Reviews (page 7 of 9)
So. Very. Proggy. One day isn't really enough to get my head around this, there's so much to unpack. On paper it could easily be terrible but I think I actually quite like it. It's ambitious and cinematic and quirky, and there are sections of music I really got into for a moment... before the album took yet another left-turn into a 4 minute instrumental bridge or folk interlude. Also, shout-out to Philip Collins for the best drumming performance on the list so far.
just doesn't stand out as much as it thinks it does. 3.4
Io sono cresciuto ascoltando un sacco di progressive. Ma i Genesis sono uno di quei gruppi con cui non ho mai legato. Soprattutto quelli con Phil Collins alla voce (quindi non in questo caso). Avendoli dovuti ascoltare, devo dire che, pur non avendo cambiato idea, ho riconosciuto un'immensa bravura. Alcune cose mi sono anche piaciute, ma non abbastanza da dargli un voto alto.
I love me some 70s prog. This album has some high highs and some low lows. Not my favorite Genesis album but when it hits it hits hard
Some moments of brilliance, but overall just too proggy for me.
Recognised one song and like it, but not won over by the rest of the prog-ness. Not awful, might try again. Difficult to get past Flight of the Conchords send-up (Lord of the rings song).
Ik ben een sucker voor prog. Dit stemde mij positief.
Typisch dat Peter gabriel op dezelfde manier zingt als phil collins.
It’s fun!!!!!!
Solid 3/5. This one will only get better.
cant believe bojo is in genesis! selling england and that!
Sehr stabiles Rock album
Unsurprisingly I have mixed feelings about this album, as it is anything but homogeneous. Firth Of Fifth is interesting. What are those time signatures? Wikipedia says 13/16, 15/16 and 2/4! Super cool! But the complexity brings with it a certain allovertheplaceness. It's a classical-feeling glam-sounding concept-y album with neat art and an ironic title. At the risk of sounding like every other album reviewer in the world, I must say I keep hearing bits of Pink Floyd here and there. It's almost freakishly similar to ELP's Pictures at an Exhibition in aura. Things I like: the complexity, the ambition, the wordplay in Aisle of Plenty, I don’t think it takes itself that seriously, some of the instrumentals (especially The Cinema Show), it got me interested enough to read more about it on Wikipedia, you could listen to it many times and still find interesting things you hadn’t noticed because it’s very varying in style, it doesn’t repeat itself, has everything Germ Free Adolescents lacks. Things I dislike: has a bit too much of everything Germ Free Adolescents lacks, it’s a bit all over the place, the vocals are kind of jarring in my ears and sound a bit like football supporters, feels like they’re doing this just for their own fun as a sport, none of the songs really got to me, slightly show-off-y at times. Strong 3.44 stars.
I liked it but not every song really suited me
Ok album. Genesis was better on the 80s when Phil Collins did more of the leg work. This album felt like he was underutilized and they focused more on the instrumentals. 5.9/10
1. That guitar riff has it, and those vocals. Damn, going to enjoy this. 3. Firth of Fifth - that guitar solo is hot! Fuck, going to look into that. That's filthy, I love it! The rest isn't hitting as hard. Probably a 3 for me. Maybe 4 simply because they're more experienced instrument playing wise and lyrics. Peter Gabriel is great but being an 80s baby, always prefer Phil Collins singing for Genesis.
I knew none of these. I could hear elements of War of the Worlds and The Divine Comedy. Didn’t sound like it was from 1973!
Ehhh it's like King Crimson without the interesting riffs
More fool me is a great song After the ordeal is a nice instrumental Songs are each too long, not nearly as good as his solo music
Really liked the started, but got a bit lost by the end. Still a decent listen
If they took out all of the needless arpeggios this album would only be 30 minutes long and much better. Still, the parts that are good are really good and I found myself leaving this one on in the background for most of the day.
Old rock, muy calmado y con algunos solos que sorprenden. El tipo de rock que escuchas en un viaje muy largo.
Uma cheiração de peido do caraio.
Had a much more rock sound than I expected. Quite few songs are nice but some are too long and get tiresome.
2.5 afgerond naar 3
Not my genesis album i guess
Really enjoyed this one!
Musically sound, very intricate. You forget just how talented this group is. Not my favorite Genesis album, but definitely one most prog-rock Genesis fans would love.
Very trippy
I have never listened to early Genesis. I did not expect this. Still there were some rocking bit in between the more surreal ones.
a bit too odd and quirky
The first track was a hoot. I mean..... it's almost a parody of the worst excesses of 70s prog. Something Bill Bailey would come up with. Great musicianship though. the joke wore thin by the end.....and it wasn't meant to be a joke in the first place. But I enjoyed it anyway
very long tracks. starts weak but ends strong. average, would relisten
I'm not sure why, but I expected to hate this. I actually quite enjoyed it, but wouldn't listen again.
5
Sorpresa total. No coneixia aquest disc i m'ha semblat molt interessant. Dens i recarregat, necessitarà d'unes quantes escoltes més per poder fer-ne un veredicte just. Però la primera ha estat impactant i m'ha provocat una molt bona impressió. I no m'ho esperava. No sé per què tenia els Genesis com un grup poc interessant, però veig que al menys l'època Peter Gabriel mereix ser explorada.
Rock imitando a trovadores medievales.
