Pop cultural relevance is something Peter Gabriel hasn't concerned himself too much with other years. Beginning his career in the '70s, pre-Phil Collins, as the frontman for Genesis (then an art-rock band), he segued into a successful solo career which eschewed all traditionalism (his first three solo albums were cryptically and confusingly all dubbed Peter Gabriel) and very often made political statements wrapped in soothing pop melodies ("Biko" for example).
The '80s saw Gabriel reach his biggest audience first with the quirky hit "Shock the Monkey" and in 1986 with his multi-platinum album So which wrapped his voice around his strongest and most commercially viable record to date. From "Sledge Hammer" to Say Anything's anthem "In Your Eyes," Gabriel hit the big time. Of course his follow-up, Us seemed nothing more than a So redux despite the more complex instrumentation (and a great lead-off single "Digging in the Dirt"). After that, he's been somewhat absent from the pop scene for almost ten years. Sure, there's been the occasional contribution to a soundtrack album (as was the case with Babe: Pig in the City) and his occasional work with international artists. In fact, as Up was readying release, it was a mystery as to what direction the eclectic artist might take.
Now that the album has hit stores, the good news is time has allowed Gabriel to craft one of the best albums of his career. While sonically the album feels like his earlier solo work, Gabriel is still enamored of the ever powerful hook and he has plenty of them on Up. What separates this though is his attempt to stay true to his "sound" yet expand on it to reach a brand new generation and audience who weren't around during his So years and have no clue as to who he is.
Hence, Gabriel experiments with sound loops, aggressive guitar licks, and even some techno influences, creating a wholly satisfying listening experience.
The opening number "Darkness" kicks the album off magnificently, going for an aggressive Nine Inch Nails-styled guitar pounding before it fades and comes back in the middle of a soft, ballad melody trapped in the center. It's a weird mix, but Gabriel makes it seamless.
Ambiance and mood are at the crux of Up, which doesn't have a clunker song in the mix. Even his take on trash TV in "The Barry Williams Show" is catchy, hummable and one of his most humorous songs to date. Old fans won't be disappointed either with "Sky Blue," a perfect companion piece to "Red Rain" and "Don't Give Up" tailor made for pop radio and featuring Gabriel's unique haunting voice.
In some ways, Gabriel masks his pop tendencies by experimenting them with different sounds to redefine his trademark wail. "No Way Out" finds Gabriel hopping onto a chunky Peter Gunn-esque guitar lick that like "Darkness" morphs into a softer melody.
The best song on the album however is "More Than This" - it wouldn't seem altogether out of place on So.
Connecting everything together is the loose theme of life, death and everything in between. For all its bright melodies, the darkness at the core of Up is part of the master plan. While concept albums come and go, Gabriel has crafted one that works individually and as a whole. There isn't a lot of preaching either just 10 excellent songs that reach out to the soul. Whether it's for healing or listening pleasure, Gabriel has once again remastered the deft songwriting hand he displayed earlier in his career. And the pressure isn't as great as it was on Us where he was almost expected to deliver a hit the size of so. Instead, time has allowed Gabriel to forget his past and look forward to the future.
As artists of Gabriel's stature seem trapped in the past without the ability to reach out to a new audience or generation, Gabriel himself is surprisingly right back in synch. Up is a solid album, one that stretches the genre but provides exactly what you would expect from someone as talented and as much a perfectionist as Gabriel is.
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