Peter Gabriel

The first track sounded about as proggy as expected, so the rest of the album came as something of a surprise! Enjoyed the variety, and the Randy Newman impressions... Fave track - gotta be "Solsbury Hill" - it's an order of magnitude better than everything else on the album. Plus, I just rewatched Vanilla Sky...

A pretty good debut, solo album. Clearly, Peter was trying to find a sound, and I think it’s obvious that it’s songs like “Solsbury Hill.“

I admire Peter Gabriel's artistic vision and achievements very much, but his debut solo album is a huge scrambling mess saved only by the excellent 'Solsbury Hill' and the mysterious 'Here Comes the Flood' (one of my favorite songs).

A rather incohesive collection of overly eccentric songs. Lucky for us, Peter Gabriel's solo music improved vastly as his career progressed. Let's just say I wouldn't have picked this particular album of his into this list.

Well this didn't stand the test of time. I've never listened to the full album before and was profoundly disappointed. There is, of course, Solsbury Hill, and a few other listenable tunes. But half the album seemed to be some kind of fever dream where he mashed up elements of ELO, Styx, and Meatloaf into an unholy sound. I never expected to give this album such a low score. Scale: 5 - My absolute favorites. 4 - Albums I like. 3 - I enjoyed listening to it but wouldn't seek it out. 2 - Didn't like. 1 - Absolute shit.

Because The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway didn’t have enough pompous excess, Peter Gabriel opens his first solo record with one of the most ridiculous song titles to ever get printed on a record jacket: “Moribund the Burgermeister” After the fantastic “Solsbury Hill”, Gabriel decides he’s a sexpot of sorts and turns in some truly lecherous metaphors on “Modern Love”: “I trusted my Venus was untouched in her shell But the pearls and the balls in her oysters were tacky as hell” and “Hey, I worship Diana by the light of the moon When I pull out my pipe she scream out of tune” He follows that up with obnoxious music hall cabaret (Excuse Me) and, later, an overwrought blues romp (Waiting the Big One). You really get it all on Gabriel’s 1977 self-titled, and by “it all” I mean “a few great songs and a bunch of stuff that probably should have been left on the cutting room floor”. It’s all well executed, but lacks what I’d call “consistency”. Kind of a “let’s throw everything at the way and see what sticks” vibe here and the end result is just ok.

This album is all over the place. So many different sounding songs. I don't hate any of them, but don't really love any of them either. 3/5

I've heard of Peter Gabriel and I'm sure I know some of his bigger hits, so I was quite excited to get this album. I was actually kind of disappointed when I listened to it. The music wasn't horrid or abrasive, I just couldn't easily get into it. Seeing that this was his first album, I'm still excited to check out the rest of his discography and maybe even give this one another try.

The more i listen to it, the problems i initial detect start to disappear and each track has some mood or meaning that fits in the whole. Even the quirky Excuse Me i've begun to appreciate. The tracks are interesting, lyrically and musically. I'm fully engaged.

Huge, bombastic, and filled with variety, you can definitely tell we are coming fresh off the heels of Genesis here (not to mention the touches from King Crimson members in the studio). Just great art pop/art rock all around, I think this just barely slides into 5 stars for me.

10/10 oh boy, to think a debut album can be this perfect blows my mind

Listen to the album on December 26, 2023. Really enjoyed most of the album especially Fripp on guitar.

I was surprised how little I liked this album. Don't think he found his voice yet. 2 🌟

Loved it.

Solsbury hill. Fantastic. Modern love. Pretty good.

very ahead of its time. love moriband the burgermeister

i kind of loved it? hadn’t heard any of the songs but solisbury hill, and that banged, but i didn’t realize it would be so weird. gonna check out more peter gabriel now

I really like it!!! It's great!!

This was a good album. I found a couple of the songs a bit strange but it certainly had a few good ones. Favourite: Solsbury Hill

cool

Haven’t heard this one before, I’ve only listened to So. But I really enjoyed the unique instrumentation and songwriting on this one. Looking forward to listening again.

Ok, this unexpectedly ruled. I've heard Solsbury Hill before but wasn't expecting the rest to be so good. I think I'm gonna give it a 5/5!

The fifth star is for solsbury hill

What an intriguing album. Weirder songs like the Bürgermeister one and the barber shop one, combined with songs that are very grandeur and pompous. The "weirder" songs kinda disrupt the flow of the album, but the other songs are good enough to give this 5 stars. Likely an album that grows on you with each listen

Just an amazing ride from beginning to end. It has Genesis, Pink Floyd and David Bowie vibes, in a great run time, with dynamic production and vibrant songwriting that keeps you engaged and not knowing what will come next. And of course, one of the best songs ever in Solsbury Hill.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Solsbury Hill!!! Love that song. Rest of album equally good.

