This was a very disappointing album when released and it certainly hasn’t grown in stature over the last 24 years for me. “Red Rain” gets the album off to an incredible start and really faked me out. Metallic percussion returns after sitting out the incredible two albums that preceded this one, and adds a high end back to the sound. “Sledgehammer” is okay for a hit single, but weak for Gabriel. Without the video, would anyone have cared? His vocals don’t fit with soul music at all.

So…what!

“Don’t Give Up” is an interminable Kate Bush duet [See Midge Ure: “Sister & Brother” for more such hijinx] recorded after her sell-by date that in no way justifies it’s 6:30 length! The only other A-class material here is the superb “In Your Eyes.” It is such a strong song it makes me flabbergasted to think that the awful Roseanna Arquette [who had a similar devastating effect on the quality of The Blue Nile’s music years later] is the inspiration for it! The rest doesn’t merit much discussion one way or another. It even has a poor Peter Saville cover! This was the last Peter Gabriel solo album I’d bother to buy. Looking back it’s hard to believe that for eight years Mr. Gabriel was “core collection” material!