NURSERY CRYME

Love at first listen. Not something you hear too often is it? Well I haven't said it very often. "Nursery Cryme" is one of the very few albums that captivated me right from the first time I have ever heard it. This was the first album to be made with the full "classic" line-up on board, and that made for an excellent show here.

What better way to open up an album with one the best songs of your career? There is no better way. Genesis do that right here with "The Musical Box", the 10 minute mini- epic that starts this journey into a musical heaven. The opening is an amazing quiet, subtle piece of music with great flute playing and a real nice chord progression. The vocals continue in a soft manner until around six minutes in when everything breaks loose and some organized chaos ensues. Banks uses his keyboards as sort of a staircase on which the climax rises. Truly an impressive track. "For Absent Friends" is a solo vocal by Phil Collins, and although i do detest the man's voice I have to admit this song is a very guilty pleasure for me. It has a very 'old days of Britain' feel to it and there is some great work on the keys. "The Return of the Giant Hogweed" is a much heavier song than its predecessor, and this is evident right from the beginning. It opens up with Steve Hackett and Tony Banks 'racing' their respective instruments and soon slows down for an amazing vocal performance by Gabriel. One of the best of their career actually.

"Seven Stones" is the concept song of all concept songs. The mellotron creates a nice opening atmosphere while the whole song is played purposely out of tune. It makes for a nice and energetic number that somehow manages to fall into place perfectly. "Harold The Barrel" is when they first unleash their terribly tricky humor on the masses, and although many don't understand the underlying message this is probably the most accessible song on the album. It is also one of my personal favorite Genesis songs of all time. "Harlequin" is the next song, and every time it starts I think it is Jon Anderson singing a song off of Yes' debut album. This is an amazing harmonization between Gabriel and Collins and everyone seems to miss the importance of the 12 string in there, which really brings the song together. "The Fountain of Salmacis" ends the album with a bang! Steve Hackett is at his very best here in the album closer, and he delivers one of the greatest studio solos of his career with Genesis. This one song is worth buying the album for, let me put it that way.

Usually I end my reviews with a paragraph to sum everything up or justify my rating or something of that sort but I really can't do that with this album. This is a masterpiece beyond words. You cannot even begin to describe what is projected on this album. The only way to understand to listen for yourselves.