A TRICK OF THE TAIL

Being released in a year in which Progressive Rock wasn't on its highest peak as it was in the first half of the 1970s, "A trick of the tail" became an absolute classic, not only because of the songs in it but because of what the whole album represents: the evidence that even without the most famous member of a band if the remain musicians are as creative and talented as COLLINS, BANKS, RUTHERFORD and HACKETT, the results will be nothing to complain about.

"Dance on a volcano" is an amazing way to start the album: it is a strong melody with a very recognizable riff that comes and goes for almost the entire song, great and powerful structure combined with the unmistakable voice of COLLINS. "Entangled" is mostly an acoustic song with very harmonic vocals and very subtle keyboard notes that increase reaching the end. "Squonk" is probably my favorite song in the album: the rhythm is slow but very powerful and consistent at the same time; probably one of the best drum lines played by Phil COLLINS. "Mad man Moon" is a delightful ballad mostly led by keyboards and drums with very elegant guitar lines in the background.

"Robbery, assault and battery" starts as an average rock song with a very predictable rhythm but near the middle of the song it changes to a much more experimental instrumental section which gives the song its Progressive nature. "Ripples" is absolutely beautiful: just as "Entangled", it is a mostly acoustic song but this song has a much more recognizable melody and (I think) a much nicer arrangement; at the middle of the song it changes to a more energic instrumental led by BANKS' piano until it returns to its original melody but this time with a much more strong rock arrangement.

"A trick of the tail" is actually the shortest song on the album, it reminds me a little of YES' "A venture" but with a much more powerful structure, it is evident that the album is close to its end. "Los Endos" starts with an instrumental section and then it brings back the melody of "Dance on a volcano" as if it was a coda to the album; the song continues with excellent bass and drum lines until the rhythm slows a little bringing another fragment of the volcano only before it starts reviving "Squonk". This is an excellent instrumental track that closes the album in a very creative way.

Even when the absence of GABRIEL was notorious, it didn't make this anything of a bad album, actually, this is probably one of the greatest albums in GENESIS discography. There are no weak points in this masterpiece.

SONG RATING: Dance on a volcano, 5 Entangled, 5 Squonk, 5 Mad man Moon, 5 Robbery, assault and battery, 5 Ripples, 5 A trick of the tail, 5 Los Endos, 5

AVERAGE: 5

PERCENTAGE: 100

ALBUM RATING: 5 stars

I ranked this album #15 on my TOP 100 favorite Progressive Rock albums of all time.

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