NURSERY CRYME

"The Musical Box" has always been hailed as a Genesis masterpiece, but I only enjoy bits and pieces from it... it goes into instrumental-mode too quickly for me, and I prefer the bombastic ending to the heavy middle section (amazing playing there anyway, that goes without saying).

"For Absent Friends" is just a innofensive little song before the second monster, in more than one sense - providing the subject matter: "The Return of the Giant Hogweed", with its lyrics placed within 50's sci-fi territory. Kind of a quirky military march, this one... I've never liked it very much.

Ahhh but then comes "Seven Stones". GORGEOUS song. Emotional and complex, yet simple-sounding, a real pleasure.

"Harold the Barrel" is a funny tune with a very british sense of humor. Many times I share that kind of humor (Monty Python, for instance), sometimes I don't get what they were trying to do. This is sort of in the middle. It's an ok song for me.

And finally, what I consider the real masterpiece here: "The Fountain of Salmacis" and its musical version of the hermaphrodite myth. Extraordinary song and a story well told.

So all in all, for me it comes down to half a good album and half a boring one.

Oh darn, I forgot "Harlequin". That one balances the album towards the boring side. Sorry! My 2.5 will have to fall into a 2. Don't throw stones at me yet! I love the following albums! :P

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