Peter Gabriel Retropesctive: Album 03- Peter Gabriel (Melt)

 

Next up is the third solo album by Peter Gabriel...

Album:  Peter Gabriel (Melt)

Year Released:    1980

Lineup:  

• Peter Gabriel – vocals, piano; synthesizer on "Start", "I Don't Remember", "Games Without Frontiers" and "Not One of Us"; drum pattern on "Biko"; backing vocals on "Intruder", "Family Snapshot" and "Not One of Us"; whistle on "Games Without Frontiers"
• Larry Fast – synthesizer on "Intruder", "No Self Control", "Start", "Games Without Frontiers" and "Biko"; processing on "No Self Control", "I Don't Remember" and "Not One of Us"; bagpipes on "Biko"
• David Rhodes – guitar on all tracks except "Start"; backing vocals on "Intruder", "I Don't Remember" and "Not One of Us"
• Robert Fripp – electric guitar on "No Self Control", "I Don't Remember" and "Not One of Us"
• Dave Gregory – electric guitar on "I Don't Remember" and "Family Snapshot"
• Paul Weller – electric guitar on "And Through the Wire"
• John Giblin – bass guitar on "No Self Control", "Family Snapshot", "And Through the Wire", "Games Without Frontiers" and "Not One of Us"
• Tony Levin – Chapman Stick on "I Don't Remember"
• Jerry Marotta – drums on "I Don't Remember", "Family Snapshot", "And Through the Wire", "Games Without Frontiers", "Not One of Us", "Lead a Normal Life" and "Biko"; percussion on "Games Without Frontiers" and "Not One of Us"
• Phil Collins – drums on "Intruder" and "No Self Control"; drum pattern on "Intruder"; snare on "Family Snapshot"; surdo on "Biko"
• Morris Pert – percussion on "Intruder", "No Self Control" and "Lead a Normal Life"
• Dick Morrissey – saxophone on "Start", "Family Snapshot", "No Self Control" and "Lead a Normal Life"
• Kate Bush – backing vocals on "No Self Control" and "Games Without Frontiers"
• Steve Lillywhite, Hugh Padgham – whistles on "Games Without Frontiers"
• Dave Ferguson – screeches on "Biko"

Overall Thoughts:

On his second album, Peter Gabriel continued his trend of musical experimentation.  On his third self-titled album (referred to as the 'Melt' album, based on the cover picture), Gabriel wrote some brilliant songs to go with his music.

Gabriel's music often is a mix of beautiful sounds combined with dark themes.  This album starts off with 'Intruder', a menacing song that reunited Gabriel with his fellow Genesis singer Phil Collins.  With songs called "Not One of Us' and 'Lead a Normal Life', this is not a cheery album

Gabriel also wrote several political songs on this album.  'Games Without Frontiers' is about the cost of war;  The cheery, child-like music works as a great contrast to the theme.  'Biko' is about the murder of an anti-apartheid activist- because it is so specific, it's also much more powerful.  And 'Family Snapshot', which is a song from the point of view of a person about to become a political assassian.

This is a great album.

  

Ranking of Peter Gabriel Albums (adding as more albums are reviewed):

1. Peter Gabriel (Melt)
2. Peter Gabriel (Car)
3. Peter Gabriel (Scratch)

Top 10 Peter Gabriel Songs (adding as more albums are reviewed):

1. "Solsbury Hill", Peter Gabriel (Car)
2. "Games Without Frontiers", Peter Gabriel (Melt)
3. "I Don't Remember", Peter Gabriel (Melt)
4. "Here Comes the Flood", Peter Gabriel (Car)
5. "Family Snapshot", Peter Gabriel (Melt)
6. "Biko", Peter Gabriel (Melt)
7. "Waiting for the Big One", Peter Gabriel (Car)
8. "Moribund the Burgermeister", Peter Gabriel (Car)
9. "Intruder", Peter Gabriel (Melt)
10. "Humdrum", Peter Gabriel (Car)