Album Cut Roundup-Genesis

[Pete70s]

Over the past month or two, I've really been getting into a lot of their stuff. I've borrowed and uploaded all the CD's from "Trespass" through "Abacab", and I plan to get the "Shapes" CD when the remaster comes out on Nov. 20 (and the early albums remastered in early 2008). I have little to no interest in "Invisible Touch" or "We Can't Dance", as I'm really not big into their late-80's sound. Their 1997 album, "Calling All Stations", however, I've heard bits & pieces of and would like to check out.

So most of these picks are from the 70's, and some of them are very popular songs (they weren't really a singles band, so they count as album cuts):

"Squonk" ("A Trick Of The Tail", 1976)
Of their post Peter Gabriel-era, I like this album the best. This song has one of the most kick-ass intros ever. The 2007 remastered CD is an amazing listen, especially in the car.
Also, from that album, I like "Dance On A Volcano" and the 60's-sounding title track.

"Dusk" ("Trespass", 1970)
Phil Collins and Steve Hackett hadn't joined the band yet. Most people only know this album for "The Knife", but there were some other good moments as well. I'm particularly fond of this four 1/2 minute piece, with it's folky feel and Moody Blues-like melody.

"Supper's Ready" ("Foxtrot", 1972)
"Foxtrot" is my favorite of the Gabriel-era albums (the CD I got is the original CD from the mid 80's, so I can't wait for the remaster to come out!). This song is almost 23 minutes long, and is made up of about 6 shorter songs, with recurring themes and motivs. In concert, Peter would change costumes 4 times throughout the song, and his most famous, the flower costume, would be worn during the "Willow Farm" segment in the middle. There's an amazing instrumental section between the 16-18 minute mark ("Appocalypse in 9/8 Time") where Tony Banks solos in 4/4 over a pounding piano & drum beat in 9/8. It's a story of good vs. evil, with the birds left to dine on the bodies of the wicked (hence "Supper's Ready").
It's best to really appreciate the visual performance of this piece, so here is a live performance, with Peter, in three parts.
Part 1 www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtHClRu1DrE
Part 2 www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTQBr9bIzJU
Part 3 www.youtube.com/watch?v=upi6wpANBh4

"The Musical Box" ("Nursery Cryme", 1971)
This mini-opus was kind of a warm up to "Supper's Ready", (much in the same way Pete Townshend's "A Quick One While He's Away" was a warm up to "Tommy"). A story of a young boy who was murdered by his sister (a "nursery crime"), his spirit comes back as a lusty old man. The DVD "Genesis Songbook", has a brief clip of a young, THIN, long-haired Peter Gabriel performing it in 1971 (before he started shaving his head down the middle and wearing all those costumes), singing the song's climax "Why don't you touch me, touch me, touch me, NOW NOW NOW NOW!" Very cool stuff!

"Please Don't Ask" ("Duke" 1980)
This mellow track is pretty much burried in the middle of side two of the "Duke" album, but it stands out to me as a personal favorite. I like the melody, and the emotion in Phil Collins' voice.

"In The Cage" ("The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway", 1974)
From the double concept album, "In The Cage" is a pretty intense rocker with a stunning synth solo by Tony Banks, and interesting lyrics about "Stalactites" and "Stalagmites" forming a "cage" around the main character, Rael. Also, an interesting lyrical reference to "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head".

Comments? Additions?

[Pete70s]

Anybody?

[Dawn]

I too would like to get the remastered version of the Shapes album when it comes out this month. That's always been one of my favorites, and brings back so many memories of high school. Like you, I'm not too interested in getting Invisible Touch (have the cassette, but haven't listened in ages) or We Can't Dance (they had really jumped the shark by this time).

It sounds like we share many Genesis favorites. A Trick of the Tail is a nice mix of their earlier arty and more radio-friendly later sound, and has some wonderful songs. The title track is my favorite, but Squonk is way up there for me as well.

Great clip of Supper's Ready! Very ambitious song, and I love the unusual chord changes and overall melancholy sound. Definitely one of their best early tracks.

Trespass is kind of an overlooked album, but as you said, there is great stuff on it. Totally agree with you about Dusk, and White Mountain is a very cool listen as well.

[SAT-I need more room!!]

Wow, no responses to this one and of all the artists you've done with this feature, this is basically the only one I know beyond the hits!

Several of my faves are typical cuts, like Trick of the Trail. But there are others which really outrank the hits.

After Trick, the next cut chronologically is Eleventh Earl of Mar. I picked up Wind and Wuthering on cassette for $2 when Venture was closing. This is the first track and I REALLY got into it.

From Duke, I've loved Behind the Lines ever since I taped a 82 concert on MTV and they opened with it. Phil must have really loved it as he also recorded it on his debut solo effort.

Abacab is a great album pretty much through and through. All the non-singles on side 2 are excellent. Like it or Not gets FM play I know, but Another Record is another classic. Dodo/Lurker is in the style of their older stuff.

