UP

Peter Gabriel's return to form after the underwhelming album Us came in the form of Up. It may have taken a long time to see this album come to life, but the end result is one that is near perfection. Gabriel greets the new millennium well with a very modern approach to his music on this album. The crisp audio production and the well-conceived arrangements are a definite plus, too, as they help create atmospheres that go with many different moods. I would probably say that this is my second favorite album from Gabriel, behind the unbelievable third solo album.

While I can't say that this album is a masterpiece, it certainly has some overwhelmingly brilliant songs. I remember the first time I listened to this album (in particular the opener), I was in awe at what I was hearing. The mysterious atmospheres of Darkness soon broke out into a screech of guitars and right then I knew I was in for a wonderful ride. And it didn't stop there. Growing Up is a fantastic piece with a magnificent chorus and some great interplay between Tony Levin and Ged Lynch. There's so much to this album on every level it's hard for me to even describe the power that is exuded from it.

Even though the songs are generally pretty long (around 6-7 minutes), they are filled with depth, focus, and undeniable cohesion. That's what seperates this album from Us. Where Us, in my opinion, lacked direction, Up makes up for that with incredibly inspired pieces that move the listener on every single level. Take Signal to Noise, it's unsettling atmosphere combined with the harrowing vocals of Gabriel creates a shocking, if not thought-provoking tone and it really moves the listener (at least I was in awe at this song).

That said, My Head Sounds Like That and The Drop could have been a bit more refined, but the rest of the songs on this album are generally of the highest quality. Again, I can't say that this album is a masterpiece, but it's not that far off from being one. Mr. Gabriel will have a hard time topping this one. Highly recommended.