Selling England By The Pound

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!

Found this hard going, nice to get a bit more exposure to earlier Genesis though….

Not very impressed by this - I wanted to make a comparison to another album but I already forgot which one. oops. 4/10

This was very of its time, lots of prog rock noodling and faux national pride. The music felt quite Mike Oldfield to me, and like Mike Oldfield it’s much better when people aren’t singing over it.

I can't believe I'm going to say this, but a bit too weird for my tastes - I love Peter Gabriel's later stuff, and I'm usually a fan of progress, but this was just too up itself for me.

The 80s did some favors for these guys. All that's missing from this album is the laser show and fog machine.

Not terrible, just not my thing. I found it a bit boring and pretentious. I did want to like it more. Instruments are well played at least.

For some reason it feels like partway through the album Peter Gabriel starts doing what can only be described as all of the accents of the cats from Cats. Why?

Ren fair Genesis. I just can't get into it. I occasionally respect the instrumentation. But the songs I do not find engaging. They at least leave the forest next time out. I just need a little more rock in my prog rock.

Rush, but worse. Just listen to Rush. A bit of Yes as well

Eh, it’s fine.

Started out like, wow! this is a Genesis album this is kinda cool. A few songs in, oh, this IS a Genesis album -- that tracks. Overall just ok. Props on the firs song though I liked that one alot.

I was pleasantly surprised when I heard The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, but after hearing this one, Foxtrot, Trick of the Tail, and Seconds Out, I’m convinced Genesis is just not the band for me. There are select songs (especially on Lamb) I dig, and I certainly respect all the individual talent, but I just feel a massive disconnect with the overall style and execution. 2.5/5

I bet Rush really dug this. music: hated. (⌐■_■)

When an album opens with a bard-like voice saying a line about a unifaun’s true love, you know you’re in for some Spinal Tap adjacent stuff (in a bad way).

I’m not even sure of the content I just spent an hour mindlessly listening too.

Meh

Awful

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.

5/10 BORINGGGG

I didn’t think anything could make me miss Neil Young, but Genesis did it!

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.

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.

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.

Prog...might be a wee bit much prog on this list. 2/5

did not catch my attention, was quite boring to listen for me. but the cover is great

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.

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

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.

Plodding. Early efforts.

I respect Genesis and like other albums, but too many knights and wizard songs!

Yawn...

Un rollo, lo siento ...

Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)

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

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.

Not my cup of tea

This was a huge, self-indulgent turd. I couldn't finish listening to this mess. (Some good drumming though.)

There’s something here, don’t know exactly what, but definitely something, maybe I need to come back to it later?

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.

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

Like Genesis. Like Peter Gabriel. This was not the best music from them. Too 70s Prog Rock.

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.

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.

Wasn't a huge fan of genesis and this didn't change my opinion on em.

way too british

How many times do you think Lin Manuel Miranda listened to this while writing Hamilton?

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

Whimsical…

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.

interesting I had not heard this album before.

brijem da bi se trebao fino nadrogirati da ovo slusam kako je namijenjeno

I'm not a genesis or Phil Colins fan

I didn't really like this album

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.

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.

so lala...

I can’t believe this is still going. This has been teetering on interesting the whole time, but hasn’t gotten there once.

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.

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

Didn't care for this, not a fan of early or late Genesis.

It was odder than I expected.

Pfffffffff

not their best work

While you can tell there's talent here, this is an early version of Genesis, before they refined their sound and made it big.

Coolish. Too elfin. Mild Spinal Tap vibes. Much prefer their later synths stuff

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!

Not for me.

Rubbish

Not a particularly compelling prog rock album.

Not much of a prog fan. This record seemed rambling and unfocused. Maybe I just don't get the genre.

It was pleasant, and I like the history behind the album, but the album itself as a listening experience is just so-so in my opinion.

