Peter Gabriel 3: Melt [Original recording remastered]

Amazon.com essential recording
An epic production highlighted by the clockwork undertones of "Intruder" and the Afro-prog-rock of "Biko," the third in Peter Gabriel's trilogy of eponymous solo titles is a watermark of the former Genesis singer's career. Drummer Jerry Marotta's tight global-groove templates drive the edgy guitar pastiches of Robert Fripp, David Rhodes, Paul Weller, and XTC's Dave Gregory. Yielding the enigmatic 1980 hit "Games Without Frontiers," the Steve Lillywhite-produced opus travels the dark psychic corners of its narrator with a then-profoundly futuristic sound that's no less compelling than Bowie's Scary Monsters, which was released the same year. The cover may depict Gabriel's melting face, but the album marks Gabriel's arrival as a solid solo artist. --James Rotondi

Peter Gabriel 3: Melt,Peter Gabriel,Geffen Records,Pop,Rock,Rock/Pop

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Peter Gabriel 3: Melt [Original recording remastered]

Average customer rating: Progressive New Wave Truely great 3 Peter Gabriel - His Best Solo Album Amazing Album

Peter Gabriel 3: Melt Peter Gabriel Manufacturer: Geffen Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Pop | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Classic Rock | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Rock | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Alternative Rock | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Peter Gabriel 1: Car Security Peter Gabriel 2: Scratch So Us ASIN: B000065VB0 Release Date: 2002-05-07

Tracks:

1. Intruder
2. No Self-Control
3. Start
4. I Don't Remember
5. Family Snapshot
6. And Through The Wire
7. Games Without Frontiers
8. Not One Of Us
9. Lead A Normal Life
10. Biko

Amazon.com essential recording

An epic production highlighted by the clockwork undertones of "Intruder" and the Afro-prog-rock of "Biko," the third in Peter Gabriel's trilogy of eponymous solo titles is a watermark of the former Genesis singer's career. Drummer Jerry Marotta's tight global-groove templates drive the edgy guitar pastiches of Robert Fripp, David Rhodes, Paul Weller, and XTC's Dave Gregory. Yielding the enigmatic 1980 hit "Games Without Frontiers," the Steve Lillywhite-produced opus travels the dark psychic corners of its narrator with a then-profoundly futuristic sound that's no less compelling than Bowie's Scary Monsters, which was released the same year. The cover may depict Gabriel's melting face, but the album marks Gabriel's arrival as a solid solo artist. --James Rotondi

Customer Reviews:

Progressive New Wave.......2007-05-28

Released in 1980, this came out when artistic music was moving from a progressive rock sound to new wave. This album reflects that transition.

Released before CD technology, this album is 45 minutes long. The sound quality of the original CD was OK. But, I can see (hear) where this remastered version might be somewhat better.

This is Gabriel's third solo album. Like all previous two albums, the title is simply "Peter Gabriel". People would call it "Melt" because of his slurred picture and to distinquish it from the earlier two albums. Gabriel's fourth album would also be title "Peter Gabriel" everywhere in the world, except the US, where it would be called "Security".

This album has a transitional sound between progressive rock and new wave. It sounds a lot like the new wave music that would be comeing out of the UK in the early eighties, especiall Tears For Fears.

Many people consider this to be Gabriel's best album. But, I think it sounds a bit dated, especially when you compare it to the sensational So. Still I think it is a very good album.

Gabriel does begin to show the marks of maturity and significant song writing with Biko. This is the type of song and music he would carry on in future albums.

Truely great.......2007-05-07

Other than stating the obvious that this is a masterpiece, a landmark, Gabriel at his solo best, the only thing that prevents me from giving it 5 stars (what it truely deserves) is even though the recording is clear with excellent soundstaging, its lacking in base extension. One might disagree and say that there is a lot of base and yes there is, but it's all in the upper base. There is none in the lower registers. This takes away some of the power and authority that this music demands. But taken into perspective of the greatness of this music, it's a minor nit pic.

3.......2007-04-21

"Peter Gabriel" (3, 1980) is a pretty fine introduction to Peter Gabriel's solo career, and there are some great tracks, with contributions by some fine musicians (Phil Collins on drums in "Intruder", Robert Fripp on guitar in "I Don't Remember", Tony Levin on bass, Kate Bush doing backup vocals on "No Self Control, etc). It's got a big sound, and it's worth a listen. It's not my favorite album though, there's just something about it that is a little offputting in the way some of the tracks go, though I can't quite say what it is.

My favorite tracks would have to be "Intruder" which is pretty creepy, "No Self Control" (especially the middle bit), the bittersweet instrumental "Start", the upbeat "I Don't Remember" and the tragic buildup of "Family Snapshot". Basically the first half of the album I really like. "Games Without Frontiers" isn't too bad either.

