hi-hat. And the violinist - L. Shankar (no relation to the Shankars) - also played in a band called Jonathan Davis and the SFA. Yes, Jonathan Davis of Korn, and the "Simply Fucking Amazings". It's like the seven degrees of Kevin Bacon, but every artist ends up leading back to Korn.
Decent album, don't give up was a little slow and a little overly long for my personal tastes
Red rain reminds me of an American city in the height of summer, or a bittersweet montage at the end of a complicated movie, or maybe a long pan out to skyscrapers at dawn. I can also see it being used at a feminine product advert (which would be hilarious). Sledgehammer is something you'd hear at a dance hall, a montage of someone building something, or after a character in a movie moves out of home and starts living somewhere new. Oh, there is a flute now... that adds something. In summary: Very good for story or scene writing. I rate this 4/5
I started listening to this at about 8:30ish PM and I was already in a good mood. I’ve always had an open mind for listening to new music so this was exciting. I was laying down and, but quickly got a little angry because I had to get up from a cozy slump. I had my earbuds in, still listening to the album while doing what I had to do and my bad mood quickly went away. Never has an album made me calm down before, so it was pretty weird. This album makes you feel a rollercoaster of emotions and not know it. I was born in ‘96, but I still grew up on music similar to this, being that my mom was born in ‘66. She listened to a lot of music of different genres and raised my siblings and I on everything she grew up on. So to say ,’This reminds me of my childhood,’ is crazy, but it does. I felt peace, if anything, so I had to listen to it a second time. This is definitely in my top 5 favorite albums now.
Love Peter Gabriel. Which is probably the exact same note that I left on his other album in this project...
I expected a bit better given the reviews and the genre, but I just didn't feel a connection for whatever reason. 3/5
Sledgehammer and In Your Eyes alone would bring this to three stars. The remaining cuts are a weird, enjoyable journey.
After leaving Genesis, Peter Gabriel put out four quirky, experimental albums titled Peter Gabriel 1-4. His record company asked for a more marketable name for his fifth album, so he called it ‘So’. I wasn’t keen on this album at the time - a combination of the mawkish ‘Don’t Give Up’ and the MTV earworm of ‘Sledgehammer’ put me off. Revisiting it reveals some gems though, especially ‘This is the Picture’ with Laurie Anderson and opener ‘Red Rain’. Sotastic!
I'm not saying it's a bad album, but everything sounds too 80s: the music, the instruments, the production... It screams that it belongs to this period. And I'm not really fond of the gimmicks of that time. Some songs are good, some are also far too mellow (the 80s production doesn't help).
SO 80s. But man, there are a couple banger tacks on this album and most of the rest is a fun listen. The mix Spotify played after this was also gold.
Not my kind of pop, but 3 stars just for Sledgehammer and that emulated shakuhachi
So so. 6/10
I can hear my mom singing Red Rain. Lots of nostalgia here. Probably 3.5 rounded down to 3.
This is a gem. One of the earlier CDs I would have bought. It came out right about when you turned one, Mags. The video for Sledgehammer played all the time on MTV, and that was fun to catch. So many great songs here, even the lesser known ones (like This is the Picture) are fine. And Kate Bush!! We saw him live in 1986 in Worcester MA. As I recall vaguely, the concert was no great shakes. He just stood there and sings — plus some older Genesis tunes I don’t love.
“Sledgehammer” and “in your eyes” are classics. I thought the rest was a little dated and thought him growling “EXCELLENT BIRDS” was silly.
Großartig!
I can’t fully explain why, but it kind of feels like this album is talking down to me.
Really nice. Surprised me
A really good album, I liked Sledgehammer and We Do What We're Told. But my absolute favorite song on the album is Mercy Street.
I was born after 1982 (not much after) so this would not be on my list.
não gosto desse estilo
I like this album. It's good. This is just a nice 80s pop album. I like Peter Gabriel's singing. It's kind of hard to explain why I like it, but I do. Of course, there are guest singers as well, and they all do great. More albums should just have Kate Bush in them for a song. The sound is great. The synths and other instruments are awesome. There's a good balance between fun time and serious time. Speaking of which, the writing is nice. You have some fun, less serious songs like the classic "Sledgehammer" balanced out by a more romantic track like "In Your Eyes". There's good emotion all throughout. This isn't like a perfect album or anything. I mean, there's a reason why it lost Album of the Year to Paul Simon's Graceland. The reason is that Graceland is a better album (in my opinion). However, that doesn't make So a bad album. This album's really good. I absolutely see the appeal. 4/5.
Peter Gabriel captures magic in a bottle here - pure sonic bliss!
50 minutes of clanks, bangs, whips and just utter garbage. The only thing worse than a Peter Gabriel album is a Phil Collins album
The album contains his megahits "Red Rain", "Sledgehammer", "Don't Give Up" and "Big Time"! The other weaker numbers in this cost him the five stars for me.
Theme
Perfect album.
soft vibes
Not a fan of Peter Gabriel
I was very pleasantly surprised by this album. It's quite beautiful.
