It's been a long time since Peter Gabriel, who turns 60 next Saturday, troubled the charts via his solo career; he's been too busy winning peace awards, curating festivals and inventing stuff. So, eight years after his last solo release, many fans may be less than enthused by an album of covers. Isn't that a sign of creative bankruptcy?

Then there's the premise: Gabriel has recorded 12 popular (and not so popular) tunes on the proviso that the writers of the original songs reciprocate by singing one of his. Hence the title. Okay, so it's a bit of a cheesy idea but the execution is anything but.

On Scratch My Back, Gabriel eschews guitars, bass and any studio gizmos, choosing instead to work with an orchestra, which imbues the work with an emotional depth that goes unnoticed on many of the originals. Gabriel's richer-with-age voice merely adds to record's dramatic effect.

His selection is also pretty indiosyncratic. We have Lou Reed's 'The Power of the Heart' (wonderful), Paul Simon's 'The Boy in the Bubble' (much more profound when you actually hear the words), and a fantastic version of Talking Heads' 'Listening Wind'.

Taking on Arcade Fire's 'My Body Is a Cage' might sound a bit mad but it becomes a soaring triumph of elderly alienation, while Stephen Merrit's 'The Book of Love' trades the original's quirky resignation for sheer beauty.

Of course, a few songs don't make the journey to chamber music as well, including Bowie's 'Heroes' and Radiohead's 'Street Spirit', but these are minor quibbles. This is a collection full of life, ambition and not a little soul.

Download: 'The Book of Love','The Boy in the Bubble', 'My Body Is a Cage'

Peter Gabriel
Scratch My Back
EMI
4/5