*endless gif of phil yelling "it's supposed to be a post-punk song you horrible dicks"*
― emo canon in twee major (BradNelson), Tuesday, 11 November 2014 00:43 (nine years ago) link
A very good friend calls me 'abacab' after this album + my first name. I should really give it more listens.
― Walter MIDI (Crabbits), Tuesday, 11 November 2014 00:45 (nine years ago) link
it's a pretty odd, asymmetrical art pop album, clearly transitional between duke and the s/t but the prog/pop tension is never more rewarding than it is here
― emo canon in twee major (BradNelson), Tuesday, 11 November 2014 00:48 (nine years ago) link
All the singles got lots of album rock airplay when I listened in the eighties and nineties, even "Man on the Corner" and the Three Sides Live throwaway "Paperlate."
― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 11 November 2014 00:48 (nine years ago) link
Marcello's review: http://nobilliards.blogspot.com/2013/03/genesis-abacab.html
― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 11 November 2014 00:49 (nine years ago) link
"paperlate" rules
― emo canon in twee major (BradNelson), Tuesday, 11 November 2014 00:51 (nine years ago) link
it's just like a slightly less good "no reply at all"
It is a difficult album to appreciate, let alone love, because it seems so deadset on not telling us things.
otm, and precisely why i love it
― emo canon in twee major (BradNelson), Tuesday, 11 November 2014 00:55 (nine years ago) link
Abacrab?
Phil's pronunciation of "Dodo ugly! so dodo must die!" has haunted me since childhood
― fgti, Tuesday, 11 November 2014 01:30 (nine years ago) link
let us praise the song 'abacab'
^^^kinda surprised i hadn't drunkenly bumped that more often
― mookieproof, Tuesday, 11 November 2014 01:56 (nine years ago) link
BTW, love "Paperlate," and also this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsV-1FDLTW0
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 11 November 2014 02:17 (nine years ago) link
"No Reply At All" is such a tight arrangement.
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 11 November 2014 02:18 (nine years ago) link
I've never listened to this! Giving it a shot now.
― EveningStar (Sund4r), Tuesday, 11 November 2014 02:19 (nine years ago) link
I still recall the substantial emotional drop from my anticipating to finally hearing this record when it first dropped. I have more tolerance for it now but still find it to be lackluster and think the versions on Three Sides Live are superior. I also prefer most of the studio cuts on 3SL to abacab.
― doug watson, Tuesday, 11 November 2014 02:53 (nine years ago) link
Want to say "Abacab" was also historic for how loud/high the drums were mixed, really setting the stage for the '80s.
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 11 November 2014 03:04 (nine years ago) link
plus that one bit is perfect air drumming
you know the one i mean
― mookieproof, Tuesday, 11 November 2014 03:59 (nine years ago) link
I love this album. Voted "me and sarah jane" but it could have been almost anything else; I really like Keep it Dark!
― akm, Tuesday, 11 November 2014 20:29 (nine years ago) link
paperlate isn't a throwaway either...it's as good as anything else on this record.
― akm, Tuesday, 11 November 2014 20:30 (nine years ago) link
Voted Keep it Dark but really could have chosen anything here. Except maybe Dodo/Lurker, which is half awesome and half ridiculous-in-a-bad-way.
― Sean Carruthers, Wednesday, 12 November 2014 03:32 (nine years ago) link
Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.
― System, Monday, 17 November 2014 00:01 (nine years ago) link
Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.
― System, Tuesday, 18 November 2014 00:01 (nine years ago) link
Terrible album.
― rising tones cross (anagram), Tuesday, 18 November 2014 00:01 (nine years ago) link
pfft
― emo canon in twee major (BradNelson), Tuesday, 18 November 2014 00:36 (nine years ago) link
"another record" deserved a vote
― emo canon in twee major (BradNelson), Tuesday, 18 November 2014 00:37 (nine years ago) link
oh damn i started this thread, good job me
anyway i was listening to abacab today and thinking "wow, this record is amazing"
― ToddBonzalez (BradNelson), Thursday, 15 June 2017 21:44 (six years ago) link
hi Brad
― the Rain Man of nationalism. (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 15 June 2017 21:45 (six years ago) link
Some days I don't even mind "Who Dunnit?" as a sort of pallet cleanser.
― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 15 June 2017 21:49 (six years ago) link
"who dunnit" is fun imo
― ToddBonzalez (BradNelson), Thursday, 15 June 2017 21:52 (six years ago) link
"like it or not" and "another record" still deserved more votes than it
― ToddBonzalez (BradNelson), Thursday, 15 June 2017 21:53 (six years ago) link
Feel better, Philhttps://peopledotcom.files.wordpress.com/2017/06/phil-collins2.jpg
― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 15 June 2017 21:54 (six years ago) link
I fucking love this record
― or at night (Jon not Jon), Thursday, 15 June 2017 22:00 (six years ago) link
one of my favorite records ever, how did i miss this thread when it happened! i thought i was the only one who liked "keep it dark"
― Guayaquil (eephus!), Thursday, 15 June 2017 22:12 (six years ago) link
This guy is the best, I love all his videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmX1QbYEnTU
― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 15 June 2017 22:29 (six years ago) link
Keep It Dark really whups my behind with a belt
― PaulTMA, Thursday, 15 June 2017 22:34 (six years ago) link
said this before on another Genesis thread, but I find it hard to believe that Mike R came up with the "No Reply" bassline. Not a genesis super-stan, so grain of salt when I say that I have never heard him play anything like that before or after…it sounds like they got Percy Jones to play fretted or Verdine White or someone… I'm sure MR could learn it and play it no sweat, but it doesn't seem like anything he did any other time…same for D Stuermer…
― veronica moser, Thursday, 15 June 2017 23:20 (six years ago) link
I agree. The dude in that video suspects the same. While Rutherford can totally play it, the EWF force is strong with this one.
― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 15 June 2017 23:56 (six years ago) link
It's hard to imagine Rutherford as bassist yet he was in the Hackett years
― the Rain Man of nationalism. (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 15 June 2017 23:58 (six years ago) link
He's not much of a guitarist, honestly.
― Josh in Chicago, Friday, 16 June 2017 00:05 (six years ago) link
For that matter, in the early days Tony Banks often contributed classical guitar.
― Josh in Chicago, Friday, 16 June 2017 00:06 (six years ago) link
I love this record inordinately, and agree with the near-certainty that neither Rutherford nor Stuermer would have come up with that line. Musta been a session d00d.
Phil's love of R&B was such that he probably just said "yeah, er, Mike, we're just gonna bring in some outside players to do some horn-stab overdubs. You can go out for tea if you like." And they smuggled a killer bassist in amongst the horn section. By the time it was mixed everyone knew what had happened but no one cared.
Even Rutherford could tell it was made of awesome, so he made not a peep. He just bought another pastel-colored linen suit and thought wistfully about major-seventh arpeggios.
― croque monsoon (Ye Mad Puffin), Friday, 16 June 2017 00:22 (six years ago) link
Been thinking about Phil a lot, a friend of mine finally tracked him down for an interview (out next week): http://www.thetrapset.net/bns-phil-collins-preview/
― change display name (Jordan), Friday, 16 June 2017 17:54 (six years ago) link
I agree that he is a genius drummer.
― Josh in Chicago, Friday, 16 June 2017 21:26 (six years ago) link
is the full interview out yet?
― or at night (Jon not Jon), Monday, 26 June 2017 15:02 (six years ago) link
http://www.thetrapset.net/127-phil-collins-genesis-brand-x-phil-collins/
― heaven parker (anagram), Monday, 26 June 2017 15:43 (six years ago) link
It seems strange to me that Keep It Dark got the most votes. It's probably my least fave track on the album. I'd have thought Dodo/Lurker would be the one most people would go for.I might even have gone for one of those songs that ended up with no votes, I really like those. But I probably would have voted 'Me And Sarah Jane', although I prefer the live version on 'Three Sides Live'
― Valentijn, Monday, 26 June 2017 19:09 (six years ago) link
I do love "Like It Or Not" and was sorry to see it get shut out here
― Guayaquil (eephus!), Monday, 26 June 2017 20:08 (six years ago) link
That 1979-81 era when prog was incorporating new wave (Ultravox, Gary Numan, early Human League in some cases, other cases just The Police) was fun, I wish there was more.
Rush, U.K., Saga, Yes, Fripp/League of Gentlemen/King Crimson, Vangelis & Jon Anderson, John Wetton, Steve Hackett all did this to varying degrees of success, but this Genesis album is up near the top.
