GENESIS LIVE

A live album has no attraction to me unless it reveals either another side of the band or at least rearranges or extends the studio originals. Genesis' Live excels at the first norm. Most of all the songs stay close to the originals, but what this live album reveals is a much more powerful side of Genesis, especially compared to the more polished sound the band would adapt from the next studio album Selling England onwards.

This album is such a powerhouse that it even makes Nursery Crime and Foxtrot sound soft and tame. Collins and Rutherford are very prominent and lay down one of the most solid rhythm section you are likely to find in 1972/1973, rivalling Yes and the live King Crimson of that period. But also Hackett shines; his heavy and always original playing has such a deep and profound sound here. Together with Bank's organs, he makes the heavy parts sound really heavy, The Knife and the finale of Giant Hogweed can bring many early hard rock bands to shame. Gabriel's passionate singing rounds it off; he doesn't hit one wrong note and has enough passion to match the intensity his fellow musicians are laying down here.

I was very surprised by the low rating this album has received so far, especially the issues with the production astonish me. Even an inferior vinyl pressing or low bit rate mp3's couldn't possibly hide the adrenaline that was captured to tape. I've known this one from the original vinyl and the definite edition remaster and they both sound absolutely fantastic: detailed, full, organic and powerful, very much like what Änglagard, Anekdoten and Sinkadus recreated in the 90's.

For me this is one of the few live albums in my vaults that I'd call essential. For today's standards it is quite short and I'm a bit disappointed that no other live material has surfaced from this tour, it would have been great to have Seven Stones or The Fountain of Salmacis here as well. The Archive box and the 1977 live album Second's Out are great as well, but none of those matches the fire that burned in this performance. 4.5 stars

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