Peter Gabriel 3

“Intruder“ had sad boy vibes to it. Just sweet sweet Sax…. ophone. These songs were in every song you heard in any 80s movie. Loved the random screams/moans? “Family Snapshot” was just bloody awful and just out of place compared to the rest of the album. “Games Without Frontiers” sounded somewhat Indie- before it’s time (the whistles were a nice touch) and will 100% be added to my personal playlist. The deeper I got into the album the more I got into it. Is this the singer from the Tarzan movie? Wait, wtf. Phil Collins is the drummer in this album. That stole each others voices. I was interested what he was singing about in “Biko” and it has a super interesting Google read about Steve Biko. Overall I was really surprised how much I liked this album and rate it a 7/10.

Decently fun and creative for the time. However I find it hard to listen to a lot of older albums due to the recording / production quality. Again good for the time I'm sure but modern music is much higher fidelity and often much more engaging and enjoyable for me.

Unexpected: didn't think I would enjoy this album as much as I did. Honestly coming from someone I have never heard of it was amazing. The main man of Genesis (a band I also have never listened to) this solo project felt familiar. It almost sounded Bowie-esque which was a pleasant surprise. Had to add a couple of the songs to the like bc the guitar was just so good. Would totally listen again.

Quite the murderers row of people playing on this. Phil Collins, Robert Fripp, Kate Bush? Damn. I love some of the songs, but a few didn't feel anything for or found myself annoyed by (specifically the opener "Intruder"). Call it a 3.5 overall. Favorite tracks: "No Self Control", "I Don't Remember", "Lead A Normal Life"

Funny - I had his first two albums, quite liked them and never bought another one of his albums. Unlike his prior LP, I could actually listen to some of this one on the radio. GWF and Biko are both beasts and enough to get a 4 but there are also other goodies on this one like I Don't Remember.

interesting. i didnt realize this album was from 1980. feels ahead of its time

Great music! I hadn't heard any of these songs before as I'm not super familiar with Peter Gabriel's work, other than the quintessential "Sledgehammer ", but I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked this album. Very 80's.

Some solid Gabriel. I am intrigued by the decision not to use cymbals, and it apparently causing Phil Collins to create the first use of gated reverb - a dubious sound that would become ubiquitous, but I actually don't mind it here. Also interested in the fact that his label wouldn't put it out, despite him feeling like he had found his voice on it, and obviously time tells us doubting it was a mistake. So far I like this and I could see it growing on me more with additional listens.

I didn't realize that Peter Gabriel ever released an album that was inspired by post-punk and new wave. A real surprise in a good way. 3.5/5

Great album!

Always enjoy listening to Peter Gabriel. Some great tracks on here with Biko being a personal favourite from this album.

Loved the experimental sound!

A nice surprise

Definitely experimental, but still has some very catchy riffs and rhythms.

Nice '80s vibes with darker alternative feel. Some tracks, especially opening track make me think of Mike Oldfield. Really like this album sonically as well. Listened to the remastered version so not sure how faithful it is to the original, but really nicely produced.

This album is great. Peter Gabriel was ahead of his time, and while I didn't care for his era leading Genesis (or Phil Collins' for that matter), his solo career is much more interesting, and this was a solid one.

If Phil Collins and Billy Idol had a baby, it would be this record.

4. As I keep listening to this album, the better it gets. None of these songs feel bad or like they're filler songs. This album has a unique dystopian sound to it that fits it well. For me, though, I have high standards for albums, and I guess it's not enough for a 5

Peter Gabriel has a very, very good voice and I greatly enjoy a few of his other songs (Solsbury Hill, Sledgehammer, and the incredible Don't Give Up), so I had decent hopes for this. I think this album is a display of musicianship. The best songs are No Self Control, and Nob on the Bus. Overall the first half of the album is significantly better than the second. The album could benefit from a bit of a trim and edit - there are a few loose tracks. However, it is definitely one of the best 4 stars I've given, but for me not quite a 5.

I didn't think I was going to like this. But it's actually pretty interesting! Definitely not a fan of it all, but there were some good tracks. I listened to it 4 times, so it must have something about it! Don't get many xylophones in music do you!? Highlights: I don't remember Family snapshot And through the wire Lead a normal life Games without frontiers (only one I recognised) 4, could've given more, but I don't like the opening few tracks particularly. I'll be back

Pretty good and creative songwriting, as to be expected from Peter Gabriel. He does fall into the weird for the sake of being weird trap a few times for me, but still quite liked this broadly. Favorite track: Lead a Normal Life

Not too fond of his voice, his rhythms always seems to drag, so the prospect of listening to this album did not immediately fill me with joy. But I did not expect this kind of art-rock. I actually liked it. Will listen some more.

Brill. This guy continues to show his chops as a solo artist just as he did in Genesis.

Great album! It was like the sound track to a John Hughes film, if he made a horror film. Maybe he did? I don't even know, but it was fantastic!

What white dads who wear socks and sandals listen to when they want to feel dangerous.

I liked it but didn’t love it; I want to return to get a better opinion

Muy buen disco. Tiene cosas muy Génesis y otras no tanto.

Never listened to a solo Gabriel album before, although I have hours under my belt of early Genesis and know the hits from this and the other albums. So I was interested in how I'd feel about this. And it's interesting with lots going on, and lots that I like. The experimental feel is interesting - Invaders is pretty cool and there's a lot of variety. I loved that Lead a Normal Life reminded me of the Kometenmelodies from Autobahn, an album I fell in love with after listening to it again as a result of this list. And the variety is nice. I'd forgotten how good Games Without Frontiers, although I had no idea it was inspired by It's a Knockout. Suddenly Eddie Waring and, err, Stuart Hall were in my mind. Hmm... But a really strong tune with a nice hook. And, Biko. Oh my. I've not heard this for maybe 20, 25 years. But, fuck me, it's powerful. And a piece of utter brilliance. And it's easy to forget how important - damned important - it was in raising awareness of apartheid, with the British establishment doing nothing about it and Thatch about to make that situation worse. But does it belong on the album? An album that has variety as a virtue? I'm not sure it does. I love it, but I'm not sure it could belong on any album; it's just too big, too powerful. So. Enjoyed this very much. But it's not 5 stars.