Lots going on here. Some of it brilliant, all of it interesting and none of it bad. Rock, folk, blues, disco, prog. It does feel a little bit like he’s searching for his genre as a solo artist. A few tracks remind me of other big hits, but a little bit of research shows me they were all made after this came out. I was on the fence for a 4 or a 5 but Solsbury Hill really resonates with me right now. I had this album over a weekend and listened maybe 5-6 times and could happily listen again to find more going on. So full marks it is.

I was so torn between giving this one 4 or 5 stars that I gave it a second, consecutive spin. My appreciation grew a bit more on the second spin, so here we are. As a solo effort, the scope and vision of this album are extremely impressive - as is the variety. The tracks on the first side of the album don't even really sound like they're from the same band. A bit more consistency would have been nice here. In general, I like the first side (4 stars) a bit less than the second (5 stars). Whereas the first side contains more psychedelia and folk influences, the second side is more clearly progressive hard rock. The exception is the fantastic Solsbury Hill. Gabriel seems to have taken all of what he liked most about Genesis and given it a bit of personal spin - adding some inspiration from Pink Floyd into the mix (not that that's ever a bad thing). Definitely enjoyed this one. Highlights: Solsbury Hill, Waiting For The Big One, Here Comes The Flood

I love Peter Gabriel.

never heard of him but he seems good

Amazing. Very theatrical. Never listened to before but will need to give another listen.

My first PG album experiences as a middle schooler from my cool older sister. Wonderful bonding with this album. Sadly the commercially successful SO album was quite divergent and a bit of a let down. I haven’t heard this in years. So glad I’m listening to these- new hood ones, old loves, and sure- some I hate.

Sounds like Pink Floyd and Randy Newman were forced to write a musical together with no discernable theme, for a vocalist who has a range far beyond their capabilities. Peter Gabriel is a true iconoclast, and while I enjoy his work with Genesis, his solo records are where he really shines as an artist. He is an out of the box thinker on the level of Brian Eno or Robert Wyatt, who is able to create truly original music unbound by any sort of genre conventions or commercial sensibilities. He follows his muse wherever it takes him, shape shifting wildly from song to song, yet somehow the production feels aesthetically consistent and fluid. He always takes you on a rollercoaster ride, with all manner of ups and downs along the way, but in the end I'm left feeling exhilarated.

gostei

5 but I was tripping. Will listen again

I had a friend in high school and college who was a huge fan of Peter Gabriel, so even though I couldn’t recall listening to this album as soon as I heard it I recognized every song. I appreciate it more now than I did then. Great album!

Continuing an excellent week. You could tell me that this album was from any decade and I'd believe it. There's not much here that screams 1977. Loved it.

Although I had never listened to this album, I somehow knew from the first few bars that I would love it. I mean, it does have my favorite Peter Gabriel tune, but also it just sounded cool.

Really quite enjoyable and interesting! There were times I thought it was Randy Newman, but that added to the delightfully unexpected beyond the classic "Solsbury Hill."

переменчивый и вроде приятный напомнил одного друга

Great album, great instrumentation, and great flow

Peter Gabriel is a genius. I love everything he's ever done.

I'm a huge fan, this is a great record, and I'm slightly surprised to only see three Gabriel albums on the list, but it is what it is. I will give it a four in the interest of not having multiple fives from an artist with only three albums on the list. On the other hand listening to it, I could certainly argue a nine out of ten, there are a few absolute all time classic tunes on this record, for sure. LOL from looking at my ratings so far, I think this has to get a five, given what else has gotten a five.

his first after Genesis, great album!

I own this already, first rate stuff. Released the year I graduated HS.Gabriel is genius.

Love Peter Gabriel

I actually really liked this one. Had a lot of variety.

Another good one. Definitely some disco influence here. Listened to his 2nd, 3rd and 4th after this one today. Amazing progression.

Really good, i now notuice how often solsbury hill is played on radiostations

This is the most British-ass thing I am giving five stars, except for all the other Genesis albums I’m going to give five stars.

