We've all had this experience at some point, I'm sure. You meet somebody, and sure enough, on first glance, you can see absolutely nothing extraordinary or special about that person. In fact, the only traits that stand out at first are flaws - a slight weight problem, an episode with acne, geeky glasses, whatever. But then, almost by accident, you begin to pick up on little positives - a nice smile, a good sense of humor, a general good demeanor towards life, etc. You still see the negatives, but even then, you begin to realize that they are integral in the shaping of the person, and perhaps, even to a certain (even large) extent, are an actual positive in the full context of that person (not to mention that, since we all have flaws ourselves, the flaws in others help us to see the other as that much more human, which in turn makes the positives that much more appealing). And then the next thing you know, before you realize it, that gangly, ugly person becomes the love of your life (or, at least, of the next couple of months).
For me, no musical group has come closer to that description than Genesis. Upon first listen to the group, my impressions were as follows - a somewhat hoarse, okayish singer; some decent, but not very impressive 'generic prog' guitar solos; use of mellotrons and synthesizers in a mostly, again, 'generic prog' vein. But that, my friends, is why one must NEVER EVER EVER judge a group or an album or a song after one listen. Because that album, my first Genesis album, Selling England by the Pound, is now my favorite progressive rock album, hands down. And not only that, but Genesis is a very, very close second to Yes as my favorite progressive rock group overall, and even then I have my doubts (not to mention that Genesis' pop peak was also higher than Yes' pop peak).
Now don't get me wrong - Genesis' flaws are fairly obvious, and not the easiest thing to ignore. Essentially, Genesis' biggest problem in its art-rock days was that, quite frankly, they kept shooting themselves in the foot again and again as far as reaching a mass audience goes. What do I mean? Well, simply that progressive rock is, in general, a very tough nut to crack as far as enjoyability goes, and if there's not much there to 'keep one's mind entertained' while it's trying to wade through the musical essence, one can be bored very easily. In other words, even if you're feeling a bit perplexed about the lengthy song structures of, say, Fragile, you can still focus on the bitchin' bass lines or the menacing piano solo in the middle of South Side of the Sky. Genesis didn't really do that, though, as they attempted to let the music mostly speak for itself without engaging in too many hyper-wanky guitar solos (and even the solos are incredibly well-thought out but, again, not very impressive on first listen).
And OH did the music speak for itself. Their song structures were incredibly complex, but most importantly, they were song-structures, and not just a setup for extended jamming. They wrote their songs (as opposed to just jamming them out - not that they didn't use jams as a way to come up with ideas, but the final product almost always had the "dross" sorted out), and almost always made sure to efficiently pack in as much as they could into every second without overwhelming or losing the listener. And in that respect, nobody, NOBODY could beat Genesis in their hey-day - not even Yes, as much as I adore them.
But wait! It got better! Not only did Genesis have some of the most perfect progressive compositions imaginable, they also had an edge over every other 'pretentious' group in existence - the most fascinating, most entertaining and most entrancing (at least, much of the time) lyrics this side of ... umm ... EVERYBODY!!! And more importantly, they had Peter Gabriel to sing them (and in a large number of cases, to write them, which was good since virtually all of the best lyrics came from Peter in the first place). I will say this - Peter does not sound like anybody I've ever heard, and if you can't adjust to him, you might not like it. He doesn't have the voice of a choirboy, like Justin Hayward or Greg Lake. He doesn't sound like an ethereal being from another dimension, like Jon Anderson. He doesn't sound like Frank Sinatra, like Jim Morrision or, ... er... Frank Sinatra. But non-standard in no way means bad, not in this case - after all, Peter has probably become my favorite vocalist of all. His voice is so unbelievably rich that it continues to take me aback to this day. I have never, ever heard a singer so unbelievably full of expression and emotion - for lack of a better term, he sucks the listener in in a big, big way, causing even the strangest lyrics to completely come to life, and to make the listener a part of that song's world and to feel for all involved. I could go on for hours about Peter's strengths (especially his ability to evoke strong religious overtones without becoming a boring, preachy 'Christian rocker'), but I won't, as there are other members of the band, after all.
Next in line of people in the band I absolutely adore is Steve Hackett. Sadly, Steve wasn't really given that many chances to shine in the band - the combination of being a minimalist and being in a band where the guitars were usually buried below the keys (see below for commentary on that) was kind of fatal as far as giving Steve the 'starring role' goes. That's nothing short of a shame - as far as well-written, minimalistic guitar parts go, nobody could even come close to beating Steve Hackett. It's no coincidence, in my mind, that the most impressive, band-defining and emotionally devestating moments of the band come when Steve is featured (The Musical Box, Dancing with the Moonlit Knight, Firth of Fifth and ESPECIALLY the parts at the end of Supper's Ready). Alas, though, he left in '77, when it became obvious his talents were no longer deemed especially necessary for the band.
Ok, next in line is the most controversial among most people (including myself, to an extent) - Phil Collins. Like most people, I cannot stand the 'solo-Collins' style - when working in the backroom of Meijer in 2000 and 2001, I would hear at least two or three Phil Collins songs a shift, and if I ever hear "You'll be heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeere in my heeeaaaaaarrrrrrt" again, I just might go postal. Nor am I a big fan of his vocals - while the band could have made a worse choice for Peter's replacement in '75, as Phil does sound similar to Gabriel when both are belting in full force, his ability to change expression mid-song is virtually non-existent (especially when compared to, again, Gabriel), and he's just not able to master the subtle nuances that made Peter so great. That being said; I do think that Phil was a good singer for a large number of Genesis' 'poppy' songs (he sounded quite nice once he started singing more aggressively in the 80's); I don't totally blame him for 'ruining' Genesis by turning it into a pop band (though I do blame him a bit for making Genesis indistinguishable from his solo work there at the end); as a backing vocalist to Peter, he couldn't be beaten; and most of all, HIS DRUMMING WAS FRIGGIN' AWESOME. Seriously, if you, the reader, have never heard any pre-drum machine Genesis, you need to pick some up just for the shock value of discovering what an unbelievably talented musician Phil Collins was (and probably is) behind a drum kit. But even as far as drum machines go, Phil was, like it or not, one of the pioneers of its use and one of its more intelligent implementers - along with a couple of solo Gabriel tunes (especially Family and the Fishing Net), the drum programming on Mama is some of the most brilliant I've ever heard.
Ok, moving on, we have bassist/acoustic-and-occasional-electric-guitarist Mike Rutherford. He's actually contributed his good share of great tunes to the Genesis canon, and while he's certainly no virtuoso, he 'gets the job done,' so to speak. His greatest strength, actually, is his versatility - the band really didn't miss a step when Steve left thanks to Mike's guitar skills (though they're much more generic than Steve's). That being said - if you really want to blame somebody for Genesis becoming a largely generic pop band, Mike should not be totally absolved. After all, who did you think the Mike in Mike and the Mechanics was?
And, of course, we have the 'man of the hour' - keyboardist Tony Banks. If you want to blame anybody for the decline of Genesis over the years, it ultimately should be Tony, for reasons that hopefully will become clear. First of all, as a preliminary jab, I will say this - Tony Banks is an absolutely horrendous lyricist. He tries hard to be a thought-provoking universalist, but he ends up sounding like a bad, bad Pete Sinfield imitation, only a LOT preachier. Now, the thing is, when Gabriel was still around, Banks' lyrics were an amusing diversion, designed to give just a bit of a 'serious' streak to the band - but when Gabriel left and Banks became the primary creative force, the overwhelming 'generic, preachy progressiveness' of his lyrics became really annoying really fast, and helped to decline the band faster than it might have otherwise. To be fair, though, he was able to write his fair share of interesting melodies (though he had a couple of really bad compositions here and there), both in the progressive and pop eras of the band.
The main problem with Tony, though, was with his playing (I feel bad saying this because there are a lot of times I REALLY LIKE his playing, but that doesn't excuse that there are a lot of times I don't). All problems that I and some others have with Tony's keys (henceforth referred to as Banksynths (tm George Starostin, 1998), even though they weren't always synths) can be divided into three categories - his playing style, his tone choices and the fact that his keys were almost always at the forefront of the mix. First, his style - what irritates me most about his playing is the way he so (relatively) rarely plays legatto. His playing is verrry 'choppy,' for lack of a better term, and it gets incredibly annoying hearing him practically place an accent on seemingly every single note. This becomes even more irritating in light of the sheer beauty and genius that flows from his fingers when he finally relents and puts some semblance of flow in his playing - the intros to The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway or Firth of Fifth, or the beautiful swirls in Cinema Show are all good examples of how good a player he could be when he so chose (he actually has quite a few really great solos). But alas, too often he chose to play in a way that annoys the crap out of me. It should be granted him, though, that his approach can and does work under one condition - when he's playing a solid keyboard riff with his choppy style, e.g. the one from The Knife. Otherwise, though, there are many times I feel he's just gallumping about and not doing anything interesting in the process. Bleh.
Ok, complaint number two is his choice of tones. Far, far too often a Genesis composition is marred simply by his choice of instrument and sound for a specific part. Example - don't you ever wish Banks would be using a grand piano in Guaranteed Eternal Sanctuary Man instead of that wimpy little casio-sounding thing (I mean, I got used to that tone eventually, but it seriously bothered me for a lot of listens)? I swear, sometimes it was like Genesis was shooting for having the worst produced Hammond organ sound in the world. And don't even get me started on his 'grandiose' but utterly generic tone that he applies all throughout Wind and Wuthering and large stretches of Trick of the Tail. Simply put, Tony Banks is the master of the "emotionally manipulative" synth tone, and while sometimes things work out so that the good side of that phrase is emphasized, it is very often the case that I'd have to mean that in the bad sense.
And finally, most of all, is the fact that the person doing the least interesting things with his instrument (not all of the time, obviously, but a LOT of the time) IS AT THE VERY FRONT OF THE INSTRUMENTAL MIX. Why oh why, for example, must Tony's utterly bland and generic synth part obscure Steve's beautiful, quiet guitar solo in Ripples? And why doesn't Steve get anything resembling a central role in either of the post-Gabriel progressive albums? At least in the old days, Steve was still integral to whatever was being played, even if just in a support role, but on W&W especially, he was pushed to the side in favor of an endless layer of keyboards, with guitars reduced to a largely incidental role. It is no wonder, then, that when the band finally figured out how to make their arrangments actually help the cause instead of harm, they created one of the absolute greatest albums ever.
Plus, you know, I kinda blame Tony for Genesis' disintegration over time. Why is that? Simple: it's largely Tony's fault that the 'progressive' Genesis fell to pieces (since Tony pushed a change in the style of the band for worse and led to Steve's departure). Because of that, the band was forced to bring in pop elements to survive. This actually turned out well for a while, but this in turn gave Collins an opening to incorporate his solo style into the band. This eventually helped to kill the band even further, but instead of letting the band just die, Tony decided to come back and make another album. The result is the infamous Calling All Stations, an album so horrendous that even the most perfect career should be punished for it.
But still, it was a great, great career overall. I love this band to death despite all of its many, many weaknesses, and happily give it a 4. This was never the most consistent of bands (actually, one of the
things that strikes me most about Genesis is that, in some way or another, every one of their albums represents some integral feature of the band in transition, whether it be the rise and fall of Steve's prominence, or the transition to being a pop band, or one of many other examples) but when they did well, they produced music so stunning that it continues to boggle the mind to this very day.
Philip Maddox (slurmsmckenzie@hotmail.com)
Ah, Genesis. One of my all time favorite bands. And, just like you, I didn't
find them all that special at first. I bought a copy of Selling England By
The Pound (entirely on George Starostin's recommendation) and liked it, but
I didn't quite love it. The more I listened to it, though, it started to
suck me in until it finally became one of my favorite albums (and a 15 on
your overall scale). I actually like Foxtrot just as much, though, if not a
little bit more. Genesis at their peak were just amazing. After Peter left,
they weren't quite as good anymore, but they were still OK (I like Wind And
Wuthering, but it's definately a step down in quality from, say, Nursery
Cryme). Unfortunately, I don't have any post-Wind stuff except for a copy of
We Can't Dance that I paid 4 dollars for (and drastically overpaid). I have
a few Peter Gabriel solo albums (which rule) and a Phil Collins solo album
that I paid 4 dollars for (and REALLY drastically overpaid for). Jethro Tull
is still probably my favorite prog-ish band, but they never played straight
prog (they always played weird pop and othern stuff - they weren't as
"progressive" as a lot of people seem to think). As for bands that are
unquestionably "Prog", though, Genesis wins, just barely beating out Yes,
but just barely. Fantastic band, that Genesis.
Nick Karn (mjareviews@yahoo.com)
I think you basically hit the nail on the head on your
Genesis assessment (though you've probably been
practicing throwing in references to them on your
other pages so much... ;)), and I especially thought
your analogy in the opening paragraph was awesome.
The classic period of the band sure can sound
unattractive at first, but once you get into it, it's
just absolutely gorgeous. Even some of their
'background music' like "Silent Sorrow In Empty Boats"
is totally breathtaking. Great assessment on all the
members, though you might be coming down a little too
hard on Banks for the supposed decline of Genesis.