Biko, I Don’t Remember, and Games Without Frontiers took me back to 1980 like a time warp. Glad for the trip, I really like those songs. A lot! There are a few forgettable tracks, we didn’t need the 80’s sax piece Start, but overall I think this is a strong record deserving of a place on the 1001.

I grew up thinking Peter Gabriel and all associated projects and bands were totally lame. Turns out I was wrong. At least with this album. Other stuff might be lame. But this one I really enjoyed.

Rating: 8/10 Best songs: Intruder, I don’t remember, Games without frontiers

I like the ominous lyrics and sound (the xylophone adds an interesting effect). "I Don't Remember" has 80s anthem strategy. The political/moral commentary is laid on a bit thick in some of the tracks, though, especially considering this is after Pink Floyd and the punk movement. The songs focusing on an individual work out much better, at least when listening from a modern perspective.

Banger after experimental banger.

73/100

Not my favorite Peter Gabriel but not bad either. Probably a 3.5, rounding to 4.

Very nice

Maybe not the outright classic I hoped for this didn’t fall into any of the prog art rock pit falls I feared it would

Dark, progressive and all-around high quality solo record from Gabriel featuring some innovative drumming - especially on the tracks featuring You-Know-Who.

I love Pete Gabs and you should too

A bold statement from the former frontman of Genesis, continuing his exploration of world music and post punk. A triumph.

Of very high quality, yes, and surpassingly original, but it does sound a touch dated, as tech-led music often does. What sets this apart is the use of tech with real rhythmic creativity (as on "Not One of Us"). "Games without Frontiers" is easily the best cut, but "Through the Wire," "Biko" and "No Self Control" are all good. Though accurate to say so, it's too easy to group PG with Eno, Bowie, etc. One gets the feeling that he's so cool that he would care not a whit about neither those not-inaccurate-but-way-too-easy comparisons nor the blatant ripping off by the Police and others '80s bands.

An enjoyable listen, a lot to like

A stellar collection of songs. I have a slight preference for the Live versions of these but great nonetheless.

It was good. Liked it better than I thought it would.

Really nice. And Through the Wire was a bit unexpected.

Wanted SO bad to love this album and I think I finally came around. PGs voice is NOT it for me but looking past this superficial element to find the most haunting vibes on a pop album in recent memory.

7/10. If this guy was really cool, he would have named all of his songs Peter Gabriel too.

A bit spooky. 7/10

interesting collection of tunes on here. Loads of tunes i recognized that I didn't realise were him.

My favourite Peter Gabriel album (from what I've listened to). Games Without Frontiers is a career high

Very strong

Another Kate Bush feature seals this one, just the right amount of familiar. Gabriel continues to master the easy pop form, spacy production (read as solid retrofuturism now), and unique percussion. This third outing circles the point instead of driving towards it, but very much has that referent.

Great! One expects Peter Gabriel to come up with something a bit left field - and he doesn't disappoint here. Is this the album where there isn't a single use of the cymbals? Despite his somewhat oblique take on pop and rock, there's nothing really difficult about anything on 'Melt'. Indeed, 'I Don't Remember' and 'Games Without Frontiers' (a hymnal to the knockabout game show fronted by a convicted sex offender?) are wonderfully catchy numbers. The album ends on the slightly downbeat, ruminative 'Biko', which, in a sense, acts as the heartbeat for everything else. Superb stuff. Jeux sans frontières indeed!

Always have found myself more fond of the Gabriel era of Genesis, but have never listened to any of his solo work. Opens on an unexpected note with Intruder. Vibe could be described as pop/punk industrial. Moody atmosphere lead largely by a drum clomp and some eerie synth lines. Start -> I Don't Remember was a pretty sick transition. The latter song is pretty cool. Enjoy the spaced out 80s guitar (similar to Eminence Front in a way) with the repetitive bass hook. Games Without Frontiers feels really familiar. I've either heard the chorus sampled elsewhere or have encountered this song in some other form. Either way, its a fine and quirky little song. Sounds vaguely of Bowie and features a whistle track. This was a pretty disjointed listen for me, so not the best for making an overall impression. At the core, I feel like I enjoyed more about this album than I didn't. There were several songs that grabbed my attention, a few that fell to the background completely, and none that I didn't like. I would say this straddles a line somewhere between a high 3 and a low 4 for me.

Seems very strong

Very solid. Most previous members of Genesis evolved a great style and made good solo work, Gabriel especially.

Really liked this one. Good variety of songs, just the right amount of experimentation, maybe a smidge too long No self control was my favorite, very catchy and atmospheric

Pretty good

I've gone through the entire Genesis library (90% garbage) Phil Collins library (90% low hanging fruit) Mike and the Mechanics (surprisingly good) and Peter Gabriel. The latter of which is really, the best. I had no idea what a genius he was. "So" is a near perfect album. Biko, I don't Remember, and Games Without Frontiers are bangers.

хмммм не знаю..

Nice one.

Not his best work but still liked it

lots of interesting sounds, and dramatic arrangements - progressive pop ?

Sorry, Peter. I wasn’t really in the mood to properly rate this album. Biko is obviously a fantastic song

Some interesting stuff on this album. Can't say it was exactly my jam, but it wasn't boring.

Ok ok not too bad not too good, it had a sort of dark mysterious vibe, Too many rock consecutively ho gya toh can't give a very critical review pr not too bad nor v amazing Biko, intruder, i don't remember were i likey

good

++: Intruder, No Self Control, Start +: I Don't Remember, And Through the Wire +-: Games Without Frontiers, Not One of Us, Lead a Normal Life -: Family Snapshot, Biko 5,8/10

revisit

Prog rock - super operatic album start to finish. Two hit big songs I knew. Was a different cup of tea than i expected

Meh

not my favorite Peter Gabriel album, but some very good songs. 3/5.

