Peter Gabriel’s “i/o” album review is Alexis Petridis’s pick for album of the week.

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Peter Gabriel’s tenth album of new songs has been likened to the Beach Boys’ Smile and Guns N’ Roses’ Chinese Democracy. These were two albums that famously took a long time to be completed, but Chinese Democracy seems like a poor comparison: it was released 15 years after Guns N’ Roses’ last album, which is nothing compared to the 28 years Gabriel has spent working on i/o.

The production of this album coincided with the release of his previous original album, Up, in 1995. This was before 70% of the current UK singles Top 10 artists were even born. The album was originally planned for release in 2004, two years after Up, but Gabriel has been busy during this time. He has released nine albums, including cover versions and re-recordings with an orchestra, a film soundtrack, and a collaborative work called Big Blue Ball. He has also toured seven times, co-founded and sold a digital distribution network, helped launch an international non-governmental organization called the Elders, and created a “brain-on-music” entertainment, media, and technology studio called Reverberation. One of his projects, Panopticom, is an “infinitely expandable, universally accessible data globe” and the opening track of his album i/o serves as a jingle for it. This track, titled “Panopticom,” is over five minutes long and includes contributions from Brian Eno on synth and session musician Tony Levin on bass. The album i/o also includes two distinct mixes by Mark “Spike” Stent and Tchad Blake.

Furthermore, the album has undergone significant changes and transformations over the years. It often feels like a deep contemplation on aging, a topic that an artist in their seventies has every right to explore. The songs touch on Gabriel’s reflections on the passing of a previous generation in “And Still”, his awareness of his own mortality in “So Much”, and his contentment with his place in the universe in the title track. Even when the lyrics touch on current events, such as the impact of religion or the internet, they are viewed through the lens of someone who has lived a long life. This can be seen in lines like “Ah, you say you’re something different, but you do it all again” from “Four Kinds of Horses”. This approach is both effective and moving, but it could not have been created at the beginning of the album’s development, as Peter Gabriel was only 45 at the time.

Assembled from sessions held in various countries including Britain, Italy, South Africa, and Sweden, as well as an on-stage performance at Rexall Place, a now-closed Canadian arena, i/o by i/o is a testament to the artist’s skill as it does not feel like an album that has been constantly reworked over the course of decades. Each track has been thoughtfully crafted and while it touches on familiar themes often explored by Gabriel, it still manages to sound fresh. During the tour promoting the gradual release of i/o’s tracks online, Gabriel also included hits from his 1986 album So in his performances. While there may not be any songs as immediately catchy as “Sledgehammer” or “Don’t Give Up,” there are certainly hints of 80s boldness in the horn section of “Olive Tree” and a grandiose, stadium-worthy sound in the title track. Gabriel’s interest in music from non-western cultures can be heard in the intricate rhythm of “This Is Home.” The track “And Still” may not fit into the typical prog rock genre, but its use of piano, flute, and cello evokes a melancholic, quintessentially English mood similar to that of early 70s Genesis.

The album is immersive and fulfilling, with deeper meaning than suggested by its somewhat clichéd song titles – Live and Let Live, Love Can Heal. Those who question the decision to release an album of already-streamed songs should take note that, despite its gradual release, it is clearly intended as a cohesive album experience. When listened to in one sitting, it flows beautifully. With such a long gap between i/o and Gabriel’s previous album, Up, it’s natural to wonder if this may be his final project of original material. The standout track is Playing for Time, a ballad that builds to a powerful climax. The lyrics depict Gabriel climbing a hill, as in his debut solo single, but this time lost in memories and contemplation of time passing. It would make for a perfect closing track. i/o is bursting with creative ideas, leaving one hopeful that this won’t be the end.

the audiobook “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho

During the past week, Alexis engaged with the audiobook “The Alchemist” written by Paulo Coelho.

Ghost Woman – Yoko

Unbridled energy: aggressive guitar riffs reminiscent of The Cramps with a touch of Krautrock, a thrillingly disordered explosion of non-rhythmic noise in place of a traditional bridge.

Source: theguardian.com