― Fastnbulbous, Tuesday, 27 June 2017 17:34 (six years ago) link
I consider Gentle Giant on Free Hand, Power & the Glory etc to be the pathbreakers of the prog new wave thing (a nice trick since new wave in the police/cars sense barely existed yet)
― or at night (Jon not Jon), Tuesday, 27 June 2017 18:29 (six years ago) link
Wow, I'm revisiting "The Power and the Glory" and it sounds like XTC!
― Fastnbulbous, Tuesday, 27 June 2017 20:47 (six years ago) link
yeah!
― or at night (Jon not Jon), Tuesday, 27 June 2017 21:06 (six years ago) link
man I love dodo/lurker
― Hadrian VIII, Tuesday, 18 July 2017 05:08 (six years ago) link
Meanwhile lurking by a stone in the mudTwo eyes looked to see what I was andThen something spoke and this is whatIt said to me.......
― plp will eat itself (NickB), Tuesday, 18 July 2017 08:08 (six years ago) link
first few bars of dodo start off like something off king crimson's red. and then it turns into this odd skank prog bologna
― plp will eat itself (NickB), Tuesday, 18 July 2017 08:14 (six years ago) link
wondering if any dance records have looped the goofy lurker riff
if not why not
― plp will eat itself (NickB), Tuesday, 18 July 2017 08:19 (six years ago) link
not really thought aboput this before but elements of dodo sound a lot like the police's behind my camel which obv came out on zenyatta mondatta one year earlier
― plp will eat itself (NickB), Tuesday, 18 July 2017 08:32 (six years ago) link
Omg at "skank prog bologna"
― Tim F, Tuesday, 18 July 2017 09:02 (six years ago) link
Green would approve, though probably not of Genesis.
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 18 July 2017 11:44 (six years ago) link
thank u nickb for "skank prog bologna"
― ToddBonzalez (BradNelson), Tuesday, 18 July 2017 11:47 (six years ago) link
does it get to earn them back? how long will that take, I am concerned about this record not having sufficient pointage when all is said and done― Hadrian VIII, Tuesday, July 18, 2017 5:06 AM (six hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
― Hadrian VIII, Tuesday, July 18, 2017 5:06 AM (six hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
It does, but it never does.
― The Anti-Climax Blues Band (Turrican), Tuesday, 18 July 2017 12:03 (six years ago) link
I don't know. even the prog attempts on IT strike me as hollow and unengaging. There are bits of Domino that are interesting, and the Brazillian, but they seem very rote to me, and there is no heart in them. The songs sound thin, sonically, and compositionally: they don't sound like they spent very much time writing them. Maybe it's just because I spent more time with s/t than that album since s/t I got when it was released; but the pop songs on there are fantastic, interesting, engaging; and In Too Deep just sounds like easy listening pap to me.
― akm, Tuesday, 18 July 2017 13:41 (six years ago) link
Collins' singing is full of heart on 'Domino'!
― The Anti-Climax Blues Band (Turrican), Tuesday, 18 July 2017 13:46 (six years ago) link
akm otm
― Acid Hose (Capitaine Jay Vee), Tuesday, 18 July 2017 14:10 (six years ago) link
Well, I couldn't possibly agree with Invisible Touch being hollow and unengaging - absolutely not. If anything, it's an inviting and relatable record that's easy to connect with as the songs deal woith real human emotions, rather than fall back on wacky fantasy nonsense. The songs don't sound "thin" at all, rather they've pruned away anything that doesn't need to be there - all meat, no fat.
― The Anti-Climax Blues Band (Turrican), Tuesday, 18 July 2017 14:18 (six years ago) link
This is another failure of Abacab: it's meant to be a more urgent, stark, direct record, but the epics on here are anything but, and thus ultimately tedious. Invisible Touch doesn't have this problem.
― The Anti-Climax Blues Band (Turrican), Tuesday, 18 July 2017 14:21 (six years ago) link
this thread is forcing me to look deep inside and reexamine some longstanding core principles
― Hadrian VIII, Tuesday, 18 July 2017 14:22 (six years ago) link
Phil Collins would have made a great guest on The Muppet Show.
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 18 July 2017 14:30 (six years ago) link
the songs deal woith real human emotions, rather than fall back on wacky fantasy nonsense
i already regret engaging but, which songs on abacab do this beyond "dodo"
― ToddBonzalez (BradNelson), Tuesday, 18 July 2017 14:38 (six years ago) link
The title track.
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 18 July 2017 14:40 (six years ago) link
I want to see Phil drum battle against Animal.
