Reviews (page 6 of 9)
So close to being epic. Just a shame it never gets far away enough from annoying. Slightly too out there for me 3.0
It was hard for me to get into early Genesis. I grew up with Sledgehammer era Peter Gabriel, so the fact he was in the same band as the one Phil Collins fronted was something I had to learn. I tried to get into it when I was younger, but it was impenetrable. Now that I'm older, having expanded my listening horizons, early Genesis is the proggiest of prog rock, and I find it delightful.
I liked this much more than I expected. It is more structured than some of their earlier works. Peter Gabriel’s lyrics are still obscure to an American like myself but overall it was still easier to follow than Foxtrot or Nursery Chryme.
Obviously not the genesis I’m used to hearing. But what a band, Peter Gabriel voice is so good. I hear the influence on Marillion for sure. Very proggy and no chance of this going mainstream. I liked it not sure I have the time to keep going back to it. I can’t remember anything I heard so it’s a three for me. But I could be short changing this one.
Det är ganska bra. Jävligt duktiga musiker känns det som men det är också extremt proggigt och svårt att få grepp om ibland. The battle of Epping forest är väl en höjdpunkt.
Awful
One of the great prog rock albums of all time, and one of the Top Three Genesis Albums.® I know what I like, and it's this.
I enjoyed this much more than I thought I would.
I’m coming right out of the gate with it - This album isn’t for me. That doesn’t mean I didn’t think it was great. In particular, I LOVED finding out where a ton of prog that DOES do it for me got its roots. One of my favorite prog albums is Dream Theater, Metropolis Part 2: Scenes From a Memory. There’s a song on there called “The Dance of Eternity”. The song is 6:15 of prog glory with instrumental solos from everybody and more time signature and key changes than a mathematician can keep track of! It’s a wild ride in the middle of an otherwise fairly concise bunch of songs. This album was the other way around. Brief moments of concise songwriting but otherwise just one song after another challenging me to sink my teeth into any of it. Ideas appear and disappear. Song structures exist only inasmuch as the songs have a beginning and an ending. The band is tight and the playing is phenomenal and it’s not hard to imagine this album blowing anybody’s mind. But for me, I was impressed without enjoying it very much. Highlights for me were “Firth of Fifth” and the album closer “Aisle of Plenty”.
I don't get Genesis. What is it that people hear in this. It's just nothingy.
This is dads music
Progressive rock, symphonic prog. Man I love this kinda stuff. Just super proggy rock, amazing performances, wish I had listened with both earbuds. So much fun, medieval feeling is just what I like. Strong 4.5/5
No. 230/1001 Dancing With The Moonlit Knight 3/5 (2x) I Know What I Like 4/5 Firth of Fifth 3/5 (2x) More Fool Me 4/5 The Battle of Epping Forrest 3/5 (2x) After The Ordeal 3/5 The Cinema Show 3/5 (2x) Aisle of Plenty 3/5 Average: 3,17 Interesting prog-rock album. Just not my personal favorite.
5/10 BORINGGGG
This is one of those things where this is a great great record, but there are other great records by Genesis that I like more than this one... but does that mean I have to give this four stars? No. It's a five star record. I think that "Foxtrot", "Lamb" and this record are all solid five star records. I happen to like the other two more, but that doesn't mean this isn't a five star record.
I didn’t think anything could make me miss Neil Young, but Genesis did it!
I have a bit of long-standing prejudice against this era of Genesis. In college, I took a course called the poetry of rock music, and one of the last sections was supposed to be an analysis of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards writing for the Rolling Stones. But somebody turned the teacher onto Genesis, The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, and the teacher was so taken with it that he ditched the Stones and we reviewed Genesis/Peter Gabriel instead. Of course I did not like that. In general, I like Genesis better after Peter Gabriel left and Phil Collins took over the singing and more of the songwriting, although I have liked a lot of Gabriel’s solo career. This is pretty decent though for early prog rock.
Growing up, a Genesis live album (the way we walk vol 1) got a lot of play in our house. I have not listened to them since, you know, maybe 1996, but I thought I got it: cheesy 80s pop. Turns out the truth is far, far worse. More than that, though: I assumed this was an unpopular, critically acclaimed cult classic. Not so! This charted in the UK and US! Top 3 in the UK! A hit single! I’m baffled. People of 1973, you know you can listen to older stuff too, right? If the current stuff in 1973 isn’t doing it for you, don’t force it! Look back to the 60s or just sit a year or two out. Help is on the way.
Really like the progressive rock sections of this, less into the "intros", but overall really good once the songs get going. Some awesome/fresh ideas that clearly influenced a lot after them in surprising ways and great drumming.
Went in with low expectations, Genesis always just kinda seemed like an average band in an average time. But it surprised me a lot! A fun album, it gives Rush but without the ADHD. So that'd make this one a... 3.9/5!!!
Neither like or hate the album. The length of the songs was a bit discouraging but ,I powered through and , it was just okay.
2.6 - not my cuppa, but can say it’s musically done well
This is so 70’s it hurts. Like most, the only thing Genesis-related I knew going in was “In the Air Tonight,” and that obviously isn’t here. I heard so many different here. Yes, The Who, Rush, even a little Pink Floyd. It was such an eclectic sound, one that dares to expand on itself and reach new heights. And it does occasionally reach them. It’s ambitious and I can always appreciate that. Ambition can sometimes earn your three stars on its own. But I just really wasn’t taken with it. It came across as corny and some ideas were either not as original as I think they thought they were, or were otherwise just not too clever. The suites were cool and mostly well done, but I just didn’t really care. But this is a good album and I’m happy to have heard it. It’s very typical 70’s and I could’ve done with a little more oomph behind the otherwise well defined sound. Three stars. Standout Tracks: Dancing with the Moonlit Knight, More Fool Me
Nope. Desperate experiment trying to find their sound at this point.
