SELLING ENGLAND BY THE POUND

"Selling England by The Pound" might not be Genesis magnum opus (Supper's Ready) or their most ambitious work (The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway) but it is their most complete work and one that shows what the members were capable of, mainly Tony Banks, Steve Hackett and Phil Collins which have what I consider their best instrumental work.

The romantic mood of the album is set right away with "Dancing with the Moonlit Knight" with its English lament lyrics, but the song evolves into a powerful section in which Steve Hackett shows his minimalist power making early sweep picking and tapping licks, only to link the song again with Gabriel's lyrics and give the song and finishing blow.

"I Know What I Like" is arguably the poppier song that Genesis made until much later, and it's kinda fun, the character and the sounds of the lawnmower are kinda charismatic (but not as the other Genesis characters), and the chorus of the song are for instant chanting, it would be a better song if it had more normal lyrics (but I love the Genesis quirks).

"Firth Of Fifth" is Tony Banks highest achievement, the intro is pure classical, or a miniclassical piece If I dare, and the lyrics are one of my favorite in Genesis "The river of constant change" always gets me chills. Among the other highlights of this great track are Gabriel's flute solo, very romantic and quiet, but it is gracefully quoted by Hackett in easily one of the best guitar solos of all time, not a flashy or fast solo but a solo to cry of joy to.

The record goes down a bit in the following tracks: "More Fool Me" is a Rutherford/Collins ballad, I don't mind Collins' singing, but I prefer his performance in "For Absent Friends", it can be kinda boring or off putting after the massive "Firth Of Fifth". "The Battle Of Epping Forest" is good, but it is too long for what it is and somewhat repetitive, it gets old to quickly, It doesnt´t grow as the other tracks on the album. After The Ordeal is also good, but not the best Hackett instrumental in my opinion.

But the lesser tracks only give momentum to the best track of the record, "The Cinema Show" that is divided in two parts. The first part is a pastoral, calm piece, with great vocal harmonies between Collins and Gabriel (Genesis was never a group of vocal harmonies really, but they do a good job for their parts) and the 12 string guitars shine until part two of the song, easily my favourite Genesis instrumental, with a tight rhythm section by Collins and Rutherford, which I consider Phil Collins best drum performance of his whole career, forget "In the Air Tonight" and listen to his chops on this track, easily one of the greatest drummers of all time. Tony Banks also has one of his best keyboard solos on the ARP synth, made stronger with the Mellotron and Hammond Organ, a really great solo considering its almost 4 minutes long. Don't forget Rutherford's double neck playing, he was a tight rhythm section and he's pretty solid keeping time in 7/8, underrated musician.

The album bookends with "Aisle of Plenty" which I really dislike the fact that is not in the same track as "The Cinema Show" as they don't work separately, but anyways, a magical way of closing a great album.

In a progressive context, I give this album 5 stars, a cornerstone of the prog rock movement and really a prog classic. In a more general point of view It would be 4 to 4.5 stars, as there are non-prog albums that maybe are better.