Peter Gabriel i/O : More of the Same ?

[@davidwright9318]

I saw him perform in 2003 in Vancouver when touring with The Blind Boys Of Alabama.The very next day which was 2 days before Christmas when everyone was in gift buying mode, I ran into him in a lingerie shop! We had a great 10 minute conversation and my gf was gobsmacked as she didn’t really know his music short of seeing his fabulous show the previous night. He was very gracious and charming, asking me my name and putting his hand out to shake mine and not in the least bit embarrassed about meeting an Uber fan in a lingerie shop.True story and one of the best meetings with a famous musician I have ever encountered.!

[@steveny18]

I met him last year when he was doing the book signing and interview for Reverberation. He is down to Earth, genuine and sincere. Just a wonderful human being.

[@gr.vo.3058]

No Pretense with this amazing 20th/ 21st century artist!

[@michaelfrantz975]

I was at that show. I love Vancouver

[@CHHSFans]

Love, love this album. Gabriel is a perfectionist and with this album his legacy has been solidified and undisputed and will live with us and future generations centuries to come ❤️

[@telpo1260]

The one thing you get with peter gabriel is perfection, I would rather wait years for a masterpiece than something thrown together in a matter of months. This album reflects the work of a master musician, its bold, its creative and above all, it can grab new fans as well as those of us who have been around since the beginning. Having seen him live more times than I can remember the quality is still there.

[@petedavies74]

I love it...its a masterpiece....

[@jamesboyce4000]

I think i/O is Gabriel's best work since SO and having lived with most of the songs for quite awhile I can say that with some certainty. The only downside to Peter Gabriel releasing two songs a month since January is I've bought the songs as they've been released in high res and ended up paying more than double the price for it all! The upside is I've had they joy of listening to the songs 10 months early in some cases. For me his 3rd and 4th albums are his high watermark in creativity and originality.

[@harryberry474]

@jamesboyce4000...I disagree completely concerning how the songs were released one at a time. And now that I have the released album there are no pleasant surprises other than the recording quality is fantastic but the songs...I've heard before, which for me is a huge let down...But the biggest letdown is there's NO LYRIC Sheet WTH

[@matthewhoult7641]

Absolutely love this album 🙌 ❤

[@texasbluegrass567]

I saw his last concert date in October. The new songs hit so much harder in person. He was phenomenal.The Last Temptation of Christ is his ultimate masterpiece.

[@analoguecity3454]

I love your stories and wisdom, people who just wanna get to the point are not learning anything!

[@mazzysmusic]

Thank you 🤠😎✌🏼

[@gottogetit4142]

Wow Mazzy I thought you were about in your late 50's..!!!!!!!!! Good for you...that is what MUSIC does for you.....Keep enjoying the music...I will check out Peter Gabriel!!!!!!

[@mazzysmusic]

🤠😬

[@nikolasmareske1200]

Hi,thank you very much for the video!After years it is still Peter Gabriel we love and listen in the 80 and 90 so much.Nothing new but great songs and the great feeling when we entering Peter’s World!!!Great review!And your German is not that bad😊.Cheers from Germany

[@battledrumacoustica]

GREAT ALBUM!!!

[@jonnyduk3968]

Love PG 4. It is worth watching the the South Bank Show on the making of the album, the technology seemed so cutting edge at the time. Watched it again recently on KZbin and the technology now seems so old, the album still sounds wonderful though

[@michaelfrantz975]

I have been with PG since the early 70’s I saw him 22 times including THE LAMB. the Sound track of my life. The new album is deeply moving. A culmination of a career. Thanx, great review.

[@PianolaEnterprises]

i always loved the album art. thanks again for your knowledge, beautiful man.

[@garryblum5454]

Saw Peter Gabriel live for first time at MSG in September he sounded absolutely fantastic and got to hear several of the I/O songs which I thought it sounded great live.

[@mariannemarshall3471]

Agreed. I saw him in Palm Springs

[@kwacker45]

Love it..

[@KiwiNickG]

Love the background info ❤

[@jimmyredmond4239]

I concur with your take on mercy street. Brilliant song that never gets old. Absolutely timeless.

[@user-ut7kd8gi1j]

If you don't personally watch Peter Gabriel's growth over the years (and if you haven't had the chance to meet him), then comments about the current album does not carry weight. This years concert brought out the ability to see a hardened veteran of intimate music evolution that just listening to albums doesn't offer. Who cares about genre-growth if the quality of production and ability to connect with your artist is straight in front of you.