Selling England by the Pound, released in 1973, showcases Genesis's technical skill and ambitious compositions. The album is more palatable than many other progressive rock albums, though it occasionally ventures into self-indulgence. Peter Gabriel's vocals and storytelling add a distinctive touch, though some may find the English folklore themes a bit niche. The instrumental sections are intricate and well-executed, but they can sometimes feel overly complex. While the album has memorable moments, it also has parts that might test the patience of those less enamoured with prog-rock's excesses. Overall, Selling England by the Pound strikes a balance between skilled musicianship and accessibility, though it occasionally leans too heavily into its own ambition. The album's creativity is evident, even if it isn't always cohesive. For those who appreciate technical rock with a touch of narrative, it's a solid, if sometimes indulgent, listen. NUMBER OF BANGERS - 1 STAND OUT TRACK - The Battle of Epping Forest
Voilà, on y est. La case que je redoutais. Le moment où le grand livre sacré des "1001 Albums" me force à m'asseoir, à mettre un casque sur mes oreilles de quinquagénaire fatigué et à m'infliger un truc que j'ai passé toute ma vie d'adolescent puis de disquaire à éviter comme la peste : le rock progressif. Ah, le prog ! Rien que le mot me donne des boutons. Ça sent la flûte de pan, les capes en velours, les solos de clavier de vingt-cinq minutes et les concepts fumeux sur des guerres entre gnomes et elfes dans une forêt enchantée. J'exagère à peine. Pour moi, le rock, ça doit puer la sueur, la bière et la clope. Ça doit être direct, un coup de poing dans la gueule. Le prog, c'est l'inverse. C'est un cours de solfège déguisé en rébellion pour fils de notaires. C'est la musique que tes parents trouvaient "recherchée" et "intelligente", ce qui est à peu près le pire compliment qu'on puisse faire à un disque de rock. C'est le genre de musique qui te fait dire : "Ah ouais, ils sont super techniques", mais qui oublie l'essentiel : l'âme, le bide, les couilles. Alors, quand j'ai vu "Selling England By The Pound" de Genesis arriver sur la liste, j'ai soupiré. Fort. Genesis, pour le mec de ma génération, c'est Phil Collins, les vestes à épaulettes et les ballades pour faire pleurer les ménagères. Mais non, là, on parle du Genesis d'avant. Le Genesis de Peter Gabriel. Celui avec les costumes de fleur et les doubles albums conceptuels. La totale. Je me suis donc lancé dans l'écoute avec la même motivation qu'un condamné montant à l'échafaud. Et là... Bon, je vais être honnête. J'ai pas passé un moment atroce. Juste un moment... long. Très long. Faut le reconnaître, et c'est pour ça que je ne mets pas un zéro pointé, les mecs savent jouer. Putain, s'ils savent jouer. C'est propre, c'est léché, la production est d'une clarté absolue. On sent que chaque note a été pensée, pesée, analysée. Tony Banks aux claviers est un monstre de technique, Steve Hackett à la guitare tricote des arpèges complexes avec une aisance déconcertante. C'est brillant. C'est virtuose. Et c'est précisément ça qui me gonfle. Ça manque de gras, de crasse. C'est tellement parfait que ça en devient froid, désincarné. L'album est considéré par les adeptes (la secte, devrais-je dire) comme le sommet de la période Gabriel. Et je veux bien les croire. C'est sûrement le plus "abouti". Il y a même un morceau, "The Cinema Show", qui sort du lot. C'est une longue pièce (évidemment), mais il y a une vraie beauté mélodique qui s'en dégage, une sorte de mélancolie pastorale qui, l'espace d'un instant, m'a presque touché. Presque. Il y a aussi ce single improbable, "I Know What I Like (In a Cuckoo's Nest)", avec sa tondeuse à gazon, qui sonne presque comme une chanson pop normale. Un moment de répit avant de replonger dans les méandres des mesures impaires et des paroles sur la vieille Angleterre. Parce que c'est bien de ça qu'il s'agit : vendre une vision fantasmée et nostalgique d'une Angleterre de légendes, de chevaliers et de pelouses bien tondues. C'est un disque d'évasion totale, un refuge dans un imaginaire folklorique qui me passe complètement au-dessus de la tête. Je n'arrive pas à connecter avec ce délire. J'écoute "Dancing with the Moonlit Knight" et j'imagine Peter Gabriel avec une flûte traversière en train de gambader dans une prairie. Pour moi, c'est le summum de l'antithèse du rock. Alors voilà, mon verdict. C'est un 2/5. Un point pour la technique irréprochable et le son impeccable. Un autre point pour "The Cinema Show" et le courage de proposer un univers aussi personnel, même s'il n'est pas le mien. Et un point car je suis sympa. Mais ça s'arrête là. Je n'ai ressenti aucune urgence, aucune émotion brute. J'ai assisté à une démonstration, une performance musicale de très haut vol, mais ça ne m'a pas parlé. Est-ce que c'est un album qu'il faut entendre avant de mourir ? Si on suit le livre, oui. Pour la culture, pour comprendre ce qu'était ce mastodonte du rock des années 70, pour saisir ce qui a pu fasciner des millions de gens. C'est un document historique. Mais une fois que c'est fait, on a le droit de ne plus jamais y revenir. C'est ce que je vais faire. La case est cochée. Je peux passer à autre chose. Et pour me nettoyer les oreilles, je crois que je vais me mettre un bon vieux Motörhead. Histoire de retrouver un peu de cambouis.
An interesting album, I liked Dancing With the Moonlit Knight and The Battle of Epping Forest the best.
My mistake was avoiding these early works due to the 80's "hit machine" of Genesis - all of them, even Phil and Peter. Didn't explore these until much much later when I hit a total prog phase.
It was interesting to hear what theyre about.
Progressive Rock I can't seem to place. While thinking of it being music played on a carousel ride while the horses go up and down as well as a Renaissance fair both doesn't entirely fit. Will not relisten.
3.8
3.5
Especially like the first half of the album.
Seit 45 Jahren nicht mehr gehört. Da werden Jugenderinnerungen wach.
Selling England By The Pound is a very interesting album. I always expected a bit more of a new wave sound from Genesis (If Peter Gabriel's So was anything to go off of) but while there are elements of that here, there is more focus on the prog rock elements. The album structure is also pretty unique where it goes short song, long song, short song, long song etc. In general, this album is pretty good, the melodies and instrumentals are well done and the whole album just feels pretty interesting to listen to. I feel that this album is something you really gotta get into if you want to enjoy it to the fullest but if you can do that, you'll find a pretty good album here. Best Song: The Battle Of Epping Forest Worst Song: I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)
sounded decent but songs were too long
ASS
i didn't start off with high hopes but this had some really beautiful sections. to be honest it would have been better if the singing was reduced to like 10% of what it is now.
3.5
Prog...might be a wee bit much prog on this list. 2/5
orðinn frekar ginkeyptur fyrir proggi á eldri árum. finnst þetta síðra en fyrri áheyrnir en gef annan. 3,5.
did not catch my attention, was quite boring to listen for me. but the cover is great
#282. I mean, Peter Gabriel isn't very good at singing, but the rest of it slaps. 4/5: good *this is the twenty seventh album i purchased from this list. Song added to playlist: The Cinema Show I've created a playlist on Spotify that consists of the best and/or my favorite song from each of the albums in this book. This list can be found here if you are interested: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7MAXDGLWlwLkFLb8veGfkA?si=FqkQQPgZTFWG0jAUJXLFZA&utm_source=copy-link
I understand what they were trying to do. A lot of rythm switches and experimental time signatures, but it also has to sound good. 3/5
was not expecting virtuoso prog-rock from genesis, but hey i guess it's the early 70s
This album is at the absolute edge of being a crazy masterpiece, still they didn't manage to cross that line. Nearly every song wants me to push them a tiny inch more into the explosive power underlaying this album, yet they stay in calm and controllable waters. Potential 12/10.
