US

The atmospheric, understated "Us" may have come as a disappointment to some following the upbeat "So", but anyone who picked up "Passion" will anticipate the mix-heavy melange of third world sounds and electronic effects present here. Coproduced by Daniel Lanois, "Us" did feature a few singles that sought to cultivate the audience developed with "So": "Kiss That Frog", "Digging in the Dirt", and especially "Steam". And more groundbreaking videos were in the offing for each, giving the impression that little had changed over the years. And yet much had changed; Peter GABRIEL and Rosanna Arquette (yes, it's nice to be a rock star) had split, and GABRIEL seems to have plumbed the experience to its depths in a post-mortem examination of their failed attempt to connect. More indicative of "Us" are the moments when GABRIEL exposes his wounds, such as "Love To Be Loved", "Secret World" and "Blood of Eden" (one of several tracks to reference Adam and Eve as aliases for the parties involved).

The album does take time to appreciate, slowly working its way under the skin with subtle melodies and exotic soundscapes. Although "Passion" and "So" are the albums most like it, "Us" does give a nod back to GABRIEL's second album with "Washing of the Water", a piano-led ballad that recalls "Flotsam and Jetsam" and "Indigo". Building on his musical alliances with alternative rock's leading ladies (Laurie Anderson, Kate Bush), GABRIEL here enlists the help of Sinead O'Connor on backing vocals, who makes an impression out of the gate with her distinctive voice on "Come Talk To Me". "Us" isn't the happiest record in the GABRIEL arsenal, though the artist was increasingly disinterested in making commercial music (and perhaps music altogether). It is a sonically gorgeous effort, however; perhaps a little too subtle for some tastes, but bound to please his fans on at least a few levels.