Cool prog rock from the early 70s. Reminiscent of Rush. Phil Colins' performance on this album is unlike any of his solo works.
grew on me not bad
Solid
particolare.. alcune poco ascoltabili
Fav song on album - The Battle of Epping Forest
Brought back memories. Berlin. Phil Collins lead vocals on More Fool Me. Enjoyable but not critical to revisit.
some of the songs didnt need to be that long but the guitar solos were good
Started strong but got a little too experimental and meandering in the end. 3.
A hard listen for new ears. Some nice motifs in songs and definitely worth a listen. Just not my thing, yet.
Early genesis...should be good.
Much better than expected
a daring album by genesis. I liked it. Maybe a little too uppity for a rock album.
Proggy. Not my usual cup of tea, but highly enjoyable. Makes me want to listen again and check out more of their albums.
Yawn
Good tunes. Rocking steadily
3.75
Strange album
weird album, the songs are long and different so there are good parts but its hard to give each song an identity of sorts
It was fine. It got a little esoteric toward the middle. It sounded like Pink Floyd mixed with Steely Dan
Liked it more than I thought I would, really interesting album. It’s easy to forget that genesis started off doing art rock like this, I honestly prefer way more than the direction Phil Collins took them later on
I'm only really familiar with Phil Collins-led Genesis (mom likes "A Trick of the Tail"). It's amazing to see they started as an extremely proggy-Rush-ish band and went into 80s pop later. It's not bad, just a little pretentious and not for me that much. Favorite tracks: "Dancing With the Moonlit Knight", "The Battle of Epping Forest"
The Medieval bits really make this hard to enjoy
I saw the album length to track number ratio and immediately felt dread. This is some over the top, overproduced and dated waffley wank. No doubt there's some talent, so not a 1, but there is most definitely a taste and restraint issue on display.
Not for me. Some songs were ok at best, but most feel like they drone on and then become annoying.
I like some early Genesis, but this is not an album I'd ever listened to. So it seemed like a tumult of 'riffs', 'surprising' chord sequences, lyrical oddities and quiddities, that left me unmoved. Nothing here gave me inclination to listen to it again. It's Not Good, 4/10.
You know, I really like the album that just throws shit against the wall and see what sticks, but I’m looking at my wall after listening to this album, and I’m not really seeing any shit stuck.
For such a short album it sure never ends. I feel like I would have liked this better on shrooms.
#450 I can appreciate prog rock and there were some elements to enjoy here, even moments where I thought I was genuinely going to get on well with this and then The Battle of Epping Forest really tested my resolve. After the Ordeal is a fitting track name to follow that, although it’s a bit too whimsical itself, and it sort of doubles down on that thereafter. Sorry Genesis fans, it’s not for me. Heard before? ❌ Would I revisit? ❌ Listen before you die? ✅ (you probably should to be fair) Fave track(s): I Know What I Like Rating: 4/10 ⭐️⭐️
I'm not too familiar with Genesis, and this album did not inspire me to look for more. I did like the instrumental parts of "Firth of Fifth" but "The Battle of Epping Forest" was incredibly tedious and brings the whole album down. "More Fool Me" is also fairly turgid. I liked some of the keyboards on "The Cinema Show," but my main problem isn't with the music -- it's the vocals and lyrics. I'm just not on board with the majority of what Peter Gabriel is doing here -- all the put-on voices and fantasy-like lyrics aren't working. Maybe a different record would have been a better first exposure to this era of Genesis.
Quite the unremarkable album. I mainly enjoy Phil Collins on his own.
Yech.
2/5 - Very much not my jam. Self-indulgent and boring, but then I never claimed to enjoy prog.
Started off as a folk album & then seemed to be experimental in the way that musicians overindulge and release things that don't need to see the light of day
i like the theatrical elements, and the uk messages behind some of the songs. but it was a it full and felt hal baked.
Well-produced, Selling England By The Pound at times sounds good, but ya know what doesn't sound good? Having to listen to Peter Gabriel sing his laddish little British heart out - that doesn't sound good at all. It really is beyond the pretentiousness of the prog project. I adore plenty of acts & writers who not only push the conceptual boundaries, but who can be said to intellectualize in order to impress. But they ultimately have soul & they know that's most precious. No, I think there must be a spiritual difference between me & the proggers, e'en more than the metalheads. 'Me, I'm just a lawnmower / You can tell by the way I walk.' Conceptual? Give me Kinks or Kendrick. Long? How 'bout Mama Too Tight. Smart? Loads, & not this.
2nd Genesis album and the 2nd time that I completely lost interest in their album. Well it starts well, but after that it went completely downhill for me. And it's not that I don't like Genesis. But nope I didn't enjoyed this one. Exept for the first 2 of 3 songs. So: 2/5
Sigh. Another prog rock record. I used to think there was too much hate thrown at this genre. But I guess I just hadn't spent enough time listening to the popular prog bands of the 70s to develop a proper hatred of them. Sorry I don't have any specific comments about this particular album. I'm just ready to move on to something else
Started okay... Then got weird. I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would.
Yep. That's certainly very prog.
It was many prog rock albums before this one where I knew this genre doesn't usually hit for me. It's a bit like being forced to read a fantasy book that I have no interest in engaging with. The characters are all written with such pizazz, and I'm expected to automatically buy into the world. Like all the other Yes albums here, the music is played technically well, but they get too lost in the sauce for my liking. "The Cinema Show" was alright. This album-oriented rock doesn't age as well as some would like you to believe. 2/5
i hated this tbh Would I listen again: i'll stick to prog rock by pink floyd Deserves to be on the list: no 1.6
prog rock is gwn mid denk k
Calling prog rock weird is redundant, but this was a weird album. I didn't dislike it, but I mostly liked it when it sounded like Pink Floyd.