Peter Gabriel has a unique sound - both voice and musical style - that’s generally appealing. But he sprinkles his hits among otherwise “just okay” songs.

More experimental than Peter Gabriel 1 from earlier, not quite to my level past a 3 but it was enjoyable for the day

Det er litt som Berlin-era Bowie krysset med Gary Numan. Et alternative history 80s Bowie. Sterk 3er.

Enig med andre her om at det er litt Berlin era David Bowie. Så denne får få samme karakter

I like this better than some of the other albums. Intruder is an interesting song.

Meh

It's an interesting album, I wouldn't say it's great but I wouldn't say it's bad. A solid 3

Not to the level of his self titled album but still well done and interesting.

cool

Favorite Song: Family Snapshot

6/10 Very much what I expected. Super serious pop, with the questionable lyrics of Games Without Frontiers

peter gabriel made so many albums which would be fine if they were really good but at best theyre just kinda good. really makes u think

Games without frontiers is the only memorable song, and it's been overplayed for 40 years now.

english.

Well, I wasn't expecting the scratchy Gang of Four guitar work to start the album. Fair play to Peter for listening to some of the post-punk sounds of the day and incorporating them into his sound after being in the least-punk band in history! Other bands I can hear are the Associates, Penetration, Monochrome Set... genuinely amazing! After the first song, not so amazing as Phil Collins's drums come to dominate 😭 Stars gained for the post-punk sounds, the politics and the incredible Games Against Frontiers and Biko. Stars lost for allowing Phil Collins anywhere near a recording studio.

Highlights: Biko, Games Without Frontiers, Intruder and I Don’t Remember. 3.8

Typical Peter Gabriel. Lots of interesting musical ideas set against a backdrop of insufferable wanker shit. 3.5/5

Bueno

3.4 I've found Peter Gabriel quite mixed before. This was quite mixed, but within one album. Some songs are quite got into it, others I was waiting for the end. It's unique, not aged the best but still holds up better than some of his stuff which came later. A good outing...ish

6/10: this should have really clicked with me, but it just didn’t to be honest. Phil Collins’ drum performance is excellent and it’s fun to get a bit of Kate Bush at a couple of points but I just didn’t really feel much of a pull to this album to be honest. I would revisit it in the future but for now I’m not hugely enamoured by it. Best song: Intruder

Favorite Tracks: - No Self Control - I Don’t Remember - Games Without Frontiers - Not One of Us

gran álbum. no le tenía nada de fe y no me gustó al inicio pero después encontré joyas

I listened, but I was distracted. Nothing really jumped out at me. Sorry, Peter.

Introduces instruments into pop music: marimba, bagpipes, etc. Decent voice, music itself is forgettable, lyrics may be poignant but got lost for me.

better than his debut, but i think this might be the uncanny valley between pop and experimental music.

Not bad.

Few songs will join my rotation. Not bad

Very unique music. Didn't vibe fully with it. Liked the voice of the singer, but didn't like how the voice was altered.

Not bad at all. Unique and experimental.

can't make up my mind here. i generally like it but it lacks some bite that other albums have...

Buen album, buenas canciones. Realmente un estándar pero de lo bueno y la buena música. En general, bueno. Buenazo.

Intruder - 4/5 No Self Control - 4.5/5 Start - 3.5/5 I Don't Remember - 3/5 Family Snapshot - 3/5 And Through The Wire - 3.5/5 Games Without Frontiers - 3/5 Not One Of Us - 3/5 Lead A Normal Life - 3/5 Biko - 3/5

Muy bueno e interesante

IDK. couldn't get a handle on it. it's fine. a little too weird but not in a fun way.

Good stuff

Been a while since I heard a xylophone

Really liked the instrumentation of this—unique but not extra. Also, the production history around this album is cool. Really liked the first two songs but skipped a few too many times throughout the rest to go higher than a 3

I’m honestly shocked how little i got from this, because in theory i should like this a lot and it’s got clear artistic merit and theming, idk maybe i’m off today and maybe next listen it’ll click, to be clear, i like it, i just thought i’d love it. My standout was I Don’t Remember (which is the name of the song), family snapshot and lead a normal life. Also i can totally hear trump in his vocals on And Through The Wire lmao

Strong.

Pretty cool and weird and experimental PG album

Pretty good, not as nice as his debut but still listenable.

This was decent, but I never got too fired up about it. It has that cold, twitchy art rock feel all over it, and I could respect what it was doing more than I really enjoyed sitting with it. The 80s is probably my least favorite decade when it comes to music, thrash metal aside. There’s enough here to call it decent, just not enough for me to rate it much higher than a 3. “Games Without Frontiers” was probably the best song on the album.

Those are very 1980s drums. I'm not always a fan of Peter Gabriel's singing but this album was overall pretty alright.

Meh. It’s ok.

Not as bad as the last album. Kinda like "I don't remember"

I listened to the Ein Deutsches Album version of this. Honestly, I speak German, but understood less of it than I would have if I'd just listened to the regular version. So the upshot of my approach is that Gabriel's voice became even more of an instrument than it usually does anyway. So... It's fine. But a bit much, really. Some of the sounds haven't aged terribly well. Spiel ohne Grenzen is still quite good. Better not read the German lyrics, though, if you do understand German. It really does make you wonder why Gabriel trusted the translator the way he obviously did.

Fine

Without "Games Without Frontiers" this would not have the reputation it has. Much of the album is clunky and the musicians (Fripp and Levin) are unfairly pushed to the background production-wise, making the entire thing ultimately mediocre

Never heard of him before, it's ok

Say what you will, the album is not boring. I'm not normally a fan of experimental music, but Peter Gabriel manages to make me actually not hate and maybe enjoy it, if only briefly.

Not really Gabriel's best but still a lot of good stuff on here

Some fun stuff, some kind of boring. I'd give it 3.5 if I could.

Jesus, compared to his other self-titled albums, this is dark. 3/5

Didnt listen too close but it wasn’t bad!

