PETER GABRIEL (2 - "SCRATCH")

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Peter GABRIEL cultivated a reputation as something of a crank with his second album, choosing a cover that traded in self-obscurity for self-mutilation and again refusing to give the album a proper title (which must have given folks at the label fits). But the crankiness is most evident in the music, from "A Wonderful Day In A One-Way World" to "Animal Magic". Unlike his debut, which tried its hand at all sorts of things, this album focuses on modern rock, delivered by producer Robert Fripp with all the rough edges intact (a style he would replicate on his own Exposure). There are some quieter moments, achingly sad in the case of "Mother of Violence" and "Home Sweet Home", but GABRIEL's perturbation is still tangible even in these settings. Since it's something of an itchy sweater as albums go, this record rarely comes out of the closet, but I've always had a soft spot for it. Songs like "Flotsam and Jetsam" and "Indigo" generate genuine pathos, while the slicker tracks ("Perspective", "D.I.Y.") make a better case for GABRIEL as a "new" rock artist than "Modern Love" ever could.

Yeah, his voice isn't the commodity here that it once was (and would become again) and the arrangements are stuck in an awkward halfway point between plain old rock & roll and the darker, dire arrangements of the future, but the songs are clearly cut from the stuff of genius. GABRIEL hadn't quite locked into the "vision" thing yet, but Peter GABRIEL version 2 was at least promising. There are some very good ideas here, packaged into confining conventional parcels out of habit, which would explode from their containers and take a more fantastic shape on his next album. Or next installment, depending on how you see these things.

Four crystal stars.....the only reason this does not get a five rating is beacuse of the last two songs , Perspective and Home Sweet Home. Both arguably Gabriels worst songs ever, well the latter for sure! Other than that this album has personality in abundance from DIY, the LLDOB resemblance to ' On the Air'. The oh so sad ' Indigo' and the brilliant ' Flotsam and Jetsom'. ' Exposure' without doubt one of his top vocal performances ever. If you like Gabriel for his voice then don't miss this song.' Mother of Violence' exposes the delicate side of Gabriel that we were used to on ' The Lamia' or ' Harlequin'. If you have a problem with PG2 then revisit it because it is a remarkeable album and equally Robert Fripp does no disfavours in the production suite.

A follow-up album that did not change a lot musically from previous album. However, there was a sign of departure with songs like "On The Air", "DIY". My favorite tracks include: "Mother of Violence" (great voice and catchy acoustic guitar), "White Shadow" (ambient and rocking style), "On The Air" (driving rhythm section), "Home Sweet Home" (mellow). "Exposure" is actually a good track but it tends to flow with similar style throughout the song - a bit boring at the end.

Through this album I knew Jerry Marota (drums) for the first time. Jerry has collaborated with some musicians during punk / new wave era in the 80s with artist like Johny Warman. It's a good album, worth collecting. I have seen the remastered edition of this CD. GW, Indonesia.

Peter GABRIEL's second release, once again self-titled, is good album. It does come up short in the consistency department in comparison to its predecessor, however. There doesn't seem to be the flow and continuity that was in place on the first album. The same incredible lineup is on hand for Peter, including Robert Fripp and Tony Levin. Even with that kind of support GABRIEL's performance is fragmented.

"D.I.Y." is a clever melody with simple lyrics and its one of the highlights of the album. It really sounds like GABRIEL is in groove. "On The Air" has a harder rocking edge with a pounding piano that I particularly liked. "Exposure" is a prog-rock Picasso; any GABRIEL album would be incomplete without it.

The reason he is able to put this one behind him and move on to more success with his next release is because he is so talented and resilient. The remastered sound gives the entire record a robustness and clarity that will add more interest in acquiring this album than ever before. There are always the subtleties that you missed the first time around that the remastering brings out so beautifully. That fact alone is enough to give this listen, especially if you are a staunch GABRIEL or prog-rock enthusiasts.

Also refeered to as "Scratch" as none of the first four album had titles or numbers. Easily regarded by fans as his most difficult and least accessible , this is still as good an album as Gabriel ever made.

