TRESPASS

Made in the start of the prime years of classic progressive rock, the album showcases a mix between pastoral and heavy rocking, with flutes and 12 string guitars coexisting in the same songs as organs, drums and distorted guitars, something that is granted in most of Genesis classic records. The main difference in this album compared with the later ones is the lack of Phil Collins and Steve Hackett, with John Mayhew and Anthony Philips predating them. The guitar style by Anthony Philips is almost identical to Steve Hackett, and he and Mike Rutherford started the trademark pastoral Genesis sound that would be important in "Ripples" or "The Cinema Show". John Mayhew gets the drumming job done, albeit in a more careless and rough style compared to Phil Collins always-clear sound.

The album starts with "Looking for Someone" having not lots, but still noticeable structure changes that make the song very progressive, and Peter Gabriel's presence is absolutely felt in this song (On all of the record, but this is a song where Peter really feels like Peter Gabriel). Then goes "White Mountain" with an intro similar to "Hairless Heart" and the first Genesis song that shows a galloping-heavy style prominent in the bands songs. "Visions of Angels" is a more calm song, but with enough power to stand out. "Stagnation" is kinda divisive, I don't love that song, but the choruses of the song that Genesis uses even today in their concerts are great arena choruses, and "Dusk" is a calm rest before the bands heaviest song: "The Knife".

"The Knife" is Genesis heaviest song, relying in a sinister organ riff, war lyrics and some great guitar soloing by Anthony Philips, but in my opinion the highlight of the song is Peter Gabriel's flute solo, so calm but so haunting, I really wish that he had used his instrumental skills a lot more. Great track and great finale.

My favorite parts of the record are Gabriel's presence and his flute playing, and my least preferred things are the mixing, where everything sounds very calm but the drums sound so loud,that do not help John Mayhew's kinda sloppy and rough playing, and that loud drum mixing overpowers Anthony Philips chops at guitar. Other thing is that Tony Banks doesn't shine on the record, being mostly limited to organ and piano, but he would be at his top in "Selling England by The Pound"

The band has found it's place in progressive rock, but I think the band's consolidation to be in "Nursery Cryme" and "Foxtrot", which are an obvious evolution of the great sound of this record.

Not Genesis's best, but still a really good album if you ignore the production flaws and Steve Hackett's and Phil Collins's absence.

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