Con So en 1986 Peter Gabriel accedió al gran público en gran medida gracias a su sencillo más popular, número uno en las listas de éxito y uno de sus temas más escuchados hasta la fecha: "Sledgehammer". Un tema soul-pop influido, según el propio Gabriel, por la antigua música de los sellos Stax y Atlantic, en el que se aprecia un sonido procedente del funk-rock, y con un contenido alegre y metafórico (evidente en ocasiones) referido a actos sexuales. Me gusta mucho el arranque del disco con "Red Rain", quizás por su sonido evocador de Genesis o por su contenido introspectivo a propósito de sentirse superado por un cúmulo de emociones. Pero el disco tiene mucho más: "Big Time", otro estupendo tema bailable y crítico con el materialismo y el egocentrismo de quienes se creen grandes; el extraordinario dúo con Kate Bush, "Don't Give Up", dedicado a los desempleados en una época, los 80, marcada por los ajustes thatcherianos; o la estupenda canción de amor "In Your Eyes". Personalmente, y más allá de su inclusión en la banda sonora de Philadelphia, siempre me ha gustado mucho "Mercy Street". Se trata de un tema repleto de humanidad, inspirado en la vida y la obra de la escritora Anne Sexton, que se suicidó cuando tenía 45 años.
my art pop could be anything…….including peter gabriel apparently….. this was actually pretty groovy and i liked it more than i expected but still. why does all 80s music have to sound Like That. i find it so repulsive. even the best of it sounds like there’s a gross sticky residue smothering everything underneath it.
I really didn’t want to listen to that. I think I only listened to the first 2/3. Even a Kate bush feature couldnt save this
Incredible album. Red Rain Sledge Hammer Don't Give Up (Duet with Kate Bush) That Voice Again Big Time (featuring Tiny Levin's funk fingers (mini drum sticks to play bass guitar)) In Your Eyes
Honestly have never been a fan of Genesis, Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins etc. was hoping I would enjoy this after not listening to the whole album for ages. Three stars as there are many hits. Just not my thing though.
I’ve not been a big Peter Gabriel fan, but this is probably his best work.
This is about as good as Peter Gabriel has ever got — and So can sit with any of his best material. It's about as good as pop in the 80s got, for that matter.
I was sold by the time Kate Bush shows up. A very epic/beautiful 80's singer songwriter record. In the vein of Bruce Hornsby, Kate Bush (as mentioned, she shows up), former bandmate Phil Collins as well. I think I heard the Needle Drop's Anthony Fantano say, in modern music, Bon Iver essentially worships Peter Gabriel and I see it more and more I dive into this record. The first 3 tracks are definitely all bangers. I also enjoy mercy street, we do what we're told, and in your eyes. It's everything cheesy and great about 80's music/culture embodied in one album. Definitely worth a listen.
1. I love Peter Gabriel and 2. You cannot just put Kate Bush AND Laurie Anderson on the same album and not expect me to love it.
Quite outstanding 4.6
today I do not want to bother listening to this long enough to see whether it's a 3 rounding up or a 2. life is so short life: lived. ( -_-)
Mostly not my thing, but easy enough to understand it being someone else’s thing. This is a round up, only because I’ve given some recent 2s to records that I liked significantly less than this one. I wonder how Phil Collins records will stack up against this.
There are definitely some iconic 80s pop tracks on this album that do most of the heavy lifting, but there are numerous lengthy tracks that are more like drawn-out chants to me than songs. Maybe as an artist in Gabriel feels more of the need to experiment more with the synth jams, but from a listener perspective, the poppier hits are what draw me in more. Overall, not a terrible album because of the handful of catchy tunes, but the record as a whole didn't compel me to delve into more than just the hits. Notable Tracks: - Red Rain - Sledgehammer - Big Time - In Your Eyes 5/10
"Don't Give Up" is a masterpiece, I feel the rest of the album was a musical theatre piece. None of it would have gone amiss in the west end I'm sure! Just a bit big and bland for my tastes.
I think this might be the best album by Peter Gabriel, although the bar is really high. It's one of the most accessible records, but still very artistic and innovative. One of my favourites on this list.
not that great and short album
The fusion side of the album was fantastic. However, what brought the album from a 4 to a 3 for me was this: I listened to it five times. Initially, I would have rated it a 5, but with each listen, it seemed to lose some of its appeal. Despite that, the great thing about the album is that there isn't a single bad or mediocre track. Every song is either good or great. My favorites were 'Red Rain' and 'In Your Eyes,' with the latter standing out especially because of the collaboration with Youssou N'Dour.
Sledgehammer slaps for eternity.
I knew the hits but the rest is as good
Nothing excited me with this album
Finally! Arguably the best Gabriel album, certainly my favorite. I think my first memory of this album is listening to it in California as we drove around to Disney and Legoland back in the day. Dad would play these on repeat and continuously play sledgehammer and big time to act out the bits at the beginning “higher” and the flute. On top of that you’ve got Red Rain, Don’t Give Up, and That Voice Again. And lest we forget In Your Eyes, which I’m sure he loved because of Say Anything. Perfect album to end the week on.