WIND & WUTHERING

A similar album in tone to Trick of the Tail. The last real prog album that Genesis made, although at the time many thought they had already gone too commercial (e.g. the sentimental You Have Your Own Special Way). One for the Vine is a riot with an exhilarating percussion section in the middle and a soaring prog guitar melody as the tracks nears its end.

A very dark album. Musically, it's very good. But the songs are just too nostalgic, too melancholic. It gives you a sad mood. The musicians seem to suffer in a self-built jail of overwhelming synthesizers. There's no happiness in this album. Listen to it only once a year on a dark december-evening with a good glass of whisky.

Probably the most genre defining of all prog albums. The sound that all the Eighties prog bands onwards initially aspired to. Long complex compositions with lots of twists and turns, light and dark. The shorter songs are either ballads or fusionesque. Satisfying, but only when you're in the mood.

The last really essential Genesis album is also the last with Hackett, and that's no coincidence. It was always good for the band (at least for the fans!) to have several songwriters, and after this LP Genesis never again attained the level of creativity heard here. Like many classic prog bands, Genesis seemed to be searching for a new sound as the 70s drew to a close and they were confronted with the popularity and immediacy of "New Wave." The results, while generally "good" music, simply lacked the staying power and resonance of their classic material.

The first two tracks on the record are longer songs in the old epic style, with imaginative lyrical themes, and lots of musical changes. Great stuff. "Your Own Special Way," though pretty, seems to be a blatant attempt at a "hit," and has the feel of a Phil Collins solo vehicle -- too predictable by half. "Wot Gorilla" is a powerful instrumental in the "Los Endos" vein, and "All in a Mouse's Night," if a trifle whimsical in its subject matter, is nonetheless classic Genesis. Hackett's "Blood on the Rooftops" has a sad, nostalgic beauty (which the guitarist would bring to such lofty heights in his forthcoming solo career), and then the next two tracks offer an excellent instrumental segue into the closing "Afterglow," which, if a little maudlin, is still an effective, anthemic song that brings the proceedings to a majestic end.

Overall, "Wind and Wuthering" is an excellent album which, while maybe not quite as good as its predecessor ("A Trick of the Tail" is, in my opinion, the best of the post-Gabriel discs), is nevertheless well worth listening to (loud!) again -- and again!

Gabriel has long gone but Hackett is still hanging in there. Although much of the music here is awesome, I still cringe at the opening track "Eleventh Earl of Mar" (sorry) and have always thought that "Wot Gorilla" had a silly title. I hold onto the album because of stand out tracks like "One for the Vine" and "Unquiet Slumbers" , but the disk has never had the playability of "Selling England by the Pound " or "Trick of the Tail". If you want definitive early Genesis you'll need to dig deeper than this one.

Peter Gabriel left the band after "The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway", than after "Wind And Wuthering" Steve Hackett left the band and a commercial pop act was born. This was the last prog document of the band before they would turn to mainstream...sad but true for old fans!

sometimes too depressive but really good, it has specific mood and everything prog album should have. Hackett is simply great here, his guitar work is even better than on prevoius records, but the whole album is of course not as good as those ones with Gabriel.

If there was one number absent this would've been another real gem but Your Own Special Way has simply no business on such album. Not that this is a bad song in itself - it would settle fine on any Celine Dion record - but here Mr Rutherford [%*!#]ed up and because of internal stife (and individual credits and royalties) it seems Mr Banks let this one on the record to counter the sheer mass of Hackett material. Special Way is probably 20 percent of the reason Hackett left (this is my personal reading but if you think about it.....).

The rest of the album is normal but slightly lesser quality than TOT Tail. One For The Vine is one of those quest as White Mountain or Mad Man Moon. Eleventh Earl Of Mar is correct but Mouse's Night is sub-par to Robbery , Harold The Barrel , Battle Of Epping Forest & Get Them Out By Friday . The three Hackett tracks on side two are the cornerstone of this album: Blood On Rooftop is one of the best English nostalgia and Slumber and Earth are simply delightful instrumental.

Although still a classic album, when you look at it retrospectively, this album is really the start of lesserthings to come!!

