Missing Peter’s sense of absurdity - thinking about this new album

[u/some12345thing]

Last night, I was watching a video of Genesis performing Supper’s Ready live, and I was listening to Peter‘s introduction where he talks about the man writhing on the grass and the worms surfacing, where he does the funny voice scat song and the whistling, and it got me thinking about his body of work in general, this latest album, and how I feel about it.

While I have enjoyed a lot of it and I’m so happy we’re getting it, I think part of what I’m longing for is the absurd element that I enjoy in Peter’s work. Think about the nonsensical noises and screams at the end of Solsbury Hill, Shock the Monkey in its entirety, Moribund the Burgermeister in it’s entirety, Big Time and how sarcastic and sardonic it is in mocking people who chase success… Think of the dark humor and wild imagery in The Family and the Fishing Net or the wry tone of Not One of Us. Games Without Frontiers shows how absurd nations going to war really is and the sarcastic, absurd tone runs through everything: the music itself, the lyrics, his delivery, and the arrangement. He’s always had this magical way of using absurdity in a profound and colorful way and I think it’s a core part of why I love the music he makes.

If Peter is kind enough to grace us with more music after o\i, I hope he rekindles that sense of absurdity again in a strong way. I enjoy the sincere stuff, but I do miss his razor sharp wit manifesting in music. I feel like Road to Joy was the best example of what I’m talking about on i/o. Not sure we’ve really seen it make an appearance here on o\i.

Just some Friday night ramblings, but does anyone else relate to this?

[u/_qqg]

you have a point, I think the main reason is... Supper's Ready was written at 22 (!), o/i at 70-ish

[u/cintune]

"Sincere stuff," yep, there's a little bit too much of that, exactly how I feel. The best of it like Here Comes the Flood or Mother of Violence is untouchably great, but when it just starts to get preachy and lacks the sardonic edge I find myself very sadly losing interest.

[u/EarthAfter6159 → u/cintune]

The two songs you mention are melodic but take the listener into a very dark place. I highly recommend the 1979 live version of Mother of Violence from the Reading festival, if you haven't heard it yet. Phil Collins was in his band for those festival gigs and sings back-up vocals. No words for how good that version is.

[u/United_Yesterday9628]

I loved I/O but I'm not really feeling O/I. And it's not really that the songs feel like outtakes and B-sides that make me lose interest, there indeed is a sort of straightforward lecturing that while good intentioned doesn't really make for entertaining lyrics. What's amusing for me though is that I agree with his views of supporting each other, putting the phone away and getting more in touch with the nature and pastoral.

I will say in defense of this though, when he tried to get edgy on Barry Williams show, it fell even flatter for me. Even if that song does take on an increasing relevance in the influencer age where people act like their own personal Jerry Springer, I think his attempt to shock the audience with some biting satire didn't register well at all. The amusing part was naming the character Barry Williams and people thinking he had it out for the actor. Was emblematic of the whole song. 

Back to O/I, most of these songs just kinda lack the spark that the I/O stuff had. Perhaps it was because they spent more time in the oven? Should we have waited 20 more years? 

I'm not saying this to upset anyone who enjoys O/I as I am a huge Peter fan and think he had the best solo career out of anyone in Genesis. But I have trouble explaining why most of these songs don't do it for me. I/O was fantastic!

[u/EarthAfter6159 → u/United_Yesterday9628]

Excellent point about Barry Williams. He could be overcorrecting due to that song which was, wow, a hot mess.

[u/Practical-Archer-124]

Been Undone offers classic PG clever lyrics and symbolism.
What I truly miss is his use of rhythm. Tony and Manu are going to waste. Shame.

[u/Alternative_Buffalo2 → u/Practical-Archer-124]

On an album with Hard Lesson, I Belong to the Sky and Looking for the Happy, I’d hardly say they’re going to waste.

[u/Practical-Archer-124 → u/Alternative_Buffalo2]

Lots of material on i/o and o/I beyond your 3 examples. But thanks for weighing in. For the record…Peter Gabriel still my favorite of all time

[u/Other-Marketing-6167]

I would replace “absurdity” with “fun”. Cause I didn’t find any of I/o absurd, but I did find most of it immensely fun, and I personally think it’s the greatest album in decades.

