TRESPASS

For this listener, there is no doubt that Genesis's Trespass is one of the most outstanding progressive rock albums in the genre. I know that for some, this album fails to achieve the heights of Nursery Cryme, Foxtrot, Selling, and Lamb, but I believe it holds its own among these five-star classics. Like all these albums (and any prog rock classic), this album rewards repeated listening. Each time I listen to this CD, I discover something new--some tasteful bit of acoustic guitar arpeggio, or some lyric that I hadn't really thought about before. And like all Gabriel-era compositions, the songs on this album are intensely personal and are meant to be closely listened to.

"Looking For Someone" sets the tone of the entire album, developing the theme that can be described as the plight of the spiritual seeker in a world that seems devoid of any benevolent spirit and that has been corrupted by the struggle for power. In each piece, the "hero's" idealism is met with bleakness or death, but he nonetheless holds on to his ideals and beliefs. And while this may seem like a depressing experience, it's actually quite cathartic to connect with an artist who can communicate this outlook so well. It actually gives you a sort of hope and consolation.

The way the songs are arranged is one factor that makes this album such a powerful experience. After the stunning complexity of "Stagnation," the album segues into the meditative classic "Dusk" that, for this listener, is one of the most awe-provoking compositions in this or any other band's repertoire. Finally, and this is an interesting choice, the band has chosen to end with the more rocking "The Knife," which quickly dissipates the solemnity of "Dusk" not with a song of hope, but with a return to the theme of corruption: giving your life (and killing children) in the name of "righteousness" that is really a disguise for tyranny.

When the album is over, the listener is left transformed by the journey and emotionally exhausted, which is really what great prog rock, and great art, is all about.