Excelente disco, pilar fundamental del rock progresivo y álbum muy influyente para el art rock. la etapa de genesis con Peter Gabriel para mí es la cúspide del rock progresivo, un balance perfecto entre la exploración artística, el virtuosismo y la compleja narrativa con comentario social de Peter Gabriel, no por nada Peter Gabriel volvería a ser un personaje sumamente importante durante los 80s liderando el Art Pop con su proyecto solista. Selling England by the Pound marca un sonido único sin muchos precedentes, la exploración sonora y timbrica es importantisima en este disco, innovando con el uso de los primeros sintetizadores, efectos de guitarra y producción musical, en el ámbito musical este disco se caracteriza por sus ambiciosas y muchas veces largas canciones, sumamente melódicas con varios pasajes, cada uno distinto al anterior, los cuales muchas veces evocan influencia clásica, independiente de esto las instrumentación y composición de las canciones es tan única y rica que no logra ostigar o aburrir, además la narrativa une muy bien estos distintos pasajes agregándole un toque más dramático a la historia, también hay un contraste entre las canciones latgas con algunas más cortas y "poperas" que sirven como un respiro. Increíble disco, increíble época de esta banda, Peter Gabriel 🐐
Destruyendo expectativas, en realidad para mi este disco era fácil que me gustara. Me encanta el prog, me encanta lo teatral, las referencias literarias, la música dramática, progresiones interesantes, los buenos instrumentistas. Supongo que a esto se refiere la gente cuando dice que Genesis con Peter Gabriel fue mejor. Yo no se si mejor pero si me gusta mas, y bueno Mike Rutherford, medio Bass broski aunque claro soy consiente que toco mas que eso en el disco incluyendo el cello y el sitar eléctrico. Este disco tiene momentos tan variados que es difícil de creer, incluso hay riffeo digno de un album de thrash.
This is one of the best by them.
Growing up, my dad listened to 80's Genesis so I was familiar with that, but 70's Genesis is a whole new animal. As a prog rock fan, this is outstanding.
long songs, very clean but i like it enough. so british its insane
Great stuff! You can hear Rutherford, Banks, and Collins in a more progressive sound. A portent of greatness to come.
pretty good
Yet another example of why the 70’s was such an important decade for music. One thing I love about Genesis over the other prog bands of that time was the attention to melody. As impressive as the music is for most of this album nothing seems to get in the way of the lead vocal or instrument and it all serves to support them. Sometimes prog albums have so many left turns and challenging musical parts that it can seem forced, that doesn’t seem to happen here, just incredible musicians letting their creativity flow. A solid 4.5 for me.
I grew up on Phil Collins Genesis, and have always been a fan. Separately, I grew up on Peter Gabriel's solo stuff. As a child, I just thought Gabriel was always just his solo songs. As I got older, I discovered he was the original singer for Genesis, and as my musical taste has expanded over the years, I have grown to love the Gabriel Genesis more than the iteration with Collins leading the vocals. I was excited to see this album pop up, because it is my favorite. The music and melody is so cool on this one. I will always love the pop Genesis, but prog Genesis has taken over in my mind. My favorite song is The Cinema Show.
Ah, the full Genesis, when there were five. Generally I prefer Phil Collins-vocal Genesis; I think Peter Gabriel did some odd stuff for the sake of oddity more than art. Nevertheless, his voice remains clear and balanced even today. "Firth of Fifth" was the song I heard that made me want to go back and listen to some early Genesis. It's pretty masterfully crafted, even for prog-rock. It continued to make the live set list over the years, along with "I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)". The musical tangents of "The Battle of Epping Forest" are good unto themselves but feels a little sprawling since they do not repeat. At least "The Cinema Show" maintained a consistent musical theme, also over 11 minutes. Perhaps it is the flutes or occassional narration, but Selling England By The Pound gives the impression of a bard show in Renaissance England traveling through the forests by wagon. It's always impressive to get a group together and be able to convey complex musical ideas and keep it tight. There seems to be so many ideas here that there is a lack of focus, or at least the focus is not on melody. The shining moments are when melodies do pop up, especially amongst some complicated rhthyms, but sustaining such highs must wait until Phil Collins takes the lead on future albums.
Prog-rock Genesis, Peter Gabriel Genesis! Interesting to see what Genesis (and Peter Gabriel) were getting up to before I knew them. Worlds apart from the versions of them I'm familiar with. This album was interesting, but none of it really particularly grabbed me.
I cannot believe this was recorded in 1973. It sounds way ahead of its time. I've never really listened to much Genesis, but I am a big Phil Collins fan. Phil kills it on the opening song. Some of the drumming sounded like drum and bass music from current times. In all honesty because of the length of songs on this album, it's an album that really needs to sit with you for some time to digest everything that is going on. I was limited on time, but I feel like I heard enough to get the gist. My initial impression was Pink Floyd meets Rush meets Yes. I will be listening to this again and checking out other Genesis albums.
One of my favourite Genesis albums, and one of my favourite albums ever. For me, the best tracks are "Firth of Fifth", and "The Cinema Show" / "Aisle of Plenty".
Fine vintage progressive rock. 4
Impressive creativity, but doesn't really have a cohesive vision quite like Dark Side which came out the same year. There is perhaps too much going on to really follow. Could use a few more listens to fully process and appreciate, but I don't see that happening.
This is a Genesis I have never heard before - I didn't realise they had a very different, prog-rock sound in the 70s. I thought it was okay but I prefer their 80s pop sound. Fave Track: Dancing With The Moonlit Knight Rating: 3
Honestly I feel like I like the parts of this album more than what they become. The songs are full of cool sounds and experimentation but all put together, I just feel like it gets a bit incoherent and meandering
I think "Epic" is the best word to describe this album. It's a story, not individual songs, with crescendos and falls throughout. A fun listen, I enjoyed the guitar on firth to the fifth a lot, but again no individual song is really the point here, its a conglomerate
Firth of Fifth carries.
Genesis are so cool
I think I've discovered prog isn't really for me.
5 stars. So well made from start to finish.
Voor hoever ik progrock kut vind, doet deze plaat het best oké. Ik vond het theatrale Dancing With The Moonlit Knight best goed. Heb het sowieso altijd wel kunnen vinden met Genesis. Het middeleeuws achtige thema door het album heen is goed uitgevoerd, en zorgt toch voor een enjoyable listen. Rating: 6,5/10 Higlights: Dancing With The Moonlit Knight, After The Ordeal
Ik merk dat ik een kleine achterstand oploop elke keer als dat duivelse prog rock langskomt. Het is wel erg veel de laatste weken. Het vergt veel mentale energie. Dat gezegd hebbende is Genesis wel te behappen, met het duizelingwekkende gedrum van Ome Phil. En waar veel prog rock zangers me totaal niet bekoren, valt Peter Gabriel me altijd wel mee. Los van het monster 'The Battle of Epping Forest' heeft deze plaat niet veel fases met oneindig cryptisch en middeleeuws geneuzel aangedreven door zenuwachtige synths en overdreven gitaarspel, hetgeen wat prog rock voor mij vaak onluisterbaar maakt. De eerste helft van het album is zelfs best sterk met de energieke opener en de epische 'Firth of Fifth'. Ook de folky 'More Fool Me' viel in goede aarde. Vanaf dat dertien-minuten durende misselijkmakende sprookje 'The Battle of Epping Forest' was het voor mij wel weer even genoeg prog rock. Toch was de voldoende al lang en breed veilig gesteld door de gave eerste helft. 6,5/10 Highlights: Dancing With The Moonlit Knight Firth of Fifth More Fool Me
Ook al begint mijn relatie met progrock de laatste tijd aardig te verzuren, zit er toch altijd een stukje opwinding bij Genesis. Ondanks het feit dat Dancing with the Moonlight Knight een echte progrock-klassieker is vind ik het een erg tof nummer. En bij deze luisterbeurt wijdt ik dat aan het stemgeluid van Gabriel. De eindeloze dromerige gitaarpartijen van Steve Hackett kunnen me daarentegen gestolen worden. I Know What I Like is daarom ook een lekker beatle-esque tussendoortje en misschien hoor je al wel de eerste verwoede stapjes van Gabriel en Collins naar de meer mainstream poprock die ze daarna beiden zijn gaan maken. Dat duurde bij Genesis uiteindelijk tot ver in het CD-tijdperk, maar heeft hen geen windeieren gelegd. Tot en met Firth of Fifth is Selling England by the Pound dus een koflje naar mijn hand. Wel progrock, maar behapbaar. Daarna worden de nummers langer en langer. Het niveau is beter dan 70-s concullega's, heel blij wordt ik daar dan toch ook weer niet van. 7/10 Highlights Dancing with the Moonlight Knight I Know What I Like
I’ve gone on record with my disdain for this kind of record. It falls into the Rush bucket for me. Maybe I’ve met too many dads in my life who would say “you kids these days don’t even listen to music with guitars”. The playing on the album is tight, but I just can’t get behind the music.
