@Daniel John 's recent thread, Yes - List Your Top 5 albums, strikes me as such a great idea and has elicited wonderful responses; I thought I would start a few more threads for bands that have a similar longevity and even more of their output available in multichannel magic. So here are my top 5 for Genesis, in chronological order (click on album title to link to QQ poll threads):
1) Foxtrot (1972): This one is a sentimental favorite for me--I spent an inordinate amount of time with this one back in HIGH school, HEADphones barely containing my freshly baked brain within my smokey skull, side 2 taking me on an epic trip that never got old. It was a ritual that bordered on the religious. Don’t get me wrong--side 1 is no slouch! Did Genesis ever rock as hard as “Watcher of the Skies”? Had they produced as rollicking a ride as “Get ‘Em Out By Friday”? It was a side of Genesis I hadn’t heard before, and one that raised my expectations for what the band could accomplish. For me, this is the band’s first masterpiece and it ultimately only hints at what was to come. Also, clocking in at over 50 minutes, it set a standard of bang for my adolescent buck that few albums could approach. Great surround mix!
2) Selling England by the Pound (1973): The wonderful wordplay of the title (so punny!) embodies what distinguishes this release for me. My inner recovering Engl-ish teacher wants to rank this as Genesis’s best release: each of the album’s eight tracks (and this one is even longer than Foxtrot!) is a tightly written gem of a story--and the musicianship is at least as good as the songwriting. Sure, there is nothing as hard rocking as “Watcher of the Skies” and nothing as epic as “Supper’s Ready,” but, taken as a whole, this is one amazing, cohesive, and prescient collection. Consider the opening line of the opening song: “Can you tell me where my country lies?” How meaningful is that in a post-Brexit world, and the song is about consumerism! Every track still resonates and sounds as fresh today as when I first heard this back in 1977--those mowing blades have never dulled! Another stellar surround mix; I wonder if it sounds better on blu-ray . . . (All of my Gabriel-era Genesis releases are Japanese SACD/DVD Paper Sleeve Series reissues).
3) The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway (1974): For me, this is the one. Having come of age in the 70s, I’m a fan of wretched excess, an anti-Mies van der Rohe--more is MORE. Not to suggest that there is anything wretched or excessive about this release. Sure, it might be trimmed to a tighter, more coherent whole, but I love ALL of this one! The literary leanings of SEbtP meet the epic ambitions of “Supper’s Ready” and the result is one of the greatest concept albums/ rock operas ever recorded! This one is almost a tale of two albums: the first disc has some killer, straight up rocking masterpieces and ends with the majestic beauty of “Carpet Crawlers”/”The Chamber of 32 Doors.” The second disc is a prog descent into darkness . . . until the redemptive ending of “In the Rapids” / “It.” But together, they make up one of my favorite albums of all time--a truly postmodern nightmarish masterpiece. It is here. It is now. It’s only knock and know all, but I love it! Another stellar mix; I play the DVD with this one for the great visuals from the tour.
4) A Trick of the Tail (1976): With the departure of the frontman who appeared irreplaceable, Genesis seemed all but dead. The fact that they emerged with an album that rivaled some of their best eccentric and whimsical Gabriel-era work wins this release a spot on my top 5. To be sure, this is no SEbtP or Foxtrot, but it is a solid collection of memorable songs that are performed by a band that never stopped growing and cohering--these guys are really in the groove and clearly enjoying themselves, though not yet reinventing themselves. The mix on this one isn’t as satisfying as the Gabriel-era mixes (which benefit from being the last released), but I’m still glad to have it.
5) Abacab (1981): It was between this and 1983’s eponymous release. Both showcase the more pop-oriented band that Genesis became (though never really jettisoning their art-roots). As far as the albums go, I think I would give Genesis the edge, but the mix and fidelity on Abacab are better to my aging ears. It really is a tough call, but I feel this era of Genesis needs to be represented on my list, and Abacab is a good representation of Collins’s growing confidence as a vocalist. Regardless of how much I love their prog releases, the Collins-era Genesis did put out some great pop songs and AOR. This album features the polished pop of “No Reply at All” (with horns by no less than E,W&F) the single that really signaled where the band was heading. The album also has a little reggae, some hard funk, and the hardest-rocking song the band had yet recorded in the titular track. And the mix actually saves “Who Dunnit?”
