Peter Gabriel has waited nearly 22 years to finally release an album of new music, his first since Up in 2002. He did release Scratch My Back in 2010 that featured other artists covering some of his best-loved songs and New Blood where he made new orchestral recordings of some of his songs released in 2011. It was certainly worth the wait and this new album proves in a myriad of ways that Gabriel is still on the cutting edge.
Music from this new album began being released in January 2023. Each month through the year, on the full moon, Gabriel digitally released one song. This very unique way of releasing music and conceiving an album is also a throwback, as it recalls the way Charles Dickens would serialize his novels in the 1800s. This is one of the elements of what makes this project so exciting. While creating new sounds that are very forward thinking, there is also music here that feels ancient in a timeless way. Gabriel respects traditional artistic and cultural ways, but is using electronics and other modern methods to create new music.
Staying with his unique approach to this music, the album is offered in a “Bright Side” mix and “Dark Side” mix. The Bright Side mix was produced by Spike Stent and the Dark Side mix was produced by Tchad Blake. There is also technically a third mix, called the “Inside” mix, that is a Dolby Atmos mix.
This new project is also offered in many different digital and physical formats. There is a streaming download, and a vinyl edition, CD editions, along with a deluxe combination of all the formats with a hardcover book and a Blu-ray disc. For our purposes here, we will look at the two double-album vinyl versions. The vinyl albums offer the twelve tracks spread out over four sides, making for superior sound and avoiding any potential groove-cramming.
The music here includes a somewhat traditional rock ensemble approach, various electronics, orchestral additions from the New Blood Orchestra, and choral contributions from the Soweto Gospel Choir and, in some cases, all of the above. Some of Gabriel’s long-time musical collaborators are on board, including guitarist David Rhodes and bass player extraordinaire Tony Levin, who divides his time between Gabriel’s band and being a member of King Crimson. Drummers Manu Katche and Steve Gadd also appear on the albums.
The Stent-produced, Bright Side mix offers the more conventional mix, although there is nothing very conventional about this whole project. Blake’s mix is more subdued and atmospheric, and stylistically reflects one of the key musical contributors to this project, Brian Eno. Eno’s treated approach to enhancing the basic sound of an instrument and giving it extra colorization, texture and ambience is evident.
The Dark Side mix alerts the listener instantly and throughout that Eno was a major contributor to this project, although his efforts appear a bit more muted on the Bright Side mix. There is also the apocalyptic, eerie, dissonant, and queasy sound most associated with Radiohead at times. Throughout, a more hypnotic Eastern musical feel is evident.
Each two-record set comes in a gatefold package with an OBI-Strip and a 32-page booklet. The booklet is more than just a repository for liner notes. It includes a piece of art (and a biography of each artist) to work as a visual companion to a given song. This is integral to making this a conceptual, multi-media, musical work of art.
It’s hard to say why Gabriel waited so long to make new music, and after hearing the music here, one realizes just how sorely missed he has been over these many years. He was involved in other projects like making soundtrack recordings and touring, but for such an accomplished, creative, and innovative songwriter who has his pulse on the world, writing new songs and making and releasing new albums would seem like a more frequent activity. Let’s hope we won’t have to wait too long for Gabriel’s next project.
GRADED ON A CURVE:
A