One of the few legitimately progressive rock albums I’ve heard
More prog rock-esque than the shortly poppy-er Genesis that I know. Good background grooves
It needed six stars to rate.
I didn't expect to enjoy the more artsy Peter Gabriel era Genesis that much, but this was excellent. You can hear a brilliant band with excellent musicians teetering between the artsier side of prog rock and a band that will embark on a quest to pop royalty. It's an excellent album from front to back.
J’adorais cet album là durant ma phase fanboy de prog-rock. Puisque ça faisait au moins 2 ans que je ne l’avais pas réécouté, j’avais une petite appréhension que ça serais pas aussi bon que dans mes souvenirs. Mais au boy que j’avais tord! L’arrangement musical impeccable, les melodies à la fois weirds et envoutant, le drum de Phil plus tight qu’un speedo sur Gérard Depardieu et les paroles mystiques de Peter créés un monde sonore capoté, grandiose et totalement unique. C’est sûr, c’est loin d’être pour tout le monde, mais de moins point de vue personnel, c’est un gros 5 étoiles
What an album! Released in 1973.. this couldn’t embody more of that time period, do you think they listened to zeppelin?? The riffs, the flow, the messaging .. I love it all. It’s not quite perfect with some songs dropping off but nonetheless it’s fantastic.
I think this just scraped a 3 for me. Didn't love it but there were some cool bits. This list is making me realise I really don't like prog rock that much - too wierd, not enough substance, just dudes saying stuff then jamming for way too long.
terrible
I am a late to the party with Genesis I knew the 80's hits and loved No Son Of Mine from 1991 but hadn't really delved into the bands albums other than Nursery Cryme which my dad had on vinyl (he was a Peter Gabriel can and hated when Phil Collins took over) A few years back I did a deep dive into 80's Genesis and worked my way back to the 70's prog stuff. So this album I listened to quite early in my listening to 70's era as I liked the song I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe) This is a great album although not my favourite it's strong and the first three songs are excellent with Firth Of Fifth being a highlight. Great Album.
Tedioso
A prog rock classic to say the least. A fun and engaging listen. Deserves its reputation!
Challenging listen. Wardrobe is great. A lot of guitar noodling going on.
This feels so far removed from the later Genesis output that I am a little torn. I like a lot of their later music, but this album has the "angsty teen trying to look clever \ different" feel to it. I know that's not a great explanation, but I can't really put it into words. It all sounds a bit like "musical wanking" to me. Made it all the way through so it gets 2 stars by default. I just don't feel it deserves 3 when I think of other albums I gave 3 stars to.
This is a truly brilliant album. Turns out having two legendary songwriters in one band is good for the quality of the band's music. Favorite track: Dancing with the Moonlit Knight
Before listening to this album, I was only familiar with Genesis' 80s/90s stuff. Turns out their earlier work is much more interesting! I really enjoyed this album, both the instrumental and lyrical side of it. Several tracks went on for 10 minutes or longer, but they never dragged for me. I did not expect to enjoy this so much—I thought this was going to be in line with the generic pop-rock route they took in the 80s, but this was a pleasant surprise. 4 stars
Starts solid, loses interest towards the end, but when it's good, it's absolutely great.
I don’t know how to rate this. It’s like if you took the awesome of solo Peter Gabriel and combined it with the suck of late Genesis and solo Phil Collins and combined them and were left with the musical equivalent of nothing. As if they balanced each other so perfectly that you’re left with a blank space, a void. That’s how I felt listening to this album. I felt nothing. The instrumentation was very good so I’ll give it three stars.
Good!
Actually pretty good, first track was mid. Then it really ramped up
Love land of confusion (not on this album) but it gave me a decent look at the sound and energy this band has. Gotta say the instrumental’s really carry here. Bri’ish innit. 3.3
I've heard of Genesis before but only a few singles from the '80s and '90s. I hadn't ventured into their '70s catalog until now with this album. This is as genuine of a prog-rock album as possible, complete with various guitars, flutes, organs, and synthesizers. It's pleasant to have in the background, with notable passages here and there, and certainly with "More Fool Me" as the centerpiece. It's not an album I don't see myself revisiting as often, but I wouldn't mind if it comes up in rotation.
Plodding. Early efforts.
Prog rock just isn't my thing. But it's hard not to appreciate the level of musicianship on display. There were some great and interesting solos on this thing, especially for the time it was released.
I respect Genesis and like other albums, but too many knights and wizard songs!
3.5/5
Fine
It’s interesting, but in a way that makes it completely unenjoyable to listen to.
Yawn...
Not sure I got this one but there were some interesting sounds.
An absolute classic of it's genre. If the idea of progressive, beautiful, folk rock doesn't make you feel sick, please give this a listen. The music and lyrics are amazingly imaginative with loads of unexpected turns.
Rock imitando a trovadores medievales. Ni fu ni fa.
Un rollo, lo siento ...
Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)
Rating: 7/10 Very good album overall. A lot of interesting ideas throughout and multiple great songs. Every member of this band is a virtuoso but the ideas on here do not always translate the best musically. There are many great melodies, riffs, and solos but also very dull moments. Favorite songs: Dancing with the Moonlit Knight, Firth of Fifth, After the Ordeal, The Cinema Show, Aisle of Plenty. Worst song: The Battle of Epping Forest.
I got distracted and only listened to a few guess it was kinda boring
Was going to rated a 3 but it just keeps going on and on and on and on so...2
A gorgeous effort by Gabriel's Genesis - delicate soundscapes punctuated by Phil Collins's excellent drums and awesome guitar and bass work by Hackett and Rutherford respectively. Played like a long English fairy tale of sorts, the only place it drags is "The Battle of Epping Forest." Not everyone goes for the long prog tracks laid down here but all (save for named) balance out well. Bonus points for the lovely guitar and drums on the outro ("Aisle of Plenty"). Standout tracks: "I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)," "Firth of Fifth."
Lots of fun and creativity in there ! Great album, great musical journey.
So so crusty
Most of this album I like a lot, but usually with Genesis albums there is stuff in between I wish wasn't there that lasts too long. Will I listen to again: 70%
I was impatient for this to end. I'm sure the band worked really hard on this.
