Genesis "Invisible Touch" (1986)

Invisible Touch
release date: Jun. 6, 1986
format: vinyl / digital (1992 reissue)
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,14]
producer: Genesis, Hugh Padgham
label: Virgin Records - nationality: England, UK

13th studio album by Genesis following 2½ years after the self-titled '82-album sees the trio back with co-producer Hugh Padgham and a re-use of the collective writing / composing and recording process they had adopted with great success on the predecessor.

Stylewise, you could call it progressive pop employing elements from soft rock, pop soul and new wave, but it basically comes out as soft, melodic, mainstream pop / rock, or: 'MOR' (Middle Of the Road music).

The album was met by mixed reviews but only consolidated the success of Genesis as the band's fourth consecutive studio album to peak at #1 on the UK albums chart list. Furthermore, five tracks were issued as singles, and they also fared quite well with positions from #14 to #22 on the UK singles chart list, however, they performed even better on the US Billboard Hot 100, where all five singles made it to top-5 ("Invisible Touch" as the band's first US #1 single, "In Too Deep" and "Tonight, Tonight, Tonight" both reaching pos. #3, and the two singles "Throwing It All Away" and "Land of Confusion" peaking at pos. #4).

For me, this is not really to distinguish from Phil Collins' solo albums like his most recent albums Hello, I Must Be Going! (1982) or No Jacket Required (1985), and it never really caught my ear. It was basically impossible not to hear the songs on the radio, or when you were in town shopping, but it just seems so over-produced, over-arranged and soaked in harmony-driven choruses that it goes as quite indeferent music. After one listen you think, "Nice tune..., but hey, isn't that just too repetitious?! Does it go on like that?!", and after two spins: "Yike!". Can't stand it and find it on a long list of artists, I simply don't admire, but grant that it's immensely popular.

[ allmusic.com 3 / 5 stars ]

Genesis "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway" (1974)

The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway

release date: Nov. 18, 1974

format: 2 cd (2014 remaster)

[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,82]

producer: John Burns & Genesis

label: Virgin Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights, Disc 1: 1. "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway" (Gabriel live '78) - 2. "Fly on a Windshield" - 3. "Broadway Melody of 1974" - 5. "In the Cage" - 7. "Back in N. Y. C." - 9. "Counting Out Time" - 10. "Carpet Crawlers" (4 / 5) - - Disc 2: 3. "Anyway" - 5. "The Lamia" - 9. "The Light Dies Down on Broadway" - 10. "Riding the Scree"

6th studio album by Genesis following one year after Selling England by the Pound is the band's last album to feature vocalist Peter Gabriel. The album is like the predecessor produced in a collaboration by John Burns and Genesis (Burns is also credited as sound engineer on Foxtrot, 1972), and it's originally released as a double vinyl album on Charisma Records consisting of 23 tracks with a total playing time above 1 hour and 34 minutes. The album is a conceptual album with Gabriel's story of a young Puerto Rican entering the capitalist centre of New York, and it's also known for the partecipation of Brian Eno on two compositions (#5 and #6). As with the bands previous two albums all songs are credited all five band members: Peter Gabriel (vocals, flute, varied instruments), Steve Hackett (guitars), Mike Rutherford (bass, 12-string guitar), Tony Banks (organ, keyboards, synths) and Phil Collins (drums, percussion, lead vocals on #9, #15, #18); although, in reality all but Gabriel worked on the music and Gabriel insisted on writing all lyrics with the result that vocals were put down (in another studio) after the music had been composed.

Musically, it's still very much 'prog rock' with experimental traits and with the most promissing songs on the first part - the vinyl A- and B-sides and Disc 1 for cd issues - and most of the more experimental stuff on the second half.

The album was released to mixed reviews but has gained status over the years as perhaps the bands absolute best. It peaked as number #10 on the British albums chart list and at number #41 on the US Billboard 200. Two songs were selected for single releases: "Counting Out Time" preceeding the album on Nov. 1st, and track #10 released as "The Carpet Crawlers" Apr. '75, making it to number #53 and #54 respectively on the British singles chart list. The latter was re-recorded in '95 and released i '99 with Collins and Gabriel sharing lead vocals as "The Carpet Crawlers 99". The album is the second consecutive album by Genesis to be enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".

The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway may be an overblown conceptual idea with lots of progressive rock tracks, and perhaps with a little too much music, but as a statement of the band's musical cleverness and Gabriel's narrating skills it's simply Genesis at its artistic peak. During the following tour Gabriel announced his parting with the band, which saw him pursue a great solo career, and Genesis began another music chapter with Collins as lead vocalist and better charting albums, although, the band in terms of originality and quality never again performed at this level. Although, it wasn't the first album I came accross by this band, it's nonetheless the absolute best by Genesis, imho.

Highly recommended.

[ allmusic.com 5 / 5, Rolling Stone Album Guide 4 / 5 stars ]

Genesis "Selling England by the Pound" (1973)

Selling England by the Pound

release date: Oct. 13, 1973

format: cd (1986 reissue)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,68]

producer: John Burns & Genesis

label: Virgin / Charisma - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 2. "I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)" (live) - 3. "Firth of Fifth" - 5. "The Battle of Epping Forest" - 7. "The Cinema Show"

5th studio album by Genesis following one year after Foxtrot and only two months after the band's first live album Genesis Live. Co-producer John Burns had worked as sound engineer on the '72-album and would also produce the band's follow-up album The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (1975). The band remains the stable quintet of vocalist Peter Gabriel, guitarist Steve Hackett, bassist Mike Rutherford, keyboardist Tony Banks and drummer Phil Collins, and although, Gabriel wrote all lyrics, all five are credited the album's eight tracks, which has a total playing time at just under 54 minutes.

Musically, it's first and foremost a prog rock album with an overall theme reflecting on old nostalgic England in a contemporary modern era of economic and social crisis.

The album was met by positive reviews and became the band's first top-3 charting album, and retrospect reviews has put the album near the very top on lists of the best prog rock albums ever. It's also the band's first of only two albums to be included in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".

Together with the successor, The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, this represents the most daring and artistic original version of the band Genesis.

Recommended.

[ allmusic.com 5 / 5, Q Magazine 4 / 5 stars ]