FROM GENESIS TO REVELATION

The band was discovered by Jonathan King, who also suggested the name Genesis his first suggestion was... (drum roll) Gabriel's Angels... By God! The name 'Genesis' might have made music shops place the band's records in a gospel aisle, but imagine, how it would've been like listening to The Musical Box by Gabriel's Angels.

Let's put the story of origin aside and centre on the music. If you haven't heard the album yet (but you are a Genesis fan), you might be somewhat stunned by the musical content. However, if you keep in mind, that the band's (Banks, Rutherford, Gabriel, Phillips - guitar & Stewart - drums, soon replaced by John Silver) style could be easily described as cheap Beatles' lookalikes and that none of them had hardly any studio experience (their age spanning from 16 to 18), you might be slightly more aware of what you are going to face.

And what are you going to face? A pop-folk attempt to create musicians out of schoolmates. Three-minute songs, piano and acoustic driven melodies, naive lyrics (Don't get me wrong I think I'm in love But the feeling in the word is more Than your crystal eyes will ever see in me) and awful quality of everything but Banks' piano and Gabriel's voice.

But there is something intriguing in this pseudo-concept arrangement (the songs are merged with one another to create a conceptual feel) of thirteen nearly indistinctive pop songs. No, it's not the touch of the Genesis we know emerging, because it is almost impossible to find any similarities with the band's latter albums. Nonetheless, if you listen closely you may find something new coming up - The Serpent, for instance sounds like a pop reincarnation of The Doors, and the overall style of the album is very climactic, yet tranquil at the same time, with The Conqueror being the most energetic song of 'From Genesis...' and perhaps the only, that gives a tiny insight into the future of the band (lively, fantasy-themed songs).

Apart from the songs I mentioned earlier, I particularly enjoy the opening Where the Sour Turns To Sweet (kinda strange listening to Gabriel singing: 'Paint your face all white to show the peace inside'), In the Wilderness and One Day (despite it's cheesy lyrics and cheap trumpets).

If it weren't for Gabriel's voice, I'd say it's yet another band imitating the style of The Beatles (which were on the way to ruin by that time). But.. I really like this album playing at night, when I get ready to sleep - Genesis would never get any calmer than this.

Best Song: Ummmm... The Serpent? (because it sounds almost like real rock, thanks to the organs and guitar riffs - albeit scarce)

Worst Songs: everything I haven't mentioned in the review, but believe me - the difference between the best and the worst songs on this album isn't really that big.

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