Reviews (page 4 of 8)
Not my taste
Solisbury Hill is great. The rest is pretty forgettable. I don't think PG complete forgot his prog background for this one. 2/5
Salisbury Hill is such an amazing song
Great album, but going to knock it a bit for Waiting for the big one - a bit boring and went on too long.
It was quite interesting listening and reminded me of my childhood, when I had only my father or grandpa’s cassettes to listen to The Beatles or other 60-70s music bands.
Some good stuff but I worldly go out of my way to listen
Not my favorite PG--but I had forgotten how jazzy it is! Also, Solsbury is an all-time banger.
Peter Gabriel is one of the great discoveries I've made thanks to this site. It's a pleasure to hear from him once again. 5 stars.
Alot of these tracks start with some amazing keys/synth work and then it just falls away as fast as it began. Thats a bummer. Solsbury hill is a classic but thats the only recognizable track here for me. Down the dolce vita has some good getup going on but its really the only other track that left any impression. The rest of it went in one ear and out the other. Fine enough record but on the less memorable side for sure.
Fun and eclectic album with excellent production. 4/ 5
One good song
This firts Gabriel's album is full of hymns of incredible beauty. My favs are Here comes the flood and Solsbury Hill.
I preferred Peter Gabriel's solo work over his tenure with Genesis, and this was a good start.
Knocking on three stars but no one answered. Each song overstays its welcome but has moments I really like. He’s no Bowie or Phil Collins.
Liked it. Perfect review
What a cool album! I knew Solsbury Hill, of course, but the rest is awesome too. I wish music nowadays had the same sense of inventiveness.
it was instrumentally interesting at times but then the rest was aahhhh
Enjoyable but a bit much at times. Probably won’t come back but will enjoy Solsbury Hill when I hear it. 3.5
I like his album "So" but out side of Solesbury Hill this one didn't do much for me
Like everything he ever did it’s not bad, just ranges from a little weird to outright bizarre.
meh, 2 stars
I really don't even know what to say. He sounds like Phil Collins but the album was so far out there.
Solsbury Hill is one of my favorite songs, but overall, this album is 3.5 stars good. He got better.
Peter Gabrielle is so bleh to me. But so are most British art school weenies
Strange listen. 3-4 songs were absolute gems. Walking down by the lake in the fall weather was super fun listening to this album. Very prog and somewhat jarring at times. Salisbury Hill is a treat of a song. 3/5 stars.
Solsbury Hill is the standout here. Everything else is just okay. 3/5
Solsbury Hill is an all-time banger, nothing else on the album comes close. There are a lot of different genres here and I find that interesting, even though some of them are pretty weird. This is right on the edge of a 3 and 4, I guess I can give it a slight bump. Low 4.
a bit all over the place, yet sounds amazing. the first 2 tracks weren’t my thing, but the others…. were great
Never trust an album named after the artist. 3.
In depth review of Peter Gabriel’s *Car* (1977) ------------------------------------------------ **Overview** Released in February 1977, *Car* is the first of four eponymous albums that Gabriel insists should be read like “issues of a magazine.” Recorded in Toronto with Bob Ezrin (Alice Cooper, Pink Floyd, Kiss) at the helm, it is the sound of a 26-year-old deliberately dismantling his Genesis mythology while still too unsure of his solo voice to fully trust it. The result is a kaleidoscopic, often bombastic set that lurches from vaudeville blues to symphonic art-rock, held together by Gabriel’s already unmistakable baritone and a new-found gift for concise, emotional melody. --- ### 1. Lyrics – “Stories, puns and the first cracks in the mask” Gabriel’s Genesis lyrics were baroque fantasy novellas; on *Car* he keeps the surrealism but adds diary-level candour. - **Solsbury Hill** – A 7/4 folk song that doubles as the most graceful break-up letter in prog history. The imagery (“I walked right out of the machinery”) is personal yet universal, turning Gabriel’s exit from Genesis into an everyman epiphany about risk and self-determination . - **Here Comes the Flood** – A post-apocalyptic flood wipes away technology and ego, leaving only shared consciousness. Gabriel later complained Ezrin’s orchestral tsunami “over-egged” the song, but the lyric’s central plea – “Don’t be afraid to cry at what you see” – survives any amount of strings . - **Moribund the Burgermeister** – Cartoon-Gothic tale of a medieval mayor confronting St. Vitus’ Dance. The character voices and plague imagery are pure Genesis fan-service, strategically placed as track 1 to reassure migrants from the mothership . - **Humdrum** – A wry, self-deprecating look at domesticity (“I’ve been far too long in your arms”). It’s the first time Gabriel writes about ordinary adult fear rather than mythic escapism. - **Excuse Me** – A barbershop-quartet send-up of stalker-love, complete with tuba and falsetto “doo-wops”. Some hear misogyny; others hear Monty Python. Either way, it’s the album’s most polarising lyric. - **Modern Love / Slowburn / Waiting for the Big One** – A triptych of relationship anxiety cast as hard-rock swagger, slow-burn erotica and bluesy stand-up comedy. The one-liners (“Modern love can be a strain”) are deliberately banal, almost proto-PC Music in their anti-poetry . **Verdict**: The writing is split between the fantastical past and the uncertain present; when the two collide (*Here Comes the Flood*) Gabriel produces his first truly timeless solo lyric. --- ### 2. Music – “Prog heart, pop lungs, blues knees” Gabriel’s stated brief to Ezrin was “make it sound nothing like Genesis.” The solution was to graft his complex instincts onto American rock muscle. - **Odd meters made organic** – *Solsbury Hill*’s 7/4 feels like walking downhill; the beat is clipped yet breezy, proving Gabriel had absorbed McCartney’s lesson that sophistication works only when it swings. - **Orchestral maximalism** – Ezrin hires the London Symphony for the last two tracks. *Down the Dolce Vita* shifts from Copland-style fanfare to disco-rock in 6/8, a transition so audacious it either thrillingly collapses or collapses thrillingly depending on your tolerance for theatrical excess . - **Guitar foil** – Ezrin brings two Lou Reed alumni: Steve Hunter (icy, melodic leads on *Slowburn*) and Dick Wagner (heroic solo on *Here Comes the Flood*). Their blues-rock vocabulary drags Gabriel away from Hackett’s pastoral arpeggios toward something more urban and abrasive. - **Keys & synthetics** – Larry Fast’s polymoog and mellotron add alien sheen to *Moribund…*, while Roy Bittan’s piano gives *Humdrum* a laconic, almost Springsteen-like intimacy. - **Vocal performance** – Gabriel already manipulates his voice as an instrument: the Burgermeister’s guttural growl, the falsetto croon on *Excuse Me*, the gospel exhortation at the climax of *Flood*. It’s a master-class in character acting without masks or fox heads. --- ### 3. Production – “Cathedral bombast vs. intimate confession” Bob Ezrin’s trademark is widescreen drama; Gabriel’s is claustrophobic intimacy. The tension defines *Car*. - **Layered density** – Up to 80 tracks of orchestra, choir, guitars and synths were bounced down to 24-track tape. The result is a wall of sound that can obscure nuance (Gabriel’s lifelong complaint about *Flood*) . - **Dry close-miked vocals** – Gabriel’s voice is almost always front-and-centre, double-tracked but not bathed in reverb, a choice that keeps the lyrics legible even when the arrangement balloons. - **Spatial trickery** – Eno-style tape loops flutter under *Moribund…*; reverse-reverb piano swells announce the tidal wave in *Flood*. These psychedelic touches soften Ezrin’s otherwise brick-like mix. - **Dynamic range** – The album was cut hot for 1977 vinyl; recent 2015 half-speed remaster retrieves transient detail and reveals how carefully Ezrin carved frequency space for the orchestra. --- ### 4. Themes – “Escape, apocalypse and the terror of normality” Running beneath the stylistic whiplash are three linked anxieties: 1. **Autonomy vs. belonging** – *Solsbury Hill* celebrates walking away; *Waiting for the Big One* dreads being left behind. 