Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Down And Out (2007 Digital Remaster)
2. Undertow (2007 Digital Remaster)
3. Ballad Of Big (2007 Digital Remaster)
4. Snowbound (2007 Digital Remaster)
5. Burning Rope (2007 Digital Remaster)
6. Deep In The Motherlode (2007 Digital Remaster)
7. Many Too Many (2007 Digital Remaster)
8. Scenes From A Night's Dream (2007 Digital Remaster)
9. Say It's Alright Joe (2007 Digital Remaster)
10. The Lady Lies (2007 Digital Remaster)
11. Follow You Follow Me (2007 Digital Remaster)

Disc 2:

1. Down And Out
2. Undertow
3. Ballad Of Big
4. Snowbound
5. Burning Rope
6. Deep In The Motherlode
7. Many Too Many
8. Scenes From A Night's Dream
9. Say It's Alright Joe
10. The Lady Lies
11. Follow You Follow Me
12. Many Too Many (Promo Video)
13. Follow You Follo Me (Promo Video)
14. And Then There Were Three Reissues Interview 2007 (Video)
15. Three Dates With Genesis 1978 (Video)

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #63331 in Music
• Released on: 2007-04-02
• Number of discs: 2
• Formats: Hybrid SACD, SACD
• Dimensions: .26 pounds

CD Description
When guitarist Steve Hackett left Genesis for a solo careerafter touring behind 1977's WIND AND WUTHERING, he was the second major defection the group had suffered in as many years. Instead of helplessly disintegrating, the remaining triocircled the wagons and bounced back with the solid AND THENTHERE WERE THREE.
Rather than employ any outside studio musicians to take up the slack, Tony Banks, Phil Collins, and Mike Rutherford instead played every instrument themselves. Resolutely reflective throughout, this 1978 release finds Genesis populating its songs with a broad range of characters. Among the more memorable ones are the fast-talking recordexec on "Down and Out" (a song that could be construed as aveiled swipe at the departed Hackett) and the larger-than-life cattle-driving cowpuncher on the synth-soaked "Ballad ofBig". Although the songs on this record are more concise than Genesis' earlier, conceptual work, the band still retainsthe gift of capturing moods. The breathtaking "Snowbound" perfectly encompasses the feeling of stepping outside into a freshly minted snowfall. An air of yearning runs through "Follow You Follow Me", a romantic yarn that also became Genesis' first American Top 30 hit.

Customer Reviews

And Then There Were New Mixes
As with 'Wind', I have afforded this new stereo mix (I have not heard the surround mix) 5 stars, not because it is perfect, but because it is nevertheless so much improved over the poorly mixed original.

The vocals are bright and clear, having been stripped of the original cheap muddy reverbs and delays (echoes).

The guitars and keyboards are nicely balanced also, with Rutherford's guitar given a little more prominence than before.

But for me the biggest gain is in the sound of the drums, which no longer sound like Collins bashing a load of cardboard boxes. Ok, I exagerate, the sound wasn't quite that bad, but you take my point.

There are a couple of tracks, however, where - inexplicably - the drums (particularly the snare) are mixed far too low. 'Follow You Follow Me' is a case in point, and my favourite track of the album 'The Lady Lies' also lacks some drumming dynamics.

As with all of the five re-releases, the overall mix suffers with some harsh brick-wall compression flattening the dynamics and stopping the music 'breathing'. But when set against the improvements in clarity over the original (which was never that dynamic in the first place) this is tolerable. Who knows - maybe in another 10-20 years time these historic albums will be re-mixed/re-mastered once again and treated to a more subtle and sympathetic compression.

The DVD contains some nice extras. As with all the re-releases in the series, it houses a roughly 15-minute section of the band interview, in which all members - particularly Banks - speak eloquently, fondly, and critically of the album and the period.
A rather quaint 50-minute BBC documentary from 1978 documents pop combo Genesis on tour! Some of the naive narration from the BBC reporter is hilarious: 'You may have never heard of them, but you can bet your children have' - this of a band that had already been around for about a decade! Tremendous fun.

Buy this, be awed by the new clarity, and stick your original in the loft.