I bought this album at a flea market long before his sledgehammer days, so this was my introduction to his unique style. It was only later than I learned he was part of the early Genesis albums. He's one of those guys that the more you listen the better it gets. I love this album more for nostalgic reasons, but it is still a fantastic album. Standouts (5/5): Salisbury Hill, Moribund the Burgermeister, Modern Love, Excuse Me, Humdrum, Down The Dolce Vita, Here Comes The Flood. 4/5: Slowburn, Waiting For the Big One. 4.5

An amazing album with experimental sections and Variety. Will listen to again

Classic. Love this album. 4.5

Missing some of my favorite Peter Gabriel songs, but it probably is the most consistently awesome solo work of his. The opener kicks off and is somehow all at once both full of nervous tension and full bodied. "Modern Love" is a great organ fueled rocker. "Excuse Me" has the camp and circumstance, balanced by "Humdrum". Even the stylistically varied numbers like "Slowburn" and "Down in the Dolce Vita" still sound hooky and compact, with the former managing to touch on nearly every sound across the album in under 4 minutes. I had first heard the epic closer "Here Comes the Flood" on Robert Fripp's "Exposure" album (in a more subdued... Fripp-y version), so hearing this take was as startling as it was emphatic.

An excellent first outing for the former lead vocalist of Genesis. This would be the predicting venture for his future projects!

Wonderful debut album !

The soundtrack to a musical that's not yet been written. Interesting gear changes, dramatic build-ups, thematic lyrics. * further research reveals that Gabriel contemplated using "Here Comes The Flood" in a rock opera. I'm genuinely sad that it hasn't happened yet. Is it possible to be nostalgic for something that doesn't exist, that you never even knew was a possibility until five minutes ago?

C’mon… It’s Peter Gabriel.

Peter Gabriel is awesome and I had no idea. This album goes all over the place and most of it is really good. I'm torn over which is my favorite between Moribund the Burgermeister, Waiting for the Big One, and Down the Dolce Vita. Each song is wildly different and going to track to track is like a grab bag of cool ideas. If you like your songs to connect, this might not work well for you, but I aas looking forward to where esch track would go. Cool stuff.

This was a very interesting listen. Genre wise it's all over the place but that kind of works for me. I knew Solsbury Hills right away but I honestly never knew who that was by or what the name of the song was. I greatly enjoyed this album. To me it was very ahead of it's time on certain songs. For example I always thought Solsbury Hills was an 80s song. Other songs have more of a timeless sense to me. This will definitely be something I relisten to. I waffle between 4 and 5 while listening to it but whenever I hear Here Comes The Flood at the end I want to make it a 5. I can quickly tell that's going to become a favorite of mine.

I forgot how much I love this album! I think listening to it in the context of this challenge and the other albums that were around at the time, makes me love it even more. I'm a massive Peter Gabriel fan and love how diverse his music can be. I much prefer his work around so, us and up, but this album is such an important part of his journey and was at such a pivotal time in his life, that it has to be a 5!!!!

Didn’t remember this being here, I love this album. Coming fresh from Genesis, the music is a cross between those complex theatrical compositions and the artsy pop he would transition into making. Makes for a unique combination, backed up by the fact that the album is filled to the brim with bangers!! ”Waiting For The Big One” is the only weak cut and unfortunately the longest, but besides that it’s just classics and hidden gems. With this I believe that Peter Gabriel is in total my highest rated artist on this site

Uskomattomia versoja nousee kuolleeksi hakatun proge soundin puutarhasta..

Great music and great lyrics.

Among the best debuts ever recorded (although of course there's no small cheat since PG had a big head start with Genesis). Every track is great in its own right and no two songs are alike ... from the prog weirdness of "Moribund..." to the masterpiece of the odd-timing "Solisbury Hill" to the grand finale of "Here Comes The Flood" (I quite prefer this big production as opposed to his self-remakes of the song in later years with minimal instrumentation). I even like the murky 70s mix/production overall - just fits the mysterious vibe. One of my all-time favourite albums, nothing to critique here. 10/10 5 stars.

Absolutely fantastic album. Love Peter Gabriel

Peter just beginning to find his voice as a solo artist! One of my top lp’s of all time!

Solsbury Hill is amazing.

So good

I am a simple human. I see Peter Gabriel, I am happy. It feels like a warm hug of nostalgia enveloping me, even though I was born way after these albums were released. Peter is my all-time favorite solo artist, so I might be a bit biased here, but I just love this album. He's figuring out his style after leaving Genesis, so there are many different sounding tracks on this album, but every piece is just great. His voice has a gravely tone that is so unique and captivating. I especially like Solsbury Hill (a pop song in 7/4, that perfect mix of pop catchiness and prog nuance to keep me interested), Here Comes the Flood, Slowburn, Down the Dolce Vita, and Modern Love. The full orchestral sections mixed with a funky driving rock beat really get me. I'm also a sucker for anything with Tony Levin or Robert Fripp. I hope his other solo work is on this list!

