NURSERY CRYME

I'm surprised that this album is held in such high regard here in PA (number 12 on the Top Albums of all time!). I think it is the worst of the classic Genesis period (and even Trespass is much better).

The famous "The Musical Box" (rating 7.5 / 8) is a song that starts slow, subdued, intimate and stays in this mood (monotonous at times) for almost 4 minutes; then comes the rock instrumental part, where the musicians show off their virtuosity, and Collins (more than Hackett) proves his worth, characterising the Genesis sound with his jazzy rhythm. The track goes on for up to 10 minutes, alternating beautiful instrumental progressions with stunted sung pieces. Overall, it does not take off, never reaching a climax.

"For Absent Friends" (6.5) is an acoustic piece of less than two minutes, beautiful in its singing, but without development. "The Return of the Giant Hogweed" (rating 8) starts with a nice rock rhythm in which Banks and Collins give their best. It lacks a melody, everything is based on a rhythm that continues very pompous; after 5 minutes the song pauses, the rhythm becomes slower and the sound intimate; but then it ends with a pompous ending. It is the best song on the album, but something is missing to consider it an absolute masterpiece. End of side A.

"Seven Stones" (rating 7.5/8) is a 5-minute ballad with a good progression in which romantic epic moments and rock moments alternate with many changes of rhythm. "Harold the Barrel" (rated 7+) is a pop song, with the atmosphere of a variety song. It shows Peter Gabriel's ironic/satirical streak. The three-minute song 'Harlequin' is the worst song on the album, being cloying (rating 6+). The last song, 'The Fountain of Salmacis' (rating 7.5) closes the LP. It is the third long song (8 minutes) after Musical Box and Giant Hogweed, and like the other two is pompous and magniloquent. Gabriel's vocals are strangely in the background, Banks' keyboard, as usual, drives the music (again more rhythm than melody); in the instrumental parts the bass solo can be heard.

The album is not very inspired: on a melodic level it is definitely inferior to Trespass. It requires very careful listening and on the whole does not linger in the mind, it is too elaborate and forced in many parts. There are good songs, but they are not true masterpieces (not even Musical Box). The technical expertise, especially in the instrumental parts, partly compensates for the poor melodic vein. I think this record is very overrated, probably because it is the first with the line-up most beloved by Genesis fans. In my opinion, it is a transitional album: after the excellent Trespass, a linear, inspired, compact, melodically beautiful album, Nursery Crime tries new paths (which will be developed in the following albums) by focusing less on melody and more on technical rate. Where Trespass is melodically sublime in its epicness, Nursery Crime is very pumped up thanks to frenzied rhythms: therein lies the difference between inspiration and technique.

Average song quality: 7.29 Album rating: 7.5. Three stars.