[@AdrianNicholls]

Thanks Mazzy, good takes. I would comment this. PG has one of those voices that for whatever reason totally draws me in (Stipe being another). He could sing a menu and I'd buy it. His voice on i/o is amazing especially considering his age. I subscribed to his Bandcamp when i/o was announced so received all of the songs through the year. It's a strange strategy to release all of the album in both versions before the final release, but I guess that fits with his exploratory mo. I've seen him twice. Probably my favourite gig ever was on the SO tour at Earls Court. Kate Bush made a brief appearance and the audiences world collapsed. He also had Youssou N'Dour on stage. It was a deeply affecting experience. I was also lucky enough to see him in June this year. An absolutely fabulous band with old guard Rhodes, Levin & Katche plus some incredible young musicians. In particular Ayanna Witter-Johnson on cello & vocals was stunning. She took the Don't Give Up part and blew it away. I would also praise the bravery of a 'legacy artist' playing 50% new material which the larger percentage of the audience (not geeks like me) would not have heard. The new songs were absolutly stunning. i/o and Four Kinds of Horses in particular lifted the room / aircraft hanger. An incredible artist, the recent tour was insanely good.

[@moonytheloony6516]

Regarding Gabriel I agree, his voice draws me in...Stipe always convinces me to change the channel and I happily do, but Gabriel's voice takes me to places. Great artist.

[@briankavo]

Best album since SO and one of the best albums of 2023. Agree, his voice is still amazing and of course the musicianship on this record is as one would expect, top class.

[@alexandervideo3804]

Top class, no way.

[@briankavo]

@@alexandervideo3804 In the context of rock music I would say that the musician's in this band are indeed top class. For example, it would be hard to argue that Levin is not a top class bass player. I'm not comparing against the Berlin Philhmaronic Orchestra, my use of '[top class' being a relative term. But, for example, compared to other rock singers of his vintage I would say Peter Gabriel is top class. Check out how Bono voice is in decline or Jim Kerr's voice. Listen to how Gabriel phrases his melodies, the reflection in his voice etc. and tell me he is not top class, keeping in mind that his isn't an opera singer.

[@TheSquidgal]

I am really loving this album. I am on cusp of Boomer and Gen X and identify as Gen X, but Peter Gabriel has always been a top 5 artist for me. I have not heard any tracks separately -- listening to it as a whole was wonderful. It was like going home and eating comfort food. It really hit the spot.

[@aa5az423]

I streamed it last night on Qobuz and within a song I had bought the FLAC. Amazingly good sound. I’ll be grabbing the LP too.

[@lucianobielinis3280]

Album of the year. Too many bands have now the album for steal and create for years, decades. Monumental piece of art.

[@Gothic55]

A fantastic and thoughtful video. Peter Gabriel is one of the all time greats. I love his new album - I got cd/ Blu-ray through SDE. This includes both dark and bright side mixes and full Dolby Atmos mix. This was very affordable and sounds brilliant. I have no problem with him building on his best. I am increasingly going for Dolby Atmos format because they sound brilliant.

[@jasonarsenault3791]

Nice work. Definitely an artist I want to know more about.

[@billmay7364]

PG ❤ His Voice touches the Soul. SO is the Benchmark of his Solo Career. Actually I love all of his albums for different reasons . Passion Soundtrack and Birdy I go to as well. I'm so grateful PG released some new music I can break it Down and Cherish it.

[@jimmccloskey4254]

NYC, free Genesis show, they played Lamb lies down on Broadway. Lucky to have seen him on his first handful of tours, always amazing, excellent music.

[@brucybabyy7355]

i will always have much respect for the man. i will check this one out. that being said everything he has put out after So. has not interested me. i,ve tried lord i,ve tried.

[@graham3377]

OMG I'm 71, look a lot like you and basically you took the words out of my mouth. I would have added the sound track to the deeply disturbing film Birdy but the rest could have come from me. What I enjoyed most was sitting under a large inflatable moon in the woods at WOMAD listening to the album before its release and listening in my living room just doesn't have the same impact. Top job A*

[@mazzysmusic]

Lots of bald men 😎

[@patbarr1351]

Typically, maybe historically & surprisingly, lots of releases are coming towards the end of the year! I'm currently digesting Hawkwind's *The Future Never Waits,* but I'll get to P.G. soon so thanks for the review & waiting till you got to know the recording before posting it. I've been following P.G. since the 1st Genesis LP (US reissue of course) & saw him in a small club (the 500 seat Roxy) as well as the Greek Theatre in L.A. I did miss the wild experimentation by the time *So* appeared, but there are plenty of great tracks on that record.