This album is kind of stupid and kind of good at the same time. Mostly stupid though.
It feels like on the surface it can be like The Who; which I loved? But something about this album I just disliked. 2.4
Ok, sé la importancia de Genesis, por supuesto me parecen muy buenos músicas y los tracks en este disco están bien, setenteros y con onda, pero confieso que no hicieron mucho por mí. Me pareció un tanto sin chiste, y la verdad me daría pereza volverlo a escuchar.
I get the appeal of prog-rock, but most of the ones on this list are just not appealing to me.
ok
viel zu lang, außerdem ist mein handy (auf der Heimfahrt von Brüssel) die ganze Zeit überhitzt :(
Having got ready for a football match in a changing room paid for by Phil Collins, I feel compelled to give this a bonus star. I got the man of the match award that day too. Probably my only one. Thanks Phil. Oh and by the way, this wasn’t a great listen.
Some of the synth effects in this overblown nonsense was laughably cringy. Early Genesis, later Genesis, Peter Gabriel solo, Phil Collins solo it all sucks.
I'm only familiar with the crappy, 80's Phil Collins Genesis, and while this incarnation of Genesis is a skosh better, it's still pretty much self-indulgent shite. Definitely not a Genesis fan.
Peter Gabriel wrote all of his lyrical contributions for this album in a two day session. Fifty four minutes of English mythology, social commentary, folk culture, supermarket names woven into song lyrics, and a song called The Battle of Epping Forest that delivers what one critic accurately described as a million words per minute vocal delivery. Two days. This explains a great deal. The album title came from a Labour Party slogan about preserving English identity against creeping American commercial influence. Genesis then spent the next fifteen years becoming increasingly commercially successful in America while Phil Collins slowly transformed into the kind of artist American shopping malls played on a loop. The pound got sold eventually. The irony is doing a lot of heavy lifting and nobody in the band appears to have noticed. Dancing With the Moonlit Knight opens the record with eight minutes of theatrical rock opera that sounds like Bat Out of Hell if Bat Out of Hell had been written by someone with a better education and a stronger opinion about English cultural identity. This is both a compliment and a warning depending entirely on your feelings about theatrical rock opera, which for me is complicated at best. Phil Collins sings lead on one track called More Fool Me, which one contemporary critic described as foreshadowing what was to come. What was to come was Sussudio, which is not something anyone in 1973 could have adequately prepared for. More Fool Me is considered the weakest track on the album by virtually everyone who has reviewed it, including people who love this album unconditionally, which is a remarkable consensus achievement. I came to Genesis through the 80s, through Invisible Touch and Phil Collins in a suit on MTV, and through Peter Gabriel's solo work, which took everything theatrical about this era and filtered it through a production sensibility that hits differently. Going back to Selling England By The Pound is meeting a younger, weirder, considerably more literary version of people I already knew, who are doing something genuinely impressive that is not remotely my thing. Steve Hackett's guitar work on Firth of Fifth is extraordinary and deserves to exist in a different album where I could hear it more clearly without eight minutes of English folk opera preceding it. 2 out of 5. One star for Steve Hackett, who plays guitar on this record like a man who knows exactly what he is doing and does not need fifty four minutes to prove it. One star for the ambition, which is genuine, substantial, and completely indifferent to whether you personally wanted to spend your evening with it. The remaining three stars are somewhere in Epping Forest, involved in a battle, and have not been seen since October 1973.
no gracias, no auto
It lost me exactly 2 minutes and 7 seconds in.
Underwhelming.
I love Peter Gabriel's voice, and later Genesis, but I just didn't get into this. Too progressive rock for me.
Me listening to every song "arrgh what is this fresh garbage...ok wait this part is not bad if the can just stick with this we might have a good track...and they just ruined it with some prentenious crap and synthizer" 1/3 of every track is good, but that hardly makes up for the 2/3rds of self indulgent garbage that is the rest of the track.
I've never really been a huge Genesis fan, and this album didn't really move me much. I mean, it has a few great moments, but I don't love the over the top balads and such. 2/5
It's like if Bohemian Rhapsody was a full album, except none of the songs are nearly as good as BR
Prog is really not my thing. It started OK with the first couple of songs but it all becomes a bit much. Overall I guess it wasn't bad, if I try to be generous and ignore my dislike of the genre. Indeed, I can respect aspects of it (in particular, Collins on the drums, and the guitar work had good feel to it). But I'm gunna drop a star because of The Battle of Epping Forest which I genuinely DID find bad.
noooooot my favorite genesis album. not that ive listened to a ton, but this didn't really do much for me
It’s not a rock opera, but it really sounds like a rock opera. And as we’ve worked our way through this list, I’ve found I really don’t care for rock operas. I also prefer Phil Collins and Peter Gabriel on their own rather than in Genesis, even if they do have some great songs that aren’t on this album.
I love me some Phil Collins, but these prog rock are just too long and boring. It's not painful, but I was waiting for it to be over.
Too much of prog , not my cake and Very very medieval thetrical style
Might Genesis have been half decent if they’d dropped all the self-indulgent pretentiousness? Unfortunately it’s 90% of this album.