2. **Cosmic cleansing** – Water obliterates ego in *Here Comes the Flood*; plague erases social order in *Moribund…* 3. **Performance of masculinity** – From the chest-beating rocker of *Modern Love* to the self-mocking sap of *Excuse Me*, Gabriel interrogates male archetypes he once played in Genesis costumes. --- ### 5. Influence & Legacy - **Short-term** – *Solsbury Hill* becomes Gabriel’s first solo hit, charting higher than any Genesis single in the UK and providing the template for 80s adult-alternative (see: Crowded House, Talk Talk). - **Long-term** – The album’s genre-blend and world-music flirtations (check the modal flute line on *Solsbury*) foreshadow Gabriel’s Real World aesthetic. - **Covers** – *Solsbury* is reinterpreted by artists as varied as Erasure, Neil Finn and Justin Timberlake (live). *Here Comes the Flood* becomes a piano-vocal set-piece for every Gabriel tour; stripped versions appear on Robert Fripp’s *Exposure* and Kate Bush’s 1979 TV special, cementing its reputation as the “author’s preferred” reading. - **Critical ranking** – Often rated the “weakest” of the first four PG albums, yet tracks from it still anchor Gabriel’s live shows 45 years on – a testament to the durability of its peaks. --- ### Pros & Cons at a Glance | Pros | Cons | |------|------| | Contains two unimpeachable classics (*Solsbury Hill*, *Here Comes the Flood*) that justify the price of admission alone. | Inconsistent tone: lurching from barbershop parody to symphonic apocalypse can feel like channel-surfing. | | Gabriel’s voice never sounded more elastic; the character-work hints at the theatricality he’ll perfect on later tours. | Ezrin’s maximalism occasionally swallows nuance – Gabriel himself disowns the over-produced *Flood*. | | Lyrics begin the shift from prog-fantasy to personal-political, mapping the psychic cost of leaving a successful band. | Side-two rockers (*Modern Love*, *Slowburn*) are competent but generic; the riffs could be any mid-70s AOR act. | | Strong supporting cast (Fripp, Fast, Levin, Hunter) seeds the band that will define Gabriel’s 80-90s sound. | *Excuse Me* is either charmingly eccentric or unforgivably twee – no middle ground. | | Historical importance: proves that art-rock frontmen can survive and even thrive outside their mother-ships, paving the way for Collins, Hogarth, Wilson et al. | Not the ideal entry point for newcomers – *Melt* or *So* offer a more coherent portrait of Gabriel’s solo identity. | --- ### Bottom Line *Car* is the sound of an artist blowing up his old band’s blueprint and rifling through the rubble for new parts. The album’s schizophrenia – part confession, part vaudeville, part cathedral – is exactly what makes it fascinating. Its missteps are audible, but so is the exhilaration of freedom. Without this messy rebirth there is no *Biko*, no *Sledgehammer*, no *Secret World*. *Car* is not Peter Gabriel’s greatest solo record; it is the necessary first chapter that makes all the others possible.
Solid solo debut. Solsbury Hill is an all time PG tune. 3.5
Mostly unimpressed with Pete Gabriel. Just alright 80's rock sounds, but I was entertained by the song about being left alone
As far as I know Boris didn't do Here Comes The Flood in Flood but I bet they would've done it better It was fine. A bit glam-rocky and I'm not really into that
Okay
How can I not give this a four at a minimum with all time Peter Gabriel classics like "Solsbury Hill" and "Here Comes the Flood"? Other favorites: "Modern Love" and "Down the Dulce Vita"
Very bold to go solo after so much success with Genesis. This recording has so many different beautiful elements. Here comes the flood still gives me a chill, it is an incredible song
It's very surprising. The album that has such a great song as Solsbury Hill is completely uninteresting otherwise.
I just do not get into Peter Gabriel.
Ganz cool
Such a solid album, so close between a 4 and a 5. I think I’m going with a 5, I’m intrigued and want to give it another good listen. One of the first outside of Radiohead that makes me want to go for that. The vocals and instruments are so great.
“Solsbury Hill” and 8 other songs that dont sound like "Solsbury Hill". I'm glad he realized "Oh my music should sound like that"
Like his other this mostly comes off as a jumbled mash of song styles that don’t flow well together. “Solsbury Hill” was great though.
I wanted to like this so much more than I did, but some of the songs were just goofy and the overall vibe just did not do it for me.
Très surprenant
For a first album this was decent but Gabriel certainly has much better.
Becoming a bigger fan of him but this was not his prime music but it was still solid
It started off pretty good and then kinda just got weirder, and then it started to really drag, and then it was just kinda boring towards the end. He has better stuff (like So).
really not sure what to say about this album. every track was different & certainly wasn't a boring listen. but did just feel all over the place. and no idea how Solsbury Hill even fits into this album-absolutely amazing track
It turns out I'm a bigger Peter Gabriel fan than I had known, but even I gotta take a step back and ask if we need to celebrate every record of his (as the curators of this list would seem to want us to do). A solid start to the solo career but only four stars for me and for his oeuvre. And at the risk of making a reference to fans referring to this record informally as "Car," it turns out he had a lot more in the tank artistically.
Some great tracks, but some I would give a negative score if I could!
solsbury hill used to be a staple song in my house!
(3) bit weird bit creepy bit good
Better than expected. I guess I just hate Phil Collins. Worth a relisten.
I'm a little embarrassed that it took me more than one album from Peter Gabriel to realize that this is the guy from Genesis. I was like, "I swear I've heard this voice before," the whole way through. This album feels like a little more "artsy" pop rock. I don't know how to describe it. It's obviously not as simple as pop rock and pays a lot more attention to instruments, aiming for more variety through somewhat unique composition. And I enjoyed it more than an average pop rock album because of that. But it still mainly focuses on vocals (which I don't like that much) and tries to be more accessible. I feel like something is missing, but I don't really know what exactly. 7/10
I thought I liked him better than what I heard on this album. Songs were all over the place. Averaged out to a 3. Favorite song was Here Comes the Flood.
There are many better songs in the universe than Salisbury Hill and Peter Gabriel absolutely belongs on this list but not this album. It’s transitional there’s some great songs, but I would’ve gone with the third album security or so before I would pick this one.
