Peter Gabriel is release an orchestral covers album, his first LP in seven years. Scratch My Back is a "song swap", according to one of Gabriel's collaborators, where the singer and a host of "extremely legendary artists" will cover each other's material.

Gabriel recorded the album at George Martin's Air Lyndhurst studios in London, working with Bob Ezrin, producer of Lou Reed's Berlin, Pink Floyd's The Wall and Gabriel's self-titled 1977 record. "The songs are not simply covers," composer John Metcalfe told BBC 6 Music. "They are major reinterpretations of some famous stuff. It's quite radical."

Metcalfe describes his role as "reinterpreting the music of the songs [Gabriel] has chosen to cover". "[It's] quite onerous, as some of the songs are among the best known in the last 40 years," he said. "The album will be acoustic, using only orchestral instruments (no guitars, drums or world instruments), and range in size from sparse chamber music to a much fuller orchestral sound."

Though Scratch My Back won't be released until spring 2010, fans had their first taste of the project at this summer's Womad festival, when Gabriel performed Paul Simon's The Boy in the Bubble with a string section. "There [is material from] some all-time great singer-songwriters and bands," Metcalfe said, "and then there are some bands that are very, very well known from the last 10 years, and one or two more recent bands and singers as well."

Scratch My Back has been described as a tit-for-tat affair, with Gabriel covering artists like Paul Simon and then, presumably, Paul Simon covering a Peter Gabriel song. But the logistics of this have not been confirmed, and it's not clear whether this means it will be a double album.

Fans on Peter Gabriel message-boards have pounced upon a Scratch My Back track-list posted by a Japanese distributor. While the page offers few details – and gives a bizarre release date of 18 November – it does list 13 track titles. Among these are songs by Radiohead, Arcade Fire, Lou Reed, Bon Iver, David Bowie, Neil Young and Elbow.

It seems a plausible track-list, at least for the project's first volley, but as to whether or not it's legitimate? John Metcalfe isn't saying. "I'm not allowed to say who [is included], just yet, but there are some very, very famous singers and bands involved," he said. "There should be something in there for everybody."


Alleged Scratch My Back track-list:

1. Heroes (David Bowie)

2. Street Spirit (Radiohead)

3. The Book of Love (Magnetic Fields)

4. Flume (Bon Iver)

5. My Body Is a Cage (Arcade Fire)

6. Listening Wind (Talking Heads)

7. I Think It's Going to Rain Today (Randy Newman)

8. Après Moi (Regina Spektor or Eartha Kitt)

9. Waterloo Sunset (The Kinks)

10. The Boy in the Bubble (Paul Simon)

11. The Power of the Heart (Lou Reed)

12. Philadelphia (Neil Young)

13. Mirrorball (Elbow)

hmm... this will be interesting.

So... it sounds like Peter Gabriel will cover Après Moi...? I wonder what that will sound like.

Eartha Kitt...?

quote:

Originally posted by sweetness in my lungs:
So... it sounds like Peter Gabriel will cover Après Moi...? I wonder what that will sound like.

Eartha Kitt...?

Yeah, I don't know what the deal is with Eartha. Gotta think it's a mistake/typo.

I should have pointed out that I lifted the story from here.

EDIT:
Another story from Contactmusic.


GABRIEL RETURNS TO STUDIOSinger PETER GABRIEL is eyeing a return to the spotlight - he's set to release his first album for seven years in 2010.
The former Genesis frontman has teamed up with a number of artists to record versions of their hits for Scratch My Back, a completely acoustic project recorded without guitars or drums.
The collaborators have reciprocated by covering one of Gabriel's tracks for the disc.
Composer John Metcalfe, who has helped produce some of the the songs, insists fans will be surprised by the star's orchestral reinterpretations.
In a post on Gabriel's official website, Metcalfe writes, "I'm not allowed to say who, just yet, but there are some very, very famous singers and bands involved. It sounds amazing, even though I say it myself. It is literally Peter with an orchestra, sometimes the orchestra is quite large, then there are some more chamber music-style, sparse songs.
"But the songs are not simply covers, they are quite major reinterpretations of some famous stuff. It's quite radical and we're hoping that people really get it and enjoy it. There are some all time great singer-songwriters and bands, and then there are some bands that are very, very well known from the last 10 years, and one or two more recent bands and singers as well. There should be something in there for everybody."

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Jasimo,

OMG!!! That's the best news I've heard in a long time! I LOVE Peter Gabriel, he's brilliant! And doing a cover of Apres Moi WOOOOOOOOW!!! Amazing!!!