This is what Wendy from Peter Pan listens to. Sounded like a doily.
The more prog-rock I listen to, the more I realize it's not rlly my thing. Feels like something a Russell Brand character would enjoy
I see the appeal but not for me.
doing too much time also hecka long songs bro
Bit of a whimsical yawnfest.
I can’t tell if this is hilarious or twee self indulgent bollocks
Renfaire music
Kinda get why it’s on the list. But really not for me. Kinda glad, to have some of my preconceptions confirmed as we go through the list
Eipä hirveästi innostanut tämä levy. Vähän liian ”vaikeaa” musaa.
Gillade inte detta vidare mycket. Jag gillar senare Genesis mer och utan Peter Gabriel. Honom gillar jag som soloartist. Det här påminner för mycket om Jethro Tull och likande artister och det blir för flummigt för mig. Ingen låt stod ut för mig, ganska tråkigt album i mitt tycke.
Phil Collin’s not a fan
Weird in a way that made it hard to take seriously
There are a few good songs but the overall album just does not stand up to the potential of the band members.
Oh hey an Outkast sample! That’s about all I got, just no patience for prog and Gabriel even if I do admire what the Collins and co are doing instrumentally.
Uber proggy Genesis album about knights and shit... no thank you.
I’ll never understand genesis I don’t think. At least the Peter Gabriel version. Just so hard to get through and does nothing for me.
I can't with this.
A little puzzled by this pick for a Genesis album I must hear before I die. They certainly seemed to be finding their prog rock groove by this album, which is NOTHING like the vibe of the band by their biggest selling albums in the 80s. In fact, the two Genesis albums on the list are so much like each other AND so different from that later Genesis sound that I can't really see the argument for including them both rather than this one (OR The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, the other selection) and maybe Duke or Abacab. Certainly both of the included albums can be cited as influential to all the prog rockers that would follow, including Queen, Jethro Tull, and Rush. But why say we MUST hear Genesis, then ignore essentially ALL of the albums that made them one of the top-selling rock groups of all time?
Barely finished but did.. songs are very miss or... okay. Made my wife and I anxious on a few songs lol
Early Genesis, not really my jam
not liking the Peter Gabriel version of this group
I think I just don’t like Genesis. The instrumental sections were pretty though
Sure… not really a prog rock fan tho, especially not Extremely British prog rock
I just don't like it. I think the over the top focus on Englishness in the first song put me off and I just never came back. The actual musical performances didn't help. I know what I like (and it isn't this). Favourite song: I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe) Least: The Battle of Epping Forest
Not the best
Progressive rock.
Not really a fan. Very bland for something calling itself prog rock..
Didn’t love it. Feels pretty much how the album cover looks. Like I’m a care free toad frolicking through a forest
I'm sure I may have enjoyed this on another day, but it felt like I was slogging to the finish. Only really liked The Battle of Epping Forest. Prog rock can hit, this was not one of them days.
Thai was a bit too erratic for me. I liked a lot of the instrumentation and musicality of it, but beyond that I really did not enjoy listening to it at all. 2.5/5
Did not know a single song on here which surprised me because eo their commercial success. It was much more weird than I thought it would be and not in a bad way, but still not really my thing..
Dear god, no wonder punk rock happened. What a steaming pile of doo. Why anyone had any inkling of digging this material is beyond me. Bloated, catchy only in transition pieces. I guess it can have a star because it remarkably has a'stylitic' relationship to better sounding Genesis material that came later.
I respect Genesis, but do not like this album of wandering ballad rock.
mmm no. es raaaro. canciones larguisimas, mucho sonido, si qsy ta buena la musica, pero por momentos no va a ritmo con el q canta y me altera un poco. las letras estan buenas, es bien ingles, pero na.
J'ai adoré les instrus de cet album mais pas du tout la voix ni le chant. Je n'ai pas passé un mauvais moment non plus mais les chansons sont trop longues et n'apporte rien de plus qu'une chanson de 3 min. Note : 2 À réécouter : Oui mais uniquement pour les instrus
1.5
I like Genesis. I love Phil Collins and Peter Gabriel. I am hoping for a better Genesis album.
Really not my style of music. Would be fun in a musical? Best Song: Dancing With the Moonlight Knight Rating: 4.5/10 Stars: 2
Maybe Genesis needed to go through the school of Peter Gabriel. But do we really need to sit in the same classroom for an hour?
This album did nothing to get rid of my dislike for Genesis.
This just didn't hit with me. I typically like Phil Collins and Peter Gabriel, but more solo than in Genesis.
I wanted to like this more ….
Pretty wanky prog-rock. Dated, and too far up itself. Are you a medieval bard playing tunes for the landed knights and nobility? No, you're a bunch of blokes from London with delusions of grandeur. Not to my taste, needless to say.
Was quite boring
It’s kinda mid. No song really stood out.
I didn't hate it but it was a pretty tedious combination of prog-rock and folk.
