I only recently discovered your channel, and I am amazed that there is a thoughtful, intelligent reviewer in the youtube/tiktok miasma. The inclusion of droll British sarcasm is just frosting on the cake.
Excellent ranking and review. I wouldn't change a thing, especially with your top 4 choices. PG3 was the first Gabriel solo album I purchased. I remember being blown away from the very first listen to "Intruder" with Gabriel's eerie vocal over Phil Collins' powerhouse gated snare, through the hair raising "I Don't Recall." A masterpiece of an album.
I have most of these but Car remains my favouite. I love the innovation and orchestral settings. I find much of the next few albums harsh and unappealing, with the lyicism ang grace of So a welcome relief.
Great review as always! When my late mother moved into a private dementia home her room overlooked Real World studios and when I quietly mentioned this she just said ‘ooh, should I move rooms?’ 😂😂 Solsbury Hill was only a stone’s throw away too!!😜
Wonderful listing and from an artist I love and respect. I wouldn’t disagree with any of the positions. Very professional as ever. A style we all aspire to. Cheers. Dave
I've always enjoyed the eclectic mix of songs on Car... given that I'm a huge fan of Gabriel-era Genesis it was quite a surprise to see what he had for his first solo effort
Thank you for this ranking. Agree with your top pick! I personally prefer the earlier catalogue but his last album has some great moments. Btw I've just purchased IV on vinyl recently. It's still one of the weaker albums from the early period, but I'll give it some more in depth listening after your ranking. Suggestion - a ranking of Peter Hammill's let's say top 10 albums. I'm wondering what would be at your top.
Really interesting video. I do think the Peter Gabriel LP mix of Here Comes the Flood is bombastic though and the Fripp variant on Exposure is much more spare and powerful like something off The Lamb side 4.
Solid rankings and glad to hear your thoughts. Definitely rank the orchestral stuff at the bottom. Appreciate the experiment, but I don't think it really worked. Do have to say that I would rank Scratch higher. It's a strange album, but after the glacial pace he's kept over the last handful of decades, I wish someone would bundle Pete off to a studio and make him rush a production again. Same with Us. Felt a little trend-chasing at the time, but there are some stunning songs on that album.
Once again brilliant stuff Barry! I always find these single artist focuses to be your strongest suit. While I don't agree with your list entirely - I notice something about his canon: there's always a few tracks that I don't care for. Funny thing: years later, the songs I didn't like are now my faves! PG's music is so rich in maturity and nuance that it evolves with his audience. I for one am so grateful this brilliant artist has shared his lifetime in the music he makes. Cheers!
Good video....but I love Scratch and would put it in PG's top 2. Like the production on it too. It's drier and sounds much better than his 1st. Love listening to you analyze just about anything...very visual and colorful descriptions and comparisons.
Great review, Barry. I agree that PG3 was an artistic handbrake turn for him, and is admirable for this reason alone. I have a real soft spot for PG2 - through which I accidentally discovered him and his rabbit hole as a 15 year-old when a school friend’s brother put the needle into the groove and he came “On The Air”. Thanks again Barry.
I'll wholeheartedly agree with "Melt" as the number one. It left an indelible mark on me, that's for sure, as when it came out I was living in NYC, waiting tables night and day and hanging on by my fingertips in a harsh and unforgiving city. This album seemed to echo every thought and emotion I was going through at the time, the desperation and fear and alienation ringing through every fibre of my body. Those first four albums were an incredible run, a rush of creativity and passion and innovation as he explored new sounds. I'll agree that the second one is patchy -- the second half never lives up to the first side, especially that "White Shadow" fade out (fun fact: If you had a stereo without an automatic pick-up, the needle would just go round and round, playing Larry Fast's ghostly chimes on a loop for eternity). I found "So" too mature, too caclulatedly MTV-orientated, as if he's seen the airplay Phil Collins was getting and wanted a piece of the action. I struggled on for a couple of more albums, and found "Us" an overcooked rehash of what had become a formula, very little of which left an impression on me or lingered in my memory, with the exception of "Digging in the Dirt", which sounds as if Gabriel II had reached out from 1980 and grabbed the mic for a track. To my surprise, I really, REALLY liked I/O, even though I didn't hear the tracks before I bought the actual CD and still can't differentiate between the dark and bright mixes. I saw this as a return to form, and a welcome one.
Totally agree with your #1. I've been fortunate enough to have seen all of Peter's tours since Security in '82. He continues to evolve as an artist in ways few others can match.
I bought the LP of Us in Kazakhstan in 1994. It was a rainy summer and I was entering university. And in my head I was playing I love to be loved. I adore this song. It is always associated with warm summer rain and green maples. Now I have collected Gabriel's entire discography on CD. And the best album is Passion. Thank you!
"Up" is an interesting one, for it's one I didn't like so much on the first listen-through, but after running through it a few times, it kept growing on me, and I now am more likely to put it on than many of the others. In my view it lacks any stand-out hit single, and I usually think that's a good sign. "So" is still my favourite, though, possibly because that's the one that got released in my teens during what I call my "MTV Years", and tracks like "Blood of Eden" and - perhaps an odd choice in what is probably the most obscure track on the album - "Fourteen Black Paintings", are songs I could never tire of.
