Peter Gabriel – “I/O Light and Dark” | Progressive Rock Central.com

Peter Gabriel is the consummate professional. And he will not release an album before its time. This year, he introduced his new album I/O Light and Dark; song by song, on each new moon, of each month. I watched most of those video introductions, but you never really get a feel for an album, until you can just put it in the player and listen to it alone, with headphones.

I knew I/O would be one of my favorite albums of the year. As a fan, who has been waiting, so long, since his last album, New Blood, from 2011, I was greatly anticipating its release. And I am absolutely pleased with what Peter has created here in 2023. He is long since moved on from my favorite epic storytelling, but his more personal touch, on this and some of his later albums, give you a peak inside the person making this great art. Peter Gabriel, with his global stature, has moved on from attracting you with his deep, epic, storytelling. Instead, he now prefers, a one on one conversation with his audience, which we can easily respect. No need to overwhelm people any more. There is enough of that in the daily news already. Now, on this, and most of his albums of the 21 Century, he is engaged in a personal conversation with his fans.

So what does he have to say in 2023:

“Panopticom”, is the opening track of I/O. A panopticom, is “a circular prison with cells arranged around a central well, from which prisoners could at all times be observed”. Gabriel looks at this object from both directions. As he says in his explanation video, instead of all of us in prison, and the government or guards, watching us; he wants us to place the government and global corporate power, in the middle; so that we can watch them better. An interesting flip of the ideas of George Orwell. The music sounds straight out of the 90s, which makes me think he may have been hanging on this for a long time, waiting for the perfect moment, like today’s global society, with fears of AI, and the elite social stratification of modern economies around the world. Easily one of my favorite tracks on the album. The grand, story-telling may not be over…after all…thankfully.

“The Court”, takes us back to the sound of the 80s I believe. And it is a wonderful trip indeed. This time with another great, deep moral predicament for the listener. Is justice still blind? Is it fair? Do we each have the same chance in a court of law? Gabriel sings, “So many reaching out for it (you know that justice is blind). We lost the line between the good and bad. We lost the line between the sane and the mad. Used to draw the line across the writing pad. The line of conscience that we never have had”.

With today’s politics each side tries to define their own reality or facts. A separate reality for sure. But in the past, we all may have been able to accept some realities as facts. Gabriel sums it up, “And the court will rise. While the pillars all fall”. Law will continue to make decisions, but the pillars, or truths, that we all believed, will erode away, and we will be left with brutal law. As an example, The US Supreme Court recently ignored 50 years of standing law and precedent, to overturn the decision of “Roe VS Wade”, on the legality of abortion.

“Playing for Time”, opens with a piano melody, which many will remember as an alternate version of Chopin’s “Funeral March”. Only this time it has a lighter feel to it. What better beginning to a song about time and how to use it better, before it is gone. Peter almost sounds like he is singing a US southern spiritual. He references climbing a hill, Maybe a look back to his own memories of one of his best solo songs, “Solsbury Hill”. The lines, “Oh, there’s a hill that we must climb. Climb through all the mist of time”. The place to give up the past, to receive the new.

“I/O”, stands for input/output. We are all apart of everything. We add and take from the Earth every day. This is another of those great songs, that you might remember from the US album. He even kinda hints back to the feeling, sound, and words from “Digging in the Dirt”, as Peter sings, “With the vehicle in neutral and the ground to be faced. I’ll be all laid to rest in my proper place. Into the roots of an old oak tree. Where life can move freely in and out of me”. However, Peter is introducing, what may be his next concept, or story of how Man finally breaks the barriers, and understand how to interpret and communicate with all life on Earth. Imagine unlocking the secret to how plants and animals, humans, and communicate with the Earth.

“Four Kinds of Horses”, sounds like a story of the Four Horseman of the Apocalypse. The warning of the End of Times. Gabriel sings, “Like the darkest superhero. You will burst into our fear. They must have seen you looking. Watched everything you said. Knowing you could be a part of it. They fill your head – fill your head”. Will the four horsemen be Artificial Intelligence, which knows all and will control us one day? His lyrics, “Ah you think you’re something different but you do it all again”, should be heeded. We as humans keep repeating the mistakes of history, and one of the biggest ones maybe creating something which replaces us.