I was disappointed in this album. About every second song was fantastic, but a lot of the other ones were pretty meh IMO. I also felt like it didn't cohere that well. Definitely not writing off Peter Gabriel, some of those songs were awesome, but I don't think this one is for me.
This album is kind of rollercoaster. Solsbury hill is unassailable. Here comes the Flood is great. As an album it’s a bit incoherent.
I think it's good though it didn't inspire reverence
This art rock album is strikingly eclectic, with sharp guitar riffs, moody keyboards, and dynamic percussion shaping atmospheric arrangements that shift between angular intensity and brooding introspection, while the vocals deliver a theatrical mix of urgency, vulnerability, and sly detachment. Unfortunately this falls apart as an album for me although it has interesting parts.
What even is this… no way not happening!
for some reason peter gabriel to me is like if elliott smith had a happy childhood. great album
I love PG but this album is pretty varied
Peter Gabriel!!! I never owned this but loved every song.. so then it was on to “Melt” then “So”!!! He is so talented… I’m going to listen to his whole discography !!!4 stars
Another album where one song is just just so much more well known generally than others
Awesome singer, bizarre album
Funny, I actually quite enjoyed it - single wasn't the best song for me though (at least for now)
Not a big genesis fan, and it's clear here.Why I understand that some of his later solo work might get a little better, but this just misses for me.The pop isn't as poppy enough.The prague isn't praggy enough.The art is not really artful enough.It's kind of just corny.It seems like he had a lot of wants and ideas.Bottled up and he just spleoged them out onto this record after he left genesis
Interesting one but not his best
Thought this would be boring... it was not
Second PG album so far and superior to So...This still smacks of Genesis/prog in a good way, widely varied and unafraid. Where So... gets sappy, this maintains more imagination and edge. I hear some Phish influence in this - Its rock and barbershop and theatrical and earnest ballad etc etc. Lots to delve into, which I appreciate. Solsbury Hill is so played out, it made me laugh hearing it!
No way of knowing what was coming from one song to the next - kind of like he was just throwing really different things at the wall, most of which didn’t work for me. Solsbury Hill and especially Here Comes the Flood were great tracks.
Een hit en een allegaartje aan singersongwriterrock. Af en toe zit er wel wat power in, maar het vliegt ook allerlei gekke kanten op. Wat ik ermee moet is me niet helemaal duidelijk, maar het leverde een intrigerende kleine drie kwartier op.
Peter is nogal theatraal en speels. Het eerste nummer illustreert het album gelijk. Ondanks dat dit niet per se mijn smaak is, kan ik het prima hebben. Solsbury Hill volgt. Het heeft ook nog wel wat theatraals, maar voelt relatief normaal. Excuse Me is het voorbeeld als het gaat om de speelsheid (die eigenlijk na de jaren '60 niet meer mag). Al met al kan de creativiteit niet ontkent worden. En weet Peter er ook nog eens een prima lopend geheel van te maken. Ondanks dat ik dit album niet vaak zal opzetten, heb ik hier wel bewondering voor.
Gabriel is nogal van het theatrale, dat deed hij bij Genesis ook al. En we hebben ook zijn 3e (overbodig) en 5e (leuke bombast) soloplaten al voor onze kiezen gekregen. Dit debuut bleef nog over. Er zitten wel leuke stukken tussen, zoals Slowburn wat die progrockoperavibes heeft. Het theatrale en carnavalesque van sommige nummers mag hij wat mij betreft weglaten. Naarmate het album vordert nemen de goeie progrockstukken voor mij de regie over, ik stoor me iets minder aan het theatrale en dan is het eigenlijk best een fijn album. Ik ga er gewoon 4 sterren voor uitdelen, want ik wil niet als zure broeder genoemd worden :-P
Don’t care for it
I did not like this. Far to up its own arse.
Salisbury Hill is an ear worm. The rest of the album is new to me. Art rock, prog rock, it's pretty weird on first spin. Subsequent listens and it really opens up, quality songwriting, quality musicianship. Strong album that deserves a place on this list.
Kivan monipuolista rokkia, oli popimpaa ja vähän progressiivisempaa kamaa. Tykkäsin kyllä enemmän kuin mitä ajattelin. Parhaat: Solsbury Hill, Down The Dolce Vita, Here Comes The Flood
Respect the artistry but wasn’t fully the vibe
i did not find this interesting at all. I would not want to listen to this again. His other albums on here are much better
It was nice but nothing very memorable.
So many different cool musical/recording techniques on such fun upbeat sound, marvelous listen.
I forgive him for being so weird
I don't know why this album is here. Maybe it is ahead of its time? Kind of Bruce Springsteenish... I would say it's alright. Fine to listen to, just not spectacular.
My parents’ mysic…interesting and good but not for me
That’s a great album. I’ve only listened to his So album.
Great record. 4*
This album was all over the place. It’s funny how a lot of times with massive hits like Solsbury Hill, they come from albums where they stick out like sore thumbs and don’t fit tonaly with the album as a whole.
Okay, I guess I got all 3 Peter Gabriel albums before getting a single Genesis album. Cool. This one's good. All of them are good, but this is the one I feel the least passionately about. It doesn't have the remarkable consistency of So or the cool experimentation of Melt. It's the debut, and you can't really expect peak music for every artist's debut. This is a strong debut though. It has the things that make later Peter Gabriel albums good. His singing works. The instrumentation is actually pretty great, with Robert Fripp's guitar work being the obvious highlight of the album for me. Though the album at large isn't as consistent as later albums, this album does still have some stellar songs on the level of the other albums' best songs, with "Solsbury Hill" standing nice and tall as one of Peter's best songs. "Here Comes the Flood" is also a great closer. Some songs are kind of silly though, like "Excuse Me," which starts as a barbershop quartet before turning a Randy Newman song. "Slowburn" kind of reminds me of Queen for some reason, but that's not a bad thing because I love Queen. Overall, while this may not be my favorite Peter Gabriel album, it's still a very good listen. Light 4/5.
81/1001 Peter Gabriel - s/t (1977) Heard before? ❎ Revisit? ❎ This is one of those albums where everything is flung at it to see what sticks. The highs are high - Solsbury Hill and Here Comes the Flood, and the lows are low - Excuse Me and Waiting for the Big One.
I think I've listened to this album six times in a row now and I still don't know whether I like it or not, but I guess I don't hate it? It probably squeaks a 3.5 and gets rounded up because Solsbury Hill is a great song.
I've never listened to his first two albums properly. I always focus on the songs that are on his Plays Live album which is my favourite thing by him. I'm really enjoying how much of a mess this is. Like he wanted to try on as many hats as possible after leaving Genesis. He's still prog, he's pop, he's a self deprecatingly horny Springsteen, he's a music hall entertainer - and that's just the first four tracks. I wonder if Howard Jones is nervous of Gabriel selling his song rights and some corporate IP lawyer in the future following up on the similarity between his New Song and Solsbury Hill?
Not hugely memorable, but still nice to listen to. I liked 1 or 2 tracks enough to save them.
Delightfully quirky! But also kind of not cohesive enough. I'd listen again in the future though!
Solsbury Hill highlights the album. the rest is fine.
It was ok. A lot of it forgettable with a couple of decent tracks up top.
