DUKE

"Duke" is probably the last Genesis album that deserves to be inside a respectable progressive collection. "Duke" sound is a mixture of classical early 70's progressive with the commercial air of the 80's decade. In this new album, Genesis decides to focus its music on new fans by a more accessible style to be played on radio stations but always preserving its artistic essence.

Probably Duke is not a representative album in progressive rock history but it is clear that this is an important album in the band's history. This album is made of commercial musical mixed with progressive ingredients that cause nostalgia. Duke has excellent arrangements in percussion that evoke "A Trick of The Tail" even with the sound of the program drum machine. The voice of Phil Collins is exceptional. Tony Banks' keyboards have a much more modern atmosphere than their sound in the 70's. This allows the band to have a more accessible and dynamic sound. Hackett's absence as guitarist and composer is evident. That is why this album presents poor arrangements in strings and sometimes poor compositions lacking musical emotion. Even considering all these weak points, I admit that the essence of the old dying Genesis still refuses to die.

Genesis faces a radical change. The cover of the album is aside from the enigmatic covers on previous albums. They decided to include the cartoon of a character known as "Albert", who is in a children's book called "L'Alphabet D'Albert" written by Lionel Koechlin.

Duke is not an entirely conceptual album; however, a story can be distinguished when listening to the tracks: "Behind The Lines", "Turn it on again", "Duke's Travels" and "Duke's end". This is the story of a character whose dream is being famous and having a hit in the radio. At the end of the story the character makes a one-way travel. He disappears and he alleges that nobody will understand his decision but he needed to do it. It can be interpreted as the death of the progressive era and the majestic last ten minutes of the album prove that the band still had the courage for composing exceptional music.

Just as "Selling England By The Pound" and "A Trick of The Tail", Duke begins with an entirely progressive and delicious instrumental intro in "Behind The Lines" that reminds the end of the last track: "Duke's end". "Duchess" is a catchy track and the first one in the history of the band in which they decided to use machine drumming. "Man of Times" is a dark and experimental track, with a very complex percussion that evokes the style of eventual bands like Enchant and Magellan, from the decade of the 90's. "Heathaze" is a nostalgic track with the sound of the way Genesis should've sound in "And then there were three" album. "Cul-of-sac" it is a lightly commercial track with catchy musical arrangements. "Misunderstanding" and "Turn it on" again are very commercial tracks that are far from being an important musical contribution. "Alone Tonight" and "Please don't ask" are ordinary but pleasant pop tracks.

The best part in the album is in the last ten minutes when Genesis, with a majestic composition, decides to say good-bye to the old fans of the golden progressive era. In this way, the excellent epic "Duke's travel / Duke's end" has become one of the best compositions that this band has ever performed. The main character travels looking for his fame and glory, but in one specific moment he decides to continue alone in his journey and says good-bye to all. No one would understand his decision but there is no other option. So, he is damned to continue alone in his journey.

An elegant end for such a respectable band!

LONG LIVE GENESIS!!! Good progressions!

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