Peter Gabriel 3

WOW. I was so completely floored by this album, I don't know where to start. I listened through twice before I looked up on the Wikipedia and discovered all about its cultural significance, the first prominent use of gated reverb, all the connections with Phil Collins' drum sounds, the Fairlight, Kate Bush's contributions... etc. All wonderful errata to know. We have seen the best and the worst of the 80's, and I now can declare my allegiance solidly to the vision that these artists (with Steve Lillywhite producing) are pushing for. But none of that preamble really captures how it felt to hear this album for the first time. Which was a moment of real WOW. It floored me, from the first song almost all the way through. It's a complex, challenging, bold listen from a disturbed mind. Peter Gabriel never sounds more strident and more deranged, his soundscapes never more expansive and challenging. There are enough hooks, soaring melodies, rhythms to keep the ship on course, but as a listener you're just thrown into this chaotic world of staggeringly bold, almost atonal ideas. Little did I know that the album that the gated snare would come from contains multitudes... a real mission statement of sound. No wonder copycats abound. No wonder it took people a decade to work through this. If I had been learning guitar, drums, production when this album came out, I would have been obsessed. Just the guitar work alone by Robert Fripp is so challenging and groundbreaking. The strange Fairlight patches..!! It all sounds so singular. This is an album where it feels like all these strange new ideas really crystalize into a Sound. And it's a genuinely disturbing one! Bowie, of course, is the standard by which all art rock must be held up to, and there are some strong shades of Bowie in this album. But where I feel like Bowie in this period (the Berlin Trilogy etc.) feels weirdly aloof or absent from his albums, or doesn't commit all the way to the sound he is going for, this album delivers. It is full 100% balls-to-the-wall commitment to the insanity of the sound and the concept. I think it's the best Peter Gabriel album we've had, and it's maybe one of the best first listens I've had to an album in a long time. I'm so glad I'm doing this list. 10/10, 5/5.

Peter Fuckin Gabriel, man 10/10

Rock Recipes, Installment One: “The Peter Gabriel Melt” Ingredients: -One part Berlin-Era Bowie (in a pinch, a healthy portion of Eno will suffice) -One part self-absorption -One cup whole milk, slightly soured -The juice of one lemon, squeezed -Two Tablespoons of Steve Reich’s Music for 18 Musicians (season to taste) Instructions: -Place ingredients in a large mixing bowl. -Hold mixing bowl at crotch level and stir vigorously for 46 minutes, then serve.

Peter "Goblin Summoner" Gabriel coming in with another album, and it's probably my favorite of his. I love this silly guy. He seems very capable of casting evil spells and debuffs, but he uses his powers for good. I can definitely imagine Peter Gabriel sitting on a comically oversized boulder with dancing gnomes circling him like he's their nourishing mother (the nourishment being sweet tunes). I really enjoyed it. It's a 5/5.

Yes, first time listening to this Peter Gabriel album, and I think this is the best output from anyone related to Genesis I have heard and I’ll include the Genesis albums in that. Maybe because I’m more a post punk and new wave fan, but this is right up my street. Going to give this the full 5 stars.

I wanted to like this more than I actually did (having been intrigued by the cover image since being briefly *extremely* into the Sledgehammer video when I was 10). It sounds great, and half of the songs are excellent, but the remainder are completely unmemorable. Much has been written about the drum sound developed herein; it's alright, but people - you're talking about the bedrock of Phil Collins' solo career (and, later, Metallica's hard rockin'), not the polio vaccine ffs

Too experimental and shit for my taste

And, with the sound of the gate, everything changed. The third installment of the Peter Gabriel tetralogy sees him further opening himself up to themes and scenarios only he could conjure up. The bleakness that surrounds this album could only be matched by the famous album cover, amongst the best that Hipgnosis have ever done and the sheer innovation throughout (the gated drums, the youthful production and the acknowledgement of Steve Biko and the predicaments that led to his death in apartheid South Africa and thus leading to everybody else's awareness of it) ensured that Peter Gabriel would always remain ahead of the curve for some time to come. Don't let the scary seeming vibes of this throw you off, it's best you'd immerse yourself in it.

Did anyone else grow up hearing Games Without Frontiers on classic rock radio and think Kate was singing \"She's so popular?\" What can I say, our education system in the States is severely lacking in the foreign language department. Anyway, is this Gabriel's best album? Maybe? I think that argument could be made. I'm not gonna try but this is as good as anything he's done. P.S. he's close to releasing an album, his first album of new and original material in more than 20 years, if he tours, walk don't run to get tickets, I saw him live about 30 years ago, it was one of the best shows I've ever seen.