Felt like it faded away rather than built up to triumph

These long ass fucking songs This is way weorder than I thought it would be. Very King Crimson-y. 2

Feels like I'm in a Robin Hood film

Pareceu-me uma série de tentativas de fazer uma sinfonia a partir do rock. Não reconheço como progressivo, pois não tenho envolvimento suficiente com a ideia geral.

The occasionally melodic descends to the unbearable and unlistenable in this uneven, immature, meandering prog rock soundscape. If there's to thing I don't like in this world it's hippies and Tories and in this jumble of an album Phil Collins casts a long horrific shadow

Ah, prog rock. I hate it. I mean, Peter's cool, Phil's cool, the musicianship is great - and I totally appreciate bands that experiment. Let's play with time signatures and instrumentations - see what's possible and maybe inspire some future bands. Kudos for doing that. I just don't care.

Bit of a hard listen, this one.. Whimsical, abstract, with folky-psychedelic undertones, but somewhat hollow (to my ears).

Lähtee yllättävän lupaavasti, heti tokan biisin jälkeen innostus lopahtaa. Tosin soittajista kuulee, että heillä ei, joten fiiliksestä pisteet. Ja keskiaika- / vanha Englanti -teemasta (yllättävän tyypillinen näissä levyissä).

Ymmärrän, että 70-luvun alun esteettinen ilmapiiri rohkaisi (proge)muusikoita tiettyihin ratkaisuihin sointukulkujen ja pehmeän karmeiden stemmojen osalta, mutta eikö kukaan maininnut heille edes heidän kilinkaliniensa ja tilulilujensa hölmöydestä? Minkälaisia ystäviä heillä oikein oli? Sääli sinänsä, koska esim. avausbiisin kitarakuviot ovat melko vastustamattomia.

Early Genesis, prog rock take

Literally everything on this album was done better on Emerson Lake and Palmer's "Brain Salad Surgery".

honestly, couldn't listen to it in full. boring and annoying.

Parts of this sound like YES, but it's not.

I really am not a fan of this early Genesis

Ugh. This is hot garbage. All the old Gennesis is.

Un rollo, lo siento ...

Prog rock can be so fucking weird. Expert musicians purposely playing off kilter, whacked-out music with jarring time signature shifts, sudden tempo shifts, and nonsense nursery rhyme lyrics. I don't understand it. Arty bollocks, this one.

Just not a fan of Peter Gabriel Genesis.

This is a big no from me. I like a couple of Genesis songs (and individual songs from Phil Collins and Peter Gabriel) but this album is just a load of progressive, experimental rubbish to my ears. Long fables over music at 10 mins long that are neither memorable or enjoyable to hear.

One of my older sibling use to listen to it when I was a kid; not a fan then and not a fan now.

Lol 5/8 tracks are 8+ minutes long. 👉👁️

Not great Prog Rock album

Wanted to like it but did not. It was not good. Cinema Show gave me laughable visions of an SNL skit. Gave it a 2 because I like later stuff and heard glimpses of it from Phil and Peter

Too weird and waay too long of songs. Aisle of Plenty saves this from a 1 star. Very British. Be better Phil

Very inconsistent and at times agitating to listen to with how long some songs clock at. Not my cup of tea, though I did really enjoy the drumming.

What the actual ... this album is so weird and not in a good way. It's all over the place, mixing cloying folk melodies with experimental prog. I offically hate the first song, but then there are some cool moments here and there, but then they are immediately ruined by cloyingly pretty lute plucking or a flute solo. I *like* prog. I *like* folk. I like folksy rock, too. But this combination is the worst. Heck, I even thought I liked Genesis, but this is terrible ... clearly they got better with time.

Ugh. Genesis, you disappoint me.

This album really annoys me. The genesis of the concept had to be, “let’s make a bad, but not terrible, annoying album.” The guitar solo on the back half of Firth Of Fifth is Gilmore-esque. The album also annoys me because I want to give it a 1 star for annoying me, but it’s not bad enough. I have standards (feel free to disagree)!