Mi ricorda un po' lo stile Collins. Non è male, un pop leggero ma rocckeggiante in alcuni aspetti. Ora capisco, era nei genesis anche lui.
Uneven
Peter Gabriel, the mad flower cosplaying loon. I'd never sat down to listen to this album in full. It starts off in proper prog rock territory with the madcap "Moribund the Burgermeister", and I'm instantly hooked. I haven't heard anything like this before, and I love it. "Solsbury Hill" might be hard to listen to without imagining a terrible romcom movie trailer, but the guitar work is stellar, and reminiscent of peak Simon and Garfunkel. This album keeps me on my toes. I really don't know what to expect with each song. It's so surprising and unique. "Excuse me", in particular gets my attention. It sounds like Randy Newman crossed with The Beach Boys, but with a theatrical madman at the helm. There are dips in the album, and they tend to be the more sane tracks. But all in all, I'm completely sold on this album. It got my attention from the start and makes me want to dive deeper into the rest of his solo discography.
Solsbury Hill is a great song. The album overall is pretty good.
Eclectic and good
Listening to "Excuse Me" as I type this. Please make this stop. Okay second half of the album was MUCH better. Enjoyed the piano but some of the songs were just too bad to be redeemable imo.
I was really pleased with this one. I'd never heard of Peter Gabriel before today, not sure if that's embarrassing or not. I think what I like most is that it feels like there are a lot of different inspirations for the instrumentals on these tracks, I feel like the contrast between tracks like Modern Love and Down the Dolce Vita makes for a journey through the album.
Schizophrenic. High quality, but all over the place. Some enjoyable tracks but hard to settle into anytime resembling a groove to enjoy the album in. Weak 3/5.
Very solid brit rock situation. I appreciated the goofier songs on this album, it's cool when they have some fun with it. Didn't know this dude is from Genesis. Might relisten on a lark.
I love how experimental and silly this album is. Solsbury Hill honestly comes out of nowhere with how mainstream it is. -Moribund the Burgermeister was so immediately captivating to me, love songs like this -tuba in excuse me!! -full orchestra in down the dolce vita??
Stranger album than I was expecting, kind of cool but weird. Nothing surpassed the hit Solsbury Hill in my opinion. 3.2
Not my jam at all. A mix of math rock with art rock. I kinda hated it.
Bom álbum. Emoção o tempo todo. QoA Adonis New.
Great
WHY Best Song: Here Comes the Flood Rating: 3/10 Stars: 2/5
Lots of experimentation with an all-time, end of the world, desert island song. Gabriel's voice rules.
Surprised by this one, honestly!
Solsbury Hill is a great song but did not get into the rest of the album at all.
cooles album mit verschiedenen einflüssen. mir gefällt es beim zweiten hinhören.
Gefälliges Album mit Solsbury Hill welches heraussticht.
Pure music
This was a good album. I've never heard this album fornthe exception of the song, "Salsbury Hill."
This was cool different
Хорошо но дальше лучше
This is just Phil Collins
Nice listen.
A great solo debut from Peter Gabriel
Man that Phil Collins never misses (2.5)
This is the first one that I was genuinely excited. I’ve always disliked Genesis and Phil Collins but Peter Gabriel has always stood as somebody I might like? I only know is hits, but I’ve known that he makes interesting music, just never dug into it. Ultimately, this album isn’t something I would listen too much or purchase, but I’m glad I heard it. Solsbury Hill and Humdrum stood out. Excuse Me was out of left field. It’s too… operatic for me, and I also dislike the heavy vocal effects. But again, happy it came up in the rotation.
He's one of the artists whose music makes me feel dumb. I listen, but I just don't get it. I know it's very smart, but it goes right over my head. Not sure if that's the reason it never clicked with me. I'm not crazy about the sound, either. This one is still OK, I guess, but when he started REALLY leaning on that f**king Fairlight synth on later releases, it all went to shit for me.
A little too overproduced and scattershot for my taste. “Solsbury Hill” is an undeniable banger but there isn’t much there for me past that.
This album represents my overall feeling about Peter Gabriel. It either absolutely love it, or have zero interest with it. Very little middle ground with his music, even with Genesis. On this album, songs like Solsbury Hill, Slowburn and especially Here Comes The Flood are just ‘bloody brilliant’, but a few also that are throw aways for me.. no half-zies so it’s a 3, but a high 3 based on the good songs alone
Familiar with the next few Gabriel albums, but only really knew the hits from this one. Listening through reinforced two things: I quickly lose interest in songs that lean too heavily into a musical-meets-opera style, and when Peter Gabriel is at his best, he’s truly exceptional. Most of the songs on this album struck me as either excellent or entirely forgettable. I do wonder if it might be a “grower” with repeated listens, but for now, I’m not inclined to invest the time. There are too many other great albums competing for attention.
3.5
3/5
This album is incredibly varied and a little goofy. I mean it starts off with a song called "Morbund the Burgermeister". Really cool album with a lot of high moments
Moribund the burgermeister is one of the weirder title tracks i have heard. Maybe this song makes the hit of the album, solsbury hill, feel so much better. Unfortunately it doesnt get better than this song. Modern love and here comes te flood are interesting tunes. But for some reason this entire work doesnt click with me. The lp feels a little all over the place with the the general flow, overproduced and like i am missing an important piece to understand gabriel's overarching vision here. It rather seems to be a totally mixed bag of songs i do not particullarly like.
Really only like Salisbury Hill. The rest of the album isn't for me
That was a really fun album. I liked it a lot. Some of those synths feel before their time.
I love Peter Gabriel so much! Here he’s, like, midway transforming from art pop to regular pop and it’s cool and interesting and all the songs are bops. One of the greats!
Once I shook the etch-o-sketch my assumptions and expectations of what Peter Gabriel's music sounded like lived on to reset it I really started to enjoy it beyond my familiarity of Solsbury Hill. What a fun weird little guy
Eclectic for sure but I enjoyed the journey! Some great tracks
3.5 stars
It's alright, but I'm to filled with rage to enjoy it.
Not too bad but nothing remarkable either. Kinda David Bowie lite.
I really love this album! The peak of punk music
The death of rock n roll?
Peter Gabriel is ok. JF 2.8/5
I didn't love it, but I didn't dislike it enough to turn it off. 2.5, rounded up to 3 because of Solsbury Hill.
making the most of the alvavlsjdofajsdoi´fw f great cover
Trying to figure out if I should describe this album as eclectic, diverse, or just a jumbled mess? Having read some backstory about Gabriel's break from Genesis and his subsequent hiatus, I get the impetus he may have felt to try new things upon returning to the recording studio. Just not sure if it lands for me. Solsbury Hill is a beautiful hit with prog-rock roots (7/4 time-signature, anyone?). Modern Love feels like a more mainstream chart. Slowburn and Here Comes the Blood are anthemic, dramatic and fitting for this time period, but just not memorable. (Given the context of its time, 1977 also saw the release of Meatloaf/Steinman's Bat Out of Hell, and two years after Queen's Night at the Opera.) But Moribund and Dolce Vita feel too over the top, and I can't begin to explain/understand the thinking behind Excuse Me. Basically, did I enjoy listening to this album? Only halfway.
