Peter Gabriel
'UP'
Geffen Records
SACD MC

I'm a fan of this guy for a long time. 'SO', IMO, was easily in the top 5 records of the 80s.

I've seen his SACD releases everytime I visit Media Play to buy discs, but I refused to buy any of them because they were all stereo only releases.

Needless to say, when I saw that 'UP' was a Hybrid MC release, I snatched it up.

First things first...being a bass player for lo these many years, I gotta say, there is some powerful low freqs on this disc.
Most of it is in the FL/FR and gets redirected to the sub. There is relatively little info in the LFE channel.
Most of it comes from one of the most prolific session bassists ever, Tony Levin ('Double Fantasy', 'Thrak', 'SO', etc., etc.), and he is GOOD. A very cool guy, to boot.

Gabriel isn't for everyone. He continues to find a way to push the envelope, decade after decade.

There are great dynamics, there is abject insanity, social commentary, very deep imagery and imaginative conglomerations of sound along with some very beautiful melodies.

Production value is way up there.

The players are all top notch.

And the lyrics....well, you tell me:

'The knife, it scrapes across the burnt, brown toast
A freight train rumbles past my window
Oh
My head sounds like that'

Did I mention the bass?

It may take the right mood or a few listens, as was the case for me, but I'm giving this one a 'must have' rating.



[This message has been edited by bossobass (edited December 14, 2003).]

If you are a Gabriel fan there is no doubt how lucky you are to enjoy the EXCELLENT production of his more recent works. I have UP on regular CD release and it is one of the best engineered recordings I ever heard. I love the audio tricks that put the sound everywhere in the room (in 2 chanel stereo). I can only imagine the production on SACD

Bossobass, - by “hybrid” is this disc 2-sided? CD on one, so that a currently non-SACD owner can purchase?
Not intending to upgrade to SACD capability at the moment so am stuck with choices for HR titles limited to DVD-A.
Would not mind purchasing the disc in MF SACD for future readiness, if I can use it now on the lesser CD side.
I like Gabriel’s voice and enjoy everything I’ve heard of his. I can admire greatly the voices of great male tenors and singers like Bennett and Michael Crawford, - (Crawford, live at “Phantom of the Opera” in LA was positively otherworldly and overwhelming). But guys like Chris Rea “The Road to Hell”, Gabriel and Stewart are utterly satisfying to me in that listening to their work is a raspy, rough-hewn, experience. Blocky around the edges; just as real men are in their physically outlines. I guess you could say I like calluses on men’s voices just as I expect it on their hands.
These voices are often a hate or love them type affair. I love them, my current favorite, a gift from a friend, which someone ran off with and now I have to replace, is, Rod Stewart’s “It Had to Be You – The great American Songbook.” Although it was released last year I just heard it this month for myself, - will have to reacquire it and his later release “As Time goes By”.

Check out the "Secret World Live" DVD. Exceptional sound, great staging, and a real sense of connection between the performers. I've seen Gabriel live (in the '77 or '78 timeframe - during the "Peter Gabriel" album tour) and while that version of Solsbury Hill brought shivers, the one on "Secret World Live" is just plain fun. Highly recommended. In fact I think I'll pop that DVD into my portable, put on the headphones (it's late) and enjoy. (And Levin is great!)

Jeff Mackwood

Lena,

SACD Hybrids are 2 layer, 1 layer is MC SACD and the other is redbook CD, and can be played on any CD player/system.

Jeff,

Thanx for the info...will do.

Ray,

Definitely worth the price of admission.

I saw Peter Gabriel's latest tour in the round and it was every bit the spectacle "Secret World" was. If the man takes another 10 years to produce an album, I'll gladly wait. A somewhat obscure release of his is Ovo, which was music for a millenium exhibit over in the UK. All Gabriel fans should seek this out.

A bit off topic here: When I was at this concert, the girl sitting next to me was singing all the songs; a "true" fan you might say. It drove me nuts. When the band played a tune from Ovo, she didn't know the words. I did finally say to her that I paid to hear Peter Gabriel sing, not her. She pouted through the rest of the show.

And yes, Tony Levin is one of the greatest, coolest bassists you can ever hear perform.

DB,

You're a RIOT!

I would have punched her.