Never understood the hype for Genesis. Still don't.

To experimental to me

Niet goed, niet slecht. Af en toe wat gave wendingen, maar niet overtuigend.

This was hard work. It really wanks along, at turns boring then irritating. I can just about see its appeal but not for me. Best song is the mercifully short Aisle of Plenty, amongst 7 other songs that outstay their welcome.

I think Phil Collins might be the blandest musician of them all and while Genesis clearly had more ideas than his solo work, there's a tangible dullness that permeates everything he touches. There were a few parts where I couldn't tell if I was judging them harshly from Phil Collins bias or if he just has a unique quality to make otherwise interesting music beige. Either way, never listening to this again, ta Phil.

Now this is dad rock! My dad used to play "the lamb lies down on Broadway" by genesis when I was younger.....I don't remember it sounding anything like this... I thought I might like this but I did not at all! Sorry Phil. Found bits of it quite interesting but largely disliked it. Maybe there will be other genesis albums on the list which I'll prefer.

This was confusing for me. For example, parts of songs - like The Battle Of Epping Forest - I would really enjoy, but then other parts I hated, and when a song is 12 minutes long… geez. Overall, this is not really for me. Some of it was great sonically but overall it was too much not nice to make up for not enough nice. Give me solo Phil Collins any day.

Too weird to really love, but definitely able to groove to it at times.

Creo que es el primer disco de Genesis de esa época que escucho entero. Siempre me atrajo la época con Peter Gabriel en el grupo, pero en general se me hacía insufrible. Este al menos se deja escuchar en su estilo folk-psicodelia-pop, pero tampoco lo veo algo imprescindible.

A whole genre that I always found a little too wanky and precious.

Influential? Probably. Essential? Maybe. Personally, even though the playing on it is amazing, It was a wacking great proggy mess.

Ich weiß, dass das technisch ganz toll ist, und eigentlich kann ich Prog auch ganz gut hören, aber das ist zu einem großen Teil einfach nur nervig.

Pretty boring album, not a big fan.

Much as I like Peter Gabriel’s voice, this is all a bit too worthy and pompous. I kept wishing the Prog Rock had progressed already. I recognised ‘I know what I like’ which I don’t mind but the rest was all a bit too self-important.

On paper, this is a band I should enjoy, but this era of Genesis has a particular ability to dredge up serious disinterest. I began the album paying attention, determined to enjoy it, but I was actively bored two songs in. The compositions, the flatness of the production, Peter Gabriel's vocal elastics... I've tried on many occasions to dig in, but alas, I'm empty handed. Give me "Duke" and "Abacab" era Genesis.

Prog rock is too much adolescent boy energy for me. The only interesting thought I had about this album is how much Peter Gabriel evolved as a musician. I prefer him being a sledgehammer.

Lamb lies on broadway

Self indulgent

I do not like this album.I understand that everyone here is a good musician and I can hear how good the drums are but I just cannot stand how long the songs are, how they have no hooks and how self indulgent the whole thing feels.I also don’t like the album cover it’s ugly.

Not super impressed by this

nah

These guys are clearly musical geniuses. I was impressed by the ease with which the band switches between medieval folk, hard rock and prog. But I just can’t get over how pretentious it all sounds. A lot of that stems from Peter Gabriel’s vocals. Not for me. 🤷🏻‍♂️

I thought it’s was a little all over the place but I did really like the music. It was something different like. Peter Gabriel was chatting all sorts that I didn’t really take notice of but yeah, Iittle organ here an lad there and some weird synth

This was just a weird one, and not necessarily in a good way. There's definite musical skill and talent here, but I didn't find myself enjoying it that much. For something that should have been so interesting I just got a bit bored by it all. Firth Of Fifth slaps hard in like the final 1/3 of the song though. Favourite: Firth Of Fifth

A bit too experimental for me at times

Realy not was I was expecting based on my knowledge of Genesis. Didnt enjoy it too much

This makes me think that Phil collins has the potential to make an album that I would love but this shit ain’t it. At times there’s amazing guitar and drums and Phil has a great voice but aside from those moments it’s just so corny and shitty it’s unreal. Whole lotta hobbit music and not in a cool or fun way

Really weird throughout

Was is that I was in a bad place? Or maybe I like Gensis at such a different moment? This album was so hard to get. It couldn't be in the background but I couldn't get my head into it in the forefront. If it is a concept album, then I missed the premise.