It took a few albums for Peter Gabriel to become... Peter Gabriel. I am of the mindset that the first song sets the feel of the entire album. So when "Moribund The Burgermeister" comes on, I have... numerous questions. Probably the biggest is what tf the song is about. The album itself is all over the place, Gabriel trying to divest himself of the "prog rock god" moniker, although he brings Robert Fripp in tow (man, he really cooks on this album). Some hit pretty well, some... not so much. I don't fault him for trying new things, that first track is definitely unlike anything else done in the mid 70s. Same with "Excuse Me," which really sounds like Muppets are performing it. But when he hits with those big songs, like "Down The Dolce Vita" and "Humdrum," it's a big swing. And it's... not a homerun, but a double or triple to score. I don't think "Solsbury Hill" should open the album, but after scratching your head from "Moribund," it's a good "wait I was just kidding" track. There's something to be said that "Solsbury Hill" has TWICE as many plays as any of the other songs on Spotify. Solid, solid song. The last track "Here Comes The Flood"... I like the quiet piano versions of this song. It's weird how this was introduced to everyone. I can't call this is a classic PG album, that would come a few albums later. It has some good to great songs, and some that are all over the place. I admire the big swings, but sooner or later when you swing for the fences you are going to whiff. Top tracks: "Solsbury Hill," "Modern Love," "Humdrum," "Slowburn," "Down The Dolce Vita," "Here Comes The Flood"
Like some other albums, this made me think about why it's in the 1,001 list. Reasons usually include because it represents an early or quintessential example of a particular genre, or it's just damn good. But another reason seems to be if an artist goes on a new path from what they used to do. I guess that's it here? Because I don't view this as genre defining and it's unspectacular, though solid. But it's Peter Gabriel on his own for the first time...and at times he's brilliant and at times he sucks. I think there should be less debut solo albums on the list (that includes the Beatles on their own, minus George) and wait until they hit their stride. Gabriel is all over the place on this album. Moribund the Burgermeister feels like he's still in Genesis - a weird character and story he can bring out on stage. Excuse Me is just strange and bleeds into Humdrum, which also starts strange but ends more beautifully. Waiting for the Big One is very different - like a jazz number (early at least) and a different vocal styling for Gabriel. Not for me. But he also delivers absolute magic on this album. Solsbury Hill is a classic - punchy, melodic, well-written. Modern Love is energetic and catchy and Slowburn is well-composed lyrically and musically. Down the Dolce Vita is over the top but I love it. Here Comes the Flood is a focused effort and it is simply beautiful. 5 out of 9 songs that are great, that feels like a 3.5 at best.
Despite being a long-time Peter Gabriel fan, I never really got into his first solo album, so I enjoyed spending some time listening closely. There's a lot to like, but it's an uneven affair - like he's trying out different sounds and can't decide what he wants to be (my favorite tracks - Solsbury Hill, Humdrum, and Here Comes the Flood - all point in the direction he eventually went). Moribund the Burgermeister sounds like classic prog Genesis - an odd choice to start the album if he's trying to show his independence - but since I like classic prog Genesis I like this track too. Then we have Solsbury Hill, an outstanding and timeless track that could have been written today - one of his best. Modern Love sounds like Peter Gabriel trying to write a Bruce Springsteen song. Then the completely odd style of Excuse Me - did we need a barbershop quartet on this album? No, no we didn't. With Robert Fripp on banjo and Tony Levin on tuba?? Ok, I'll allow it. Humdrum is a great example of the direction he's going to take in his upcoming albums and, man, when the synth kicks in at 1:53 leading to the "out of woman comes the man" section - chills every time. Absolutely majestic end to Side 1. Side 2 starts with Slowburn, kind of a glam rocker? Very 70s sounding. Waiting for the Big One is straightforward blues, singing like Randy Newman? It's not a bad song (none of the songs on the album are bad, even Excuse Me) but it's another example of how this album is all over the place. Down the Dolce Vita is a bombastic 70s rocker, complete with an overly dramatic orchestra. Finally, Here Comes the Flood - I absolutely love this song, but moreso when it's stripped down (which he did live and also on his 1990 compilation album Shaking the Tree). I've always felt that this album's version with the full on rock band chorus is a bit much. Check out the version on Fripp's album Exposure, released a little over two years later, which just features PG on piano and vocals, Brian Eno adding subtle synth, and Fripp playing his "Frippertronics" looped guitar. So much better than the original version here. Go check it out (and stay for the next track on the album, Water Music II). Bottom line, this is a 4 for me - lots of good songs, but a little disjointed. As a PG fan I can really appreciate its place as the first step in his move from Genesis frontman to solo superstar, but it's not an album I would recommend to someone new to Peter Gabriel's solo discography.
„Solsbury Hill“ ist ein toller Song, viele andere sind viel zu verkopft. Schade, die anderen von Genesis sind den für mich besseren Weg gegangen.
Amazing album - I’m beginning to like Peter Gabriel’s music more and more since starting this listening project. Robert Fripp’s guitar on this album is so good
great
I’m just not a fan-and I’ve enjoyed him in concert too.
Nothing crazy groundbreaking here but good fun. Those couple moments here and there that sounded like peak Genesis had me rock hard
I judge Peter Gabriel's solo work by how many songs on any given project I'd play on a boombox I held above my head outside of Ione Skye's house. Solsbury Hill qualifies but the rest of this album is pretty uneven to downright bad. The more of these 70s prog rock adjacent albums we get the more refreshing the late 70s punk/new wave albums sound. There's just a vitality and spirit to those other projects this lacks.
I was taken aback at how much I liked this album. There's a lot of variety here, but while the instruments and styles differ, the quality maintains. He may have left the band, but this album marks the genesis of a special solo career.
There was one popular song, which I didn't know was by Peter Gabriel, but the rest are just good background songs. Overall, nothing very exciting, but it's pretty alright.
A bit over the map. I was debating 2 or 3 but Solsbury Hill is such a damn good song
I’m a big PG fan and I have to say this album is mostly incoherent and a big disappointment. Good for him if it helped him set a foundation leading to what was to come, but it’s a huge step down from Genesis.
Song 5 is called "Humdrum". That would have been a good title for this record.
Had one much-interrupted first listen, and it felt a bit eclectic and messy, but managed to listen to the whole thing through in the evening, and really loved it. Couple obvious high points, but I think there's a lot here that stands up.
This was alright. I’m not sure I’ll listen to anything again… maybe here comes the flood. but it was a pleasant listen.
fine for background, really nothing special
vier bis fünf solsbury hill
It's the kind of album that needs proper attention paid to the lyrics. Amazing writing, but the sound feels a bit all over the place. Tracks to Track: Here Comes the Flood, Solsbury Hill
Didn't enjoy the album on the whole. Solsbury Hill is a classic and waiting for the big one saved the back end of the album. It actually ended better than it started which is unusual. It was all over the place though. 3/10 Edit: re-listened to Moribund the burgermeister and it's a tune. 4.5/10
Aged well
Holy shit, this was great, not what I was expecting at all.
kinda weird and quirky at times in a way that reminded me of what Kate Bush would be doing 5 years later, but a little subdued at times despite the competence on display deserves to be one of the 1001? not as much as So or his third self-titled. probably could be cut but i prefer it to the latter
I climbed up on Solsbury Hill I saw the city light there were 5 in the shape of stars
Easy one, think peter Gabriel is great
I wasn’t feeling the first half of this record. It gets better in the latter half. I enjoyed the variety in sound from most of the latter tracks. Favourite Track(s): Excuse Me Least Favourite Track(s): Humdrum
I've never fully gotten into the whole "Peter Gabriel is an artist powerhouse" thing besides 1986's So, so (pun intended) I was eager to give him an opportunity. Enjoyable album, diverse sounds and "sub-genres", but I did not click with this one that much.