Very insightful and objective review that will be immensely useful for those who haven’t yet experienced PG’s great work. As for my personal taste, I can never make up my mind about which of your top two is my favourite. So it ends up being an imaginary double album of PG3 + 4. Along with your next two picks, the live album, and the great Athens concert video, I would suggest we have PGs absolutely essential works. Kindest regards. John
Another fantastically rich and incredibly thought out review. Whether I actually agree with your rankings or views is, as always, very much secondary to the compelling content.
"Melt" is my favorite PG album as well. It's nearly 4 AM as I write this and I've just finished a 16 hr work day so I'm in no condition to accurately rank the rest....just to say that Mr. Gabriel is always an interesting listen. Thanks, Barry.
Yes, thank-you for this. I agree with the bottom four; they never grew on me. I think he became too obsessed with rhythm and strangled the life out of the songs on "Up". Thank goodness he got the harmonies and arrangements working better on "I/O". "Melt sounded like he continued where he left on on "Car", suggesting a lot of mistakes on "Scratch". He was featured on the South Bank Show making "Security" and surprisingly "Shock The Monkey" only made no.58 in the UK. "So" was an absolute gem. I think he got everything spot on with producer Daniel Lanois. It went straight to no.1 in the UK and was knocked off the top spot by guess what ? : Invisible Touch !!
thank you - a good insight into some varied albums by the amazing PG. I've never heard 'up'- I had bailed out by that time - after your comment of it being 'sombre & a dense and difficult trudge' I'll definitely give it a listen - I prefer that than his more pop type music of the late eighties. He has the most varied styles of music - and I like the darker/more reflective style.
I love your top 3! Right in line with my own. US is the real “sleeper” of his catalog. Love that album except when he overreaches with Steam and Kiss that Frog. But the rest of it make it well with the listen. Thanks for another great vid!!
Great stuff as always. Personally I'd have album 2 at the top. Unlike you I think it's a masterpiece which flows and is as fresh today as when I first bought it. But the real winner is Gabriel - what an incredible collection of albums.
Very nice list here! Melt has definitely grown on me overtime, yet Car remains to be my favorite of his albums. A farewell to the Genesis years, but showing that he still had a little bit of that energy to show off before sailing on to bigger and better things.
Hi Barry, mentioned a couple of times in this video as a contributor, but how about a top 10 of Peter Hammill's work, either with or without VDGG? A shockingly overlooked artist.
Well done! I missed deserved praise for 3 of my favourite tracks. Wallflower from Security is his most powerful political statement and most emotional IMO. Excellent Birds - the version on Laurie Anderson's 1984 Mr Heartbreak LP - is very compelling, but PG's single b-side version pales in comparison. And Digging in the Dirt is his best video and 'therapy song', and I'll always remember the first time I saw and heard it. Red Rain was a great start to 'So', but the rest of it became increasingly dull IMO... Up was such a refreshing return to form with the best concert video- though for So fans that band reunion concert is excellent.
PG 3 to Us is one of the greatest album runs in modern music history. You can put them in any order, they're all brilliant. Added to those, Secret World Live is essential, as I find most of these live versions to be superior to the album versions.
Great ranking video and I agree with your top 5, but have PG3 at 3, Us at 2 & PG4 at 1. I am so glad you rate Us so highly. I have read a number of reviews that sh!t upon it to some degree. For me, Up is an album with many fine moments but I never quite bought into it as a whole. Interestingly, it is very highly rated on ProgArchives.
I have appreciated Gabrial from his Genesis days. I thought his solo albums were dark and somewhat disturbing all the while being sonically cutting edge. Over the years I have seen Peter in concert several times. An amazing performer. Through his darkest works came some of the most beautiful and uplifting works. Sublime pieces that soar. Signal to Noise moves me deeply. as does Suppers Ready. Here comes the Flood is lovely. as is Wallflower.
Definitely agree with your choice of Number one . I seem to remember the Cassette I had of the album had a different cover. I wonder why? How many albums had different cover artwork for different formats? 🤷🏻♂️
Melt is my top LP also. I knew how important this LP was aged 10 when my mum stopped the car in Tamworth, half way home after a bank holiday trip. I went to a record shop and eyed it on display. As I did a red vinyl 7” of Pulling Mussels by Squeeze. Alas I only had a few pennies of pocket money left so I bought a PiL button badge.
I've always loved the synth work from Larry Fast (whose solo outings were recorded under the moniker of Synergy) on Gabriel's first five albums (PG1 through Birdy).
I've always said the thing missing on So was Larry Fast. It would have balanced some of the commercial leanings on it. I do think some great atmospheres returned on US, although Larry isn't on it
I was surprised that Scratch was ranked so low, it is perhaps my favourite Gabriel solo album. I fancy the songs Indigo and White Shadow. I love the starkness of this album.
My favourite too!! But then, perhaps through the years I've become more of a Fripp and Levin fan than PG fan. PG's latest, I honestly couldn't get through it anymore. This (the 2nd) was the first PG album really, because the actual first one was more like a Bob Ezrin album through PG. And Fripp was the first to bring out PG himself. The third and the fourth are also pretty good, but I would put the 2nd on top. I saw him live twice, after the third and fourth, so in 1980 and 1982. Anyway, do not be surprised. Any ranking, mine and yours as well, is always more informative about the ranker than about the artist. Not to mention the T-shirt he decided to put on for this video.