A cooler, more experimental album than I expected. It still has Gabriel’s voice which permeates what I understand to be 80s pop.

I've had two 70s era Genesis albums in the past week or so (loved them) and now this. Kind of funny that I'm getting sort of a history in music here. So I enjoyed this album, but I like the 70s era Genesis better. I didn't ever give Genesis a chance because I wasn't ever really impressed by Peter Gabriel or Phil Collins. Listening to this one today, I think I maybe appreciate Peter Gabriel a bit more, but there's still a something missing. Grit, maybe? I would like to have heard this album had it been made with a little bit harder edge. Giving this one 3.5/5 but rounding down because I don't think I would make a point to buy this if I saw it in the record shop.

This is not my favorite, but I would definitely listen to some songs on the radio. A soft three stars

Bit weird

iniziato e poi recupero meglio promesso, però mi stava piacendo

For some reason, I never liked Peter Gabriel. Something about his voice. Maybe way too much Sledgehammer on MTV. But this was just the right amount. And I was pleasantly surprised by how relatively edgy this album is, especially given its release date. I did not hate this.

Peter Gabriel’s third self-titled album — often referred to as 𝘔𝘦𝘭𝘵 — already shows his growing fascination with non-Western music, particularly African rhythms. The percussion-heavy arrangements and unusual grooves give the record a darker, more experimental character than typical rock albums of the period. The album also features several notable collaborators, and the musicianship throughout is consistently strong. Even so, the record feels more interesting in concept than in execution. It’s clearly an important step in Gabriel’s artistic development, but one that doesn’t fully resonate with me.

At the start I was disappointed. I wanted to like this more than I actually did and remember liking it more. Then it got better, but not great. I don’t think I ever listened to the whole album before. It is not the Gabriel album I would have chosen. 0 songs added to playlist.

There were some really good parts of this album, but most were kind of boring. Coincidentally, I got another Peter Gabriel album right before this one, and that one was similar to this; however, it just happened to have more interesting parts than this one. I’m kind of disappointed.

A unique listen, some cool sounds here and there but it wasnt something i could really vibe to. A disticitve early 80s sound, with some decent songs here and there but overall kind of a forgettable album.

I don't have a whole lot to say about this album. It was by no means bad and actually had a few moments where I was like "damn" because of lyrics or just instrumentals. Especially "Family Snapshot". I just never felt fully in it for whatever reason and for that reason won't be going back to relisten as a whole. Top 3: 1) Through the Wire 2) Family Snapshot 3) Lead a Normal Life

I liked the album. I felt that this has probably influence newer artists, I felt that I recognised some elements throughout the album. Some songs I would listen to again, but would not rush back to the album.

spooky, boring, kinda fun

So right off the back I gotta say, it feels alittle bit like I accidentally predicted this album when I reviewed his album So. I didn’t explicitly say it in the review (I don’t think I did at least but I didn’t go back and reread) but I remember really liking that album and really appreciating his instrumentals on all of his work and it made me think like “what would a darker almost brooding version of his music sound like?” Well it would sound like 3. It’s not dark or heavy like a metal album, but it’s definitely angsty and way different in tone to his other albums. It also comes out the gate with a wicked curve ball, like it’s almost Primus levels of nasty! In fact I’d say intruder is Peter Gabriel’s BEST(my favorite) song ever! It’s so silly, like I know this album is dark for him, but that first song is so silly and amazing! The other comment I wanted to make on this album before I wrap up is that the song “lead a normal life” has these xylophone sounding bits that remind my of the Akira soundtrack (which is fucking awesome but definitely just watch the full movie, don’t just go listen to the music. Akira is like the greatest anime movie all time m not exaggerating). The other two tracks that stood out on this album were “I don’t remember” and “games without frontiers”. Both of those songs are much closer to traditional Peter Gabriel pop music. All that being said I do think the album felt long, like it didn’t over stay its welcome necessary but it was just about to get there for me. Seriously an underrated album/forgotten album but definitely worth your time.

Games Without Frontiers a true classic. And Through the Wire a nice find. A good listen besides.

Better than I anticipated.

Favorite songs: I Don't Remember, Games Without Frontiers, Lead a Normal Life, Biko

It doesn’t all come together for me.

I can see the influence this album may have had on artists like Trent Reznor. It was an interesting listen, though nothing really stuck with me in a big way. 3.33/5.

Great

Not what I was expecting.

Did we really need 3 Peter Gabriel solo albums on this list? 'So' is strong enough to be his one representation. By now, he starts to come across as weird for the sake of weird. Erm... as I've continued through the album, it appears old Petey has moved nearer actual melodies for the songs and almost recogniable song structure. Though they gummy I've just taken is kicking in as well so maybe that is helping? Anyway. It's not as bad as I first assumed. Fair play. Still no need for 3 of his albums though. Best Tracks: No Self Control; I Don't Remember; And Through The Wire

This sounded like a mix between Phil Collins and Bowie at times, and I appreciated the variety in the instrumentals, but it just didn’t connect to me as a whole.

Look, Peter Gabriel is a genius don't get me wrong, but this isn't what genius creates IMO. It's too experimental for my taste. All those comparing this to one of Phil Collins solo albums, shame on you!

Viel zu anstrengend für meinen Geschmack.

This was a decent listen, I like his experimentation musically. On this album though, the only tracks that really stick with me are “I don’t Remember”, “Games without frontiers” and “Biko”. 3.5/5

Didn’t really melt my face off, but I liked it. The experimental feel to it is pretty impressive, and his adoption of the “no cymbal” policy is equally interesting from a production standpoint. Definitely opens up the percussion allowing it to thrive and drive differently. Pretty cool. Games Without Frontiers and Biko still remain the most solid tracks.

This was pretty good. Definitely a few songs that I liked, but a few that kinda stressed me out honestly. Not really something I’d come back to, but no major issues with this.