I think the best songs on this album are "One For The Vine, Blood on the Rooftops and Eleventh Earl of Mar". These songs are arguably the best Genesis songs ever, certainly the best since Gabriel left. In these songs they have great messages in them which I agree, for example in Eleventh Earl of Mar there is cynicism towards royalty and upper class feel. This song fits very well into the bands funny/positve approach to prog rock.

There is a anti war feel in One for the Vine, this song has more musical ideas than most of the 80's Genesis albums put together, that's not to say they are especially bad albums. Blood on the rooftops describes how British rather have a cup of tea than watch the news and have a tendency to ignore world issues, Phil Collins will never co write a better piece of music in his career again.

On the other hand there are poor songs like All in a Mouse's Night and Your Own Special Way" which are basically pointless and don't fit into the albums overall sound. While the instrumental solos are fun and imaginative, with some great guitar inclusions from Hackett and Rutherford.

I think that Wind & Wuthering are the best two albums Phil Collins is involved in without Gabriel. I would recommend this album to anyone just for One For the Vine and Blood on the Rooftops alone.

This too is an excellent Genesis album. This is probably their most Gabriel-ish sounding album without Gabriel. My highlights are "One For The Vine' and "Blood On The Rooftops'. That contains some of Hackett's best guitar work. Also, the instrumentals on side 2 are some of the best instrumental work in recorded music history. And 'Afterglow' makes me cry.

For this issue I have to point out the same considerations as for the above album and, above all, I like to remark that it is worth an higher score for its importance once again. Well this is a usual opinion and a common idea as well, regarding of 3 albums by GENESIS at least. Talking about this work, it was the last "Progressive" issue by GENESIS and it is strange that it's often regarded as a minor work or an underrated album among their old fans. Honestly there a few pop songs, the typical mainstream numbers by Phil COLLINS, but here quite bearable and well enriched by a couple of "jewels" at least. The mythical "The Eleventh Earl of Mar", thanks to a splendid intro by Steve HACKETT and - above all - such a splendid mini-suite like "One For the Vine" or a couple of epic tasteful instrumental tracks (such as "Wot Gorilla?" and "In That Quiet Earth"), are an immortal testament of a Golden period which won't never comeback!! The other pop number "All in a Mouse's Night" is simple but not banal and characterized by a very interesting instrumental excursion!! The last essential work by GENESIS, even though it's not completely a MUST HAVE...

Then one who's faith had died fled. . .

If "A trick of the tail" had shown that Genesis were by no means a spent force without Peter Gabriel, "Wind and Wuthering" showed that they were if anything stronger.

With more space for each band member to express themselves, Tony Banks was the one to take most advantage of this; composing or jointly composing most of the tracks, many of which are dominated by his keyboard work. One of his best ever pieces "One for the Vine" is here. It features some superb keyboards, and a tale which seeks to offer an imaginative explanation for some religious beliefs. Banks is quoted as saying that he put everything into this track, as some of the parts might have been dropped by the band had he offered them as separate pieces. The track is reminiscent in some ways of "White Mountain" from "Trespass".

"Eleventh Earl of Mar" is a fairly typical Genesis opening track, upbeat with plenty of vocals, and a historical tale to tell. Mike Rutherford's "Your own special way" is a rather mushy ballad, pleasant but a bit uninspired. In retrospect, the outtake "Inside and out" would have been a better track to include.

If you ignore the "Tom and Jerry" cartoon based lyrics of "All in a mouse's night", it's actually a decent number. The lengthy mellotron solo at the end brings to mind "Seven stones" from "Nursery Cryme".

Steve Hackett's "Blood on the rooftops" is a melancholy number, very atmospheric, and sympathetically sung by Collins who gives one of his finest performances here.

Hackett's lead guitar only really comes to the fore on the lengthy three part closing track(s). This trilogy dominates the second side of the LP, being predominantly instrumental. The gradual build up and transition to "Afterglow" represents some of Genesis finest and most progressive work. On its own "Afterglow" would have been pleasant in the "Follow you follow me" mode, but as part of this piece, it is a wonderful closer.

