WIND & WUTHERING

'Wind And Wuthering' is another studio album of Genesis that closes one more musical cycle in the life of this great band. This is the album that closes the Steve Hackett's cycle. Hackett left the group in 1977 after their acclaimed second live album 'Seconds Out' released in 1977, which became his final release with Genesis. Once again, the group decided not to replace the lack of another band's member. So, Mike Rutherford took the guitar and bass duties in the studio. During their live performances, he alternated guitar and bass duties with the American session musician Daryl Stuermer, which became with Chester Thompson a permanent live band's member. This represents also a landmark in Genesis' career, because for many fans, 'Wind And Wuthering' represents the last truly great and prog album of them.

'Wind And Wuthering' is the eighth studio album of Genesis and was released also in 1976, like their seventh studio work 'A Trick Of The Tail'. The album has nine tracks. The first track 'Eleventh Earl Of Mar' written by Tony Banks, Mike Rutherford and Steve Hackett is a typical Genesis opening track. It's a fantastic song to open the album and the music was composed in the basic style of Genesis' music. Musically, it's a complex song and is a kind of a return to their musical past. The second track 'One For The Vine' written by Banks is another fantastic song, totally different from the previous one, but with the same quality level. It's a wonderful and melodic song where the music is very rich in arrangements and that combines various styles. For my taste, this is one of the best and most beautiful compositions written by Banks. This is the main reason why Banks is with Hackett one of my favourite elements of Genesis. The third track 'Your Own Special Way' written by Rutherford is, for me, the weakest track on the album, and despite being written by Rutherford, looks more like a song composed by Collins. However and despite be a very good ballad with great melody, is like the title track of 'A Trick Of The Tail'. Both are in an inferior level and both are somewhat out of the high quality of both albums. The fourth track 'Wot Gorilla?' written by Banks and Collins is an instrumental track and is the smallest song on the album. It's a great instrumental track which gives to each band's member a chance to show what they really can do musically, and it reminds us, how great and brilliant these four musicians are. The fifth track 'All In A Mouse's Night' written by Banks is one of the band's more interesting songs and is one of my favourites too. Musically, it's a complex song with excellent combination of high and low points and it has also delightful lyrics. It's the kind of songs that use the very typical progressive method created by Genesis. The sixth track 'Blood On The Rooftops' written by Hackett and Collins is another fantastic song of this album, and is, as I remember, one of the best songs co-written by Collins on the band. This is a very pretty track with beautiful classical guitar introduction very well accompanied by the mellotron and the melodious Collins' voice. This is a very English beautiful and melancholic song. The lyrics are very contemporary and satirical. The seventh track 'Unquiet Slumbers For The Sleepers'' written by Hackett and Rutherford and the eighth track ''In That Quiet Earth' written by Banks, Hackett, Collins and Rutherford are in fact a single song that are only split because of its copyright. This is really a fantastic and energetic instrumental track, is one of the favourite songs of the fans and is one of my favourite tracks too. We even can say that this instrumental song is in the same vein of 'Los Endos' of 'A Trick Of The Tail'. The ninth and last track 'Afterglow' written by Banks represents the grand final for this fantastic and unforgettable musical work. This is one of the most majestic themes ever composed by Banks, and so, no wonders that this is for him one of his favourite Genesis' songs. We can consider that 'Afterglow' is the atmospheric, relaxing and magical moment of this great album. It's the third and final part of three fantastic suite pieces of music which closes this album with a really great musical atmosphere.

Conclusion: 'Wind And Wuthering' always was one of my favourite albums of Genesis. It's one of the most perfects, complexes, progressive and beautiful albums released by them too. Unfortunately, it's also the last studio album with the participation of Hackett, which would prove to be fatal for the end of the progressive music in Genesis. 'Wind And Wuthering' is also the last masterpiece of the group, and surely it wasn't irrelevant the presence of Hackett on the album. If we compare 'Wind And Wuthering' with 'A Trick Of The Tail', the only two studio albums from Genesis without Gabriel and still with Hackett on board, we will realise that 'Wind And Wuthering' is probably better arranged, less romantic and less gentle than its predecessor. With the last notes of 'Afterglow' ends a wonderful book that began with the words 'Looking For Someone' on 'Trespass', and panned seven years full of glorious tales. Soon enough, the remaining trio would already to seal the story with pop music with good quality and sometimes, with a touch of prog. However, it never was the same. They achieved a lot of success in their career, but prog was almost dead from now on.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

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