I really didn't hate this as much as I thought I was going to from the opening but I'm still ultimately just not a prog rock person
i try not to write off any genres completely but im yet to listen to a prog album that doesnt make me come out in a rash. i have some sort of physical aversion to this tripe.
Firth of Firth is a really nice song. The rest of the album is okay to listen to, but a bit too chaotic for my liking sometimes.
Never been intrested in prog-rock but this might just make me go down that rabbit hole. From the very beginning this album has a lot of charm and wit. It's instruments are of course the main focus really enjoyed this musical roller-coaster.
C'était excellent
Un album ambitieux, aux multiples ruptures de ton exemplaires du progressif. Il y a une véritable maestria des musiciens, et la voix de Gabriel n'est pas en reste
Not my cup of tea
This was a huge, self-indulgent turd. I couldn't finish listening to this mess. (Some good drumming though.)
Not what expected at all. Also had no idea genesis was of the same era as Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin.
I was never a fan of Genesis, and here is a great reason why. Let's make bad songs last 9 minutes.
Sounds like the music played on a carousel ride while the horses go up and down. This album is cheesy, no wonder Peter Gabriel split to do his own thing.
Selling England By The Pound is bad, bad prog. Genesis are fucking terrible anyway and this has all of the genre's worst indulgences by some of the most recognisable people to inflict such dirge on the world. The only thing that I took away from it is that I now know the song Richard Hammond particularly hates in many Top Gear episodes, so I can share his dismay. 1.
Exemplifies some of the best of prog, and also the absolute worst of it. Starts really nicely - Dancing With The Moonlit Knight / I Know What I Like are decent, then Firth of Fifth is just super instrumentally, rising and falling and then building up to finally hitting the vocals just before the end. Not sure about More Fool Me, but am absolutely sure that The Battle Of Epping Forest is absolute dogshit. After The Ordeal is an appropriately named track to follow (although really it's a continuation of the ordeal!), before Cinema Show which is very proggy but I do like. Then the closer is crap too. Some real highs and some turgid lows, that roughly balance each other out, so it's probably a middling to high 3.
It's a bit of a concept album, probably needs more than one listen to appreciate. Some very good musicianship going on though.
Phil Collins' voice grates on me as does Peter Gabriel's sometimes. Tough to listen to.
There’s something here, don’t know exactly what, but definitely something, maybe I need to come back to it later?
a perfect album
Great album.
That's a long long long album. I can see it being a rock opera. But it's not as compelling as I would have hoped. It was a thoughtful experiment.
There are some high moments in this, and Peter Gabriel has a fabulous voice for this style of music. But a majority of this seems to be an intellectual rock with an occasional prog influence. Moonlit Knight and Aisle of Plenty stood out the most, the remaining being engaging, but a bit tiring by the end.
Never was much of a fan. Pink Floyd wannabes. Still, not a bad album.
Didn't make it through. Actually started off strong for the first few minutes of the first song, it went quickly downhill from there and never really came back. Very frustrating album, there are some really fun and interesting elements to quite a few songs here, but it's so bogged down by the classic awful prog elements that really it's an awful listen. Fav track: I know what I like
Not as painful as anticipated, as there's some grooves an moments of light and shade here that have been much less present in other overblown concept glam prog albums. Still not something I'd ever put on, but, if it works for ya. Two and a half. Fave track: Dancing With the Moonlit Knight
I actually really didn’t hate this. As someone who generally dislikes most of what Phil Collins does overall, this actually tickled me. The theatrics and whirling guitar lines I found fun, so while I expected to bomb this review it might warrant a visit in the future. Three and a half. Fave track: After The Ordeal
Did not enjoy any these songs.
Surprisingly fun and listenable - who would have thought I’d like a Genesis record? What next? Pink Floyd?
I got high and now I can’t remember anything about this so I guess it was mid
"Gawd I'm bored. Might as well be listening to Genesis." If you get the reference, you'll understand and agree.
My first exposure to Genesis was Turn it On Again and Misunderstanding. A far cry from the Steve Hackett Peter Gabriel prog days. This album was the first album I heard with the original lineup. My primary prog concept was Yes, so this was an adjustment to that. It's where I learned that prog was broadly defined. The standouts are I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe) and Dancing with the Moonlit Knight.
Like Genesis. Like Peter Gabriel. This was not the best music from them. Too 70s Prog Rock.
Ok!
I haven't played this in years since I lost interest in this style of music. I'm really not keen, though I get the point of the album, and Collins' drumming is great. A pleasant enough set of songs to listen to.
Good cool jams. A little 60s trippy for me compared to later Genesis but a cool listen.
I'm not getting much reward out of these prog rock albums. Can hear some decent stuff in there, but god you could get away with so much rubbish. Taking the worst/most indulgent bits of rock and jazz and aiming for a lyrical level of metal.
i can’t wait to stop getting these prog-rock, soundtrack-to-the-Hobbit, 10min flute solo albums randomly assigned to us. most interesting thing about this album is that i had no idea genesis was around in the early 70s, and this was already their 5th album!!?!
I almost like I Know What I Like (In Your Wardbrobe), some instrumental parts of Firth of Fith, and the Battle of Epping Forest
Not awful, but like so much of this era’s prog rock bands, they seemed like they’re trying to show off their writing and/or playing chops at the expense of making something good to listen to. Pretty boring by the third song.
Favorite Tracks: Firth of Fifth I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)
There were some good moments, but also some weirdness. I guess that could’ve been expected. The talent is there, but this felt like it was a soundtrack to a medieval movie.
Not what I expected. Some cool stuff on here
This seems like a joke record.
I haven't heard this in so long. Listened to it three times!
Never listened to a Genesis record before! Really loved it.
I enjoyed it but Phil Collins' voice has just never really done it for me. Some phenomenally trippy stuff here, really nest instrumentals for sure
Lots of fun psychedelic stuff in here.
Love gabriel, like gabriel genesis, really like this album. Ok it's a bit overblown and wanky but compared too the utter arse they produced with Collins its genius.
Wasn't a huge fan of genesis and this didn't change my opinion on em.
way too british
Schön unironisch… eine ganze welt… Stimme wird aber mit der zeit zur herausforderung
Yes. Wait, that's another band! What I mean to say is this, good shit. Good shit right there.
Not bad, enjoyed more than I thought but it's no King Crimson
More partial to Phil Collins-led Genesis but some great songs on this one.
Wanted to love this as I think of myself as a Genesis fan, but just couldn’t do it. The medieval orchestral folk prog rock is just not my thing. Admittedly, they are an amazing group of musicians, and some of this is quite interesting, but just not approachable from my perspective.
This album falls into prog-rock purgatory. It doesn't stand out to me. It was probably revolutionary at the time, since it came out early into the prog-rock movement, but in retrospect it doesn't feel revolutionary. I still enjoyed listening to it though. Best Songs: I Know What I Like, Firth of Fifth Worst Songs: After the Ordeal
catchy! 4 if all songs are like the first one. Yea! I like their stuff.