There are many highly memorable Genesis moments on this album, the band once again managing to squeeze an extra 10 minutes onto the normal length for an LP. Classic Genesis indeed!

Unfortunately, Hackett would leave the band after this album, and then there were three. . .

The last of the GENESIS albums to reach truly epic proportions, much of it fueled by the stellar songwriting of Tony BANKS and Steve HACKETT. "Wind & Wuthering" does have half its heart in the music before ("Trick of the Tail") and after ("Scenes From A Night's Dream", "Follow You, Follow Me"), but, oh, what they do with that other half. The quartet clearly ups the ante from their last album, reclaiming the sublime heights of such seemingly lost wonders as "Selling England By The Pound" on works like "Afterglow", "One For The Vine" and "Blood On The Rooftops".

HACKETT's guitar leads the charge up the hill, re-using the same successful strategy set forth on his own "Voyage of the Acolyte" for sections of "Eleventh Earl of Mar", "Unquiet Slumbers For The Sleepers." (a prototypical HACKETT title) and ". In That Quiet Earth". In fact, his contributions have rarely been so pronounced on any GENESIS album. Phil COLLINS also brings his extracurricular work to bear on the band with the instrumental "Wot Gorilla?", a tune that would sound at home on any number of BRAND X albums.

However, the record's most recognizable moment belongs to Mike RUTHEFORD, the lovely and tranquil "Your Own Special Way". It became their biggest US single to date (the first of many to come), and remains perhaps RUTHEFORD's finest contribution to their catalog. I would have been happy to hear the band continue in this vein for years to come, but it wasn't meant to be. HACKETT left soon after, and his ear for sprawling musical structures was audibly absent from .. "And Then There Were Three". As a result, little of "Wind & Wuthering" appears on the band's official live albums; only "Afterglow" and "One For The Vine" have been so honored, which is something of a shame. In a way, this is the forgotten masterpiece, a last hurrah long since drowned out by the band's commercial success, but one lost chapter that rewards repeated readings.

Not a bad album, but you can hear the first traces of the change Genesis would experiment in the following albums, this is not so good as TRICK, but there are tracks like Eleventh Earl Of Mar, One For THe Vine, Wot Gorilla?, Unquiet Slumbers For The Sleepers..., ...In That Quiet Earth, those presents some good prog stuff. Your Own Special Way is the first love song that would define the style of Collins when singing ballads and one track that I don't really like is All In a Mouse's Night. All in all, an album that deserves a listen, but I don't think is a classic Genesis album...

Again we find contradictions in Genesis history, let's see: Foxtrot was complex, SEBTP softer, The Lamb ultra complex, ATOTT softer than ever, and when any reasonable person was expecting something easier and radio friendly the band releases the wonderful Wind & Wuthering like a return to the roots.

This great album starts with two masterpieces Eleventh Earl of Mar and One for the Vine absolutely different to any song from ATOTT and closer to Foxtrot even than almost anything from "Selling England by the Pound". Both songs have all the characteristics of an epic. "Eleventh Earl of Mar" narrates the story of Sir John Erskine, an anti heroe of the XVII - XVIII Centuries while "One for the Vine" seems like a late sequel to The Knife (from Trespass).

The lyrics are better developed than in the previous album, maybe less poetic but more inteligent, even the underrated "All in a mouse Night" makes me remember the acid humour and sarcasm of Gabriel's years (remember Harold the Barrel) .

All the other songs are amazing, with a greater contribution of Steve Hackett than in any Genesis album, except for the soft and out of place "Your Own Special Way" which would have sounded much better as a track from Invissible Touch.

IMHO this album is the peak of the Collins era and the end of the Genesis Progressive saga.

After the highly succesfull 'A Trick Of The Tail' the question was 'can Genesis keep it going?'.The answer is definetly yes.'One For The Vine' still stands tall and proud as one of the very best Genesis tracks (from any era) while the very beautifull song 'Blood On The Rooftops' is one of the most underrated.Comparing with ATOTT this has some greater peaks although lacks the consistency of the former album.However still well worthy of a 4 star rating.

