PASSION - MUSIC FROM THE LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST

The first time I heard Peter Gabriel's solo work in 1980, I felt confused and even somewhat repulsed. Could this be the same Peter Gabriel of Genesis? He sounded like a poor imitation of David Bowie with certain ethnic overtones, and even his voice had changed, now more of a whisper. Obviously, Genesis had never been what I'd believed for years; apparently, neither was he.

Even Gabriel's first album, Car, included some songs that seemed like remnants of Genesis. But even so, the album didn't meet any of my expectations.

But then came the next two albums, and especially Security. It was then that I found something deeper and began to understand that Peter Gabriel was on a personal journey, with his creative compass just beginning to take shape. Then came So, and from that moment on, the mind behind the artist truly began to shine, moving even further away from his Genesis roots. So was so powerful that it became a timeless pop classic, one that even fans of other musical styles, like myself, could enjoy without hesitation.

Three years later, word spread that Gabriel was working on the soundtrack for a Scorsese film: The Last Temptation of Christ.

Passion: Music from The Last Temptation of Christ is not only Peter Gabriel's finest musical work, but also his true consolidation and recognition as a brilliant musician. In Genesis, and even in much of his solo work up to that point, that brilliance was only glimpsed. But with Passion, it can finally be fully understood. This album is one of the greatest in the history of music: just as So stands as a pop masterpiece, Passion is a triumph of serious and transcendent music. Without a doubt, this is the album that establishes Gabriel as a serious contender among the greatest musicians of all time. A genius, and in the best sense of the word, someone who surpasses his former bandmates.

Passion is an ethnic electronic ambient album that, from its first sound, transports you to the landscapes and paths once traveled by Jesus Christ. It is a mystical and spiritual musical experience, so carefully crafted that it evokes time and place with a hypnotic rhythm. Gabriel collaborated with some of the finest musicians on his record label, Real World Records. The album introduced many listeners to world- renowned artists such as Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Youssou N'Dour, L. Shankar, and Baaba Maal. N'Dour and Shankar had previously collaborated on So, and Passion also features recurring collaborators such as David Rhodes, Manny Elias, David Bottrill, and Manu Katché. The evocative album cover, Drawing Study for Self Image II by artist Julian Grater.

It would be pointless to discuss Passion song by song; the album is meant to be appreciated as a whole, not in parts. Gabriel did not release it alongside the film because he felt it was incomplete; he worked for two more years to present it as a complete artistic statement. That's why it's titled Passion: Music for The Last Temptation of Christ, music that was used in the film, but not in its entirety.

After Passion, everything Peter Gabriel played carried the aura of genius. Even for me, his earlier albums took on new meaning in its light. Passion is his masterpiece and his true consolidation as a brilliant composer, something that never quite happened with Genesis 15 years earlier. It happened here, after So. That was the moment when Peter finally shed the wounds of his personal battles and emerged victorious, having overcome his own demons.

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