FOXTROT

Of the conventional 'big three' giants of the symphonic prog sub-genre (K.C, Yes & Genesis), Im pretty unabashed at rating the latter above the other two. In large part because of this album which is the pinnacle of their achievement, a brillient unsurpassable masterpiece. Following this logic: if Foxtrot is Genesis's best work, if Genesis is the perfect symphonic band and if symphonic prog is the 'queen' of the progressive sub-genres then it stands to reason that Foxtrot is the epitome and paragon of progressive music. Hows that for throwing down the gauntlet?

Why you ask? Its quite simple. The unified and flawless nature of Foxtrot put it in a class shared by precious few other albums. Unlike Nursery Cryme and Selling England, there are no throwaways on Foxtrot. All the tracks are tight, strong and see the band playing at the peak their powers. Above all, Gabriel and company now sound markedly more confident and assertive showng the Hackett and Collins have gelled seemlessly with the rest of the band. Secondly, Genesis has a talent for creating warm and inviting music whch I believe stands at odds with the remoteness of bands like Yes. Foxtrot fully displays this character, continuing the feel of Nursery and Selling E. Thirdly, Foxtrot actually rocks! Witness the opener Watcher of the Skies and Can-Utility, both of which see Rutherford's bass come to the fore. Thirdly, the lyrical content of Foxtrot is the strongest of their career, most songs displaying a nihilistic bent about the futility of human achivement and a mixture of admiration and nostalgia for times gone by.

The final track, Supper's Ready, the epic of all 20 min epics, is not as much a song as an incredible journey. At times delicate, at times tense, at times silly it is at all times gripping and entertaining. Ultimately, its the story of one man's spiritual awakening based on the real life experience of Peter Gabriel. The genius of Supper's Ready is it makes the metaphysical content warm, theatrical and inviting. The majestic climax with Gabriel singing like a modern-day messiah, Banks' keyboard washes and Hackett's souring guitar is indeed a one-of-a-kind experience. This powerful blend of religious ecstasy and sonic bombast fills my eyes with tears of joy.