A big improvement over the CD releases
The title refers to the departure of Steve Hackett, and The album generally divides Genesis fans who cannot agree on where the band's journey to popdom begins. I find myself agreeing with Patrick Bateman (the American Psycho), who believed that "Duke" was the real turning point. Obviously, being a psycho he preferred the later stuff. However, it is true that the dickensian whimsy is no more, Mike Rutherford now has to play lead guitar along with bass (he does a passable job), and Tony Banks keyboard sounds seem more suitable for Dr Who incidental music than rock. He also chooses to part company with his Mellotron after this album, although thankfully it does receive a good send-off here and is used extensively.

All of these new Genesis SACD remasters suffer from I-Pod friendly compression, but "then there were three" appears to gotten off reasonably lightly compared to some of the others. In general, it has a much more expansive soundstage, beautiful clarity, and smoother, deeper bass than the definitive edition remaster. I always loved the original gatefold sleeve (even though Storm Thorgerson of hipgnosis who designed it didn't), and would have liked to have a seen a digipack reproduction of it as part of the package too. Never mind.

The album starts off with the suprisingly strident "Down and Out", and Immediately extra detail over the original CD can be heard in the buzzsaw distortion of the guitar, the thumping bass pedals, and Collins' high-hat cutting crisply through the top end. It's a very promising begining.

The drums on "Undertow" sound terrific and are an improvement over the previous CD release again, although I would prefer them higher in the mix. Mike's Bass has a pleasant percussive snap to it I never noticed before, and I'm hearing yet again (as I did on "Trick" and "Wind") a peculiar dull thumping accompanying Banks' piano. I believe this could be the sustain pedals, in which case that's pretty amazing, It was not apparent on the non SACD discs.

"Ballad of Big" is one of my favourite tracks and an entertaining story about a phantom cowboy. Collins' vocal performance is top notch here, as it is consistently on this album actually. I presume he must have gained some confidence on the preceeding tours. "Deep in the Motherlode" is another proggy cowboy offering (was this to be the beginings of some sort of concept?).

I usually make some notes while listening to review, but by the time I got to "Snowbound" I was enjoying myself too much to write anything down. Another great track, even if the lyrics about a snowman are a little saccharine. The guitars sound great, and there are more bass pedals which I had not noticed before hearing the SACD version.

"Burning Rope" is one of the tracks that makes it vital for Prog fans to check this album out before dismissing it out of hand. Mike Rutherford puts in his best lead guitar performance here, and although it's perfectly acceptable, there is no doubt Hackett would take it to another level. Incidentally, there is a very pleasant little interlude played on tremoloed Glockenspiel which I always listen out for, it's funny how sometimes just a couple of seconds can be a highlight of a song.

The weakest track on the album is "Many too Many". It's the worst sort of pappy love song we know the new Genesis popsters are destined to be associated with. Plus, Collins sings "Mama" in it...Ouch. I would have guessed Phil wrote this one, but it turns out Banks is the culprit. Still, he makes amends later on.

"Scenes from a night's dream" is a slightly silly song about a boy having nightmares. Whatever, I love it to bits - even the lyrics. Another highlight, it also rocks.

I think "Say it's alright Joe" is extremely underrated by fans, it's a wonderful piece, if a little depressing, as it movingly describes a drunk drowning his sorrows.

"The lady lies" is Banks' masterpiece. It's similarly fast paced to "scenes..." and also shares a more whimsical theme; a hero tricked by a demon. The quality of playing on this track is out of this world; the boys are scorching. The fadeout jam is one of my favourites of all time. More please.

The album closes with the guys' first big hit; "Follow you, follow me". it's a pleasant enough tune, but I don't find myself choosing to listen to it that much nowadays. Banks' keyboard solo is brilliant though, even if it does remind me of Cybermen.

In conclusion: yes, the SACDs suffer from compression, but the benefits in other areas far out weigh the disadvantages. Also, to the hardened Prog fans; listen to this before you dismiss it, you are losing out; the rot set in on "Duke".

Superb release
Ignoring the remix/compression issue for now, I just want to say what a brilliant album this is. I have always loved it. Older Genesis fans are not keen on this one because there are no 15+ minute tracks(!), but for me this is where Genesis really started. Fantastic, melodic songs, exciting guitar from Mike, beautiful keyboard sounds and riffs from Tony, and great emotional Phil vocals. What more could you want? The remix/compression thing is a subjective issue, but personally I think the stereo mix is an improvement over the first remaster, and the SACD version even more so.