GENESIS

Like a lot of the Genesis catalog, i have gone through phases of being obsessed and impressed to bored and uninterested. This is one of those albums, and along with "Invisible Touch", one that gets the most abuse for it's pop leanings. When i first heard the record, i was amazed, and listening again after a few years away from it, i'm hearing so many new things...i think it holds up fine!

"Mama" was powerful in 1983 and remains so today. The gated drums, the spooky synths, sparse guitar, and the way it ultimately becomes a full-out rocker...it is perhaps the most agressive song Genesis performed in their later years. "Home By the Sea/Second Home By the Sea" are ready examples of the studio magic of the band's jamming. Even lesser know/lesser respected tracks like "Silver Rainbow" and "Just a Job to Do" have elements of the Genesis of old. The Lp as a whole is very strong musically (perhaps excepting "that's all" which is a very simple melody), and some have said that Phil Collins' voice never sounded better. "Genesis" represents a successful bridging of progressive writing and early 80's new wave/pop. This is something that other bands tried their hand at (see Yes) and didn't always emerge unscathed.