Peter Gabriel - Love to be Loved

Peter Gabriel is, well, strange. It's hard to pinpoint what instruments he uses, his lyrics tend to be odd, many of his album titles are just two-letter words, and he often uses rather unorthodox time signatures. "Solsbury Hill," for example, is written in 7/4.

It's also hard to pinpoint a genre. His most famous album was So, which includes his well-known '80s hits "In Your Eyes" and "Sledgehammer." Tonight's song, from about a half-decade later, appears on 1992's album, Us.

Peter Gabriel's gravelly voice, which has only gotten better and more distinctive over time, is prominent on this track. Including the heartbeat sound effects and reverberation, it has a bit more of a new-agey sound than his older hits, but also reminds one of "Mercy Street."

He's not quite as prominent as Bono, but Peter Gabriel keeps a hand in global humanitarian initiatives.

Christopher Franke - Driving Into Blue

Christopher Franke is a German-born artist commonly known for his work with "synthesizers." Remember that word?

He was part of the German group Tangerine Dream until the late 80s, after which he became known for his work on the soundtrack for the TV show "Babylon 5."

Driving Into Blue is a track from his first solo release, "Pacific Coast Highway," an album which became the official soundtrack for a California vacation my dad and I took about ten years ago. The pace of the album ebbs and flows like the road itself and the Pacific Ocean that crashes on the rocks beneath it.

"Purple Waves" and "Black Garden View" are other highlights to listen for on this album. Sadly, it is not currently available on iTunes.