Fantastic

Great.

Prefs: Moribund the Burgermeister, Solsbury Hill, Humdrum, Down the Dolce Vita, Here Comes The Flood Moins pref: Waiting for the Big One

Liked this. Very odd

I didn't expect this to be good but I was surprised. I enjoyed it. I really liked Excuse Me and Waiting for the Big One.

Very like his work in Genesis, showing how much control he had in the band. Solisbury Hill is far and away the best known (and probably with good reason) but the album as a whole is pretty consistent.

Most tracks have a good intro, great riff, and interesting detailing. But the vocal parts lack tension; even when the song is not upbeat on the surface, it just sounds like they have all the answers, so there is no reason for me to care. So I would classify this as a solid nostalgic 70s rock album, but not a timeless classic.

More ‘prog rock’ than I would have expected and pretty polished for a first solo album, reflecting years of prior work with Genesis. Insightful lyrics re: the human condition that are typical of his other work. Big vibe change between the pop single and the other tracks - sound like different albums.

Never heard of him, realy good album, I liked it.

Not bad. Might be willing to listen to again but won't specifically seek it out.

got it since it came out

Good

Awesome

Highlight: Here Comes The Flood

Good album. Solid instrumental and good vocals. Were some parts that weakend songs but I enjoyed.

Awesome album. Some weird tracks but enjoyable. Humdrum, slow burn, down the dolce, solsberry hill

Stunning, lovely stuff. Solsbury HIll is a modern classic.

Yes

Gets better towards the end. Overall very enjoyable.

dis shit NOICE. Peter gabriel progboy goat genesis GANG. solsbury hill makes me wanna go on a ketamine bender. swing your dick and balls mr gabriel because you were ahead of your time with this one. sadly Phil Collins is the better musician. Minus one star. solid debut from an influential king

Gotta Love Solsbuty Hill, of course. The rest of the album feels a bit abstract, but still fun

Perfect blend of badass amazing shit and annoying bollocks

Solid album from the og drummer from Genesis

I had never listened to this album but knew his music, good stuff.

I was never a big fan of Genesis, or any post-Genesis bands or projects, so Peter Gabriel was fairly anonymous for me before listening to his first solo album. My first impression was that the first two songs are fairly underwhelming. By a quick research I found that "Solsbury Hill" is a well-liked single from this album, but I really found it boring and uneventful. Nothing that would excite me, both in the Gabriel's singing and in the musical layer. When moving into the second part of the self titled record, I actually realised how good this is. "Humdrum" and "Slowburn" were a really fun songs, but the best comes at the end, with "Waiting for the Big One" and "Here Comes the Flood". Very nice and not obvious compositions, heavily influenced by progressive rock, with a lot of tempo changes. Interesting solos, piano at the last track and great singing made those two a great songs. I was curious of who was the main creator of the album. Gabriel was the writer of all of the songs, but the music was created by Robert Fripp and Tony Levin, both known from King Crimson, which explains quite a lot. It might be my subconscious, but last few songs on the album, and "Waiting for the Big One" especially, could be easily added to Crimson's discography and no one would notice that there is something wrong. To sum up, I am positively surprised with this album. As far as I know later records are a little bit more pop than alt/prog rock, but going on a trip into Genesis albums and early Phil Collins should be very pleasant. Possibly even on this list!

Peter Gabriel's first solo record starts with 'Moribund the Burgermeister' that still contains quite a bit of the Genesis atmosphere of 'Lamb', but with the beautiful 'Solsbury Hill' Gabriel takes a different path. A perfect pop song with great lyrics and a catchy melody. Next song is the Bowie-like rocker 'Modern Love' makes it clear that this is going to be a varied album. When we continue in a kind of vaudeville style song with the somewhat strange 'Excuse Me' we are going all over the place. Together with Side B's 'Slowburn' and 'Waiting For The Big One' these are the songs on the album that drag it down from a superb debut. The songs feel too much all over the place. Closer 'Here Comes the Flood' is once again a brilliant song, and therefore a nice end to a fine solo debut. The stripped-down version of that song on 'Shaking the Tree' is also very worthwhile.

This album didn't make a huge impression on me, but it was consistently good. It's an interesting look at the interim period between the prog rock Peter Gabriel of Genesis and the pop start Peter Gabriel that I grew up with 4/5

The first half of the album was very interesting, unusual and creative songwriting. It has a few low points but an entertaining listen throughout

Weird as fuck but really good