I wanna hate this so badly. But there is some undeniable genius in there. I still don't like it though.

Pretty forgettable. Like it's fine but I'll never put it on again. I can't think of anything else but Jackson tucker and his sweatpants though. Woulda been a 1 but there are some premium synth tones on a few songs

It's safe to say this isn't what I was expecting from this album at all. It's not my thing, and I have a major aversion to Phil Collins usually, but I do really dig parts of this album. There's some good jamming and guitars on firth of fifth in particular. Elsewhere it's pretty damn weird, which I was surprised by and kind of respect in a way, but ultimately it is still just weird and I'm not that into it.

Not my cup of tea

I was looking forward to this, but feel ambiguous now. I find it uneven. It’s like the band has found this treasure chest of sounds and chords and words, but can’t stick to any one element long enough to really explore and taste it. The better pieces seem to do that. Mahler used to through bits and pieces of unconnected stuff together, but managed to build a whole out of it. This album doesn’t achieve that often enough for me.

My parents are fans of Phil Collins genesis but I am less familiar with Peter Gabriel Genesis. Found this just a bit bloated and over the top. Can see why it’s on the list, but not my taste at all.

Sounds ahead of it’s time but kinda meh

Ganske slitsomt, mulig jeg bare ikke er så glad i prog. Føles veldig datert, men ikke på en god måte.

Inte min grej!!!!!

I am torn by this album. Not because it is that good or that I have some fond memory associated with it. I am torn on what to rate it. It is not particularly memorable. The 8-9 minute songs were unnecessary. I didn't skip any songs, but I am going to recommend it to anyone. It is certainly better than some albums that received a two but not really a 3.

imagine jethro tull, overcomplicated further and featuring phil collins

Like listening to a musical mad-libs.

Not as bad as Yes, but I really don't like prog it turns out.

ganz ok honestly nix besonderes i guess

Hodgepodge of songs put together, listened while driving.

Interesting old tunes before the got popular

Solos for solos sake. Long songs. Doesn't do it for me.

Phil Collins solo, može. Ne znam zašto, Genesis mi se nikad nije svidio.

Dobro pa nisam zaspo hodajuci, bas bland album

Good example of the genre and obviously good musicians. But a bit self indulgent and somewhat rambling. Not massively engaging. (2.3/5)

I found this too chaotic to enjoy. There were moments that worked and I’d start to get into the song and then it would completely change.

Noodly doodly, some familiar elements, but not really my bag

Tolerable Genesis, before they went downhill further

Wel priem maar niet echt van deze tijd

What the hell was this? Utter madness. Don't think I will recover any time soon.

no, phil spector is... just this guy you know?

I bet these fellas bogarted the best medicinal shit available. How else to explain the difference between this and what Collins, Rutherford and Banks were doing a decade later. Some of us prefer that version of Genesis over these self-righteous textures.

Paikoitellen kivaa melodiaa, mutta toisinaan tuntu lähtevän taiteellisuus omalle laukalle. Ei jatkoon.

Paikoin mukaansa tempaavaa, mut pitkäveteiseks kävi

Meh. Żadna piosenka mnie nie zainteresowała.

1st sounds not very good 2nd slightly better 3rd I like the best so far 4th is ok 5th kinda sucks skipped after listening 2/3s 6th eh ok song kind of forgetable 7th Not a fan of this album

Why is this in the mix? Some album that Genesis squeezed in between tours that "Critics and the band themselves have given mixed opinions" about? They have so many other albums. Anyway, there's some interesting stuff here but ultimately it's nothing I'm going to go back to.