As much as Banks didn't help things on Wind And
Wuthering, they were already on a creative stagnation
in the progressive area anyway (even if the presence
of Peter and Steve would have sorely helped them).
Plus the last two albums pre-CAS (as much as I enjoy
them) are mostly solo Phil style with few exceptions
and don't really involve Tony too much, and I bet Mike
probably had as much to do with the utter disaster of
Stations, at least musically anyway (it's more guitar
than synth oriented and reminiscent of Mike And The
Mechanics in places). I do get bored by Tony's lyrics
and annoyed with his tone quite a bit at times, but I
can't really knock the guy too hard, especially since
he was so inspiring on Selling England, plus I think
he had as much to do with creating the amazingly
perfect surreal atmosphere of The Lamb as Peter's
lyrics.
But anyway, I definitely agree with the 4 rating on
the band, for all the reasons you said. They may have
been a little inconsistent, but in both their prog and
pop eras they had a lot of extremely solid and unique
stuff. Peter Gabriel is definitely an incredible
talent, with his lyrics, voice and theatrical
abilities, as proven to me by the 70-76 albums, and
I'm just starting to obtain somewhat of an
appreciation of his solo career too, with my
collection there still in progress.
Best - Selling England By The Pound : 14 (not my
favorite prog album ever, but still quintessential of
the classic period)
Worst - Calling All Stations : 5 (do we really have to
consider this a Genesis album?)
Overrated - Wind And Wuthering : 8 (as lifeless as
that ugly album cover... a fan favorite??? blah!)
Underrated - Trespass : 10 (for me it just slightly
edges out FGTR and Three in this category)
Casey Brennan (bevan@voicenet.com)
I pretty much agree with everything you say there John, even though at this
point I only have several Genesis albums to my name. I have just recently
gotten into this great band(finally after all these years)...I've always
wondered what they exactly sounded like but haven't picked up any of their
stuff until now. Thanks to all these web-sites and Nick Karn(whom played
me some of their most adventurous stuff during car rides)though, I've
started to run out and get their albums. When I heard "The Return of the
Giant Hogweed" for the first time in my life(during a car ride) it blew me
away... thank god I now have 'Nursery Cryme' in my collection. But I
still feel shameful for not having the next three releases yet :) That
will change fairly soon though. All I can say now though, is that it's
hard to say which album I like better: 'Trick of the tail' or 'Nursery
Cryme'?
Anyway, I can agree on your assessment of the individual talents. I think
I know what you mean when you say that Banks playing is 'choppy' at
times... maybe that keyboard part on both of the two jams on "The Musical
Box"(not that they sound bad or anything)?
(author's note): Actually, a better example would be Tony's part at the very beginning of the jam in Fountain of Salmacis, where it sounds like an amateur playing a baseball organ. Not that he ruins the song or anything - that's just the best example I can think of off the top of my head. But yeah, The Musical Box is a good example too.
Still, he's fairly decent. I
can't complain about the other band members yet though.
Byron Dahms (orderdesk@centralreprographics.com)
I have to admit, you're spot on with many of your comments ( especially
the rant on Tony- couldn't agree more), however I don't completely agree
with a couple of the points you made. First Phil for the most part, to my
ear anyways, is a much better vocalist. Don't get me wrong I love
Gabriel's vocals, but Phil has a more pure tone, but less character. More
taste, less filling. The second point is, the last album Calling all
Stations isn't all bad- the sad thing is some of the best tracks were
left off the cd and released only as singles- they are some of my
favorites. These guys are so *&$%ing talented, is hard to imagine how
they could hold it together as long as they did- just look at Marillion.
Finally, the real innovator of the the band ( outside of Gabriel lyrics)
was Steve. Just listen to his Watcher of the Skies cd- everyone of those
songs capture the spirit of Genesis better than most of the last couple
of albums did.
Dave Bolton (dbolton@lifesite.net)
Dear John
Just discovered you site dedicated to the prog rock
bands of yesteryear.
Great stuff.
Suppers Ready made me cry too when it gets to
that end part.
Maybe this it a little personal a question, but are you
a Christian?
(author's note): See my Yes page, in particular the Tales review for the answer to that
I loved Suppers Ready even before my own
conversion but now it means so much more.
Gotta go but I just wanted to let you know how much
I enjoyed your site. I will be visiting again.
As a matter of fact I just printed out you pieces on
Tull, Yes and E.L.P. for a read on the way home.
God Bless
Yours Dave Bolton
DANFLANDERS4@aol.com
I must admit,your comments about Tony Banks were quite shocking! But after
finally buying the first five albums after all these years,I have to
agree.When I think of Tony Banks,almost imediately the keyboard solo in
robbery,assult/battery comes to mind.Also the the melody/solo at the mid to
end section of cinema show.I'm sure that when The Great Peter Gabriel was
gone, they all looked at each other and were faced with that question "What
Now".Anything they did after that moment would automatically start the
decline because simply put.......Who could replace Peter
Gabriel???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
????? Thanks for the GREAT SITE!!!-----DAN
"Sittinger, Brian D" (brian.d.sittinger@lmco.com)
What a group!!! Who would of known how drastically different Genesis was
during its Gabriel/Hackett era! As with many people, I thought that they
were synonymous with (1) mediocre "80's" pop music, and (2) Phil Collins!
(Actually, in hindsight I managed to hear on local radio (surprise!) Squonk
(coincidentally one of the better Collins-era songs I have heard) and
excerpts from The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway : "Back in NYC" through
"Counting Out Time," as well as the title track(How could I associate these
songs as the same pop-oriented Genesis? Who knows...))
Anyway, after having accumulated most of the Yes catalog through Going for
the One, I asked a friend about other good prog groups. He mentioned Genesis
(I thought he was nuts!), and to start with Selling England by the Pound. I
skeptically bought it and was consequently blown away by "Dancing with the
Moonlit Knight" and "Firth of Fifth" (especially Steve Hackett's parts!!).
The rest of the songs on this album as well as those on Foxtrot did leave me
a bit underwhelmed. But, they did grow on me. I now wonder how I could have
possibly overlooked this great group (pre-1977, at least).
Your summary more or less hits the nail on the head with my overall view of
this group. However, I must say that Tony Banks does not annoy me quite as
much as you. However, I do agree that he is "hogging" the attention by Trick
of the Tail (more on this later!) - I thought I was the only one who thought
Steve Hackett was drowned out with his beautiful solo in "Ripples...". As
for after 1977, I still don't own any of these albums, but I feel their hits
(esp., the interchangable Genesis /solo Phil Collins stuff) is quite hit and
mess... .
Wembly (wembly@zoominternet.net) (8/15/01)
After wasting my time reading your half-hearted, Collins-bashing
remarks, I feel like puking. But first let's cover what I do agree with
you on. I agree that Gabriel was a brilliant writer and a passionate (not
in Phil's league!) singer. I also think that it's sad to see so little of
Hackett's work appreciated and loved by Genesis fans. I think, too, that
Ray Wilson was a horrible choice to carry the band on.
Now, onto the many, many disagreements. First off let me say, I am a
big fan and admire Peter Gabriel. But when it comes to vocals, Phil is so
much better. It's a fact more than opinion. Phil's voice is more in tune,
and it's so much more enjoyable listening to him live, singing the old
Gabriel-era music. Secondly, whereas Phil's solo career is based more
strongly around pop, you don't have to hate Genesis's lyrically complex
music just because Phil is the frontman. Did he deserve all the
attention? No. But that's what a frontman is, and I don't hate Phil for
it. Also, We Can't Dance is perhaps the best album they ever made. As
much as I like 'I Can't Dance' it pisses me off that it's all the album
is known for. That is easily my least favorite song on the album. Ever
hear Fading Lights? Driving the Last Spike? Way of the World? Those songs
are amazing!
Now onto my biggest problem of all. You say Tony Banks is a bad
lyricist? Have you ever heard Domino? That is my favorite song of all
time. If it weren't for Tony, there would be no Genesis! He wrote most of
the lyrics for all of their songs, and I can't think of one Banks song I
don't like. Also, Invisible Touch, though horribly overplayed, is one of
their greatest albums of all time.
I think you are betrayed by the fact that Genesis did infact become
more popular without Gabriel, and that Collins could have a successful
solo career. I'm mature enough to admit they both rule equally, even
though I'm not a fan of any of their solo work. I respect your opinion,
just disagree with it so entirely that it's ludicrous! Genesis is the one
and only band I like, and nothing about them sucks.
(author's note): ....
Nah - when you make it this easy, it cheapens it for both of us.
TheRubberCow@aol.com (8/15/01)
Very good metaphor in the beginning. It's always good to find another person
appreciating Genesis for what they really are. I agree with almost
everything, except Tony Banks. I do wish that Steve was featured more, and
Tony less than he was, but I really like his solos, especially in "Down and
Out" and "Riding the Scree", and I like his tone choices. I think they
really color the songs well. I think the most underrated is "And Then There
Were Three", and most overrated is "Abacab." I hear a lot of people talk
about every song on that album being great, but I never have like the last
two songs much.
lester1234 (lester1234@home.com) (8/15/01)
Some casual observances from a Gabriel-era Genesis fan from way back (I
actually attended the "Lamb" concert and bought original vinyl versions
of Foxtrot, Live and SEBTP when they were first released)............
Ever notice how some parts of the Firth of Fifth (particularly Pete's
flute solo after the words "to hear the Siren's cry..." and prior to
Banks keyboard segue) seem as if they could have been on King Crimson's
21st Century Schizoid Man? The wavering ethereal lilt of that on passage
makes me want to dip back into 21st Century every time!
During the (1969-1973) period, KC and Genesis achieved (at times) a
similar tonal quality (due, perhaps, in large part to their considerable
use the "dark side" of the Mellotron 400), and artisitc "feel".
Obviously Fripp was a bit more frenetic and bent on dissections
of ultra-complex rhythmic structures and Genesis a bit more into the
theatrical aspects of music. However, it is interesting (after 30
years of perspective) to note how similar the musical explorations were
of this era. Makes you wonder how much the various Brit-Prog. bands listened to each other ...
Also....ever notice how many "Degrees of separation" there are between
Gabriel-Hacket Genesis and Fripp-Sinfield Crimson? From Gabriel's ties
to Fripp on his "Games Without Frontiers" big "hit" to Hackett's ongoing
association with various KC member's. Do you know of any Fripp-Hackett
guitar collaborations? Now that's something I want to hear!
Chris Stacey (staceyclan@yahoo.co.uk) (12/15/01)
Ah, another personal opinion if I may.
You have spent
an awful amount of time creating potentially a great
web site covering the members and the albums. Your
flaw however is that your ego gets in the way of some
excellent criticism by you. Also which is your
perogative, you take quite a few swipes at Banks and
Collins, who had so much of an influence from Nursery
Cryme(Collins) anyways. I am not sure whether you
enjoy the character assasinations as part of your ego
boost therapy or just simply enjoy provoking
controversy. In the latter you have been successful.
How you can rate Wind and Wuthering a weak album only
demonstrates your lack of musical understanding of
Genesis. What contradicts your writings the most is
your definite favouring of the classic prog period
with Gabriel and Hackett, but your favourite tunes
from ..and then there were 3 onwards are the most
commercial ones. Totally hilarious really. I respect
your opinion honest and hopefully you, mine. I remain
steadfast however that apart from your factual
historical rhetoric of Genesis you have sadly missed
out on enjoying what you term the weaker periods.
Heres hoping you see the light one day. One
contributor to you site sensibly mentioned that'
silent sorrow in empty boats' was a wonderful piece of
music which you seem to have dismissed...there need I
say more!
(author's note): CURSES! My ego-boost therapy has been thwarted! My self-esteem is MELTING MELTING MELTING OH WHAT A WORLD!
Daniel and Corine Bosch (dcbosch@optusnet.com.au) (6/25/02)
I have to defend Tony from your endless bashing here! Genesis were a
totally different band from other prog outfits in as much as, by their
own admission, they were songwriters first and foremost. Have you ever
seen the video Genesis - A History? Very good viewing. Tony was certainly
no Keith Emerson or Rick Wakeman, that's for sure, but I disagree with
you about his choice of synth textures - certainly nothing even comparing
to the cheese-level of Rick on Tormato, for example. I think Tony is a
great writer - he stopped Genesis from turning into the Phil Collins
backing band (for the most part, anyway) and was a great colourist on the
keys. Yes, Steve was under-used, especially on Wind And Wuthering but
this is because Steve was already drifting towards wanting to do his own
thing and the fact that the band voted on the material and Mike and Phil
preferred Tony's songs to Steve's (that's based on a quote from Phil in
the book Genesis - A Biography, a cracking read). So that's my two cents
worth. A terrific band, Genesis.
Nickrj@aol.com (8/10/03)
Hello John. I've been reading your website for a while now and I'm a big fan of
Genesis and The Moody Blues. So I'll right a quick review of both bands. First
Genesis.
My first Genesis album was Invisible Touch. It has since become one my favorite
albums of the 80's. Later on I bought And Then There Were Three and Abacab. Both
were very good as well. Then came Duke and Genesis. Duke is kinda ok but Genesisis terrific.