True the first side of the vinyl has some rather weaker tracks than usual bar two exceptions: Mother Of Violence is worthy but White Shadow is the standout track on this side. But the start of the seconmd vinyl side is really where this album comes on its own: Indigo and Animal Magic are good pop tunes that give a little depth to this relatively somber album , but the real gift in this album is Exposure. This track is out to be maybe the most "prog" track (in the ambiance sense of it) and clearly my fave from The Gabe. Too bad the following tracks return to a slightly sub-standart par for Peter.

If It was not for two truly good tracks (Exposure and White Shadow) this album would be inferior to the debut or its follower. But however the songwriting , we still have a very sophisticated pop/rock impeccably produced by Robert Fripp!

From reading the reviews I get the feeling that fans are split down the middle on this one. I feel that the scales should tip in Peter's favor. He was still finding his way without Genesis here and his experimentations with instrumentations, musicians and producers was a work in progress. The key word being progress. And the result is very interesting and challenging for the listener. "On the Air" and "D.I.Y." are two great uptempo songs to kick it into high gear right off the bat. They seem to be an answer to those who felt his first album lacked soul. These two kick tail. Another standout is "A Wonderful Day.." which is truly infectious and memorable. It should have gotten more airplay and it might have become as popular as "Solsbury Hill" in time. But, alas, the real world wasn't ready for Mr. Gabriel quite yet. For me there is a slight drop off in the quality of the tunes that follow but they still hold you in a certain fascinated, mesmerized spell. Peter was leaving all his options open at this point and was benefitting from a record contract that was allowing him to explore his own musical world unfettered, something that artists of today are rarely afforded. The result is this intriguing and strange journey that will entertain all those who love a creative and mind-expanding adventure.

As a fan of early GENESIS, I also used to enjoy solo works of Peter Gabriel. He was capable of producing very interesting, sometimes avant-garde, sometimes artistically relevant pop/rock albums. But his sophomore effort is not one of my favorites. Excellent "White Shadow" and Fripp-penned "Exposure" aside, the tracks are somewhere in between New Wave and semi-developed art pop rock songs, with some really stupid tracks like "DIY" or "In the Air". And his voice is very muted and probably his worst ever! Gabriel was obviously searching for his proper solo expression, which would surface finally with two masterpieces "3" and "4". This one is really only for devoted fans of his solo career.

To me, as to most listeners, this is clearly the worst of PG studio albums. Some say it's underrated and I sort of sympathise that opinion, because at least it is not overproduced like the debut (quite the opposite!), it's very honest in its crankiness, and it does have some fine moments, and like each eponymous peter gabriel album, it has a character different from the other three. But the fact remains, it sounds poor and boring - if not annoying - for the most part, and like Seyo says, PG's vocals have never been worse. Did he have a flu during the recording sessions or what?? 'On the Air' and 'DIY' are quite OK mediocre rockers in PLAYS LIVE but Peter's vocals especially in these opener tracks sound terribly bad. 'Animal Magic' and 'Perspective' are real throwaways - why he ever brought them into a studio album? 'A Wonderful Day' is kinda cute but soon it gets helplessly annoying chorus-repeating little silly song. 'Home Sweet Home' is a sentimental and syrupy slow-tempo closer.

Now the good sides. I like the acoustic and modest songs like 'Mother of Violence', 'Indigo' and 'Flotsam & Jetsam'. Seen the b/w back cover, the miserable figure (PG) head down on a dirty snowy asphalt yard? That reflects well this album - in good and bad. Gabriel deals with poor people & misery and comes up with some touching frankness in his music and words. But he didn't go in that direction deep enough: the album lacks conceptual coherence that I see in his great #3. The ambientish 'Exposure' written with the producer Robert Fripp is an interesting different number (the sound reminds me of Brian Eno with whom Fripp has collaborated as we know) and 'White Shadow' is maybe the best track. These better moments are worth modest two stars. Gabriel himself seems to ignore this album more than any other (I refer to live and compilation albums), perhaps too much, because there are some really potential stuff behind the poor production after all.

