Peter Gabriel

iTunes Review

Originally rejected by Atlantic Records, Peter Gabriel eventually released his self-titled third album on Mercury in 1980. Its cover photo depicting the artist’s melting face was appropriate — Gabriel was dissolving and reshaping his creative identity, with a transformed musical vision to match. The songs here confront and disturb, fleshed out by ominous arrangements melding synthesized rhythms with Third World motifs. Threats of political oppression and anonymous violence hang over the tracks; the singer seems to anticipate the terrors of the coming age. Few artists of the era (or now, for that matter) braved the dark terrain Gabriel stalked in tunes like “No Self Control,” ”Intruder” and “I Don’t Remember.” Remarkably, he scored a radio hit with “Games Without Frontiers,” a prophetic glimpse of wars-to-be. But for all the fear and gloom evidenced here, Gabriel’s message is ultimately a compassionate one. The album’s most unforgettable track is “Biko,” a deeply moving elegy for the murdered South African activist. Phil Collins, Robert Fripp, Kate Bush and other guests flit in and out at key moments. A generation after its release, Peter Gabriel’s third album stands as an enduring artistic triumph and a passionate statement of conscience.