Pity not including his soundtrack work. Passion is absolutely his best album. . . And I still say that as someone who loves his voice more than most singers in the world. Also, raise your hand if you're surprised at the choice of Peter Gabriel 3 as #1. Yeah, me either. 😆
Really great & articulate of review of PG thank you. Agree 100% with your choices, 3 stands out for me too, with 4 close behind & US. Reminds me how NME reviews always irritated me at the time.
Brilliant. Really loved this Barry. You are so on point and my only swap would be So with Us....but theres not much in it. I find the sound of Us a little lacking in brightness, I must hear a remaster.
Not bad. However, I'd have "Scratch" switch places with "Up." And I'd have to put "Us" at the apex of the list. It came out when I was dealing with a failed marriage and also a subsequent love relationship that didn't flourish as I'd hoped, so my emotional connection to that album causes me to be unashamedly biased towards its naked brilliance.
Good job. Mostly agree with this, other than dropping I/O lower - I can't get into that album at all, feels like him revisiting his greatest hits. Thanks :)
An interesting ranking, Barry, and I mostly agree. I would put 'Up' higher, though (probably swapped with 'So'); it tends to be my go-to PG album, despite the unsettling opening track. I think 'I Grieve' is one of the most sublime pieces of work he has ever created.
Great video. I agree with a lot in this ranking, but would change places between Us and I/o One interpretation of your that doesn’t hold up is the idea of Chernobyl having influence on So. The accident was in April 1986 and the album was released in the month after
One of my favorite artists ever was really interested to hear your takes on these. I agree mostly though depending on my mood I think any of the top 4 could easily change places. I think my personal favorite would be Security.
As a listener familiar with all his albums through Us,But almost no Gabriel-era Genesis, And not knowing the later stuff - I’d have to go with Security because it has my fav Gabriel track Shock the Monkey. But they all have interesting stuff. So isn’t the one I listen to most often now- But Hey I’ve listened to it on and off the radio so many times. ✌️
Great reviews. For me, SO will always be his number 1 - full of brilliant songs and with no weak ones. All the others have some brilliant songs as well as some rubbish. I love SECURITY, especially San Jacinto, which I don't think you mentioned. You're absolutely right about US. It's a great album and also very consistently good. I really like his latest album a lot and would rank it really high aling with UP. His musical arrangements and quirky instrumentation have always excited me. A truly wonderful artist. No mention of OVO? Also some wonderful tracks eg Tomorrow Today.
Interesting thoughts...kinda agree with a lot of your points, maybe not as much on the rankings... But that's to be expected with an artist of such artistic caliber: each album may hit differently.
My order would be 1. PG3. It's where I came in after hearing Games Without Frontiers & realising the Genesis link but I've not heard many better albums by anyone. 2. Us. Fantastic songs. The Secret World tour was the best concert I've been to. 3. Up. I wish he'd do this album live in it's entirety like he did So. 4. PG4. Seven wonderful tracks & Shock The Monkey which I hate. 5. So. Maybe it suffers from two songs having too much airplay but I love Red Rain & Big Time.The live version of In Your Eyes is on a different level to the So track. 6. PG1. My tape got lost so I've not heard it in years. I loved side 2. I've never heard PG2 or i/o.
Mate, of each and every one of the UA-cam music critics you are, by leaps and bounds, the very best. Your reviews are inevitably concise, considered, intelligent, and witty. Too, it doesn't hurt that you are clearly quite well-read, love it when you work in quotes from or allusions to a wide variety of writers. That said, I can only give you 9 out of 10, a cruel thrust I know. But this will easily become 10 out of 10 when you finally review Fever Tree's debut album. Cheers!
Peter Gabriel 2 (Scratch) will always be my personal favourite, although he has had better songs on other albums, I find that the production and the flow of this album is the most unique and best
I definitely agree with 1 and 2, but I’d flip 3 and 4. Otherwise I’d say i like your rankings. Peter Gabriel is my favorite solo artist so I’m always curious to see other people’s takes on his music.
Great ranking, and very similar to mine (I rank 4 above 3, and 2 above 1). I'd also be interested to hear where you'd place his four soundtrack albums among this list.
I have to rate “Scratch” as the best PG album. He was deep into the Fripp, Hammill, Bowie phase then, with the cover art by the (very subversive) Peter Christopherson. It was a cold, stark, contemporary rebuff to his former band, who were by now increasingly gravitating toward the safe, lucrative commercial market (as Peter would later with “So”) and prior to his socially conscious, then elder statesmen trajectory, which he is now comfortably settled in.
Just one disagreement there...."SO" was not an easy sell to the rock radio world. If it had NOT been for MTV and the Sledgehammer video, I am not sure that SO would have been more than a critics darling. I absolutely LOVE the album, but...its an album that you must sit down and listen to, and sometimes get up and dance to. There are heartbreaking songs on that album. "Don't Give Up" gets to me every time I hear it. But, as far as being a "commercial" album. If it had not been, again, for MTV and the two singles initially off of it...I'm not sure.
