WIND & WUTHERING

It took seven years, but finally Genesis releases an album with excellent sound quality. Their earlier 'classic albums' contained musically fantastic pieces, but the full intent was always restrained by a dense wall-of-sound effect. Wind and Wuthering has their unique blend of prog coming out full blast.

And not a minute too late. Genesis was, after all, trying to show the world they were musicians independent of Peter Gabriel (who left about a year earlier). Indeed, the 1977 tour for this album found them playing in coliseums for the first time.

Everything is here: Jazz fusion, old English mini epics, idealistic lyrics and touches of hard rock. There's even an attempt at FM-radio balladry. Phil Collins's recently found lead vocal style becomes quite strong on this album -and his drumming is incredibly smooth. And you can even hear Steve Hackett's artsy lead guitar, for a change.

The freshest highlight is the instrumental "Unquiet Slumbers [.] in That Quiet Earth." This kind of jazz-infused rock cannot be found on any other Genesis Lp. And it does jam. Occasionally, the band continued to play parts of this live, into the 1980s.

If I had to pick one studio album from the entire Genesis catalogue, Wind and Wuthering would be it. All the prog styles are represented and the sound is bold.