[@SuperChaoticus]

"Love Can Heal" was one of the few songs I didn't hear until I heard it live at the Boston show. The beauty of the song mixed with the visuals of the live version makes this song my favorite from this album. Yes, it's obvious PG has lost a step or two (who hasn't by the time they hit their 70s), but his anchor touring group, Tony Levin, Manu Katche, David Rhodes etc, were absolutely fantastic , and made the whole show pump.

[@ianemery4355]

I am going to get it! Love Peter Gabriel!

[@user-pv5ve2qo6g]

It is amazing how many concerts you and I have been to at the same time. We must have walked past each other several times. Always a pleasure.y it

[@mazzysmusic]

Place and time ✌🏼

[@user-pv5ve2qo6g]

Elton @ Berkley community theatre. Genius’s same. Led Zeppelin @ Kesar Stadium. There were a couple of others I’d have to check back on. Did you say you were at Berkeley community theater With John Mclaughlin and Carlos Santana? I went to Winterland and Filmore at least twice a month from 71 to 75 . Maybe.

[@jimmyredmond4239]

Live at the acropolis was just amazing.

[@KevinLarkinAngioli]

I enjoyed your personal review going back through the years and the discography. He's a hugely important artist to me, and I always go back to his music when shit gets real in my life. There's a depth and a seriousness and a tenderness and a vulnerability that is all deeply grounded and holds space for whatever you got going on. I'm with you on 2 / Scratch being the weakest of the first four and the peak of Passion and So. But I also really, really, really love Up. It's probably my honest favorite. I am only a couple listens deep, streaming from bandcamp in the car, and looking forward to owning on physical formats (thanks for showing us the sleeve and book and making a case for the vinyl) but so far my take aligns with yours. It's all the things Peter Gabriel and his voice is in fine form. Levin and Katche are an immense delight on this thing. It is a little disappointing, the various sonic allusions to past work, the close-to-rewrites of certain songs from the back catalog. Always an innovator and with such a gap, it would've been awesome to hear something truly new. He's been doing his version of Newman since 1/ Car and we hear more of it here. Only "The Court" feels fresh and new. But the album is so good overall and it's so nice to have a new album of PG tunes, it's hard to fault him for the lack of progress. Cheers.

[@ronaldhitchings1847]

Thanks! I knew when I saw your depressed look on the thumbnail, that you liked the album. Waiting for my cd from the UK. I also did not listen to the monthly releases. Peter Gabriel 4 is my favorite for sentimental reasons. It was the first PG album to be released on cd, that I bought circa Dec 1982. Charisma/Polygram, #800091 02 01, ED1 rare purple swirl face, made in W Germany by Polygram. Enjoyed the review. I guess we can look forward to his next release, when he's on or about 90.

[@mazzysmusic]

Thank you very much. I was going for contemplation, not depressed. A bit of the cover art without the digital manipulation Cheers ✌🏼

[@argieav]

After watching this I went and watched the Growing Up Live film, and what a great show he puts on apart from such a variety of brilliant music - there were langueurs (? is that the word I mean - I mean slightly boring bits), but the best - Secret Place, Downside Up (with daughter Melanie and what a sweet affective singing voice she has), Solsbury Hill, Red Rain, Here Comes the Flood - on and on really - a great artist, no question. Need to get the new LP now.

[@harryberry474]

@argiev...you mean "Secret World" I think?

[@johns126]

My first experience of hearing PG was Games Without Frontiers and I have been hooked ever since. Never disappoints!

[@thomosburn8740]

same here

[@mistermac56]

Great job on the discussion of the album Mazzy. I am a handful of years younger than you are, but your musical tastes pretty much match up with mine and why I like your takes on albums. Like yourself, I didn't know there were two mixes of the album, and the one I ordered was the dark-side. I like it a great deal and decided to order the light-side.

[@timothywebber7404]

Love Peter Gabriel!

[@Bondrkmz]

I’ve really enjoyed his new album too. Great review of it.