In 2001 though I finally bought my first Gabriel/Genesis album Foxtrot. I got
hooked on Watcher Of The Skies. Get Em Out By Friday and some parts of Supper's
Ready.
Then The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway and Selling England By The Pound. Selling
England right now has become another one of my favorites. Every song is right
on!
Finally today I bought Trepass, Nursery Cryme, A Trick Of The Tail and Wind and
Wuthering. I only listened to them once so I can't rate them yet. Though I like
The Musical Box, The Fountain Of Salamis and Dance On A Volcano.
However my parents somehow don't like Gabriel/Genesis. Last December we were
driving home from vacation and I decided to put on The Lamb that I had just
bought. Once we got to Back In NYC (Track 7) my parents couldn't take it
anymore. They thought that Gabriel was loud and obnoxius and that he has no
rhyme in his lyrics. Fortunatly I had also bought Pink Floyd's Dark Side Of The
Moon (Another all time fav) so we put that on next.
All in all here are my ratings
Foxtrot 8(12)
There you have it! What do you think? I'll give some reviews of some albums
soon.
Nickrj@aol.com (8/17/03)
I forgot to give my take on each of the band members so here it is.
Peter Gabriel: This guy could do it all. Sing as well as put on a show onstage
and he could do voices as well for some characters he creates.
Steve Hackett: Very severly underatted. He knew how to really play some
beautiful guitar.
Phil Collins: One of the best drummers you'll ever hear. Also I happen to like
his solo work in the 80's (I'm a sucker for 80's pop music.) His singing when
he first took over the singing duties wasn't good at first but when the 80's
came along he got better.
Tony Banks: Well I somewhat disagree with you and George Starostin. He is a
very good keyboardist and his work on Selling England shows it. Also him
changing Genesis from a prog to pop band wasn't a bad idea (as Phil I think was
better suited to Pop than Prog). However I do agree about him putting Steve on
the backburner and him making one more album after Collins left when he and
Mike should've broken up.
Mike Rutherford: Good bassist and 12 string guitarist and he knew how to write
some good songs. His band Mike and the Mechanics wasn't too bad as he had a
couple of songs I liked there. (Silent Running and All I Need Is A Miracle)
STEVEN VAGNONE (dmny0507@verizon.net) (4/07/04)
I just recently found your site and I love to read everything you wrote.
I have had thoughts of Tony's playing sometimes overriding Steve's
playing. I would get into hearing Steve's mystical sounds and it would
seem to be cut short by keyboards. That being said, I think you may have
been a little too critical of Tony. A large part of the Genesis' early
sound, that part that draws you in, is the eerie use of the melatron that
plays a key role in the mood of the music. I thought Genesis lost the
fantasy-like atmosphere when Steve left. I listen in awe of his unique
style and catch a different note every time I listen. That's another
reason Genesis grows on you as you listen more and more. You here another
sound that adds to the mood of the song that you didn't pick up on the
first hundred times you listen. That's why I cannot get enough of the
Gabriel and Hackett years. I must ask you where I can obtain a copy of
the hour-long tape from the British Television broadcast you spoke of.
Being very young, I completely missed seeing them before I fell in love
with there music.I would like to start collecting any video I could get
my hands on from the early days.
Thanks for the great website,
Hank Reus (Hank.Reus@tate.com) (7/25/04)
I wanted to thank you for your website. I know it represents a good bit
of work for you.
I've been searching in vain to locate as much info as I can on the band
recently and your site has been helpful.
I'm not sure exactly when I first heard Genesis (to be precise, I mean
Gabriel Genesis other wise I'll say Collins Genesis, as they are
different groups).
Anyway it must have been very shortly after the break-up. What I can
recall is just how mesmerized I became by Hogweed, The Knife, and
Watcher's and of course Supper's. I was truly haunted by the group back
then. In hindsight I think this has something to do with the fact that I
was a teenage adolescent boy. (Batwings! How cool was that!) I had no
idea what costumes where used for what songs. I still am a bit confused
as to what Gabriel wore when and why.
For some reason however I wasn't nearly as moved by Selling England & The
Lamb, as I'd been the earlier works. From Genesis to Revelation even
sounded better to me than Follow you Follow me. (Which is the first rock
concert I ever went to. I loved it! When they did the Fountain of
Salmacis, I felt completely justified somehow.)
I must be honest and admit that even without Gabriel somehow Collins
first two studio albums A Trick and Wind & Wuthering seemed like a bit of
a return to their old structures. Second's Out is as good a live album as
anyone ever put out. So I'd still give Phil some credit.
I saw both Gabriel & Hackett on solo tours at about the same time.
Gabriel's concert was very odd to me. I can't explain this well but
somehow I felt both a great kinship with Peter while at the same time
somewhat alienated, not understanding his new "avant-garde" style. My
expectations from the show were much, much too great. In Genesis Peter
had been so compelling with his vocals. His ability to display emotion so
easily identifiable had separated him from everyone else I'd ever heard.
In all honesty I must admit that it's highly likely that no matter what
he played I would have been critical comparing it to what I'd heard on
record.
I was interested in playing guitar in those days and typically never
really paid any attention to lyrics. But Gabriel had been different in
Genesis. He got my attention immediately if I recall correctly. Then it
all seemed gone and he started to sound like most everybody else out
there to me. I enjoyed the concert, but not as much as I would have in
seeing him with Genesis. (Now I do put conscious effort into being open
to "new" performances and giving material a chance).
Steve Hackett was a surprise to say the least. Hackett's playing on the
majority on Genesis albums was so far beyond my skill as a guitarist at
that point I was greatly intimated by him. It was almost a second thought
that I went to see him in concert. It was a very small hall and I don't
thing it was a very big crowd. We were able to right up to the front of
the stage. I'd heard his first two solo albums and thought they sounded
much like soundtracks as opposed to rock music. So I went with little
expectations. Seeing Hackett play in person, close-up was truly the most
amazing guitar related experience I've ever had. His solo work takes on
a new dimension when you see him play. His discipline and techniques are
unequaled by any other guitar player that I am aware of. Many other
exceptional guitar players can be mentioned as being important to rock
music, etc., and right-fully so. Hendrix, Clapton, Page, Ray-Vaughan,
etc., etc., etc., are typically the names we hear when someone mentions
something about the best guitarist's, etc. However Hackett is the single
most under-rated player I can think of. I was so glad I went to that
show. Very few concerts I've been to since then have been as enjoyable to
me.
I continued to listen to Foxtrot, Nursery Cryme and even the live album
over the years but slowly forgot about the others for the most part.
A couple of years ago I was playing some guitar & bass with some local
buddies thinking about putting together some kind of bar band, again. We
started trying to add Cinema Show as a part one of the sets. We never got
things together and eventually everything fell apart again. But by this
time I had the song in my head. Its gentle grace and elegance provided
stark contrast to most of the other stuff I'd been listening to and
playing at the time. So I started re-buying Genesis in CD form.
Rediscovering all those wonderful recordings I hadn't heard for 25 years
or more!
When I heard about the Archive Boxed Set I became very, very excited.
Suppers Ready live with Peter Gabriel doing the vocal. I had to have it!
When I got it home I quickly skipped everything else and was in heaven
listening to one of the most moving songs I've ever heard. (Picturing
Gabriel in his flowered head dress, etc.) What a thrill after feeling so
disappointed by the version on Seconds Out. (Actually taken at face value
it's not that bad).
What I didn't realize was that there was another Genesis work that was
about to entrance me even deeper than Supper's had for all those years.
When I first heard about the boxed set I was a bit intimidated by the
price. My wife is about to give birth to our first child and money is a
bit of a concern these days. Seeing that the Lamb was included in its
entirety live simply seemed to help justify the purchase. Even though if
it had always been my least favorite album. I didn't understand it at
all. The music was good but it didn't have that folksy, old-English
classical bent that had appealed to me so much in their earlier works. As
a result it was the last thing I listened to from my new boxed set. Yet
this time Back in New York City caught my ear. I began to become haunted
by the song. I listened to the complete Lamb again and this time Counting
out Time struck me the same way. So again I listened and The Grand Parade
struck me. I've become obsessed with the recording and am still listening
to it about every other day at least. (My wife is ready for me to start
listening to something else). Gabriel's vocals and lyric's are so
emotional and vivid. Beginning to understand the story line has helped
quite a bit also. I think this album was just too much material for me to
take in when I initially heard it back in the late 70's. Not to mention
all those great expectations I had of Genesis in those days. If Sergeant
Pepper was the first "concept album", The Lamb must be the last. Arguably
it's the best "concept album" every produced. (That I'm aware of)
I'm thinking about trying to make it to one of the Tribute band concerts.
Apparently The Musical Box may be doing a Lamb show this December near
Baltimore. As I understand it they try to use period instruments, etc.,
As well as all the costumes, slide show, etc., etc. I can imagine what an
effort most go into one of their performances. How they were able to
research all the material in able to provide such a show is something I'd
like to know more about.
So that's my story for what it's worth.
It's great to see that I'm not the only one.
Thanks for allowing me to spill out my Genesis guts!
Also thank you again for your website.
Nickrj@aol.com (9/20/04)
Again here's my updated album ratings with best songs
Trespass 7(11) (Stagnation)
Nursery Cryme 8(13) (The Musical Box)
Foxtrot 9(14) (Supper's Ready (DUH!!))
Selling England By The Pound 10(15) (The Battle Of Epping Forest)
The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway 8(12) (In The Cage)
Genesis Live 8(13) (Get Em Out By Friday)
A Trick Of The Tail 9(13) (Dance On A Volcano)
Wind And Wuthering 5(8) (Your Own Special Way)
And Then There Were Three 7(10) (Follow You Follow Me)
Duke 6(9) (Turn It On Again)
Abacab 8(12) (No Reply At All)
Genesis 9(13) (That's All)
Invisible Touch 8(12) (Land Of Confusion)
Mike Chambers (half_eaten@yahoo.com) (11/23/04)
Great review of the band. They are unquestionably my
favorite group of all time. I must agree with those
that said you are being a little harsh on Tony. He's
probably the least responsible for the band going to
crap. It's mostly on Phil and Mike.
Now, what shocked me the most in your review is that
you never mentioned Mike's bass playing. He's just
about my favorite bass player EVER! He plays
compliacted, fast, and beautiful bits all over the
place. Especially in the early days. For example, have
you ever watched a live video of him playing Los
Endos?? (Particularly amazing work on the '76 Tour
video and Duke Tour video. The Invisible Touch Tour
video version was great too) Also I think some of his
stuff rivals Chris Squire at times. Okay that MIGHT be
pushing it... but, I actually like his riffs better.
There's some really fast stuff once you get past the
first 4-5 minutes of Colony of Slippermen when it gets
to the bitchin jamming. Once again, ESPECIALLY LIVE!
(Check out the MAMA tour video version of the In The
Cage medley to be flabbergasted) Hmmm also, his bass
on Get 'em Out by Friday springs to mind.
Him on bass coupled with Phil's great drumming quite
often produced some of the grooviest fast-paced jams
I've ever heard!
Pedro Andino (pedroandino@msn.com) (2/23/05)
ah genesis! collins or gabriel? I still love selling england by the
pound and tresspass! gabriel is cool mystical and freaky! collins is more
pop heavy! loved and then they were 3 and yes yes yes invicible touch!
everywhere you hear genesis fans will boo me but fuck that! I do not have
lamb,tail,foxtrot,or abacab. I still say genesis gets a 10
T J (sporter58@webtv.net) (04/16/05)
Sorry, but I don''t agree in the slightest with your assessment of
Genesis, Tony Banks, and the band's recorded output. But, to be polite,
it's just another reminder that the band are, indeed, an acquired taste.
Either you like their stuff or you don't. Me? I love all of their music,
whether it's Gabriel, Collins, or Ray Wilson standing at the microphone,
and no amount of criticism is gonna change that. Long live Genesis!
Alanrogerdavis@aol.com (03/03/06)
u r a tosser . nerver heard so much shit if u dont like genesis
dont put it on try 2 understand all of it not just parts. cant
get over how u make me feel. this is the 1st time i hav ever sent
any thing 2 sum1
vincent krivacsy (vinny4mow@yahoo.com) (03/26/06)
I'm a big Genesis fan of all eras ... just reading some of your
reviews ... All you do is slam them... its like they sold millions
of albums and have legions of fans .. you can't even get 50 people to
agree with some of the crap that you say in your reviews ... Tony
Banks is my favorite keyboardist and you make it sound like sucks or
something. I have yet to hear a keybaordist who moves me like TB.
He is as much a part of the Genesis sound as anyone in the band.
You're entitled to your opinion but in my opinion you don't really
know much about what you're talking about. Duke - We Can't Dance ..
Each album was successful as well as their tours .. and all you do is
slam them for the most part . . I respect that it is your opinion
but I think you are way off on most points that you make ... . there
i said my peace . .
