Peter Gabriel
I/O

I must preface by saying that I've been a fan of Peter since the very distant April of 1972 when he came on stage like a singing flower with Genesis and delighted the (relatively) few aficionados of the afternoon show... yes, because back then there was also this option!

I waited a bit to review his latest work, a bit to let settle what I am still fortunate enough to listen to from his new production, and a bit out of the respect owed to the Greats before critiquing, more than reviewing, what they have just created.

Well, in summary, "I/O", acronym for Input/Output, meaning entry and exit in the sense of human interconnection, is a true and undisputed masterpiece... A marketing masterpiece, from various points of view: firstly for the release that began in January with the presentation of the first track of the album, "Panopticom", and gradually followed the full moon until reaching the twelfth and final "Live and Let Live", which thus accompanies the physical release of the entire album. You understand that after 21 years of waiting since the last new release "Up", the thirst of the fans is further heightened by such trickling, whose lunar connection is not very clear except to stretch our tongues. But the marketing masterpiece does not end with this particular "delivery", which to my knowledge has no precedents of this magnitude. In fact, unfortunately, fans discover that to get the coveted "I/O", they have to bear a double cost because good Peter had a big idea: to double the publication with a dual mix of the same tracks, respectively named: "I/O Bright Mix" curated by Mark Stent and "I/O Dark Mix" curated by Tchad Blake; to complete the masterpiece and justify the high price of the package, the digital version includes the remarkable Blu-ray curated by sound engineer Hans Buff. The same goes, though obviously without Blu-ray and still at a premium price, for the double vinyl version.

Now, with all due respect to Peter, his collaborators, and the Dolby Atmos production — the description of whose technique would require a dedicated page — I believe the peak of commercialism has truly been reached to the detriment of musical democracy, which should instead be dear to a Great who is no longer in need of pleasing a Major Production or mere financial balance. Because it's true that by now everything, or almost, can be listened to via streaming and that "liquid" content can be easily accessed, it is also true that given the promised technical quality, it can only be reproduced with adequate physical support.

Having delivered this harsh critique, which should be my task, I proceed to comment on the Music, and here things get more complicated because after 21 years of waiting interrupted, it's true, by the release of two albums of more or less intricate and appreciable covers, the admirer expects to hear something that will leave him amazed, or am I wrong? Well, at first, it didn't go that way for me! I then held back the urge to report what I felt listening to both "I/O" albums and convinced myself: several passes before expressing myself. I was right, even if the final result is still not what I expected. In fact, from the first sleepy listen, I reached a better appreciation, especially of the Bright Mix which, not surprisingly, is much brighter than the other. Peter's inner introspection is certainly felt, even its translation into music and the search for the sound or arrangements to express it is undoubtedly there and permeates the entire album. The use of sound effects and the collaboration of great musicians: from Brian Eno to Tony Levine, and the employment of the New Blood Orchestra certainly provide us with an album rich in sound with an enviable artistic repertoire. However, what is unfortunately missing in my humble opinion is the freshness (and novelty) of a work that probably even a Great at the threshold of 74 years can no longer afford and therefore substitutes with an enormous musical experience, drawing liberally from more recent works ("So", "Up" and "Us").

That said, it's not that there are no rays of bright light emitted by "I/O" like the epic "Playing for Time", the poetic "So Much", or the closing "Live and Let Live". However, it remains difficult to get emotionally moved and, conversely, one risks here and there falling into slumber, particularly during "And Still".

To conclude, I clarify for more advanced listeners that indeed the Dolby Atmos (incidentally, for the record, this version of "The Dark Side of the Moon" has just been released) significantly improves listening quality, thanks to an enhanced three-dimensionality where each instrument has a particular position in the audible semicircle, significantly extending the two-dimensional concept of stereophony; yet I wonder how many can resort to such technical wizardry, which requires a Blu-ray player and a next-generation amplifier?

I am left with a curiosity, and that is to see if and how Peter Gabriel will manage to bring to the stage, where he has always proven to be a Master starting from the aforementioned flower, a work of this kind. We shall see, perhaps next summer.