[@bradyhogan6366]

These songs really are growing on me. The Inside mix is interesting. Sounding like an album which will be growing on me for a long time.

[@stereo8893]

Hi Mazzy, wonderful review. I feel like I got to know this artist much better. Great background.

[@shamrockfreeze806]

Greatings from germany i own the same records like you. Everything from genesis and Peter solo too. I am also a Drummer. Nice Video mate i enjoyed it very much. By the way i am 33 years old. 😅❤

[@andysalbums]

Great video, Mazzy. I am very with you on Gabriel and Genesis, except for me Genesis favourites were Foxtrot and Selling England. I saw them when they were touring those albums . I agree So is his best solo, but I'm very fond of PG1 (Car) as I saw him on his first solo tour on that release. I saw him last touring Up (in the round with roller-skates!). I've ordered I/O but the darkside mix. I was confused with the two options and picked at random! I do want the Atmos blu-ray too. Cheers. Andy

[@JimmyV1530]

Classic Gabriel - no more needs to be said.

[@kieronkelly959]

Great review Mazzy👍 Definitely check out the Dark Side mix. Has more instrumentation and has a fuller sound.

[@CUBICUB]

You tell ‘em mazzy!

[@giantsteps69]

From Genesis To Revelation…through to… i/o. I adore Peter Gabriel. My wife and I travelled to Seattle this year to see him. He started the show with my favorite song…Washing Of The Water. He has the amazing sense to marry sight with sound. 😊

[@walterevans5658]

Dark Side Mix is the way to go. There are some substantial differences in the mixes.

[@esmerylan]

I was underwhelmed by the album when I first listened to the Bright-Side Mix, but when I heard the Dark-Side Mix it completely changed my feelings about it. There are so many changes that make it so much better, "Panopticom" and "The Court" in particular sound like they would fit perfectly on one of Gabriel's early 80s records.

[@DaveDenyer]

Hi Mazzy, I deliberately avoided watching any reviews of this album until I'd listened myself and done my own video review. I love your summing up of this. In fact we both seem to feel pretty much the same, except, I did buy both Dark and Bright mixes and strongly recommend you try the Dark Side mix as it doesn't have that '80s sound' that the Bright Side leans towards. Love your channel, keep up the good work! Cheers, Dave

[@guidovalenti4986]

Third album ,security, So and Us are all great albums+ two soundtracks films Birdy and the last temptation of Christ ( Passion) are very good 👍

[@mariannemarshall3471]

I fulfilled my #1 bucket list by seeing him in CA in October. I enjoyed your going through the history of Peter gabriel. I also agree, Collins Genesis is not really Genesis. But I did have "Follow You Follow Me " played at my 1st wedding in 1980😂.

[@ivesbk]

Peter Gabriel is to me as The Kinks are to you. I’ve seen him on every tour since SO and with Genesis at “Six of the Best” in Milton Keynes UK back in ‘82. He was intimate and fairly serious at the MSG show this last September. It was great and surprisingly his voice has barely aged. I love the new music and think this is as solid an album that he’s made since US. I’m thrilled with it. My wife is happy that I’m taking a break from my current 73/74 obsession with my other fave; The Dead!

[@rixvspinner]

I saw Peter's UP tour in Toronto- excellent show. He climbs into this roller ball of plastic and starts moving around the stage, while singing with his wireless mic- nuts. It's like when wore his Slipperman outfit and sang during the Lamb tour. Peter was always a great showman.

[@Coolmore362]

I was at that concert in 82 , never stopped raining, car got stuck in a field ! Sound wasn’t great but it’s one of those I was there concerts .

[@NmDPlm31]

I didn’t mind Pete putting out a song a month. It was a different approach and at best I knew I’d have a new Pete song every month to look forward to. Interestingly, with the drip-feed, I found I LIKED the songs. Then I saw him live and they just soared. Now, with the release of the album, there is a depth to them that resonates when they are compiled together. And I LOVE them. With the various mixes (and there are THREE mixes - including the atmos In-Side Mix), I spent a day listening to each song in Bright and Dark back to back as opposed to listening through to all bright or all dark. Ended up compiling my preferred album mix which contains 6 Bright and 6 Dark versions. As a whole, while there is much here that reminds me of UP, and even some stylistic hints of US in there as well, I’m wholly on board. I love having new Pete music. And give me Foxtrot any day of the week - not that I’d turn aside any PG Genesis outing.

