What's the best Genesis album?

It's called Abacab.

But my favorite is probably Selling England...

I like "Seconds Out" quite a bit as well.

I don't mind Trick of the Tail or Wind and Wuthering, but...anyway, "Battle of Epping Forest" and "Firth of Fifth" are the two best Genesis tracks, I'd say. I guess maybe I'll get a CD of Lamb Lies Down and give it a whirl

That's the prob with most of the Genesis albums IMO, tracks that are alright, but just somehow spoil the shape. On Trespass it's "The Knife" - good as it is, it really belongs on its own, cos it's closer to Nursery Cryme than the sound on the rest of that album. On Nursery Cryme itself, it's Fountain of Salmacis - bad idea to finish a Victorian Gothic ghost story of an album with an overlong Greek myth. Even The Lamb seems to lose impetus on Side 4.

Maybe the folks arguing for the poppier albums are onto something, tho in that case I'd have Duke any day.

I could be wrong though

I am dating myself a little bit, but in my recollection, Phl solo got huge (in the US) when "In the Air" tonight was used on Miami Vice. And that gave momentum to Genesis (the yellow album). They may have had hits, even big ones, before that but -- as Alfred notes -- that's what made them huge.

I don't think "Me And Sarah Jane" was a single, but I agree its a great tune. "Like It Or Not" was another good one from Abacab. I also remember digging one of the studio tunes from 3 Sides Live - "You Might Recall" it was.

I think I have to give the album nod to the Lamb. It has the best collection of tunes for me - title track, Back in NYC, In the Cage, Grand Parade, etc. I would love to have seen that tour!

I find it sounds more distinct, with better stereo separation and more treble, than their earlier work.

Musically, I prefer the best of the Gabriel era work, but I still think "Trick..." and "Wind...." are the ones that sound best.

I'm unsure about them having an "unusally great" pop sensibility too

supper's ready is catchy as shit

anyway tim f otm

This thread is a prog epic. So many parts!

The message board version of "Gates Of Delirium "!

"X band is clearly superior to Y band on the following Z criteria" is the part of ILM that deservedly gets written out of official history.

X, the band, is clearly superior to Yes on the following Zomg! criteria.

^^^^ allowable

*cranks Moving Pictures*

One thing I was wondering last night was "who was heavily influenced by the post-prog Genesis albums?"

Duke is too prog I think to sound too much like stuff that isn't also at least partially steeped in prog traditions. As I said upthread it reminds me a lot of Marillion's Clutching at Straws, which I guess was an example of a band who had effectively been histrionic early-Genesis understudies grappling with the same question of how to transition to "proper" songwriting (rather than just "pop" per se), and is also the only Marillion album I listen to very much.

But surely there must have been many artists influenced by Abacab / Genesis / Invisible Touch? And I don't mean in a generic "no one got out of the 80s alive" sense, but as in, these particular albums (or maybe just one of them!) were a specific stylistic touchstone??

In some ways these three albums sound very, erm, "Canadian" to me? I wonder if Jane Siberry was a fan of this era of Genesis?

That's an interesting question and one that I've been pondering myself over the last couple of days - the most obvious answer I could come up with was Marillion, who you've mentioned as being heavily influenced by Gabriel-era Genesis, although I'm sure they continued to follow Genesis into the '80s. Ultimately, though, I don't know - a lot of what I'm thinking of that happened after Invisible Touch could be considered to be a reaction against it in some way.

I've always thought that Tears for Fears "Songs from the Big Chair" was very influenced by post prog Genesis. Especially at its, well, proggiest - Broken, Mother's Talk - but also how the drums, Strats and synthesizers sound.

God, "You Might Recall" from the Abacab sessions is insanely good. I don't know why I hadn't heard it before.

xpost oooh yes that's a good answer. Also just the general glassy grandeur of the songs is kind of positioned halfway between Duke and the rest of new pop.

Prog coincidence or no, credits on that TfF album include Jerry Marotta (Peter Gabriel's drummer) and Mel Collins (from King Crimson). Phil himself plays drums on the next album, on "Woman in Chains."

In some ways these three albums sound very, erm, "Canadian" to me? I wonder if Jane Siberry was a fan of this era of Genesis?

Ha, when you put it that way, I bet Gowan was into pop Genesis.

Indio's Big Harvest (also Canadian) has always reminded me of post-So Peter Gabriel. ha, I see that David Rhodes played with both.

But really, Tim, speaking as a Canadian, I have no idea WTF you mean

Songs from the Big Chair doesn't remind me of Genesis at all.

It's basically a mid '80s synthpop record with a bicycle pump shoved up its arse.

