FOXTROT

I'm going to dedicate my first 3 reviews to those albums that have had the biggest impact on me and have permanently changed my musical tastes. My first review is dedicated to the album (or more specifically the 23 min epic that is "Supper's Ready") that got me into prog in general and turned me from someone who was meh about music into a real music lover!

But first things first I need to cover the other 5 songs found on Foxtrot! "Watcher of the Skies" starts with a blast of Organ and Mellotron which lasts for around 2 minutes until the drums come in and the song really starts. If I was forced to pick the weakest part of the album then it would this part as it's just too repetitive and droning. The rest of the song however is great and it has lots of bouncy and catchy tunes. In fact once I hear this song it's often stuck in my head for the rest of the day!

"Time Table" is a underrated song which is probably because it's much slower and quieter compared with the majority of this album (although the chorus still has some energy). It's a very reflective and nostalgic song (both musically and lyrically) and I often find myself daydreaming when I listen to it (in a good way!)...

"Get Em Out by Friday" is the "The Return of the Giant Hogweed" or "The Battle of Epping Forest" of Foxtrot. It's the boldest and wackiest song here and it gives Peter Gabriel his chance to show off his silly (but kind of funny) accents. It's a fun prog song, but my favourite part is the middle section where there is a lovely flute solo and more serene atmosphere.

"Can-Utility and the Coastliners" is for me the second best song here and is a mini masterpiece in its own right. There are a lot of sections packed into this song that come in at a fast paced rate, but they have been wonderfully intertwined so that there is real momentum in this song which climaxes at the end. One of Genesis best songs IMO!

"Horizons" is a tranquil acoustic interlude by Steve Hackett that leads on to...

"Supper's Ready" is my favourite song of all time so it's very difficult for me to be objective about this song. Its not like most 20+ epics as there aren't as many extended solos and it is driven much more by a lyrical storyline. I think it's the focused structure along with lyrics that don't sound out of place with the main theme (Revelation is full of strange symbolisms) that let me listen to this song without ever losing focus. I have to say that the euphoria ending is for me the greatest piece of music I have ever heard and probably will ever hear!!! The only other thing I can add is that my 2008 Remaster version is 23:06 long not 22:58. The extra 8 seconds are just an extension of the fading outro.

Because of "Supper's Ready" Foxtrot is possibly my favourite album of all time, only Yes's Relayer rivals it (my next review...). However outside the epic the rest of the album is strong 4 star material. If you want Genesis at their most consistent then Selling England by the Pound is your best bet! But for me this album is essential for the sake of owning "Supper's Ready".

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