SECONDS OUT

'Seconds Out' in many ways, is the end of an era for Genesis. Some may say it's the end of their "progressive" era, though I would disagree as Genesis were always progressive, even in the eighties and onward. This is Steve Hackett's swansong in many ways. His guitar playing was an element that made the music of Genesis truly special. Unfortunately, his guitar is a bit low in the mix on 'Seconds Out', which I can only assume is caused by Tony Banks. After this album, the three-piece Genesis lineup would go in a more commercial direction musically. As much as I love most of the live material that was taken from classic albums such as "A Trick of the Tail" and "Wind & Wuthering," what makes this album interesting is to hear Phil Collins sing the Genesis songs that Peter Gabriel originally sang. Phil Collins has a very different voice from Peter Gabriel: his voice is higher and, for lack of a better word, natural, while Peter Gabriel's voice is raspy and has more of a soul edge. Both of them are incredible singers, but Phil Collins definitely sings many of those Peter Gabriel-era songs in his own style so that it suits his voice, which I appreciate. It would be odd for Phil Collins to try and sound like Peter Gabriel and dress up in the costumes that Gabriel would wear for certain songs. Chester Thompson plays drums on all the songs except on track ten, "The Cinema Show," which features Bill Bruford on drums. Phil Collins will also occasionally play drums during instrumental sections when he's not singing.

"Squonk" is a powerful start to the show. The 3-2 clave during the coda is, in my opinion, better than the original because rather than fading out (which a band can't really do in a live setting) they end the song on a grand chord. The intro to "The Carpet Crawl" is removed, but other than that, this song is also gorgeous when performed live. The only song on 'Seconds Out' that I don't care for is "Robbery, Assault and Batter," and even when played live, I don't gain anything from listening to it. The only song included on this album from 'Wind & Wuthering' is the beautiful "Afterglow," and I wish Genesis included more songs from that album on 'Seconds Out.' I would argue the live version is superior to the studio version. The song is more dynamic and because of that, the climax is even more powerful. The piano intro to "Firth of Fifth" is removed, and while it is a bit odd, the rest of the song that they included in the live performance is magnificent. Tony Banks plays Peter Gabriel's flute melody on synth. The drumming between Phil Collins and Chester Thompson is excellent. "I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)" is elongated when performed live. The majestic "Stagnation" theme makes an appearance. Phil Collins plays a tambourine solo. Steve Hackett makes a musical reference to the "Dancing With the Moonlit Knight" guitar solo. There is a jam that includes interesting synth work from Tony Banks. This song is very fun, especially as a live number. "The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway" is faster and more energetic than the studio version. Mike Rutherford's distorted bass drives the song. The band then play the closing section to "The Musical Box," and while I wish that they played the full song, it's still an exciting way to close the first disc.

The "Apocalypse in 9/8" section of "Supper's Ready" is more eerie during the part where there are merely bass pedals and keyboards. The live version of "The Cinema Show" is, in my opinion, superior to the studio version. This version is more dynamic and thrilling. Steve Hackett creates sounds on his guitar that emulate the sound of birds. The dueling drums of Phil Collins and Bill Bruford are sublime, especially when Bruford is pounding the snare drum. This is my favorite live rendition on the album. "The Dance" section of "Dance On a Volcano" is omitted, which I would've liked to hear, but the band instead bleed the song right into "Los Endos." I love that this song closes the album, especially since "Squonk" opened the album and this song reprises the "Squonk" riff at the end. The song starts with a tight drum duet and then explodes into the song. The drum fill that transitions into the aformentioned "Squonk" riff is, for lack of a better word, orgasmic.

In conclusion, 'Seconds Out' is my favorite Genesis live album. It's more complete and doesn't leave you feeling unsatisfied when it's over like 'Genesis live' does. While I may not be a big fan of live albums, this is one that I return to more than any other live album. Phil Collins also does an excellent job with singing some of the Gabriel-era songs. 10/10

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