Plot: What’s it about?
Being a Peter Gabriel fan isn’t easy. Tell someone you like him and you’re almost certainly guaranteed to hear the old cringe-inducing observation “oh, you mean the guy who did that Sledgehammer song?” Well, the short answer is “yes, that guy”. The true answer, however, rarely (if ever) rests on the shoulders of either that song in particular or the pop culture phenomenon that was Peter’s fifth rock album, “So” (or seventh if you include his live album and the score to the film “Birdy”). The point is that just about everyone I know who is a Peter Gabriel fan has become so through an understanding of the emotional depth and, as Peter himself is fond of putting it, the “high moisture content” of his tracks. In some ways, “So”, while commercially successful and almost instinctively catchy, is one of Gabriel’s least inspired works. There’s a working theory amongst the more initiated that the album wasn’t so much a step forward for the former Genesis front man as it was an experiment with 80’s materialism. “Here”, he might have said, “I’ve made a top 40 album. Now leave me to write what I want”. Lending credence to the theory is Gabriel’s launch of RealWorld Records fresh off the heels of his success with “So”. He was free to make the kind of music he’d really been after all along, and some wondered if the popular album was more of a conceptual challenge to Peter than an actual passion.
I think what upsets me most about Gabriel being branded (as he so often is) “the Sledgehammer guy” is how little that song (and, to an extent, that album) really has to do with the artist. I’m a fan of the feeling underneath the pop anthems and, on a more personal level, of the depth of field Gabriel achieves in his work. There’s nothing of the hastily packaged fad tracks in his arsenal, and one need only to open their mind and heart to appreciate that most elusive musical element that remains inexpressible. There’s a certain feel to a Gabriel track that simply must be experienced to be understood. I’ve heard it said that many people fixate on a particular artist if their music gets them through a traumatic time in their life. I can say that this holds true for me as a fan, and “In Your Eyes”, though handed the unfortunate fate of being associated with that “other” hit single, will always hold a very special place in my heart. If the mood takes me and I’m inclined to remember the best and worst parts of my life, the song can almost infallibly bring me to cathartic tears. There was a period for me when Peter Gabriel was all that stood between a fragile sanity and utter depression, and so it is with an unerring devotion and pride that I hold him still today as my favorite musician of all time.
This DVD compilation gathers nearly all of Gabriel’s videos in one place for the first time. Fans will undoubtedly recall the releases of “Cv” and “All About Us” on VHS and Laserdisc back in the 90’s, both of which have long been out of print. The two previous releases offered up a decent (if lacking) selection of Peter’s promo videos, but fans have longed for these tracks to receive the proper treatment for years. There has been a feeling ever since the recent SACD release of “Up” that Gabriel’s previous albums might greatly benefit from 5.1 remasters, and this DVD is sure to put the speculation to final, definitive rest. I have never heard any artist’s work that is more suited for a surround palette than Gabriel’s, and this release marks a distinct and profound improvement in video and sonic quality for all to see (and hear). This happens to be my 26th birthday, and after just viewing the disc in its entirety, I can’t think of anything that would have given me half the enjoyment of this title coming out today. Fans have gotten what they’ve been asking for, and I’ve gotten just a little bit of closure. However you feel about the man who made that claymation video back in 1986, this DVD is a fitting portrait of one of the most diverse and influential artists working today. I highly recommend this disc to anyone with an appreciation for good music and a heart that aches to hear it.
Video: How does it look?
“Play: The Videos” is presented in various aspect ratios depending on the video you’re watching. A few are in 16:9, but this is by and large a 4:3 release. Be that as it may, I’ve chosen to review this section of the disc from a fan’s perspective rather than on actual technical merit. As such, this is the absolute best any of these videos have ever looked. There is plenty of inconsistency to be found here as these tracks vary widely in age and budget. Blanket statements that do apply include very good contrast levels and an overall improvement in sharpness and detail over what we’ve seen before. A few of these videos have been revamped and “improved” since their initial incarnations, and those familiar with Gabriel’s penchant for tinkering should take this in stride when picking this up. If I had to compare this release to any other disc on the market, I’d probably rank it a bit lower, but for those in a position to know the difference (and who else is going to run out and snatch this up), you’re getting a substantial upgrade here from your VHS tapes. In the end, this is a good presentation that will not disappoint any but the most hard to please Peter fanatics.
Audio: How does it sound?
Wow! All I can say is wow. Just when I thought I was becoming a bit jaded about my surround sound system and the all-too-typical techniques employed these days on 99% of DVD material out there, along comes Peter Gabriel to push the aural envelope. This DVD is the best reason I have ever heard to upgrade your system to DTS. The transparency is incredible and the surrounds, well, they’re always on! Every discrete channel has been tweaked to present this musical information in a way never heard before, and the results are simply breathtaking. I cranked this disc up a bit louder than I usually would just to hear all the subtle nuances of the recordings never audible until this release. In short, I was like a kid in a candy store with this mix. Gabriel utilized a new 96/24 DTS audio format for this DVD, and my THX-Certified DTS 5.1 receiver has never sounded more spectacular. I’m not exaggerating a bit when I say that this is the best I have ever heard these tracks sound, and I’ve heard each of these songs hundreds of times. This is an unbelievably visceral recording that simply breathes life into this music. Your subwoofer will come out of hibernation on this one, folks. Vocals sometimes stay anchored in the center channel and other times they’re coming from the surrounds. Basically, a lot of artistic license was taken here, and when it comes to Gabriel, he usually gets it right. A big blue ribbon needs to be awarded to Daniel Lanois and Richard Chappell for arranging these new mixes for this release and to Gabriel himself for supervising the process firsthand. There is also a Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround option for those without DTS capability (that’s set noticeably louder than its counterpart), but really, if you’re a fan, there’s never been a better time to get into the 21st century. Now, the new surround mixes can be a bit jarring at first (a few of the songs have been altered a bit, and every little change tends to jump out at you when you’re as familiar with these songs as I am), but once you get used to them, you won’t want to listen to this material any other way. As a bonus, however, the Dolby 2.0 track contains the original stereo mixes of the tracks for those purists out there.
Supplements: What are the extras?
“Play: The Videos” comes equipped with introductions to nearly all of the promo videos on the disc which, although brief, are welcome additions for the diehards out there. An 18-track programmable “jukebox” feature allows you to play back the videos in any order you wish (and save the information for the next time you play the disc). A live performance of “Games Without Frontiers” and the promo videos for “Modern Love” and “The Nest That Sailed The Sky” are also here, both boasting their very own DTS mixes! Rounding out the set are trailers for “Secret World Live”, “Growing Up Live” and “Growing Up On Tour: A Family Portrait”. A very nice booklet is also included and contains a message from Peter Gabriel along with rare photos and production notes on all of the videos on the disc. Although not officially denoted as “extras”, there are also a couple of very nice, previously unreleased instrumental audio segments accompanying all of the disc’s menus from “Digging In The Dirt” and an atmospheric arrangement of “In Your Eyes” that plays over the credits. This is an absolutely wonderful release in all respects. Any self-respecting Peter Gabriel fan simply has no choice but to own this disc. And frame it if possible.
