Driving on a Sunday morning, it is rare that anything new catches my ear on the radio. Usually I am listening to NPR’s Weekend Edition or Breakfast with the Beatles. This morning weekend had wrapped up and KLOS decided to play some John & Yoko song that wasn’t doing it for me. I switch over to one of my other radio presets expecting to hear something I recognized or something I would tune out. Instead I heard a song that sounded like Genesis. Except it didn’t quite sound 80’s enough for the Genesis I was familiar. It was Gotye.
The lead singer of Gotye is some sort of Phil Collins/Peter Gabriel hybrid. When he sings slow and low he has a cadence that conjures Phil Collins (think In the Air Tonight). Later in the song, he goes high and processed which definitely sounds like Peter Gabriel (think In Your Eyes or possibly Steam). I credit my husband for helping me figure this out because all I only got as far as “Why do I keep thinking of Genesis when I listen to this song?!” Gotye also seems to channel Peter in his video.
I really like the lyrics of this song. It reminds me of a few of my break ups in my life. At the time the break up seemed harsh and later the person just becomes someone I used to know.
Hi! I agree with your opinion, Gotye sounds very similar to GENESIS’s fronts (Gabriel, Collins). When I heard it for the first time, thought if isn’t some kind of Gabriel reborn with very fresh voice. Was it an intention? 🙂
THANK YOU! I was having the hardest time figuring out who exactly he sounded like. I actually thought Peter Gabriel at first but couldn’t find a song that convinced me that was who I was thinking of. “In Your Eyes” was the song that I was hearing in my head everytime someone played “Somebody that I used to know”. I feel better now, much more sane. Thanks again!
Glad I could help. The more I listen to the song the less I think Phil and more Peter too. Since my post, I’ve done a little searching a few other people had pointed out his Pete-ness. I have to assume that is why the offical video is such a tribute (rip-off?) to Peter Gabriel’s videos like Sledgehammer.
I think Genesis…but also The Outfield. Remember the song “Your Love?” Very much tr case in Someone That I Used To Know.
I’ve never listened to The Outfield (and youtube is being particularly slow this evening) but I’ll have to check it out for a comparison.
I don’t hear Peter or Phil. To me he sounds just like Sting
Is there a particular Police or Sting song that it reminds you of? I could kind of hear a similarity with Message in a Bottle though it seems like The Police didn’t use as much “computerization” of their sound. Its a little rougher and sounds more live. I guess that is part of why I hear Genesis more, they had a more synthesized sound, in my opinion.