TRESPASS

"Looking for someone, I guess I'm doing that" - is the best opening lyric and vocal interpretation on any Prog album - ever! PETER is in primo, plaintive voice. Simply put, this album is historic. I readily admit it does not reach the soaring heights of FOXTROT, but good God, these boys were just teenagers when they wrote and recorded this! TRESPASS laid the foundation for the next five GENESIS albums (and beyond, really). There is not a weak song on this album, it's just that some are more awesome than others. I also conceed the usual complaints about this album, e.g. sloppy-choppy sound recording, better production would have been in order, and the drums . . . John Mayhew is no Phil Collins. But these lads expanded their minds and poured out some of the most amazing musical ideas. They raised the bar for themselves and for all future Progers. When you take into account that the year was 1970 and that they were barely shaving, I think you will be floored by this landmark work. The highly touted THE KNIFE is brilliant, crunching music; complex and diverse. But for my money STAGNATION is the best song, and the best epitome of the "early Genesis" sound - great 12-string work, varying themes and tempos. I read one reviewer who wrote that he would have loved to have heard this album with Steve Hackett and Phil Collins in their usual seats. I would agree with him about Phil on drums. But for me, the far more interesting "what if" would have been to see ANTHONY PHILLIPS stay in the line-up for another album or two. We all already know the fine contribution Steve made to the band. But if you are familiar with the solo work of AP, listening to TRESPASS makes it clear that he was THE driving influence on their musical sensibilities. How that would have played out with a little more time and Mr Collins behind the kit, both boggles the mind and saddens me for the fact that it didn't happen. FOXTROT is the band's crowning achievement. TRESPASS is the genesis of their sound and influence, for ever and ever. And let all who agree respond - AMEN!