PETER GABRIEL 4 [AKA: MASK, AKA: SECURITY]

Peter GAbirel's fourth consecutive album to bear his name only for title (although it seems it was released under the title Security in America), was a logical step forward with the successful formula he used on his brilliant third album. His combination of high tech instrumentation with tribal rhythms reaches its peak here. Everything that he developed on third is taken to a new level completely on Security.

Incredibly, this highly artistic, daring and groundbreaking work would be his most commercially successful LP up to that point. Thanks to the fact that, as much as his music was complex, he never really lost his touch for the great melody lines and his great sense of humor, even when dabling on some serious subjects (like in I Have The Touch), OK, sometimes his music is too elaborated and oblique for the mainstream (The Family And The Fishing Net is maybe the most notorious case), but still enjoyable and not too much out there. Maybe the best exemple of his craft is Shock The Monkey, an absolute irresistible song that is hardly your choice for the pop market both on the lyrical and musical side), but one that still made the charts.

His new found love for the african music quite influenced this project, as the great opener The Rhythm Of The Heat clearly shows, but not only. San Jacinto explores the native american culture in a very clever and unique way. Also we have to credit the incredible band that played with him (Jerry Marotta on drums, Tony Levin on bass and N/S Stick, David Rhodes on guitar and, above all, synth genius Larry Fast). Never again he would find musicians of that caliber that fitted so well to his music.

It was hard to believe that Gabriel would deliver another masterpiece so soon after Third. But he did it. LIke that album Security only grows with each listening. And even today, more than a quarter century after its release, it still sounds fresh, modern and innovative as it did in 1982. conclusion: an essential CD, a masterpiece of progressive music. Five stars.