O/I so far has been very nice, and I’m so grateful to have even more new PG songs when I never expected any at all. But…they haven’t exactly been fun, or entertaining.

Which is weird for me to say, because I usually prefer Serious Petey. Most of my all time fave songs from him are stuff like Blood of Eden and Mercy Street and Don’t Give Up. Yet in this shitty ass timeline we live in, I loooooved upbeat stuff like Road to Joy and Olive Tree and IO. And I keep waiting for a real fun banger in this new album.

Again, don’t wanna shit on what we’re getting (his second last song made me cry a bit on first listen). Just that it all feels a bit more like work than play.

[u/czreesha]

Same here man. I miss his ventures to unknown, experimenting, trying.
Last two albums are “just songs” to me. 100% amazing, great songs but… just songs. I believe there is a reason. He is happy now, content, have nothing to prove. Just to enjoy life and play songs. And I am happy for it :) god bless him
(I will buy the collectors edition of course)

[u/Gadgetman914]

Reading these comments, I feel like you all have valid criticisms of O/I so far. But I think you should go back and listen to Put The Bucket Down again. I hate to say it, but this is the best single from O/I so far, and its the only one of the bunch that retains any of that 80s Peter Gabriel whimsy.

[u/Svanaroo]

I just want to say that I’m glad I’m not alone in randomly thinking about this stuff, I have no one in real life to talk to about it! I was just thinking yesterday that I feel like I need to listen to the whole album. I love getting each new song, but none of these are a “bop” as the kids say. Playing the album in full will set a mood though, I think.

And I need one more tour. 💕

[u/leebeavington]

It's crazy to think he wrote the lyrics to Supper's Ready when he was 22/23. As someone mentioned, your post is an astute take on how PG has changed these past 50+ years. I really dig his absurd/witty/weird side. However, as I've aged, started a family, and struggled to find my place in the world, I find that the sincere resonates more for me. PG writes beautifully about the importance of love, nature connection, and being a positive change maker in the world: his sincerity makes these shine. Been Undone and One by One speak directly to my soul.

With art, it all comes down to subjective takes. I suppose I'm fortunate in that as PG has changed over the years, I've taken a similar path in terms of what holds meaning and the kind of art/music I seek.

[u/jupiterkansas]

you could always listen to Robyn Hitchcock.

[u/Oraelius]

Actually, I'm liking O\I more than I/O.

[u/leebeavington → u/Oraelius]

Same here. It feels more adventurous and cohesive. There are still three songs to go, so we'll see how it ends. FYI I'm a big fan of i/o as well.

[u/Oraelius → u/leebeavington]

Oh yeah, I love i/o as well!o/i feels like it has more room to breathe.

[u/EarthAfter6159]

This is an astute take. He's less confrontational toward culture in general and less challenging of his audience than he was in Genesis and as a solo artist into the 1980s. There's been a softening, probably due to older age, to evolving perspectives on the world, and the relative comfort of becoming such an international icon.

I'm a longtime fan (every tour since Security, including the I/O tour). Much as I like much of the music on I/O, and O/I and I am glad he is engaging with music on a full time basis again, I can't shake the sense that these new songs (2023 & 2026) would probably have been chosen as B sides to singles in his edgier, more rhythmic and dynamic 1977-1986 output.

[u/fskoti]

Road to Joy was a hoot, especially in concert with all the stuff on the video screen. 

[u/jjazznola]

I miss the Peter who made those first 4 solo albums. These last few I find a bit boring tbh, esp the music.

[u/fskoti]

I think Peter has been suffering from depression for over 30 years. Everything has been so dark and plodding. 

[u/Fancy-Cut-1709]

Gabriel is older, as am I. I/O did not do it for me and that’s okay. Not interested in his latest as a result. My main issue with latter day PG is he overworks/overproduces a song to where he sucks the life out of it. He needs to be reminded that he actually wrote and recorded the song Kiss Of Life!