3

"Intruder" sets the stage for the rest of the album. Having removed all the metal percussion from the studio, the forbidding sounds of the drums and the creaking scratch of the piano string remain one of the most frightening introductions to kick off an album. It was also an environment that Gabriel held through the duration of PG3, be it from the alienation of "Family Snapshot" to the slyly political "Games Without Frontiers;" that atmosphere of impending disaster sucks you in.

This was also the album where Gabriel discovered the earthy rythms that became central to his future albums. Both "Intruder" and "Not One Of Us" take a significant amount of their edge from these arrangements, and producer Steve Lillywhite knew exactly how to make that kind of percussive sound work in favor of the artist. Perhaps it is best exemplified by "Biko," one of the finest politically tinged songs of the eighties and one that still holds up well today. "It was business as usual in police room 619" Gabriel informs us, as chants and drums give us a greater sense of place. It's a relatively simple sound with a softly delivered message ("the eyes of the world are watching now"), and brings PG3 to a satisfying and emotionally charged conclusion.

The remaster really does make a difference for this CD, and I already consider this Peter Gabriel's high water mark. But it's also the first of three five star recordings, and a great place to start.


Incredible   June 19, 2004
Brian Ogilby (Worcester, VT USA)
On Peter Gabriel 3 Gabriel fully abandoned his Prog Rock past but came up with a dissonant and disturbing masterpiece which also featured world music suiting his soulfull voice. Gabriel writes all the lyrics without a single cowritter for the first time and he also plays instruments on all but one of the songs which add to the albums appeal. Gabriels songwritings incredible particularly on the scairy Intruder, No Self Control, the menacing (ballad!) Family Snapshot and the haunting Biko. This album also earns kudos for featuring Gabriels only studio album instrumental, Start.


Great Experimental Music   April 8, 2004
anonymous
Peter Gabriel's "melting face" album is an album that I have just discovered, and I can't stop listening to it. It seems to be one of the great post -punk new wave albums to come out in the late seventies to early eighties. The experimentation on this album is amazing, and the thought behind it convinces me that Peter Gabriel is a genius. The only songs that I think slightly degrade the album's perfection (hence the 4 star rating), are "And Through the Wire," and "Games Without Frontiers." These songs are more commercial than the rest of the album's experimental attitude. But, even though I can't stand "And Through the Wire," "Games Without Frontiers" is an ok song, it is just not up to the genius of the other songs. But, these 2 songs are just 2 out of 10 songs. Do yourself a musical favor if you like experimental music and get this album as soon as possible.


One of the Greatest Rock Albums of All Time   December 6, 2003
Dr. Michael A. Rinella (Albany, NY United States)
The other 5-Star reviews have said it all, really, I'm not sure what I could add. There are not many rock recordings that qualify as "art" (and art endures, it is eternal) but this is one. At less than $15.00, practically the cost of a movie ticket now, you really should get this un-named work.

What strikes me about this recording is that so many of the songs are about outsiders, social outcasts, failures, opponents of the regime, the Other and all that. Intruders, assassins, citizens without their papers, psychiatric patients, angry people in tree tops, etc., populate these songs.

"September, '77, Port Elizabeth, weather fine. It was business as usual, in police room 619".

It's a dark scary world out there, and he's right. It's only gotten scarier since 1980.

[Sidenote: this recording always makes me think of John Lennon's first solo work "Plastic Ono Band" that came out in 1970 (compare the photo on the back of Lennon's Album with the front of this one), but whereas Lennons songs are introspective, Gabriel's are more outward looking. Two great works of art however.]


Solid but slightly overrated   December 3, 2003
Michael Topper (Pacific Palisades, California United States)
Peter Gabriel's third self-titled album is often considered a rock masterpiece by his fans (just check out the reviews on this page), but although it was the first truly unified work of his solo career in both music and lyric, there remained a few kinks that would not be ironed out until the next effort "Security" (his true magnum opus). There are certainly a host of classics on this effort, which exude a truly chilling feel of isolation, terror and psychosis: with its cymbal-less drums and metallic reverb, "Intruder" basically ushered in the 80s, although its avant-garde construction is a far cry from the simplistic dance-pop that would eventually rule the decade. "No Self Control" is a similarly twisted look into the psyche, while the quiet "Lead A Normal Life" masks the eerie tale of an inmate. The closing "Biko" is still a majestic anthem after all these years, with a chanted chorus that may bring tears to the eyes; its world-music dabblings would also foreshadow the direction he would take for the rest of his career.

In spite of its many achievements, "Melt" was not entirely free of the pop/rock filler that had surfaced on his first two solo efforts. "And Through The Wire" and "Not One Of Us", while energetic, aren't particularly interesting melodically or rhythmically. "I Don't Remember" is an otherwise-great single marred by some dated synth effects (the album's pioneering 80s sound working both for and against it these days). On the other hand, the other single "Games Without Frontiers" manages to use its drum-machine groove to highlight a blackly humorous tale of
global competitiveness, inspired by a then-popular UK game show.

Compared to most other artists, Gabriel's lyrical depth, innovative arrangements and powerful vocals combined to create
a work which fused the catchy, energetic New Wave sound of its time with dark, edgy art-pop touches. Yes, it was a long way from Genesis, although the connections between, say, "Back In NYC" and "No Self Control" weren't so wide after all, and I enjoy both with equal measure. Genius is genius, no matter what genre it is couched in, and Gabriel's achievement has been to move forward into pioneering new vistas of sound and style while still retaining an identifiable character that is uniquely his.