Vinnie Colaiuta could play anything Peart could, and then some, but Peart could not play "Nightshift" by the Commodores. And I have no doubt that Jeff Porcaro could play Rush songs, too, but Peart could not play "Billie Jean."

Josh, you complete me.

the "who had better chops" thing is always pretty silly but particularly silly in this case. I mean by any measure both these bands had a buttload of chops, more chops than any band would reasonably need and both used them to make some of the most ludicrous and awesome rock music, by no reasonable standard would you say well the problem with Rush or Genesis? just didn't have the chops, shoulda taken more lessons

Of course not, but Rush do have the superior chops.

Also the idea that Neil Peart couldn't play 'Billie Jean' is hilarious - of course he could, but it probably wouldn't interest him to do so.

Stop now

Of course not, but Rush do have the superior chops.

― The Anti-Climax Blues Band (Turrican), Friday, July 14, 2017 4:58 PM (one minute ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

someone get me out of this loop

lol ok man like I just listen to Supper's Ready and all I can't think is man too bad Banks isn't even more of a wanker cuz this really could use Rick Wakeman jizzing Canterbury Tales analog synth all over the track like a frickin firehose

off this topic I think it's interesting, Abacab is 81 and Signals is 82, which at that point the two bands are as stylistically similar as they ever got, like there's not a million miles between Abacab's title track and Subdivisions.

one thing we never considered is a band that was influenced by post Gabriel Genesis might have been Rush themselves

Geddy picked Nursery Chryme as of his favorite albums of all time in The Quietus:

Genesis - Nursery Crime
Well I was a big fan of Genesis and Peter Gabriel. That was when I first discovered the notion of a 'concept' and that it could be an adventurous and lively place and not dull at all. It is a very playful and compelling record. I fell in love with the sound of it. I was totally entranced by it and wanted to know how they had done it. This is part of the roots of Rush. The creation of a flexible concept. The parallels are obvious.

Nah, Signals is just basically natural evolution from Moving Pictures... they were headed in that direction anyway.

It's well known they were influenced by Gabriel-era Genesis, though... Lifeson claims one of the lead guitar parts on 'The Fountain of Lamneth' is influenced by Hackett. It doesn't matter though, the took those influences and improved on them colossally.

Cosigning Tim's request to stop as I'm getting flashbacks to Grade 10

This discussion would have been over again if the Genesis hardcore hadn't protested so much... but I agree, let's suck it up and move on.

*again=ages ago.

Yes Turrucan it was definitely the.... Genesis faithful...that were belaboring the point

we're just like the stevie nicks coven that keeps ruining he fleetwood mac threads

Haha

To be fair Brad, suggesting that music doesn't necessarily resolve into a rigid hierarchy of objective greatness is pretty ruinous.

Ok, the moment that none of you have been waiting for..

The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway
Abacab
Genesis
Foxtrot
Duke
Selling England By The Pound
Trick Of The Trail
Wind & Wuthering

(bit of a drop in quality here)

Trespass
Nursery Crime
Then There Were Three
Invisible Touch
We Can't Dance

I haven't heard the first and last albums yet but nothing I've read has convinced me I should give them a shot.

A big thank you to the posters on here who've made me listen to the Collins era with an open mind. I was missing out on some really great music (especially Abacab).

I haven't heard the first and last albums yet but nothing I've read has convinced me I should give them a shot.

― kitchen person

the first album is really good if you're into '60s-era bee gees!

Stopped reading that list after the third entry, tbh.

Glad you found some new titles to enjoy. Turrican is toxic; pay him no mind -- i called him the new "Gier" but that's too good for his foul, over-bloated ego. Call him Turdican, or just Turd for short.

Ha!

this is so the most metal non-metal song evah

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTuJQL8GBqY

Yeah, I fucking love that track - both musically and lyrically. In fact, if we were to poll this band, all three of the Nursery Cryme epics would make it onto my ballot without hesitation.

I haven't heard it in many years but there are so many great parts I forgot about, listening to it now.

The swelling mellotron on the intro to 'The Fountain of Salmacis' is one of my favourite moments in a Genesis song ever, as well as the rocking out sections in 'The Musical Box' etc. etc. As much as I find Nursery Cryme, in a way, to be a bit of a dry run for Foxtrot, it's got some stunning moments on it. With a better production job it could have even been one of their best ever.

The early epics rock hardest on Genesis Live. Plus that album cover is one of my favourite rock images.

The shredding guitar solo bits on "Musical Box" feel a bit proto-Maiden to me.

Are Iron Maiden the Ramones of prog?

something something two-handed tapping something