GENESIS

Maybe it was Mama in mind of Phil Collins, who've just had a divorce few years before releasing this album, for naming it as a debut name Genesis and maybe it was a plan for a new beginning, going back to mama where it all begins. Or maybe his mama was lost, because he sings I can't see you mama or maybe he was lost himself. On the other hand, mama is probably his divorced wife because he sings: ''Now I can't keep you mama'', ''So get down, down here beside me''...

Anyhow, That's Allready 12th studio album of Genesis, despite the name it has, and it was a huge success and their absolutely biggest sell-out so far. It sold for example double platinum in UK and four times platinum in US. So they actually did go back to mama, called it a new beginning and started it all over again.

Genesis was like Home by the Sea in Pop music that was their new image, a new musical way to big sales and big success. And yes, pop it is, from the very beginning to the very end, with all the drumming machines, constant, easy beats, mellow melodies, catchy and simple vocal lines, disco sounds... After this Genesis wasn't anymore separable from the numerous pop groups emerged in 80's. It was all the same radio play stuff.

In progressive circles Genesis became an Illegal Alien with their new direction that actually had already begun at their previous albums. The old faithful fans abandoned Genesis by masses - Genesis became the accursed band numer one. I cannot blame them - me myself was a teenager back in 80's and for me Genesis was a total ignorance, nothing, just another annoying airplay when you turn off the radio.

But Taking It All Too Hard would be stupid, because there's a time and place for everything - at older age it's sometimes actually nice to listen some 80's pop, to take a trip back to the youth, back to that interesting decade when all the music was the same overly mellow and sweet disco pop. And Genesis' debut is one perfect album for that purpose.

I wouldn't say Genesis had Just a Job to Do when making this album, because it's pretty good - of course considering the genre it is. There's no bad songs but every song is at least decent: Mama, a slowly developing easy beat repetition - a nice song. That's All, a mellow love song with a catchy and inventive vocal melody, Home by the Seas continuing the same thing... And the same nice stuff it it to the end - well performed pop with some inventive, catchy melodies and tricks. Maybe the best thing here is the humor, irony they've inserted in their songs somehow. But if there's no highlights, there's no Silver Rainbows either. Even if they did all they can, there's not a single hit. Only Mama succeeded decently in UK (fourth), if that's the indicator.

''It's Gonna Get Better'' they probably have said, for the next two albums of Genesis were even bigger sell-outs. For an ordinary progger it may be just the opposite... actually, who cares!