@@mayhem492 I’m with you, brother. As a lover of Mr Fripp’s work (and I’d like to think something of a completist of his massive discography) I rate his solo at the end of White Shadow on PG2 as one of his finest moments. An amazing album.
I agree with your choice for #1 and 2. Personally, I loved his first 4 albums, and half of his fifth (So). After that, I gave up on Peter Gabriel. Of course, I loved his stuff with Genesis :)
Security my favourite but I think Scratch is very underrated. For me the first 4 albums were the best 4. The rest are all worth listening to. He never made a crap album
I agree I find Scratch to be possibly my favorite. There are some weaknesses - including the cold distant feeling - but it is so ambitious and aggressive I listen to it a lot!
I can stand any amount of Peter Gabriel content. 👍 I always thought "Us" was an attempt to recreate "So", (as mentioned with "Steam" as an example), and I'm surprised by the two albums positions, here, but there's no arguing with the quality of the song writing.
Opinion: You should wedge in toward the top the Plays Live album. It's also a huge part of that timeless era in his discography. The original double album track sequence is ideal. It's not strictly a live album. On the sleeve he mentions it has post production perfectly mixed in. To me, a joy to listen to.
No problems with the ranking from this end. When I bought PG III and the needle dropped on 'intruder' boom boom ba boom, boom boom never heard before gated reverb drums, creaking hinges and Kate Bush wailing I knew this record was going to be something unique and special. It was, and still is.
My top three starting at number 3 would be a tie between I/O & So. Both wildly different albums. You could say that So was Gabriel’s pension plan whilst I/O is his life insurance. Number 2 is Melt, I realise there might be much mashing & wailing regarding this choice I feel this is the more sterile production methods going forward, although the songs remain outstanding in their own right. For me the number one choice is Security. This for me is a more earthier album with ‘Lay your hands on me’ being an exorcism of the last remaining influences of Genesis. A new beginning, a new path towards an earthier percussive style which is why for me it wins out on Melt. Greatly enjoy your musings, keep up the excellent work.
Peter also did an incredible soundtrack 'Passion' that I consider one of the best soundtracks of all time. He also did the soundtrack for 'Birdie'
Fully agree.
@@Octavian7771 Birdy. I had that on vinyl - really good
I was wondering why Passion wasn't on this list.
YES! Passion and Birdie are two of the greatest albums ever released!
Haven't seen Birdie. Is that a golf movie?
Birdy is good though.
I only recently discovered your channel, and I am amazed that there is a thoughtful, intelligent reviewer in the youtube/tiktok miasma. The inclusion of droll British sarcasm is just frosting on the cake.
As a lifelong Gabriel fan from back his Genesis days, I gotta say, you nailed it. Perfect.
Excellent ranking and review. I wouldn't change a thing, especially with your top 4 choices. PG3 was the first Gabriel solo album I purchased. I remember being blown away from the very first listen to "Intruder" with Gabriel's eerie vocal over Phil Collins' powerhouse gated snare, through the hair raising "I Don't Recall." A masterpiece of an album.
I have most of these but Car remains my favouite. I love the innovation and orchestral settings. I find much of the next few albums harsh and unappealing, with the lyicism ang grace of So a welcome relief.
Bought the HiRes Melt record off Qobuz this morning. My chores went beautifully. Thanks for the video.
His best albums are Peter Gabriel, Peter Gabriel, Peter Gabriel and Peter Gabriel.
Maybe, but not in that order.
Agreed
Car, Scratch, Melt, Scary face
Thanks for pointing that out
Not as big of a fan of Peter Gabriel, but absolutely the other 3.
Pretty spot on in my opinion... Melt is my favourite but maybe I have car above IO and So. Otherwise a great ranking!
Melt is fabulous and I was lucky enough to see that tour.
I'm THRILLED to not see So at the top!!
Thank you Barry for the recognition for Us, a beautiful and underrated album. Track Secret World is understated perfection. Entertaining review!
Nice. At LAST the ranking of this amazing artist and his wonderfull solo discography. Great vídeo.
Glad you enjoyed it
His debut solo album will always have a special place in my heart: I find it packs an emotional punch that none of his other albums quite manage.
Fantastic video!
Great review as always!
When my late mother moved into a private dementia home her room overlooked Real World studios and when I quietly mentioned this she just said ‘ooh, should I move rooms?’ 😂😂
Solsbury Hill was only a stone’s throw away too!!😜
Thank you Barry,a top notch albums review.
Very welcome
Wonderful listing and from an artist I love and respect. I wouldn’t disagree with any of the positions. Very professional as ever. A style we all aspire to. Cheers. Dave
I've always enjoyed the eclectic mix of songs on Car... given that I'm a huge fan of Gabriel-era Genesis it was quite a surprise to see what he had for his first solo effort
Thank you for this ranking. Agree with your top pick! I personally prefer the earlier catalogue but his last album has some great moments. Btw I've just purchased IV on vinyl recently. It's still one of the weaker albums from the early period, but I'll give it some more in depth listening after your ranking.
