NURSERY CRYME

Although Genesis showed signs of great things to come on their previous album Trespass, it was Nursery Cryme which also heralded the arrival of Phil Collins on Drums that they really began to make their mark. In fact without Collins Genesis may not have developed into the dynamic band that they are here. Despite the musicianship and compostional skills of the other members it was Collins explosive drumming that gave them that extra edge to develop their Symphonic Prog into the complex structures on this album.

What we get here is three long pieces and four shorter tracks. It's the longer tracks that are the album highlights starting in fine style with The Musical Box, amongst the favourites of many fans, myself included. The song starts quietly, moody and atmospheric with some nice guitar arpeggios until Hackett chimes in with some powerful chords followed by Banks on Keyboards and the band explode into the fantastic instrumental mid section before taking it back down for Gabriels next vocal part and then we're off again. The ending has a beautiful slow build and some fantastic vocals from Gabriel. Can it get any better than this? Well not quite but they have a good try.

The very short For Absent Friends is next and is pleasant enough evoking the mood of a cold Sunday early evening in England very nicely. Quickly we're into another highlight, Return of the Giant Hogweed which is one of the bands heavier moments but it still leaves plenty of room for the band to display (what was to become) their trademark dynamics and has a very powerful ending.

The next three tracks aren't quite as memorable but still worthy of inclusion, particularly Seven Stones with some lush keyboard sounds from Banks but the final epic, The Fountain of Salmacis closes Nursery Cryme in fine style with it's mythological lyric content and more superb dynamic playing from the band. Awesome stuff!