Another week derailer. Inexplicably iconic drummer/nerd Phil Collins rears his presumably balding head once again here. I've mentioned this before, but the unfortunate part of discovering 50 year old albums 50 years later, is that the previous 50 years happened. I have had to endure decades of people talking about this guy, thousands of non-consensual listenings of "In the Air Tonight" and because of this, I have developed a distaste for the guy without even really hearing most of his discography. Does he have some sort of blackmail on important people? Although, we've seen that building a system that rewards sociopathy is run by (GASP) sociopaths and there are no consequences for any of them, so your 15 minutes (50 years) might be up ol' Philly. Keep your head on a swivel, pal. Those photos of the baby eating seminar are readily available on the the official USA government twitter page now. This is actually a semi-interesting prog album. It is reminiscent of Rush, if they were doing a set for preschool children. A sensory inclusive journey through the cosmos. Or East London. There is a Renaissance fair vibe to the whole thing that ensures I'm still in some pain, but overall, we made it through and I have a shred of respect for Genesis. Anything above a one is a massive victory for this record. Now please don't send me Genesis again. Don't want to press your luck. Big bucks, no whammies. 2-2.5 HIGHLIGHTS: You alright bruv? You 'it your 'ead pretty 'ard.
I'm still listening to Lamb on Broadway, which isn't a totally terrible album... but I really had a hard time with this one. It feels really disjointed. Nothing clicks. Mostly I think this album is annoying. Could not get into it.
Anstrengend.
Didn't love this one.
Maybe I’d have liked it in another life.
I found this as exciting as the Book of Genesis.
Musically this just feels a mess. Masses of over-elaborate twiddling that frequently sounds incoherent, like the worst kind of improv modern jazz, with instruments taking turns at jumping in with portentous chord progressions that don’t take you anywhere, nor have much seeming relevance to the song lyrics. As to the lyrics, well, at least there’s kind of a theme, but it’s a curiously fogeyish little-England one that often sounds twee. The album gets one extra star for trying, though.
Thought I’d love this cos I love Phil Collins but it really wasn’t for me!
A little too meandering for me. Don't need the 10 minute songs and don't understand the rhythm of the album.
I'm on the fence on this - I really like the olde english medieval vibe and there is some great musicianship on display - but in parts it just disappears up its proggy arse - eg Battle of Epping Forest - and just becomes noise.
Early Spinal Tap. That film didn't half get 70s and 80 rock music. Now I can't take albums like this seriously. I'm sure it was on the edge in 1973, just sounds a bit cheesy 50 years later. The Cinema Show is cringeworthy 70s synths.
A lot of pros seems to rely quite heavily on lutes ands other medieval plinky plonk that I could do without. Overall it was ok, 2.5 but I’ll round down to 2
I feel like I should like this because it’s Genesis, but I couldn’t even finish it, damn
Its good listen but didnt captivate me a lot.
I kind of wanted to like this a lot more. Iconic and influential band, however it was a bit of a rambling mess. So fantastic moments, some great ability in show, but it didn't hang together. The lyrics are annoying at best, the subs are all over the place and it's themes are weak and rambling. I expect much stronger prog albums to come.
Just not my jam really
It’s like the smelliest guy at the Ren Faire keeps telling you about his band and you just want to get away. But he keeps talking.
I was trying to figure out what I would call this genre. Minstrel rock? Pastoral rock? I knew Genesis was a prog rock band well before their pop fame in the late 70s and 80s, but I had no idea the extent of their progness. I actually liked a couple of songs but most of it was a miss for me.
If the Incredible String Band wandered out of their woods and stumbled upon a cabin, where they found some folks who had instruments that looked like theirs, but had wires attached that somehow plugged into the wall to make them louder, then they all sat down and jammed on the most pompous, ridiculous songs they could dream up, you would get this album. Maybe I missed something when I listen to this, but I doubt it. Hot garbage.
some good songs but too long
Not for me. At this time, 1973, I was 15 and deeply into Bowie/Roxy Music/Mott and not prog rock. I was waiting for the next thing which for me was punk/new wave. This music did not speak to me at all, especially the emphasis on virtuoso playing.
Liked some songs
This is #day523 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… it's time to close out yet another band, as this is my second and final album by Genesis. I don't know how to feel about this prog rock stuff, or rather, I do know: I just don't give a fuck about what's going on. It's like listening to a fairytale you can't focus on, no matter how hard you try, and God knows I've tried. For some reason, I gave their previous record a 3, but I'm not doing that again, sorry. Weirdly enough, during "The Battle of Epping Forest," I heard black midi (must have been the vocal delivery). This is a 2 out of 5. Looking forward to #day524.
Same old, same old from 70's Genesis. It's fine, but not really an enjoyable time for me.
It’s too proggy for me. No real catchy tunes
There are some cool moments in this album, but these moments are brief. I'm not as big a fan of the prog direction of the Peter Gabriel version of Genesis as the later direction of Phil Collins, personally. Just too much prog. (Also, Phil Collins is great as usual.)
Not my type of songs
mmah
Mixing prog with British twee every day life observations is one of the most tedious sub genres of prog but it's decent in part, I think Peter Gabriel just saves this from being totally abysmal 2.5*
piatto
mid
Pros: synth sounds, when they settle into a groove and the guitar takes over, the pop informed bits, the odd heavy riff Cons: the neo folk pastoral stuff, the clever for its own good overly elaborate compositions, flute, the lyrics, the acoustic ballad bits, the meandering stories that dont go anywhere.
its not bad. just not what i'd listen to on my day to day
I love off-the-wall prog rock lyrics but unfortunately the instrumentals on this one did very little for me
I just can't be fucking bothered with something like this
After the last Genesis album I got I was like, “Great! Who knew I’d love Genesis?!” Don’t quite feel the same about this one.
I wanted to really like this. I think it's the idea of really liking it, than actually hearing anything of interest. In the end it was all a load of hippy nonsense, as expected. I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe) was a rare highlight.