I got this album as an LP and I played side one a ton….but I rarely turned it over to side two. I think initially I didn’t care for “The Battle of Epping Forest”, and since it kicked off side two, I just didn’t play it. Having listened to the last four songs a lot more closely, I think I may have missed out. There is some pretty good stuff happening there. This was the second Genesis album I owned and it helped solidify them in the upper echelon of prog bands for me in the 70s. Solid album, with “Dancing With the Moonlit Knight” and “Firth of Fifth” being favorites.
How many times do you think Lin Manuel Miranda listened to this while writing Hamilton?
They just copied Yes but go off
Have never listened to Genesis beyond their few hits that get radio play. I'm a sucker for prog rock so I really enjoyed it.
Typical Genesis music. Music, rock opera, not sure. Only seem to make albums with 1-2 good songs. I guess that’s ok. They do have some good songs.
Not my bag at all phil
Well this was very different from the 80s music they out out and was fun to listen to.
It's a lottt to unpack.. definitely coming back. Thoughts: 2. You gotta respect a man who knows what he likes 3. Beatiful but also very cool 6.pretty
Mystical, magical, classical, satirical. Progressive at times. Melodromatic at times. Its no surprise genesis and phil collins have reknown recognition and fame. This album is an awesome tastemaker selection or for those looking for exciting and dynamic music. Personally it does not resonate well with me, Its cool but so far much of it is just chaotic, I appreciate it but did not enjoy it much.
Whimsical…
This is excellent musicianship but it’s also very forgettable. I can’t imagine ever listening to it again. I guess if you love prog rock it’d be a different story but.. I’d rather listen to ABACAB. Or hear Peter Gabriel sing Sledgehammer. I can’t stop thinking about the Stonehenge scene in Spinal Tap.
Strong from start to finish. Love Peter Gabriel's vocals. This is the stronger side of prog rock.
Niks bijzonders
Really liked this. Genesis are a good band. Like both the early stuff with Peter Gabriel as leas vocalist and later when Phil Collins took over 👍
I love Gabriel-era Genesis, but actually hadn’t listened to this entry yet! Glad I got to! Super sonically pleasing to me. Production is perfect, sounds so good. Instrumentation is stunning, his voice is enviable. Had a great time with these British weirdos!
This is very cool and might warrant a relisten, but pretty much never what I want to listen to
I was unfamiliar with Peter Gabriel's version of Genesis before starting this challenge. It appears I'm not much of a fan. Definitely enjoy the Phil Collins era more.
Genesis' prog era with Peter Gabriel as frontman. I liked it just enough because I've listened to it before, but I prefer Genesis after their prog era & Peter Gabriel's solo work - same for Phil Collins. 3.5 stars
interesting I had not heard this album before.
brijem da bi se trebao fino nadrogirati da ovo slusam kako je namijenjeno
More listenable than I'd expected. In my mind's eye (ear?), prog-era Genesis was going to be a group of dudes dressed up in Baroque outfits, making Baroque music. This was only maybe 30% of that.
Classic middle of the road music
I'm not a genesis or Phil Colins fan
I Know What I Like, and I’m not sure it was this. After the Ordeal, I switched to something else more my speed.
Gut, mit Peter Gabriel als Sänger
I didn't really like this album
I was listening and thinking why I don't really like this band and had a revelation. All the music sounds like it was composed against a strict metronome. Yes there are tempo/meter changes, but you can easily identify when the metronome was increased or decreased. I guess Phill Collins or someone was a rhythm dictator. I found myself feeling claustraphobic. Also, there's so much going on, new sounds coming and going. I had to stop because I felt like I needed to go somewhere else and breathe. I can hear that the musicianship is great, but it just doesn't work for me. I didn't finish this album. Ah well...
Byrjar með smá kjánahrolli, en nær sér svo á strik. Oft grípandi og mig langaði að hlusta oftar en einu sinni. Gerði það og mæli með, fínt progg.
I like the piano pieces. I don't like the music very much.
I’m sure in its day it was a good album, and though musically very good the songs were rambling and too long. I’m not a huge fan of prog rock and so I’d like to keep this in 1973 where it belongs.
absolutely rate this album, I was already sold on it but The Cinema Show really sealed the deal for me. FIrst two songs really stood out to me as well, along wiht the Battle of Epping Forest. Super solid recommendation
terrrible :((
Really like this one a lot. I never really gave 70s Genesis a proper listen, even though I am a big fan of the genre. I can see coming back to this one again and again.
Some good stuff but mostly weird.
Love love love love love this album - forever one of the greatest.
This is a very odd album to my ears. The long, sprawling songs move through multiple sections and ideas, often jumping around in ways that feel theatrical and unpredictable. I can see why progressive rock fans love it, but for me it feels overcomplicated rather than immersive. There is a strong pastoral, almost Robin Hood atmosphere running through parts of it, which adds to that slightly whimsical, medieval tone. There is no denying the musicianship. The playing is intricate and ambitious, and the band clearly had huge ideas at this stage. It just does not come together in a way that keeps me fully engaged. It is interesting and creative, but not something I would choose to listen to again. Favourite song: None that truly stood out for me Least favourite: The longer tracks feel particularly hard work Album artwork: Distinctive and very much in keeping with the album’s quirky, English tone
Peter Gabriel genesis >>>>>>>>>> Phil colins genesis. These are facts and there is to be no discussion. Goof agrees.
This is the first genesis album I ever bought. Trick of the Tail was the popular album at my high school but ive always been partial to the Peter Gabriel-led Genesis even though their output is dwarfed by the prolific Phil Collins-led group. So many incredible songs- Firth of Fifth, Dancing with the Moonlit Knight, The Battle of Epping Forest and I know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe). One of my personal favorites.
Epic and still so english
Loved by geeks of all ages
Meh. Not my taste
More prog-rocky than I was expecting. It's fun, but every time it hits a melody I really like, it switches things up on me.
Me gustaron algunos temas, aunque sé que no le dediqué toda la atención que exige.
Amazing Prog Rock, Genesis is full of musical legends, and this stands out there as one of the definitive rock groups of all time.
so lala...
Heard this a few times before, not very familiar with Gabriel era Genesis. Always loved the Seconds Out live album as peak Genesis and of course a lot of the originals are on here. I suppose this is their most formative album, it really sounds like each guy is developing into the artist they would become. Peter and Phil sound great singing together, Steve and Tony are playing their wonderful flowing original solo parts. It sounds cohesive and concise, there's no noodling really. Great stuff.
Un álbum sublime. Lo mejor del viejo progresismo
This music was very dated. A lot of older music is timeless and is able to withstand the ages, but not this music. I thought it wasn't very good and I didn't enjoy any of it.
This was a very interesting experience! I’ve never heard of them before but i really loved the album and their style.
Never liked early Genesis
One of their best.
Epic musicality!! What an amazing band this was! From the fantastic, theatrical singing and performing of Peter Gabriel, to the jazzy powerhouse pounding of Phil Collins, to the sublime musical soundscapes of Hackett, Banks and Rutherford. I adore this album front to back. Standout tracks: Dancing With The Moonlit Knight, I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe), Firth Of Fifth, More Fool Me, The Battle Of Epping Forest, After The Ordeal, The Cinema Show 9 out of 10
Hated it from the jump, then was kinda digging it, then found myself working overtime just to appreciate the prog-ness of the whole mess for what it is. The Battle of Epping Forest delivered some major Spinal Tap “Stonehenge” vibes, so it has that going for it, which is good. Clearly some amazing musical performances here, and I want to respect the art form, so three stars instead of two.
