Released by: Eagle Vision Ent
Release Date: Out Now!!!
Genre: Pop/Rock/Experimental
Links: http://petergabriel.com/
Tracklist:
1) Intruder
2) Wallflower
3) The Boy In The Bubble
4) Après Moi
5) The Drop
6) Washing Of The Water*
7) The Book Of Love
8) Darkness
9) The Power Of The Heart
10) Biko
11) San Jacinto
12) Digging In The Dirt
13) Signal To Noise
14) Downside Up
15) Mercy Street
16) The Rhythm Of The Heat
17) Blood Of Eden
18) Red Rain
19) Solsbury Hill
20) In Your Eyes
21) Don’t Give Up
22) The Nest That Sailed The Sky
* Not on 3D version
“New Blood – Live in London” captures Peter Gabriel’s most recent experiment in a career distinguished for experimentation. Built on the “Scratch my Back” concept where he covered other artists’ songs with an orchestral backing, this show will enthrall staunch Gabriel fans.
The setlist begins with a heavy dose of the “Scratch my Back” covers resulting in mixed results. Regina Spektor’s “Apres Moi” and a playful take on The Magnetic Fields’ “The Book of Love” are strong tracks, but overall, this section of the show feels like a so-so opening act. You can tell the audience at the Hammersmith had been ready to pounce on the Gabriel material once those tracks start up in earnest.
The often-minimalized orchestral treatment definitely leads to a much more down-tempo vibe for these familiar tracks. This gives new emotional dimension and power to songs such as “Signal to Noise”, “Mercy Street” and “Red Rain”. However, as the setlist progresses, monotony threatens to set in. You’ll breathe a bit easier when the jubilant take on “Solsbury Hill” comes up (and even the players seem to feel the same).
The video (yes, 1080i video) quality is crisp in this blu-ray release. Cinematography was up and down – there were several tracks where I wished that the director had matched the less-is-more theme of the performance itself. This was most evident in the opener “Intruder” where hyper-quick cuts from security monitors were a corny distraction. Fortunately, the rest of the presentation is more reserved. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix is well done – clear and distinct as a performance such as this should be.
Overall, the “New Blood – Live in London” blu-ray is a great chronicle easily recommended for Gabriel’s career fans.
Written by Denys