1 [Original recording remastered]

 

 

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I was a big Genesis/Peter Gabriel fan growing up. I've seen them a dozen times in concert. In my humble opinion, tracks 6-9 on this CD are still the best "album side" ever put together. I could listen to it over and over, it's so moving. The front side is not as strong, but still good.

Peter Gabriel is probably my favorite vocalist out there (along with Tom Waits) and this is his best album. The music is very diverse and unique, and the lyrics are brilliant and poetic. If you like Genesis or Gabriel and haven't heard this one yet, buy it! 9.5/10

Our beloved British genius Peter Gabriel was on his own for nearly two years after he declared his independence from his former band Genesis and almost thought of quitting music but that was not to be though. He got back into the studio in 1976 and recorded and delivered his first solo album in February of 1977 and what an awesome result. This isn't necessarily his strongest album of his career (Security and SO have that title) but for a debut, it's quite an accomplishment. This is a fantastic outing from the then blossoming talent of Mr. Gabriel. This CD is nothing like the darker and more bleak tones that defined the three albums that followed this debut. In fact, this is probably the happiest record that Gabriel ever made but that doesn't mean it's cheesy. Completely opposite, it's a great and unforgettable classic and with the remastering, the sound quality is vastly improved and the songs all sound so much sharper and clearer and there isn't any need to turn the volume up to deafening levels to hear the songs clearly. The album has a very fleshed out sound in each of the songs, something opposite to the second album that Gabriel released a year later which had a dry and very raw production to it, great CD as well. The album jumps in many styles and it sometimes makes the album have a sense that it'll lose it's cohesiveness. Overall, the album has an orchestral rock sound to it, thanks to the big fat production of Bob Ezrin who did a better job at this than Robert Fripp did with "PG 2". "Excuse Me" gets my nod as the funniest and most hilarious song that Gabriel has ever composed. It's a humorous song with a tuba and barbershop band and hilarious tuba playing and the song is a hilarious barbershop theme and the most charming song that he has ever done and is completely opposite to let's say "Lead A Normal Life" and "Darkness". I often listen to this great song to cheer myself up sometimes when I'm down or induced to tears when listening to "Birdy" soundtrack or "The Drop" from the UP album. The album is best known for Peter's first major solo hit single "Solsbury Hill" with it's acoustic guitar and then building up into an electrifying rocker towards the ending. The song is a personal tale of why he left his band Genesis two years before then. There are other great gems to hear on this album. "Excuse Me" and "Solsbury Hill" are just two of them. A highlight in my opinion is the mini-epic "Humdrum". It starts with haunting keyboards and excellent before becoming a energetic rocker and changing tones, all in less than 3:30! The winner on this CD though is the closing theme entitled "Here Comes The Flood" which paved the way for the dramatic direction that Gabriel would take after this album, being an awesome power ballad and unique chord structures. It makes an absolutely stunning closer to this album but only showcased what was to come later on in his career. There is a gorgeous piano version of this song available on the "Shaking The Tree" album that's just as good as this version too. I just wanted to say this classic album finally has gotten a much needed clean up job on it's recording quality. The remastered edition is an incredible improvement over the older CD and brings out much greater volume and better details in the music to where it's almost like a new Peter Gabriel CD.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Still Has it For A Time
Coming Off Genesis most creative Album The Lamb, and Peter sure added much to its amazing sound. This album goes off in a totally different direction and perhaps totally... Read more

Published on Jan 31 2009 by TDN

5.0 out of 5 stars Its hard to say
Its hard to say if Peter Gabriels debut is his sole best album or not but if not its tied with other albums. Clearly its an amazing work. Read more

Published on Jun 18 2004 by Brian Ogilby

4.0 out of 5 stars Not Gabriel's BEST album, but...
It's not trashing this album by saying it's probably Gabriel's weakest solo album. It's sort of like saying Beethoven's 8th was Beethoven's worst symphony. Read more

Published on Feb 18 2003 by ewomack

4.0 out of 5 stars Solid, eclectic debut
Peter Gabriel's seminal solo career began with this interesting release, a mixture of pop hits, standards, art-rock and genre exercises that looked back on his time with Genesis... Read more

Published on Aug 28 2002 by Michael Topper

4.0 out of 5 stars Very good cd
This is a very good cd. Starts out with moribound burgmeister, kind of orchestral in parts, then goes into a slow down and then picks up again. Read more

Published on Aug 21 2002 by Kurt A. Ragsdale

4.0 out of 5 stars Searching for a Musical Identity, Part I..
Ah, that wacky Gabriel. For seven years at the front of Genesis he wore dozens of masks, literal and figurative, from the boxes and fox heads he donned on stage to the characters... Read more

Published on Jun 6 2002 by spiral_mind

5.0 out of 5 stars much-needed clean-up job for a well-deserved classic
Of all the new Peter Gabriel reissues, this is probably the most essential, if only because the original CD sounds pretty bad. Read more

Published on Jun 6 2002 by M. Derby

4.0 out of 5 stars if you like rain on a car...
This is a good album! PETER GABRIEL sits in a car, while MORI-
BUND THE BURGERMEISTER drives by on his tricycle with lots of
wierd sound effects and a deep threatening... Read more

Published on May 30 2002 by R. Recchia

5.0 out of 5 stars Monumental Sound Quality Improvement
This remastered release of Peter Gabriel's first solo album sounds MUCH better than the original CD release (which sounds like my grandma was at the controls). Read more

Published on May 20 2002

5.0 out of 5 stars I'd give it 1000 stars! A CLASSIC ALL OVER AGAIN!!!
I JUST got this in the mail today...WOW!!! No one ever does it like Mr. Gabriel, and the remastered version soars beyond my wildest aspirations... Read more

Published on May 13 2002 by mjalltheway

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