Various Artists: Peter Gabriel: And I’ll Scratch Yours
Scratch My Back, Peter Gabriel’s 2010 release, found the prog-rock giant tackling tunes originally recorded by artists ranging from Talking Heads to Radiohead. The follow-up to that project has finally arrived and features most of the musicians covered by Gabriel interpreting selections from his own songbook. David Byrne kicks things off with a flurry of synths and bass for a take on “I Don’t Remember” and Bon Iver follows, replacing electronic sounds with plucking banjo strings and layered, atmospheric vocals for the stunning standout “Come Talk to Me.” Arcade Fire’s version of “Games Without Frontiers” comes off like a modern alt-rock gem that could just as easily fit on one of the band’s own albums; the late Lou Reed adds distorted guitars to strip “Solsbury Hill” of its familiarity and transforms it into a moody dirge. The immense range in Gabriel’s catalog is on full display here, and each recreation warrants a listen.