[@harryberry474]

@NmDPlm31...I thought releasing the songs one at a time was a mistake it completely took the excitement away from the release of the whole album IMO, that said, I like the album the recording is amazing! My favorite song is Four Kinds Of Horses...so far. As PG says when introducing Tony Levin "The King of the Bottom End" really comes through on this recording 👍👍

[@NmDPlm31]

​@@harryberry474 I can certainly see someone feeling the excitement for the album release being lessened by the 1 per month schedule. As I said, I liked the songs fine but they certainly make more of an impact together on the album. It was fine for him to do that, I suppose. I didn't hate it but I wouldn't say I'd beg for him to do it that way again. And FKOH is fantastic. Tony is always first rate.

[@harryberry474]

@@NmDPlm31 ...FKOH? unsure of that meaning. One other thing is not having a new release prior to going on tour but releasing AFTER is pretty much backwards, maybe there was some sort of delay in manufacturing but I found it a little more than unusual. I've been a Genesis and PG fan since the early '70's seeing him live this one last time was nice. I pretty much figured he was retired after UP not releasing any new music for 21 years must be close to a record, Honestly I thought we wouldn't hear new material after 10 years had passed...but here we are. The big question now is I/O his last?

[@NmDPlm31]

@@harryberry474 FKOH...Four Kinds Of Horses. Yeah, I don't think releasing the album after the tour is the best move. He's not the first one to do it, but I know when I saw him in St Paul that a lot of the audience were screaming out for him to play his hits. Not everyone eagerly awaited individual song releases every month so had no idea what he was playing. As for what comes next, I read an interview with him where he intimated he may continue releasing songs individually. He did say there were some songs he didn't include on I/O that he'll likely release individually using the same pattern he adopted for the I/O songs. Regardless, if it takes him 20+ years to do another album then this just might be the last one.

[@DavidBorda-oz9mu]

Peter is waxing existential emotional immediacy…awareness and reflection are the sinew of this body of work. I/O speaks to our humanity and our connectedness with each other and the world 🌍

[@rufus_the_cat]

Mazzy every month, on the new moon, he would talk about a new track and the background for it then play the song. It’s worth going back and watching those videos regardless of how old you are.

[@raybrown2608]

I have a 33 1/3 import copy of 'Melt' in German and I noticed the slight differences in the mix to accommodate the cadence of the lyrics. I don't speak German, but enjoy the album just the same. (I pull it out to freak my friends out......) The German 'Games Without Frontiers' is a standout. Nice video today, by the way.......

[@mazzysmusic]

Yeah a cool optional version ✌🏼

[@hubtunes9607]

I haven’t heard any of it either. I hate when artists release their music one song at a time. I also haven’t heard it because i got it from Amazon and someone stole it off my doorstep. I need to reorder it. Security is his masterpiece. Saw him on that tour and was blown away. Huge fan!!

[@williamcardina89]

You are the point together with music Not one or the other Not either or. Music is enhanced when someone like yourself can not only offer comment but to communicate with others. Music is such an abstract art that sometimes is difficult to discuss. Love and dedication to music Expertise and being more articulate than most is also the point

[@MyPetFishEric]

Totally agree about Mercy Street- perfect track.

[@djvinylvertigo]

Because there two mixes, I picked up the double CD. Budget concerns. Then I found out that there is an additional 'In-side' mix (3 CDs)!!! What?!!!! Thanks for the review.

[@raithrover1976]

I think Olive Tree was released as a single in the UK. I'd certainly heard it on Radio 2 a few times before I bought the album.

[@marcyfan-tz4wj]

you shock this danafen, norman with how you don't say what's expected. i've only heard a few of the songs on the record (enjoyed them) and certainly don't think gabriel's overrated. thanks for the tip on the kinks preservation act two. when and if i back away from the kinks and shane macgowan, i'll revisit peter's work (especially the new record). i was around in 86 and know what "so" meant then. your hair can fall out trying to top something that legendary (not that i know firsthand)! thanks.

[@electricavenuemusic9282]

One of my top albums of the year. So he's not Scott Walker, pushing into the furthest avant garde territory. He gave us an album with so much heart and tunes, and at 70 minutes feels like nearly too much at once! So was much shorter. Besides that, the music and lyrics are a bit stripped back from Up's murkiness, more direct. The song for his mother "And Still" is so beautifully personal, and "Playing for Time" is stunning, even evoking Randy Newman-esque balladry. Glad you love it! Now you need The Dark Mix! I think it's actually better...especially the splash on Road to Joy!

