FROM GENESIS TO REVELATION

Genesis debut album (1969) has taken inspiration from the Bible, thanks to the producer J. King. It is an immature and very pretentious album in music and lyrics, but full of creativity. It takes inspiration from pop (Beatles, Kinks, Rolling Stones), orchestral songs (50s style), psychedelic rock (Pink Floyd), classic music (Procol Harum, Moody Blues), soul and blues (Cream) and, for the singing, from the voice hoarse and vibrato of Roger Chapman (Family).

"Where the Sour Turns to Sweet" is an orchestral song, 50s style; "In the Beginning" has a beat sound, quite psychedelic (inspired by Pink Floyd?). In this song Gabriel's voice emerges; "Fireside" starts with a piano intro that shows the emerging Banks talent; it's a cloying song. "The Serpent" has a good rhythm, good Rutherford bass (drums by Silver are in the backgriund) and engaged progression. May be the best song of the Lp. "Am I Very Wrong?" is another well done song, with chorus similar to Mersey beat (Kinks? Beatles?). "In the Wilderness", with the piano played by Banks closes the second side, and take the scene with the string arrangements. Too much pretentious.

Opens side B "The conqueror", beat song with an arrangement quite psychedelic but very monotonous. "In Hiding" with the voice of Gabriel in evidence, is another orchestral song, too much orchestred (if Genesis had George Martin writing the notes of the strings and producing the music...). "One Day" again starts with the string arrangement, then arrives the brass arrangement: it is a very pompous song. The last two songs have a good melody but the arrangement ruins the result. "Window" has maybe the most progressive arrangement, in the beginning, but soon become an orchestral song; "In Limbo" is a beat song, with a good piano, is one of the best tracks. "Silent Sun" is a beat song with a good melody, "A Place to Call My Own" is the last song, a romantic piano ballad.

In this record Genesis are not a progressive rock band, but a band that show a talent for the melody and the beat rhythm, with an orchestral arrangement. The talent of the musicians in playing their instrument has not yet blossomed (Anthony Phillips is wasted on this Lp, doing only rearguard work with the acoustic rhythm guitar) and the songs are limited to orchestrating a pretty melody, but they are almost always swollen, out of focus, and with the string arrangement too much in evidence. Compared to their contemporary progressive rock bands, the Genesis debut album is of much lower quality than the debut of Family, Van der Graaf Generator, King Crimson, Gentle Giant, while it is similar to that of Yes. These correspondence will be significant.

Vote of the album: 7 Two (and a half) stars.