SELLING ENGLAND BY THE POUND

This is a very English album (as opposed to Lamb Lies Down which was very American) and one of my three favourite Genesis albums (along with Nursery Cryme and Foxtrot). They stretch out a bit on the solos here and it's all the better for that - indeed Steve Hackett's solo on Firth of Fifth isn't as fast and technical as some prog solos, but the musical construction is magnificent and it ranks up with the very best. The rhythm section are tight and inventive throughout and Gabriel's flute provides some lovely moments - how they missed this aspect when he left. Dancing With the Moonlit Knight kicks off the album with quirky lyrics and some great guitar and keyboard work. I Know What I Like was a bizarre single but a very successful track nevertheless and Firth of Fifth is a joy from beginning to end, my all time favourite Genesis moment. The Battle of Epping Forest is the story of two vice gangs fighting for control of protection rackets and lets Peter Gabriel loose to show his full gamut of vocal styles above some fine instrumental work. Silly but fun; a follow on from Get 'em out by Friday? After the Ordeal is a fine instrumental and sets the scene for The Cinema Show, another of their finest tracks ever with Banks' keyboard work supreme. Aisle of Plenty is a strange but effective end, with its incorporation of supermarket names into the lyrics. The only low point is More Fool Me, a weaker song where they misguidedly let Phil Collins sing; all it does is emphasis how much better Gabriel was. Still, there is no way I could give this magnificent album less than the full monty. If you don't have it, your collection isn't complete.