“Road to Joy”, as Peter describes it, is about returning to the world, after being away for a while. He compares his being away from touring, and also describes a story of someone being in a coma and eventually awakening. As much as we may not like where we are at, it is far better, after we have been deprived of it for a while.

“So Much”, is another great story as Peter says, about, “mortality”. We can only accomplish so much, because as he said earlier, “It’s Time that wears the crown”. He sings, “The body stiffens tires and aches. In its wrinkled blotchy skin. With each decade more camouflage. For the wild-eyed child within. Now close your eyes for a moment. Look down and look above . All the warmth inside of you.

Comes from those you love”. Quiet possibly his explanation, to which we get in a fuller version at the end of the album, in Gabriel’s “faith”. That we as humans have the ability to make this world better by treating each other as equals, and with much more respect, than we do.

“Olive Tree”, is another look at Peter Gabriel’s future projects. He is working on a project to try to allow natural communication between humans, animal and plant life throughout the globe. He calls it, “non-human intelligence”. How do animals communicate, how do plants know when to grow, or how tall? How do they communicate with each other to self – monitor; so, for instance, a blade of grass, does not grow over another. What keeps them in line? It is a wonderful, immersive song, with an upbeat rhythm and melody. It is obvious Gabriel is looking towards the future and what will happen beyond his time on Earth; and how he may still be able to interact with this world, beyond. Tapping into the source of “Life”, itself. An interesting proposal and song.

“Love Can Heal”, may be Peter’s best statement of his beliefs yet. He comes to agreement with the Beatles, that “Love is all there is”. This is easily the second best song on the album for me, behind, “Live and Let Live”. However, the message here, may be even stronger than that epic finale. The song is a dreamy, song, full of that, “Carpet of Sound”, Peter calls it, with choirs and deep stringed instrumentation, with keyboards surrounding.

“This is Home”, is another wonderful song about something that every human wants in their life. A home. Or at least a place to build a foundation and create a life. He describes his home well. The understanding of where he grew up and where he has lived his life. His family held on to their original home for decades and it gave Peter stability in his life as he discusses through the song. Peter adds another wonderful choir section to add ambiance. A warm feeling that we all deserve. If everyone in the world, had their own home, just imagine how much better the world would be…

“And Still”, is a song for the passing of Peter’s mother, Edith Irene Allen. It is a sad and sincere memory of his mother. He talks about feeling her presence from beyond. When Peter’s father, Ralph Parton Gabriel, passed he wrote a song for his father’s passing, “Father, Son”. The classical music instrumental in the middle of the song pays homage to the music she loved. It is a natural dreamscape of a song which helps celebrate her life well.

Peter Gabriel, absolutely knows how to conclude an album with an epic adventure. And this album is no exception. One of the best songs of the year, for sure. “Live and Let Live”, is the “Imagine”, or “Give Peace a Chance”, of his career. Just like John Lennon tried to tell us, Peter talks about letting go of revenge and the past. Peter sings, “You either belong to that hurt or you free yourself and forgiveness is clearly a super effective way of freeing yourself.” “Lay the weapons down”. Amen. Song of the album and one of the best of the year.

This album was handled so tenderly from the beginning of the year until its release in December. Peter did monthly, new moon, videos regarding each song, on the album, from the beginning to the end. He explained his vision and the meaning behind each song, so that we listeners would be prepared to receive this new music. In addition, Peter also worked closely with all the visual artists who designed artwork, pictures, and tour visuals; choosing artwork and photos to further help draw out the meanings of the songs. Every song on this album has something unique and powerful that you can take away and make part of your life, for improvement.

I/O Light and Dark, is definitely one of Peter Gabriel’s best albums of all time. Peter, as usual, collaborated with a long list of musicians to help unfold the wonderful sounds that you will hear throughout this album, including his best friends, Tony Levin, on bass, David Rhodes, guitar, and Manu Katche, on drums. He has also collaborated with Brian Eno, to create some additional effects on the album. I will be playing this throughout 2024, and celebrating the unity and freedom Peter so warmly shares with all of us. Please get this album and listen to the words. Take as much from this wonderful lyrical and musical package, as you can, and then share it with others. A magical, warm holiday gift from one from the world’s best rock musicians!

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