This is the first album I heard from Genesis. I asked myself: Is this true? How can they play so well and how can they achieve these complex arrangements and such a perfect sound? In my opinion the best songs are "Blood On The Rooftops" (with a beautiful Spanish guitar intro), the commercial "Your Own Special Way" and of course "Afterglow" (with that crescendo sound): one of my favorites. "Wind & Wuthering" is the most skillful guitar- playing album from the band and there aren't any bad songs!

I always had some prejudice about the post Gabriel era (even if I always regarded Trick of the tail, without a shadow of a doubt, a great album). So I gave a listen to WAW only recently, and I discovered that this is a strong effort. Here and there you can hear what Genesis were about to become just a year later, but don't don't let this stop you. With Hackett still in the band, it's a pleasure to listen to these fantastic musicians. The album goes flawlessly from the beginning to end (with the only exception of Your own special way, which seems too radio friendly to my ears). Great.

Only one year later out comes Wind and Wuthering. Another excellent contribution to the Genesis catalogue. 11th Earl of Mar stands out as the best track for me as it keeps building and tilting to new heights throughout the song. But it is all great even Wot gorilla. Sure it had a softer feel to TOTT but it has an autumanl feel just like the cover and it is truly a beautiful creative blend of the finest prog. It even had senseless lyrical tunes like ' All in a mouse night' which while 'story telling like' has great musical content.Recommended to all remotely educated lovers of 70's music. In saying that it is also ageless so if you are new to Genesis, don't mess around get the CD.

This was the last great prog rock album by Genesis, a farewell to Steve Hackett, and his unique and mixed down contributions to the music of Genesis. WAW has some of the most classic Genesis songs, and a couple of inevitable time wasters. This was Tony Banks' favourite album, and it's not surprising when you read the credits. The album opens with the sinister sounding 'Eleventh Earl of Mar' a song which grabs your attention instantly with a very unusual minor chord which gives way to a warmer, though quite dramatic passage into the first verse. The production is bright, classy, hi- tech and way ahead of its time. The drums are powerfull and deep, and the keyboards rich and warm sounding. You know from the first track that they were on a positive vibe when writiing this album, probably as a result of the success of 'Trick of the tail' and of course relief that the world had accepted a Genesis with Peter Gabriel. The second song 'One for the Vine' is a Tony Banks classic. He took almost a year to get this song right, coming back to it in between writing the rest of the album. OFTV is a masterpiece of prog rock. It moves through a variety of moods and musical styles, sometimes sounding like a film score, then sounding like the Beatles, then ending up on a magnificient keyboard driven plain of prog ice (read the lyrics and you'll get my metaphor!) Its after OFTV that disaster strikes. Mike Rutherfords drippy ballard 'Your own special way' is next. It's not appalling, by any means, just lame when stood next to the rest of the album. 'Follow you follow me' from '..and then there were three' still makes 'Your own special way' sound like 'In the cage', dont get me wrong. I've heard worse from post Gabriel Genesis. Much worse. I just think Mike Rutherford should have retained this essentially crap song for one of his solo efforts. What would be the end of side one on Vinyl, is 'Wot Gorilla' a pointless Banks/Collins instrumental designed to use up the end of the studio tape...or something. I cant think of an intelligent reason for including the track on the album. Steve Hackett had presented a song called 'Please dont touch' to the band, which was rejected by Collins, in favour of 'Wot Gorilla'!!!! Anyone who has heard 'Please dont touch' which ended up on Hacketts second solo album, will agree that it is clearly superior to 'Wor Gorilla' The anti Hackett politics was much in evidence here, I think. The rest of WAW is consistently very good music. The lyrics to 'All in a mouses night' are barely worth commenting on, but the music is classic Banks driven Genesis. 'Blood on the rooftops' 'Unquiet slumbers..In that quiet earth' are classic contributions from Steve Hackett, rich in melody, very memorable and very moody. Another review has criticised the moodiness of this album, but I think its the underlying melancholy in Genesis that give them their appeal. WAW is rich in melancholy, and for that reason I feel is one of their best albums overall. The album concludes with 'Afterglow' an anthem to most Genesis fans.

I had been tempted to give this album 5 stars. If Phil Collins hadn't hadn't rejected Steve Hacketts 'Please dont touch' I may well have done.