Sorry, but IMO the best thing in this album is the cover design: mysterious, weird. This album is not better than his first album, and I think that in 1978 Peter Gabriel was still looking for his "real" style and identity as soloist after leaving GENESIS. Having Robert Fripp as producer didn`t help him, because Fripp`s musical experiments influenced this album. Maybe Gabriel and Fripp shared some musical ideas, but Gabriel`s solo style and identity were still developing, and in his next album he clearly found them. The best songs in this album, IMO, are "On the Air" (the lyrics of this song mention a character called Mozo which was part of a not used idea for a soloist concept album a la "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway") and "D.I.Y". I prefer the live versions of both songs which Gabriel released in his album titled "Plays Live".

Peter Gabriel's second album, a self-titled piece (like the first one) that spawned the names 2 and Scratch (based off of the album cover), shows a man trying to find a voice and trying to find what sound suited him best. What you'll find here is a lot of varying pieces in intensity and emotion and a lot of pieces that are completely different from one another. Retaining many of the same musicians from his past album, you can expect high level musicianship from the likes of Robert Fripp, Tony Levin, and Jerry Marotta. It may not be Gabriel's best album, but it certainly is a trying, and overall pretty good album.

On the Air begins with some strong guitar chord progressions and some glam rock tendencies (as did Moribund the Burgermeister on the first album). Gabriel's lyrics are simplistic and the chorus is catchy, but the vocals I'm not terribly impressed with. Usually Gabriel's vocals are superb, but here I don't feel that way. D.I.Y. begins with an infectious stick rhythm and some smooth drumming and keyboard frills. The catchy 5/4 chorus only goes to make this probably my favorite song on the album. It segues into Mother of Violence, which is a more atmospheric piece, with melodic pianos and acoustic guitar arpeggios. It's not a bad song, but not the best on the album. A Wonderful Day In A One Way World begins with some electric piano and has a definite groove to (because of another infectious Stick line from Levin). Gabriel's vocals, once again, aren't really up to measure, though, they are really low in the mix, and the music is more in front. White Shadow begins withn modulated synthesizers and an underlying piano/guitar motif that really comes off effectively. Musically, this song is brilliant, and vocally, Gabriel really goes above and beyond.

Indigo is a piano/vocal piece that features some intuitive playing from Gabriel and some emotive vocals from him as well. Slowly, recorders and other wind instruments are added, giving the song a more wholesome and down to earth feeling. Very creative piece, and unlike other Gabriel pieces. Animal Magic has an interesting bass groove from Levin and has much of the same feeling as On the Air, although it isn't as good as On the Air. Exposure is the most avant-garde piece on the album, and it comes off effectively (and it's later used on Robert Fripp's solo album of the same name, only that time around with a more grating vocal). A rather simple drum beat keeps the song together with another infectious groove from Levin and some atmospheric guitar from Fripp as the word exposure is repeated over and over again. Flotsam and Jetsam is the shortest piece on the album, and it's one of the eerier pieces as well. Some well timed interplay between Levin and Marotta breaks into a primarily vocal led piece that doesn't really do much for me, but I appreciate it. Perspective is another glammish piece that in the end doesn't come across right (even with some cool saxophone). Home Sweet Home ends the album with more somber piano work and some atmospheric guitar. It ends the album on a bit of a bleak yet uplifting note, which is very nice.

In the end, Peter Gabriel's second album would ultimately be his sophomore slump. It is sandwiched between one excellent album in his first and his masterpiece in his third. This album is his one of his more experimental albums, and you can see that in the varying styles and moods. It's not a bad album at all, but it's just not up to par with his other works. 3/5.

I bought this LP after falling in love with the Genesis back catalog of stuff in '79, I think. This one was a bit hard to swallow at first. It was my first Gabriel acquirement, had a really cool album cover. Peter is scratching off the outside of the album, an effect which is somewhat diminished looking at the artwork in CD format.

Most of the music isn't really progressive, but it's still quite good. Peter Gabriel 1 was much better in that regard. A Stellar lineup of musicians here though. Fripp, Fast, Levin. For some reason Bayete was left out of the credits on this site. He was a member of an obscure band called Automatic Man, that should be included at this site. Their 1976 release is nice bit of prog/pop and has original Santana drummer Michael Shrieve.

