''3'' is the fourth studio album by U.S. punk-folk band

Violent Femmes Violent Femmes are an American folk punk band from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The band consists of founding members Gordon Gano (guitar, lead vocals) and Brian Ritchie (bass, backing vocals), joined by multi-instrumentalist Blaise Garza (joined 200 ...

, released in early 1989. The songs were performed by the three members of the band playing only drums, bass and guitar, with the addition of keyboards and saxophone.

Critical reception

Trouser Press ''Trouser Press'' was a rock and roll magazine started in New York in 1974 as a mimeographed fanzine by editor/publisher Ira Robbins, fellow fan of the Who Dave Schulps and Karen Rose under the name "Trans-Oceanic Trouser Press" (a reference ...

'' wrote that "Gano’s songwriting and delivery have their usual odd character and some of the old passion, but the Femmes don’t seem to be making much progress or impact in any direction here." Chris Woodstra of

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Music ...

noted that the fans of the band's early days would "appreciate the slightly stripped-back acoustic production." The ''

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the ...

'' wrote that "''3'' often comes off as a pale, precious shadow of the Femmes’ 1983 debut album." ''

The Rolling Stone Album Guide ''The Rolling Stone Album Guide'', previously known as ''The Rolling Stone Record Guide'', is a book that contains professional music reviews written and edited by staff members from ''Rolling Stone'' magazine. Its first edition was published in 1 ...

'' deemed the album "a jumbled stylistic grab bag."

Track listing

Personnel

Gordon Gano Gordon James Gano (born June 7, 1963) is an American musician widely known as the singer, guitarist and songwriter of American folk punk band Violent Femmes. Early life Gano was born in New York City to actor parents Norman and Faye Gano, and g ...

– guitar, vocals *

Brian Ritchie Brian Ritchie (born November 21, 1960) is the bass guitarist for the alternative rock band Violent Femmes. Ritchie was born and raised in the United States and is currently a dual citizen of the U.S. and Australia, with his full-time residence ...

– bass guitar *

Victor DeLorenzo Victor DeLorenzo (born October 25, 1954) is an American musician, actor and filmmaker who was the founding drummer for the folk-punk band Violent Femmes. Biography DeLorenzo was born in 1954, the son of Victor and Charlotte DeLorenzo, grew up in ...

– drums *

Sigmund Snopek III Sigmund Snopek III (born 1950) is an American musician and composer. Career Snopek began his career in the late 1960s with a prog-rock band called Bloomsbury People. He has since created concept albums, pop songs, and classical compositions. A ...

– keyboards * Peter Balestrieri - baritone saxophone * Warren A. Bruleigh – Co-Producer, Engineer * Matt Lane – Assistant Engineer, Carriage House * Bill Smith – Assistant Engineer, Home Base *

Bernie Grundman Bernie Grundman is an American audio engineer. He is most known for his mastering work and his studio, Bernie Grundman Mastering, which he opened in 1984 in Hollywood. The studio, which includes engineers Chris Bellman, Patricia Sullivan, and Mi ...

– Mastering * © 1988 Slash Records ℗ 1988 Slash Records, P.O. Box 48888, Los Angeles, CA 90048. Manufactured and distributed by Warner Bros. Records Inc., a Warner Communications Company. *Recorded at the Carriage House, Stamford, CT, except track 12 recorded at Home Base, NYC. *All songs © 1988 Gorno Music ASCAP

Charts

References

{{Authority control Violent Femmes albums 1988 albums Slash Records albums