Described as "a very personal record", Peter Gabriel's forthcoming March 2 album Scratch My Back (Real World) features just the former Genesis frontman's distinctive voice and some gorgeous, orchestrated arrangements in his interpretation of a dozen covers from the likes of Radiohead ("Street Spirit (Fadout)"), Regina Spektor ("Apres Moi"), David Bowie ("Heroes") and Paul Simon ("The Boy In the Bubble"). At first listen, it's a bit disconcerting to hear these songs with just Gabriel's voice over a sumptuous bed of strings or with simple piano chords but it works because of the quality of the songs and the fact that they're presented in such a dramatically different way...it really is like hearing them for the first time. One of the best is "Heroes", with Gabriel's interpretation bringing out every possible nuance in the lyrics and now-familiar melody. Bon Iver's "Flume" becomes a beautiful lament captured in slow motion, each word sung a textured brush stroke.

"The songs are not simply covers," composer/arranger John Metcalfe told the BBC. "They are major reinterpretations of some famous stuff. It's quite radical." There's speculation that a follow up album - I'll Scratch Yours - will be coming later with these same artists doing songs from the Peter Gabriel songbook. Famed producer Bob Ezrin (Pink Floyd's The Wall, Lou Reed) was behind the board for Scratch My Back with engineer Tchad Blake (Tom Waits, Sheryl Crow.) Check out the final track listing after the jump. U.K. release: February 16.

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Peter Gabriel - "Flume" (by Bon Iver) (from the album Scratch My Back)

Peter Gabriel - "The Book of Love" (The Magnetic Fields cover from the album Scratch My Back)

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Final track listing:

• 1. Heroes (David Bowie)
• 2. The Boy In The Bubble (Paul Simon)
• 3. Mirrorball (Elbow)
• 4. Flume (Bon Iver)
• 5. Listening Wind (Talking Heads)
• 6. The Power Of The Heart (Lou Reed)
• 7. My Body Is A Cage (Arcade Fire)
• 8. The Book Of Love (Magnetic Fields)
• 9. I Think It's Going To Rain Today (Randy Newman)
• 10. Apres Moi (Regina Spektor)
• 11. Philadelphia (Neil Youn)
• 12. Street Spirit (Fade Out) (Radiohead)