Peter Gabriel's new album UP and...The Brady Bunch?!?

[Jepthah]

I like this talk about the theme of death, but I know after 10 years (at long last) we won't be able to help being disappointed after the buildup. Or is PG going to shine like the old days?

http://www.vh1.com/news/stories/1456318.jhtml

Peter Gabriel Pens Very Brady Single On Death-Inspired Up

'The Barry Williams Show' is about Gabriel's thought on reality television.

By Joe D'Angelo, with additional reporting by Jon Wiederhorn

On his first studio album in a decade, Peter Gabriel is moving in the right direction.

Up, due September 24, follows in the two-letter tradition he started with 1986's So and continued through his last studio recording, 1992's Us. The determining factor in coming up with the title of Gabriel's ninth proper album (not including 1989's Passion, his soundtrack to the Martin Scorsese film "The Last Temptation of Christ") was left to his fans. He gave them the choice between Up or I/O, which stands for "input/output." As he explains it, his options were limited.

"The title was there about 10 years ago," Gabriel said. "I was playing with words, and I put myself in this two-letter-title box for a number of years."

For the follow-up to So, which featured the hit "Sledgehammer," Gabriel simply changed one letter to come up with Us. Another quick fix led to Up, and I/O will probably be the title of the next LP, noted the methodical former leader of Genesis at their '70s prog peak.

Despite the immediate connotation of the title, Up is anything but cheery. It's actually downright gloomy, rife with themes of loss, loneliness and — the most obvious premise derived from song titles like "Darkness," "Dark" and "I Grieve" — death.

The music enhances such surface feelings with sparse melodies and delicate structures held aloft by breathy electronic atmospheres. Gabriel's trademark worldbeat influences abound, but unlike before, they're not immediately perceived as celebratory. The telltale track "I Grieve," as it moves from solemn to a more upbeat groove, helps makes sense of the album as a cohesive body of work, especially in its mantralike chorus: "They say that life carries on."

"Quite a few of the songs are about death, and in a way, people think that's a pretty miserable, depressing subject, but I would say the opposite probably," he explained. "If you live in a dominant youth culture that pretends death doesn't exist, you're sort of ending up going directly toward it. Whereas if you face it head on and accept it as a part of life — as a lot of other cultures do — then you live life more fully."

The LP's first single is one of the few offerings on the 11-track album that's more social commentary than introspective soul baring. While it may seem "The Barry Williams Show" would be the best thing to happen to the actor familiarly known as Greg Brady since The Return of Johnny Bravo, it actually has nothing to do with him. Rather, the song, ominously driven by a plunging bassline and punctuated with horns, is about the proclivity of reality TV.

"In some ways it's more outside observation and less of an internal track," Gabriel said. "But somehow sonically it still feels of the same palette."

Gabriel is planning a video to accompany the song, though he kept ideas for the treatment under his hat. However, he did reveal his choice for the ideal director: Sean Penn.

"I like his films a lot," said Gabriel, who met with Penn Thursday to bandy ideas about. "And this track should have a dark edge to it, and he definitely knows how to get that."

Obviously, Gabriel's is a condemning view of the current TV craze, so you won't be seeing him on "Dog Eat Dog" anytime soon, but that doesn't mean he's not watching.

"I think we're probably just beginning with reality television in some ways," he said. "I can enjoy watching it myself sometimes, but it's a little like junk food — after consuming it, you feel like sh--. And you're just conscious that some people's suffering is turned into advertising dollars, and it doesn't always feel very good."

[KnightLerxst]

I am looking forward to this album a lot, it is about damn_time.

[Scorpio]

[Pants]

Barry Williams, TV's Greg Brady himself, was on Howard Stern this morning. He said that he just got finished going before the cameras for "The Barry Williams Show" music video. He confirmed that the video is indeed being directed by Sean Penn. Can't wait for the album.

[Gdrlv]

Really looking forward to this disc. Looking forward to the video as well, for that matter. Gabriel's one of the few artists who actually manages to make music videos worth watching.

[Jepthah]

Heard two songs: 'Barry...', and 'Growing Up' which is a very impressive track with a danceable beat and a lot of organic melodic flavor.

These can't speak for the total quality of the album, but they indicate that my doubts can be largely eased. PG still has 'it.' I think the production sound so far is much stronger and more solid than US (1992). Everything ought to be tweaked to perfection after 10 years, right?

[Thumbs]

Any word on a tour?

[Jepthah]

Tour toward the end of the year in most major cities--he's really moving again. I hope I can afford to go, and getting tickets will be a nightmare.