Can't say I loved this, but rounding up for Games Without Frontiers which is a bit of a guilty pleasure for me ever since it was featured on Legion. Appreciate the experimentation. And I'm sure there is some cool drum shit here. I am simply not smart enough to recognize it. 3/5

Hey gabie boy you're 3 for 3. He's got a good voice but overall don't think it's a standalone out album. Games without frontiers is a good song though.

Overall Rating - 2.95/5 (5.90/10). Solid album, if a little weird at times.

la vibe mélancolique et avant-gardiste de l’album est super intéressant pis j’adore la voix de Peter Gabriel mais le côté tres expérimental surtout au début de l’album rend ça plus difficile à écouter par moment - meilleure chanson; games without frontiers

Wonderfully weird

5/10

There’s certainly some well-written and well-played music here (the musicians in this album are a who’s who of progressive proponents of genre bending ideas), but it’s not reaching me emotionally. That’s always been the problem I’ve had with Peter Gabriel’s music. But, the song that bumps the album up a star for me is Biko. There’s a tune that moves me.

I'm surprised I don't hate this. It has a lot of elements I place between the classic '80s sound and what I consider '90s soft rock. That's all pulled off thanks to some exotic and really well pulled off creative decisions. Like that marimba, pops up every once in a while and steals the spotlight. There's some industrial backbone in here too. My main complaint, it feels a little mainstream a lot of the time. I wondered if I wouldn't be better off just listening to a Phil Collins album. It's a different vibe in the long run but the idea was there. If I ever catch that sick album art when I'm flipping through records, it's getting the fuck bought out of it. It's a cool display album, even if it's not entirely my thing. I like how it ends. 3.1/5

This album is wild. He is clearly looking for a style and is casting a huge net to find it. There are so many references and themes. Most of them not great. but it's wild to see how he is almost at a loss for what to do. There is only one song on So that is this tentative, but this whole album is like that. I was never a big fan of this album and now I know why. I love the way he is working through his style in this, but I prefer when he finally comes to a conclusion. I wonder how many other musicians could exist if they were given this chance to work through 3 albums before landing on something truly epic. That being said Games without frontiers is insanely good.

This was better than I'd thought it was going to be, and difficult to pidgeon hole from a time of new-wave, post-punk and proper naff pop music. 'Games Without Frontiers' is a standout, but that's hardly surprising given it's success as a single. Heard before ❌️ Listened this time ✅️ Revisit ❌️ ★★★☆☆ (6/10) Total reviewed : 218 Already owned : 49 Purchased : 10 To buy list : 4 Nope : 155

I love when I can recognize phil collin’s drumming. hi phil

Didnt blow me a way, sounds way modern though

Eh, it’s not Peter Gabriel’s best. Needs more spunk and more guitar.

Nice one Peter

weird as hell. kind of sounds like Paul Stanley sometimes

I really came into this one wanting to hate it, but it kept my interest with unique instrumentation and good songs.

best album we've listened to this week. I like some Gabriel but this was much weaker than his other we've listened to. solid 3.5 & will see which way I round later.

Favourites: 1. No Self Control Least Favourite: Intruder

Some Of his good stuff.

Lots of cool stuff in here, musically. I appreciate anyone putting themselves into their work. Dumb to say but I wish I could surgically remove the New Wave from this. Can't blame the guy for being a product of his time. I guess I get my wish on later albums. Which I like more. Solid. I vote more whistling in songs.

It really piqued my interest at the start. After the 4th song it became pretty average until Lead a normal life came on. Then Biko came on and not really a fan of it. All in all it was a good listen. Whilst I appreciate the influence it had on the 80s music this is just a high 3 for me.

Alright

530/1001

Typically don’t care for him but this wasn’t bad at all. Wonder when he took his wrong turn…

Pretty cool, you can hear a lot of Collins influence. But not my style songwriting wise.

The first song was a horrible way to start the album but then it got better. Two absolute bangers on here

First of what could be many of his albums in this list. Yet another bang in the middle for me, but if there was point 5 stars it would be 3.5 so take of that what you will

I liked this more than I thought I would!

Waited a bit late in the day for this, and a bit too experimental for my typical tastes, but I could see myself liking this a lot upon relistening. Still, today 3.25/5

It’s fine. I like Peter Gabriel in theory. He’s kinda weird, he’s got a pleasant voice, he does some unusual things with his music. The problem is he somehow makes all of that sound a bit generic.

Did listen, quite liked it

Meeeget skeptisk til å begynne med, men utvikla seg ålreit.

Was stoked for some Peter Gabriel. Having only listened to the hits before this was a weird experience. Was also just a weird album. Thought the first song was nine inch nails.

Prvá pesnička ma dosť vystrašila lebo to znelo ako niečo čo by šlo v pozadí keď sa Gregor Samsa prebudil, ale potom už to bol vibe takže 😌 Nie ohromujúce a svetumeniace ale veľmi fajn Budem si pri tom lakovať nechty (berte to ako kompliment)

Sort of catchy, and I'm sure very innovative at the time, but not really for me. Standout Tracks: And Through The Wire, Games Without Frontiers

#227/1001. I think I used to own this but sold or gave it away. Didn't really remember any of these songs though. First listen in the car was super meh, but I decided to give it a second chance with headphones during the night. This 2nd listen revealed a totally different album, at least sonically: all sort of interesting things happening here, curious song crafting out of the normal mold. I also realized something about those 80s drums (reading wikipedia): this album doesn't use any cymbals, and the fab seemed to catch up, with all the jungle and goth drums: today as I'm writing this the project is offering me beloved Echo and the Bunnymen, many songs without any cymbals as well it seems... But something disturbs about the Gabriel III album, hard to pin what it is, his voice or the boring (as in not popular / hit material) songs, or the 80s aged synth sounds or a mixture of these? Nevertheless for me the greatest sin in this album is that if you get Kate Bush to sing on your album, give the Goddess a bit more room for christs sake. For this fact -1

I'm not totally sure if I liked it or not. I listened to the whole thing, so I guess that's something. It's kind of weird and feels experimental at times.