Intruder is the birth of the "gated reverb" drum sound that was ubiquitous in the 80s. Kate Bush's backing vocals on "No Self Control" are brilliant. Best songs "I Don't Remember", "Games Without Frontiers", but the whole album is great (the next one, aka "Security" is even better IMO).

As a fan of 70s Genesis I've always been of the opinion that Hackett and Gabriel were the ones who made the band work, not Collins. Never dived deep into any of their solo work (or later day Genesis), but I've heard some stuff here and there. After listening to this, I can finally confirm my theory. I have now heard 2 Steve Hackett albums, 1 Peter Gabriel album and 1 Phil Collins album, as well as most of the 70s Genesis work and several singles by all 4 artists mentioned. Collins' Face Value is easily the worst album of the bunch and the only one I don't really like. No surprises there. What did surprise me is this third self titled album (known as Melt) by the former Genesis frontman. It's absolutely fantastic and doesn't lean into the outdated 80s pop production like Sledgehammer. It's artsy, has forward-thinking production and has laid the groundwork for a lot of 80s pop music. Gabriel is joined by a host of incredible musicians: his ex-bandmate Collins drums on several tracks, Kate Bush provides the backing vocals on No Self Control and Games Without Frontiers, Robert Fripp and Tony Levin of King Crimson play on a few tracks, as do Dave Gregory (of XTC), Paul Weller (of The Jam) and a bunch of others. It's all kept under control by Gabriel and the producer Steve Lillywhite. The result is some of the best art pop/rock of the time, several strong singles and an album I wish I'd heard before. There are 5 other Peter Gabriel albums I'd like to hear now.

Unorthodox but not totally uninviting.

These songs contain powerfully articulated messages about everything from mental health to apartheid. Peter Gabriel is also enough of a musician to wrap these songs in music that serves the message. Dark and easy to listen to.

Best solo album from any member of Genesis.

Stupendous. 5 stars.

Enjoyable album, a mix of unorthodox and some pop elements

suprisingly good artsy pog pop, didnt expect much when I started listening but the songs are consistently good. Enjoyable, 4 stars

I like this album while not enjoying much of it. Its opener is hostile, and most of the rest comes across as well-constructed notes to a therapist - us, presumably. However, No Self Control is post-punk big hair rock, which is magical, and Games Without Frontiers and Biko are lovely. Both made a huge impression on me when I was small, and I’m grateful to have been brought back to them.

Good, but also unsettling at times

No more Peter Gabriel. This is a protest vote

Unnnffffffffffffffff

An incredible, creeping, unmatched album of sounds that can concretely be described as "music". Peter Gabriel's solo efforts have always been somewhat haunted by his Genisis work, but Melt feels like the first that is distinctly, undoubtedly, Peter Gabriel. Melt is concerned less with complex and fruitful songwriting, and moreso focused on texture, mood, creating imagery of scenes from Gabriel's mind. I feel like a voyeur when I listen to this album, peaking into Peter Gabriel's psyche and understanding his conceptualizations of sound. Throughout Melt, there seems to be no lapse in quality, as every song conjures Gabriel's best in every way. I adore Melt. Also worth noting that there isn't a single cymbal throughout the album.

An experimental, fascinating album. Sounds really raw and loved it.

PEAK

I really like Peter Gabriel. I never really listened to this one aside from Games Without Frontiers. I feel like this is a solid 4/5 for sure. Really dig I Don’t Remember. Tony Levin on the Stick. No Self Control also is a hell of a tune. Gonna bump this one up to 9/10

Classic PG album to which I listened endlessly in the 80s. I am not sure to what extent I would appreciate it now if this was a new album for me, but obviously going for 5 stars here.

Probably Gabriel’s best, this is just very impressive and covers so much ground. It’s dark and atmospheric in places but groovy and full of massive hooks in others, and it all flows together remarkably well for such a diverse project. Games Without Frontiers is an odd choice for the lead single and is probably my least favourite on the album, but it’s still a great ride from start to finish

This was very good to revisit. The last time I heard this album was a few years ago and I was surprised by how much I remembered. Also, a reminder of the interesting intersection between progressive rock, glam, and post punk. Melt covers a lot of strange ground and manages to feel very consistent with much "Lamb" weirdness.

