GENESIS

A middling late-sixties proto-prog outfit that would eventually morph into the hugely-successful Uriah Heep several years down the line, The Gods were otherwise most notable for featuring within their ranks an alarming number of talented British musicians during the group's relatively short lifespan. 1968's debut album 'Genesis' would introduce the world to both keyboardist Ken Hensley and drummer Lee Kerslake - two members of Uriah Heep's classic early-seventies line-up - and also feature the future Jethro Tull bassist John Glascock. However, the name-dropping doesn't stop there. Between 1965 and 1969 The Gods rather fluid membership policy would also see early appearances from the likes of guitarist Mick Taylor(The Rolling Stones), bassist Paul Newton(Uriah Heep), vocalist-and-guitarist Greg Lake(King Crimson, ELP), guitarist Alan Shacklock(Babe Ruth) and vocalist Cliff Bennett(Toe Fat), all of whom would go on to join their respective outfits and enjoy various levels of success after their brief-but-seemingly educational tenures with The Gods. Three years after forming and several disposable singles later, the line-up finally had settled down enough to produce an album. This would see Hensley, Kerslake and Glascock augmented by songwriter and guitarist Joe Konas, who would prove to be one of the few Gods not to join a soon-to-be popular progressive rock group despite the fact that he composed the bulk of the material found on 'Genesis'. Issued on Columbia Records during the summer of 1968, 'Genesis' blends flowery psychedelia, poppy melodies and a sprinkling of heavy rock to rather formulaic effect, the foursome sounding not unlike a slightly heavier version of Procol Harum. Listened to now, it's not surprisingly to find that the album has much in common with Uriah Heep's early albums, though with the grinding guitars and power-prog dynamics replaced by a foppish, semi-orchestral style so typical of the era. Very much a curio for hardcore Heep fans and purveyors of orchestral psych-pop, 'Genesis' otherwise proves a distinctly limited sonic experience, made up of simplistic melodies and of interest only because of the group's fascinating membership roster. STEFAN TURNER, STOKE NEWINGTON, 2012