Suggestion - a ranking of Peter Hammill's let's say top 10 albums. I'm wondering what would be at your top.
Humdrum: one of PG's great songs.
Fantastic video. You sound like a fusion of Whispering Bob and John Peel. And that is no bad thing.
Many years ago I named a house Humdrum after that song.
That's right. Long may he reign.
Really interesting video. I do think the Peter Gabriel LP mix of Here Comes the Flood is bombastic though and the Fripp variant on Exposure is much more spare and powerful like something off The Lamb side 4.
Solid rankings and glad to hear your thoughts. Definitely rank the orchestral stuff at the bottom. Appreciate the experiment, but I don't think it really worked.
Do have to say that I would rank Scratch higher. It's a strange album, but after the glacial pace he's kept over the last handful of decades, I wish someone would bundle Pete off to a studio and make him rush a production again. Same with Us. Felt a little trend-chasing at the time, but there are some stunning songs on that album.
Once again brilliant stuff Barry! I always find these single artist focuses to be your strongest suit. While I don't agree with your list entirely - I notice something about his canon: there's always a few tracks that I don't care for. Funny thing: years later, the songs I didn't like are now my faves! PG's music is so rich in maturity and nuance that it evolves with his audience. I for one am so grateful this brilliant artist has shared his lifetime in the music he makes. Cheers!
Good video....but I love Scratch and would put it in PG's top 2. Like the production on it too.
It's drier and sounds much better than his 1st. Love listening to you analyze just about anything...very visual and colorful descriptions and comparisons.
Great review, Barry. I agree that PG3 was an artistic handbrake turn for him, and is admirable for this reason alone. I have a real soft spot for PG2 - through which I accidentally discovered him and his rabbit hole as a 15 year-old when a school friend’s brother put the needle into the groove and he came “On The Air”. Thanks again Barry.
I'll wholeheartedly agree with "Melt" as the number one. It left an indelible mark on me, that's for sure, as when it came out I was living in NYC, waiting tables night and day and hanging on by my fingertips in a harsh and unforgiving city. This album seemed to echo every thought and emotion I was going through at the time, the desperation and fear and alienation ringing through every fibre of my body. Those first four albums were an incredible run, a rush of creativity and passion and innovation as he explored new sounds. I'll agree that the second one is patchy -- the second half never lives up to the first side, especially that "White Shadow" fade out (fun fact: If you had a stereo without an automatic pick-up, the needle would just go round and round, playing Larry Fast's ghostly chimes on a loop for eternity). I found "So" too mature, too caclulatedly MTV-orientated, as if he's seen the airplay Phil Collins was getting and wanted a piece of the action. I struggled on for a couple of more albums, and found "Us" an overcooked rehash of what had become a formula, very little of which left an impression on me or lingered in my memory, with the exception of "Digging in the Dirt", which sounds as if Gabriel II had reached out from 1980 and grabbed the mic for a track. To my surprise, I really, REALLY liked I/O, even though I didn't hear the tracks before I bought the actual CD and still can't differentiate between the dark and bright mixes. I saw this as a return to form, and a welcome one.
Totally agree with your #1. I've been fortunate enough to have seen all of Peter's tours since Security in '82. He continues to evolve as an artist in ways few others can match.
Excellent review Barry nice one👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
Glad you enjoyed it
Great video. Feels like the good old days of rankings and reviews videos might actually be back!
I upload an album review video twice a month.
I bought the LP of Us in Kazakhstan in 1994. It was a rainy summer and I was entering university. And in my head I was playing I love to be loved. I adore this song. It is always associated with warm summer rain and green maples. Now I have collected Gabriel's entire discography on CD. And the best album is Passion. Thank you!
Agree with #1. Sometimes our opinions change over time. Today I appreciate the 'Up' album more than before.
"Up" is an interesting one, for it's one I didn't like so much on the first listen-through, but after running through it a few times, it kept growing on me, and I now am more likely to put it on than many of the others. In my view it lacks any stand-out hit single, and I usually think that's a good sign. "So" is still my favourite, though, possibly because that's the one that got released in my teens during what I call my "MTV Years", and tracks like "Blood of Eden" and - perhaps an odd choice in what is probably the most obscure track on the album - "Fourteen Black Paintings", are songs I could never tire of.
Very insightful and objective review that will be immensely useful for those who haven’t yet experienced PG’s great work. As for my personal taste, I can never make up my mind about which of your top two is my favourite. So it ends up being an imaginary double album of PG3 + 4. Along with your next two picks, the live album, and the great Athens concert video, I would suggest we have PGs absolutely essential works. Kindest regards. John
huge Gabriel fan, got to see him on the SO tour in the 80s. Great content and good insight to albums I wasn’t familiar with, thank you!
I saw him on that tour in 1986 at Earls Court 😊
Another fantastically rich and incredibly thought out review. Whether I actually agree with your rankings or views is, as always, very much secondary to the compelling content.
Much appreciated!
"Melt" is my favorite PG album as well. It's nearly 4 AM as I write this and I've just finished a 16 hr work day so I'm in no condition to accurately rank the rest....just to say that Mr. Gabriel is always an interesting listen. Thanks, Barry.