From the opening drum hit, I knew I would hate this album. That I would disregard it as 80s trash. Then, by the end of the first song, I was intrigued. After the second, I was hooked. Such an amazing album that finally made me excited again for this challenge. This is why I do it, to find these albums that I would’ve disregarded that then become instant favorites. It’s the best album of the challenge so far, and the first one that is threatening a perfect 10/10. It’s likely closer to a 9, but I’m so excited I’m gonna give it my first 5 stars.

the turning point where he stops being the guy from genesis and starts making Peter Gabriel music

HOGYAN indult a Genesisből ez az arc, hát ez tök izgalmas!!!

Heard this before but I must've been only half paying attention, because this is fantastic. Art-pop/rock that keeps your attention while still being interesting and unusual.

Brilliant start to finish. Nothing more needs be said. 5

It’s very interesting album. From review on RYM I found out that you should listen this album from song “Start”. Who knows who it might help.

An ambitious record all these years later

Games Without Frontiers is one of my favorite Peter Gabriel songs, and I knew Intruder, No Self Control and Biko, but I’ve never listened to this whole album before today. Family Snapshot was a standout favorite, and you can hear the evolution from Solsbury Hill and the seeds of later, more contemplative Gabriel in songs like Red Rain and Don’t Give Up. Unsurprisingly, I’m a big fan. Early post-Genesis Peter Gabriel still has more progressive/art rock sound and sensibilities. I’m a huge Robert Fripp fan (yay, King Crimson!!) and also with Steve Lillywhite producing and Kate Bush’s backing vocals. Oh, Phil Collins is here too, but playing drums like he should. 5⭐️ all day

This slaps. "In the Air Tonight" wishes it was as creepy as "Intruder". "Games Without Frontiers" = love hearing the British children's names of the '80s.

What an album. So odd and sinister sounding at times, yet flows neatly into catchy rock tracks. Love the lyrics/storytelling too, couple of weaker tracks but the overall product just can't be lower than a 5

One of my favourite albums of all time. I’d say of the Quadrilogy of Peter Gabriel Albums (Car, Scratch, Melt and Security), this is the top dog.

immediately one of the best sonic experiences i've had in quite some time...never heard Gabriel before and regret pinning him as like a really boring mainstream pop guy this is not that hufauhe

Wow. The first song sounds like a mellow Neubauten tune! A few pieces that are Genesissy, but by and far are progressing nicely into what will be a huge solo career. A nice balance of his weirdness and experimental nature with his pop music chops, and the early forays into "world music" are awesome. A really really nice album.

Fantastic, creative album with great songwriting.

One hell of an album. Full of weird sounds and a lot of anger. Contains one of the greatest songs ever written.

Gabriel is a genius! I love much of his music.

I'm a superman of Gabriel's early work and consider the first 4 self-titled albums untouchable. This is the best of the 4 too. It's experimental (for the time) but still weaves traditional melodies and pop sensibilities throughout so it's never in danger of losing the listener. There is an immense power in this album, even at its most introspective (Lead a Normal Life) moments. Every song feels meticulous in its creation. Nuanced sound textures and synth in the background seem to float in and out and at just the right moments to create real emotional responses. Biko is nothing short of a masterpiece.

I love Peter Gabriel's music and this one is really good.

Another favorite. Probably my favorite Peter Gabriel album. "Biko", "Games Without Frontiers", "Intruder", "I Don't Remember"... all killer songs. Actually, I love them all... I probably played this album too many times as a kid. Great production, percussion, musicians. This an easy 5 for me.

From the first discordant notes to the anthemic end this album grabbed me and didn’t let go.

A beast of an album. Such personality and atmosphere. Dude had a vision and executed it to perfection. It's amazing how something as simple as "no cymbals" can affect the overall aesthetic. This is a harrowing, paranoid, and claustrophobic listening experience and I'm not always in the mood for it, but when I am it's amazing. Stellar performances from everyone involved. And some nice innovations to boot, like the gated reverb drums that came to dominate the '80s.

