THE GEESE AND THE GHOST

After departing from Genesis almost seven years earlier in 1970, Anthony Phillips released his first solo record, "The Geese and the Ghost, in 1977, although Phillips wasn't the first member of the band to release a solo album (that honor goes to Steve Hackett, who beat Phillips to the punch, by releasing "Voyage of the Acolyte", in 1975). Upon the initial listening of "TG&TG", it would appear the lengthy "sabbatical" Phillips took would cause his musical skills to suffer from a case of "rustitis", but that's far from the truth. On the contrary, the lengthy absence helped him mature his craft, making "Geese..." perhaps one of the most underrated works in all of progressive rock. In practical hindsight, this is a work rich in progressive undertones, with classical influences dominating most of the selections. One listen to the title suites: "The Geese and the Ghost, Parts 1 & 2", will confirm this fact. Joining Phillips on this breathtaking journey, are Genesis mates Mike Rutherford and Phil Collins, whose vocal performances on "Which Way The Wind Blows?" and on "God If I Saw Her Now" are among the best of his career. Speaking of another above-mentioned (ex)-Genesis member, Steve Hackett, whose brother John makes an important contribution to "TG&TG" on flute. Another breathtaking contribution worthy of mention, is Anthony Phillips' vocal performance on another of the few vocal tracks, that being the melancholic "Collections", including the bonus track that closes the CD, the acoustic-driven "Master of Time (Demo Version)". Including the Genesis and solo albums "Wind & Wuthering" and Mike Rutherford's 1980 release "Smallcreep's Day" (on which Phillips guests), "The Geese and the Ghost" is the last true progressive masterwork on which both Collins and Rutherford would have the pleasure of recording before they (along with Tony Banks) would take Genesis in a different musical direction, and not 100% for the better on future releases - 1978's "...And Then There Were Three..." notwithstanding. Since "Geese..." is such a lush and complex work of art, it may take a few listens to grasp all its eccentricities. Catch this "Geese" (or "Goose") soon, before it migrates south, permanently! Oh, and this particular one is THE perfect companion with Steve Hackett's "Spectral Mornings", making both titles as must-haves for your Genesis library.