petergabriel.com

A few more by critics who seem to get it. Again - I remember scathing reviews of early Gabriel albums that later were regarded as masterpieces. I can't remember any record of his getting this many positive reviews at first blush. http://blogs.suntimes.com/derogatis/2010/02/peter_gabriel_scratch_my_back.html http://www.music-critic.ca/wp/2010/peter-gabriel-scratch-my-back/ http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/120824-peter-gabriel-scratch-my-back/

http://culture.france3.fr/musique/actu/peter-gabriel-l-art-de-la-reprise-61121440.html Peter Gabriel, l'art de la reprise Peter Gabriel "Scratch my back", paru lundi, comprend des reprises orchestrales de chansons de David Bowie, Arcade Fire ou Radiohead Sept ans après la sortie de l'album studio "Up", deux ans après celle du collectif "Big Blue Ball", Gabriel, 60 ans depuis le 13 février, revient avec un recueil musical attendu depuis longtemps par ses fans. Le 22 mars, il défendra à Bercy cet album gravé sans les instruments basiques du rock (guitares et batterie), supplantés par un orchestre. "Scratch my back" ("gratte-moi le dos") comprend douze reprises de pointures du rock et de la pop (David Bowie, Lou Reed, Paul Simon, Neil Young, Randy Newman, Talking Heads ou leurs cadets de Radiohead), mais aussi de groupes ou artistes apparus plus récemment, ou pas forcément très connus du grand public (Arcade Fire, Regina Spector, Bon Iver, Elbow, Magnetic Fields). "Scratch my back" constitue en fait le premier pan d'un diptyque. Il "Scratch my back" - Virginest censé être complété par un autre album, "I'll scratch yours" (littéralement, "Je gratterai le tien"), sorte de renvoi d'ascenseur dans lequel des chansons de Peter Gabriel seront reprises, cette fois, par d'autres artistes dont le casting ne semble pas encore finalisé à l'heure actuelle. Le parti pris de l'album sorti lundi 15 février marque une véritable innovation pour le musicien anglais. Pour ce projet, l'ex-archange du rock progressif, qui se rêvait batteur dans sa jeunesse, devenu artiste engagé, pionnier du métissage musical et défenseur de la World Music, a troqué les ingrédients classiques du rock, ainsi que les percussions dont il raffole, pour un univers musical épuré, éthéré, bercé par les claviers, les cordes, les cuivres, et surtout sa voix, intacte et cristalline. Ce disque chargé d'émotion, aux ambiances envoûtantes, et la tournée qui l'accompagne, apaisent autant qu'ils l'attisent l'impatience des fidèles de Peter Gabriel, qui attendent stoïquement le prochain album studio de chansons originales de l'Archange, une Arlésienne nommée "I/O". Retour à Bercy Le 22 mars, au Palais omnisports de Paris-Bercy, Peter Gabriel fera son grand retour sur une scène parisienne, six ans après un précédent passage au POPB, un soir de mai 2004. Entre-temps, le chanteur s'est produit en Bretagne en juillet 2007, lors du Festival des Vieilles charrues. Depuis les années 80, l'ancien fondateur de Genesis revient régulièrement à Bercy. La soirée du 22 mars marquera le coup d'envoi d'une mini-tournée européenne, le "New Blood Tour", qui fera ensuite escale à Berlin (24-25 mars) et Londres (27-28 mars), avant quelques dates à New York, Los Angeles et Montréal en avril et mai. Un bémol pourrait atténuer l'enthousiasme des fans aux revenus les plus modestes: face au parti pris musical et aux effectifs prévus sur scène (des dizaines de musiciens de l'Orchestre philharmonique de Radio France), les tarifs d'une tournée symphonique de prestige s'appliquent au "New Blood Tour". Du coup, le prix des meilleures places à Bercy dépasse 100 euros. Peut-être le prix de l'excellence, pour un artiste qui a toujours placé l'exigence et l'indépendance artistiques au-dessus de tout autre critère. Un artiste qui se fait trop rare. Peter Gabriel, "Scratch my back" (Virgin) En concert à Paris, à Bercy, le 22 mars 2010. Peter Gabriel, the art of recovery "Scratch my back", published Monday, includes times of orchestral songs by David Bowie, Arcade Fire or Radiohead Seven years after the release of the album "Up", two years after the group's "Big Blue Ball", Gabriel, 60 years from February 13, returns with a compilation musical long awaited by fans. On 22 March he will defend at Bercy album engraved without basic rock instruments (guitar and drums), supplanted by an orchestra. "Scratch my back" ( "scratch my back") consists of twelve times the sizes of rock and pop (David Bowie, Lou Reed, Paul Simon, Neil Young, Randy Newman, Talking Heads or younger by Radiohead) but also of groups and artists emerged more recently, or not necessarily very familiar to the general public (Arcade Fire, Regina Spector, Bon Iver, Elbow, Magnetic Fields). "Scratch my back" is actually the first panel of a diptych. He "Scratch my back" - Virginest supposed to be completed by another album, "I'll scratch yours" (literally, "I scratch yours"), a sort of reference in which to lift songs from Peter Gabriel will be occasions This time, by other artists whose casting seems not yet finalized today. The bias of the album released Monday, February 15 marks a genuine innovation for the English musician. For this project, the former archangel of progressive rock, who fancied himself as a drummer in his youth, became a committed artist, blending musical pioneer and advocate of World Music, has swapped the ingredients of classic rock and percussion which he craves for a musical refined, ethereal, lulled by the keyboards, strings, brass, and especially his voice intact and crystalline. This disc loaded with emotion, the atmosphere enchanting and the accompanying tour, soothe as they stoke the impatience of the faithful by Peter Gabriel, stoically awaiting the next album of original songs of the Archangel A Arlesienne called "I / O" . Back at Bercy On March 22, at the Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy, Peter Gabriel will make his comeback on a Parisian stage, six years after a previous passage POPB one evening in May 2004. Meanwhile, the singer has performed in Britain in July 2007, at the Festival des Vieilles plows. Since the 80s, the former founder of Genesis returns regularly to Bercy. The evening of March 22 will mark the kickoff of a mini-European tour, the "New Blood Tour", which will next travel to Berlin (24-25 March) and London (27-28 March) for a few dates New York, Los Angeles and Montreal in April and May A flat may reduce the enthusiasm of fans with the lowest incomes: the face of bias and musical numbers provided on stage (dozens of musicians from the Philharmonic Orchestra of Radio France), tariffs on tour Symphony premium apply to "New Blood Tour". So, the price of the best places to Bercy exceeds 100 euros. Perhaps the prize for excellence for an artist who has always placed the requirement and artistic independence above all other criteria. An artist who is too rare. Peter Gabriel, "Scratch my back" (Virgin) Live in Paris, Bercy, March 22, 2010. Thank you for the accents ! :-]

