Peter Gabriel - So

Peter Gabriel introduced his fifth studio album So with "Sledgehammer," an Otis Redding-inspired soul-pop raver that was easily his catchiest, happiest single to date. Needless to say, it was also his most accessible, and, in that sense it was a good introduction to So, the catchiest, happiest record he ever cut. "Sledgehammer" propelled the record toward blockbuster status, and Gabriel had enough songs with single potential to keep it there. There was "Big Time," another colorful dance number; "Don't Give Up," a moving duet with Kate Bush; "Red Rain," a stately anthem popular on album rock radio; and "In Your Eyes," Gabriel's greatest love song which achieved genuine classic status after being featured in Cameron Crowe's classic, Say Anything. These all illustrated the strengths of the album: Gabriel's increased melodicism and ability to blend African music, jangly pop, and soul into his moody art rock. Apart from these singles, plus the urgent "That Voice Again," the rest of the record is as quiet as the album tracks of Security. The difference is, the singles on that record were part of the overall fabric; here, the singles are the fabric, which can make the album seem top-heavy (a fault of many blockbuster albums, particularly those of the mid-'80s). Even so, those songs are so strong, finding Gabriel in a newfound confidence and accessibility, that it's hard not to be won over by them, even if So doesn't develop the unity of its two predecessors. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Name Credits Andrew Clark Bass, Organ (Hammond), CS-80, CMI Armando Gallo Photography Ary Carvalhaes Engineer Bill Laswell ?, Bass Brett Wickens Original Sleeve Design Bruce Lampcov Engineer Charlene Colon Session Supervisor, Supervisor Chris Hughes Producer, Linn, Programming Connie Moest Photography Coral Gordon Vocals, Vocals (Background) Dan Roe Assistant Engineer Daniel Lanois Tambourine, Guitar, Engineer, Guitar (String), Producer, Horn Arrangements, Percussion, Guitar (Electric), Guitar (12 String) Dave Bascombe Engineer David Bascombe Track Mix, Original Recordings David Bottrill Engineer David Rhodes Arranger, Guitar, Vocals (Background), Vocals David Stallbaumer Engineer, Studio Manager, Assistant Engineer Dee Lewis Vocals, Vocals (Background) Djalma Corrèa Surdo, Conga, Triangle Don Mikkelsen Trombone Edel Griffith Assistant Engineer Gail Colson Management Graciela Silberberg Session Supervisor Ian Cooper Original Mastering, Mastering Jairo Gualberto Engineer Jam Crisp Assistant, Assistant Engineer Jerry Marotta Vocals, Drum Sticks, Drums, Guitar (Bass) Jim Kerr Vocals (Background) Jimmy Bralower Synthesizer, ?, Linn Kate Bush Vocals Kevin Killen Engineer Lakshmi Shankar Violin Lakshminarayana Shankar Violin Larry Klein Guitar (Bass), Bass Laurie Anderson ?, Vocals Luigi Hoffer Studio Support, Studio Coordinator Manu Katche Talking Drum, Percussion, Drums Marc Bessant Graphic Design Margaret Maxwell Photography Mark Rivera Saxophone, Synthesizer Saxophone, Sax (Tenor), Sax (Baritone), Sax (Alto) Mark Riviera Sax (Baritone), Sax (Alto), Sax (Tenor) Michael Been Vocals (Background), Vocals Neal Preston Photography Nile Rodgers ?, Guitar Norma Bishop Assistant P.P. Arnold Vocals (Background), Vocals Peter Gabriel Producer, Vocals, Synthesizer, Synclavier, Prophet Synthesizer, Keyboards, Linn, CMI, Flute, Drums, Linn Drum, Vocals (Background), Piano, Horn Arrangements, Percussion Peter Saville Design, Original Sleeve Design Real World Design Packaging Renato Costa Supervisor, Session Supervisor Richard Chappell Engineer Richard Tee Piano, Keyboards Ronnell Bright Bass (Vocal), Vocals Ronnie Bright Bass, Bass (Vocal), Vocals Simon Clark Keyboards, Guitar (Bass), Organ (Hammond), Bass, Synthesizer Steve Boyer Engineer, Assistant Stewart Copeland Drums, Synthesizer, Hi Hat, Percussion, Keyboards Tony Cousins Remastering Tony Levin Vocals, Drum Sticks, Guitar (Bass), Bass Trevor Key Photography Wayne Jackson Cornet, Horn Arrangements, Trumpet Youssou N'Dour Vocals