The lyrics on some tracks leave a lot to be desired. "DIY DIY DIY DIY DIY DIY DIY DIY DIY (DUI?) I need perspective I need perspective I need perspective I need perspective I need perspective I need perspective I need perspective, on the air, on the air, on the air, on the air, on the air, on the air, Exposure, Exposure, Exposure, Exposure, Exposure, Exposure, Exposure, Exposure, Exposure, Exposure, Exposure, Exposure, Exposure, Exposure, Exposure, Exposure." How clever. but I guess it's all in the delivery.

Musically, there is a lot of interest here, even in the songs with the repetitive boring lyrics. This is one of those albums that can really grow on you though, if allow it to if you believe humor belongs in music. Nothing particularly heavy here for many proggers,.

I find White Shadow to the one prog masterpiece here. What a fantastic combination - Fast, Fripp, and Levin with Gabriel. Indigo isn't too bad, either. An introspective piece, and I get those feelings from time to time. "All right, I'm giving up the fight, I didn't know when, I'd been a stranger again in my own land...

The music on the album is summed up by the cover image; the uncomfortable sound of fingernails on a blackboard. Here we find GABRIEL at his most contrary. He offers us an album of art rock songs, but makes them largely inaccessible by underdeveloped songwriting and unusual production.

He has an excellent band behind him. Listen to TONY LEVIN'S bass work, and ROBERT FRIPP'S guitar craziness. But, frustratingly, PETER GABRIEL doesn't really harness them, only occasionally letting them loose - and on throwaway tracks like the chilling 'Exposure' or the almost-beautiful 'White Shadow'.

Most significant, PETER GABRIEL is falling into the orbit of other eccentric musicians. DAVID BOWIE, DAVID BYRNE, ROBERT FRIPP and BRIAN ENO were all engaged in similar projects in the late 1970s, and GABRIEL'S was possibly the lest successful - at this point. In fact, these artists shared band members, guested on each other's recordings and cross-pollenated their art-rock sensibilities.

Still, this was a necessary step to get to his next album, a much more complete and successful effort. Stop by and have a listen. You'll enjoy part of this, find yourself becoming annoyed by other parts, and by album's end have a better idea of PETER GABRIEL'S place in rock music.

From the beggining i rate this one 4 stars, one of the finest Gabriel albums, in my opinion. Peter Gabriel never was or is my favourite singer and composer but i apreciate his music in my own view. I enjoy the albums made over the years and i reach to conclusion that this one and next one is the best he ever realised. I prefer this one in stad of PG 3 because, is here a track called White Shadow that is worth 4 stars alone, of course the rest is amzing but this one is superb. The music to me is art rock with here and there some popish feeling add to. Worth to have in your colection. 4 stars

When this album appeared, I didn't want to be Peter Gabriel anymore.

PG clearly sounds like a man who's desperately running out of good ideas. Some of his new songs are virtually tuneless and plainly annoying, e.g. "DIY", "Animal Magic", "Perspective". To my ears, "On the Air", the opening number, sounds far too shrill and harsh. (Fortunately it would appear in a more convincing version a few years later, on PLAYS LIVE, where Gabriel finally realises its full potential as one of his great 'screamers'.) On other tracks ("Indigo", "Flotsam and Jetsam") Gabriel sounds clearly tired. "Exposure" would be performed far more powerfully by Terre Roche, on Robert Fripp's excellent solo album which bears the same title. This leaves us with just a few songs that pass muster. The reggae-pastiche of "A Wonderful Day in a Wonderful World" always reminds me of the comic German rocker Udo Lindenberg, particularly the way Peter sings: 'My name is Einstein, did you know time is a curve?' "Mother of Violence" is a delicate ballad, beautifully accompanied on piano and acoustic guitar. And "Home Sweet Home", finally, is a great way to finish a mediocre album: a sad ballad, in which Gabriel treats us to one of those cynical narratives that were his speciality in Genesis days. (Strangely enough, it's yet another satire aimed at the buying and selling of real estate, just like "Get 'em out by Friday.)

All in all, it was obvious that Gabriel urgently needed a change. And change he did.

Scratching around for inspiration

For his second album, Gabriel moved away from the strong melodies and production present on his first album. Confusingly once again simply titled "Peter Gabriel" (he said he wanted people to see his albums in the same way as newspapers), it has become known among fans as "Scratch", a reference to the sleeve image.

