SO

I have to start things off by saying "God I love this album!" What is there not to like on the recording? Every song is Peter GABRIEL at his career best. His mood is light and airy, which is a total shift from the dark and serious moods of his previous outings.

"Sledgehammer" has to be the best and the most successful single that Peter has ever made. It has irresistibly catchy hooks and rhythms that would make the most serious jazz or classical listener want to get up and dance. "Red Rain" is an instantly recognizable radio standard that still gets good rotation to this day. "Big Time" was another light-hearted tune with the injections of African-World rhythms via standout percussion, funky pop, and the ever present prog-rock foundation lingering in and around the edges of every song. "In Your Eyes" is romanticism personified by GABRIEL, featuring some of the most memorable lyrics and music to ever grace the ears of his listeners. It's one of my all-time favorites.

This is an astoundingly consistent album loaded with great songs and many hits that would once again send Peter into yet another direction in his career. He was just getting better and better with each release, and this was his best yet. Music like this never gets old or tiresome; it's timeless and ageless because of its originality, eternal freshness, and open ended approach that appealed to such a huge cross section of listeners worldwide. The world was his oyster now, what would come next?