Peter Gabriel - 3? OK then

I really didn't want to like it, and it started at a pace I was prepared to hate. But I reluctantly liked it.

Actually really interesting. I like the way that things are experimented on here. That being said, that's not enough to bump this up any more than this. Sometimes it feels really hard to give a rating; I feel limited. Like this 3 is not the same as another one. I usually give 3's to albums that are fine, nothing special, maybe a bit boring at some points, but at the end of the day are ok, not good, not bad, just ok. In this case, even if it's a 3, it's still interesting. It doesn't get a 3 for being average; it gets a 3 just because it's not enough to REALLY impress me, but I still had fun and I'm glad I got to listen to this. I feel like, especially for the 3's, I have to be very specific with my thoughts, so that in 5, 2, hell, even one year, I remember what distinctions I made, if an album was painfully average but still an alright listen, or if it's actually something kinda good, just not my thing. I'm already having trouble comparing albums when thinking about the ratings, so i feel like this is the best approach. Fitting name for the album though, Peter Gabriel 3 gets a 3.

Love me some Peter Gabriel and #3 is quite a nice album. Have heard Game of Frontiers a few times and enjoyed listening to this one on a night walk.

Peter Gabriel 3 gets 3

It was Ok, I'd listen to this again.

If it weren’t for this, I don’t think nine inch nails would exist. As well as many of that industrial and heavy music that this clearly influenced. But this felt like a beta version of what could have been and when compared to Peter Gabriel’s other albums, doesn’t rate so high because it was just too weird to love the whole thing.

I love how my first exposure to Peter Gabriel was his commercial stuff in the late 80s. This is so weird and cool.

I can appreciate the experimental aspects and industry influence, but not a super compelling listen beyond that. Favorite Tracks: Family Snapshot, Not One of Us

Meh... early Eighties synthetic rock... heavy drum fetish.

I was worried I was going to have to admit, reluctantly, that this was pretty good. In the event though it’s fairly pedestrian. Phew. It’s not bad but is very pleased with itself. Biko is a standout track.

Never listened to any of his solo work before but I quite enjoyed this. The synth-guitar had a good sound to it but I also couldn't get my head around how much he sounded like Phil Collins? The final track was quite odd in comparison to most of the album but not bad

i think listening once to this is not enough but it didn't grip me enough to listen again

Listened Before? N This one was pretty dynamic. Lots of unique rhythms and Gabriel's multi-layered musical style blended well with the early-80's themes of excess, war, and international politics. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Games Without Frontiers

Interesting themes, cool lyrics, more diverse & thoughtful than your standard love songs. Like his voice and music cool too. Probs nearer a 3.5 stars. Games without Frontiers and Biko my two faves.

it gave me phil colins x roger taylor vibes but not in a way that shocked or interested me

Most of this album was new to me and a surprise. Really appreciate the experimental nature of it - a lot of cool stuff going on. Not all of it is for me, but most of it is.

Peters solides Album. „Game without frontiers“ ist gut. Die weiteren Tracks aber nicht vielmehr als Füllwerk.

klinkt nog steeds als Genesis ... mooi album

I liked the beginning and the end. The middle was ok.

Enjoyed this one! Gets a bit heavier than expected.

Not great

Exactly what I wanted with this album. I loved the super cool percussion choices and odd instruments scattered throughout each track. Never heard of Larry Fast (synth player), but Ill be digging him up. The synth contributions on No Self Control were fantastic (Kate Bush apparently surfaced on that track too)! A few annoying tracks on here, so im docking it to a 3. Definitely would recommend certain cuts to friends

I liked it. Weird.

3.4.

Great production and it sounds good. But I don’t like the songs very well, and I’m thrown off by his voice. Something about his tone just doesn’t click with me

Games without frontiers and Biko are really good songs. In general, I extremely like the messages and narratives of Gabriel`s songs. This album is 3.5+ for me

Good

Peter Gabriel is a treasure, but this album is a little less than that. I appreciate his desire to mix weirder sounds and textures with pop music, and he generally succeeds, but while like the album, I wouldn't say I like it that much. I'm torn, because hits aren't particularly potent, and there's a lack of earworms throughout, but it's a still consistently decent record.

The best Peter Gabriel album, though its author remains in the long shadows cast by Kate Bush and David Bowie - artists who ventured more decisively into the uncanny and poetry. Gabriel approaches it, reaches towards it, but ultimately retreats. The theatrical excesses of Genesis were pure pantomime: a masquerade of menace rather than the thing itself. Melt makes a stronger claim, but even its darkest corners are lit, eventually, by the open-hearted conscience of Biko. Gabriel is ultimately too soft. From there it’s a short slide to the vaseline-focus sentiment of In Your Eyes and the pristine pop engineering of Sledgehammer. Yet in those first three self-titled solo albums he comes close to something far less audience-conscious, far more disquieting. Moribund the Burgermeister, A Wonderful Day in a One-Way World, and much of Melt gesture toward a genuine otherworldliness - a space where the strange isn’t a pose but an emergent property, “within the magic circle of an alien will,” as Jung would have it. Intruder, No Self Control, And Through The Wire: his flirtation with obsession parallels Bush’s with spirits and Bowie’s with the occult and madness: a brush against unstable forces rather than a full embrace. It doesn’t last the length of the album, which is ultimately frustrating. In my review of So, I criticised Gabriel for angling too eagerly toward the mainstream - an instinct at odds with his own self-appointed status as Not One of Us. But perhaps So is not the aberration; perhaps this album is. Perhaps Gabriel is, fundamentally, too sane, too solid, too well-calibrated to cross the thresholds his contemporaries passed through, to do real art and real poetry. He visits the uncanny; he does not dwell in it. That might be an unfair assessment, as I like this album a lot, regardless. 3.5 This album sounds very good. Peter Gabriel has a remarkable talent for making records that sound polished and pristine without sounding sterile; a delicate balance. Here’s a hero of the age of Hi-Fi. The mixture of keyboard sounds, however diverse, always seems well judged. The drums pop nicely. However, Peter Gabriel 3 is not as good as it sounds. The songs are a bit shit. The melodies are rather turgid and lumbering and perhaps then well fitted to the lyrics. The lyrics stink. I salute the ambition of songs like Family Snapshot or Games Without Frontiers but Gabriel hasn’t the poetry in him for the task. These are bad lyrics, sometimes painful. 2/5

I was prepared for some real suck. But honestly pretty cool record. Even heard hints of The Replacements.