Gabriel himself has stated that in retrospect this was by no means his best album, although he tends to point the finger at the Robert Fripp production rather than his song writing or performance. He does now admit however that the album was hurried (it was completed in 6 weeks), and not given the nurturing it needed.

Tracks like the opening "On the air" and "DIY" have similarities with "Back in new York City" from "The Lamb" (not a personal favourite). The remainder of side one goes pretty much pear-shaped, with repetitive pop and dull melodies, save only by the softer and more atmospheric "White shadow". Ironically, the keyboard basis of the track sounds very like the type of sound Genesis were adopting around the same time on the "And then there were three" album. The 10CC like "A wonderful day in a one way world", with an offbeat, reggae like rhythm is particularly poor.

Side two has no less than six 3-4 minute songs. These range from the impassioned but wandering balladry of "Indigo" to the politically charged new wave sound of "Animal magic". "Exposure" is the only track on which Fripp receives a writing credit, but there is no doubt about his dominance of the song. The title is repeated no less than 13 times, the only other lyrics being "Space is what I need, it's what I feed on", and "Out in the open".

"Perspective" is similar to the new wave mediocrity being pumped out by Todd Rundgren and Utopia around this time, the addition of sax delving the song deeper in the mire. The lyrics of the closing "Home sweet home" are disturbing to the point of being distasteful. I have difficulty in understanding what Gabriel's intention was here, as the song is lyrically neither satirical or observant, but is entirely superficial in a tabloid sort of way.

In all, a disappointing album, especially in view of the fine initial statement made by Gabriel on his first album. It is not just the fact that he makes it clear here that he is not willing to assume responsibility for keeping the prog banner flying, but that he does not appear to have the strength of material to secure his career in any other style.

Like the first album, "Scratch" has some moments but it is still nothing to write home about. Robert Fripp handles the production here to instead of Bob Ezrin, I don't really hear much difference in overall quality. Pete still seems pretty unfocused as a musician and writer and this collection of songs is not likely to become the one you will play very regularly.

"On the Air" is a boring opener that rocks and the silly keys drive me crazy. "DIY" is this album's most annoying track but even so is much better than "Excuse Me" from the first album. The album's peach is the third song "Mother of Violence." This is classic Gabriel songwriting with his trademark affected vocal and the wonderful piano melody, also the acoustic is a nice touch. "A Wonderful Day in a One-Way World" is another quirky-pop song with a punchy bass but is entirely forgettable. Fripp peels off a nice electric solo on "White Shadow" which features good synth by Gabriel. "Indigo" is another decent piano ballad. "Animal Magic" is a playfully rowdy rocker with good energy. The ending features thumping bass, keys and guitar. Then comes the albums other highlight "Exposure," another hint at where Pete would be going down the road after these awkward first albums. It's really a Levin/Fripp show with Gabriel doing a little singing over the awesome bass and Frippertronics. "Flotsam and Jetsam" is an emotional love song but it ends before it has a chance to develop much. "Perspective" is yet another bouncy but silly rocker that PG seemed obsessed with repeating. I can only imagine how frustrating such material must have seemed to many Genesis fans buying this back in the day. "Home Sweet Home" starts as a sweet ballad on piano before getting unnecessarily dramatic near the end, not much to get excited about save some nice sax work by Tim Capello.

These first two albums were rather below average pop albums with just a few hints of magic. Cherry picking the best tracks from each and combining them would have yielded a more satisfying debut. The photo on the back is pretty interesting showing someone on an icy sidewalk in the city-just what the heck he's doing I don't know. Another album for Gabriel fans only.

Peter Gabriel´s second album is his most obscure and transitional. The songs aren´t as sharp and well arranged as his solo debut. In fact it sounds almost punkish in some ways. All the rough edges are left and most of the time it works. A lot of the stuff here is more tentative than successful, but still it has some high quality, even when you don´t really like it. And some moments are pure beauty (Mother Of Violence, White Shadow).

It is obviously that Peter Gabirel was still trying to find his own sound. Larry Fast steps in as a major player here and would be a key figure in future releases. As usual the team of musicians he chose for this CD is absolutely phenomenal: Robert Fripp, Tony Levin, Jerry Marotta, Roy Bitter... Wow! Gabriel has to be a great talent not to be overshadowed by such giants. And believe me, he does not. In fact, it is his voice and ideas that guides all through the entire album.