The booklet of the remaster contains full lyrics and images from the era of the album.

Peter Gabriel - His Best Solo Album.......2007-04-05

To me this is the album where Gabriel really got it together as a solo artist. In my opinion it is his best solo work with rock solid material throughout the whole thing. From a songwriting perspective the album contains some of Gabriel's best lyrics and the music, although not as dynamic as his Genesis days, comes across as a perfect fit with the dramatic vocals and lyrics. Musically the thing that really stands out on this disc is the percussion. Gabriel made the decision that his drummers would not use any cymbals on this disc which lends the percussion a unique quality. The drumming duties were shared by Jerry Marotta and Phil Collins consistently coming across as loud and booming, a style that Gabriel would incorporate throughout the rest of his career. The overall percussion work on this disc is really outstanding. The album also sees Gabriel making his first forays into "world" music, which he would explore in much more detail later in his career. Once again, the tribal percussion aspect of these tracks is a highlight. The songs on the album are consistently great. Highlights include the album opener "Intruder" a truly creepy song about a burglar who obviously loves his job. Next is "No Self-Control", another great song that pretty much describes periods of my own life. "I Don't Remember" was an AOR hit and a great little rocker with that booming drum sound. "Family Snapshot" seems to be a portrait of a presidential assassin (Lee Harvey Oswald maybe?) until the song gets to the final few lines where we find out that it is really just a young child playing a fantasy in his own mind, in desperate need of attention. Is this a foreshadowing of what the child will be as an adult? The song is a prime example of Gabriel at his absolute best. "And Through The Wire" could possibly be a sequel to "On The Air" from the previous album. "Games Without Frontiers" was another AOR radio hit that reduces the act of war to a children's game. It is another brilliant track. "Not One Of Us" can be related to by anyone who has been considered an outsider and is another great track. The album closes with "Biko" which presents an historical account of the death of South African freedom fighter Stephen Biko who was killed while imprisoned. It is a powerful piece of music that resonates to this day. Gabriel 3 is the man at his absolute best. If you are looking to explore Gabriel's solo albums this would be a great place to start. Personally I do not think he has done anything better.

Amazing Album.......2007-03-31

I love Intruder, my favorite track. One of my favorite early Peter Gabriel Albums.

Average customer rating: Progressive New Wave Truely great 3 Peter Gabriel - His Best Solo Album Amazing Album

Peter Gabriel 3: Melt (Dig) Peter Gabriel Manufacturer: Umvd Labels ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Rock | Styles | Music Progressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: Peter Gabriel 1: Car Security Peter Gabriel 2: Scratch So Us ASIN: B000065VB9 Release Date: 2002-05-07

Amazon.com essential recording

An epic production highlighted by the clockwork undertones of "Intruder" and the Afro-prog-rock of "Biko," the third in Peter Gabriel's trilogy of eponymous solo titles is a watermark of the former Genesis singer's career. Drummer Jerry Marotta's tight global-groove templates drive the edgy guitar pastiches of Robert Fripp, David Rhodes, Paul Weller, and XTC's Dave Gregory. Yielding the enigmatic 1980 hit "Games Without Frontiers," the Steve Lillywhite-produced opus travels the dark psychic corners of its narrator with a then-profoundly futuristic sound that's no less compelling than Bowie's Scary Monsters, which was released the same year. The cover may depict Gabriel's melting face, but the album marks Gabriel's arrival as a solid solo artist. --James Rotondi

Customer Reviews:

Progressive New Wave.......2007-05-28

Released in 1980, this came out when artistic music was moving from a progressive rock sound to new wave. This album reflects that transition.

Released before CD technology, this album is 45 minutes long. The sound quality of the original CD was OK. But, I can see (hear) where this remastered version might be somewhat better.

This is Gabriel's third solo album. Like all previous two albums, the title is simply "Peter Gabriel". People would call it "Melt" because of his slurred picture and to distinquish it from the earlier two albums. Gabriel's fourth album would also be title "Peter Gabriel" everywhere in the world, except the US, where it would be called "Security".

This album has a transitional sound between progressive rock and new wave. It sounds a lot like the new wave music that would be comeing out of the UK in the early eighties, especiall Tears For Fears.

Many people consider this to be Gabriel's best album. But, I think it sounds a bit dated, especially when you compare it to the sensational So. Still I think it is a very good album.

Gabriel does begin to show the marks of maturity and significant song writing with Biko. This is the type of song and music he would carry on in future albums.

Truely great.......2007-05-07

Other than stating the obvious that this is a masterpiece, a landmark, Gabriel at his solo best, the only thing that prevents me from giving it 5 stars (what it truely deserves) is even though the recording is clear with excellent soundstaging, its lacking in base extension. One might disagree and say that there is a lot of base and yes there is, but it's all in the upper base. There is none in the lower registers. This takes away some of the power and authority that this music demands. But taken into perspective of the greatness of this music, it's a minor nit pic.