The last of six fantastic studio albums by Genesis, the last one with Steve Hackett, the last one before the gradual glide down to the Collins-driven commercial sound of the eighties.

The preceding A trick of the tail was sensational in the way they managed to pick themselves up after the departure of Peter Gabriel, an absolute classic without weak moments and with absolute brilliancy in tracks like Mad man moon, Entangled, Ripples, A trick of the tail and Squonk. Wind and wuthering does not quite reach the same standard. There are moments of greatness in songs like Eleventh earl of Mar, One for the vine and Blood on the rooftops, but all of these songs do not come of as rounded masterpieces. And the inclusion of Rutherfords Your own special way almost makes one think back to that ugly spot on the otherwise perfect Selling England by the pound (More fool me).

All in all, somewhere between 4 and 5 stars, but given my appreciation for the five other great Genesis albums, I decided to mark this one a notch down at 4.

GENESIS demonstrated that they were a very good band without Peter Gabriel with "A Trick of the Tail". But there were some frictions between Steve Hackett and the rest of the band members in this album, as most of Hackett`s songs were not liked by the rest of the band, who wanted to compose more simple songs. Fans like to blame Phil Collins for being "responsible" of GENESIS`s most commercial songs and albums, but in 1976 he was only the lead singer and drummer who helped the band survive without the overrated Gabriel and he wasn`t the main composer, as he became a "real" composer until "Duke". So, for me, the "responsibility" for more simple songs fell more in Banks and Rutherford. But this album is still "Progressive", maybe the last true Progressive studio album from GENESIS. And Hackett`s influence from his first solo album is very present here. In this album he sounds more confident, but this confidence led him to leave the band after the 1977 tour to record more solo albums. "Eleventh Earl of Mar" (composed by Banks/Hackett/Rutherford) has very good keyboards and guitars "atmospheres", and very good drums. It also has a classical guitar section by Hackett. "One for the Vine" is one of Banks`songs, with Grand Piano and keyboards atmospheres, and lead guitar by Hackett. "Your Own Special Way" (called the most "commercial" song in this album), written by Rutherford, has very good 12 string guitars, and superb keyboards arrangements by Banks, plus some Auto-harp by Hackett. "Wot Gorilla" was composed by Collins/Banks, and has some keyboard solos with classical music influences. "All in a Mouse`s Night" has interplay by the keyboards and the guitar, and a fantasy story written by Banks, who again plays a "classical music" keyboard solo in the end of the song, with Hackett also in lead guitar. "Blood on the Rooftops" (composed by Hackett/Collins), has a classical guitar by Hackett and good keyboard arrangements by Banks. "Unquiet slumbers of the sleepers..." is another song very influenced by Hackett (composed by Hackett/Rutherford), and this song and the next ("...in that quiet earth") are for me linked very well with the very good cover design. These song titles were taken from the last paragraph of Emiliy Bronte`s book "Wuthering Heights". "...in that quiet earth" is an instrumental piece with contributions by all the members of the band, and again with keyboard solos with influences from classical music. "Afterglow" (composed by Banks) is a very good song, and in the end it has several vocals sounding like a "chorus", which in live versions in the late 70s were replaced with the mellotron.

People tend to kind of leave this album behind, i just keep asking why? this album is completely in the same row of the previous 5 studio albums and can't go any worse. "Eleventh Earl of Mar" is one of the high points here and an amazing song serving of intro to the album, followed by one of the TOP 5 songs of 70s Genesis Era: "One for the Vine"... Collins' vocals are outstanding along with all the instrumentation of the song, specially Tony Banks' performance, this song can touch you deeply just like it does to me. "Your Own Special Way" is a song you could say Collins realy invest his ideas focusing in more "accesible" songs, but really doesn't reach that point: a beautiful balad. "Wot Gorilla" is the least interesting of the album, good song. "All in a Mouse's Night" is also a very good song, with good keyboards from Tony Banks, as always. Then comes "Blood on Rooftops", a song with Steve Hackett as starring, very nice acoustic intro, a great song indeed. "Unquiet Slumbers For The Sleepers..." and "...In That Quiet Earth" counts as one and is another high point of the album with all members showing off their great abilities with their instruments, by the way, this song is fantastic when played in the "Steve Hackett & Friends / Live in Japan" album. And at last, "Afterglow" is the other Collins mainly influenced song, also a wonderful balad with good vocals and a great outro for the album. ONE OF THE 6 GENESIS MUST-HAVE PROG TITLES.