Unlike most of his early solo releases, this one has some flaws, but nothing that spoils the overall effect. Very good, but I don´t think it is really essential. It was an important step for him, but the results for the average listener is mixed. I still have difficulties listening to some tracks like the pseudo reggae A Wonderful Day In One Way World, for exemple. But is still very well done and above average. Trnasitional is the best word to describe it. And, therefore, not the best CD for a newcomer. Start by his first. 3,5 stars.

In 1978, one year after his debut, Peter Gabriel released his second solo album, another eponymous title following Gabriel's trend of treating them like they were some sort of periodical. Many fans just refer to this album as Peter Gabriel II or Scratch (from the cover which shows Gabriel scratching through a photograph of himself). Again, he has an all-star cast in his band, most of the same personnel that appeared on his first album. This time, King Crimson guitarist Robert Fripp produced the album. His influence is apparent and most notable on the song Exposure which makes use of his legendary Frippertronics technique.

The music on this album is a bit darker than on his debut, but for the most part is very similar. It exhibits some progressive tendencies, but is virtually completely devoid of any influences from his former prog band, Genesis. Instead, they fit more into the pop/art rock mold and probably the best comparable would be David Bowie. There is a good mix of rock styles, ranging from the energetic (On the Air, Animal Magic), to the ambient (White Shadow, Exposure), to just plain stupid (D.I.Y., Flotsam and Jetsam). Overall, it's a mixed bag, somewhat less developed than his debut, and sometimes seeming to lack direction.

Still, it's an enjoyable listen. I often find I like this style of music that feels like an artsy kind of rock just barely touching what I consider progressive. Gabriel still has the voice. It's just a little weird hearing it here instead of on masterpiece songs like Supper's Ready. Three stars for a good, but unessential release. If you're looking for more Genesis, you won't find it here.

How could a Gabriel solo project with Marotta, Levin and Fripp go so wrong? Peter Gabriel II is a disappointing album bookended by two of his best. The first was an interesting excursion through various styles to showcase his vocal talents. The third was the album that defined his sound and may have been the best thing he ever put on vinyl. So what do we have on II? The first two songs are very good and very sophisticated. On The Air is a straight rocker, while DIY is a bit more eclectic. Most of the rest of the album is just bland, though (except for Indigo, which hearkens back to what PG was doing on Humdrum.) A Wonderful Day in a One Way World and Home Sweet Home are both guilty pleasures of mine, but I would characterize them as eccentric rather than good. The rest of the album is frankly boring, with little or nothing that challenges the listener.

So I have to say this is a two star album. Only get it after you have heard all of Gabriel's GOOD albums.

More similar to its predecessor than its successor, 2/Scratch take the artsy pop and rock arrangements one step further, resulting in that this is perhaps the most commercial-sounding of Peter Gabriel's first four self-titled albums. It's more a tentative test of styles, moods and methods than a uniform collection of related songs. Of course, that could just as well be said about his solo debut, but that album benefited from a lot more confidence and the new-found joy of stylistic freedom. While I initially was kind of negative to its transitional stuck-in-the-middleness, the good things still outweigh the bad ones with repeated listens. Many of the songs seem to struggle with a conflict between cutesy, catchy and a weird form of attitude or even aggression that makes them feel either disjointed or rushed. There's definitely an element of constriction to the flow of music, regardless of whether it comes from a dip in writing or lacking confidence in the material. Cheery bar-piano runs, comedy (whether that's the intention or not) somewhat clumsy riffs and songs made of parts that do not mix well with each other are all shortcuts to disappointment. And on top of that, Peter just isn't his emotionally complex self often enough.

On the whole, the sound of the album is rather twee, even during more rock-oriented passages, and while the instrumentation can be rich, I often find it to be a bit lacking in depth and power. The sparkly, joyful effects of 1/Car is still here, most prominently on the more upbeat tracks like On The Air and Perspective. Expect some playful piano and synthesisers and a thin guitar sound (highpoints of that are Fripp's Crimsonesque naked, screeching contributions). Levin's bass work is as groovy and jumpy as ever.