I enjoy some Genesis hits so I was excited to listen to this one. Can't say I enjoyed it that much unfortunately.
496/1001 🌕🌕🌑🌑🌑
I like English History and Mythology as much as the next guy (Maybe even slightly more) and I was really excited when I saw Genesis ... But this right here ...
Ok 2/5
2 stars Another example of prog rock that was just not for me. This was better and somewhat more enjoyable than ELP but all in all was not something I want to revisit. I did find it amusing that they had 3 weeks to write the songs and they create this intricate work where most modern artists take years to come up with relatively simple mediocre works. Anyway, I can hear the talent of the band and clearly Gabriel and Collins showed their talent over time. But the whole was not something of interest to me.
It IS interesting but I actively hate it so I'm going to break my own rules and mark it probably lower than it deserves
Talented musicians perform pretentious medieval-prog with downright annoying vocals.
First song was insufferably pretentious and i was dreading an entire album of this.....and it was. After the ordeal was ok. for the most part the songs are long winded and wanky. 2.5 stars.
Listening to this, it makes sense that there was a theater-like presentation with costumes and staging. It doesn't sound like music for it's own sake. It's music and a show. Like there's something that should be happening on stage during all of these instrumental breaks. I really can't discern the appeal of most prog music aside from "this is different from what everyone else is listening to and also look at us, aren't we impressive in our ability to play it?" And sometimes there can be enjoyment found in that, but I don't find it here. The jams that run through most of "Dancing With the Moonlight Knight" occasionally cook, but often feel like aimless noodling to fill a song's eight-minute time limit. That's how I feel about a lot of these long suites. They're just there, notes played next to another notes. Not randomly, but without any real spark or enough craft to match the sense of grandiosity that seems intended. The absolute nadir of the album is the 11 minute and 44 second "The Battle of Epping Forest" which as a forest is a slog on par with the Ardennes during both world wars. I am done with this song by the three minute mark and there is so much left to go. The next song, "After the Ordeal" is fitting in a way that the band probably didn't intend. Calling this music pretentious feels dismissive, but to me, it felt very much like a case of whatever ambition they were reaching for, it definitely exceeded their grasp.
Competently performed with many rythm changes and odd measures but this ultimately yields an incoherent song structure. The vocals are not clear enough to deliver a winding 10 minute story with no repeating parts. By epping forrest i was wondering when it will end and that's when the lame sounding synths started to grind my gears too. To summarize: I was annoyed, but damn is this intricate.
I hated this, but...
Interesting but kinda boring at the same time. 2.5/5
a prog rock slog
i really wanted to like this album, as i like 80’s era genesis, but this sounds way too much like yes to me.
I never knew early genesis was a progressive rock band. I generally don’t like these theatrical style progressive rock albums.
Not what I was expecting, a little pretentious to be fair.
Great energy, a lot of drums
Pretensious. Like if a "well actually" college dude downed the canterbury tales and decided to tell everybody he was into jazz. The playing and musicianship is actually reallly good, it is musically dense just not to my taste. Drumming slaps, some beautiful moments
prog rock me ne gusta
Even as a child of late 70s and early 80s radio, I was not familiar with this brand of Genesis. I think it’s best everyone went their separate ways and flourished.
No
I got quite disappointed from this album by those prominent musicians. Nothing to convince me. Or maybe too much of all for my todays mood? best known: "I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)"
I really dislike classic rock sounds like this. But I guess it's not completely horrible.
Peter Gabriel shouldn't have joined this band at all
2+ Stars (6/15)
Love Peter Gabriel, really like Phil Collins, even really like The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway. This album was a little much: songs are rather noodle-y, and rather long. Lots of playing with odd time signatures and showing off in general, as prog is want to do. Lyrics are pretty good!
Can someone please explain to me what the obsession with progressive rock concepts where the concepts make no real sense. Just because you’re writing songs that are ten minutes plus with lots of tempo changes and a vague lyrical concept that doesn’t really make much sense, does not mean that your music is interesting or progressive actually. It just makes it a weird listen, even if your actual instrumental music isn’t that bad. Like ‘the battle of Epping forest’ just takes the piss if we’re being honest. It’s not clever or funny, it just makes you annoyed that you’ve listened to 11 minutes of nonsense with no real consistent melody or meaning to anything about it. It just feels like a bunch of guys jamming in the recording studio and trying to be different, but they’ve gone too far over the line that a lot of it just sounds like a mess with no real framework to it. Again I’m sure there are guys who were listening to this at the time of its release and had heard nothing like it before, but that memory has to be the only thing that some out there are using to justify giving this a re-listen. Maybe Valerie was right about Peter Gabriel all along… Sorry Toni, I think he deserves plenty of criticism for being involved in this record, even if he did single handedly create womad.
Boring and every song was so long for no reason
Right, so prog rock is definitely not my thing, but this was less awful than I feared. I mean I still wouldn't chose to listen to it on a regular basis, but it wasn't as annoying as I thought it might me. Much as I'm sure it's considered heresy by Genesis fans, I actually really like their pop years (the song Jesus He Knows Me is my favourite song about TV evangelists, though it's weird there's more than one). Hopefully we'll get some of that later in this project. 2/5
Disappointed. After listening to "The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway", I was so excited to listen to this...just to be disappointed. This one fell flat. Favorite Track: "The Battle Of Epping Forest".