Too soft until the final two tracks jam out!
I can’t believe this is still going. This has been teetering on interesting the whole time, but hasn’t gotten there once.
Ewwwwwwwww. Def one of those love it/hate it selections. So much meh and obviously I’m on the hate it side. I listened to Rick Wakeman’s “The Six Wives of Henry VIII to remind myself of a what I consider a better album selection from that year.
It was ok, some interesting songs, but a lot drug on a little too long.
I mean it's Genesis. The band I should in theory be absolutely obsessed with. They have every ingredient to be one of my favourite bands of all time. And yet every time I listen to them there's just something missing, and I never become an absolute superfan. I'm not sure what is missing but it bugs me to no end. Oh well. Still a banging album
4 - It's a pretty solid album with a few standout tracks. I don't really have a lot to say about it besides that it's good. Writing reviews is hard. I should probably listen to more Genesis, and more prog in general.
Sorry Peter and Phil. As much as I love you stuff, I didn't enjoy this album at all. [shrug]
I appreciate it for its clear influence on contemporary Prog rock, but my God I hate Phil Collins.
Enjoyable progressive rock album.
This is a really weird album. I could give this two stars or five stars and still be satisfied with my rating. Strange, random, five stars.
starting out w an 8 min song is a big and slightly chaotic choice. i know what i like (in your wardrobe) is kind of a vibe and i also might like more fool than me? is that a recorder? a kid in my office was playing the recorder the other day when he thought no one was around which is why the sound is recently familiar. this is not good music to listen to while doing sat imagery stuff. maybe i am just against songs over five minutes. i am a self proclaimed classic rock girlie but this is not my favorite choice it kinda just sounds like all the others in this particular genre
Sounds like Kansas. Love the soft intros, but ehh on the meat of the songs. Super interesting lyrics. Good background / working music. A bit melodramatic at points, but also some triumphant riffs. Trippy / feverdremish at times, but in a good way.
This is such an interesting album, because as a child of the 80's it is a bit shocking to hear Genesis spread out their songs and do prog-rock. Though honestly, if anyone had purchased the full albums in the 1980's, it wouldn't be too shocking as the Genesis albums always had a prog-rock song or two. "Tonight, Tonight, Tonight" is prog-rock, just covered in a melty pop coating. I am very hit or miss on the prog-rock Genesis. It's technically very well done and pretty interesting at first. Some of the songs are too naval gazing for me and are too much "Lord of the Rings" for me. Good album, though I would argue this isn't even the best album during the prog-rock era.
3.8. Enjoyable album. Phil Collins is a great drummer. I’m not sure if I ever really appreciated that. I was also surprised by the guitar work.
I didn't know that Genesis had an album to rival Thick as a Brick! Prog rock rock opera is my jam!
Loved the guitar and Phil Collins' drumming on some of the tracks. Very interesting prog rock album like a strange alternative dimension Pink Floyd. A bit too strange/artistic for me overall.
Didn't care for this, not a fan of early or late Genesis.
It was odder than I expected.
Great Album
It's rubbish but in a weird way I kind of enjoyed it.
Pfffffffff
I quite enjoyed the beginning of this album but it did drag on in 70s prog fashion in bits.
Oy progrock. I can’t make it through the first song. It’s too much.
I wasn't a fan of the abrupt start but the rest grew on me. Of course it did it's an awesome proggy mess. Stand-out: Aisle of Plenty
As far as prog rock albums go, this one is delightful. Not quite the same league as, say, Dark Side of the Moon, but very close. 4/5
not their best work
This stuff is majestic. It's expansive, fun, campy, intricate, with great performances. Maybe their peak, The Battle of Epping Forest can be a little long and maybeee just a smidge over the top tho. Firth of Fifth is absolutely perfect, best chords, best piano riff, best guitar solo, best flute solo. I Know What I Like is the best pop song ever.
Epic album, I’ll have to give it another listen later on
Litt meh, men har sine øyeblikk
That was a wild ride. I can only imagine gettin’ ripped on whatever and throwing this on and feelin good.
Ok background music
While you can tell there's talent here, this is an early version of Genesis, before they refined their sound and made it big.
Definitely good but just missed the 5 star mark. Some things I have strife with such as the sound and some songs feeling off. Banger tho
Pretty standard 70s rock album. I still think Phil Collins and Peter Gabriel had better solo albums after they left. That doesn't mean this a bad album by any means. It's just very 70s rock which in itself was never very unique.
Very nice find!
8/10
70s prog-rock at its finest. If you get the chance, listen to Yes' "Close to the Edge" and compare.
This album is great. One of my favorites
Coolish. Too elfin. Mild Spinal Tap vibes. Much prefer their later synths stuff
Lil weird but good
Better band once Peter Gabriel left. Never heard this before - and won't ever hear it again.
Very unique style. Each song told a story. Enjoyable listen, but I wouldn't give it anything greater than 3 stars.
Good but not as good as Jethro tull
All time great Side A and unfortunately a little underwhelming Side B. Early Genesis, with Peter Gabriel as their frontman was a marvellous band. Original Dream Theater, just with much better vocalists (any of them will do). Basically, some of the songs are absolutely amazing even 50 years later, great solos, beautiful melodies, it has everything. Second part falls off from the standard a bit, but you have to admit, it's one of the best prog rock band in history.
Wonderfully weird
Dancing With The Moonlight Knight I Know What I Like Firth Of Fifth
A little too much organ for my liking, but not terrible.
I really have grown to like this album quite a lot. It is classic Peter Gabriel era Genesis! More Fool Me is one of the few times we get to hear lead vocals by Phil Collins. Standouts: Fifth of Firth, The Cinema Show Others: Dancing With the Moonlit Knight, More Fool Me, Battle of Epping Forest
The only downside to this album is that Phil Collins barely sings, otherwise it feels like Peter Gabriel's Genesis mixed with King Crimson which is bad ass.
A high three. This album has FANTASTIC moments and some great instrumentals, but as a whole, it’s lacking. Collin’s vocals don’t really add a lot to it in my opinion either.
Not what I was expecting from a Genesis album. The longer tracks were cool, but overall I found this one never really hooked me.