I know this album as "Ein Deutsches Album" and was given the cassette tape to listen to in 1984 by my German host sister. I played it endlessly the summer of 84 and had no idea it was also in English. Though "Spiel Ohne Grenzen" / "Games Without Frontiers" did sound familiar. Amazingly all the lyrics came back to me in German and upon this listen some of the German lyrics in my head didn't click with Gabriel's English. I got lost on Peter Gabriel's website reading about his thoughts on performing English in countries where English is not the native language. He really worked to ensure the musicality of a language came through even if the words had to change meaning a bit. Go read for yourself: https://petergabriel.com/release/ein-deutsches-album/ I already loved Peter Gabriel and this album but now knowing his approach to music and language and art---it's 5+!

I want to be an MMA fighter for just one day so I can use Intruder as my entrance music.

This album is damn close to artistic perfection. I wouldn't call myself a Peter Gabriel diehard (it's between this and his debut for my overwhelming PG favourite and beyond that I range from enjoyable to ehh) but this is so good in every way and all encapsulated within a perfect 46 minute runtime. The songwriting is great - nothing close to a dud and a few all-time tracks. Even for those of us who don't pay much attention to lyrics, they jump out in each song without ever outweighing the music. PG has the very rare voice that I not only tolerate but actually *enjoy* listening to - love how he strains himself, it's sort of his classic "sound" going back to his Genesis days. I do love when an album has proper flow and this fits the bill with the dramatic beginning and end cuts - starting with a creepy AF track in "Intruder" which yeah new gated reverb snare sound courtesy of the - yes - underrated Phil Collins and producer Hugh Padgham - and closing with the haunting "Biko" - everything in-between is a little scary, a little more challenging, and always interesting. A++ musicianship across the album. Could mark highlights - probably the hits, but the lesser-known tracks are just as crucial. Nothing I can even try to nitpick here - a rare perfect score here for me... 10/10 5 stars.

I think it is the little things he does that make me really like his music when I normally do not like music like this.

Peter Gabriel is a very original creative artist. Maybe an acquired taste but i have always liked him, going back to the days when he was the lead singer with Genesis. Very good listen.

This list has really opened me to prog rock and I used to see Peter Gabriel's time with Genesis as the answer to a trivia question. Prog rock Genesis is so contrasty to Peter Gabriel Genesis so it's no surprise to see the themes of prog still present on what is pop rock for Peter Gabriel on this third eponymous album. Edgy enough to be edgy and cast iron frying pan to the side of the head with the awakening of his political advocacy through Biko. As a side note, I saw Peter Gabriel live for the first time in 2023 and his performance of Biko live is one of the best live experiences I've ever had. 5/5

Boy does this album sound like the start of the 80's. I hear new wave, I hear gothic rock, and in No Self Control I'm pretty sure I hear the apple ring tone. I need to read up on it, but I would guess this is the inspiration for a lot of music change that happened between the 70's and 80's. I had only previously heard Games without Frontiers. I think Intruder and I Don't Remember will make it into my regular rotation.

April 22, 2024 HL: “And Through the Wire”, “Games Without Frontiers”, “Lead A Normal Life”, “Biko”, “Family Snapshot”, “I Don’t Remember” Have heard maybe 3 songs from this album before. I don’t know why I find early new wave/electronica so fascinating! There’s a restless energy it often possesses- OMD, Kraftwerk, Tangerine Dream- that strange Byrne/Eno collab- that’s infectious, even if not all of it lands. “Melt” lies at those crossroads, but at the same time the songs are bristly and direct, unlike the spacey abstractions in the previous examples. In Gabriel’s hands, political fury becomes theatre (“Games”, “Biko”, “Not One of Us”), and the music alternates between abrasive and beautiful, sometimes both, to elevate the message of each song. That first droning note cutting through the spiritual intro to “Biko”- chills! One of the best albums I've listened to this month

Brilliant album and surprisingly a fairly clear NIN influence.

'She's so funky, yeah!'

no, peter gabriel 5

i couldnt listen to this for so long but i loved it once i finaly did

The bar was high. The bar was met. 9/10

Das berühmte Peter Gabriel Album 3 mit dem schmelzenden Cover. Es ist einfach ein Meisterwerk. Unglaublich. Spannende Arrangements. Vom ersten Töne bis zum letzten nur fasziniert.

His greatest work! I found this album in junior high and have loved it ever since!

The man’s a legend

a great album from a great songwriter. i'm not at all surprised peter gabriel worked with the likes of phil collins... both are just incredibly talented men who have made countless amazing tracks. this album in particular has a sound all its own, gated drums, soft keys and... xylophones?

Why don't I listen to more Peter Gabriel? So good.