I'm just out of a bakery shift bk in at midnight. Busy time,all the chocolates and pork pies, always hungry when they come out of the oven.
Yes, thank-you for this. I agree with the bottom four; they never grew on me. I think he became too obsessed with rhythm and strangled the life out of the songs on "Up". Thank goodness he got the harmonies and arrangements working better on "I/O". "Melt sounded like he continued where he left on on "Car", suggesting a lot of mistakes on "Scratch". He was featured on the South Bank Show making "Security" and surprisingly "Shock The Monkey" only made no.58 in the UK. "So" was an absolute gem. I think he got everything spot on with producer Daniel Lanois. It went straight to no.1 in the UK and was knocked off the top spot by guess what ? : Invisible Touch !!
thank you - a good insight into some varied albums by the amazing PG. I've never heard 'up'- I had bailed out by that time - after your comment of it being 'sombre & a dense and difficult trudge' I'll definitely give it a listen - I prefer that than his more pop type music of the late eighties. He has the most varied styles of music - and I like the darker/more reflective style.
I adore all these albums, but don't argue with the rankings.
I love your top 3! Right in line with my own. US is the real “sleeper” of his catalog. Love that album except when he overreaches with Steam and Kiss that Frog. But the rest of it make it well with the listen. Thanks for another great vid!!
Very good ranking, and very precise rewiews. My ranking is: 1) Melt, 2) Security, 3) So, 4) i/o, 5) Us
Great stuff as always. Personally I'd have album 2 at the top. Unlike you I think it's a masterpiece which flows and is as fresh today as when I first bought it.
But the real winner is Gabriel - what an incredible collection of albums.
Very nice list here! Melt has definitely grown on me overtime, yet Car remains to be my favorite of his albums. A farewell to the Genesis years, but showing that he still had a little bit of that energy to show off before sailing on to bigger and better things.
Another excellent ranking video 👏🏻
Glad you enjoyed it
@classicalbum To be honest, I don't really know much of his discography after SO. It looks like US and his recent album need to be checked out asap!
Very nice ranking. Melt is my personal favorite, and Us is way up there fir me
Beautiful list. 👍
Love Melt it would be my number one album also from Peter
Pretty much in agreement, Barry, although I'd swap 3 & 4 for his top two.
Hi Barry, mentioned a couple of times in this video as a contributor, but how about a top 10 of Peter Hammill's work, either with or without VDGG? A shockingly overlooked artist.
Well done! I missed deserved praise for 3 of my favourite tracks. Wallflower from Security is his most powerful political statement and most emotional IMO. Excellent Birds - the version on Laurie Anderson's 1984 Mr Heartbreak LP - is very compelling, but PG's single b-side version pales in comparison. And Digging in the Dirt is his best video and 'therapy song', and I'll always remember the first time I saw and heard it. Red Rain was a great start to 'So', but the rest of it became increasingly dull IMO... Up was such a refreshing return to form with the best concert video- though for So fans that band reunion concert is excellent.
PG 3 to Us is one of the greatest album runs in modern music history. You can put them in any order, they're all brilliant. Added to those, Secret World Live is essential, as I find most of these live versions to be superior to the album versions.
Great ranking video and I agree with your top 5, but have PG3 at 3, Us at 2 & PG4 at 1. I am so glad you rate Us so highly. I have read a number of reviews that sh!t upon it to some degree. For me, Up is an album with many fine moments but I never quite bought into it as a whole. Interestingly, it is very highly rated on ProgArchives.
Melt is a chef's kiss album! It refuses to age, still sounds incredible and as fresh as when it came out 😍
I have appreciated Gabrial from his Genesis days. I thought his solo albums were dark and somewhat disturbing all the while being sonically cutting edge. Over the years I have seen Peter in concert several times. An amazing performer. Through his darkest works came some of the most beautiful and uplifting works. Sublime pieces that soar. Signal to Noise moves me deeply. as does Suppers Ready. Here comes the Flood is lovely. as is Wallflower.
Definitely agree with your choice of Number one . I seem to remember the Cassette I had of the album had a different cover. I wonder why? How many albums had different cover artwork for different formats? 🤷🏻♂️
Melt is my top LP also. I knew how important this LP was aged 10 when my mum stopped the car in Tamworth, half way home after a bank holiday trip. I went to a record shop and eyed it on display. As I did a red vinyl 7” of Pulling Mussels by Squeeze. Alas I only had a few pennies of pocket money left so I bought a PiL button badge.
Melt is the one for sure. Masterpiece.
Interesting insights as always. Least favourite to favourite for me: Scratch, Up, Car, Security, i/o, Melt, So, Us.
nicely done!
I've always loved the synth work from Larry Fast (whose solo outings were recorded under the moniker of Synergy) on Gabriel's first five albums (PG1 through Birdy).
I've always said the thing missing on So was Larry Fast. It would have balanced some of the commercial leanings on it. I do think some great atmospheres returned on US, although Larry isn't on it
@@mdrouin4885 Yeah, Larry said that he recorded for _So_, but the parts were ultimately rejected.
I was surprised that Scratch was ranked so low, it is perhaps my favourite Gabriel solo album. I fancy the songs Indigo and White Shadow. I love the starkness of this album.