I like nearly all the works of Genesis, but two of them have a special position i my heart. The first is Trespass (T), the second Wind and wuthering (WW). There are both many differences and similarities in them. T is from the early period WW is the midlle period record, Gabriel sings in T, Phillips and Silver are still there; in WW it is Collins who is singing and Hackett is still there. But they are both magic, heartmoving, full of beatiful melodies and athmosphere. Listening both I am imaging to be somewhere deep in mountains, hidden in a wooden cottage, in the black night outside there is a snowy thunder, inside a fire is silently murmuring and all the people sitting around the fireplace and drinking some wine are talking fairies. Someone of the old wolf, some of ancient kings, some of a cat and a mouse, some of Jesus. A night of wonders.

I have all of the band's material up to and including Duke, and I can say unequivocally that, in my opinion, One for the Vine is not only Genesis' best song, but probably my favorite song period. Supper's Ready comes close, but OFTV is as close to perfect as music gets. I agree with a lot of the other reviewers in that Wot Gorilla and Your Own Special Way are a little weak(tho' not as lame as England's More Fool Me). As for the album and where it ranks with their others, that is difficult. I love this album, along with Foxtrot, Nursery Crymes,and Trespass so much it is difficult to decide. Genesis has no peer in the progressive rock field; too bad they went down the commercial road, especially after Duke. I am one of the few who liked Duke, tho' less than the first 9 albums. After that, it pretty much sucks, except for one track on Abacab, Me and Mary Jane. Many of Steve Hackett's albums from the mid and late 70's are worth a listen also.

After "Trick of the Tail", GENESIS comes back with a surprisingly well made album, very progressive and less fusion than their previous one. BANKS' keyboards are more floating here, despite he is still rhythmic and melodic. Hackett's guitar is very acoustic, and the electric guitar solos are very melodic and mature, fitting very well with the floating keyboards. The best track on this album is the song "One for the vine", a subtle, delicate/structured, graceful & beautiful epic masterpiece, very progressive, full of changing airs: actually it is one of my favourite tracks from GENESIS: its end reaches the quintessence, when the melodic keyboards + guitars suddenly take all the available room, creating really moving sounds capes. COLLINS' voice is more timid than usual here, giving some tenderness to the ensemble. On the poignant and floating "Blood on the rooftops", he sings perfectly, quite like on Ripples! His drums can be very fast and complex, except here he seems to take a break. The country-esque & cutie "Your own special way" really opens a door to Collins solo career, as reveals his excellent lead & backing vocals. "Wot gorilla" is a drums-keyboards performance, which I find rather good but incomplete. "All In A Mouse's Night" has at the end one of the best guitar solo ever recorded among the Genesis albums: the combination floating keyboards-electric guitar is indeed very appreciated: the guitar is melodic, expressive and VERY emotional. "Unquiet Slumbers For The Sleepers... In That Quiet Earth" really demonstrates COLLINS performance on drums + HACKETT's wonderful electric guitar solo. Finally, the ultra floating "Afterglow" has its magical moments, very atmospheric and relaxing. This album is excellent, that's the least we can say!

One of the most beautiful albums I have ever heard. Yes, it IS melancholic and sentimental, that's exactly why I like it so much!! For me the best songs are One for the Vine, Unquiet slumbers, in that quiet Earth and Afterglow. Sure Selling England by the Pound is great,but the kind of magical and lyrical emotion they managed to distill in this album is unmatched by any of their other records. The best Genesis album in my opinion.