Pedro Andino (pedroandino@msn.com) (08/06/06)
I am sorry for the flames on all your pages but I got the platinum
collection and hey calling all genesis fans! calling all genesis
fans! this one is a 3 cd set! phil collins is still a number one guy
and also peter gabriel is still a mystical guy. I still say this is
the best albums anyone should own and john, I am sorry about the all
web critics sucks cock thing on the rush page. cheers!.
Sentimential1@aol.com (03/30/07)
Genesis is the greatest band in the world. There's no doubt in my mind about
it. I love them so much, I'm collecting every last Genesis album, I have
around 30 so far.
Eric Benac (sonicdeath10@hotmail.com) (02/02/08)
Words in defense of Tony Banks. I will acknowledge much of what you
say about Tony as being true. The bad lyrics especially. God, Firth
of Fifth is bad. But interestingly, I read an interview with him
where he admitted as much, saying "Firth Of Fifth was probably the
worst song I wrote, lyrically." I think that his importance to the
band early on, and later, actually outweighs his bad sides; the
occasionally cheesy tones, the occasionally choppy playing style, and
the bad bad bad lyrics. Apparently, most of From Genesis To
Revelation was his, musically. Which is probably obvious from how
much of that album is piano based. I'd say significant portions of
every album were his musically, if I had to guess. Peter, of course,
is a talented composer, as is Mike and Steve, though Steve wrote very
little of the Genesis stuff. He did write For Absent Friends entirely
though.
The book that was just released about Genesis to coincide with the
box sets is amazing. The interviews and such that come with the box
sets are even more revealing. All of the music on Firth of Fifth was
Tony, including Steve's solo, which was just a transcription of the
keyboard solo played by Steve beautifully, of course. Tony was
apparently a huge fan of Steve, and had to champion him against other
members of the band, like Peter, at certain points. He loved trading
licks with him in solos, and liked that Steve was more open to
weirdness than Mike or Phil. Speaking of solos, I have to say, and
this is completely subjective, that I find Tony's solos to be the
best constructed of any prog keyboard player. Sure, he doesn't play
on the level of speed and complexity of Wakeman, but he constructs
them not as wanky show offs, but as real melodies designed to create
moods and emotions. Granted, his solo on Robbery, Assault, And
Battery is one of the stupidest things I've ever heard (I think it's
that song: the one where it just goes up and down really quickly in a
way Tony just can't play, and creates no mood but annoyance).
Granted, he probably did TOO many long solos sometimes (Peter is
quoted as saying "one long Tony solo per song is about all I can
stomach").
But I'd suggest getting that book and the box sets. The sound is so
much better, they?re filled with bonus material (SO MUCH LIVE
FOOTAGE!) videos (eh, they?re fun) interviews (very cool) lots of
bonus songs (most of which was already on the box set, but we now
have all of the studio songs from Three Side Live and the Spot The
Pigeon e.p as well, and all in better sound). The fact that the band
improvised all of their music from ABACAB on was very interesting, as
it suggests that nobody was more of an influence than anybody else at
that point. You can even see them improvising in the videos that come
with the box sets. Also, it's interesting to note that that great
drum rhythm from Mama was actually a Rutherford creation! And you
learn a lot about the band, their personality, and can almost come
away from it not hating Tony. In fact, I actually respect him a lot
more afterwards. I thought you might be interested in hearing from a
Tony defender, even if it was a poorly structured defense.
Best song: In The Wilderness or One Day or The Conqueror
Rarely has the debut album of a major group received this much of a slagging from both fans and critics alike. And on the surface, the flaws of the album are huge and very numerous, seemingly leaving criticism fully justified. In case you're unware, here's the general rundown: first, the band was in its formative stages, without either of its instrumental virtuosos (Hackett and Collins, both of whom would join in '71). Hence, the playing on this album is a bit unimpressive - put another way, Tony Banks was the most skilled instrumentalist in the band at this point, and that should tell you something. Next, the band had not yet found its own distinct style, choosing to emulate the Beatles, Bee Gees and Zombies. And worst of all, producer Jonathan King, in an attempt to make the band seem 'sophisticated', forced the band to write around the concept of the creation of the world through the death of Adam (yes, I know the title implies the whole Bible, but trust me, it's fairly apparent that the story is all told from the point of view of God or Adam, and no other characters). Oh, and when they were done, he threw a lot of orchestration over the songs, except that King seemingly had no idea how to properly use string and brass arrangements in rock (unlike, say, George Martin).
So the obvious question comes to mind - WHY am I giving this album an 8??!!! Because beneath all of the superficial weaknesses lie two of Genesis' strengths, in just as full of force now as they would be later - incredible songwriting and incredible vocals from Peter. I don't know if I'm just listening to different songs than the rest of y'all, but almost a dozen of the songs on here (and yes, I'm counting the singles on the reissue, more on those later) are, at least in one aspect in each of them, absolute pop perfection. Am I Very Wrong?, for instance, may have a slightly awkward and Disney-sounding chorus, but how about that vocal melody in the verses?! And the rest ... man. Man. Where The Sour Turns To Sweet is beautiful, In The Beginning has one of the most awesome vocal hooks I've ever heard, and Fireside Song is EVEN BETTER. Are you going to tell me that the chorus of that song isn't one of the most perfectly constructed tunes you've ever heard??!! And don't forget In Hiding or Window, no sirree, the former with another perfect sing-songey melody and the latter yet another beautiful ballad.
And that sure as heck isn't all. Did you notice I put THREE songs from this album as my 'favorite'? In The Wilderness is a whee bit flacid in the verses, but that chorus ... "Music, all I hear is music, guaranteed to please ...". Guaranteed to please is right, dang it. And neither The Conqueror nor One Day fall short of the standard, the former a great energetic rocker and the latter one of the most perfect love songs I've ever heard.
Oh, and don't forget the bonus tracks. The single version of The Silent Sun is only slightly better than the album one (and that one's really dull, actually), but the other three are all highly recommendable. That's Me is, as usual, catchy as all get out, a great anthem of misogyny, while A Winter's Tale has yet another incredible chorus melody, while One Eyed Hound has great interaction between the piano melody and Peter's vocals.
Oh, I was going to tell you about Peter's vocals on this album, wasn't I. Now, at first glance, it would seem that Peter fails miserably in trying to vocalize the early chapters of Genesis, the logic being that since he's singing about such a profound part of Christianity, he should sound booming and authoritative to match the profundity. Well, quite honestly, I think that's bunk. How do you really think Adam would have been upon his placement on the earth - authoritative and patriarchal (how on earth do I spell that?), ready to assume his place as the biological father of all of Man? Bull. He would have been filled with wide-eyed awe at all of the creations around him - his own body, the animals in the garden, not to mention Eve and this new, strange emotion called 'love'. And in THAT way, Peter pulls off the album to an absolute tee. The lyrics (which, btw, are NOT bad - they are youthful and naive in their feel, but naive does not necessarily mean bad or sloppy) and vocals on this album combine in such a way as to perfectly convey the 'story behind the story' with Adam.
In case you haven't been able to tell, I really like this album. If you dislike it, well, it's your own choice, but dismissing it so easily just based on the lack of competent instrumentation and stupid orchestration seems no less than a fatal mistake to me.
Pablo Agustin Hillar Cazeneuve (p_hillar@hotmail.com) (11/29/01)
My best song is In the Wilderness, and In hiding too. I think that it is a
good album, something ok to start. In fact the first album of Genesis is
better than the first album of other great bands. I think that in the
wilderness have some power that the other song not have enough. In other
way, In hiding have a bit of magic, just like Mad Man Moon, Into deep or
Time Table. The rest is good: Silent Sun, That's me, A winters tale,
Fireside song or When sours turn to sweet are really goods.
Daniel and Corine Bosch (dcbosch@optusnet.com.au) (6/25/02)
I basically agree with you, some very good songs poorly realised is how I
would some this album up. I think I'd give it 6.5 out of 10. Best song? I
like "The Serpent"
bsitting@mail.math.ucsb.edu (8/27/02)
This ain't bad at all! These songs are very pleasant pop songs not that much
different from those of The Bee Gees from that period. Gabriel already has
unique voice down (minus his crazy quirky intonations). Don't expect any
instrumentation wonders, though. "In the Wilderness" is the favorite here,
gotta like that chorus! If anything, the google's worth of different
editions/covers to this album is a bit annoying! 7 out of 10.
PEROGAMVROS LAMBROS (lambros_pero@hotmail.com) (12/18/02)
Hallo!i dont have this album but i have genesis archive 67-75.The fourth cd
has most of this songs and some unreleased.i want to say i just love-i mean
love!- the "she is beautiful" song ,which later was renamed "serpent".Is it
exactly the same?bye bye genesis fans!
dave gravis (davegravis@quickclic.net) (9/20/04)
Finally, somebody else who likes this recording! I have been a long time
Genesis fan and couldn't agree with you more. Genesis music is not
something one should over analyze, even though most fans inevitably tend
to wax proficient at this, but rather it is to be listened to, absorbed
and internalized. The really beauty of the music of Genesis, like all
fine art works, does not become apparent until long after one has
listened, opened up one's mind, and assimilated the material. While I
might not agree with your feelings regarding Tony Banks, I do agree with
the assumption that the best and brightest of all that was Genesis, waned
after Peter, and most definitely after Steve's departure. Michael
Rutherford's bass, bass pedal and guitar work from Trespass to Second's
Out (heck even on the Lady Lies from And Then There Were Three) is quite
simply incredible. I love Chris Squire, and Greg Lake, but the three
(Mike, Chris and Greg) are simply different musicians. Mike is the
unsung hero of the progressive era. I believe Phil Collins is not only
the most underrated percussionist of our time, but his vocals at the end
of Supper's Ready (Second's Out) are perhaps the best and most powerful
of his career with that band. It's quite sad that while singing about
something as indescribably beautiful as the Lord's imminent return, that
on stage, Peter preferred mundane theatrics and satire to the awesome
vocal potential behind what maybe his greatest lyric. Otherwise, what
can I say but good about the band!
Best song: The Knife (duh!)
After everybody in the whole wide world bashed FGTR into the ground, Genesis apparently decided that if they were going to be a successful group at all, they would have to revamp in a big, big way. So they picked up a new, slightly better drummer in John Mayhew, headed into the studio and reinvented themselves as a fledgling prog-rock group. Gone were the short pop songs and youthful faces on the cover, replaced by lengthy, complex compositions with endless instrumental breaks and an icy blue cover depicting the temptation of Christ by Lucifer.
So what's the problem? Well, the problem is that a huge number of these instrumental breaks are dull to the extreme - as of this writing, I've owned this album over a year and still cannot vaguely remember a large chunk of them. Put another way - take the following year's The Yes Album, preserve the quality of the compositions, but remove virtually all melodic and 'epic' hooks (not to mention energy) from the instrumental parts, and what you get is Trespass. But then, this was to be expected - Genesis never had the greatest chops in the world even in their hey-day, so what should one expect when they have neither of their virtuosos, not to mention that it's only been a year since an album that had some very sub-par instrumental performances?
In this respect, the first side of the album is a real pain to sit through. The actual songs are very, very good, don't get me wrong - even the ridiculous White Mountain, with lyrics by Rutherford, has a fabulous melody. And the overwhelming vibe of desperation coming from Gabriel's vocals in Looking For Someone (with another fascinating and extremely complex melody) and the pretty melody and chorus in Visions of Angels make both of these tracks extremely enjoyable at times. But ONLY when Gabriel's singing - the rest of the time, your head will inevitably start drooping. Well, ok, I'll admit that the 'jam' at the end of Looking For Someone makes some sense, with at least some semblance of build, but the rest? Bleh.
However, the second half is significantly better. Stagnation may seem a wee bit unmemorable at first, but the first half eventually reveals itself as a pretty, memorable and cold ballad, not to mention that the instrumental passage, with Tony having fun with the tuning properties of the mellotron, is actually interesting in spots. And of course, there's the fabulous return of Peter's vocals near the end, as Gabriel pleads for water and a place to rest himself ("ah ah ah AH AH AH AH AH AH AH SAID I WANNA SIT DOOOOWWWWN" is something all Gabriel fans should hear at some point). To me, though, the quiet ballad Dusk is even better (and would be my pick for best on the album were it not for what comes afterwards). Have you ever had the chance to sit outside during a cold winter dusk? If not, you might not be able to fully appreciate the cold majestic mood created by this track, but if you have, you'll probably agree with me in my fondness and love for this song. Not to mention that the melody is once again friggin' beautiful, with gorgeous harmonies in the choruses and even more of the shaking tenderness than usual of Peter's emoting (especially when he sings, "And if we draw some water, does the well run dry?"). And best of all, the instrumental jamming in the song is kept to an ABSOLUTE MINIMUM, only involving some pleasant acoustic lines and some flute chiming in once in a while.
So yeah, this is a good album, despite all of the problems with the instrumental passages, and ...
...