Good album

After the first two of Peter Gabriel's albums, which has some good and great stuff in it, we come to the beginning of PG's run of top-notch albums. Ones with not a single flub in it (yes, even "Start"). There are at least 5 albums in the run, I wasn't overly impressed with "Ovo." It's a bold idea to not have any cymbals at all in the album, but they're not missed. The drumming by Marotta and Collins are exceptional. The otherworldliness basswise by Levin fits so many of the songs, like "Not One Of Us" and "I Don't Remember". Many people think "Family Snapshot" is about Lee Harvey Oswald, when it is in fact based on the diaries written by Arthur Bremer, the man who shot presidential candidate George Wallace in 1972. Weird fact: it happened in the town I live in, one of the bits of history here. "Intruder" I first heard on "Plays Live," so hearing the studio version is even creepier. I enjoy this album a lot, and it is such a quantum leap from his other work. I go back and forth on it being a 4 and a 5, but with "Biko" on there it pushes it in to the 5 category. The thing about it being here is that is the album relistenable? Do I listen to it and want to play it again? I don't know if I do right away, but there are definite tracks I love to go back to. Classic album for me.

Such a great album. This album is where PG finally met the promise of his first two solo albums. Those albums are both good, but they are very uneven while this album is pretty much brilliant start to finish. The album after this (Security) is absolutely brilliant in its own right and it bridges the gap between Gabriel the art rocker and Gabriel the 80s megastar (with So, which is also on the 1001), so I'd call this one the pinnacle of Gabriel the art rocker - not that he ever stops being an art rocker, he's just more accessible after this. So many great moments, although some of the lyrics make me want to ask, "Pete, are you ok??" (e.g., Intruder, No Self Control, and Family Snapshot - all of those songs are brilliant takes on paranoia). If anyone ever asks you, "hey, what's a Chapman Stick sound like?" (hey, it could happen) then point them to I Don't Remember. Super cool song built entirely on the Stick - Tony Levin is awesome. And, of course, there's also Games Without Frontiers, with Kate Bush incomprehensibly singing Jeux sans frontieres ("Games without Frontiers" in French). Great song, with a serious message. Not One of Us is also a good rocker (love the line "How can we be in, if there is no outside?"). Finally, Biko is absolutely iconic (and tragic). Peter Gabriel often ends his concerts on this song (at least the main set, that is) and it's spine tingling to sing along with the whole audience as the band walks off one by one. This is pretty much a perfect album to me, made more so by the latest remastered version which seriously improved the sound quality. Easy 5.

He went so good out of Genesis

Yo this was so cool

Man Peter Gabriel is such a weirdo in a positive way. Most people hear Genesis and think of Phil Collins but this dude was leading some real out there prog rock and dressing like a giant sunflower doing it. This album is experimental feeling and doesn't land everywhere but it's a great addition to this list. Games Without Frontiers just sneaking in as a radio friendly song feels so strange, especially with what it's singing about. I find Family Snapshot a great example of what I like about this album. The vocals are so earnest, instrumentals are fairly complex and variable throughout the song, lyrics are strong. It's not a constructed song to follow a structure and does something unique. Great album. The mixing and engineering alone are better than most artists ever reach. Also, sick cover.

Choices are made and I like them. He uses some of the 80s sound that I tend not to care for and makes them bearable. Even the saxophone. The tracks have girth to them. These arrangements are so good. The lyrics are interesting. The vocal stylings hold my attention. I was going to list some tracks but I honestly find every track interesting. I like this more every listen.

PG the 🐐

This is definitely a product of its time, but not in a bad way. Peter Gabriel may be the crème de la crème of 80s music. Truly a great album that I was not familiar with prior to listening.

This is a great record. I enjoyed every listen, even from the first time I heard it.

One of my favourite artists, Gabriel's third album may be one of his strongest. He took his prog-rock background and added multiple influences, new wave and african rhythms most notably. Very innovative production for the time. Drums are compressed and tight, which would be the trend for the following decade. His political songs are my two favourite tracks (Games Without Frontiers & Biko) 4.5/5

I think it's official that I am more of a Peter Gabriel fan than I even thought I was. I really, really enjoyed this album and found it made a good connection between the 70s and 80s versions of his work. I had not heard these songs before (except for the "She's so popular" song, as I thought of it in the 80s, which of course, it never was).

I immediately recognized a few tracks and I knew I love them, but the rest were unfamiliar. Okay, that was all lovable!