"The lyrics have since been praised [...], but the band later said they did not gel well with the music and made the piece complicated for the sake of being so". This quote is from Wikipedia's page on the album. It is only about one song, but it could as well be applied to the record. Heck, it could probably be applied to Peter-Gabriel-era Genesis as a whole. But to stick to *Sell England By The Pound*, it's interesting to know that, by their own admission, the majority of the band members consider this album as a failure of sorts (a point confirmed many times on the Wikipedia page). And this is probably because, apart from very, very rare highlights here and there (most of them in "Firth Of Forth"), the music on *Selling England By The Pound* is not particularly well-written. Sure, it sounds complex and convoluted, but a single listen is enough to tell that the band actually just pasted different parts or jams together so as to create their overlong songs. This here is the very definition of bad writing and logically, the end result is horrendous in its lack of cohesion. As for the recording itself, it has aged very, very poorly. The flute solos sound a little cheesy, but they're not the worst part, the worst part being those terrible synth solos sticking out like sore thumbs in some of the most boring passages ever written in the prog-rock genre. Stupendous how so many people had such bad taste when they made this album a commercial success at the time. When it comes to vocals on the album, they are more than decent overall. However Gabriel's melodic lines are often not catchy or memorable enough to bring that cohesive fabric that's so direly needed here. Lyrics are fine, with many striking one-liners here and there (the last line of The Battle Of Epping Forest is indeed an interesting anti-climax). Yet most of the songs are too clunky to seal the deal for me. They simply don't make me feel anything. I always try to keep an open mind, but clearly, I don't see what the fuss is all about here. What we have is more than competent musicianship, of course, even talent. But if you want to select a list of 1001 albums you should absolutely listen to, there are probably twice as many albums worthier of your time out there. Life's too short to waste it on stuff you consider a little ridiculous. My loss, maybe. But that's the way it is for me. [Number of albums left to review or just listen to: 972 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 10 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 7 Albums from the list I will *not* include in mine (as I think many others are more important): 9 (including this one) Albums I might not be able to judge (some might end up on my final list but it's because I recognize how culturally important they are): 2]

I hate prog rock

Peter Gabriel was much improved by breaking out solo. Genesis was made even worse by making Phil Collins their lead singer.

p294, 1973. 2 stars Was prepared to dislike this as I tended to lump Genesis in with the entire prog rock-wank era but... parts of this are OK. Always liked Peter Gabriel's solo stuff, and his voice is spot on. Steve Hackett and Phil Collins also on form. Set against this, all the usual early 1970s complaints... dodgy lyrics, overly long instrumental "fiddly" bits - look how fast I can play! Listen to my fabulous, sterile instrumental "improvisation"! See how long I can go on and on and on and on and on and on and on and ON - and dig my groovy 70's synths maaaaaan. But it's got something, despite all that. I wouldn't go out of my way to listen to it, but I don't hate it either.

Music for a Renaissance Fair. There's too much plinky guitar plucking. I don't know man, I might be in the minority here but I prefer the way more commercially appealing 80's Genesis over this prog rock experimental stuff.

I can appreciate the musicianship and production but its not for me.

Not sure why I had to listen to this one

Gave it three run throughs, they just miss the mark on every track for me, nothing catches my ear at all. It’s as though they they collectively decided “hey let’s not put anything memorable on this album at all”

Like Phil Collin’s, didn’t enjoy this album

Nah

Pretty good prog-rock. Early flashes of Marillion with a touch of ELP thrown in. I still say that the best thing that happened for Peter Gabriel and the three who remained as Genesis was their split from each other.

Trippy late-60s Pink Floyd-ie feel. I had no idea this band was ever anything more than 80s mainstream!

This album will appeal to a very specific set of people. Of which, I do not belong. Tedious. Didn't like the sound in general. Decent concept.