From the self titled, Just a Job to Do & Home By the Sea are both good ones and they do get a lot of FM airplay. Just a Job to Do also got exposure on Miami Vice.

Invisible Touch I never loved myself either but Domino was better than some of the singles (In Too Deep, Land of Confusion).

As far as We Can't Dance goes, Driving the Last Spike is better than the singles (keep I Can't Dance FAR away from me!), although it's a bit too long.

Cool topic, BTW Pete.......

[SAT-I need more room!!]

admin said:

I too would like to get the remastered version of the Shapes album when it comes out this month.

Well when I started posting there was no responses anyway! That shows you how long it takes me to post these days.

Now I looked on Wikipedia and it says the Shapes album came out in Oct. Then I looked on Amazon, and they don't have the remastered listed at all!

[Pete70s]

sat said:

Now I looked on Wikipedia and it says the Shapes album came out in Oct. Then I looked on Amazon, and they don't have the remastered listed at all!

According to the Rhino website, it's slated for Nov. 20. Amazon does have it listed, just probably not on the first page. It came out in Oct. in the UK.

[Pete70s]

sat said:

Wow, no responses to this one and of all the artists you've done with this feature, this is basically the only one I know beyond the hits!

After Trick, the next cut chronologically is Eleventh Earl of Mar. I picked up Wind and Wuthering on cassette for $2 when Venture was closing. This is the first track and I REALLY got into it.

Invisible Touch I never loved myself either but Domino was better than some of the singles (In Too Deep, Land of Confusion).

Cool topic, BTW Pete.......

I was starting to get a little concerned. I know the people that regularly respond to my posts would eventually respond, but why is it that ONLY those same people respond to my features? Don't get me wrong, I love the fact that Dawn, Ken, You and Ed care about what I offer the site, but that's only like 1/5 of our membership.

I know that various Click members have tastes that are tuned to a specific genre/era of music. That's fine. My iPod has over 13,000 songs that range from Jim Lowe's "The Green Door" to Megadeth. Somewhere in that mix there's something that every member of the Click can appreciate.

I approach this feature the same way I approach all my features: "I really like this song, and you may not know it, but I think you might like it if you heard it". Sometimes I even offer links to samples to give a general idea. Rather than keep talking about the same old hits over and over.

Anyway, enough rambling. I have TONS of artists I plan to feature in future "Album Cut Roundups", as well as several "Contenders" in queue. I'll keep them coming, it's just that when only the same 3-5 people respond, and the rest of the Click could care less, I feel like "Why do I bother?" ....Well, I guess those 3-5 people are the reason why I bother!!

Back to Genesis:

"Wind & Wuthering" I have, but have only listened to it once or twice. I like "Eleventh Earl Of Mar", but I need to listen to the album in greater depth. I will say that the cover looks very out of place for 1977. With all the arena rock bands coming out, the cover of W&W looks like it would have fit in better in the early 70's.

I've heard "Domino" is really good, maybe I'll just download the one song (unless iTunes has a thing where you need to buy it as part of the album only because the track is so long. They do that occasionally with longer cuts).

[Pete70s]

admin said:

It sounds like we share many Genesis favorites. A Trick of the Tail is a nice mix of their earlier arty and more radio-friendly later sound, and has some wonderful songs. The title track is my favorite, but Squonk is way up there for me as well.

Great clip of Supper's Ready! Very ambitious song, and I love the unusual chord changes and overall melancholy sound. Definitely one of their best early tracks.

Trespass is kind of an overlooked album, but as you said, there is great stuff on it. Totally agree with you about Dusk, and White Mountain is a very cool listen as well.

"A Trick Of The Tail" is an almost Bubblegummy song. kind of a 60's influenced track recorded in the late 70's. reminds me a little of Flo & Eddie in that regard.

Wouldn't you know it, I found a better performance of the song on Youtube after I posted that one.

Trespass is a remaster I'm REALLY looking forward to, especially the DVD doccumentary that will come with it!

[heyabbott]

I like the bits of older Genesis that I have heard - they had an almost theatrical feel to their music that really appeals to me. Very multi-layered sound. I must pick up some of those older albums, as many of these cuts are totally unfamiliar to me.

Don't get much chance to post lately, and I had lost the link for a while.

I do read your album cut posts and will definitely be checking some of them out.

[Ken]

It's too bad that we don't hear more early Genesis on radio. I've mentioned before that I've heard a few tracks like The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway and Squonk but it's very rare.

[cairnterrier]

I'm right with you on the Genesis cuts. "In the Cage" is nothing short of amazing. Even the live versions played on post Peter Gabriel albums still blow me away....especially when the song is combined with "Cinema Show", "Duke's Travels", or "Afterglow. The double drumming seriously shakes the very Earth!

[dave910]

Recently, I heard Genesis 1983 self-titled CD for the first time in years. Better known as the shapes album. "That's All" was the only hit on the album. However, two of my favorites "Just A Job To Do" and "Taking It All Too Hard" were the sleepers.