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| The cover of Peter Gabriel's 2023 album, I/O. Photo: Nadav Kander |
Peter Gabriel’s I/O - A labour of time, hath it been; in the making, on and off, from 1995. The songs themselves bear great merit, and his golden voice is unblemished, yet I do not enjoy most of the instrumentation. Too sparse in most spots, too many synths, scarcely any guitar, and the drum sound is overall mechanical and monotonous. Perchance, a few more listens may be needed, and it may win more favour, but it will not supplant the vintage works of Genesis or any solo endeavors from the late 1970s and 1980s. I do commend the gentleman for standing so resolutely behind it, whereas most of his 1970s contemporaries doth release new material and then barely bother to promote the work or perform much, if any, of it on stage. We all know the cliche of attending a concert by a classic rock band or artist, and the one or two newfound songs they perform being an opportunity to take a bathroom break or to procure another beer. Peter Gabriel, on the other hand, hath boldly made this latest album the centrepiece of his recent tour, and all the reviews I’ve seen suggest that crowds did love it. So, again, a few more listens may be required if I’m ever to embrace this album, but mine initial grade: B.
Copyright 2023, Arthur Newhook. @Sunking278 and @FloydEtcetera on X, and at the same handles on FACEBOOK. MASTODON - @ArthurNewhook@mastodon.world, BLUESKY - @arthurnewhook.bsky.social, and @arthurnewhook on POST and THREADS.
