A TRICK OF THE TAIL

Genesis

Symphonic Prog

4.28 | 2992 ratings

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_sam_

I place A Trick of the Tail on the same level that I place Rush's Signals or Yes' Tales From Topographic Oceans, these two being among my favorite albums ever. The fact that Gabriel is out of the group is not a problem, though the overall feel of the album has less of a hard edge. Tony Banks' keyboards have a very prominent role in the majority of the album, while Steve Hackett's guitar is at first glance more subtle (but still serves the songs well). Like Signals or Tales, I think it's necessary to listen to A Trick of the Tail as a whole (well, mostly as a whole, as I'll explain toward the end of this review); it feels like a concept album, even if it isn't one, as it gels perfectly from song to song to create a truly unique experience.
"Dance on a Volcano" is an amazing opener, with simple guitar lines that flow into a swelling keyboard backdrop. An uplifting main theme follows, and then the song goes through various phases before the fast- paced, chaotic instrumental passage softly dies down into a quiet coda. 9.5/10
The gentle "Entangled" begins before the listener realizes it, with delicate acoustic guitar and a soothing vocal performance from Phil Collins. I can't help but chant along with the chorus, but it's really the chillingly beautiful mellotron/synth/keyboard build at the top end, which features sublime key changes and choir sounds in the background, that sends this number home. 9.5/10
After "Entangled" the listener is taken by surprise by the dark, heavy beat of "Squonk". The vocals take precedence here but occasionally get lost in the rest of the sound, making it hard to understand without closely listening. A nice change of pace after the previous two tracks, more simple and melodic; also, there's an interesting change of the theme toward the end, as it fades out. It would have been nice if they'd explored this further, but only so much can be fit onto an LP side. 7/10
"Mad Man Moon" is a beautiful song centering around piano and subtle mellotron that seamlessly drifts between major and minor keys. Between the verse/chorus parts is a magnificent keyboard-driven midsection. The song ends with a quiet, somber piano solo passage. A great way to end the first half of the album.... 8/10
...And "Robbery, Assualt & Battery" is a great way to kick off Side 2. A lighter number in which Collins dawns several character roles, changing his voice between the narrator, robbers, and guards. Like many songs here this one features a proggy midsection, fast-paced and with plenty of time-changes and solos.Overall, a fun and exciting song to listen to. 7.5/10
"Ripples" is the longest song, though it doesn't feel much longer than the rest of the album, possibly because of its somewhat simple arrangement. A delicate verse section flows into a beautiful chorus, and a brief instrumental portion similar to that in "Mad Man Moon" fades in. However, this instrumental passage is darker, more tense; it has a sort of "penultimate-track" feel about it. After this tension, "Ripples" builds to a dramatic resolution, which fades out on the chorus. 9/10
I'm a little upset that so many people strongly dislike the title track, as it's my favorite song off of the album, and one of my favorite Genesis songs period. "A Trick of the Tail" may be poppy, but that's not inherently bad. I remember having a bonding moment with my father listening to this song, which also happens to be his favorite on here. I can't explain why I love this song so much... maybe it's the background vocals during the chorus; or maybe the images this song brings me after the journey of the rest of the album (also very personal); or possibly it's that perfect fade-out that sends shivers through my body every time I listen to it... just... wow. 9.85/10
"Los Endos" is a great song on its own, but here, I don't feel that it fits well. Which is why I usually don't listen to it after I've listened to the rest of A Trick of the Tail. It moves between the energetic main theme and reprises of "Dance..." and "Squonk". It might not have felt so unnecessary if it stopped after the "Dance..." reprise, but the dark, creepy choir section and the "Squonk" theme that follow just seem inappropriate for this closer, in my opinion. Not bad, but it just doesn't "gel" well or do much for me. 6.75/10
Overall, this album is a must-have for any Genesis fan, and I highly recommend it to any new fan of prog rock. One of my top three favorite albums.
"Hello friend, welcome home..."
_sam_ | 5/5 | 2006-8-2

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