Favourite Genesis Album

Posted by: MDS on 04 August 2013

I’ve just had installed a new piece of kit for home demo, about which I will post separately in due course, and have been running through familiar albums including Genesis. This has prompted me to consider the question: what’s my favourite Genesis album and what do others think? To kick things off I’m going to give my vote to A Trick of the Tail.   

 

 

For me this album has such a splendid variety of great tracks. Beginning with the haunting and instantly recognisable first few notes of Dance on a Volcano followed by the melodious, delicacy of Entangled; the delightful changes of pace in Mad Man Moon. Robbery, Assault and Battery used to leave me a bit cold until I got a Naim system after which I appreciated its complexity. Phil C’s vocals on Ripples carry wonderful emotion with the song taking a lovely detour of interplay between guitar and keyboards and piano half-way through. Then of course the title track and finally the magnificent Los Endos, reprising what had gone before and which always makes me want to play the whole album all over again.

 

I think this was first Genesis album on which Phil Collins leads the vocals after the departure of the hugely talented Peter Gabriel but I don’t think his loss shows on this album, though arguably it does on some of the later ones.  

 

Any other votes? 

 

MDS

 

Posted on: 08 August 2013 by Elbow

Selling England...no better example of how much better a drummer Phil Collins was than a singer. I still love Cinema Show and Firth of Fifth. Cinema Show is also fantastic on Seconds Out, the only track on the album that features Bill Bruford (taken from the '76 tour)..and you can hear his towering talent over Chester Thompson's IMHO. 

Posted on: 11 August 2013 by MDS

Well having seen a plug or two for Genesis Live I went out and got myself a CD copy today (Virgin '94 recording).  I'm not normally a big fan of live recordings which I find rarely do justice to the performance but will give this one a go.  Too late this evening to give it the volume needed so it's now on the playlist for tomorrow!  

Posted on: 13 August 2013 by MDS

 

Gave it play today.  An atmospheric album on which I felt that The Return of the Giant Hogweed, Musical Box and The Knife were the strongest and most enjoyable tracks. In fact I preferred this version of Musical Box to the original on Nursery Cryme. A nice addition to my collection of Genesis albums and one I will play many times but I'm sticking with my original vote: for me Trick of the Tail is number one.

Thanks to everyone who contributed. I've learned about the live albums as a result and a order for Seconds Out will be made soon.  

MDS   

 

 

Posted on: 13 August 2013 by Noogle

+1 for A Trick of the Tail - by coincidence I've just been listening to it and had forgotten how good it is.

 

I also have a soft spot for Foxtrot, as my sister had the LP when it was first released.  If you rate a prog rock album by the length of its longest track it scores pretty well.

Posted on: 13 August 2013 by BigH47

"Never mind the quality hear the length"?

Posted on: 13 August 2013 by Richard Dane

For anyone who wants a great sampler of Genesis' earlier output I can highly recommend The Story of Genesis - a Japanese double LP release from 1978 with excellent sound.  I'm not sure whether it made it to CD though.

 

Posted on: 13 August 2013 by Chris Dolan
  1. Trick of the Tail
  2. Selling England.......
  3. Foxtrot
  4. Trespass

Trick of the Tail was the first Genesis album that I bought - then I sort of worked backwards !!

Posted on: 14 August 2013 by Tabby cat
Richard is the Story of Genesis on 180g vinyl ?
 
I remember seeing it in the shops in the 80's but already had all the tracks on it.It was quite pricey being a Jap import.
 
Last night I listened to And there where three again and really enjoyed it.Took me back to my teenage years when Genesis where my favourite band.I was Lucky to see them at Knebworth in 1978 when I was 14.My brother in law took me and it was the most amazing day as it was my first gig and festival.The lightshow was amazing with Lasers and revolving mirrors.I still have a cassette of the concert as the Friday rock show on radio 1 broadcast it.
Its on you tube now.
 

 

Posted on: 14 August 2013 by Richard Dane

TC, it's typically pristine Japanese vinyl, but not sure of the weight - probably somewhere around 140-160g.

 

On the subject of Trick of the Tail and firsts, ToTT was my very first Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab LP purchase.  It's one of only a handful of MFSLs  I have hung on to, mainly for nostalgic reasons.