Ha! Did you really think I was going to write a review of Trespass without gushing over The Knife? It's crazy, like nothing I've ever heard before or since. For the first time ever, the Banksynths have found an awesome riff and melody to latch onto, and goodness knows I like it when Tony's playing a pattern that's interesting and makes sense. And the lyrics??!! "I'll give you the names of those you must kill, all must die with their children. Carry their heads to the palace of old, hang them high, let the blood flow"!! "Tell me my life is about to begin, tell me that I am a hero, promise me all of your violent dreams, light up your body with anger."!! And of course, "Some of you are going to die, martyrs of course to the freedom that I will provide." And the most frightening thing is that, listening to Peter scream out these lines in the way only he can, you actually believe him if you're not careful. Not to mention that there are some perfectly interesting guitar solos in the song (pretty much the only ones on the album, actually), interspersed with quiet flute lines, gloomy and majestic organ passages, Peter chanting "we are only wanting freedom" in a war-march style, all culminating in the band playing a menacing chord in a rhythm more frightening than all of the 'evil' passages of every heavy metal band ever (well, maybe except for the end of Metallica's One). It's not the absolute greatest number the band ever did, but it's certainly up there (though I actually like the Live version more, believe it or not), and by itself makes the album worth hearing and owning.
In short, all of the traits that made Genesis such a great band are already in place - it just so happens that all the negatives are splashed over them in a greater amount than usual, and they're just too much to not hurt the rating significantly. But it's still a good album.
Casey Brennan (bevan@voicenet.com)
This is the first Genesis album I ever heard. It took me a little bit of
time to get into it.. but most noticeably great to me were "Looking For
Someone" with its' well-constructed and beautiful melody, and of course,
"The Knife"(I've never met a sole who never liked this track...). The
former track actually contains some of my favorite jamming on the whole
album. While parts of it are rather simple-sounding, a lot of it sounds
pretty majestic to me - Tony Banks does well with his piano and organ
playing through-out(especially that medieval-ish organ part at the start of
the second jam) and most of it in my opinion, for whatever reason, seems to
go well with the front cover. My favorite moment from the obvious
show-stopper "The Knife" is the fabulous and completely earth-shaking
guitar solo which comes after those thrilling screams. I can't agree with
you much on "Dusk" though, as it just seems like a somewhat pleasant ballad
to me(the quality of it is not much un-like the shorter songs from the next
album).. but "Stagnation" has grew on me quite a bit over time, and
"Visions of Angels" has a lot of melodic power during the verses. I also
like the drumming a bit on the latter song during the hymn-like
instrumental sections. "White Mountain" meanwhile, isn't too bad
either.... despite having the worst production off of the whole album, and
not being particularly successful in what it tries to do.
The seeds were pretty much sown... I can really hear the sounds of a great,
promising band on this record.
I agree with the 7(10)... I'd give this a solid 7 on my scale.
"Sittinger, Brian D" (brian.d.sittinger@lmco.com) (8/02/01)
This is the last prog-era Genesis album I bought. Nevertheless, it is quite
decent. There seems to be universal consensus here on "Looking for Someone"
and "The Knife" as the standouts here. Well...I agree! The other songs are
not so much bad, but rather drag and can be unmemorable for exactly the
reasons you mentioned. Nevertheless, the song structures are becoming
increasingly complex so early on in their career. Maybe it was anticlimatic
to have bought Live first, but this version of "The Knife" is still quite
spectacular in its own right. Just the instrumentation skills are quite
limited (ex:check out the simple yet enthusiastic drum rolls!)
For now, this album earns a 6 out of 10.
Pablo Agustin Hillar Cazeneuve (p_hillar@hotmail.com) (11/29/01)
When I heard Tresspass I felt really impresed. It experimented a mix of music
and magic and fantastic lyrics: just what I was waiting for. The cover is
great. The songs are sofisticated and show a particullary moment of the
band. My best song is White Mountain. For a moment, this song becomes deeper
inside of me. The guitar introduction is very good. I think that Tony had
the most participation on this song. The Knife and Stagnation are very good
too.
Daniel and Corine Bosch (dcbosch@optusnet.com.au) (6/25/02)
Here is where the "real" Genesis starts. They were already moving to this
sort of material, apparently, during the FGTR period but Jonathan King
didn't like that style, so they wrote short pop songs to please him.
Anyway, There is one similarity between this album and its predecessor in
that the production on Trespass is, for different reasons, equally horrid
as on FGTR. The sound on this album is muddy as all getup. Good songs
though, "The Knife" and "Stagnation" are the standouts. 7.5 out of 10
Best song: The Musical Box or Return of the Giant Hogweed
As with Yes, record number 3 represented the "big leap" for Genesis. Phil Collins and Steve Hackett entered, bringing with them instrumental skill that the band oh-so-badly needed - in fact, this album is easily the second-most guitar-heavy of Genesis' career, as all of Hackett's tricks are on prominent display at just the right times. The progressive nature of the compositions began to enter full flight, as the band contributed three musical masterpieces in the epics. And, most of all, Gabriel finally discovered his incredible sense of the absurd, as his lyrics became more intricate and more entertaining than ever before. And that absurdity even reaches to the album cover - I may perhaps be all wet here, but I'm almost POSITIVE that the girl holding the mallet represents Gabriel, the other woman on wheels the producer, and the heads lying on the ground the other band members.
Ah yes, it also introduces us to the human-head croquet game that underpins the story of epic number one, The Musical Box. Ignoring the music just for a moment, the story Gabriel creates here is nothing short of sheer brilliance - not just the fact that it's so strange, but the way in which he makes it impossible to truly determine who the 'hero' is. I mean, Cynthia lopped off Henry's head with a mallet, but Henry comes back as an old man and rapes Cynthia. WHO DO YOU ROOT FOR HERE??!! Is the ending tragic? A victory? The answer, of course, is that it's neither (even the giant musical climax at the end doesn't really betray the nature of the piece), and that it is the first of many glorious enigmas that Peter would paint for us.
But if it were just the story that were so cool, the song would lose much of its power. No, it is truly the music itself that makes this the classic it is. The vocal melodies in the beginning and middle are beautiful but sadly pleading, while the Elizabethan Folk nature of the music alternately soothes and tenses the listener. And, of course, the faster instrumental breaks are just marvelous. Hackett is the star, no question about it, and even Tony Banks is willing to reduce the role of his regular keyboard style in the jams, often using them as a feedback supplement for Steve and Mike (it's really cool to watch a live performance of this song and realize that all of the loudest and most abrasive sounds are actually coming from Tony's keys, and that they actually work). And again, Steve's guitar parts are absolutely incredible - fast enough to satisfy one's need to hear shredding, but also impeccably constructed and written.
And, of course, we have the grand finale, with Peter once again the main star, screaming in the guise of an old man, "Why don't you TOUCH ME, TOUCH ME, TOUCH ME, TOUCH ME, TOUCH ME, TOUCH ME NOW! NOW! NOW! NOW! NOW!" Granted, he could get a little gross with this part on stage, but there's no denying that this conclusion is one of the most overwhelmingly moving moments in the history of rock music.
Unfortunately, the album is somewhat inconsistent from this point onwards. The other two epics are marvelous, but most of the shorter songs are, well, kinda lame. Well, except Harold the Barrel, of course, with Peter singing the story of man about to jump off a ledge. The music is hilarious, maniacally slamming from one up-tempo theme to another while we hear things like old Mrs. Barrel singing "Your shirt's all dirty and there's a man here from the BBC - You just can't jump." But the other short songs, again, stink. For Absent Friends (with Collins' first-ever lead-vocal in Genesis) and Harlequin mostly escape me every time I hear them, and Seven Stones isn't really better. The lyrics are pretentious without being entertaining (I'll bet dollars-to-dimes that Tony wrote them!!), and the only part of the song that has ever fascinated me is the pretty mellotron part at the end.
No matter, though - the other two epics rule. Return of the Giant Hogweed, the heart-warming story of a race of weeds that take over the earth, is utterly fabulous and hilarious, from the feedback-drenched rolling guitar lines of the beginning to the ludicrously complex melody and chorus structure to the interesting jamming in the middle. Even Tony's playing doesn't seem as annoying here, as the main keyboard riff is quite entertaining. And, of course, Peter's singing, from the "Turn and run!" etc. screams of the beginning, to the 'Dance of the Giant Hogweed' at the end, when the weeds finally win their battle and Peter cries "Mighty Hogweed is avenged! Human bodies soon will know our anger! Kill them with your Hogweed hairs! Heracleum Mantegazziani!" is entertaining beyond words.
And, finally, we have Fountain of Salmacis, lyrics by Mike, which tells the story of the creation of Hermaphrodites. The lyrics are straight-forward, without too much 'commentary' or anything pretentious like that, with Peter making you feel for the 'hero' with cries like "Where are you father? Give wisdom to your son" or "Away from me cold-blooded woman, your thirst is not mine!". And some (though not really most) of the instrumental parts are cool too - there's a little too much Tony for me, and it sounds really strange in the mid-song jam when it sounds like he's playing a baseball organ, but Steve, when he's around, knocks your socks off. The simple guitar flourish at the beginning of the jam, in particular, as he slowly creeps between your speakers while building tension with an ominous call from his guitar, wows me flat every time I hear it.
So what of all this? This is certainly the biggest breakthrough of Genesis' career, as the positive aspects of the band are shown in full for the first time - but there are also still negatives. The occasional dose of lackluster songwriting, falling back on simple acoustic patterns that only try to rely on 'atmosphere' instead of actual music content, not to mention the fact that only three of the songs bare the obvious stamp of Gabriel's lyrics, drags down the rating ever so slightly. But don't get me wrong - you should definitely get this. It's just that you should probably get the next few albums first ...
Sierrasun3@aol.com
This is a very good album and a big step forward from Trespass. "The Musical
Box" is the best track, especially the hard rocking parts. Steve Hackett and
company go totally manic on this song. I love that guitar shriek when the
jamming begins (that's guitar, right?). Also, Peter's vocals are really
creepy and fit the morbid story line well. "For Absent Friends" is pleasant
and a breather between two longer, heavier pieces. The vocals in "The Return
of the Giant Hogweed" are pretty weird (as they probably should be for a song
about killer weeds). Very good instrumentals on this one, especially the
climactic ending. "Seven Stones" might sound dull at first, but I like it.
The chorus is haunting, as is the mellotron at the end. "Harold the Barrel"
is a humorous, fast-paced, and entertaining romp, but I get goosebumps when
Harold jumps. Maybe its just me. "Harlequin" seems like a Trespass outtake,
but its not bad. I love the wall of mellotron at the beginning of "The
Fountain of Salmacis" as well as the little jam in the middle that includes a
cool bass lick. I disagree about the 'baseball organ' and I think it fits in
alright. This song also has a good closing (many of their songs did). Gotta
love the mythology lyrics, too. My one gripe about this album is that I wish
it was a little longer.
"Sittinger, Brian D" (brian.d.sittinger@lmco.com)
Maybe it's strange that this is the third Genesis album I bought (after
Selling England by the Pound and Foxtrot). Pehaps, after having let these
albums thoroughly digest, I caught onto this album after a couple of
listens.
Despite the few nice but forgettable songs, like "For Absent Friends" and
"Harlequin" ("Seven Stones" is almost in this category), this album is
superb! What a first effort from the "classic" lineup! "The Music Box" with
its shifts of mood is simply amazing! Steve Hackett shreds, and Phil Collins
almost sounds like Keith Moon in the agressive parts (who would've known!).
"Return of the Giant Hogweed" is simply one of the sickest (in an endearing
way) songs I've ever heard - another classic! "Harold the Barrel" is short
and extremely catchy with great indication of Harold's fate(?) by Tony at
the end of the song. "The Fountain of Salmacis" took me a while longer to
appreciate. Nevertheless, it has great booming mellotron lushes, as well as
(for me) one of the first cathartic Hackett solos at the end of the song.
It's amazing how much he can do with just a small handfull of notes... .
I happily give this album a score of a low 9 out of 10 (due to the
"unforgettble" songs). An excellent and promising beginning from the
"classic" lineup.
Pablo Agustin Hillar Cazeneuve (p_hillar@hotmail.com) (11/29/01)
Nursery Crime was the third album that I bought of Genesis. After Genesis
(Mama) and Three sides live. The Musical Box and The Fountain of Salmacis
are far the best songs of the album, and maybe two of the best songs of the
band history. Musical Box have power,mistery,violence and misticism. I think
that to see and hear it on a live show could be an extasis. For me de
Genesis Live version is better than the studio version, mostly because the
electric guitar solos. The Fountain of Salmacis is a kind of great quality
composition, complex and beautyfull. Something modern for this album. The
keyboard solo is just incredible, and I think that the live version sang by
Phil on Three sides live have much power and is excellent. The other songs
are goods too, but for me except Seven Stones, the rest fill spaces.
Daniel and Corine Bosch (dcbosch@optusnet.com.au) (6/25/02)
I'm gonna stick my neck out here (and hope my head doesn't get lopped off
by a polo mallet!) and say this is my Favourite Genesis album. "The
Musical Box", for mine, is the best song they ever did, yes, even better
that "Supper's Ready". The other epics are great too. I disagree about
the shorter songs, I love "Seven Stones", I think it has a great lyric
and I love the mellotron part, very mournful. Also, I think the shorter
sons serve the same purpose as, say, the solo turns on Yes' Fragile, i.e.
they give you breathing space. "For Absent Friends" just gives the
listener a two minute respite between the twin onslaughts of "The Musical
Box" and "Return Of The Giant Hogweed". And, unlike the earlier albums,
the production is crystal clear. I'm gonna give this 10 out of 10!