It had only a few good songs, namely Firth of Fifth, The Battle of Epping Forest, and The Cinema Snow, but the rest of the album was just okay.
Sprawling, pretentious, self-indulgent - this really isn't my thing. Only occasionally interesting to me.
Shite.
Some flashes of brilliances amongst a sea forgettable faffing. Too much focus on long songs with complex structures, and not enough focus on just writing a good song.
I don't get this album at all, i just didn't enjoy any of it.
Tried to get through this prog rock Brit swamp. I could see how this might be appealing but the songs were far too long for my liking. Would not revisit.
Musically this is pretty great - so many unexpected twists and turns. However, Peter Gabriel's vocals don't do much for me, and the lyrics are often too twee and Renaissancey for my taste. The track where he does the characters' voices alone took a star off.
Peter Gabriel needs to chill the fuck out with this shit
non-plussed
Certainly not their best album
I really don’t know what to make of this. It’s… odd. I know it jump started the careers of Peter Gabriel and Phil Colins but this is just rock-based weird circus music to me..? Ugh
I only knew Genesis with Phil Collins as lead, this was interesting to hear Gabriel's vocals. A bit too proggy for me, but worth hearing.
I got outnumbered and the kids requested “Ghostbusters” 5 tracks in and to be honest, I was quite relieved.
Sadly I’m not fond of genesis 💔
boring
Tydeligt at mærke hvor meget de gerne vil. De vil så meget at jeg ikke bliver fanget af noget af det. Langt, irreterende, og for mange elementer som de forsøger sig med. Kæmpe rod.
Prog-rock 💩
4.5/10
A bit of a slog at times.
Somewhat frustrating. There are several glorious moments - the chorus of I know what I like, several bits of harmony and 7/8 beats that genuinely rock - but it kept descending into smug prog wankery. If a 9 minute song has 2 minutes of brilliant music, I have very little desire to go back to it. The tendency to drift into Olde English greensleeves style harmonies is also very much not to my taste. It didn't even have the decency to go full-on prog mayhem like, say, King Crimson. It kept feeling 'tasteful'...what's the point?
Gotta listen to the whole thing at once. Not sure this is the sound I want to listen to
Kinda strange but interesting enough to listen to. Probs won't be reaching for it very quickly though.
The beginning of Prog?
Cringe.
Got Genesis confused with Oasis and was confused why they were so terrible all of a sudden
46/1001. First I thought it was fresh to hear some progressive rock, but somewhere before the middle all the riffs and changes and extwnded songs were just too much. If they comw up with something interesting one can be sure that they will change quickly in to something else and necer return. Meh.
This is what Brexit sounds like, i imagine this album wearing red chinos. Pompous and overblown and rooted in an England that doesnt exist anymore. This kind of folk prog jazz bullshit gets tiring very quickly and i rolled my eyes within 10 seconds. A full listen means i cannot deny that there is some very good playing in this, saving it from a 1 star
not really my type of music
Three chords and the truth in 3 minutes or less is admittedly restrictive, and music often needs more to do what its creator intends. BUT, 147 chords and a fever dream over 9+ minutes is so much worse. Gabriel simply does not know how to write effectively. He's good, but he can't get it out well enough for most to enjoy. Musically 🎼 this is a completely different story. Collins could be top 10. Hackett is super underrated, and the compositions are very high quality, if disjointed. This version of b-team Rush made a great prog album. But, in true prog fashion, it's the pseudointellectual ravings of a proper wanker.
It just didn't click
Much stranger than I expected
Some strong editing and producing might have helped.
Most songs have moments of greatness which are quickly ruined by the next transition or next lyrics.
Started off alright. Then got real boring, real fast. I can't stand all the hokey medieval shire bullshit. Despite Collins killing it on the drums, there's very little chance I'll ever listen to this again. 2/5
4/10 - I liked how the all went nicely into the next one. It seems like this was meant to be listened to as a whole album and I don’t plan on listening to it any other way. It was strange to say the least
Not real music
Wow this is a wild album. They really just went for it.
По вкусу 2-3 обьективно 4-5, оченьььь затянуто и долго но текста поражают Немкоьько раз замечал что ститль похож на радиохедовский эмбиент адйиэм
I like Genesis but this album was only okay.
Favorite track: firth of fifth other picks: the cinema show, dancing with the moonlight knight
This was an interesting album - it started off with a pretty nice song, but then later on things felt pretty repetitive. It wasn't necessarily bad, it's just that it wasn't exciting anymore, although it is a pretty chill choice for background music. The overall vibes were pretty bizarre - this is quite an old album and yet it has some different sounds and is a bit all over the place.
Oof. I like Peter Gabriel. I like Phil Collins. I like new-wave Genesis. But prog-rock Genesis? No merci.
I didn't listen to all of this yesterday and don't think I can finish it today
It’s talent, but I’m just not into the Prog Rock sound.
Too much prog, not enough rock
Album No.9 I find this album pretty mediocre. It's an interesting project but I feel loses some engagement through more boring instrumental sections (however the interesting ones are good). I think it is probably the type of album that grows on you with repeat listens. I'd give it a 2 or 2.5 Favourites: - I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe) - Firth of Fifth
not gunna listen to this whole thing - bad vocals
# Album Name: Selling England by the Pound # Artist: Genesis # Rating: 2/5 # Comments: I was looking forward to this when it popped up. I dont mind a bit of phil. But this is not how i know genesis. HUGE disappointment for me. Thats an understatement. Its no opus dei, but damn, what is going on here. # Top Tunes: errrr # Would I listen to it again? I'll come back for a 2nd go but have little hope
Ok
Drumming on this is genuinely good. Saves it from the 1 bin.