I didn't know this album apart from the tracks that appear on his greatest hits album (I Don't Remember, Games without Frontiers, and Biko). I love all three and this album gets high marks just for those. I'm not sure the rest of the album added much to my already significant appreciation for Gabriel but neither did it detract.

One of my close friends in high school and college was a huge Peter Gabriel fan, so I heard a lot of his works during those years. I remember this album and it wasn’t my favorite back then. I’m curious to revisit it today… As expected, I was missing out back then. This is a terrific album! Memories of these songs came flooding back but they all sounded so much better. Such a very impressive album - I love it!

As a rock music artist, Peter Gabriel is one of the true master craftsmen. This album demonstrates the range of his creativity. The compositions and arrangements are so diverse while retaining a clearly recognizable sound that is all his own. A warning to those unfamiliar with this album, the lyrics can be a bit disturbing, as he delves in to the darker side of the human condition. Despite that, I could listen to this album again and again.

After listening to this album, I graded too high on a couple others this week. This is a true 5 …. My favorite, Peter Gabriel album, and with the exception of Lead a Normal Life, there is not a song on this album that I don’t love (including the instrumental) ! Peter Gabriel does more with his vocals than any singer I can think of in terms of fluctuations in tone, pitch and vocalizations I could go through each song, but each has unique aspects either in the music, the vocals, or the lyrics, which are completely enthralling to me. This album and its songs don’t seem to pander to simplicity and popish stylings like some of his later songs which made it big on the charts seemed too do. Love this album and listened to it in its entirety 4 or 5 times this weekend ….

So I was a big Genesis fan growing up – both the Peter era, as well as the Phil era after Gabriel left in 1975.. I remember those first 3 solo albums, as we referred to them as “Car”, “Scratch”, and “Melt” – and all contained morsels of goodness, but “Melt” was the album that really established Peter as a solo artist… This album is loaded from top-to-bottom, and is truly exceptional… I remember when this came out, I read that Phil Collins – who played drums on the album, shared that Gabriel told him that there was only one condition he had to agree to in order to play on the album, and that was that he could not use any cymbals… Absolutely brilliant move – as that forced Phil to be more inventive with his playing on that album, which really contributed to the experimental vibe that definitely came through on “Melt” … In 1983 I bought Peter's "Plays Live” album, which contains 6 of the tracks from “Melt” – along with some of the top songs from “Car” and “Scratch”, and I absolutely wore that vinyl out – literally… All of the "Melt" tracks translate exceptionally well in the live environment – especially “Biko” which closes the album, can’t recommend that live album enough! On “Melt” the best tracks IMO were “Games Without Frontiers”, “Biko”, “No Self Control”, and “I Don’t Remember” – as each was stunningly well-done… “Intruder”, “Family Snapshot”, and “Not One Of Us” are also top-shelf – just a notch below my top group… “Start” is just an instrumental, but works nicely as a lead-in to “I Don’t Remember”, and “And Through The Wire” & “Lead A Normal Life” are also solid tracks as well… Wasn’t quite sure if I was going to give this a 4.50, 4.75 or to make it a 5.00, but I think based on the strength of the tracks up-and-down this album – plus then factoring in the creativity and ingenuity that this album displayed in 1980 – especially being so different from his old-school Genesis work – well, that definitely kicked it up to a 5.00 for me no doubt…

This took me 2 listens, 1st on my car speakers 2nd with headphones. I am so glad I gave it another listen, as this album is so cool. I had never listened to Peter Gabriel and had no idea about his sound, and I actually kind of hated it on 1st listen, but with a little more attention, this judt sounds so good. My favorites here are No Self Control and Games Without Frontiers.

I am blown away by this, though So is a fave of mine so I might have known. There is something about PG that appeals to me, possibly his unhinged side. Have listened to it 4 times now and it just keeps getting better. It makes me feel some kind of way lol

Yes! Thank you. More like this.

I came across this album a few years ago and loved it. It is so weird, it doesn’t hold back at all and utilises loads of strange sounds and techniques. The songs are still accessible and catchy at times. I’m always happy to hear our Kate pop up.

•Owned •After taking a few years to process his departure from Genesis, 3 (or Melt) is a breakthrough in PG’s career, with the artist focusing on themes that he would carry long after: war, tribalism, human rights. PG also plays with unpopular concepts, peaking into the minds of a home invader (“Intruder”) and an assassin (“Family Snapshot”—100 listens later and I’m still unsure if we’re meant to sympathize with him or not); only to conclude with a prayer for Steve Biko. A pivotal moment in a career of influence, Melt also introduced the gated reverb that would dominate the decade. •4.5/5

*****

Just wow. What an incredible album. Steve Lillywhite produces a masterpiece. Gabriel is such a great songwriter and his voice is so powerful.