Trfesok@aol.com (12/05/06)
The loss of Anthony Phillips certainly changed the tone of the band.
He was the guy pretty much responsible for the folky, pastoral tones
of songs like "Visions of Angels" and "Dusk," which I really liked
(although I seem to be one of the few that did). Gabriel's
eccentricity comes to the fore, and a sense of dark humor appears.
(The band did take itself WAY too seriously on the first two albums,
I will concede.) I'm not sure I like that harsher tones of "Hogweed"
or "Harold the Barrel," but they're fun. And, certainly, there's a
powerful jump in musicianship and versatility with Hackett and
Collins on board. "For Absent Friends" is a nice slice-of-life song
(Rutherford and Collins wrote it, I think) that is very atypical of
early Genesis. Still, I do have to close with the opening and closing
songs as top tracks, two real classics on a really good album.
Best song: Supper's Ready (from Willow Farm onwards)
See, now this is what artistic growth is all about. You have a strength? Build and expand upon it, systematically exploring it to discover its full potential and possibilities. You have a weakness? Work at decreasing its prevalence in your sound, replacing it with alternatives that help rather than hinder. With this album, Genesis took the giant revolution that they'd made with Cryme, accentuated the positives, substantially decreased (though, unfortunately, failed to eliminate) the weaknesses, and as a result produced the first truly awesome album of their career.
Now, it should be noted that it's not quite perfect, great as it proves to be again and again. Many people love Can Utility and the Coastliners - I do not. From the very first listen, it has always struck me as, for lack of a better term, the 'laziest' song on the album. The melody is fairly pretty and even memorable, but is it pretty enough to get by on beauty alone? No, it's not, and the overabundance of Banksynths don't help much either. Indeed, the instrumental breaks in the piece, on the whole, are the most predictable and even boring on the record - of the Mike/Tony/Steve sequence near the end, only Hackett comes up with a decent part, and even that is nothing to write home about.
But enough whining - the other five tracks aren't just good, they are overwhelmingly fabulous. First of all - remember how this album starts, with those ominous mellotrons? Man, if you've wanted a textbook definition of an 'epic hook', that is the place to go. Of course, as Tony is wont to do, he overdoes the trick by at least a third, and the synth tone isn't quite as majestic as it deserves to be, but no matter, because then it leads into the fan-favorite and masterpiece Watcher of the Skies. Yes, the lyrics are dumb (as Tony's almost always are) but they're at least entertaining and funny this time around, and the actual music is sheer brilliance. From the slow build of tension and volume of the guitars and drums underneath the organs, to the incredibly complex and just as incredibly memorable chorus and verse melody, to the subtle bits of guitar without which the song wouldn't have half of its power (dig those *wheeeeeezh* noises he throws in at appropriate intervals!), to the menacing conclusion with the band messing with the rhythm in an unpredictable way, rarely has any album had such a perfect and appropriate opening track.
Time Table is up next, and while it might not seem as incredible at first (at least, it didn't seem so for me), time has revealed it as just as impressive as the other pieces of the album - just on a more subtle scale. Tony's piano part is soothing and beautiful, the lyrics are profound and universalistic without becoming annoying, and the melody is, again, memorable as hell. Especially the chorus - even if the lyrics make you wince a bit at first, you won't get that hook out of your head for hours afterwards.
Following in its footsteps is the brilliant epic Get 'Em Out By Friday, the story of a future earth run by evil landlords who impose a 4-foot restriction on human height to get twice as many tenents in each building. Tony's keyboard tone is as cheezy as ever, but somehow his keys work here - not just because he finds a neat riff for them, but because, well, such a goofy story deserves a goofy keyboard tone. Meanwhile, Steve's guitar unveils its hyper-distorted-yet-incredibly-clean guitar tone that makes itself known by piercing its way through the mix, and he finds a few interesting solos to latch it onto as well. And of course, a story like this wouldn't be complete without Peter fully playing up to it. From his 'evil overload' cackle to his imitation of the poor, intimidated tenents, Pete makes the already entertaining lyrics come to life as only he could, even making a great imitation of a public service announcer speaking through a microphone. Oh, and needless to say, the music is incredible, as the verse and chorus structure is amazingly complex while being memorable, as usual, and it goes through fast and slow parts with the greatest of ease, so the piece never tires you out. On virtually any album but this one, it would easily be my choice for 'best song' ...
But no, that honor falls to Supper's Ready (oh, the track before it, btw, is a pretty acoustic instrumental called Horizons). First of all - Gabriel finally gets a chance to unveil his lyrical talents in all of their splendor, as the piece is 23 minutes long, and ALL the lyrics are Pete's. The lyrics are, roughly speaking, his take on the Apocalypse (the supper referred to, btw, is the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, spoken of in Revelation), and Pete truly pulls out all of the stops. The song has seven parts (the seven millenia), there are seven 'shrouded men' (seven angels referred to in Rev.), there's Magog, there's the Dragon, there's the Moon turning to blood, and finally there's the King of Kings returned to take his children to the New Jerusalem. And Peter plays up to it fully, displaying his vocal talents to the extent that, even if you have no belief of Christ's second coming, the song moves you totally.
Don't think the song is all serious, though. The last two sections are based around the actual Apocalypse and the triumph of the Lord in the end (section 6 is even called Apocalypse in 9/8), but the rest of the piece is certainly varied in tone. Lover's Leap and Guaranteed Eternal Sanctuary Man are gorgeous ballads and anthems, with an incredibly beautiful guitar line in the former and just a great melody in the second. Of course, the arrangements have a little to be desired (that cheezy keyboard sound does NOT belong in GESM, Tony!), but still, there's absolutely nothing to be sad about from a purely melodical perspective.
Meanwhile, Ikhnaton and Itsacon and Their Band of Merry Men is an entertaining and energetic account of a battle, with some of Hackett's most enjoyable soloing, and some more fabulous Gabriel vox. And then, after a quiet interlude in How Dare I Be So Beautiful?, we enter a world of unfettered whackiness in Willow Farm. I tell you this - you have not truly experienced Genesis until you've watched Gabriel bipping and bopping and kicking and hopping while singing Willow Farm. That said, it's equally entertaining on the actual album - Gabriel's vocals expand and contract in a hilarious manner, his voice hops between stereo channels, and overall he's just so hugely British that it can't help but bring a smile to myself every time.
And then we hit the music of Apocalypse, and catharsis begins to truly set in. Steve's guitar quietly emits calls of warning, Peter plays some tender flute lines, and we build up and build up until we hit Mike's menacing riff while Peter scares the daylights out of you. And just as importantly, Tony has his finest hour yet - his keys do an exquisite job of mounting the tension further and further and further, both in his regular playing and in a couple of not-necessarily-jaw-dropping-on-first-listen-but-still-incredibly-well-written solos. And then Peter sings the next verse, Tony's keys add further to the gloom ...
And then the chimes sound, and the light at the end of tunnel shows up, and Steve takes over with some of the most gut-wrenching parts of his career. The guitar melody underpinning Gabriel's "Can't you feel our souls ignite" verse is astoundingly beautiful, but it only gets better. The CRYING guitar part right before we hear "and he's crying in a loud voice, this is the supper of the mighty one" has brought tears to my eyes at least 50 times, and probably won't stop as long as I live. And the triumphant call of his guitar does an impeccable job of conjuring the image of the band being lifted up and waving farewell to the world as they are carried to the New Jerusalem. It's emotionally devestating beyond words - if you haven't been shaken by this part, listen again, and if you still aren't, then there's something wrong with you.
So ... all in all, this album is friggin' incredible. About 45 minutes of it is pure progressive perfection - cut out Can Utility, and you'd probably get a 15 (or at least a very very very high 14) here. As is, they still had room to improve, so a 13 it is. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't go out and buy it right now.
PS: A CD-R that I've made of this album that cuts out Can-Utility and replaces it with Twilight Alehouse (found on the first Genesis Archive) is, to my ears, one of the most amazing things I've ever heard. For what it's worth.
Sierrasun3@aol.com
This is even better than Nursery Cryme. I used to think the beginning of
"Watcher of the Skies" sounded a little weak, but I've come to appreciate it
for what it is. It's a good song with some interesting phrasing by Peter. I
didn't think the lyrics were supposed to be funny, though. =)
(author's note): That's why they are.
"Time Table"
is a nice and pretty relaxing track. "Get 'Em Out By Friday" is a creative
song, but it does drag a little bit in the middle. The bass is great on this
one, especially during the first vocals. I LOVE "Can-Utility and the
Coastliners." Everything about this song is good and the whole band shines.
"Horizons" is a pleasant little acoustic piece. "Supper's Ready" is extremely
effective and dramatic and one of the best epics of all time. The opening
"Lover's Leap" creeps me out vocally, lyrically, and musically. But that's a
_good_ thing. Once again, I have to defend Tony's keyboards in "Guaranteed
Eternal..." Hackett's solo in "Ikhnaton..." is quite good. The song slows to
a crawl for the "How Dare I Be So Beautiful?" section, and then WHAM BANG
here comes "Willow Farm". Yikes, this part is cool and...um...weird. The
quiet flute solo between Willow and Apocalypse is nothing short of beautiful.
"Apocalypse in 9/8" does get a bit repititive, but that's okay. There's no
denying the dramatic effect of the closing section, which is one of the most
moving pieces of music ever. Peter really does an awesome job vocally here.
What a great album.
Philip Maddox (slurmsmckenzie@hotmail.com)
I pretty much agree with your review, except I actually like it a bit MORE
than you do - this is my personal Genesis 10, and a 15 on your overall scale
(one of the 6 or so albums in rock history that merits such a high rating
from me). This album is perfect. Absolutely friggin' perfect. Even "Can
Utility", which always struck me as gorgeous and with a stunning climax (not
as good as the Musical Box climax, but still...). And Supper's Ready... wow.
Don't even get me started. Far and away the best side long piece ever
recorded (actually, that's not quite true - Horizons was on the same side on
the original LP, but the sentiment remains), Peter Gabriel turns in what is
quite possibly my favorite vocal performance on any record ever. His vocal
leaps throughout all 7 parts are just breathtaking. I can't even pick a
favorite (if I had to, I'd probably pick either the Willow Farm, Apocalypse,
or As Sure As Eggs Is Eggs parts, but between them, don't even THINK about
asking me to pick). And if there was ever any doubt that Peter Gabriel was
(is?) one of the best lyricists of all time, that track should lay all
doubts to rest - utterly fantastic. I don't want to short change the other
songs here, but I don't want to keep rambling - you said it all above pretty
nicely.
Again, this is a STRONG 10(15) from me, and this is probably among my three
or so favorite albums of all time (if you're wondering, the other contenders
are Live At Leeds, The White Album, Selling England By The Pound, and Thick
As A Brick, though We're Only In It For The Money, Stand Up, Aqualung, and
Magical Mystery Tour are all mighty close).
stray_toasters@juno.com
I already commented about this, the first prog-rock album I ever really
got into, on George's site. But I will say one thing here that I didn't
there: I find the end of 'Supper's Ready' as moving as you do, and I'm
an agnostic. Can DC-Talk do that?
"Sittinger, Brian D" (brian.d.sittinger@lmco.com)
Much more consistent than Nursery Cryme songwise. Also, this album seems to
be a bit more balanced instrumentally than previously. What can I say? Once
this album grew on me, just about every track on here can do no wrong for
me. I don't feel like I have too much to say to say about this album that
has not been mentioned before, but a few brief notes. One, the
oft-overlooked (due to its length?) "Horizons" is a pretty classical (I
think) guitar piece from Steve; there are sure enough harmonics played in a
row (check the beginning out!). "Supper's Ready" for some reason seems to
flow quite well for its length. The end does not quite make me cry
(stoicism!?), but nevertheless will blow me every time I hear it - very
worthy to play LOUD (another cathartic moment from Steve)!! Gabriel's
delivery in the Willow Farm section is quite amusing - I'm certain I could
scare my brother with this - it is so wacky! Finally, imagine playing
Apocalypse in 9/8 during a cardio-kickboxing class (or Tae-Bo for that
matter - imagine all the chaos!).
Foxtrot deserves a 9 out of 10 at the very least! Oh, what the heck, 10 out
of 10!! (Why should I be sooo stingy with the 10's? Perhaps because I enjoy
Selling England by the Pound a tad more. But, that would be dealing Foxtrot
some injustice on my part!)
Pablo Agustin Hillar Cazeneuve (p_hillar@hotmail.com) (11/29/01)
One of my favourites. Watcher of the skies and Suppers Ready (the best part:
Apocalypse in 9/8) are those kind of pieces that I feel like an archetype, a
mix of excellent music and power passion. Tony's keyboards sound on Watcher
just mystical and I think that nobody else can do something like that, it's
just Genesis. The lyrics and all the song is great. Suppers ready has too
many parts. For me Lovers Leap and Apocalypse in 9/8 are the best. When I
listen apocalypse I feel a kind of possesion. It is enormous. This piece is
something indecribable, mostly when the keyboard solo become to the end and
the voice explode singnin Six, six, six... (maybe it is like to see the face
of God). The other songs are very good too. Time Table have magic, specially
into the piano parts. Get the out by Friday have a fantastic end and Can
utility is an original song with a good instrumental part.