Agreed. Surprised by the low ranking as well.
I've always felt Scratch was an under appreciated album.
My favourite too!! But then, perhaps through the years I've become more of a Fripp and Levin fan than PG fan. PG's latest, I honestly couldn't get through it anymore. This (the 2nd) was the first PG album really, because the actual first one was more like a Bob Ezrin album through PG. And Fripp was the first to bring out PG himself. The third and the fourth are also pretty good, but I would put the 2nd on top. I saw him live twice, after the third and fourth, so in 1980 and 1982. Anyway, do not be surprised. Any ranking, mine and yours as well, is always more informative about the ranker than about the artist. Not to mention the T-shirt he decided to put on for this video.
Pity not including his soundtrack work. Passion is absolutely his best album. . . And I still say that as someone who loves his voice more than most singers in the world.
Also, raise your hand if you're surprised at the choice of Peter Gabriel 3 as #1. Yeah, me either. 😆
Really great & articulate of review of PG thank you. Agree 100% with your choices, 3 stands out for me too, with 4 close behind & US.
Reminds me how NME reviews always irritated me at the time.
Thanks for watching!
Brilliant. Really loved this Barry. You are so on point and my only swap would be So with Us....but theres not much in it. I find the sound of Us a little lacking in brightness, I must hear a remaster.
Thanks so much!
Not bad. However, I'd have "Scratch" switch places with "Up." And I'd have to put "Us" at the apex of the list. It came out when I was dealing with a failed marriage and also a subsequent love relationship that didn't flourish as I'd hoped, so my emotional connection to that album causes me to be unashamedly biased towards its naked brilliance.
Good job. Mostly agree with this, other than dropping I/O lower - I can't get into that album at all, feels like him revisiting his greatest hits. Thanks :)
An interesting ranking, Barry, and I mostly agree. I would put 'Up' higher, though (probably swapped with 'So'); it tends to be my go-to PG album, despite the unsettling opening track. I think 'I Grieve' is one of the most sublime pieces of work he has ever created.
I generally agree with your ordering, although perhaps I enjoy the lower-ranked ones more. I also learned a thing or two. Thanks!
Great video. I agree with a lot in this ranking, but would change places between Us and I/o
One interpretation of your that doesn’t hold up is the idea of Chernobyl having influence on So. The accident was in April 1986 and the album was released in the month after
Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails blocked me on Twitter years 9 years ago because I said he made a career out of ripping off Peter's Melt album. 😂
Well played, Sir!
@@Foul_Quince thank you!
That is a pretty silly thing to say though. The correct response would have been Depeche Mode!
Trent Reznor sucks.
Funny. I’ve gotten a similar response from Tori Amos fans by suggesting she’s made a career of mimicking Kate Bush.
One of my favorite artists ever was really interested to hear your takes on these. I agree mostly though depending on my mood I think any of the top 4 could easily change places. I think my personal favorite would be Security.
As a listener familiar with all his albums through Us,But almost no Gabriel-era Genesis,
And not knowing the later stuff -
I’d have to go with Security because it has my fav Gabriel track Shock the Monkey.
But they all have interesting stuff.
So isn’t the one I listen to most often now-
But Hey I’ve listened to it on and off the radio so many times. ✌️
Great reviews. For me, SO will always be his number 1 - full of brilliant songs and with no weak ones. All the others have some brilliant songs as well as some rubbish. I love SECURITY, especially San Jacinto, which I don't think you mentioned. You're absolutely right about US. It's a great album and also very consistently good. I really like his latest album a lot and would rank it really high aling with UP. His musical arrangements and quirky instrumentation have always excited me. A truly wonderful artist. No mention of OVO? Also some wonderful tracks eg Tomorrow Today.
Interesting thoughts...kinda agree with a lot of your points, maybe not as much on the rankings...
But that's to be expected with an artist of such artistic caliber: each album may hit differently.
Love Gabriel, agree with yourrankings
My order would be 1. PG3. It's where I came in after hearing Games Without Frontiers & realising the Genesis link but I've not heard many better albums by anyone. 2. Us. Fantastic songs. The Secret World tour was the best concert I've been to. 3. Up. I wish he'd do this album live in it's entirety like he did So. 4. PG4. Seven wonderful tracks & Shock The Monkey which I hate. 5. So. Maybe it suffers from two songs having too much airplay but I love Red Rain & Big Time.The live version of In Your Eyes is on a different level to the So track. 6. PG1. My tape got lost so I've not heard it in years. I loved side 2. I've never heard PG2 or i/o.
You need to hear I/O. It's excellent.
Mate, of each and every one of the UA-cam music critics you are, by leaps and bounds, the very best. Your reviews are inevitably concise, considered, intelligent, and witty. Too, it doesn't hurt that you are clearly quite well-read, love it when you work in quotes from or allusions to a wide variety of writers. That said, I can only give you 9 out of 10, a cruel thrust I know. But this will easily become 10 out of 10 when you finally review Fever Tree's debut album. Cheers!
Thank you for watching and for your kind words
Peter Gabriel 2 (Scratch) will always be my personal favourite, although he has had better songs on other albums, I find that the production and the flow of this album is the most unique and best
I was a teenager when Melt came out and it was a complete game changer for me. It is the Album Zero of my musical taste expansion.