2.6 My highest rated comment on here is saying how shite Peter Gabriel's So is (ironically the highest rated comment on that album is someone fuming at my comment which now sits just below it). Anyway, this one was rather different, better I might add, but not massively. Definitely not sounding to 80s. But just a bit weird. It's strange as there are some highlights. 2nd track was good. But then just weird tangents like the Randy Newman ones. Not for me Clive.
Ni bien ni mal
A quirky and eclectic first solo outing from Peter Gabriel. A little bit all over the place sonically, but there's a few songs in here I enjoyed and that I feel give the best framework for where his sound would head from here. Solsbury Hill definitely stands above the rest
Nice Musical, sometimes it's good to remember!
Thoughts before listening: Assuming this is Peter Gabriel's debut solo album, I am going to assume this will be a little too out there for its own good. After he left Genesis, Peter eventually became a massive hitmaker in his own right, but I believe it took him getting some experimental, arty records out of his system first. Review: Well I was a bit off with the assumptions I made with this album. While there is some experimenting with the sound here, its not nearly as weird as I thought it was going to be. Mainly just diversions into jazzy/lounge territory. This album does have a fairly large hit in "Solsbury Hill" as well. I don't love this album, but its not at all what I was expecting it to sound like. I am especially pleasantly surprised by the guitarwork on this album which is strong throughout. Outside of the hit, I am also enjoying "Moribund the Burgermeister", "Modern Love", "Slowburn", and "Here Comes the Flood". I was leaning 3-stars on this one, but its really won me over...4-stars.
Crazy how much I love this, but perhaps it has something to do with being stoned. I've never listen to much Peter Gabriel, or Genesis for that matter, and never really considered myself much of a prog rock or art pop kind of guy. But damn, I was kinda blow away by a lot of these songs. I totally get what other people are talking about when they say that this album sounds like Gabriel still trying to find his sound, but I kinda loved that aspect of it. There are so many different versions of him on display and most of them rock. It's over the top, artsy, campy, and a lot of fun.
Classic Peter Gabriel. Every song sounds the same and is pretentious. Just like his Genesis bandmate, Phil Collins, there are no sharp edges or wrinkles to his music. This is an all-skips album.
I think I need to give this one another listen someday. I can tell he's creative and talented, but it didn't stick with me. Forgot I even listened to it.
Kinda cool
Not for me.
Peter Gabriel solo albums are usually fun. This is a guy who always showed off his artistic chops whilst fronting Genesis. So with this being his first solo endeavor, I'm sure many eyes were on this and great things were expected. After listening, this one is a bit all over the place. To be somewhat expected I guess, but I've heard some of Gabriel's later solo albums (namely, "So") and they're more cohesive than this. Can't beat "Solisbury Hill" of course, but "Humdrum" and the closer "Here Comes the Flood" stood out as well.
Not my favorite era of Peter Gabriel but some good songs and you have to admire the variety!
Exactly what i would think from a Peter Gabriel album like... good vocals and alright backings. Had Solsbury Hill on it so it gets a 3 haha
My goodness, it sounds a lot like early Genesis with the prog rock influence. Solsbury Hill reminds me of my Pa's old ringtone on his phone, and there is a real mix between cool experimental stuff on Slowburn and boring prog rock.
Didn't think that I'd like this, but it was fairly pleasant.
I love Peter Gabriel's early albums but prefer 2,3 & 4 (Scratch, Melt and Security) over this one. I like many of the songs but Car never quite hooked me like the others. Still some fantastic songs and great examples of his superb voice, song and lyric writing. I enjoyed revisiting this for today's listen and it's reminded me to listen to more PG all around.
Honestly, I expected more. It all kind of ran together for me like a casserole. Tasty and good but nothing too exciting.
Once more I am saying: I dunno, man
Wasn't too focused on this one for other reasons. Solsbury Hill is a banger.
I like Genesis but not really a fan of his solo work.
Rock, 1977 -> 3
I never think I’ll enjoy Peter Gabriel, but then I do. A nice mix of palatable with hints of the weird on this album.
Прошло мимо и забыто
Better than I expected. Fun and a little more loose vs what I was anticipating.
One of the best by one of the best
Good. 3/5
He’s just a goofy guy!
a bit too weird for me
⭐️⭐️ 1001 ALBUMS- # 69 A debut album this zany and he goes with self-titled branding?! Herein lies the problem with this record, some really creative off-the wall stylistic musical arrangements that are not cohesive together. Props for being experimental, however far from sticking the landing as directionally Gabriel clearly couldn’t decide what he was aiming for here. Gabriel had left Genesis in 1975 after the intense and sprawling The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, wanting to escape the constraints of rock stardom and explore music on his own terms. With producer Bob Ezrin (known for his work with Alice Cooper and Pink Floyd), Gabriel approached his debut with a maximalist attitude, combining art rock, funk, classical, and pop—with mixed but intriguing results. 🎧 Classic Track: Solsbury Hill 🎧 Deep Cut Gem: Humdrum 🚫 Skip Track: Excuse Me Ambitious a project this may have been for Gabriel unshackled from the group that made him a household name, there are just too many conflicting styles, many within the same track ( The Burgermeister??). Having said that, there is much intrigue here too keep the listener engaged by unpredictability and you have to respect the artistry for going so far against the grain, especially for its time. 🖼️ Album Artwork: Difficult to conceptualize how this fits the aesthetic of the record, however given the subject material perhaps this was the point. 🚙 Gabriel blends art rock, glam, cabaret and folk-pop with Bob Ezrin’s production bringing a polished, almost cinematic edge—at times bombastic, at times tender. The album is an artist in search of identity, vacillating between experimentation and accessibility. Some tracks carry over theatrical tendencies from Genesis, while others push toward new pop-rock territory. A compelling but uneven debut. Gabriel tests creative waters without a clear direction, but his talent is undeniable.
Jo, ganz angenehm, aber er hatte bessere Alben
Hab tatsächlich etwas mehr erwartet. Sorry Peter
I haven't got time to write much, so I'll just agree with those reviewers who found this too much of an eclectic mish mash. I suppose it's interesting as a step on his journey, but I didn't find much to return to; there's a reason Solsbury Hill is by far the best-known track.
I like Peter Gabriel despite myself.