3.......2007-04-21

"Peter Gabriel" (3, 1980) is a pretty fine introduction to Peter Gabriel's solo career, and there are some great tracks, with contributions by some fine musicians (Phil Collins on drums in "Intruder", Robert Fripp on guitar in "I Don't Remember", Tony Levin on bass, Kate Bush doing backup vocals on "No Self Control, etc). It's got a big sound, and it's worth a listen. It's not my favorite album though, there's just something about it that is a little offputting in the way some of the tracks go, though I can't quite say what it is.

My favorite tracks would have to be "Intruder" which is pretty creepy, "No Self Control" (especially the middle bit), the bittersweet instrumental "Start", the upbeat "I Don't Remember" and the tragic buildup of "Family Snapshot". Basically the first half of the album I really like. "Games Without Frontiers" isn't too bad either.

The booklet of the remaster contains full lyrics and images from the era of the album.

Peter Gabriel - His Best Solo Album.......2007-04-05

To me this is the album where Gabriel really got it together as a solo artist. In my opinion it is his best solo work with rock solid material throughout the whole thing. From a songwriting perspective the album contains some of Gabriel's best lyrics and the music, although not as dynamic as his Genesis days, comes across as a perfect fit with the dramatic vocals and lyrics. Musically the thing that really stands out on this disc is the percussion. Gabriel made the decision that his drummers would not use any cymbals on this disc which lends the percussion a unique quality. The drumming duties were shared by Jerry Marotta and Phil Collins consistently coming across as loud and booming, a style that Gabriel would incorporate throughout the rest of his career. The overall percussion work on this disc is really outstanding. The album also sees Gabriel making his first forays into "world" music, which he would explore in much more detail later in his career. Once again, the tribal percussion aspect of these tracks is a highlight. The songs on the album are consistently great. Highlights include the album opener "Intruder" a truly creepy song about a burglar who obviously loves his job. Next is "No Self-Control", another great song that pretty much describes periods of my own life. "I Don't Remember" was an AOR hit and a great little rocker with that booming drum sound. "Family Snapshot" seems to be a portrait of a presidential assassin (Lee Harvey Oswald maybe?) until the song gets to the final few lines where we find out that it is really just a young child playing a fantasy in his own mind, in desperate need of attention. Is this a foreshadowing of what the child will be as an adult? The song is a prime example of Gabriel at his absolute best. "And Through The Wire" could possibly be a sequel to "On The Air" from the previous album. "Games Without Frontiers" was another AOR radio hit that reduces the act of war to a children's game. It is another brilliant track. "Not One Of Us" can be related to by anyone who has been considered an outsider and is another great track. The album closes with "Biko" which presents an historical account of the death of South African freedom fighter Stephen Biko who was killed while imprisoned. It is a powerful piece of music that resonates to this day. Gabriel 3 is the man at his absolute best. If you are looking to explore Gabriel's solo albums this would be a great place to start. Personally I do not think he has done anything better.

Amazing Album.......2007-03-31

I love Intruder, my favorite track. One of my favorite early Peter Gabriel Albums.

Average customer rating: Not full SACD, but still great content PG not trying to rip you off Don't get ripped off!!!!!!!! Dark, scary but powerful and thoughtful!

Peter Gabriel 3: Melt Peter Gabriel Manufacturer: Interscope Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Experimental Rock | Rock | Alternative Styles | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Britain | British Isles | Europe | International | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Progressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: Peter Gabriel 2: Scratch Us Passion: The Last Temptation of Christ Up Birdy ASIN: B000092Q8C Release Date: 2003-04-29

Tracks:

1. Intruder
2. No Self-Control
3. Start [Instrumental]
4. I Don't Remember
5. Family Snapshot
6. And Through the Wire
7. Games Without Frontiers
8. Not One of Us
9. Lead a Normal Life
10. Biko

Customer Reviews:

Not full SACD, but still great content.......2006-12-31

As other reviewers have noted, this is not multichannel or multiformat. What this means is that it will only play in a SACD player, and only the Left and Right channels are active in an SACD direct 6-channel connection. No subwoofer, no surrounds, etc. It can be played from an SACD player through a standard analog/digital connection and allow the receiver to add sound processing (dolby, dts, etc) for all channel playback. It won't play in a standard CD player or computer.

However, the sound quality could only improve for me as my previous copy is on vinyl (yikes!). Maybe a full SACD version will come someday . . .

PG not trying to rip you off.......2004-07-24

I think Peter Gabriel tried to get his cds out on the new SACD format too fast - this one came out in early 2003 I believe. So it is not multiformat, not multichannel, and doesn't sound that much better than the remastered version IMO.

