Gabriel, Peter - Passion - Music For The Last Temptation of Christ

Year of Release: 2002
Label: Geffen
Catalog Number: RWCDX1
Format: CD
Total Time: 65:53:00

Keith reviewed this and Birdy in the same review; they are listed separately in the database -ed.

Peter Gabriel started his soundtrack career with Birdy, a riveting and emotional film about two young men that go off to war, starring Nicholas Cage and Mathew Modine. I remember the film and really didn't pay too much attention to the music playing in the background; I don't think that many folks really do unless it has a dominating presence. When I listened to this I could understand why it didn't get my attention. It's all atmospheric and meditative background music. This is not to say that this music has no value or purpose, it most certainly does. I am accustomed to being excited and totally mesmerized by Gabriel's music, so this was disappointing. This is the first release by Gabriel that I really didn't enjoy. I felt it was boring and uneventful.

Passion however is an amazing soundtrack. There was a sticky rights issue and they couldn't use the title of the film, so hence Passion seemed an appropriate title, as the music is entirely passionate and emotive. The Last Temptation Of Christ was a controversial and provocative film about Jesus. I tried to watch it but stopped early in the film because it was just too bizarre, that's all I remember about the film.

Look at the list of credits on this recording; it looks as though Gabriel was intent on getting a true middle-eastern atmosphere in place on this album, he succeeded, and extraordinarily so. The percussion is what makes this entire album. Its eerie, eventful, and as attention grabbing as the film it supports. The host of other instruments played a huge role in making all this happen as well, although it's the percussive instruments that make their presence known in a big way throughout this evocative musical transcendence. This is debatably the best work that Peter Gabriel has ever created. Those of you that are looking for his music with vocals are in for a big disappointment, both albums are entirely instrumental. If you do however appreciate the progressive nature of instrumental world rock music, you are in for a special treat.

Also released as regular remastered edition - RWCDR1

Tracklisting:
The Feeling Begins (4:00) / Gethsemane (1:23) / Of These, Hope (4:05) / Lazarus Raised (0:36) / Of These, Hope (Reprise) (1:06) / In Doubt (2:07) / A Different Drum (6:05) / Zaar (4:44) / Troubled (2:46) / Open (3:18) / Before Night Falls (2:16) / With This Love (3:36) / Sandstorm (2:55) / Stigmata (2:24) / Passion (7:36) / With This Love [Choir] (3:19) / Wall of Breath (2:25) / The Promise of Shadows (2:12) / Disturbed (3:07) / It Is Accomplished (3:30) / Bread and Wine (2:23)

Musicians:
Kudsi Erguner - flute, Ney flute, Turkish flute
Jon Hassell - trumpet
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan - qawwal
Baaba Maal - vocals
Peter Gabriel - synthesizer, bass, flute, percussion, piano, drums, keyboards, vocals, background vocals, whistle, surdo, double bass, sampling, shaker, Fairlight
David Sancious - synthesizer, arranger, Hammond organ, background vocals, sampling, synthesizer arrangements
Fatala - percussion, percussion programming, African percussion
Shankar - vocals, couble violin
David Bottrill - tambourine, slide guitar, drones
Billy Cobham - percussion, drums, tambourine
Djalma Correa - percussion
Massamba Diop - talking drum
Nathan East - bass
Manny Elias - drums, surdo, octoban
Hossam Ramzy - cymbals, tabla, tambourine, triangle, finger cymbals
Manu Katche - percussion
Youssou N'Dour - vocals
David Rhodes - guitar
Lakshminarayana Shankar - violin
Robin Canter - oboe, Cor Anglais
Antranik Askarian - doudouk, duduk
Mustafa Abdel Aziz - drones, percussion programming, arghoul
Vatche Housepian - doudouk, duduk
Doudou N'Daiye Rose - percussion, percussion programming
Julian Wilkins - vocals, choir, chorus, choir boy
Tabrizi Mahmoud Zadeh - kemence
Said Mohammad Aly - percussion, percussion programming
Massamba Dlop - drums

Discography:
Peter Gabriel (1) (1977/2002)
Peter Gabriel (2) (1978/2002)
Peter Gabriel (3) (1980/2002)
Security (1982/2002)
Plays Live (1983/2002)
Birdy (OST) (1984/2002)
So (1985/2002)
Passion (1989/2002)
Shaking The Tree (1990)
Us (1992)
Secret World Live (1994)
Ovo: The Millennium Show (2000)
Ovo: (2000)
Up (2002)
Long Walk Home (2002)
Hit (2003)

Genre: Progressive Rock

Origin UK

Added: June 26th 2002
Reviewer: Keith "Muzikman" Hannaleck
Score:
Artist website: www.petergabriel.com
Hits: 2662
Language: english