[@doggity5149]

At first I thought the Dark Side mixes were going to be more my thing, but Ive completely turned around on that. The Bright Side mixes breathe more, yet they seem more cohesive as a mix. In the Dark Side mixes I hear the different stems/parts more distinctively, they don't gel together as much as opposed to the Bright mixes. Panopticom is the only Dark mix I find better than the Bright mix. But hey to each their own.

[@andynewzealand]

I've got both mixes of 'i/o' but have have not heard it yet, nor like you, did I listen to any of the 'drip fed ' releases, so was pleased to hear your opinion. I was first introduced to PG properly with his first album - 'Solsbury Hill' (which I play on guitar and isn't as complicated as you might think - thus even I can play it! - though it is a finger picker) is a stand out, but for me 'When The Flood Comes' is my personal favourite on that album. 'Games Without Frontiers' was a big fav of mine when I was at university - perhaps all that cold war vibe had something to do with it - it doesn't mean as much to me now but given the current geo-political situation perhaps I should now revisit more. My all time favourites though, are 'San Jacinto' from 'Security' - it never fails to raise those musical hairs on the back of my neck - and 'It is Accomplished' from 'Passion' - despite the subject matter it always moves this resolute atheist. I'm with you on 'Genesis's "Lamb lies down...' but I will give 'Selling England...' a reassessment. Like you, Phil C (Genesis and solo) does nothing for me (and can someone please tell me wtf a 'Sussudio' is?) Happy listening. Cheers✌

[@kentborges5114]

I/o is BRILLIANT !

[@markperry9427]

Having listened to some of the brightside mix and some of the dark side mix (though not the same songs) I would agree with you on the feel. The bright side seems to reflect his output in the 80's, particularly So and Us, whereas the dark side seems to reflect his late 70's output, Car, Scratch and Melt. When it comes to a purchase, I seem to be coming down more on the dark side. I may get the Blu-ray Atmos mix too.

[@petedavies74]

I'll think you'll find Steam is the Sledgehammer sound alike on US, not Diggin' The Dirt...

[@davidatkinson-lifematters4826]

Yep, that's the one.

[@bobmerrifield3371]

Norman did you say Gabriel was four years older than you? That would make you 69 or 70? WOW! Whatever you’re doing keep it up because you still look quite young! Anyway, I saw Gabriel in LA in October and it was a mind blowing experience. I’ve seen him a bunch of times live but the LA show was really special

[@mazzysmusic]

Yes. As of this writing I am 69. As old as the Stratocaster guitar ✌🏼🎸

[@julianagriffin1468]

Nice review/overview of PG. One wonders if this release doesn't break any new ground why it took so long? Anyway, the "dark mix" is done by Tchad Blake who did Los Lobos "Kiko" among others and is a brilliant mixer. In fact a little known lp he did was a Dan Zanes title called "Cool Down Time" that sounds fantastic. He also produced and mixed a Lisa Germano lp called "Slide" that is great and worth checking out.

[@nandopelusi7699]

He was prime mover of Big Blue Ball with Karl Wallinger -- a great compilation of artists.

[@lostmixtapes]

Drives me crazy that he was so indecisive after all this time that he couldn’t land on one mix, but three if you include the “inside” Atmos mix. Light mix sounds more ethereal and mellow. Dark mix sounds more like a rock record, upon first listen. Excellent record somewhere in there.

[@mazzysmusic]

Agree. Pick a mix and stand by it. ✌🏼

[@Bizzle65]

I’ll pick one for you. Go for the dark.

[@testinguk_Admin]

PG has messed with his stuff forever so this is on brand to me. I love the invitation for exploration. Great to see so many perspectives here. Nice discussion, Mazzy.

[@mroort]

​@@Bizzle65I will have to disagree. With the dark you lose the greatness of Panopticom and Road to Joy...

[@christopherwillis964]

Thank you for the history of your experience with PG. As a younger gent I live vicariously through your real time experiencing of his early work. I wish you would have acknowledged Manu Katche as his "secret sauce." In the studio and live Mr Katche always brought the music to a different level and pushed the "pop" genre to something more soulful. Also, I believe "Us' might be his third best album (hot take). It's a "grower" that builds in complexity. And it showcases Sinead in some of her best performances. Kate Bush is wonderful but Sinead in her prime....

