DUKE

Picking up GENESIS from "A TRICK OF THE TAIL" I fell in love with them instantly. In 1980 they released an album called DUKE. Upon first spin I was a little confussed. This is the same band that put out such wonderfully engaging songs as MAD MAN MOON and LOS ENDOS wasn't it ?

DUKE is not your daddy's GENESIS. This was something else. Commercial, pop tunes from the masters? What happened to the thick and earthy sound of ROBBERY,ASSUALT AND BATTERY and the compelling angst of SQUONK ?

What the band did was srtip themselves of what they felt were uneeded restrictions that would tie them to the ground of the genre. Yet, some real powerful and daring material is encased within the framework of this otherwise pop CD.

MAN OF OUR TIMES reminds you that Phil and company are still capable of the blowout prog numbers from the past with a more contemporary (for that time) twist. Banks makes full use of his mellotron and Rutherford's deep and vibrating bass pedals rear their head in a way not experienced (production value folks...) on previous outings.

The showpiece is obviously the feverishly played DUKE'S TRAVELS which starts out like a small wave with Tony's whispy keyboard intro which soon gives way to Phil's amazing drums which don't blast in (as Phil Likes to do) but rather, roll in like a gathering storm. Of that comes Banks accompanied by Rutherford and those helacious bass pedals. You are swept up in the tsunami before you know it and by (play on titles here) Duke's end you are left feeling a sense of well... utter satisfaction and then you start it over for another ride. Other noteworthy tracks include: DUCHESS though not terribly prog, it is a gorgeous song, CUL DE SAC, HEATHAZE AND ALONE TONIGHT. If there could be a true description of "Neo - Prog" I'd think it would describe a style, not a band. Genesis probably(and I'm just guessing here) put out the first "Neo - Prog" album with this release.

This is also, incidently, the last album GENESIS was still recognizable as GENESIS before they became "Phil Collins... with Genesis."

I like this album alot and think it's worth adding to any collection even if you are so old school prog that you were in class the day the first note was played.