Badwater126, what the hell have they all with street spirit!!!!!?

The Best of Peter Gabriel? Well one man's take.not directly related to Scratch: http://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/lists/2010/02/the-very-best-of-peter-gabriel.html

Peter Gabriel-fans do not need any reviews by any critics. I welcome positive critics, but those who want to play the cool-man by dissing Gabriel can - let me say it friendly - move on. If you don`t understand what good music really is avoid writing your negative crap. "Street Spirit" is my FAVOURITE track on "SmB" - it is that track giving you the most space for imagination, the real magic of "Street Spirit" is kept secret and gets revealed after a while. If you give this track a chance by sitting back and listening to it, you will get the full joy out of it.

I've listened to Street Spirit a load of times now and it is still a stinker to my ears. It is still a great album though. I'm not sure why you think only positive criticism should be allowed. It would get very dull very quickly if every album review in every magazine and website was written by fans of the artist. I for one welcome negative comments as long as they are written well and not just an obvious hatchet job.

After all. . .music is an art. . .it's all in how one may interpret the piece of art. Critics are people, just like us. Some will dislike this album, some will love it. After all, it really doesn't matter what the press says. . .in the end it all comes down to personal preference. . . If you like what you hear, listen, if you don't like what you hear, don't listen. I still don't have the CD in hand being that it hasn't yet been released in the States. Having heard most tracks via you tube, etc., (couldn't wait any longer). . .not the bonus tracks yet. . .I must say. . . What I've heard so far is fantastic, wonderful, brilliant. . .I've never doubted the SMB project for a moment. History does tend to repeat itself and in IMHO, mostly everything that Peter Gabriel touches, musically speaking, eventually turns to gold. If SMB sounds this good via you tube, etc., I can't imagine how GREAT it will sound on a decent stereo system. . .not to mention LIVE AT RADIO CITY!!!

IL agree MAK, each one his own taste. I don't mind if some don't like SMB. The main thing is that i like it myself

OK, It's about time I posted some comments from good reviews as well. So here it is. "What the press says about SMB"- swedish edition. First, snips and snaps from a great(but long) review: "He's really working with the songs, re-directing the spotlight and putting his own weight and phrasing on songs we thaught we'd heard the definitive version of." "Gabriel sings with a well thought-out force, but stained with a sadness and his phrasing emphasases the deep tragic in songs like "heroes" and"listening wind". http://sydsvenskan.se/kultur-och-nojen/musik/skivrecensioner/article630273/Peter-Gabriel-Scratch-My-Back.html About "Listening Wind": "The talking heads-song from "Remain in Light" glows all the way through." http://www.kristianstadsbladet.se/article/20100217/SKIVOR/702179767/1174/NOJE/&/Peter-Grabriel-Scratch-My-Book About "boy in the bubble": "His singing is fantastic in a breathtaking scaled down version." http://www.dn.se/kultur-noje/skivrecensioner/peter-gabriel-scratch-my-back-1.1046721

More raves. http://consequenceofsound.net/2010/02/19/album-review-peter-gabriel-%E2%80%93-scratch-my-back/ http://mog.com/blog_posts/1781831/mogbar