Rating: 7/10 Really enjoyed the experimentation on this album.

Very interesting album as they generally all are from Peter Gabriel. Lots of different ideas. None of them commercial which is always the sign of an artist willing to try things and not he a soundalike. Games without frontiers was two tribes before frankie did it and biko was 4 years before paul simon. Not everything works but it is very listenable.

Not One of Us : l'inspiration derrière Not Like Us ? au-delà de l'aspect très novateur pour la période (un peu hallucinant de penser que l'album est sorti en 1980, et Intruder est une sacrée entrée en manière, il faut le souligner), je trouve personnellement qu'on retrouve assez peu de sons tels quels de nos jours. je me suis surprise à vraiment apprécier certains morceaux comme I Don't Remember ou No Self Control (ce dernier fait limite un peu fusion rock-électro-house). la guitare électrique est à l'honneur, l'expérimentation ne prend pas le dessus sur la technicité (des connaissances que je commence à intégrer suite aux nombreux albums de rock passés). je le trouve ceci dit difficile à situer par rapport aux albums de rock précédents. l'expérience d'écoute a été bien plus agréable que ce à quoi je m'attendais, je saisis bien plus la vibe que pour The Downward Spiral, par exemple, mais je pense qu'il faut que je réécoute plusieurs fois pour l'apprécier à sa juste valeur. un 3.6 ici.

I used to like this a lot more than I do now on a fresh listen.

Excellent album. Probably doesn't reach that 'next level' of greatness for me, but some of the songs here individually do.

I thought it was going to be strange with an intro like that. It wasn't bad

Begli spunti, da ascoltare con cura.

I love Peter Gabriel but this really didn’t do it for me. It’s maybe a bit too art rock for his style? He was obviously inspired but it didn’t translate to a great album for me. Great dynamics and singing, neat fretless bass but no real staying power in my musical landscape.

119/1001 :: Peter Gabriel - 3 Heard before? ❌ Would I revisit? ❌ Rating: 6 Listen before you die: I guess First off the cover art is incredible. Not sure it really matches the music but I guess context is key here. He was using sounds and bringing in influences that other people weren’t and I think that’s what makes this special. And while it’s a fine listen it’s just not really my thing. Glad I gave it a good spin. Don’t hate it, but don’t love it either.

Just ok

The album cover may hint at someone struggling to face their demons is what I would guess. Has a dark start with brooding vocals.

Like it

Neat

This was very up and down for me. It started out with a slog of a song. I really liked I Don't Remember and Family Snapshot, and then the rest felt forgettable. I don't love the 80's new-wave sound overall so that plays into it.

Say Peter Gabriel, and you say Biko. In my opinion, a more appealing song than Sledgehammer. Even in the first track of this album, I already heard Biko...

I found some of the tracks on this album had a sort of unsettling quality. Haunted house but all the ghouls are sad about something.

A good album, but not flawless. The opener rocks and sets a good, claustrophobic tone for the rest of the album. Unfortunately nothing from the first side really reaches the same high as Intruder. I much preferred Side B, the variety of style here worked a lot better for me particularly the track Lead a Normal Life. I am certainly glad this was shorter than Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, I liked that album but I really don't know if I could deal with this being three times longer. Overall, this was really close to being a 4/5 for me, but considering that I didn't gel with like half the songs on this album but I really like a couple of tracks it's a strong 3. Highlights: Intruder, Games Without Frontiers, Lead a Normal Life

Good album

Fav: I Don’t Remember Least Fav: Intruder Peter Gabriel 3/5

I’m starting to reach the point where I am hearing multiple albums by the same artists on this list, and it really makes me question the need to hear them. This is a fine album. Good hooks, fun production, etc. But there’s a nagging feeling that even some of the bad albums deserve a spot more than making sure multiple albums of a discography are here. It should be more of a suggested listening if you find Sledgehammer getting stuck in your head after hearing it for this project.

I’ve always preferred Collins-era Genesis over Gabriel-era Genesis because I found the Gabriel songs to be generally ponderous, meandering or weird. I feel the same way about Gabriel’s solo work. With a few exceptions, I just can’t get into his solo work. “So” is the biggest exception as it was very commercial but each of his earlier albums had one or two tracks I can get into. Overall I would give this 3.5/5. Nothing I hated but not enough bright spots for me to want to own it either.

Definitely needs more listens, but good enough that a couple of songs have been added to my playlist. My first full Peter Gabriel album.

3 indeed

No idea what to expect from this. He was in genesis right? So like accessibly pretentious? Okay yep at track one i was primed for a bad time but its mostly inoffensive i can see why you could really live Peter Gabriel just not really my bag. Getting bored of his singing voice??? Idk why its perfectly decent. Games without Frontiers and I was like Oh its know this one!!!! And then decided i dont like it at all lmao. Idk it has its moments maybe. There are points here that make me think i could probably enjoy it more after a few listens but idk if i can be arsed. I can't really think of a situation in which id be itching to hear it. Here comes the 3.

Started out kind of cool dark synth pop. Lots of xylophone sounds. Kinda fizzled out on the interesting after first three or so songs

Just could not get into it, production is fantastic but it’s just too weird and feels like it’s trying too hard to be weird

Gabriel did himself a real disservice by eschewing cymbals. There’s a whole range of ultra-high frequencies that the cymbals fill in recorded music, and without that, the whole thing just sounds like it’s missing something. Which is a real shame because there’s some great melodies and lots of interesting sounds that would have been elevated by not arbitrarily cutting out one part of the drum kit.

Liked a few of the songs. No complaints.