[@thomosburn8740]

The "Dark Mix" was assembled by (only my favorite recording engineer on the planet), Tchad Blake!!! Binaural mixes, binaural percussion and effects . . . a truly gifted guy.

[@mazzysmusic]

I’m hearing the taste breaks down in half between the two mixes. Maybe in a few months I’ll try the dark after I really know the bright. ✌🏼

[@andrewsly3183]

Great review & other content I enjoyed-thanks

[@orioletes]

In my honest opinion, I like Panopticon, Olive Tree, The Court. Road to Joy, i/o and Live and Let Live (I listen the album in this order). The other songs feel a little boring to me (I don't say that they're bad), but I respect the fact that the majority of the people enjoy the rest of the album.

[@gavaxemanspins]

Love a bit of PG - melt is a great album - steller guests on it too

[@porkstore7405]

totally agree about Mercy Street

[@smartmud5051]

How can you forget exposure on scratch?

[@troutriver58]

Looking forward to hearing I/o. PG has to be one of the top 5 artists to survive the 70’s. I wonder if one of Tony Banks’ life regrets is letting Peter Gabriel escape from Genesis.

[@davidmarsalis1522]

Well thanks for your review. Think Peter be happy you are happy with it . 👌🏾

[@trueaudiofiles8453]

I had the same feelings about this. I like it quite a bit but it really isn’t much different than what he has already done. When I was asked about it I said I liked it, it is typical Peter Gabriel. The surround sound version is pretty cool. I have the CD/Blu-Ray version. It has the bright and dark mixes on CD. I was like you I hadn’t listened to the album prior.

[@drumvc8060]

I still have to turn off sledgehammer if ever I hear it, I never need to listen to that again. However, the remainder of the album is genius; the highlight for me being Red Rain. Enjoyed the review, thanks.

[@jackwezesa1081]

Red Rain is intense.

[@franksmusic2880]

Mazzy, continue doing what you do, I love your videos and how you present them. Your class act, I always look forward to your videos. I do like this new album on my first listen, I never had issues with eighties technology of the day, I went to the clubs back then and embraced the technology. I really don’t hear what you’re hearing as far as synth oriented music. This record could have easily been released in the nineties. I only disagree with you on Phil Collins, you should really take some time and listen to some of the Genesis albums such as, Trick of The Tail, Wind and the Withering, And then there were Three, and his first two solo albums. ✌️

[@RealJeffTidwell]

Thanks for a lovely Peter Gabriel personal retrospective and i/o review. You've probably heard this a lot by now, but the Dark-Side Mix seems to be the defacto for most people I've encountered. Bright-Side Mix sounds a bit safer and more Disney-ready, in comparison. Dark-Side is more emotionally engaging. Definitely worth a listen.

[@frankschneller2627]

I agree with everything (!) you say about SO, the perfect album (and most of everything else you say in this episode, except for: I actually appreciate some of the post Gabriel Genesis albums: Trick of a Tail + Duke + Abacab). About the new album: I think, it will end up being the record I like the best since SO. And: i/O for sure is also one of the few new records (2023), I care about. And, btw: Is 'Don't give up' the most beautiful duett ever? For me, it is.

[@nickdryad]

Peter Gabriel’s best album since his last.

[@paulmenard7936]

Gabriel performed all the songs during his latest tour. A couple didn't land to me because of a sameness. I expect the studio versions to be better and more distinctive. I am not a vinyl collector ( though i have all the old Genesis on vinyl ) but you make a case to buy it for the artwork.

[@julianhignell8452]

I believe this album was largely written back after Up but was shelved. I might be wrong. But I love it, as you say Mazzy the vocals are amazing and it doesn’t sound like there are any digital enhancements.

[@DWHarper62]

There are a couple songs from earlier times but most are relatively new...

[@julianhignell8452]

@@DWHarper62 ah okay 👍🏻

[@geraldmonger1921]

I loved SO as an album, but the one that followed i thought should have been called, so what! I stopped listening to him until this album arrived. I love it. I prefer the dark mix personally. It's more soul-searching, more intimate. It's definitely worth a listen.

