Trick Of The Tail Or Wind & Wuthering

Hardd question for some, but easy for me, lets see the reasons:

• A Trick of the Tail: A very transitional album, very friendly, less atmospheric  and mysterious than early Genesis, but closer to Selling England by the Pound which is not one of my favorites. The lyrics are very poetic but somehow remind me of fairy tales, too soft for my taste and Phil tries sohard to sound like Gabriel that annoys me. Good but not excellent.
• Wind & Wuthering: A return to the roots, closer to Foxtrot and Nursery Cryme than to SEBTP or The Lamb (Nothing is close to The Lamb because it's unique in Genesis career), very atmospheric, dark and a bit mysterious, even the lyrics are oriented towards History (Eleventh Earl of Mar), Revolutions (One for the Vine) and Sarcastics like All in a Mouse Night. Steve collaborated with this albums as no other before. Despite Your Own Special Way W&W is almost a Gabriel era album without Gabriel.

So my vote goes for Wind & Wuthering.

Iván

Snow Dog wrote: Yes-Fan wrote: I still can decide which I like more. Well neither can I then Two completely different albums which I like equally depending on my mood

RIGHT!!! Made my mind up!!!! (who cares I hear you cry) Its A Trick Of The Tail for me.....*sings*  oh they got no horns and they got no tails, they dont even know of our existence........Think I saw them do that on Top Of THe Pops (did I?) Anyway I think its a far more consistent and atmospheric album.

maani wrote: That is definitely one of the most difficult choices I have ever been given.  Ultimately, my choice has to be "sentimental" rather than musical, so W&W it is.  There is just something about that album - something about the overall "sound" and "feeling" - that sets it apart from every other Genesis album. Peace.

It is unique in 'sound' and 'feel' as you say. I remember the first time I heard that album I had to double check the date of the release on the sleeve notes. It did not sound like an album produced in 1977!! Way ahead of its time. It's also Tony Banks' finest hour IMO. One for the Vine took him a year to write, and it took me a year to get into. Now when I hear it, it always moves me.

Another one for A TRICK OF THE TAIL

While Wind & Wuthering may have had the best song in between the two of them (One For The Vine), A Trick of the Tail is overall much more solid, IMO. Dance On A Volcano, Entangled, Squonk, Mad Man Moon, Ripples, Los Endos... that's a hard combination to beat.

WAW would have been flawless IMO if it had not been for 'Your own special way' which I thought was innapropriate for the album, and Wot Gorilla which was a time waster. Steve Hackett had his song 'Please dont touch' rejected by the band. They thought Wot Gorilla was better  I guess they were trying to make Hackett quit at that point.

ATOTT could have done without the title track IMO, and I wouldn't have been hearbroken if 'Robbery Assault & Battery' had been left off either. Apart from those weak moments I think both albums are superb.