Album review: Peter Gabriel, 'Scratch My Back'
Rating: 2 stars (out of 4)
Peter Gabriel’s career as a recording artist has slowed to a crawl, his deliberation producing ever more ponderous albums spaced a decade apart. His last studio release, “Up,” was released in 2002. The follow-up, “Scratch My Back” (EMI), consists entirely of covers, suggesting a holding action more than a bold step forward. Yet Gabriel turns this collection into an oddball art-pop statement all its own, interpreting songs by well-known artists (David Bowie, Neil Young, Radiohead) in unremittingly somber fashion.
Shelving drums and guitars in favor of orchestral backdrops that veer from lush to abrasive, Gabriel turns these dozen songs into the soundtrack for an imaginary movie (presumably one best viewed on a cold, gray afternoon). The score by Durutti Column’s John Metcalfe frames the main attraction: Gabriel’s weathered voice, which focuses on delivering the melodies and lyrics with stark directness.
The approach works on certain songs. Stripped of its Afro-pop bounce, Paul Simon’s “The Boy in the Bubble” attains a kind of cosmic universality as the focus shifts to a narrative that blurs reverie and reality. The singer also does an admirable job of honing in on the melancholy melody underpinning the Talking Heads’ “Listening Wind.” But otherwise Gabriel rarely transcends the originals, erring on the side of caution (relatively faithful readings of Randy Newman’s “I Think It’s Going to Rain Today” and Neil Young’s “Philadelphia”) or sometimes miring a potent song in sludge (Radiohead’s “Street Spirit,” Bowie’s “Heroes,” Regina Spektor’s “Apres Moi”).
Though Gabriel’s decision to pay homage to the core essentials underpinning these songs is a noble one, he also sacrifices many essential ingredients: rhythmic drive, dynamic surprise, harmonic and textural variety. As experiments go, “Scratch My Back” ranks as a well-intentioned dud.
greg@gregkot.com
Sponsored Link: Amazon's Peter Gabriel Store
Peter Gabriel’s career as a recording artist has slowed to a crawl, his deliberation producing ever more ponderous albums spaced a decade apart. His last studio release, “Up,” was released in 2002. The follow-up, “Scratch My Back” (EMI), consists entirely of covers, suggesting a holding action more than a bold step forward. Yet Gabriel turns this collection into an oddball art-pop statement all its own, interpreting songs by well-known artists (David Bowie, Neil Young, Radiohead) in unremittingly somber fashion.
Shelving drums and guitars in favor of orchestral backdrops that veer from lush to abrasive, Gabriel turns these dozen songs into the soundtrack for an imaginary movie (presumably one best viewed on a cold, gray afternoon). The score by Durutti Column’s John Metcalfe frames the main attraction: Gabriel’s weathered voice, which focuses on delivering the melodies and lyrics with stark directness.
The approach works on certain songs. Stripped of its Afro-pop bounce, Paul Simon’s “The Boy in the Bubble” attains a kind of cosmic universality as the focus shifts to a narrative that blurs reverie and reality. The singer also does an admirable job of honing in on the melancholy melody underpinning the Talking Heads’ “Listening Wind.” But otherwise Gabriel rarely transcends the originals, erring on the side of caution (relatively faithful readings of Randy Newman’s “I Think It’s Going to Rain Today” and Neil Young’s “Philadelphia”) or sometimes miring a potent song in sludge (Radiohead’s “Street Spirit,” Bowie’s “Heroes,” Regina Spektor’s “Apres Moi”).
Though Gabriel’s decision to pay homage to the core essentials underpinning these songs is a noble one, he also sacrifices many essential ingredients: rhythmic drive, dynamic surprise, harmonic and textural variety. As experiments go, “Scratch My Back” ranks as a well-intentioned dud.
greg@gregkot.com
Sponsored Link: Amazon's Peter Gabriel Store
I think you're being too kind. I'm a longtime, rabid fan of Peter Gabriel and this album makes me want to pull my ears off.
Posted by: Patrick Morton | March 01, 2010 at 10:47 AM
Re: Patrick Morton's comment-
Hahahahahahahaha...I needed a good larf today.
Posted by: Rick Jones | March 01, 2010 at 11:16 AM
Pulling your ears off would be easy compared to listening to this album ever again
Posted by: Guy Sum | March 01, 2010 at 03:09 PM
Scratch Greg Kot
off the list of music reviewers I'll read again.
Your review, tho well intentioned, is a dud. This is not to say you have to like the music. But the adjectives you describe are so banal and unhelpful... you could write this about virtually any covers album. Or any album. The fact is, Gabriel took a diverse collection of songs spanning 30 years and delivered them with a uniformity that made them his own.