Daniel and Corine Bosch (dcbosch@optusnet.com.au) (6/25/02)
Another beauty, not a duff track on it. I, too, Love "Can Utility And The
Coastliners", I don't know what you have against it. "Supper's Ready" -
well, what can one say. It is Genesis' only 15+ min epic, but what a
beaut! "Watcher Of The Skies" is also awesome, and I agree with the chap
who said that parts of "Get Em Out By Friday" drag a little, which is why
this is getting a mere 9.5 out of 10 from me. I don't know what you meant
by the cheesy keys, it's just an ordinary Hammond Organ, it's just that
Tony uses no vibrato. But then again, Keith Emerson virtually never used
much vibrato, so it is essentially the same sound. And if you don't like
the sound of Hammond Organ, what are you dong listening to prog rock?!!?
F. Shaw (fshaw1@cfl.rr.com) (4/21/04)
Hey man you hit the nail on the head, as far as your review of Supper
ready, the song still gives me chills to this day been listening to
this since I was 14-15 , and I'm 40 now, and the part at the end "and
he's crying,.. BLOWS THE TOP OF MY HEAD OFF EVERY TIME !!! Went to my
best friends wedding a few yrs back, and I gave him a video copy of
GENESIS live Oxford And it was incredible to see 10 people, all spawled
out on a hotel bed screaming the lyrics to Supp,. never missing a beat
never missing a line THAT is timeless
Thanks
David Sheehan (dawningistheday@yahoo.com) (05/12/06)
Hi John,
I never understood the criticism of Can-Utility. I have always liked
it--I mean it's not *wonderful*, but it's good. I don't think it can
bring down the rating from a 14, not in my eyes (or ears?). I love
this album, and I think it's Genesis' second best behind Selling
England. Interesting about your CD-R comment, I made one with
Twilight Alehouse too, but I didn't nix Can-Utility, I just stuck
Alehouse between it and Horizons. Anyway, great minds think alike,
right? Cheers.
David Sheehan
Trfesok@aol.com (12/05/06)
Disagreement on the gorgeous mellotron part on "Watcher of the Skies"
-- it's not too long, and certainly adds the perfect outer space
atmosphere. I like Tony's sci-fi lyrics, too. "Supper's Ready"
is the final realization of the ideas Jonathan King planted in the
band at the beginning. From Genesis to Revelation, indeed. "Willow
Farm" was originally as separate song written solely by Gabriel, by
the way -- wonder how fits into the plot? I personally don't think
Genesis ever topped it on a spiritual level or a
prog level. "Horizons" is a nice Steve intro to the piece. The rest
of the songs are nice enough, but a bit too eccentric for
me. Still, the two big numbers add up, by themselves, to make this
another classic.
David Seres (dss9560@yahoo.com) (03/17/07)
First please allow me to say that I am a born-again believer and that
I can enjoy secular music...while I am more often attracted to the
melody, instrumentation and/or arrangement (etc.) of a song, I still
try to be "careful" about the messages of the lyrics and about the
album artwork (because of my spiritual beliefs)...having said this, I
can respect the opinions of others here about Genesis music...but,
while there may be a "consensus" as to what is actually "good" or
"bad" music, I personally feel that a person's like/dislike of an
artist's music may simply be a "matter of taste" - like preferring
chocolate instead of vanilla...also, I may be somewhat "biased" about
Genesis 70's music because at times their sound/style can remind me
of England and Medieval times (both aspects of which I can
enjoy)...still, the England/Medieval thing may not override my
relative like/dislike of a song (for example, "I Know What I Like (In
Your Wardrobe)" from "SEBTP" is still not a personal favorite of
mine)...as for "Foxtrot", I like all the songs on this album (some
more than others)...I find the album production sound somewhat
"unique" (and enjoyable), and, overall, I enjoy the instrumentation
on this album - especially the mellotron/synth(?) sound......I may
have "concerns" regarding some of the lyrics (again due to my own
spiriual beliefs)...I DO enjoy "Can-Untility and the
Coastliners"...and while I may prefer the "Seconds Out" version of
"Supper's Ready" at times, I can still enjoy the "Foxtrot" version
(although the "Willow Farm" section is still not a personal favorite
of mine)...while "Supper's Ready does refer to biblical passages at
points (e.g., the Book of Revelations), I would not use this song
strongly for "spiritual guidance" in the overall sense (because of
"concerns" with other parts of the lyrics)...thanks for taking the
time to read this...blessings to all..
Best song: The Knife
Genesis is one of those bands whose live performances have to be seen rather than just heard. Thanks to a kind reader of the site, I was lucky enough to receive, for the low price of $20, an hour-long tape of a British Public Television broadcast showing some live Genesis cuts, and as such have a good idea of the utter lunacy and entertainment that Gabriel and Co. were able to produce on stage. Whether it's Gabriel's costumes or his bouncing around stage or whether it's him whistling "Jerusalem Boogie" before going into Supper's Ready (not to mention the stories), he was always able to utterly captivate the audience.
Alas, though, this album presents us with none of that - no stories, only one piece of stage banter, and only a few small pictures in the booklet. And speaking of small ... this is a single album, and it didn't even expand upon remastering. No Supper's Ready, no Fountain of Salmacis, no ... er, Stagnation I guess. Not to mention that they really should have waited a year to release one ... but that's for later.
So why such an absurdly high grade? Well, because (a) the song selection is oobie-doobie and (b) EVERY one of the five tracks on here improves upon its studio predecessor in some way or another. The keyboard sound of Watcher of the Skies, somewhat murky and corny before, suddenly becomes awe-inspiringly majestic, and the build of the song towards the climax is far better defined than before. And then, we get Get 'Em Out By Friday, whose introduction is nowhere near as clumsy as it might have seemed originally, not to mention that it's fascinating to hear Peter reinvent his vocalizations in such a clever manner.
But the first two tracks are nothing compared to what happens on the next three. Hackett may have been slightly restrained within the studio, but live was an entirely different matter. He's suddenly the most important instrumentalist in the band, and he fully takes advantage of this, building his guitar-god resume even more with each successive song. The opening to Return of the Giant Hogweed, for instance, feels much more 'loose' and less artificial, for lack of a better way to express it. He even embellishes the main part of the song with little guitar 'scrapings' as the weeds rise and seek revenge. And, of course, the main jam is just as interesting as ever.
The Musical Box is up next, and as far as mood and eerieness goes, the first section of the song is even better than it was in the studio, as Gabriel continues to vary his volume and intonations in an unpredictable manner. What makes the song, though, is the middle jam, where Hackett shreds like he never had before, while the manner of feedback employed by all flattens you into the ground (plus, I love that *growl* noise he or Rutherford uses before Steve launches into his solo). His note choices continue to be impeccable, but there's that extra bit of edge and oomph that makes them that much more impressive. Oh, and needless to say, the ending climax is just as fascinating and exciting as ever, though it really is one of those things that has to be seen to be fully appreciated (Gabriel wearing his old-man mask and thrusting his hips back and forth in a humping motion are some of what come on my video).
But none of this compares to The Knife, which was a great and exciting song before the band had any talented instrumentalists. Gabriel is just insane on stage, even using some weird vocal distortion effects in places to freak out the audience, but it's not just his manic energy that makes this rendition an absolute classic. Somehow, Tony's opening organ riff seems just that much more menacing and gloomy than before, and Steve ... wow. Wow. He's noisier and faster here than Anthony Phillips could have ever hoped to be, and combined with even more menacing and perfect note choices than on the rest of the record, especially as he makes your heart pump in the seconds before the climax. Which, by the way, is 5 times as intense as it was on Trespass. And the lengthy *baamm* *baamm* *baamm* ending after Gabriel's "WE HAVE WOOOOONNNNN!!!!" is extended, letting you indulge yourself for that much longer.
Now, granted, if you don't really like live albums that much, I guess you might not want to get this, since the songs pretty much follow the same form as before. But if you have a good ear for live performances, then you will have an absolute hoot with this. Heck, buy it before Trespass and Cryme.
"Sittinger, Brian D" (brian.d.sittinger@lmco.com)
Well, I must say that this album is quite a hoot! Good (if not short!) song
selection. Although the songs seem quite similar to those on the studio
albums, it's amazing how accurately they are played. However, it seems to me
that Peter Gabriel has less punch on "Return of the Giant Hogweed." Big
deal! This album introduced me to "The Knife" - evidence that Genesis could
rock REALLY hard if they wanted to. I absolutely enjoy this versions of this
song (It may worth the price of admission just to get this version of the
song. Who knows? That's my opinion anyway. The original ain't no slouch
though...) Too bad there were not more songs on this record, as well as a
followup to this album BEFORE Gabriel left, i.e., Selling England era songs!
(BTW, Where can one find more of Peter's stage banter?)
Still, an easy 9 out of 10.
Daniel and Corine Bosch (dcbosch@optusnet.com.au) (6/25/02)
One of the better live albums from the period, sound-wise if nothing
else. Good song selection, powerful performances. Yes, it misses Peter's
stories etc (but I had to laugh the first time I hears Mike's
"unaccompanied bass pedal solo"!) It was possibly too early to put out a
live album but the record company insisted as they were taking their time
with Selling England By The Pound. Also, ever notice Peter changes the
lyrics on "The Knife"? I'd give this 8 out of 10.
Trfesok@aol.com (07/19/07)
It really was premature, and I also would have preferred "Stagnation"
and "The Fountain of Salmacis" instead of "..Hogweed" and "..Friday".
But, I have to agree with the 9, anyway. The performances are really
fantastic. The production and sound quality are terrific. Especially
considering that it was 1973, the same period that Yes and ELP
recorded live albums that sound a good deal worse. On the remaster,
you can especially appreciate the intricacies of Collins' drumming
and Rutherford's (at least at this point) underrated bass playing. I
certainly understand why you'd pick "The Knife" as best song, since
musically, the song takes on new life with Collins and (especially)
Hackett on board. Gabriel also makes some interesting changes in the
lyrics, although I don't necessarily think these improve over the
studio version. Anyway, even though it retreads only 3 albums, these
live versions are strong enough for fans not to mind in the least.
Best song: Dancing With The Moonlit Knight
You might not have noticed it, but although I certainly have a healthy dose of respect and love for well-done progressive rock, not ONCE have I given a prog rock album a perfect score - atmosphere and cool instrumentation can take you to the top of the mountain overlooking the land, but they won't let you into Canaan, so to speak. But this album is a different story entirely. NEVER before and never again in the history of progressive rock can one find such a perfect confluence of atmospherics, bombastic and yet clever lyrics, catchy melodies, complicated song structures, and in a wonderous first for Genesis, constantly entertaining and often GORGEOUS arrangements (this album is Genesis' peak in both quality of keyboard playing AND quality of guitar playing, which should tell you something right away) as can be found in this incredible 53 minute piece of British lore.
The arrangements, in particular, are what ultimately set this album above Foxtrot and The Lamb. You may not believe it, but not only do I have absolutely no complaints about Tony's playing on this album, on more than a few occasions I truly believe in the title of genius that many fans have foisted upon him. This is made all the more incredible by the fact that it is on this album that he uses synthesizers for the first time, and while they would be incredibly annoying within 5 years time, here his use of them is always, dare I say it, tasteful, not to mention that he achieves some incredible stretches of cathartic beauty with them. But even with his newfound toys, he still manages to incorporate more piano on this album than any other in Genesis' catalogue, and those passages are usually even more entertaining than his synth playing - bombastic, but sounding like they deserve all their bombast.
Even with all that, though, the full emergence of Steve Hackett is what distinguishes this album the most, as this album is easily the most guitar-heavy in Genesis' catalogue, and given my attitude of "more Hackett is better Hackett," that's so much the better. With very few exceptions, he is ALWAYS playing a major role in the sound, whether it be an incredibly intelligent solo or just plain old solid riffing.
And finally, we have Gabriel reaching the absolute pinnacle of his "medieval British herald" shtick - only 3 of the songs have lyrics by him (well, 4 if you count the closing reprise Aisle of Plenty, which brings back the best parts of the opening track), but as far as his mix of bombast, incredibly British humor and unfettered whackiness go, those three songs are certainly among his peaks. Not to mention that he takes full advantage of the chance to play up to them with his singing - if you thought he was taking on some strange roles and offering weird interpretations before, well, you'd be right, but somehow he managed to outdo even himself.
Another thing that strikes me about the album in general is that, as bombastic as it may be in most cases, it also does an incredible job of deflating itself at the proper intervals so that you never feel overwhelmed by the album. I mean, examine the track order by genre - prog, pop, prog, pop, prog, soothing instrumental, prog, reprise. It's simple, really, yet utterly ingenious (not to mention that the reprise is of just the right themes so that you truly feel complete at album's end).