[@Anityamedia]

Dear god dude just respect the man and enjoy his music. This is sad

[@dobieprime]

Mazzy…there has grown a large debate now about which mix (light or dark) is better. You have the bright side I believe you said. Have you heard the dark side yet. I want to purchase the lp. Most have said there are only subtle differences.

[@mazzysmusic]

It’s seems like a split 50/50. Haven’t heard the dark side yet. Maybe in the new year 🌗

[@lifeonanotherplanet]

It's uncanny how Gabriel's voice is unchanged over 40 yrs. Listen to the vocal track of Red Rain and Playing for Time and they could have been recorded in the same week - more Peter Pan than Peter Gabriel. And this album stands up with his mid-80s output. And yet, there's something disconcerting about listening to it in 2023 - a sense of hearing some forgotten retrieved memory. Almost every track echoes with his earlier material. Add a bit more reverb and they would slot right in. Tack 'Live and Let Live' as an extra track on 'So' and you wouldn't notice the join. The lyrical content is elegiac, and has references to our internet-infused existence, but mortality, war and surveillence were recurrent themes of Gabriel's earlier work. 1984 an ever-present. Maybe we get more of a sense of resignation to our fate, but philosophically and emotionally the moods are replicated. Overall, it shows a remarkable level of consistency, but with a heavy dollop of deja vu.

[@andrewbrazier9664]

Perhaps just perhaps they were recorded around the same time ?

[@ochayethegnu2915]

The same time? Nearly 40 years apart?​@@andrewbrazier9664

[@alkebulansan]

This is my hesitation with buying this, nothing adventurous and that for me is what PG is/was. Back in the day he was incredibly inventive. I love this dude having seen him live many times: saw the '82 Milton Keynes Genesis reunion gig and when solo PG would leave the stage during Lay Your Hands On Me once grabbing his arse in order to get him back on that stage at Hammy Odeon. So, I'm a fan, and he's got a nice arse! However, there is soo much new music now on bandcamp that is more interesting and inventive and despite being a fan, like everyone I've a limited budget, and this is not going to be in it. Laters Pete. Love as always.

[@bacarandii]

What always stood out for me about Peter Gabriel's voice was how much raw emotion he puts into it (something no one would ever say about Phil Collins, where everything is shiny and smooth and on the surface). I'd read about Kate Bush, but never really listened to her until "Don't Give Up," an almost unbearably tender song that slices right through any studio gloss. I have a few of Gabriel's earlier albums on LP, all of them on CD (and a number of Real World titles) -- and that remastered 2012 3-CD deluxe edition of "So" is unbeatable. His "Passion" soundtrack is better than Scorsese's movie (a picture I admire but don't really connect with -- until the very end when the exposed film runs out, "Persona" style). But I'm gonna go put on Real World's "Passion Sources" right now! (P.S. When it comes to monkey songs, I prefer the Stones' "Monkey Man," the Pixies' "This Monkey's Gone to Heaven" and Steely Dan's "Monkey In Your Soul" -- but "Shock the Monkey" is good, too.)

[@bacarandii]

Another P.S. Have you seen that documentary about the recording of "So" (I think it's in the Classic Albums series)? Very cool look at his farm studio set-up! And I forgot about "In Your Eyes" -- John Cusack in the rain with the boombox in "Say Anything" forever memorialized by Hurley on "Lost."

[@aqwaya9584]

The question is: from where the New Grounds should have come from? Peter Gabriel belongs to these musicians which are going their own way on and on. There is not much interaction with other (modern) music trails. He uses new techinics but not when it comes to influence his sound to much. The sound is rooted - logically - in the 80s. The rhythms of what he's created in the late 70s. He included all his previous works, all what he's found out so far, and cocked a new mix out of it. What he added was the theme and his sight of it. That's pretty impressive to me. When it comes to the orchestra he even went back further. Before Up and Scratch. The arrangements of the orchestra (partley?) sounded as if they where made by George Martin.

[@pbode1]

I am so happy he is still able to bring new material, that I forgive him for making the verses of 'Road to Joy' sound way to much like 'Kiss that Frog'. Playing for Time, Four Kinds of Horses and Live and Let Live are masterpieces.

[@chrislj2890]

Although I've always liked him, the only thing I have is the 1990 CD greatest hits "Shaking The Tree". But listening to "I/O" on Apple Music it seems like he hasn't aged or lost anything, which is pretty amazing. Looks like I will be getting this one, but which one?