TRESPASS

'Trespass' is my second review of a Genesis' album and I didn't choose it by chance, despite I don't consider it their second best work and even be my second choice. The best and my favourite is undoubtedly 'Selling England By The Pound', which was my first review on Progarchives. However, I think this is a very special album in Genesis' discography and it always had a very own place into my heart. So, it always deserved a very special attention by me.

'Trespass' is regarded, by many of their fans, as Genesis first album. In reality, their real debut studio album is 'From Genesis To Revelation', released in 1969. Although, this is a very different album, a non progressive work, a kind of a pre-record from the group. Therefore, many consider 'Trespass' as their debut album. Even in some bands catalogs, their debut album doesn't appear as part of the group's discography. However, the band never disowned it.

Anyway, there is no possible comparison between both works. In reality, 'Trespass' has nothing to do with 'From Genesis To Revelation'. It shows a truly improvement compared to their previous work. The changes are completely drastic. I believe that no other band has made such radical changes in a so short period of time. 'Trespass' is really a progressive album. Curiously, it doesn't have yet the participation of Steve Hackett. However, I sincerely like very much of Anthony Phillips work, which is, in my humble opinion, one of the most impressive and talented progressive studio musicians, a true multi-instrumentalist, which clearly left his signature on this album.

So, 'Trespass' is the second studio album by Genesis and was released in 1970. It's their only album with the participation of their third drummer John Mayhew (R.I.P.) and it's also their last work with their former guitarist Phillips. The line up on the album is Peter Gabriel (lead vocals, oboe, flute, accordion, bass drum and percussion), Anthony Phillips (backing vocals, acoustic and electric guitars, dulcimer and percussion), Tony Banks (backing vocals, organ, piano, mellotron and guitar), Mike Rutherford (backing vocals, bass, classical guitar and cello) and John Mayhew (backing vocals, drums and percussion).

'Trespass' has six tracks. The first track 'Looking For Someone' written by Gabriel, Phillips, Banks and Rutherford is a very strong and emotional track and is a great opener to the album. It's a very beautiful song but it's also very dark. It starts slowly and explodes during the development of the theme. It represents undoubtedly a great musical moment. The second track 'White Mountain' written by Phillips and Rutherford is a piece based on acoustic guitar and complemented by great keyboard work. The song is a fable about a wolf who seeks to usurp the authority of their leader. It's a very melodic and soft song influenced by the folk music. This is another strong moment on the album. The third track 'Visions Of Angels' written by Phillips and Rutherford is another excellent track with great Gabriel's vocal work, accompanied by beautiful keyboards. This is another very good song, with a fine melody and it has also an excellent piano work by Banks. The fourth track 'Stagnation' written by Gabriel, Phillips, Banks, Rutherford and Mayhew is one of best tracks on the album. The music moves into a crescendo with an accentuation from acoustic guitar and the keyboard work. It's one of the best tracks in the earlier Genesis' sound and in the Phillips' musical era. This is also their first most progressive track. The fifth track 'Dusk' written by Phillips and Rutherford is the smallest song on the album. It's a very calm and beautiful ballad with backing vocals from the other band members. This is the simplest song on the album, but it still is very good. The sixth track 'The Knife' written by Gabriel and Banks is the great highlight of the album that quickly became the first classic of Genesis. This is a composition unusually aggressive for the band, and in my humble opinion it pronounce, in a certain way, the path the band would follow on their next albums. It's the most famous song on the album and it's also the heaviest track of Genesis ever.

Conclusion: 'Trespass' is the sweetest, delicate, fragile, romantic, innocent, naive and pure album of Genesis and it has their first masterpiece, 'The Knife'. This is undoubtedly the best known song from the album and their heaviest too. As all we know, Genesis became known as a group that have never explored the hard and heavy rock territories. So, 'The Knife' represents perfectly well that style. However, 'Return Of The Giant Hogweed' and 'The Musical Box' from their next third studio album 'Nursery Crime', released in 1971, contain serious heaviness elements as well. In my humble opinion, 'Trespass' has a certain mystic artistic aura. It's full of musical emotions that flow nicely and elegantly from poetic, impressionist and pastoral to aggressive and dramatic theatrical scenes that only Genesis can do. If it wasn't its less careful musical production I could have rated it with 5 stars.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

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