Pas transcendant.

1 good song

It was okay. Perfectly serviceable album.

A bit challenging to get through, but I get this record's importance due to when it was released. 3/5

ADN Génesis. Te atrapa en su sonido desde el principio. Una percusión interesante en muchos momentos, y melodías imprevisibles que hacen que sea una escucha muy agradable. 6/10

3 sterne

Became meh at times but solid album.

An alright album on the whole. It had its moments of weirdness and I feel they let the rest of the songs down Like why did he start the opening track with guitars screeching?! Unpleasant and ruined the song. The good songs though were very catchy! 3 ⭐️

Good album. Captures the listener’s attention with interesting arrangements and themes.

Very interesting, some good sounds, but a little too experimental for me

ihan kivaa musiikkia

I probably liked it more because I wasnt paying attention

Melt

2.5 but I'm feeling generous today. There was nothing on this album that grabbed my attention.

Pretty good. Missing a banger I think

I like his voice and style but this one doesn't have any of the hits and probably only 1 song I'd choose to listen to again

Interesting album, not a lot of great stuff but none of it was awful

Meh

-wow this is some dreary shit. very fascinating music though, i’m glad i got to check it out -that being said i feel like it just tried to go in too many directions for me to really get into it. couldn’t really figure out what he was going for, which doesn’t make it bad but i could’ve liked it more -Favorites are No Self Control and Biko

Solid, but rather unexciting. Kind of like naming your third solo album "Peter Gabriel 3".

It's ok. Games Without Frontiers is the only real highlight on the album. But as a whole the album is ok.

I feel like this wasn't for me. That can be solely from the fact that I'm not experienced in this type of music yet. The instrumentals were cool ig but the vocals js didnt sit right with me. I didn't really like his delivery or the way they were mixed. A couple saves from this album but yeah

I really found it difficult to rate this one. By rights I should like it. It’s interesting, good melodies-sounds like Bowie/Japan, lots of worthy contributors – Paul Weller, Kate Bush and ahem.. Phil Collins. However, it just didn’t do it for me. I was left feeling quite cold. It didn’t help that his vocals were lost in the mix, perhaps contributing to my emotional distance from it.

It's the sound of the 80s, boiled down like an English roast until it's kinda flavourless. Very much like Bowie's 80s, but without anything memorable enough to come back to.

I guess this is the critic's album if you're going to like PG. But honestly, while there were elements of the album I liked, no particular song really stood out to me as something I would listen on the regular. And I really like PG. I spent all morning listening to his other albums after this one. The album is kind of a bummer. I like my PG upbeat. Maybe that makes me a Philistine but so be it.

A fine album, but nothing really stood out to me. None of the songs were bad, but none of the choruses or melodies were really that memorable. I thought So was a much better album and this one could have probably been left off the list. Mid 3.

I'm not sure how to feel about this, but it's definitely weird. Peter Gabriel has always been either way too experimental or too Disney mainline for me. I did like the marimbas on No Self Control though.

Unfortunately, didn’t grab ahold of me. I like the post-rock/punk vibes and I would revisit.

Most of the songs are good, but a few didn't really stick with me.

The opener gave me fears of this being like earlier 70's new wave but I was pleasantly surprised as the album went on. The instrumentals make use of more modulation and Gabriels voice is actually good, not like a person on valium trying to shout. A couple of these pieces convey a sense of urgency and nervousness that actually goes somewhere for a change. So good on you Gabriel for fixing a lot of my gripes with the genres this is based on.

I thought I wouldn't like this. My first impressions, No-Jacket-Required-Era Phil Collins trying to be Bowie (which after a few Bowie albums on this list being absolute stinkers, is an ominous sign!). The instrumentation seemed pretty dated, in that 'hasn't aged well' kinda way (not old enough to be cool). Seemed like the kinda album an uncle would give you. Mine would give it to me and give me a taste of his favourite joke, 'the penguin'. However, there are some nice spots in this album. 'I Don't Remember' was quite a nice song. I did take to 'Biko' initially with the mixture of indigenous vocals, pipe band and african drum combo - then I remembered Crowded House did it better on Together Alone. AND... it sounded like one of the members of Baha Men was shouting 'Who! Who!' in my ear. Whatever happened to those guys?! No. I know you, or anyone else, cares. I did HATE 'Games without Frontiers', and I was glad the album was over. This one sits in the middle, it's not going to leave an impression on me, but I wouldn't openly slate it vocally to everyone (looking at you 'Soft Machine'!). 3 Stars.

The album's strongest moments are found in its middle section, where Peter Gabriel crafts engaging and thoughtful tracks. However, the opening and closing portions drift into overly experimental territory, leaning heavily into progressive elements that felt more pretentious than captivating. Despite this unevenness, the album still offers enough to enjoy for those who appreciate Gabriel's eclectic style.

Pretty rad. I wanted to check out more of PG.

3.5

Not his best.

Good amount of creativity in this guy. I think I liked his other album more though. Could probably give another listen.

This is very weird. Experimental. I enjoyed my listen but I won’t listen to it again. Just odd choices in a lot of areas.

It's ok his other albums are better

A bit too scratchy and high for me personally but a wonderful album, not listened to anything similar- super unique

The Devil, Prog, Pop, and New Wave Are Raging Inside Me. Good ideas either taken too far or not far enough, can't tell which. Storytelling that's about as subtle as a sledgehammer (ha!). Dinged down for being high concept but also not cohesive.

Better than I expected but not one I need again!

Very interesting, sonically, but will require more than one listen to get all the lyrics.

what a interesting album. very interesting

Enjoyable, but def got some clinky-clanky sounds that through me off a bit. Worth a revisit though as there’s more here than just Games Without Frontiers

a bit too psychedelic for my taste. i like the more pop songs of gabriel

peter gabriel has a much wider music repertoire than I had previously thought

This one is aight. Has some highs and some snoozers Will I listen to again: 25%

7 out of 10. probably gets better on further listens.

***An ok album

Started to listen. Very atmospheric