GENESIS

'GENESIS' is probably the most disjointed and inconsistent Genesis album. The first side of the album is near-perfect, while the second side of the album is patchy. Phil Collins oversings more on this album than he does on its predecessor, 'Abacab,' due to increased confidence as a frontman. At this point, Phil Collins was also very successful as a solo artist, making him one of the most eminent pop stars of the 80s. Out of all the post-Duke albums, 'GENESIS' is probably the Genesis album I return to the most frequently, as it contains some of my favorite Genesis songs of this period.

"Mama," in my opinion, is the best Genesis opener since "Dancing With the Moonlit Knight," which was released ten years prior. I know that that is quite a statement, but I genuinely adore this song. "Mama" is experimental and proved that Genesis always had prog elements, even at the height of their mainstream success. This is also, in my opinion, one of the darkest Genesis songs. No band can create an atmosphere like Genesis. A drum machine provides the rhythmic foundation of the song. Phil Collins oversings at times, but I think it works in this context as it is one of his best vocal performances, in my opinion. "Mama" contains the iconic laugh bit which is followed by a crescendo into the climax, which is pure prog. "That's All" is a catchy pop song with a melodic Mike Rutherford guitar solo at the end. "Home By the Sea" is an eerie rock song which bleeds right into "Second Home By the Sea" which is mostly instrumental and is an excellent jam filled with interesting melodic ideas. Mike Rutherford plays a guitar riff that utilizes quintal harmony and an impressive guitar solo that leads into a reprise of "Home By the Sea."

The second side opens with one of the worst Genesis songs, "Illegal Alien." Phil Collins sings with a faux Mexican accent, which exacerbates the incredibly insensitive lyrics. The music itself is equally irritating. The difference between this song and a song like "Who Dunnit?" is at least I can understand the humor behind "Who Dunnit?" With "Illegal Alien," I find the song to be downright distasteful. "Taking It All Too Hard" is a pleasant ballad. Phil Collins oversings a bit during the chorus. "Just a Job to Do" is an underrated Genesis song. I like when Phil Collins yells "bang bang bang" which is followed by two snare hits, forming a 3-2 clave. "Silver Rainbow" is a interesting song with a unique chorus. "It's Gonna Get Better" starts with an interesting bassline. The second half sounds hopeful, but overall makes for a very strange, half-baked song and end to the album.

In conclusion, the quality of music on 'GENESIS' ranges from really great to really bad, and there are some mediocre songs. Though there are better moments on this album than on 'Abacab,' I have to give it the same rating as the great moments are weighed down by the poor tracks. 5/10