Genesis - "Wind & Wuthering" (1976)

Genesis eighth album, and the last where guitarist Steve Hackett participated. At this time the band was a quartet consisting of Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford, Tony Banks and Hackett. But apparently Hackett was not satisfied with the direction the band's music started to take, and even more unhappy that his song ideas were not used enough. So he left the band some time later, and has had a relatively successful solo career afterwards.

Some claim this was the last prog rock album from Genesis, and that they were increasingly orienting themselves towards pop music. This development did not happen overnight, but was rather a process, e.g. the latter record ... And Then There Were Three ... still contains some prog, but with a clearer element of pop. However, I can't  deny the surface of Wind & Wuthering feels more polished, produced and commercialized than on previous LPs. Sometimes almost lightweight. Maybe it's because of the synths.

Initially, I had a hard time getting through the wall of polish, the music felt pretty shallow, and passed by without leaving any traces. But as usual, the album grew with the amount of visits on the turntable. It's a pretty good album, with some really nice compositions, mixed with some more boring ones. Generally I don't like the instrumentals, for me they do not fill any real purpose, except as fillers. The songs with vocals are more interesting. In these, Genesis offers the more epic and sweeping creations, which can be likened to musical journeys. However, the songs Your Own Special Way and Afterglow are no masterpieces. Especially the former I avoid, a cheesy love ballad, far from anything called prog. This song hints what is to come (perhaps most regarding Collins).

I have a problem with the record, Phil Collins singing. Throughout my childhood and much of my adult life, I have associated Phil Collins with a bunch of cheesy 80s hits. He was huge in this genre in the 80s. So still when I hear his voice, I instinctively think that's the kind of music I'm hearing. This connection is obviously difficult to break, it's a pity, cause it negatively affects my experience. If I imagine it's Peter Gabriel singing the songs, the quality is suddenly is raised a snap. Even so, a pretty good record, still prog, I suppose, as there are some relatively long and complex pieces. But the more commercial version of Genesis is beginning to emerge.


Tracklist

Side A
1. Eleventh Earl of Mar 7:45
2. One for the Vine 10:00
3. Your Own Special Way 6:19
4. Wot Gorilla? 3:21

Side B
1. All in a Mouse's Night 6:39
2. Blood on the Rooftops 5:28
3. Unquiet Slumbers for the Sleepers ... 2:20
4. ... In That Quiet Earth 4:54
5. Afterglow 4:11

Genesis - "Trespass" (1970)

Genesis' second album, the last where guitarist Anthony Phillips participated, and the only record with drummer John Mayhew. Anthony Phillips began a relatively successful solo career afterwards, while Mayhew disappeared from the music scene, moved to Australia and worked as a carpenter. Phil Collins then took over the drumming role in the band. But all this happened after this record had been released. During the recording, the band, apart from the two mentioned, consisted of Peter Gabriel, Anthony Banks and Michael Rutherford.

Lots of people believe that this record hints towards the band's direction to be, with longer, relatively complex, theatrical compositions. And that's probably true. Most songs clock in at 7-8 minutes, Peter Gabriel's singing gives the songs an extra emotional level, and it is rarely a verse-verse-chorus structure. I like it. Although the music is defined as progressive music, it's not particularly difficult, there are often beautiful harmonies, quite fragile compositions, and none of the progressive element of sometimes overly strange, complex 7-beat parts, with weird musical instruments most created for the musicians' own sake. Much of Trespass caresses the listener, it's a friendly sound.

Another reason why I like the record is that the music contains a few bombastic parts, which causes your inner roof to come off. And Gabriel is playing flute on many songs. These two ingredients are enough for me to like an LP. Peter Gabriel reminds me a little of Peter Hamill (Van Der Graaf Generator) in his attitude towards the singing, where in addition to the melody and words, one level is added, which would be the theatrical element, I suppose. An emotional level, more present than with most other singers. It's not always that I like that in general in music, it can get a little too much, but Peter Gabriel does it well. He never crosses the line. It makes me sometimes think of the the music of Trespass as a rock opera, or musical if you like. The band made compositions like this later on, i.e the album The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway, which has a clearer concept. The mellotron that is heard on the album also makes Moody Blues haunt my mind when I hear Trespass. In any case, I think it's a good album.


Tracklist

Side A
1. Looking for Someone 7:06
2. White Mountain 6:45
3. Visions of Angels 6:51

Side B
1. Stagnation 8:45
2. Dusk 4:15
3. The Knife 8:55

Genesis - "Nursery Cryme" (1971)

This was Genesis' third album and the album where they more clearly took a step into the progressive world, from the more folk oriented music on the previous album. New members were the drummer Phil Collins and guitarist Steve Hackett, the other members were Peter Gabriel, Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford. In other words, a musical star formation where each member also has enjoyed a very successful career of himself

The opening song, The Musical Box, is a ten-minute epic classic that in itself is worth a purchase of the record. Of course, Nursery Cryme is easy to find quite cheap, at least here in Montreal, so that doesn't necessarily say a lot. But it's considered to be one of Genesis' best songs, even though I personally don't know all of their catalog. It's far from I can't dance, anyway, and that's positive. At this time, Genesis, along with bands like Yes, King Crimson, Gentle Giant, was at the forefront of the progressive genre, far from the more commercial incarnation of the band in later years.

