This record is an underrated masterpiece. It is not that Peter Gabriel has invented a new language musically here; but at least lyrically and emotionally, it is one of Gabriel’s best creations. In Us, Gabriel emphasises love, loss, loneliness and relationships, but he does it in a very different way than PJ Harvey, Nick Cave, Kate Bush or Morrissey. Perhaps the closest sibling to Gabriel’s emotional message is Björk’s Homogenic; both are personal albums based on heartbreaks, but also contain glimpses of hope after the storm.
The duets with his then-girlfriend, Sinead O’Connor — “Come Talk to Me” and “Blood of Eden” — are the most emotional tracks here. “Blood of Eden” has an especially ethereal and spiritual quality that makes it moving. On the other hand, the mixture of African rhythms and Scottish bagpipes in “Come Talk to Me,” along with Sinead’s voice, adds emotion and emphasis to the already straightforward message of the lyrics.
“Only Us” looks like it came out from “Security,” but with the topic of a person hearing the call of their loved one. “Love to Be Loved” express Peter’s right to express feelings. I love “Digging in the Dirt,” though I would like it more if it was darker; but its lyrics about someone who deals with their anger are among the best of “Us.” The only piece one can live without is the “Sledgehammer”-like “Steam.”
In short, this album is not ambitious, but it does not pretend to be either. Peter only uses it to express his humanity and his willing to find his place on the world (not the musical, but the real one). Few records made in the ’90s can get this or more emotional.
Written by Pekky Marquez.