Gabriel "rarely transcends the originals?" Huh? How can you listen to Apres Moi or My Body is a Cage and not see their transcendence? This is simply a lazy review. Did you listen to this when in the shower? It's as if you didn't even listen to the album. Why bother?
Posted by: Sensor | March 01, 2010 at 03:52 PM
The significance of the album (and it is significant) is that Gabriel interprets rock through minimalism. In some cases (most obviously Simon's 'The Boy in the Bubble') Gabriel's version is truer to the message than was the original. By using covers, Gabriel explores the usefulness of this musical exploration. Not for everyone---but watch, this move into minimalism will be copied by other bands in the same way that Gabriel's "Passion" launched interest in World music. Where Peter Gabriel leads, U2 will not be long to follow!
Posted by: M.H. Montgomery | March 01, 2010 at 07:16 PM
I'm sort of baffled by this review, because I respect Kot's opinion so much. While I agree that the mood of the album is consistently heavy, the same thing could be said of Sting's latest-an album devoted to the cold, dark winter season. It's not necessarily a bad thing to produce a piece of music with a cohesive feel. It's an artists indulgence maybe, but more to the point it appears to be that Gabriel has the courage to follow his vision of this project through to the end. One imagines Radiohead band meetings go along those lines.
But what I don't understand is not pointing out that when this album works, it's devastatingly beautiful. Gabriel's version of The Book of Love alone is a musical highlight of the year thus far. Listening Wind, My Body is a Cage, Ares Moi--all excellent.
But I do agree that this is water-treading and he needs to get on with the next proper album. But honestly, he's earned the right to do this kind of thing and any Gabriel at all is better than none.
Posted by: Scott | March 01, 2010 at 08:07 PM
I'm just glad it's not another review of the usual lame, tame, paint by the numbers r&b or hippety hop act.
BTW, where's the High on Fire review?
Greg replies: High on Fire review is here: http://leisureblogs.chicagotribune.com/turn_it_up/high-on-fire/
Posted by: kjb666 | March 02, 2010 at 12:30 PM
The more I listen to this album the more I like it. I will say that I think the bonus tracks (The Book of Love, My Body is a Cage, and Heroes) are better than the album cuts. His vocals on the remix of The Book of Love and from the soundtrack of Shall We Dance? are much preferred to track 8. Waterloo Sunset is one of my favorites and only included as a bonus track.
Posted by: Kwolfnot | March 04, 2010 at 01:13 PM
I think Peter Gabriel should be present at the induction of Genesis into the Rock Hall of Fame. It would be fitting for him to at least give the appearance of coming full circle rather than indulging himself in what appears a contrived exercise in departing from the formula that distinguished him as a unique musician.
Posted by: Rich | March 05, 2010 at 10:29 PM
Some of the album works...Waterloo Sunset, Flume and Book of Love are beautiful pieces. But Gabriel favors somber, repeated melancholy to the world beats that got my attention in the first place...and that's what I'd like to see again from Mr. Gabriel.
Posted by: Lou | March 11, 2010 at 09:01 PM
Not a good review. There are some poor tracks on this album, just like any other. However, there are tracks like Boy in the Bubble and Listening Wind that completely revitalise the originals and add meaning to them. Listen to the album a few times before reaching such a conclusion. The more you listen , the more you can throw off your preconceptions and enjoy what he has done.
Posted by: JonB | March 29, 2010 at 10:21 AM
Saw him live in London on Saturday. Individually beautiful songs stitched together into one of the most depressing concerts I believe I have ever attended. I left early. Too sad, too deep, no light, only shade. Self indulgent.
Posted by: Steve | March 29, 2010 at 03:38 PM
The first half of the show wasnt for me.very brave of peter,but i prefer the hits,at concerts.
Posted by: speedy | April 02, 2010 at 01:25 PM
Oh man... I have been trying to see Peter Gabriel live for years and immediately bought Hollywood Bowl tickets for $600 each... then I bought this album and thought it was a mistake... WTF?? Is he really going to play just this album??? If so, I am going to resell my tickets... this is depressing... sorry Peter this album sounds like you were on downers.... just lame... anybody want great tickets at the bowl???
Posted by: Mike | April 06, 2010 at 02:50 PM
It’s the easy option, PG Sings, and then lets someone compose a backing track.
Just a posh karaoke album to be honest.
Not the greatest PG work that’s for sure.
Posted by: Mark W | April 08, 2010 at 07:47 AM
Plain and simple... one of the best albums, beginning to end, I've listened to in a long time.
Posted by: Paul | May 06, 2010 at 09:53 AM