A TRICK OF THE TAIL

Sometimes I trend to think this album has been overrated in progressive rock history. I purchase it because I read good reviews and recommendations on several magazines and web sites but.... honestly it did not clicked on me the way I expected.

Personally, I think Genesis is not in their best season! Gabriel has left due to personal reasons and Phil Collins is trying to resurrect a band without a Gabriel's unique voice. I would say that this is the point where this legendary band has started their way down to his sad death in Duke's End... but still fighting to survive!

"A Trick of The Tale" is like turning to a new direction from previous recordings where symphonic elements were present along every album. ATOTH is a fusion between progressive rock, 70's hard rock, and new pop era. The softer tracks are focused on acoustic guitar heading for a popish style and the heavier ones are still technical but not like before. Despite my complaints, I must admit Genesis still has some elements that characterize his celestial and beautiful essence. Let's check it track by track:

"Dance on the Volcano". 8/10. A very enjoyable track. The first 30 seconds evocates Los Endos with its certain symphonic background. I consider this track very enjoyable but I do not like Phil Collins' voice who starts to sing at 1:00 min. Even though, this track returns to its progressive roots after the 4:20 min with Hackett and Tony Banks solos which are extraordinary. The track is not that bad at all but I think it is not cohesive enough. If Peter Gabriel would have sung it would have sound much better but Collins' vocals are not mature enough.

"Entangled" 10/10. It is a catchy mellow ballad that I enjoy a lot. It reminds me of "Colors" from "Shadow Gallery" which is track from "Legacy" album. It is totally acoustic and I think that Phil's vocals fit very well with this style. It has a very interesting keyboard part and chorus arrangements from 4:20 min to the last. This is probably one of the best tracks of this album and one of the Genesis' best tracks.

"Squonk" 7/10. This is a plain pop oriented track with repetitive riffs and soulless vocals. It has some good moments and the track as a whole is good but not exceptional. No solos, no majestic parts, a plain soft track.

"Mad Man Moon": 8/10. A completely different track from anything Genesis had recorded before. It begins with delicate keyboards and fine vocals, at 2:42 minutes we find mellotron passages which I consider annoying and after that it comes the excellent classical keyboard lines. At 4:50, we find a darker part and then the band returns to the tunes of the beginning of the track. This is a very good and enjoyable track, and extremely romantic. Definitely a very good track. "Robbery, Assault and Battery" 7/10. This is one of the hardest tracks to review because it has flaws and also take-breathing annoying instrumental passages that reminds Genesis golden age. The strange combination of repetitive riffs and those progressive arrangements makes the whole track a bittersweet experience. The track begins with a popish riff that reminds me the eighties. However, Phil vocals have an interesting theatrical style. That popish atmosphere finishes by 2:35 min when Tony Banks introduces himself with a phenomenal instrumental section from until 3:55 min. From 4:20 to 4:50 we have a solo by Steve Hackett reminding me "Selling England by the Pound". At the last their same structure at the beginning keeps to the end.

"Ripples." 6/10. A very soft track oriented to a romantic style. The track is not bad at all but it is not enjoyable for a progressive lover. It has an instrumental part from 4:15 to 6:40 which is too long and boring. As a pop track is good but considering it comes from Genesis, it could have been much better.

"A Trick of The Tail" 4/10. Very popish track, enjoyable but lacking musical virtuosity.

"Los Endos" 10/10 is an excellent instrumental track and probably the best of this album. The use of mellotron and the dynamic compositions reminds the finest progressions of this legendary band.

In conclusion, three and a half Stars for a really good but not indispensable album! For fans like me, this album is a real must...

Good Progressions!!!

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