Mmmm Peter Gabriel. The perfect mix is experimental and pop music.

Brilliant.

Peter Gabriel is quite a revelation. Felt something move inside me.

This was a weird little record, which I really enjoyed. Probably would need a few listens to fully get into, but first impression was intriguing. And anything Kate Bush shows up on is worth re-listening to. Reading the book entry/wikipedia page on this also is well worth doing - loads of cool little details that make it more interesting still.

I like his singing. He’s a really good songwriter this album definitely gets darker and weirder musically and lyrically. The instrumental is really interesting (Crazy fripp guitar sounds, synths, really beautiful fretless lines, huge sounding Phil collins drums) really cool how “And through the Wire” follows “Family Snapshot” 5

I listened to Peter Gabriel some when I was a kid but never took him seriously. This album seriously rocks though. The dude is underrated.

First rate lyrics. First rate storytelling. First rate vocals. First rate musicality. First rate production. This album melts my face off: how about yours? Just six years before his third solo album, Peter Gabriel had recorded his bloated and brilliant swan song with Genesis, “The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway”. And six years after it, he’d be seeing chart success like never before with the smash hits of “Sledgehammer”, “Don’t Give Up”, “In Your Eyes”… all from the magificent “So”. “Peter Gabriel III” (actually just titled “Peter Gabriel” - all of his first four albums were) comes right in the middle, as he experimented wildly with sound, songwriting, and truly found his niche as a solo artist. As a fan of almost everything the man has ever touched, I wouldn’t hesitate to call this his greatest work. The lyrical content of the album reveals a motley crew of outsiders and misfits, some harmless and some very harmful indeed. Gabriel inhabits them all with aplomb: on many tracks, it’s the same mesmerising pantomime of his Genesis years, but without all the baggage and eye-rolling connotations of “prog rock”. Instead, here he is embracing cutting edge post-punk and new wave trends which have not aged anywhere near as badly. Production is absolutely nailed by Steve Lillywhite, an up-and-coming 25-year-old producer who’d already produced the debuts of Siouxsie and the Banshees, XTC and the Psychedelic Furs. The guest cast is phenomenal, too: Phil Collins is the first person we hear on the album, with the gated drum sound that influenced “In the Air Tonight” and pretty much the entire 1980’s. Paul Weller contributes razor-sharp guitar to “And Through the Wire”. Kate Bush appears on backing vocals twice, picking up inspiration along the way for her own masterpiece “The Dreaming”. And the songs! Some of the genre’s finest. “Intruder” is a bold and sinister opening from the perspective of someone breaking into a home: has a xylophone ever been used in such an artsy, sinister way since? “No Self Control” and “I Don’t Remember” crackle with paranoia and urgency, perfectly matched by the twisted soundscapes running through them. “Family Snapshot”, still my favourite song Gabriel has ever made, delves into the psyche of an assassin, wielding a heartbreaking flashback at the end as though it’s a novel rather than four minute song. “Games Without Frontiers” is a hit single of the most unexpected kind: a Lord of the Flies-style analogy of war, with French Kate Bush. And whistling. And an “Adolf” name drop. Glorious. Then there’s the bracingly catchy rock of “And Through the Wire”, the tongue-in-cheek, insular racist’s anthem “Not One Of Us”, and the inspiring majesty of “Biko”, which ends the whole set on an incredibly powerful note. Telling the story of Steve Biko, an activist killed under South Africa’s apartheid regime, it’s an undeniably moving track with the goosebumps-inducing final verse: “You can blow out a candle, but you can’t blow out a fire; once the flames begin to catch, the wind will blow it higher”. When I saw Peter Gabriel live, many years after he’d written these songs, he ended his whole set with “Biko”. After the last chorus had faded, he turned to the audience and said “what happens next, as always, is up to you.” And then he was gone, as the pounding drums continued through the darkness. A class act all the way.

Such a good album just not a weak song in the bunch and Biko, Games Without Frontiers and I Don't Remember are stone cold classics with And Through The Wire not far behind. Just nothing negative to say about this album. Peter Gabriel's best and an easy 5 star reccomendation