Gabriel left Genesis mainly for private reasons, not musical reasons. Listening to his solo debut, you can hear a man who's free to do his own stuff. So maybe there was more on a musical level. On his debut, he mixes so many style and while they seem a bit random and not so well connected, they are all great sounds in their own right. "Solsbury Hill" or "Here Comes The Flood" are classics but "Excuse Me" or the opener are noteworthy. This is really great and also more accessible to Genesis's records. And it's still prog.
weird and all over the place. I like albums with at least some cohesion
Noticed a big variety in musical styles. From experimental to middle of the road sounding pop. Average overall.
Interesting. Nothing stuck with me but interested to dive in again
Pleasant enough but can't say I'm all that fussed about it - it's a shame that Solsbury Hill is miles better than pretty much everything else on the album as that's the only one I already knew!
Mad, theatrical, brilliant
I remember when Peter supported Houmous and Chutney in late 1975. He was awful! He did nothing but moan about Mike Rutherfords socks. It didn’t make any sense! 2.6 2/9 Solisbury Hill
Some odd ones. 2 for me. Maybe a 3
Honestly, I'm blown away. I thought during the first track that this album would be some prog rock continuity from Genesis, and I wasn't really sure that I would really enjoy it. Then the next track hits, and you realize you know nothing about what this album is actually going to be like. And the whole thing is like that. Each song is so different from the last that you can't ever really prepare for what you're about to hear. And everything is so damn good. The 4-part barbershop-style vocals were excellent. The big, emotional, hair-band-y rock is moving. The bluesy piano and guitar are packed with vibes. I'm honestly so impressed at how complex and deep this album is in only 45ish minutes. Favorite Song(s): Solsbury Hill, Waiting for the Big One, Here Comes the Flood
Thanks to my prog rock- (and prog rock-adjacent) loving boyfriend in the 90s, I am a big Peter Gabriel fan. And Solsbury Hill is a completely perfect song.
Quite interesting. I prefer Peter Gabriel's subsequent albums, but this one is a fine listen.
definitely his work with Genesis/English Folk Music shines more in this record. It's not as classic as "So" for that reason and honestly a little cheesy. Almost like Bruce Springsteen style of arena rock at times without the same sincere effect.
★★★★★★
Kept waiting for this to get good cause it’s Peter Gabriel buuuuut 🤷🏻♀️. The painful stretch between Solsbury Hill and Here Comes The Flood was way too long.
Why is Peter Gabriel on this list so much? He is so mid.
Fun and easy
Standouts Solsbury Hill
Muy bien. Lo iba disfrutando bastante, hasta que llegó aquél tema llamado Waiting for the big one, que es de esas canciones que se sienten como un milagro. Gran disco que crece poco a poco hasta que uno no puede creer lo que está escuchando.
3/5 very varied sounds between songs
Guest starring Randy Newman (waiting for the big one sounds like RN)? Lol what a fun album
Outside of solsbury Hill I didn't like this one.
For whatever reason, the melodies in “Solsbury Hill” have always driven me nuts. I can’t stand them. However…..it’s a really good song! It’s well crafted- Gabriel spent a lot of time making this song work and making sure the instruments sound great and the arrangement highlights what he’s trying to say. Every song on the album is crafted the same way. It’s a great album, with a diverse set of songs.
Enjoyed this. Lots of variety and experimenting with styles. Solsbury Hill stills sounds great today
Apart from Solsbury Hill there wasn’t a great deal to get too excited about.
I really don’t understand the whole Genesis/Gabriel/Collins axis. The music seems very dull and uninspiring. Like his last effort on here, at least there is variety, but very little else.
Gabriel’s vocals are ok, but the music kills it for me, just sounds so dated and not my bag.
eh
Pretty interesting album Standout songs: Solsbury Hill Waiting for the big one
I get the appeal, but it's a little too old-school for me.
🖤🖤🖤 Love this.
What a strong debut from a significant artist transitioning to solo. So much to like – “Solsbury Hill" is just great while "Humdrum" and “Modern Love” “Down the Dolce Vita” “Here Comes the Flood” all quite strong. There's maybe a touch too much theatricality and a few of the proggier flourishes he might have hastened to leave behind a bit sooner for they age quicker, too, don't they? But still – any record that includes "Solsbury Hill" has a chance to be great, or at least very good.
Why does Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins sound so similar? It's alright, but nothing special
Good album, interesting sound.
Turgid. Solsbury Hill couldn’t save this album.
Got some amazing moments, some ok moments. I really think solsbury hill is exceptional. And overall Peter doesn’t make generic music. Go Peter
Salisbury hill ir great. But other than that this album seemed like a really random mix of songs and genres.
The man is a genius. More accessible than Genesis work, but does not compromise creativity to increase album sales.
There are elements I like in this but overall I find him kinda cheesy.
Better than I expected, and a lot more "commercial" as well. I've always liked Peter Gabriel's voice while questioning his artistic decisions. This is the closest I've gotten to enjoying a full album.
Alright, let's talk about Peter Gabriel's first album, the one everyone just calls "Car." Seriously, this thing? 5 Stars, no question. This was his big leap after bailing on Genesis, and man, what a way to kick off a solo career. It's just a killer first album. You know, back then, his live shows were something else – total spectacles. This record was the ground zero for all the amazing stuff that came after it. And let me tell you, his run of those early albums? All killer, no filler. This "Car" album is so good, it's straight-up legendary. I even went and snagged it on vinyl in German, just because I'm that much of a fan. Trust me on this one: if you haven't given this a full listen, you're missing out. It's awesome.
Very genre spanning
It's okay. I prefer his later albums where he finds his footing and his balls droop down a little lower.
prg nj bc slowburn poukisa mwen moribund the burger meister wiaiting for the big one don the odolce vitea EPIC
I had no idea this would be so weird
Much like Genesis after his departure, Peter Gabriel clearly struggled on his debut to figure whether he should lean into pop or prog. The result is an uneven mix with some good stuff, but no clear coherence.
Aside from the opening track, Gabriel spends the entire Side A trying to find himself after his departure from Genesis. Side B, with its longer songs, seems much more well-structured, but Gabriel’s solo debut didn’t quite see him emerge as the legendary solo artist he would become.
Perfectly enjoyable listen but nothing truly stood out as spectacular. Enjoyed that there were elements of prog without that dominating every song. Probably wouldn't put it on again. 5/10
Wow, I was not expecting to love this so much. I’ve been having an identity crisis over possibly not even liking rock music. But THIS is the kind of rock music I love, and honestly also the reason I’m doing this challenge: To find new artists I love. Stand out songs: Moribund the Burgermeister Solsbury Hill Excuse Me
2.5 stars
Peter Gabriel's debut solo album initially reminded me of the unusualness of early Genesis, but toward the end I thought of Randy Newman's orchestral pop. I felt the album rather disjointed, but upon reflection perhaps it was purposeful to show Gabriel's musical beginnings and evolution. I noticed blues in "Waiting For The Big One," a genre I didn't expect from a musician so entrenched in progressive rock. Speaking of, this album wasn't completely progressive but more art rock, and I like that Gabriel didn't limit himself.