It comes close in many respects, but just misses. The guitars are too old-world sounding. The subject matter is too fanciful. Drums were too subtle. The musicianship is clearly good, it just doesn't resonate with me which causes the songs to drag. It just misses three stars for me, but it was close.
My dad loves this one. I can’t listen to 10 minute organ solos. There’s too many on this list
meh
Not so much.
So so very very British. It had a few moments, not enough.
In a nutshell: baroque rock? It's prog rock with medieval (maybe baroque?) elements. A strange mix. At least it's not as long or as goofy as their next album The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway. Overall: 3/10
Am I wrong is there some sort of medieval vibe on the go? I like prog rock but this wasn't for me.
I admire the ambition and aim of this. And I really enjoyed the more subtle, folk elements. But as soon as the prog kicks in, I'm out.
2/5 Maybe I haven't heard an amazing prog rog album yet. But I just think the genre overall is a bit cringe
oh boy, dass eins der schlechtesten alte Genesis Alben. Ich hoffe da kommen die guten auch noch!
not for me
Are all British progressive rock bands required to make a medieval album? Barely bearable.
You know I wasn't really into early Genesis, I liked the ambition but I feel like this was the starting point for more succinct songwriting by Peter Gabriel and the band after this
This gets 2 stars for musicianship and trying something new (very early prog rock). Otherwise, this is pretty shit...it sounds like if overly talented musicians went to a Renaissance Fair and decided to record an album. At some level I don't respect Prog Rock. Most "great songs" succeed because of self-editing and making choices to serve the song above all else. Even more elaborate (Steely Dan) or theatrical (Meatloaf!) artists are extremely tight in the songs/production. This feels like lack of impulse control...awesome musicians who just can't stand to be limited to making music people will want to like...so they just go off and do their own thing. Only thing worse than Prog Rock musicians are the fans...the CrossFitters of music who can't wait to tell you something is in 7/4. That being said...if I'm going to listen to Prog Rock...YES and King Crimson do a much better job of composition and attempting to write actual songs.
Wow this was not at all what I was expecting when I saw we had a Genesis album. So much more avant garde than their music I'm familiar with – way less poppy, way more in-your-face-prog-rock. Feels both ahead of its time (lot of synth for 1973!?) and retro (has that baroque Jethro Tull feel to it, but shittier). All of that said, I didn't like this album. Too progressive for me. Jethro Tull felt like whimsical renaissance faire music from guys who knew it was all in good fun, but I think Genesis take themselves a little too seriously for my taste. Iron Maiden is to Metallica as Jethro Tull is to Genesis
Kinda mid. Cool rhythms tho
This is not really for me actually. Genesis also has better songs and albums I feel.
Nja, ik ben geen Genesis, Phil Colins of Peter Gabriel fan. Sorry. 1.5
Ridiculous prog album from the 1970s.
Prog rock. I hate it. Pretty sure I heard flutes in one track. I hate flutes. Ren faire feel on parts. I won’t one star this, because it clearly took talent. It just is full of things I personally don’t care for.
Lots of flute 🪈
Not into prog
The musicianship is top shelf, but this just didn’t tickle my fancy. It’s just TOO Genesis, I reckon. 1001 album worthy: No - 38/67
«Selling England By The Pound» — эдакий портал в туманные аллеи викторианской Англии, где эхо рыцарских турниров смешивается с шумом первых печатных станков. Genesis в 1973-м, словно алхимики, смешали фолк с арт-роком и создали какое-то адское зелье. Музыка на этом альбоме — даже не музыка. Это огромный нарядный гобелен, тканый из барной пикантности, театрального гротеска и джазового смятения. «Dancing with the Moonlit Knight» звучит как крик старого рыцаря, усталого от битв, выброшенного в мир, где его доспехи уже стали ржавчиной. Понятно, что это не музыка средневековья, это музыка пасторальной тоски по выхолощенному, рафинированному образу средневековья. И даже эта музыка давно уже успела устареть. Слушая её, чувствуешь себя гостем в музее. Она слишком сложная, слишком изысканная для мира, который давно привык к резкости и скорости.
Weird British prog. Pass.
Just not for me.
Never listened to a Genesis album before. It wasn't as bad as I expected, like a softer version of Zeppelin. The theme is a good one, but no songs really caught my attention.
What on earth did prog-rock think it was progressing towards?
weird but ok
Ugh, prog. Too clever clogs, rubbish lyrics, no good tunes, and heaven forbid you should rock out for more than 8 bars at a time. I am incredibly uninterested in the musings of a bunch of elite public school boys on notions of 'Englishness'. Pretentious gits. Phil Collins, bless him, manages to keep his drumming tastefully restrained and maintain some sense of momentum, which is rare in 70s UK prog,
2.5
I honestly didn't like this one. It felt uninspired and boring above all. A lot of flashy instrumentals for what felt like it lacked a lot of heart. Firth of Fifth was the only song I really liked here.
That was... pretty disappointing. Kind of can't stand these long winded concept albums that have these long songs that go on forever. Was hoping to hear some hits and what I got was... this. 4/10.
Meaaahhhhhh!