I’d better publish this before I rewrite my fifth choice! I’m really looking forward to reading about your favorites. Stay Surrounded, Comrades!
1) Foxtrot (1972): This one is a sentimental favorite for me--I spent an inordinate amount of time with this one back in HIGH school, HEADphones barely containing my freshly baked brain within my smokey skull, side 2 taking me on an epic trip that never got old. It was a ritual that bordered on the religious. Don’t get me wrong--side 1 is no slouch! Did Genesis ever rock as hard as “Watcher of the Skies”? Had they produced as rollicking a ride as “Get ‘Em Out By Friday”? It was a side of Genesis I hadn’t heard before, and one that raised my expectations for what the band could accomplish. For me, this is the band’s first masterpiece and it ultimately only hints at what was to come. Also, clocking in at over 50 minutes, it set a standard of bang for my adolescent buck that few albums could approach. Great surround mix!
2) Selling England by the Pound (1973): The wonderful wordplay of the title (so punny!) embodies what distinguishes this release for me. My inner recovering Engl-ish teacher wants to rank this as Genesis’s best release: each of the album’s eight tracks (and this one is even longer than Foxtrot!) is a tightly written gem of a story--and the musicianship is at least as good as the songwriting. Sure, there is nothing as hard rocking as “Watcher of the Skies” and nothing as epic as “Supper’s Ready,” but, taken as a whole, this is one amazing, cohesive, and prescient collection. Consider the opening line of the opening song: “Can you tell me where my country lies?” How meaningful is that in a post-Brexit world, and the song is about consumerism! Every track still resonates and sounds as fresh today as when I first heard this back in 1977--those mowing blades have never dulled! Another stellar surround mix; I wonder if it sounds better on blu-ray . . . (All of my Gabriel-era Genesis releases are Japanese SACD/DVD Paper Sleeve Series reissues).
3) The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway (1974): For me, this is the one. Having come of age in the 70s, I’m a fan of wretched excess, an anti-Mies van der Rohe--more is MORE. Not to suggest that there is anything wretched or excessive about this release. Sure, it might be trimmed to a tighter, more coherent whole, but I love ALL of this one! The literary leanings of SEbtP meet the epic ambitions of “Supper’s Ready” and the result is one of the greatest concept albums/ rock operas ever recorded! This one is almost a tale of two albums: the first disc has some killer, straight up rocking masterpieces and ends with the majestic beauty of “Carpet Crawlers”/”The Chamber of 32 Doors.” The second disc is a prog descent into darkness . . . until the redemptive ending of “In the Rapids” / “It.” But together, they make up one of my favorite albums of all time--a truly postmodern nightmarish masterpiece. It is here. It is now. It’s only knock and know all, but I love it! Another stellar mix; I play the DVD with this one for the great visuals from the tour.
4) A Trick of the Tail (1976): With the departure of the frontman who appeared irreplaceable, Genesis seemed all but dead. The fact that they emerged with an album that rivaled some of their best eccentric and whimsical Gabriel-era work wins this release a spot on my top 5. To be sure, this is no SEbtP or Foxtrot, but it is a solid collection of memorable songs that are performed by a band that never stopped growing and cohering--these guys are really in the groove and clearly enjoying themselves, though not yet reinventing themselves. The mix on this one isn’t as satisfying as the Gabriel-era mixes (which benefit from being the last released), but I’m still glad to have it.
5) Abacab (1981): It was between this and 1983’s eponymous release. Both showcase the more pop-oriented band that Genesis became (though never really jettisoning their art-roots). As far as the albums go, I think I would give Genesis the edge, but the mix and fidelity on Abacab are better to my aging ears. It really is a tough call, but I feel this era of Genesis needs to be represented on my list, and Abacab is a good representation of Collins’s growing confidence as a vocalist. Regardless of how much I love their prog releases, the Collins-era Genesis did put out some great pop songs and AOR. This album features the polished pop of “No Reply at All” (with horns by no less than E,W&F) the single that really signaled where the band was heading. The album also has a little reggae, some hard funk, and the hardest-rocking song the band had yet recorded in the titular track. And the mix actually saves “Who Dunnit?”
I’d better publish this before I rewrite my fifth choice! I’m really looking forward to reading about your favorites. Stay Surrounded, Comrades!