So (25th Anniversary) Real World Productions****

Post-Genesis, Peter Gabriel had a healthy if somewhat marginalised solo career. Tracks such as Games Without Frontiers and Solsbury Hill established him as a songwriter of some refinement. But come the mid-1980s he wanted to shake off his "arty" image and get up close and personal with the mainstream. To that end, So (1986) was a perfect blend of pop, experimentation and world music, all filtered through ace producer Daniel Lanois's vision. The singles Sledegehammer and the Kate Bush duet Don't Give Up were huge sellers, but it's tracks such as Red Rain and In Your Eyes that really stand out. With these anniversary releases you often hear a lot of blather about radically improved sound quality, but So is one legacy release that really does sound sonically superior to the original. It's also available in a three-CD Special Edition or a very snazzy Deluxe Box Set. petergabriel.com

Download tracks:Red Rain, Sledgehammer, In Your Eyes