A number of reviewers thought it did sound better than the remastered version - but I cannot tell much difference.

Don't get ripped off!!!!!!!!.......2004-07-20

This is just a re-hash of the stereo CD, it's not "re-mastered" for multi-channel playback. You'd be much happier with Pink Floyd's 30th Anniversary Edition of the album "Dark SIde Of The Moon" or the Eagles "Hotel California" or Elton John's "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road"; these artists took the time and spent the money to do SACD right. Peter Gabriel is just trying to suck more money out of your pocket without any value added in return. Sure it's a slightly better recording than the original CD but certainly not worth buying again.

Dark, scary but powerful and thoughtful!.......2004-05-05

I was a bit spooked by the album cover when I hesitantly bought this album when it was re-released in remastered form in 2002. However I was absolutely blown away at how dark and powerful it was, not to mention a far cry from any of the more well-known material of his.

His 1978 self-titled album aka the "Scratch" LP is an incredibly weird, eccentric, and surprisingly adventurous album and had a very raw and somewhat undercooked production style to it. The closing song "Home Sweet Home" is a lyrically very dark and morbid song even though musically, it's quite nice but even as morbid as it was, that song had no evidence to what his third album aka "The Melting Face" LP would bring along. This album completely throws his first two albums into the back and boy oh boy, this album is SCARY as hell! Any signs of his search for a sound are completed on this 1980 masterpiece and the results are not just amazing but also immensely though-provoking and really powerful. By 1980 standards, PG3 is unbelievably innovative, groundbreaking and unbelievably powerful. Most of the songs on this album have a very disturbing undertone to them, even on a musical scale but it is done so well that the result is one of Gabriel's most outstanding achievements of his career.

This album could very well be considered a socially conscious album but this album differs from almost every other album in this topic where as most are just addressing the wrongs of the world and societies, PG3 delves much further and aims to tell the story from the perspective of the people who do these wrongs. (I.E. Family Snapshot)
This CD also uses mental illness as a theme as well and the results are just phenomenal and I can't even justify how this album really is with that word. The album cover alone vividly expresses what you are in for.

"Intruder" gets my nod as one of the scariest tracks that Gabriel has ever recorded, or even the scariest song from the 1980s. Courtesy of his longtime friend and former Genesis band mate on the drums, the song begins with really loud and metallic drums with no cymbals, the creaking sounds of wires being pulled or something like that and then a really terrifying distorted melody not to mention some of the creepiest vocals I've ever heard but the results are not just a great track, but one of the most vividly terrifying musical experiences I've ever had but it's a really awesome kind of scare! Only Peter Gabriel could so something like that: Making scary music sound good. In all honesty, "Intruder" is a really disturbing track as it's about sung from the perspective of the intruder in a house.

"Family Snapshot" is disturbingly powerful and really a chilling track that tells the story of the assassination of a popular political figure (Not necessarily Kennedy) from the perspective of the assassin. The song begins with a mellow piano beginning that has a very dramatic and serious tone and does some interesting melodic changes before it builds and becomes a heavy-rock song like something out of an action drama and then everything culminates at the "Let the bullet Fly!" lyrical line! Immensely disturbing but really an amazing track this is. The last part of the song which is mellow but very sad is almost like a biographical flashback of when that assassin was a child and witnessing his parents relations turning ugly and the child turned sad and angry and picks up his `toy gun' on the floor. Such a heartbreaking song this is but it is really excellent and one of the best songs on this album. I would almost say that this is almost like a mini-epic song. It perfectly transitions into the electrifying "And Through The Wire" which is a more upbeat rock-oriented song and one of the most `pop' sounding songs on this album but even then it's a far cry from anything mainstream!

There are no real ballads on this album so if you are aiming for something slow and happy, look elsewhere. The closest thing to a ballad is "Lead A Normal Life" and even then, while the song is calmer than the others, it's more like a hazy, and unpleasant calm like after an explosion or disastrous event. The song is very eerie and hazy in tone and tells the story of a mental patient at a decrepit hospital trying to lead a normal life again. I especially am chilled at the part where he sings the lone lyrical line about the song's theme. This disturbing masterpiece ends on an uncertain note with the song "Biko" which is a powerful tribute to the late South American Civil Rights activist Stephen Biko. The song is very intense and has African drums and the lyrics are really powerful and moving. It closes the album with the sounds of a protest happening and then fading out into the night. In all honesty, "Biko" is the perfect closing track for an album. I could never imagine this not being the closing track for any album, compilation or `proper studio album'.

I strongly urge that you go out to the nearest CD store and purchase this powerful and riveting masterpiece. Fans of "Sledgehammer" and "Big Time" will be thrown off by the monochromic nature of PG 3 but if you appreciate PG2 or "Security" then welcome to PG 3! If you love this album, then I highly recommend his most recent album "UP" as well!

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