Peter Gabriel has set an October 11, 2011 release date for his new full-length CD, New Blood. The release will be both familiar and new, read on to find out how.A continuum to his recent Scratch My Back release, the New Blood album will feature some of Gabriel's biggest hits from his prodigious career, reconstructed and re-imagined with orchestral arrangements and recorded live with the New Blood Orchestra. Gabriel hand-selected the songs and enlisted the help of longtime collaborator John Metcalfe for the arrangements and Ben Foster as conductor of the 46-piece New Blood Orchestra.
This treatment is applied with painstaking attention to detail and stunning effect to songs including "Mercy Street", "Don't Give Up", "Digging In The Dirt", "San Jacinto", and the all-time classic "Solsbury Hill". The intention was not to simply rework Gabriel's biggest songs, but rather, find songs that were enhanced by the massed strings, brass, woodwind and percussion. "Don't Give Up" - now with Norwegian singer Ane Brun's vulnerable, cracking vocals replacing those of Kate Bush - rides a stirring, uplifting coda. Where the twinkle of "San Jacinto" was originally supplied by loops from a Fairlight sampler, piano and bows now provide the otherworldly magic. But probably the most extraordinary reinterpretation is that of "Rhythm Of The Heat" where Metcalf has recast the original's extended African drum jam into a dizzying, swirling orchestral maelstrom.
New Blood will be available as a standard single-disc and digital download. A special 2-CD version will include the standard album plus an added disc of instrument versions. There will additionally be a heavyweight vinyl version available November 8th that is released with a bonus 7" featuring "A Quiet Moment" and "Solsbury Hill"). The filmed concert "New Blood - Live in London", recorded October 23rd, 2010 at the Hammersmith Apollo will be available in 3D, blu-ray and standard DVD on October 25th.
OFFICIAL TRACKLISTING
1. Rhythm of the Heat
2. Downside Up (Featuring Melanie Gabriel)
3. San Jacinto
4. Intruder
5. Wallflower
6. In Your Eyes
7. Mercy Street
8. Red Rain
9. Darkness
10. Don't Give Up (Featuring Ane Brun)
11. Digging in the Dirt
12. The Nest that Sailed the Sky
13. A Quiet Moment
14. Solsbury Hill(Bonus Track)
Special 2 CD Edition
1. The Rhythm of the Heat (instrumental)
2. Downside Up (instrumental)
3. San Jacinto (instrumental)
4. Intruder (instrumental)
5. Wallflower (instrumental)
6. In Your Eyes (instrumental)
7. Mercy Street (instrumental)
8. Red Rain (instrumental)
9. Darkness (instrumental)
10. Don't Give Up (instrumental)
11. Digging In The Dirt (instrumental)
12. The Nest That Sailed The Sky (instrumental)
13. Blood of Eden (studio track)