US

After the breakout success of So, and in particular to single for Sledgehammer (and the exposure of In Your Eyes in the 1989 teen film Say Anything), Peter Gabriel spent the next few years working on various projects. In 1992, he released Us, an album that is loved by some and hated by others. For me, I'm indifferent. While I like some of the songs on the album, I find a general lack of interest when I listen to it. It's only when I get to the really good songs (my two favorites are at the end of the album), that I feel some sort of real enjoyment out of listening to this album.

There seems to be a misguided focus of what the album should be like, I think. Some of the songs meander around the same theme for an extended period of time (Fish would have a similar problem with his album Suits, which was wrought with songs that were too long). To be perfectly honest, I find most of this album boring. Songs like Come Talk to Me, Digging in the Dirt, and Secret World, though, are classic Peter Gabriel and shine brightly in this album doused with mediocrity with excellent grooves, melodies, progressions and vocals (especially in Secret World).

In the long run, Us is probably my least favorite Peter Gabriel album. I don't really think it compares well to the rest of his catalogue (and the quality of his previous studio efforts like 3 and So) and his next album, Up, would blow this one completely out of the water. For fans of Gabriel, there's something to like about it so it may be worth checking out, but for those just getting into Gabriel, check this one out towards the end of your collection.