This album is marvelous. It’s just permeated with this wonderful whimsy. The songwriting is jaw-droppingly good, and the instrumental performances are stunning as well. It’s pretty reasonable to say that this album has the best drumming out of all of the 1001 albums, for anyone who paid attention to this album. And there are vanishingly few guitar solos that have more soul than the one on Firth of Fifth; how can a guitar solo sound so beautifully mournful? Even though several of the songs are long, they never cease to be satisfying. Even in the long instrumental passages there is so much movement and change: the music always feels like it’s going somewhere interesting. The long songs each take you on a journey. Amazing dynamics, great variety. It's doubly impressive that such brilliant songwriting is also just so engaging and fun. There are always the misguided fools who think they can dismiss any monumental work by calling it "wankery" or "pretentious self-indulgence." People who say things like this are really just admitting that they are allergic to talent and creativity. Some people can't wrap their closed minds around any music that isn't a 3-minute, 4-chord, verse-chorus-verse-chorus song. And besides, why shouldn't actually talented musicians want to indulge a little in more complicated music? Do you really expect gifted musicians and songwriters to dumb down their genius just so they don't look like they're showing off? And the absurd thing is, this album is so far from pretentiousness anyways. Genesis always had a healthy dose of wit and self-awareness, unlike some of their peers. I can kind of understand someone calling ELP pretentious snobs and show-offs; but calling Genesis pretentious is just so far off the mark. "Pretentious" means one is pretending to have some degree of importance or intelligence that one doesn't have. How can a piece of music be pretentious? And what exactly is Genesis pretending to be that it isn't? Every piece of this album serves a musical purpose. Haters of prog love to talk about how punk rock killed prog; maybe they're right, who knows? But the amazing irony is that the punk rockers were far more pretentious than the old bands they supplanted. Punk rockers were maladjusted, talentless youths who resented that rock music was dominated by skilled, heroic rock gods. They put on a false facade of anger and wrote music about how disaffected they were. They put on leather jackets and proclaimed themselves the heroes of the common man. Punk rock was all about the cool anti-establishment image, and not about the music, the majority of which is basic, unimaginative, and boring (not all of it though!). Prog rockers, on the other hand, shunned image. Their focus WAS their music; they honed their craft and strove to create something remarkable, almost always without widespread fame and glory. They actually tried at what they did. Punk rockers pretended to be cool without an ounce of musical ability to show for it; prog rockers are the antithesis of this. The spirit of prog rock is striving for the highest of musical heights and exploring exotic, unorthodox musical landscapes. What's not to love about that? This album is vastly, shamefully underrated by the mainstream music establishment. This album is brilliant and such a joy to listen to. :)
This album is so weird and all over the place but that’s what made it so unique. It brought you on this musical journey from start to end and could easily be made into a fantasy adventure film. I can see it now ✨“On his way to school, Bastian ducks into a bookstore to avoid bullies. He becomes enchanted by this book and sneaks away with it. Bastian begins reading it in the school attic. The novel is about Fantasia, a fantasy land threatened by "The Nothing," a darkness that destroys everything it touches. The kingdom needs the help of a human child to survive. When Bastian reads a description of himself in the book, he begins to wonder if Fantasia is real and needs him to survive” ✨ Oh wait, this is the plot to the film “The Never Ending Story”, but it could still work with this album too. 8/10
I have no clue what they are singing about in these lyrics. But the musical journey has been enjoyable in “Dancing With The Moonlit Knight” I still don’t know what they are singing about but the music can stand on its own telling a story. “The cinema show” is another goodie. Great music for a road trip, which I just so happen to be on. 8/10
Wow I really liked this! I truly don't know if i've ever heard cleaner production on an album before. There has been more creative stuff for sure but the instruments sound so crisps that it scratches a part of my brain so well. Man is the drummer so god damned good at his job dude I can listen to that all day long (After writing this I found out it was Phil Collins so no shit, how tf did I not know that). The long songs are like a ballad that changes throughout and none of them feel as long as the runtime says. Very close to a perfect album for me except.....what the FUCK is Peter Gabriel talking about. 9/10
The first song was so confusing and felt like three different songs mashed into one. I didn’t mind the background music as it is pretty interesting, I actually enjoyed it quite a bit but the vocals take me out of it. As the album went on I guess I grew more accustomed to the vocals as they started making more sense with the instrumentals. The sections with no singing were still my favorite as they felt like musical adventures telling a story without words. Going into this album not liking Peter Gabriel’s solo stuff very much at all, I was pleasantly surprised how much liked this. The songs are very long and could have been cut into individual songs. I believe this would have made the album flow a lot better. Did I enjoy this album? Kindof. Will I seek out more genesis or relisten to these songs again? Probably not. A very strange album in general that brings some interesting sounds while being held back by weird vocals. 7/10
I didn't like or dislike this album except for the fact that I had to spend another hour listening to a mostly boring genesis album. This one felt aggressively British in the same way that arthur by the kinks does but wasn't as good as that album. The cinema show had some interesting stuff going on but otherwise a flatline for me. However, broadway melody of 1974 from their other album came on right after and I definitely should've put it on my playlist back when I got that album.
Progrock mit einigen spannenden Ansätzen aber gleichzeitig wenig was wirklich überzeugt. Klanglich etwas brav und lyrische Aspekte gehen im ersten hören etwas unter. 3,5
I've heard way too little Genesis. This is prog rock goodness and way better and weirder than I thought Genesis could be and totally unexpected. I would totally go back and listen to it again. It's not that accessible and should be listened in one sitting undisturbed.
I get it is Genesis but anytime I hear Phil Collins my mind goes straight to Tarzan... "Firth of Fifth" - amazing. Overall enjoyed the album.
I feel like I almost like prog rock
2/5. While I really enjoyed the first two songs, the rest of the album left a lot to be desired. I was expecting more from such a popular band!
Firth on Firth was epic The rest of the album is meh
was alright, a few good songs but nothing stuck out. overstayed its welcome a bit
Es muy buen disco, pero no tanto de mi gusto musical. El rock progresivo me aburre bastante.
Not for me.
Короче, я вроде и залайкала один трек, но целиком все-таки не прониклась. Достаточно занудно, хоть и мелодично.
Gabriel Genesis is much odder and proggier than post Gabriel Genesis. This album is really good, just not as good as the highs they reach later in their career. 4/5
Oh man, I'm biased maybe because I grew up listening to Genesis. But this is a reallyyy really cool album to me. It's so weird and it feels like such an adventure to listen to. It's the kind of album where I totally understand why someone wouldn't like it, though... but man what a cool one! Peter Gabriel goat
This album made me realize that I like Genesis, and I like Peter Gabriel, but not together.
I liked a lot of it, but there was some that I could do without
What drugs are Genesis on? What’s going on inside Peter Gabriel’s brain? I want to be on those drugs. The sheer stamina to do insane things. Creative, silly, unserious. Adventurous. Dizzying to listen to! And yet this fatigues me far less than some of the more proggy picks we’ve had. I think I’m just a fan of prog! Because to me, this is really emotional, beautiful in many moments. “More fool me” stunned me. Came out of nowhere. One of my favorite song discoveries I’ve heard on this list in a while. I’m not sure why the more questionable, strange self-indulgences on the later half of the record don’t come across as gratuitous to me. Maybe it’s the exceptional playing from the band. The rhythm section seems to be able to sell anything! Any idea works! This is an inspiration. I’m reading the backstory now. I LOVED the folk, Britishness. It challenged me, and a lot to digest. One of my favorite strange, weirdo picks we’ve had. 5/5
I really loved the opener Dancing with the Moonlit Knight, a beautiful medieval prog folk song, one of my favorite new discoveries from this project. 7.7/10
Perfect
Not impressed
I love a good wibble rock, but this is too much even for me. I need more histrionic female vocals and songs about Viking lore. Or the wearing of purple capes.
Rubbish
Oh, no. Dreading this. What the hell is this? What hippie shite is THIS? This album has no idea what it wants to be. It's really bad. I don't think I've heard anything worse than The Battle of Epping Forest.
Before the cocaine and drugs. Or when they were peeking….