For me personally, the more sombre and less unabashedly extrovert tracks (which for me are truer reflections of what I expect from Peter Gabriel as an artist) are the most enjoyable, and those that stood out at first. After the initial gloss of On The Air and D.I.Y it's amazing to hear the up-close and personal reflection on Mother of all Violence. Scaled-down, beautiful acoustic guitar and piano opts for one of the more honest performances here.

White Shadow is another favourite, mysteriously clouded and full of atmosphere for five and a half minutes. Excellent keyboard usage, focusing on atmosphere and poignancy. The inconspicuous guitar tip-toes in a charming way, and further enhances the feel that for once on this album, all the players are moving in the same direction and have the same goal. Indigo is another calm song, and a natural step from White Shadow. It benefits from both the more minimal sound of Mother of all Violence and the colourful effects and sounds of White Shadow, but it's all done with less tension and focus.

Exposure is a particularly dividing song amongst fans, with its repetitive drone and experimental nature, but I really like it. The infectious bass-line and linear composition have a way of getting to you. Soaring, spacey effects makes for an interesting ride through a hypnotising beat and various Fripp-isms. Good stuff.

It's easy to listen to this album twice and think "Okay, some good songs, overall the worst of the first four. 2 stars" and leave it at that. But in doing so, you're a bit unfair. This might just be me as a fan talking, but like some other reviewers have noted, this is a grower. I often come back to it for both those songs that were immediate favourites and the sunnier, lighter tracks. It's not as immediate or interesting as many of his other albums, but still features quite a lot of quality music. Still, if you're just a casual fan or someone trying to discover Peter Gabriel's music, this is the last one of his first four you should acquire.

For a transitional, uneven but often enjoyable ride with some top notch music in between.

.3 stars.

//LinusW

Peter Gabriel 2 is like the name suggests the second solo full-length studio album by British progressive rock artist Peter Gabriel. His first effort after leaving Genesis didn´t please me much and I wasn´t expecting too much from this album after listening to the first one. I´ve owned Peter Gabriel´s solo albums since the mid-nineties where I purchased them on LP in second hand stores ( for appoximately $1 each). They been collecting dust on my shelf ever since though and it is first now that I´ve had the time to listen to those old LPs for real. Had my first encounter with Peter Gabriel´s solo albums been a bit more succesful there´s a chance I might have taken them out before.

My first impression with Peter Gabriel 2 back when I purchased it was that it was by far the solo album by Peter Gabriel that I enjoyed the most. Today I can say that it´s by far the best out of the two first albums ( I haven´t yet given his later efforts their second try). A bit of recognizable melody and a more exciting use of keyboards have given the music much more character than was the case on the weak debut. There are even moments when the music reminds me of Genesis ( The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (1974)). Some of the songs are really excellent and I would like to mention Indigo, On the Air and especially my favorite White Shadow as some of the highlights on the album. Peter Gabriel makes a good performance on the album. His vocals and lyrics are strong as ever. In addition to the Genesis sounding moments there´s also a Roxy Music influence in the music that can be heard on a song like Perspective, but I´m reminded of Roxy Music more than one time during the playing time.

The musicianship on the album is excellent. Peter Gabriel has gathered some really great musicians like Robert Fripp, Tony Levin, Larry Fast and Jerry Marotta to help him out and it´s audible in the music.

The production is good. I wouldn´t call it excellent but I think that´s a matter of taste.

Peter Gabriel 2 is generally a really good album with some excellent songs. There´s a couple of songs that leave me a bit indifferent though and it does drag my rating down a bit. 3 stars is fair IMO. I actually enjoyed the album more than I thought I would and that´s always a positive sign. By the way. Note that angry cover artwork. Now that´s darkness if I ever saw darkness.

Low Point of a Brilliant Career

The best thing about Peter Gabriel II / Scratch is the cover art. Where on the debut album, Gabriel explored multiple styles, on the second he chose the weakest of those styles (modern rock of the time) and based the entire disc on it. You'd think a Peter Gabriel album with Robert Fripp producing and playing would be an experimental tour de force, but unfortunately we get PG's most straightforward music underlying some of his weakest lyrics.

