Us

09/29/1992 | Geffen Records 

Submit Your Review

All Music Guide Review

Six years after earning his first blockbuster, Peter Gabriel finally delivered Us, his sequel to So. Clearly, that great span of time indicates that Gabriel was obsessive in crafting the album, and Us bears the sound of endless hours in the studio. It's not just that the production is pristine, clean, and immaculate, it's that the music is, with only a handful of exceptions (namely, the "Sledgehammer" rewrite "Steam" and the fellatio ode "Kiss That Frog"), remarkably subtle and shaded. It's also not a coincidence that Us is, as Gabriel says in his liner notes, "about relationships," since the exquisitely textured music lets him expose his soul, albeit in a typically obtuse way. Since the music is so muted, it's no surprise that the album failed to capture a mass audience the way So did, but it's foolish to expect anyone but serious fans to unravel an album this deliberate. Gabriel is as adventurous as ever, yet he is relentlessly sober about his experiments, burying exotic sounds and percussion underneath crawling tempos measured atmospherics -- this is tastefully two-toned music, assembled by a consummate craftsman who became too immersed in detail to make anything but an insular, introspective work. Some gems are easier to unearth than others -- "Digging in the Dirt" has an insistent pulse, "Blood of Eden" and "Come Talk to Me" are quite beautiful, "Secret World" is quietly anthemic -- yet, given enough time, the record's understated approach and reflection becomes its most attractive element. But it takes a lot of spins and patience to get to that point, since this is an album he made for himself, and only those dedicated to the artist will have the patience to decode it. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Track Listing

  • Track#
  • Title
  • time
  • 1
  • Come Talk to Me
  • 7:06

  • 2
  • Love to Be Loved
  • 5:17

  • 3
  • Blood of Eden
  • 6:38

  • 4
  • Steam
  • 6:03

  • 5
  • Only Us
  • 6:32

  • 6
  • Washing of the Water
  • 3:51

  • 7
  • Digging in the Dirt
  • 5:18

  • 8
  • Fourteen Black Paintings
  • 4:37

  • 9
  • Kiss That Frog
  • 5:19

  • 10
  • Secret World
  • 7:03

    • Similar Albums

    Credits

    • Luca
    • Digital Imaging, Digital Imagery
    • Alasdair
    • Digital Imaging, Digital Imagery
    • David Bottrill
    • Programming, Mixing Engineer, Engineer, Mixing, Digital Editing
    • Malcolm Burn
    • Producer, Synthesizer Cello, Production Concept, Horn Arrangements
    • Manu Katche
    • Percussion, Drums, Electric Drums, Electronic Drums
    • Daniel Lanois
    • Dobro, Guitar, Guitar (Electric), Telecaster, Hi Hat, Horn Arrangements, Shaker, Producer, Vocals
    • Peter Gabriel
    • Bass, Programming, Triangle, Keyboard Bass, Horn Arrangements, Valiha, Main Performer, Producer, Vocals, Keyboards, Flute, Percussion, Harmonica


    ARTISTdirect plus

    What's Hot from ARTISTdirect