FROM GENESIS TO REVELATION

Today's task was to listen carefully to my two favourite progressive rock band's first albums, both from 1969. Of course I am talking about Genesis and Yes. I began with Genesis, which I hold as the little better of those two combatants. I know this was Genesis so I thought this must be underrated. After listening I agree. This is not so good. We are fastidious about Genesis. After this record I wonder, how was it possible to change so much to next marvelous album Trespass? Ok the guy here were very young, not even twenty years old and they hadn't found their style yet. From Genesis to Revelation was recorded the autumn 1968 and it feautures Peter Gabriel, Tony Banks, Mike Rutherford, Anthony Phillips (guitar) and John Silver (drums). A bunch of good lads.

This record has two good things. First I mention the vocals. This really shows how competent Peter Gabriel was as a singer. He charms us for example in "In the beginning", "Fireside song", "The Serpent" and "Am I very wrong". In some of the first songs there are also great organ work with a groovy feeling. "In the beginning" is dark och little progressive ? a good song. The best song is "The Serpent". That is a really good track. They could have reworked it and used it again later in their career. This is a rich song with great guitar work and also fascinating lyrics. This song sounds like Genesis.

Besides that this record is very boring. If you want to listen to this, stop after the first five songs, the rest are very bad. With very simple compositions in pop style and terrible string arrangements this record deserves a place in the shadows. I say it again, the worst with this record is the strings arrangements, they are repulsive and destroy what had been a little better without them. I recommend you to enjoy "The Serpent" and Peter Gabriel's wonderful voice and let us all question how Genesis could change so much. Praise the fact that this band took another direction with their music!