Sadly, most of the guitar work here is done by Sid McGinnis, whose major career job was as part of David Letterman's house band. And in fact, much of the music sounds like theme music for late night TV, with vanilla sax sounds, and a variety of interchangeable guest key players. Drummer Jerry Marotta, whose work is absolutely essential to Gabriel's best work, plays here like a session musician. Fripp provides some spacey solos and a few mildly interesting instrumental bits, but the overall result of the collaboration is extremely disappointing. The sound is a bit like Elton John or even Meatloaf ? theatric rock with plenty of 1978 sonic trappings. Most annoying is the delay on Gabriel's voice which muddies the mix and often makes the lyrics hard to hear.

1. On the Air - A staccato guitar rocker, this song takes a Cheap Trick riff and dresses it up a little with a story song about a fellow under the bridge trying to find meaning by broadcasting "On the Air." The phrase is repeated ad nauseum and the verse lyrics are snarly, lacking Gabriel's usual literacy or complexity. The instrumental outro was almost certainly written by Fripp, and is moderately interesting despite playing over an almost drum-machine beat.

2. DIY - More incessant repetition of a not-compelling-enough hook. Again, the lyric is surly and simple, well below PG's standard. One of the few Gabriel tracks I find actively annoying. Mother of Violence ? This slow piano / acoustic guitar piece was co-written with wife Jill Gabriel, and it is one of the better tracks of the album. It is still lyrically and musically straightforward, unsubtle. It is, however, very pretty, and I can actually hear the lyrics clearly. ]

3. A Wonderful Day in a One-Way World - The song starts on what sounds like a Casio keyboard or a video game sound generator. This song nods to Randy Newman, and actually makes sense from a songwriting point of view. A mildly interesting swipe at consumerism, it is a listenable throwaway track.

4. White Shadow - This song sounds almost like an early 80's Genesis track. Tony Levin gets to fuzz up the bass, and Fripp contributes quite a bit of texture to the sound. The song sounds more like prog than anything else on the album, but ironically the chorus / hook is too weak to lift the song. It really feels unfinished, like a track that could have been interesting if it had more parts or better development. Even the lyric is more typical of what we expect from Gabriel, better imagery and some cryptic lines that allow the listener's imagination to explore a little.

5. Indigo - This is a slow intense piano ? vocal song in a style that Gabriel would later use to great effect. A song almost certainly about depression, (indigos = blues, about as good as his metaphors get on this one) the song at least feels sincere and honest. Perhaps this reflects his state of mind at the time and why the well of creativity seems so dry. Again, a listenable but forgettable song.

6. Animal Magic - Starts with a Billy Joel piano riff, we get another 70's rocker complete with disco guitar strumming. The song is about fighting back after a breakup, again displaying an unfocused anger typical of the album. More of the same, sadly.

7. Exposure - the most experimental piece on the record, employing an early example of "Frippertronics." Mainly an example of Fripp and Gabriel playing with all the toys in the studio, the song itself is actually just a very static groove with mildly funky bass and drums, and a single word as a lyric for most of the way. Normally, this would be an enjoyable album track, a textural sidestep to flesh out the disc. Here it just highlights how little progressive music is on the album.

8. Flotsam and Jetsam - This song seems to come from a very similar place as "Indigo," except the melody and hook are much better. The pain again feels more honest, and we get a little more open space. The track is short, but works.

9. Perspective - This feels like a David Bowie throwaway, a "Suffragette City" style up-beat, mid-tempo rock song. (Kiss is also brought to mind, yikes) Sadly we're back to massive repetition and over-production. Fripp's guitar is crazy but extremely out of place. The song is lyrically pointless, but accurately tells us that Gabriel's has lost his way.

10. Home Sweet Home - This song has such a disgusting misanthropic lyric that it makes me cringe. An attempt to capture the capricious hand of fate in the life of a lower-class bloke, this story song misses the mark so badly, that one is reminded that Gabriel was a rich kid who achieved fame straight out of (exclusive private) school. The banal sax in the background honks away the bad end to a poor album.

This album is not totally unlistenable, but I was tempted to give it one star. This is a big step back from the debut and perhaps PG needed a slap in the rear to find his focus. Luckily, he takes an almost complete about face for the next album, finding the voice that would carry him for the rest of his career. But Scratch is the dark before the dawn, and should be one of the last albums of anyone's Peter Gabriel collection.