A TRICK OF THE TAIL

The year 1976 brought us a new Genesis. Gone was their beloved lead singer Peter Gabriel who would venture into a successful solo career and now the vocals come forward from behind the drum set. Along with Gabriel's departure came a new and refreshing Genesis sound, a hybrid of sorts mixing the almost medieval and symphonic sound of their past with a more modern approach to songwriting, plus a much better recording production.

I must say the band did quite wonderful on their own with Phil Collins taking the lead. There isn't a weak song, nor a pinch of filler on A Trick of the Tail, albeit a slight nod towards the radio-friendly side of things. The music is quite original, even if not as complicated as some of their earlier masterpieces (with the exception of Dance on a Volcano). The topics are all interesting and there's even a bit of subtle humor in places. I find that Banks' keyboard work seems to dominate in the mix.

This is definitely not as good as their 1970-1973 period, but it certainly is a masterpiece nonetheless. Easily another five star effort from this amazing band. Highly recommended and essential.