UP

As an avid fan of early Genesis and especially Gabriel's voice I followed his solo career closely, from the 'cabaret-bombast' of his first album, the understated and underrated beauty of the second, the angst-drenched third, to the polished angst of the fourth outing. During that time I saw PG three times live in concert, stopped buying Genesis albums and was ready to give myself up to the master. Then came 'Sledgehammer' and I stopped buying Peter Gabriel albums. I still investigated in anything new he released, but was somehow disheartened. Until I saw his performance of 'More than this' on the Jools Holland show. It wasn't quite the quality I was used to in the Eighties, but it had something. So I went out and bought 'Up'. I put the CD in my player and shortly after I pressed the 'Play' button my ears went into overdrive. A distorted scream unfolds 'Darkness', a heavy beat and dissonant chords fill the room, as if 'Intruder' (from PG3) had been given a sound-lift. What was this? No doubt Peter Gabriel, and he had returned from the land of Pop Music. The track with all its depth and fragility left me breathless, so it was only natural that I expected the rest not be up to the set standard. But I was wrong. 'Growing Up' has an almost conventional beat, nevertheless the production is wonderful (as on the whole album), and the vocals and instrumentation are simply brilliant. If you need a track to dance to let this be it and forget about 'Sledgehammer'. What follows are three slower tracks, each one full of grace and beauty of the kind only Peter Gabriel can master. After this emotional trip the listener is finally treated to a pop-tune, 'The Barry Williams Show', a modern version of 'Games without frontiers', full of sharp observations and musical drive, miles away though from the mediocre coy funk of such numbers as 'Steam' or 'Big Time'. With 'My heads sounds like this' Gabriel returns to more experimental fields, and proves that he is a master in modern compositions. Just listen to the brass section in the track. 'More than this' is classic PG, a brilliant amalgamation of his early 80s sound and his more conventional tunes. By now you should think there can't more of this excellence, but 'Signal to noise' is simply the grandest finale Peter Gabriel ever recorded. Once you have heard this track you will never forget it, with the haunting voice of the late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, soaring percussion and sweeping strings, that seem to spiral out into eternity. And before the listener loses him/herself in this maelstrom of sound, 'The Drop' calms the ears and soul. Yes, Peter Gabriel is back in my life (and in my CD player) and most likely for good. After repeated listening of 'Up' I actually went out and obtained all the albums I left untouched before (So, Us, Ovo) and now can even listen to 'Sledgehammer' without shivers running down my spine. By the way, if you have not had a chance to see Peter Gabriel on his recent tour, the 'Growing Up' DVD is an absolute must! Just like this album.