― jmm, Tuesday, 18 July 2017 14:41 (six years ago) link
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, July 18, 2017 7:40 AM (one minute ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
i must not be reading it right
― ToddBonzalez (BradNelson), Tuesday, 18 July 2017 14:42 (six years ago) link
^^^ he has a built-in ability to endlessly disagree
― Tim F, Monday, July 17, 2017 8:12 PM (yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
this is hilarious btw tim
Well, maybe just the heartbreaking second half of the title track.
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 18 July 2017 14:43 (six years ago) link
"Phil Collins would have made a great guest on The Muppet Show."
well his spitting image puppet would have made a great guest on the muppet show, then we could have had a puppet-off
― akm, Tuesday, 18 July 2017 15:28 (six years ago) link
Phil sighting at 1:05
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wCOuLZmt1c
Has anyone watched the Phil Collins This Is Your Life? I just skipped to the Genesis section as it seems like the worst show in the history of television.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPn2FQpWz0k
― jmm, Tuesday, 18 July 2017 16:05 (six years ago) link
I've seen the Mike Rutherford one. I don't think Jonathan King makes an appearance as I believe it arrived during his Proto-Yewtree period
― PaulTMA, Tuesday, 18 July 2017 16:19 (six years ago) link
man I'm sorry but I just tried to listen to Anything She Does and that song is just straight up garbage.
― akm, Tuesday, 18 July 2017 19:31 (six years ago) link
Excellent song. Great chorus.
― The Anti-Climax Blues Band (Turrican), Tuesday, 18 July 2017 20:48 (six years ago) link
benny hill in the video iirc
― plp will eat itself (NickB), Tuesday, 18 July 2017 20:56 (six years ago) link
song couldve used some yakety sax to liven it up a bit imo
― plp will eat itself (NickB), Tuesday, 18 July 2017 21:02 (six years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdyEiZG9fdQ
― PaulTMA, Thursday, 20 July 2017 18:13 (six years ago) link
this thread is forcing me to look deep inside and reexamine some longstanding core principles― Hadrian VIII, Tuesday, July 18, 2017 7:22 AM (two days ago) Bookmark Flag Post PermalinkPhil Collins would have made a great guest on The Muppet Show.― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, July 18, 2017 7:30 AM (two days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
― Hadrian VIII, Tuesday, July 18, 2017 7:22 AM (two days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, July 18, 2017 7:30 AM (two days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
great 1-2 punch
― Max-Headroom-drops-a-deuce-while-shredding (Sparkle Motion), Thursday, 20 July 2017 19:37 (six years ago) link
i had forgotten about the bridge to "no reply at all", so great
― Universal LULU Nation (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Monday, July 17, 2017 3:47 PM (four years ago)
it really is
― mookieproof, Sunday, 19 September 2021 02:00 (two years ago) link
Lmao at Turrican relentlessly hating on this album upthread. For me it's so obviously the best Collins-era album and it's not even close (I'd still go with Gabriel era if I had to choose, but only The Lamb and Foxtrot are better than Abacab imo).
Also perfect aesthetic synergy of musical content + album art (specifically the version with the primary colors + gray, but the different color variations on the initial pressing was a cool idea)
― J. Sam, Friday, 19 August 2022 01:37 (one year ago) link
Yeah this album is incredible. And it's probably my second favourite Genesis album overall after SEBTP and "Keep It Dark" favourite Genesis song overall :)
― you can see me from westbury white horse, Friday, 19 August 2022 17:26 (one year ago) link
"Who Dunnit" joins "Temporary Secretary" and "Mother" in the trifecta of famously very divisive tracks on early 80s UK number one albums by major acts that RYM refers to as 'zolo' and for which fanclubs might as well exist.
― you can see me from westbury white horse, Friday, 19 August 2022 17:28 (one year ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8R6qu62xekE
― Josh in Chicago, Friday, 19 August 2022 18:15 (one year ago) link
ABACAB RULES Is how I break it down to an extent
― realistic pillow (Jon not Jon), Saturday, 20 August 2022 15:36 (one year ago) link
^^^
― Vaguely Threatening CAPTCHAs, Saturday, 20 August 2022 16:04 (one year ago) link
would vote for “like it or not” now
― flamenco drop (BradNelson), Tuesday, 6 September 2022 21:19 (one year ago) link
Fishy got problems
― realistic pillow (Jon not Jon), Tuesday, 6 September 2022 21:23 (one year ago) link