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Peter Gabriel - So CD (album) cover

SO

Peter Gabriel

 

Crossover Prog

3.86 | 807 ratings

From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website

Sinusoid
Prog Reviewer
3 stars I swear that the videos to some of the songs would've scared the crap out of me as a little kid. Okay, getting back on topic...

With this album being released in 1986, one could inevitably make a comparison between Peter Gabriel's SO album and the INVISIBLE TOUCH album put out by his former Genesis colleagues. Both are pretty much under the ''new wave'' umbrella and each album spouted its fair share of hit singles. The biggest difference here is that SO embraces more world music textures in the midst of the pop music that give an artsier feel; just listen to the flute at the beginning of the monster ''Sledgehammer'' to get an idea.

I enjoy the fast paced poppier songs on here than I do the sappy ballads. The only thing that saves ''Don't Give Up'' from laughable status is Tony Levin's superb bass work at the intro. The bass here is one of the best I've heard and that machine-gun sounding workout in the middle of ''Big Time'' is magnificent. ''Red Rain'', ''We Do What We're Told'' and the bonus ''This is the Picture'' encompass most of the other highlights.

This is 80's pop music that's been given a sophisticated makeover. It's highly amusing and enjoyable, but the idea of SO being prog rock is at best, debatable.

Sinusoid | 3/5 |

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