THE LAMB LIES DOWN ON BROADWAY

"The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway" is Genesis' sixth album, released in 1974. It's a double album and a concept album that tells the very surreal story or Rael, a teenaged Puertorican-American living in New York City. Rael goes on a strange adventure in search of his brother John. Along the way, he encounters many a strange creature, including The Carpet Crawlers and The Slippermen. At the end, Rael finds John, but is shocked that he has found, not John, but himself. The album, musically, is fantastic, with Genesis at, if not at the top, very close to the top of their game. The songs are composed masterfully, and include many a memorable solo. The production is much more slick and modern than their last albums, and gives the album a rocking feel. The lyrics, all written by Gabriel, are as great as ever, but, as I said at the beginning of the review, very surreal; like, penis cut off, put in a plastic tube, and carried out by a big Raven surreal. At one point in the album, "Counting Out Time", the lyrics ruin an otherwise good song. "Counting Out Time" talks about Rael's first and very disastrous sexual encounter, where he tries to seduce his partner according to a book called "Erogenous Zones", written by "the experts" on sex. Not only is the song completely out of place, but it's just kind of stupid. There are a few other bad spots on the album that are mediocre and/or forgettable. Anyway ((bad) pun intended), "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway" is a great album, despite a couple of flaws. It was a very fitting last album for Gabriel, who would leave Genesis after the following tour. Gabriel would begin making some great solo work, as well as start WOMAD, the World of Music, Arts, and Dance festival, and Genesis would continue with drummer Phil Collins as the front man. 4.5 stars out of five.