I/O

After more than 20 years since the last studio album of new material, the long-awaited 10th solo album from legendary vocalist Peter Gabriel finally materialized this year and with a new song released on each full moon throughout the year, the album was slowly pieced together, with the full album finally released in December 2023. And Wow, was it ever worth the wait! An absolutely brilliant album from start to finish, 12 great songs, so moving and powerful, with such depth and sophistication, and showing a nice variety of styles. The songs and production are exceptional throughout, from the emotive and contemplative lyrics to the lush meticulously and intricately crafted soundscapes and instrumentation that are so fascinating and compelling on repeated listens, and just work so well. Also, with the two different mixes presented (bright side and dark side), there are so many little nuances and subtleties to explore and enjoy in each song. A masterclass in music construction and production, and such a rewarding emotional journey, from somber contemplation to outright joy. And Gabriel's vocals are superb, like he has not lost anything at all over the years. He delivers both with the more bouncy, upbeat songs like Road to Joy, Olive Tree, Panopticom, and the title track, and on the slower, more personal, contemplative songs, as well as those in between. I quite expected to prefer the more upbeat songs, but it is actually the more somber, contemplative songs that have become my favorites (Playing For Time, So Much, Love Can Heal), as they just are so thoughtful, beautiful, and emotional. But then, all the songs are great, there are no weak tracks. A glorious album. I do believe that this is his masterpiece, and quite possibly his very best (which is saying a lot as he has multiple standout albums in his catalog). This, for me, was without question, the best album of 2023 (with nothing else even coming close - the only album I awarded a full 5 stars to).