A new album, o/i, will be released at the end of 2026, a mere 3 years after its predecessor.
As with that record, the songs will be released individually each full moon, not something I’m a fan of personally – I would rather wait and hear the album in its entirety from beginning to end.
Also, each song will once again be available in a bright side and dark side mix – again, not keen on this idea myself, would rather have one definitive version, especially when the differences between the two are often minimal, at least to my ears.
New Peter Gabriel
by 26 Comments
First song
I have a theory that they do this messing around when they’re short of ideas and/or not sure how it will be received. Or maybe they’re just too lazy to make an album.
I agree – last one not that great in comparison to the highlights of his earlier career.
The last one had some good moments, but I couldn’t pick out any particular tracks as favourites. I also couldn’t see a dramatic difference between the bright and dark mixes.
However, I’m glad that he’s still putting out new music and being (by his standards) quite quick about it.
I thought it was excellent. And if you subscribe to Bandcamp for only one month at the end you can download 2 full albums (both mixes) in Hi-res FLAC for a fiver or something
And 2 albums jn 3 years! That’s not being lazy, that is the quickest turnaround in 45 years! And there was a big tour in the middle of it also
His earlier gimmicks were at least silly, not pseudo-deep, or whatever he is trying to convey in the grab-bag of portentous rationalisations: releasing tracks by the phase of the moon? light and dark mixes? I thought he didn’t use drugs. I saw his last tour in Birmingham, and barely remember anything of the concert, though I’ve seen him many times before and the concerts were compelling. Peter, I really think it’s time to stop. Or maybe it’s time for me to stop listening. I’m not hearing it, anyway.
You can easily stop listening, suggesting he give up is a bit much especially after such a long hiatus. It’s a strange way of releasing albums, but if it allows him to release 2 quickly, after only 2 full studio albums of original material in about previous 30 years then it’s all good. And as I have mentioned here before I thought the show I saw 2 years ago was superb, not bad for someone in his mid 70s
Somebody should give Kate Bush a nudge and suggest she tries something similar
I’ve almost lost faith in KB producing any more new music. Sadly, she seems content to rehash endless editions of HOL, and as a consequence her career will rest in the public consciousness on that one album and Wuthering Heights. I find her inertia to be really rather disappointing.
I’ve long given up any hope of her releasing an album of new songs. She’s 67, presumably has more than enough money to satisfy her and her loved ones’ every want or need, and has never been particularly prolific or publicity- or fame-hungry. If she releases a new album, that will be a brilliant surprise.
Bowie surprised the world by releasing Blackstar, and maybe KB will do the same one day.
I still long for a surround-sound HoL box set, a comprehensive career retrospective, and a blu-ray of all her videos, but I have zero interest in releases of any of her albums with new covers, coloured vinly, or other pointless tinkering.
I think she will make one more album, she has said she is working on one
Whilst I am a massive KB fan and would love to get new music from her, I have accepted that this is unlikely (and a huge bonus if it happens)
She is 67 after all – why do we expect artists to keep going on forever? Isn’t she allowed to retire like most of that age ? Does she really “owe” us anything ?
No.
I’d love another VdGG album before they all die, I’d also love another Hammill album before he decides to stop. But they’re all in their seventies. They certainly don’t “owe” us anything at all. Same with KB.
I’m not really suggesting she ‘owes’ us anything; her oeuvre has given us so much as it stands. I guess I’m frustrated that she seems to be happy to be complicit in her legacy becoming so reductive in the general perception. I’m probably not articulate my thoughts very well.
Apologies – wasn’t having a go at you and hope it didn’t come across that way.
It’s just a pet peeve that we seem to expect “artistes” to go on forever ever when most of us are rushing to retire.
But ain’t that what makes artists of all hues different? Unless, a la Len Cohen, you lost all your hard-earned (?) dosh and need to get back out there most of them, a la Dylan, just need to keep on performing and the extra money doesn’t really count
On a related matter, most of us if we somehow earned a million quid would instantly retire. That’s the difference between us and greedy billionaires
There seem to be two (at least) types of legacy artists.
There are the Performers, who cannot envisage life without the excitement and pleasure of playing to an audience. They will carry on until they drop or become incapable. Or ridiculous.
Then there are the Songsmiths, who are fundamentally writers and creators of recordings. Some of them overlap with the Performers, but by no means all. Others in this grouping seem to be rather reluctant performers, only releasing recordings and getting out to perform when they feel they absolutely need to.
Fair enough re Peter Gabriel. ,l’m big enough to see you as right here re the artist doing what they jolly well like, and some folks enjoying the concert. I was entertained, it looked nice, but maybe the setlist was too recent for my taste – the only album I’ve like after the 4th one was “Passion”.
I enjoyed i/o a great deal. Just a couple of duff tracks and not enough funk for my liking. Looks like this essentially an extension to that album (he has over a hundred songs up his sleeve). I loved the i/o artwork and this one is lovely by São Paulo artist Janaina Mello Landini, who has a background in architecture and a curiosity about physical and mathematical systems.
Something to look forward to every month.
He’s in his Yorkshire Era, innee?
Oh aye.
Are the Cockney Rejects aware that he’s moving in on their terrirory?
Could make for an interesting collaboration
Well he already worked with Sham 69 (kind of)
Err…
O/i! O/i!
I sometimes find his initial ‘singles’ a little eager to please and far prefer the deeper cuts on his records. This song though sounds like an immediate jump to substantial and thoughtful work.
I think many of the things detractors pick up on are the things that make him an interesting artist. Yeah, releasing a song every month is a bit of a faff and most people would rather the whole LP. Yeah, no one can really tell major differences between the two mixes. Yeah, spending just as long exploring the accompanying artwork than the song veers toward the pretentious. Yeah, the high standards of production can make the music a little top-end-y and expensive.
But surely that’s why the fans are still here, still engaged and in the dialogue, and why he’s not playing Vegas.
As a follower of U2 their whole career, I’ve been waiting for them to act their age and to honour that ongoing relationship with their audience rather than doing stunts and making records designed by committee to attract the young people. Looks to me that PG is trying exactly that. Trying to meet an audience that still wants to be engaged and connected over the long term, doesn’t need the hype, is interested in the process, can appreciate different modes of art being interconnected.