Peter Gabriel 2 (Scratch) is my top PG album. It's a very melancholy album but the arrangements are superb.
I liked Cars and Scratch when they came out . He still had that bit of his Genesis feel left in the tank for those two.
Nice to see a bit of appreciation for gabriel "4" / security... personally his most innovative album...
I definitely agree with 1 and 2, but I’d flip 3 and 4. Otherwise I’d say i like your rankings. Peter Gabriel is my favorite solo artist so I’m always curious to see other people’s takes on his music.
Great ranking, and very similar to mine (I rank 4 above 3, and 2 above 1). I'd also be interested to hear where you'd place his four soundtrack albums among this list.
I have to rate “Scratch” as the best PG album. He was deep into the Fripp, Hammill, Bowie phase then, with the cover art by the (very subversive) Peter Christopherson. It was a cold, stark, contemporary rebuff to his former band, who were by now increasingly gravitating toward the safe, lucrative commercial market (as Peter would later with “So”) and prior to his socially conscious, then elder statesmen trajectory, which he is now comfortably settled in.
Let's hear it for scratch! Love the fripp production
Just one disagreement there...."SO" was not an easy sell to the rock radio world. If it had NOT been for MTV and the Sledgehammer video, I am not sure that SO would have been more than a critics darling. I absolutely LOVE the album, but...its an album that you must sit down and listen to, and sometimes get up and dance to. There are heartbreaking songs on that album. "Don't Give Up" gets to me every time I hear it. But, as far as being a "commercial" album. If it had not been, again, for MTV and the two singles initially off of it...I'm not sure.
Love it. Always have, and PG1 too. Magnificent somgwriting with few gimmicks
@@mayhem492 I’m with you, brother. As a lover of Mr Fripp’s work (and I’d like to think something of a completist of his massive discography) I rate his solo at the end of White Shadow on PG2 as one of his finest moments. An amazing album.
I agree with your choice for #1 and 2. Personally, I loved his first 4 albums, and half of his fifth (So). After that, I gave up on Peter Gabriel. Of course, I loved his stuff with Genesis :)
Security my favourite but I think Scratch is very underrated. For me the first 4 albums were the best 4. The rest are all worth listening to. He never made a crap album
True. But "In Your Eyes" is the worst song ever written, recorded and performed by any British artist in history.
I agree I find Scratch to be possibly my favorite. There are some weaknesses - including the cold distant feeling - but it is so ambitious and aggressive I listen to it a lot!
His first album still feels contemporary today. I have a lot of time for number 2 as well. Cheers.
Scratch is one of my favourite.
Your top two albums are the only ones I ever go back to listen to, so it's good to be validated, I guess.
I can stand any amount of Peter Gabriel content. 👍
I always thought "Us" was an attempt to recreate "So", (as mentioned with "Steam" as an example), and I'm surprised by the two albums positions, here, but there's no arguing with the quality of the song writing.
My top 5:- (including all releases)
1) Peter Gabriel 3
2) Peter Gabriel 1
3) Peter Gabriel 2
4) Peter Gabriel 4
5) Peter Gabriel Plays Live
That pretty matches mine. 1 and 2 are a little interchangeable for me
Spot On!
Opinion: You should wedge in toward the top the Plays Live album. It's also a huge part of that timeless era in his discography. The original double album track sequence is ideal. It's not strictly a live album. On the sleeve he mentions it has post production perfectly mixed in. To me, a joy to listen to.
A controversial ranking & here goes..
10 - Scratch My Back 1/5
9 - I/O 1.5/5
8 - New Blood 1.5/5
7 - Up 2/5
6 - Security 2.5/5
5 - So 3/5
4 - Us 3.5/5
3 - Car 3.5/5
2 - Scratch 4.5/5
1 - Melt 5/5
Your opinion, but don't you think PGII (Scratch) suffers from thin, tinny, diluted, pale, frail sound, especially after full-blooded PGI?
No problems with the ranking from this end. When I bought PG III and the needle dropped on 'intruder' boom boom ba boom, boom boom never heard before gated reverb drums, creaking hinges and Kate Bush wailing I knew this record was going to be something unique and special. It was, and still is.
I actually agree with your top 4, and in that order.
In 1978 PG2 ("Scratch") was featured, in some detail, on a Radio Three series about current rock music. The quality of the music was much praised.
For me, Peter's first album is easily his best. Melt is #2, though it contains perhaps his 2 greatest songs (Games and Biko.)
My top three starting at number 3 would be a tie between I/O & So. Both wildly different albums. You could say that So was Gabriel’s pension plan whilst I/O is his life insurance. Number 2 is Melt, I realise there might be much mashing & wailing regarding this choice I feel this is the more sterile production methods going forward, although the songs remain outstanding in their own right. For me the number one choice is Security. This for me is a more earthier album with ‘Lay your hands on me’ being an exorcism of the last remaining influences of Genesis. A new beginning, a new path towards an earthier percussive style which is why for me it wins out on Melt. Greatly enjoy your musings, keep up the excellent work.
Another great list the only thing I’d change is pg iv swapped with us
All well said 🎶🖖