Peter Gabriel
III

Today, December 22, 2012, is a special day for me, a decisive day for my life, and I think I'll never forget it. No cataclysm, no end of the world, no 666, and no seven trumpets that "play a sweet rock n' roll," no Pythagoras writing a brand new melody in blood, no Apocalypse in 9/8. Today is a day like any other, and it does not mark the beginning of a new era. There is nothing more to fear and nothing to expect, except perhaps a rise in gas prices and taxes in general, cuts to public education, etc... Today is a special day for me because I am happy, happier than usual, and have a reason to be. I've purchased a ticket for Peter Gabriel's concert next October, in that year, 2013, which no one expected could arrive. The emotion I felt when the ticket was printed in front of my eyes at the store is indescribable. Yes indeed! I will see Peter Gabriel! My idol, my favorite artist, the best of the best... who knows what I'll feel at the concert!? In the meantime, I listen to Peter Gabriel III, one of the best albums by the Chobnam artist, the English artist who had long left the Genesis experience behind. Listening to it is an immense pleasure, I am transported by the music, and this review comes out impromptu as I write and write words that try to celebrate an already celebrated icon, an artist who needs no introduction and about whom comments have been exhausted. So, I'm here, listening to Peter's third album on the computer and letting myself be moved by his voice, by the music of his troupe featuring bassist Tony Levin, Robert Fripp on guitar, and an old familiar face, the Genesis drummer, Phil Collins.

With the start of "Intruder" and the sharp, hard drum beats, Peter's world of music takes shape, and I can do nothing but follow the rhythm and sing the first words the vocalist recites a minute into the song "I know something about opening windows and doors, I know how to move quietly and creep across creaky wooden floors." The "Intruder" of the title has entered the chosen house for the robbery and tells us his stealthy movements with great "professionalism." "No Self Control" is a moment of pure mental relaxation, with Peter's voice proceeding slowly at first, then standing out with a beautiful high pitch (I don't know how to stop, I don't know how to stop). The inability to stay still and the desire to move are the subject of the song. In the album, a brief instrumental, "Start," doesn't certainly go amiss, its nostalgia is given by the sound of the saxophone by session man Dick Morrissey. "I Don't Remember" represents a nice pop piece with good rhythm, a nice danceable piece indeed. The compositional beauty, the extreme nostalgic sentiment arrive with "Family Snapshot," a very sad song in which the vocalist assumes the role of an assassin, Arthur Bremer, who had attempted the life of a politician in favor of racial segregation, George Wallace. Peter will declare that "Arthur Bremer's book, in which he speaks of his assassination attempt on George Wallace, is particularly disgusting, and from the reading, one understands how the author is crazy and a fame-hungry fanatic." "Family Snapshot" is one of the most beautiful songs by the Chobnam artist. Very beautiful and rich in pathos is "And Through the Wire," which gives way to "Games Without Frontiers," a pleasant pop piece. Despite the almost "playful" nature of the song, of its music, the lyrics are a strong critique of nationalism and war; there are many references to real people, like Adolf Hitler and Enrico Fermi, and Eastern characters. The crazy introduction of "Not One of Us," in which Peter indulges in truly absurd verses, is a good start for an excellent pop song. Perhaps the least important track on the album, "Lead a Normal Life," gives way to a wonder by definition, a piece rich in pathos and full of sentiment, in which there is great emotional involvement by the singer, "Biko." Biko was an anti-apartheid activist, tortured and killed for his protest ideals. Peter recites one of the most significant and beautiful phrases of his career in my opinion: "You can blow out a candle, but you can't blow out a fire. Once the flames begin to catch, the wind will blow it higher." Yes, it's true! You can blow out a candle, but you can't blow out a fire with a breath, you can't quell a revolution! You can annihilate the Messiah delivering a message to the people, but the message, once received by the people, cannot be eliminated, and "the wind will blow it higher," will increase it.

With this piece full of emotional charge, Peter Gabriel III closes, one of the most beautiful albums of the Archangel. Those who haven't listened to it must absolutely do so.