This is a pretty good solo debut for Peter Gabriel, if I do so say so myself. And that is coming from someone who isn't typically the biggest fan of progressive rock. Granted, this is very palatable and easygoing progressive rock, but it is still fairly reminiscent of Genesis. I definitely found myself enjoying Peter Gabriel more in his 1980s solo work, but I digress. Peter Gabriel shows a lot of artsy originality on this album, again showing a strong solo debut. Parts of this album are very big and symphonic, and I couldn't help but be drawn in by the dramatics of it all.
vaya barbaridad volver a la cosa esta con tal maravilla. me esperaba un álbum para viejos pero ni muchísimo menos. me recuerda a la mejor época de queen con la experimentación de bandas como pink floyd. ninguna canción se queda atrás y siento que lo podría escuchar mil veces sin cansarme.
2.5
Two of my favorite songs ever are on this album. Other songs are fantastic. But some of the theatricality is not for me on some days — it’s not always a five. But, I must have the album with me on a desert island. It’s a 4.5; what to do? I’ll give it a 4 for now. —> UPDATE: OK, that’s 👆🏼ridiculous, I would totally play this album back-to-back on my desert island, without question. I’ll go with a 5.
I enjoy just how weird this is, and I enjoy some of the songs, but in general there isn't really a lot here I'd relisten to often.
I was genuinely not expecting to enjoy this album as much as I did. It's so varied, textured, and beautiful. So many songs immediately demanded I put them on repeat. And it genuinely feels ahead of its time for the 70s. Loved it.
An extremely good debut solo showing from the former Genesis frontman! It retains some of the quirkiness and Britishness of Gabriel's former band, while also branching out into newer directions that would get firmly established on some of his later albums, like Melt, Security, and So. Here Comes the Flood is particularly great.
Solsbury Hill was very good. The rest was ehhhhhhh as he was experimenting through many different genres for his first album and none of them were really my thing. This is like a 1.5 in my mind but I’ll round to a 2 because it probably appeals to someone I guess.
Lots of weirdness but none of it sounds very good. It's so dramatic and flamboyant it makes me want to set myself on fire
Man, what happened here? Having only known So I thought this would be great. There were some very good songs but most of this album passed right by me without noticing even though I tried really hard on second listen to form an opinion on every song. I feel like he was trying very hard to distinguish himself here and ended up not landing.
I think I like Peter Gabriel in theory a lot more than in practice. Salisbury Hill is the smash on here deservedly so
Okay, record. Nothing too memorable.
Fucking brilliant! Love cool shit like this!
I was let down by this album. I was hoping for so much more than just Salisbury Hill.
I love Solsbury Hill, and I quite liked a couple of the other songs, but I just don’t think I’m going to listen to this album again.
Okay but nothing special
Bit of a mix bag, when it's good it's very good but some songs don't match the quality of others, a mix of genres too which doesn't bother me too much. Worth another listen I think
A true work of art that will be remembered as one of the greatest achievement of humanity
One of my favorite albums of all time. It really marks a change in Peter's sound, going from a Lamb Lies Down-esque song to the masterpiece that is Solsbury Hill. This kind of closure is very similar to New Order's Movement; the first song saying goodbye to Joy Division and welcoming New Order. It is fair to say that this album is all over the place, but to me it really shows the creative range of Peter's musical genius.
My best Peter Gabriel solo and amongst my favorite art rock albums of all time. So catchy and well made, and just enough eclectic. I love it all the way.
One great song - Solsbury Hill - and a lot of mediocre to poor ones.
I’ve been meaning to listen to some Peter Gabriel for a good second now. And I was kind of disappointed to be honest. I wouldn’t doubt if his later albums were much better, the jury isn’t completely out on this man yet. But his debut was certainly not it for me. He sounds like a strange mix between Randy Newman and Bon Jovi, two artists I largely dislike the music of. Solsbury Hill was a great song though I must say.
Thankfully not as prog as I was afraid of, but still a little all over the place. “Solsbury Hill” is the obvious high point, but the rest felt like it alternated between 2 and 4 star songs.
Listened to a lot of Peter Gabriel growing up. Solsbury Hill will always go hard.
Can you even imagine being around in 1977 and experiencing all of this music in real time? This is some big, atmospheric, prog rock, and that is my speed. I especially love the Solsbury Hill/Modern Love section, and then the last two tracks. Peter is big and beautiful in his vision. He’s one of the real geniuses of our age. Super fun album, which I feel good about now, but may revise later when we listen to some of his other work.
Some high highs and low lows. Seemed like Moribound the Burgermeister and Excuse Me were inspired by Rankin Bass’s Christmas specials. I do love when song transitions into each other though
A couple great moments and overall a fun listen. Unlikely to return to.
Love Peter Gabriel’s tone and voice. Felt the album was 3.5 or 4 with one to two great songs.
Enjoyed the listen but nothing immediately hooked me. Maybe will grow over time. Solsbury Hill is awesome though
Sorry but his voice is my ick
Ok
I used to think I was a Peter Gabriel fan. Turns out, I’m mostly a fan of what he represents: a bold, technically brilliant innovator, a champion of global music, and a deeply admirable humanitarian. But musically? At least when it comes to this album, I’m just not feeling it. Peter Gabriel 1: Car is ambitious, theatrical, and inventive. I can fully respect why it holds a place in the rock canon. It’s daring. It tosses genres around like juggling pins. The opening track, “Moribund the Burgermeister,” felt like I was trapped in a bad LSD trip with that dying mayor. The album makes no effort to be palatable or pretty. And that is exactly why some people love it. I’m just not one of them. Solsbury Hill is fine. I’ve heard it a million times, and I associate it more with Vanilla Sky than anything else. It is interesting to note that it’s written in 7/4 time, which gives it an off-kilter, slightly floating feel that mirrors the emotional tension in the lyrics. The only song I actually replayed on purpose was “Waiting for the Big One.” That one worked for me. It has a slinky, bluesy vibe that gives Gabriel room to breathe without crowding the space with too many ideas at once. The lyrics, though, are kind of ridiculous. “Hope Moses knows his roses”? Come on. I get the theatrical irony, but it veers into parody. “Down the Dolce Vita” also caught my attention. It opens with a massive orchestral fanfare performed by the London Symphony Orchestra, then slams into a gritty, theatrical groove. The transition is abrupt and almost absurd, but that chaotic scale shift gives it a weird, thrilling energy that stands out from the rest of the album. Bottom line: I respect Peter Gabriel. I admire the risks he takes. But I didn’t connect with this album, and I don’t plan to revisit it. Just because something is innovative or important doesn’t mean it’s something I want to hear again.
It was acceptable. Solsbury Hill is a class for a reason but the rest of the album was kind of mediocre. I think Genesis is way way WAY better than whatever Peter Gabriel put out in a solo career.
6/10 I love Peter Gabriel. I do not love this album. there are a bunch of clunkers here. Still, bad Peter Gabriel is better than some good other artists... 5-28-2025
Cannot get on board
Solsbury Hill is one of my favorite songs, but I can't give this album higher than a 2. Everything else I forced myself to listen to (except I did skip Excuse Me halfway through)
I thought this was really fun okay
Clown music at times tbh
Kermit the frog in a barbershop quartet then merges into clown music? Bonus points for the weirdness but still not so much my thing
Just so shit. It was hard to power through
Great!
Solsbury Hill is fine, but otherwise this isn't the most exciting album.