Ok, NOW for the specific songs. In case you aren't aware of it, the opening Dancing with the Moonlit Knight is probably Genesis' finest song ever, as the lyrics and music mix in such a way that is incredible even for this group. Gabriel probably puts forth his best singing effort yet, and he even gets the chance to sing a capella at the very beginning as he begins the process of magically transporting you back to the England that never was. But other instruments are slowly added, layer upon layer - some keys here, a light touch of acoustic guitar, as we build to the bombastic "the captain leads his dance right on through the night" passage before he launches us into a fabulous instrumental break with the cry "knights of the green shield stamp and shout!" And oh what a passage it is, filled with speedy solos and triumphant calls from Steve's guitar, eventually leading to Tony's mellotron imitating a heavenly choir as Peter begins his "There's a fat old lady outside the saloon" spiel.
Eventually, the sung passages come to an end, and this time, the instrumental parts are driven forward by Tony's synths, incorporating weird tones and dissonant pounding in an utterly brilliant combination, before it gradually slows down into a peaceful section with Mike playing 4 notes on his acoustic again and again. Tony plays a beautiful sequence of chords while Steve plays his own ambient selection and Peter throws in some lines on the flute, and it fades out nothing like it began, but seeming all the better for it.
And, of course, it is then followed by one of the greatest pop songs of all time, I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe), about a crossdresser who mows lawns for a living. The lyrics are insane yet memorable, the melody is incredibly complex yet catchy, and there are even lawnmower imitations on the bass guitar. But what amazes me most of all, though, is the drumming. It's not even that the part is necessarily very complex - it's that TONE that Phil pulls out of thin air. Never ever ever have I heard a song where the drums sound even remotely like that - how did he DO THAT??!! Inquiriing minds want to know, so impart thy knowledge please. (PS: A year later, I've finally figured out that that the coolest parts of the drumming are actually Mike making that upwards *DOY* noise off of Phil's strike. I feel like an idiot for not figuring that out earlier, but whatever.)
Now, what comes next, the epic Firth of Fifth, is a whee bit controversial for me. You see, from a purely musical perspective, I could have easily dubbed this song as Genesis' best ever, and thus the best on the album. Unfortunately, Tony writes the lyrics here, and they're some of his worst to date. Not enough to hurt the album as a whole, of course, but enough to remove a whee bit of shine that the song would otherwise have. No matter, though. As far as melody, arrangements, and especially structure go, it is practically the PERFECT progressive composition. Tony's opening piano line is incredible both in its beauty and its difficulty, the main melody is terrific, and then we have the mid-section. Oh boy, DO we have the mid-section. Peter contributes a pretty flute passage, in comes a relaxing piano section, then a bouncy synth reprise of the opening piano line, and to top it all off, Steve comes in and plays his best known solo. It's not fast at all, but that doesn't hurt it in the least - it's a slow, winding, meticulous passage, with repeated climaxes building up the piece until it all releases itself and the main melody shows up again, followed by a wonderful piano fadeout. Can you say "symmetry" boys and girls? I knew you could.
The next track is probably the biggest surprise of all, actually. More Fool Me is a Collins song (both in composition and singing), but the scary thing is that not only does it not suck, it is an incredibly pretty acoustic-driven ballad. The melody is distinct and memorable, the lyrics aren't too saccharine, and it's pretty much the perfect way to catch your breath after the bombast of Firth of Fifth. In other words, lay off of it people - even Phil could write a good song on occasion.
Side two rolls around, and we get Peter's fictional take on a gang battle in the 12 minute The Battle of Epping Forest. As far as Peter the "psychotic theatrical weirdo" goes, this piece was never topped by Gabriel, as Gabriel pulls out a legion of gangster voices (especially funny is hearing him go, "I'm breaking the legs of the bastard that got me framed!"). And musically, it's fabulous, and honestly never seems overlong to my ears. Tony and Steve are each playing interesting riffs in counterpoint to each other, and Tony comes up with a REALLY good idea with his little trick after each "here comes the cavalry" line, as he makes it easy to see a bunch of 'reinforcments' storming in on horseback to help out.
And don't forget the mid-section, the hilarious nonsensical tale of a reverend who is forced to become a karmamechanic! If you thought there were lots of funny voices in the rest of the song, this passage will absolutely astound you, not to mention that the lyrics are the absolutely whackiest that Gabriel would ever come up with.
Following Forest is a nice instrumental called, appropriately, After The Ordeal. Tony's piano parts in the first half are grand and gorgeous, while the second half relies mostly on various Hackett passages of his usual quality. Overall, while not spectacular by any means, it's still a fully acceptable and even beautiful inclusion onto the album (although I swear that I can hear some quotes of Can-Utility and the Coastliners on there ...). But no matter, because Cinema Show is up as the grand finale. Now don't get me wrong, I don't disagree with those who point out that the opening passage is just a whee bit too similar to the opening of Supper's Ready (in fact, when the band reaches the "na na na na" parts in the middle, it's all I can do to not start singing "I know a farmer who looks after the farm ..."). The lyrics also come from Mike and Tony, so they can't help but be slightly inferior (though the idea of incorporating Romeo and Juliet rather than two incognitos came from Peter). Still, the melody is quite beautiful, and the beauty is sufficient to save the main part of the song on its own.
But that's not the part that everybody adores, now is it? No, it's the lengthy conclusion to the song, which doesn't seem quite right as an end to the song as an individual track, but is DEFINITELY the perfect ending climax for the album as a whole. For the longest time, I was convinced that it was a duet between Tony and Steve, as several of the notes sounded as if they were *plucked* rather than just pressed, but further information has proved me wrong about that. No matter - all that means is that the final stretch of the album is easily Tony Banks' finest moment with the band. EVERYTHING about these keyboard solos exudes a beauty from deep inside - the main theme is incredible, the tones are lovely, the counterpoint near the end is astounding, and, well, I can't begin to express what a well-placed mellotron part does for me. And then the keys slowly fade into the background, as the acoustic line from Moonlit Knight rears its head again, before we say goodbye via Aisle of Plenty.
I don't what else I can say. In writing this, I have expended energy and time that probably should have been better used in studying for my Advanced Calculus final, or my Investment Analysis final, or cramming my brain full of 20th Century Russian history and literature (menya zovoot "Reniassance Man"!). But I don't care. This album deserves my best, and while it may take a while to understand why (again, I was mostly unimpressed when I first heard this), you will someday understand as well.
Nick Karn (mjareviews@yahoo.com)
Wow... this time you've really outdone yourself as a
reviewer, nailing the description of this album's
catharic effect PERFECTLY. From a reader's
perspective, this is without a doubt the best review
you've written so far... I'm serious!
I'm even starting to think this album is better than I
give it credit for now, and I give it a 14. But
classic period Genesis is one of those bands that once
you really get into the sound, it NEVER lets go.
Listening to Foxtrot and this album back to back is
absolutely devastating, and it's like no other band in
the world exists afterwards. My two favorite prog
albums of all time may be Images And Words and Close
To The Edge now, but I now think England should be
somewhere up there for me in the top 5 at this point,
and hey, I once considered CTTE only a 13 at one time,
so anything can happen....
As far as member peaks go, I think Tony Banks is at
his best on The Lamb, if only for his choices of tone
throughout the sections of the story that manage to
paint this picture that's intriguing as hell, but I
have to agree there are some stunning passages from
him here (in "Firth Of Fifth" and "Cinema Show"
especially). Gabriel's quintessential lyrical
abilities reached a peak there also (though he NEVER
got crazier in an individual song than "Battle Of
Epping Forest", which is one of the most entertaining
songs ever written).
I do agree, though, that this is a vintage album from
Steve Hackett and Phil Collins, and Mike Rutherford,
as usual, puts on a totally capable performance, yet
he always gets overshadowed by someone else, whether
its' performance-wise or soundwise (just like almost
every other Genesis song). Maybe that's why no one
ever mentions him...
How they could go from this to Wind & Wuthering in 4
years is truly disappointing. But quite not as sad as
Union from Yes, which I finished listening to a few
minutes ago, and... well let's just say I understand
why Rick Wakeman calls it Onion... :(
Robert Grazer (xeernoflax@juno.com)
Ok, I can't agree that this is the best album we ever got from prog rock,
(I'll agree with Nick on Close to the Edge and Images and Words) in fact
I'd give it a 14 and not 15, although I'll say that the album has been
growing on me more and more lately. It still doesn't change the fact that
we're also living in a time when we also have other prog classics out
there. Currently I'd rank it above Fragile, In the Court of the Crimson
King, and Ashes are Burning, and a bit below Thick as a Brick, my three
favorite Yes albums, I & W, and the better parts of Scenes From a Memory.
It might be the best album of '73 though, since I'd rank it above Dark
Side, Quad, and Tales, and those are the only I can think of that even
come remotely close.
I agree with most of what you said about the album itself. "Moonlit" is
probably the best Genesis song out there, although "Firth" and "Epping"
are also really great. The instrumental on "Cinema Show" leading into
"Aisle of Plenty" is incredible, a perfect way to end the album. I may,
as you said, someday appreciate it on the level you do, and "understand"
it all, but for now I'll won't give it more than a high 14, which is a
great rating anyway.
john sieber (oneofakind151@hotmail.com)
"It might be the best album of '73 though, since I'd rank it above Dark
Side, Quad, and Tales, and those are the only I can think of that even come
remotely close." Did you forget about a little thing produced by Emerson,
Lake & Palmer called BRAIN SALAD SURGERY?!?!?! Anyway, well I just got
this CD yesterday and I dont have too much to say, considering this is my
first Genesis album, except, first of all, Peter Gabriel's voice don't hold
a candle to Greg Lake or Justin Hayward, and I even like Jon Anderson's
voice better. But he is at least decent, and better than that fuck Geddy
Lee at any rate. Second, I can see where Kansas got its inspiration for the
orchestral "wall" in most of their music, as Genesis does this rather well
and I'm sure it inspired Kansas a little (not that that makes me dislike
Kansas at all). Third, "Firth of Fifth". Wow. Well, first of all, I
disagree with George Starosin in saying that Kansas ripped off the song in
"Song for America. Second, I will state that this is one of the best songs
I have ever heard in my life. Right up there with "Close to the Edge",
"Echoes", "Karn Evil 9" and "Trilogy". Impressive. To think that a year
ago, I thought Genesis began and ended with Invisible Touch and
Misunderstanding. These guys ain't bad. Yes they are not, though.
"Sittinger, Brian D" (brian.d.sittinger@lmco.com)
You could not have written a much better review than you did for Selling
England by the Pound. This is the first (and hence any bias?) Genesis album
I ever bought. The opening track blew me away, as did "Firth of Fifth". Tony
Banks plays beautifully in "Firth of Fifth" (especially the introduction),
while Steve Hackett played one of his best solos ever (perhaps it's my
absolute favorite!) Absolutely moving. "The Battle of Epping Forest" shows
Peter Gabriel at his best again (the middle section). The rest of the band
is in fine form as well; I'm especially amused with the opening part (an
upcoming battle!?). What a balance on this record. I will sound redundant if
i say anything more.
But, before I go, I, without a reasonable doubt, give this album an emphatic
10 out of 10.
TheRubberCow@aol.com (8/21/01)
ah, yes. The middle section of Firth of Fifth. Someone once told me that
music can't be complex and emotional at the same time, so I told them to
listen to Firth of Fifth, the middle section keyboard solo (which is in 13/8)
fills the listener with joy and the way it builds into the part where Steve
joins with his slow trill and Tony's notes an octave higher, by that point it
is true bliss. I cannot imagine even the most average, uninterested soul to
not get some kind of spark of intrigue from this. Oh, by the way, that is
Phil singing "I'm breaking the legs of the bastard who got me framed."
Pablo Agustin Hillar Cazeneuve (p_hillar@hotmail.com) (11/29/01)
Whit a Trick Of the Tail, Genesis and And then there were three is one of
the 4 best albums of the band. Dancing whit the moonlight... and Firth of
fifth are the best. Behind of that: Cinema Show and then I know what I like.
More fool me and After the ordeal make a good partner ship. The battle... is
for me the dark side of the album and i think that it is the weak part.
Aisle of plenty is only a repeat of Dancing...
Peter's voice and the melody of the voice on Dancing whit the moonligt
knigth and the keyborad and guitar solos on firth of fifth are the greatest
moments. The part that start whith this keyboard's voices and then continue
whit "There's a fat old lady..." is fantastic. On firth of fifth, the flute
and keyboard solo in the middle of the song and the Tony's piano
introduction are the best.
kramer (bkramer2000@hotmail.com) (4/15/02)
Selling England 10(15)
The Lamb 7(11)
And Then There Were Three 8(11)
Duke 6(10)
Abacab 8(12)
Genesis 8(13)
Invisible Touch 10(14)
Steve
From Genesis To Revelation - 1969 Columbia
8 (11)
Trespass - 1970 MCA
7 (10)
Nursery Cryme - 1971 Atco
8 (12)
Foxtrot - 1972 Atco
9 (13)
Frank
Genesis Live - 1973 Atco
9 (13)
*Selling England By The Pound - 1973 Atco*
10 (15)