Search - Peter Gabriel :: Security

An amazing auditory and emotional experience

R. Anderle | Chicago, IL | 07/04/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Most of Peter Gabriel's records following "2/Scratch" are concept records based on a theme. "3/Melt" was essentially about mental illness in various expressions; "Up" is about grief, loss, and death; "Us," about his divorce and the complexities of relationships. "Security" seems primarily to be about the interplay of human rituals and instincts, religious belief and spirituality, and cultural identity. We have joyful visions of that interplay, as with the ecstatic take on courtship that is "Kiss of Life," and disturbing ones, as with "Wallflower," the hauntingly majestic ode of hope for a political prisoner, imprisoned for questioning that interplay in the status quo lives of the "builders of the cages." There may be no more poignant a moment in modern pop music than when Gabriel pleads to the prisoner, "Hold on...hold on..." And there are also visions of everything from the primordial spiritual power of rhythm and dance (Rhythm of the Heat), to the epic tragedy of the destruction of a culture (San Jacinto), to the need for wholeness and healing found only in the power of human touch and relationship (I Have the Touch, Lay Your Hands on Me), to the havoc wreaked by the primitive urges and drives within us (Shock the Monkey was about dealing with jealousy, according to Gabriel).



But let's talk about the sheer auditory power of the music. Other reviewers have described it better here, but folks...this is an incredible sonic ride. Gabriel delights in both subtle and powerful play with African-inspired rhythms throughout the record. The drum/percussion climaxes on "Rhythm..." and "Lay Your Hands...," will absolutely blow your mind and leave you breathless. "Security" is experienced more than heard. Nowhere else in Gabriel's catalog (or that of most other modern rock performers) is the artist able to manipulate the listener's emotions and intellect to tell his stories as powerfully as he does on this record. Most of the songs may sound more experimental for mainstream pop listeners, in terms of the instrumentation and rhythms, but Gabriel more than makes up for it with the power and beauty of his arrangements and melodies. One of his best records."

The Power in Lyrics

Mr. Richard D. Coreno | Berea, Ohio USA | 12/10/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"In Peter Gabriel's fourth album - his first with Geffen Records (in North America) - had a unique intensity due to the lyrics and subject matter.



Utilizing cutting-edge technology - it was a full digital recording - the eight tracks, clocking 45:27, find Gabriel attacking such issues like the abuse of political prisoners in Latin America (Wallflower), trust and the healing of the soul (Lay Your Hands on Me) and the comparison of a modern wedding to the rituals of a vaudou bokor (The Family and the Fishing Net).



The third single - Shock the Monkey - reached number one on the 1982 Billboard Mainstream Rock single's chart, after the minimal success of I Have the Touch (#46) and Kiss of Life (#34). A particularly powerful and sad song is San Jacinto; it describes a Native American watching his culture being destroyed by invaders.



Gabriel created a powerful message that continues to resonate today through his understanding that along with love comes greed and shadowing peace is a hatred that can pollute the soul of entire societies."

Peter Gabriel's best

A. Stewart | Chicago, IL | 01/18/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I was pretty young when this album came out. I remember listening to it when my mom would play it. Maybe she didn't realize it, but this album made an impression on me then, and I still listen to it today on a fairly regular rotation.



I actually have both the original mastering and the remastered. If there are any changes, they are quite subtle. I must admit that that I have not listened to either side by side in a while too.



I am sure that most people have heard "Shock the Monkey", and while I may liked this song at one time, I actually find it the most boring when compared to the other songs. For example, take the opening to San Jacinto. It starts off with a seemingly random, almost percussive (think xylophone) keyboard part. Peter then begins to sing gently over this riff while the music builds in tension throughout. Classic.



Then take the song Wallflower. To me, this is the star of the album. This is a song of resistance in the face of oppression. The lyrics are wonderful and is a very touching song. Easily one of Peter's best.



Then the album ends with the booty shaker "Kiss of Life". I always feel like dancing when I hear this song...



The rest of the album is just as solid as these songs that I mentioned in particular. One thing that I have seemed to notice about this album is that it has seemed to age really well. There is some music that certainly sounds like it came out in the early eighties. This album was released then, but it could just as well have been written today and still have meaning."