DUKE

'Duke' captures the perfect balance between pop and prog rock. Originally, Genesis intended for 'Duke' to have a side-long suite of music. In the end, that idea didn't come to fruition as they wanted to avoid any "Supper's Ready" comparisons that would arise from writing another 20+ minute epic. Some Genesis fans wish that they had followed through with their original idea, but I think I prefer the 'Duke' album as we know it. With a long epic on one side of the album and pop songs on the other, I feel that the album would be disjointed. 'Duke' is a semi-concept album about a person named Albert. The lyrics of the songs on 'Duke' were written during an extremely difficult period in Phil Collins' life when he was experiencing his first divorce. Unfortunately, the album does feel a bit disjointed at times because many of the tracks sound more like Phil Collins solo songs rather than Genesis songs. Not every moment on 'Duke' feels like a band effort. This is also the first album where Phil Collins starts to oversing from time to time, but not as frequently as he would on subsequent Genesis albums. What makes 'Duke' unique is that it's possibly the most depressing Genesis album. Ironically, it's their brightest sounding album. This creates an interesting juxtaposition between the lyrics and the music.

The album opens with "Behind the Lines," which explodes with bright synth chords and powerful drumming right from the start. It acts as a dramatic overture to the album in a way. The verses have almost a reggae quality. There's a pleasant guitar solo towards the end. "Behind the Lines" bleeds into track two which is "Duchess." The song has an atmospheric start with an electronic drum beat and keyboards. The music then crescendos into the first verse. "Duchess" is one of my favorite Genesis songs and contains a passionate vocal performance from Phil Collins. "Guide Vocal" is a beautiful interlude that is comprised of merely piano and vocals. Phil Collins belts the chorus to "Man of Our Times," which shows a glimpse of the singing style he would acquire on later Genesis albums. I find the song itself to be lackluster and repetitive. "Misunderstanding" has a strong 50's doo-wop quality due to the piano and backing vocals. The drum beat and guitar riff reminds me of Toto's "Hold the Line." The lyrics to "Heathaze" are devastating, and I think that this song is a hidden gem in the Genesis discography. Phil Collins' vocals are exquisite.

"Turn It On Again" opens the second side with the iconic 13/4 guitar riff and pulsating bass synth. An interesting aspect of this song is that the chorus is introduced at the end of the song as it fades out. "Alone Tonight" is a sentimental, depressing ballad. "Cul-De-Sac" varies dynamically and has a grand chorus. "Please Don't Ask" is an underrated Genesis song. The lyrics that Phil Collins passionately sing are emotionally powerful and extremely personal. I feel almost intrusive reading them. "Duke's Travels" is the mostly instrumental climax of the album. Rhythmically speaking, it reminds me a lot of "The Knife." Tony Banks' keyboard soloing and Phil Collins' drumming are magnificent. The song reaches its peak when the "Guide Vocal" theme is reprised at the end. "Duke's End" reprises the theme that started the album, bringing everything together forming one, fairly cohesive whole. I think of this song in a way as the ending credits of the album if you were to think of 'Duke' in a cinematic context.

In conclusion, 'Duke' is the last great Genesis album. For that reason, it's a bittersweet album for me to listen to. Genesis always retained their progressive roots, but it wasn't as apparent on subsequent albums. As I said before, 'Duke' is the perfect balance between both the prog and pop era of the band, and is why I think of it as their best album from the 80s. 8/10