THREE FRIENDS

I will grant that this is not GG's finest hour. However, there is some very good stuff on here. Schooldays is as good as anything they've ever done and has some of Minnear's best vocals. Peel the Paint is a fantastic song that gives a bit of insight on the direction they would soon be taking. And the title track is simply sublime and possibly the most beautiful melody they've ever composed. Yes, the "concept" is somewhat weak and obvious and certainly not very deep, but they handle it well enough. I for one really find Mortimere's drumming very interesting and entertaining, reminding me of the drumming on Thick As A Brick in it's looseness and 70's prog rock type style. It probably has something to do with why others dislike the album though, as it differs quite a bit from the drumming style of the first two albums and all the ones that would follow it. For me though, it is a plus. Though I suppose it has not made this album age quite as well as their other albums.

When I first heard this album, I didn't much care for it. After urging from a friend, I went back and listened again years later, and largely changed my view point. It's not their best, but it's also not their worst and I think it slots in well between the previous and next albums. Personally, I think this is a solid 3.5 stars compared to the rest of their output. But I don't think I can round up in this case, instead going for the 3 for the archives. But if you like the first two albums, I think this is a must have. Just give it time and expect something different.