Another well known and popular song from the album is The Return Of The Giant Hogweed, also a long song from side A, but none of my favorites. Track 2 from the first side is For Absent Friends, a quieter song, where Phil Collins is singing in Genesis for the first time. Collins would later become the main singer when Peter Gabriel left the band. Personally, I think Collins and Gabriel sound very much alike on the record, and it wasn't until I read that it was Collins who sang on the song, that I understood it. My personal favorite, along with The Musical Box, is the opening track on the B-side, Seven Stones. Just like The Musical Box, it winds its way through quieter to full out bombastic parts.

The band had bought a mellotron from King Crimson some time before the recording, and it's heard on a regular basis on the record, maybe it puts its biggest mark on the closing number The Fountain Of Salmacis. The mellotron and some songs certainly give me the impression that Moody Blues might be have been part of the band's inspiration.

A good album, maybe not an album you embrace at first listening, repeated listening may be required. A mix of really good songs, with some more boring. To be progressive music, it's relatively accessible, there's much more difficult music to be found within the genre.


Tracklist

Side A
1. "The Musical Box" 10:28
2. "For Absent Friends" 1:46
3. "The Return of the Giant Hogweed" 8:12

Side B
1. "Seven Stones" 5:10
2.. "Harold the Barrel" 2:59
3. "Harlequin" 2:56
4. "The Fountain of Salmacis" 7:55

Genesis – “And Then There Were Three” (1978)

Is there something that makes two people connect more than admiration of, or even love for, Marillion - probably the world’s most underrated band? I can’t think of anything. I found myself at a party in Lund (in the south of Sweden) during the last of my years as a student there, when the host (whom I knew from before) and I suddenly got a deeper relationship. We discovered that we both had a deep admiration for this band. The conversation of course continued in the field of music, and among other things the host told me about the album that is today’s theme - "Genesis best album", according to him. Since Marillion lovers share a strong trust in each other and have a great respect for each other’s musical knowledge, I bought this album as soon as I got the chance. This was probably around the turn of 1998/99.

At this time Genesis was a relatively unexplored concept for me and I had therefore no specific expectations of what I would hear. The first few times I heard the album I did not think it was anything special, it was not bad, but nor left any larger footprints. But as it often is, the album grew for each listening and I began to see the beauty of it and all its hidden jewels. Finally, it became one of the favorites among my vinyl records, top 10 no doubt, and it’s one of the LPs that have been played most during my adult years.

As the record's title suggests, Genesis consisted at this time of three persons - Phil Collins, Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford. Guitarist Steve Hackett had just left the band. Genesis continued as this trio until 1996, the longest period with an unchanged line-up for the band. Many people think this was Genesis first step towards the more commercial and easily digestible pop they created in the 80s, but that they still had one foot in the progressive genre they belonged to during the earlier years in the 70s. I think that’s a description that fits quite well -  it’s not a "difficult" album with odd arrangements, strange time signatures, unusual musical instruments or songs that are 20 minutes long. At the same time it’s not a straight forward and simple pop record, most songs contain details or arrangements that makes them different from a lot of other music and you can often hear echoes of the epic suites Genesis created in their earlier years. The songs are usually 4-5 minutes long, yet I find many of them, yes - epic (no, don’t ask me to define that word, thank you).

Most songs are really good and unique in there own way, there are a few rather boring and uninteresting tracks, but overall it’s a very strong line-up. One thing that brings down the experience half an inch is that I have never really liked Phil Collins’ voice, he sings on all tracks. Although I really like the album, Phil Collins voice together with something in the sound, makes me feel a little bit down when I hear the album, it leaves a slight sense of hopelessness. I don’t know, maybe I had a difficult experience in my childhood.

The song Follow You Follow Me became a hit and helped the record sales. And Then There Were Three became Genesis first gold album in the U.S. (later also platinum). There’s nothing to say about the production and sound quality, in my opinion. It could have been recorded today. All three members contributed to songwriting, Phil Collins is the one who hasn’t written any songs on his own.

I like a lot of progressive music but can sometimes feel it is too "difficult", therefore this album fits me well - a mixture of "light progressive" and pop. That many choruses are bombastic and sweeping makes me even happier. So is this Genesis best album? I don’t know if I want to go that far, much of what they did earlier in the 70's is really good, but it’s a good record and I am glad that I bought it. The sense of hopelessness as mentioned above, is weak in comparison to the beauty the music exhibits. Markus recommends.

Favorite Songs

Undertow

Burning Rope

Scenes From a Night’s Dream

 

Tracklist

Side A

1. "Down and Out"  – 5:26
2. "Undertow" – 4:46
3. "Ballad of Big"  – 4:50
4. "Snowbound"  – 4:31
5. "Burning Rope"  – 7:10

Side B

1. "Deep in the Motherlode" – 5:15
2. "Many Too Many"  – 3:31
3. "Scenes from a Night's Dream" – 3:30
4. "Say It's Alright Joe"  – 4:21
5. "The Lady Lies" – 6:08
6. "Follow You Follow Me" – 3:59