The 1970s was a big era for artists who had previous success in a band or collaborative set-up stepping out and finding their feet in solo endeavour. In so doing these first individual long players could often throw up real curios in the catalogue, particularly if the subsequent career found its own unique style or niche. Paul Simon’s first post-Simon & Garfunkel release pointedly drove very close to the folky template of his duo work, yet later he would gain real distinction with a fusion of African and Brazilian sounds married to his studied songwriting. Lou Reed went the other way after the Velvet Underground, first releasing a rather over-produced debut solo album that bore little Velvets resemblance and would go on to sit uncomfortably alongside the best of his catalogue. As lead singer of the early 70s incarnation of Genesis, Peter Gabriel was pitched midway between David Bowie and Jethro Tull’s Ian Anderson in his role as flamboyant frontman. A cocktail of freaky, fluorescent-eyed alien shaken with a flute-wielding, flower-headed, long-haired English eccentric. Period pundits would have had Gabriel’s own post-Genesis work propelling him to stardom on the back of the over-the-top characterisations and theatrics.
A quick first listen to ‘Peter Gabriel 1’ must have confirmed these theories. Grand opening track ‘Moribund The Burgermeister’ is part ELO’s ‘The Diary Of Horace Wimp’ (I know it came later, it’s just a reference point) and part BBC Radiophonic Workshop ‘Dr Who’ monster music with its scary/funny voice effects. Not in any way a bad tune, quite epic in its 70s way with a story of mysterious mass disturbance, but if Gabriel had made a video to accompany this tune it would surely have to have featured Tom Baker and an unconvincing green menace done up in bubblewrap! With the next song though, the real mission statement of the album is definitively revealed. ‘Solsbury Hill’ is not just a Peter Gabriel classic but one of the most enduring songs of the 1970s. A big hit at the time, it’s a gently bouncing stroll through a catchy folk-rock declaration of breaking away and freedom. Best of all it makes its points using little more than lolling rhythm, infectious acoustic guitar pattern, a decisively sung vocal and crucially, a great original song. And therein lies the focus of the whole album, perhaps the one aspect of his arsenal that Gabriel had undersold in the democratic Genesis setup; he is a seriously strong songwriter.
Seemingly determined to prove his range he covered numerous styles here. The out and out rock of ‘Modern Love’ would have been no surprise to anyone familiar with ‘The Knife’ or the more aggressive moments on ‘The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway’. But how about the straight faced barbershop outing ‘Excuse Me’ or a sincere, and accurate, Randy Newman pastiche like ‘Waiting For The Big One’? Not everything works; there are a couple of quite bland rock tracks in a mould that he would never return to. His long standing belief that ‘Here Comes The Flood’ isn’t captured to full effect is correct; guitarist Robert Fripp plays a key role throughout and it’s on his own ‘Exposure’ album that a more believable version, with Peter Gabriel on vocals, is to be found. In the oncoming years Gabriel would always indulge his love of studio innovation, experimentation and creative production. Never again would the basic strength of songwriting be the main focus of his albums. Arguably ‘So’ returned to the immediacy found here a little, but even then that fat 80s production and the ground breaking work put into the videos would leave more of an impression. Here is Peter Gabriel establishing a solo career with one question put to bed immediately, can he write songs outside of Genesis that are both musically stylish and strong on melody and feel? Yes he can.
Essex Boy Rating: 7/10
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