Peter Gabriel

Item: So
Author: Josh Hurst

(1986)

Reviewed by Josh Hurst

Discogs Bandcamp Apple Music TIDAL Spotify

Label Geffen RecordsThe Rebel Base2002

art rock soft rock world

Known for successfully fusing heartfelt soul and cutting-edge technology into a record considered by many critics to be one of the best of the 80's, Peter Gabriel's landmark pop opus So is perhaps best described as sporadic, an album of extremes. Borrowing unique sounds and influences from all over the world and meditating on matters of both the spirit and the skin, So joins Bob Dylan's Oh Mercy and most of U2's work as one of that decade's most spiritually relevant and musically interesting albums. Despite having a queer little two-letter title and an unforgivably short track listing (nine songs is too dadgum short!), So is about as far from shallow as you can get.

Coming to us "defenses down, with the trust of a child," Gabriel sets the stage for So with opener "Red Rain," striking a delicate balance between moody synthesizers and thunderous percussion, merging his love for both world music and cutting-edge techno. With a passion that is at once world-weary and joyous, the former Genesis singer conveys to us a sense of urgency, using imagery that has been interpreted as a reminder of Christ's blood by some, a warning about atomic warfare by others. The song is ultimately left very open-ended, but, whatever you think it is about, its beautiful intimacy strikes the mood for the remainder of So.

"Red Rain" eventually fades into a song portraying a very different kind of intimacy. "Sledgehammer" is one of the most clever yet brazen depictions of sex to ever strike gold on pop radio and MTV, a regular fun house of sly wordplay and soulful vocal delivery- quite a departure from the spiritual bombast of the album opener! Not since John Lennon sang "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite" has such a quirky, three-ring-circus of a song been recorded by such a well-respected rock artist.

Elsewhere, Gabriel offers encouragement to those in distress, pleading "Don't Give Up" in a beautiful duet with Kate Bush. In "Mercy Street," he offers a far more rewarding answer to the fears and letdowns of life, painting a striking picture of a character "dreaming of mercy" in their "daddy's arms." The artist offers his most resonant and heart-tugging encouragement of all on album closer "In Your Eyes." One of Peter Gabriel's crowning achievements, this song is a sweet modern-day hymn, a song that is as spiritual as it is sensual, working simultaneously as a love song and a prayer. Consider it the little brother of U2's magnificent ballad "With or Without You."

Throughout So, Gabriel indulges in his love for rhythm, always basing his songs on brilliantly understated percussion riffs. Peter also lets us in on some of his other musical passions, such as his duet with Laurie Anderson on the bizarre chant "This is the Picture (Excellent Birds)," which demonstrates his infatuation with world music, a passion that has also been manifested in his Real World Records label, which has only signed one Western artist to date (Joseph Arthur).

Nimbly straddling the fence between indulgent pop and artistic weirdness, the music of Peter Gabriel somehow lands somewhere comfortable between the two. So is an album that is innovative without being irritatingly bizarre, original yet hip, looking toward the future while reveling in the past. It is a moving collection of songs, a pop albums that offers encouragement that actually rings true.

Review Summary

1. What does the album sound like?

An original soft rock tapestry, with synthesizers and world music sounds woven in to a sonic wall that favors prominent drum beats. Acclaimed producer Daniel Lanois (U2, Emmylou Harris, Bob Dylan) worked on this album, and his signature "Lanoisy" sound is unmistakable.

2. Is the album well made?

Yes it is. Gabriel's sound is unique among his peers, and his lyrics here offer encouragement and inspiration without ever stooping to the cliches and shallowness of most pop music.

3. Will you like the album?

If you enjoy pop/rock music with a slight 80's feel, you just might.

4. Final score: 4.5

4.5/5