Peter Gabriel‘s first album in seven years is an orchestral covers collection called Scratch My Back. It features reinterpretations of Heroes (David Bowie), The Boy in the Bubble (Paul Simon), Mirrorball (Elbow), Flume (Bon Iver), Listening Wind (Talking Heads), The Power of the Heart (Lou Reed), My Body is a Cage (Arcade Fire), The Book of Love (The Magnetic Fields), I Think it’s Going to Rain Today (Randy Newman), Après Moi (Regina Spektor), Philadelphia (Neil Young) and Street Spirit (Fade Out) (Radiohead).

It’s being called a “song swap,” which implies some artists will also cover Gabriel’s music. Even though the album is not out until March (Pre-ordered my copy), I’ve heard songs from the site, and I can’t stop listening to Flume, over and over.

As if the music wasn’t enough, the album artwork is genius. Marc Bessant, the designer speaks poetically about his concept: “I was struck by how simple, honest and sensuous the music was sounding with just the two elements – Peter and the strings. ‘Two’ became important – two parts, two acts, two songs, two albums – a shared experience, one dependent on the other.”