Last album before guitarist Steve Hackett left the band for a much deserved solo career, which led the rest of Genesis on a more commercial oriented sound after this one. Musically, this album is similar to A Trick of the Tail with the main difference being the darker and more autumnal feeling prominent here, and slightly more advanced too. There are several standout's here, "Blood on the rooftops" is one of them, perhaps the most unusual song on the album. A very beautiful ballad by Hackett and Collins, unfortunately overlooked even by fans. "...In that quiet earth" is an excellent upbeat instrumental and is one of the highlights here. The only bad thing on this album is "Your own special way" which IS a decent ballad by Rutherford, though nothing really interesting overall and rather long. 'Wot Gorilla' could be sacrificed too. I'll give this album 4.5/5 in overall. It's a chilling and excellent end of their classic prog-phase. Their next three albums would experiment more with the pop format, and actually getting quite good at it..

Their second adventure without Gabriel, 'Wind And Wuthering' certainly saw Genesis changing yet further, but again delivering an album of awesome, powerful music. Imagine the unmistakable, timeless style of 'A Trick Of The Tail' but skew it towards the intensity and heaviness of 'Dance On A Volcano' and 'Squonk' and you'll have a good idea of what to expect here.

The album mixes strongly lyrical tales such as 'Eleventh Earl Of Mar' and 'One For The Vine', more beautiful, broad statements like 'Blood On The Rooftops' (possibly the best ever Genesis track co-written by Collins?), and many instrumental workouts typical of early Genesis, here in perhaps their most tight and accomplished form. Even 'Wot Gorilla?'s non sequitur title belies what is in fact an incredible track, positively blazing with Collins' superb drumming and indeed the whole band in full overdrive on a sophisticated jam you might never have heard before but know right away you've been waiting for forever. 'All In A Mouse's Night' is also in danger of suffering from its title and (relatively) light story, but again the listener is likely to be surprised by the brilliance of the music on show - Collins' cymbal work as the vocals first kick in is breathtaking, turning around the vocal melody and not letting the crescendo that carries this strange but exciting little tale die out until the piece shifts. The band could easily have carried far more serious subject matter with Banks' genius composition here, but this is still good as it stands, dynamically moving through many different tones. The album closes with an extended suite comprised of three segued tracks: two instrumentals, and the triumphant, anthemic climax, 'Afterglow'. Despite the rollercoaster ride that has preceded, somehow the album sustains its energy even through this, beginning with the densely layered acoustic and classical guitars of 'Unquiet Slumbers For the Sleepers...' which ebb and flow like an oncoming autumnal tide of emotion and exuberance. And the promise is kept, breaking into '...In That Quiet Earth', the band return to the full-scale assault found in 'Wot Gorilla?' before finally fleshing out into the relentless confrontation against personal loss that is 'Afterglow'.

'Wind And Wuthering' is actually a very enigmatic album, by no means resting on the laurels of their previous masterpiece, and delivers what I can only describe as an extremely confident presentation of some of Genesis' most energetic ideas. Behold music that is heavy without resorting to huge chunks of metal. This sounds like a band finally at ease with who they are, casually riding on their own inertia and free to explore, with Banks and Collins' performances in particular scaling new heights in complicated, symphonic rock. Plenty to investigate, delightfully packaged, an essential album.

I don't think this is one of their best mid-era albums. It lacks the punch of "Trick" The problem, I think , is that the recording is too wispy and songs are not arranged as well as previous efforts. It's "Selling England" lite. Of course, "Special Way" is very strong but could have done with some editing, they would have been radio stars sooner.

'Wind And Wuthering' moves over a similar stylistic range as 'A Trick Of The Tail', but it improves on those themes with even more variety, more assertive playing, and several moments of instrumental synergy that stand amongst the greatest moments in this band's incredible discography.

How can you lose with the two wonderful songs that open the album? "Eleventh Earl Of Mar" echoes the pastoral feel of much of 'Selling England By The Pound', with Phil's multi- layered vocals giving him a ghostly presence. The rhythms are intense and pounding, offsetting Hackett's delicate acoustic work and the blue-sky-beautiful keyboard genius of Tony Banks. "One For The Vine" is a deeper journey than the opener, offering plenty of emotion and a lot of dense layers to plow through. Excellent headphone listening. It's a fascinating trip through peaks and valleys, lots of different parts, lots of great playing, moments of arresting tension and soothing calm. The 5:28 mark brings a vibrant keyboard-driven theme that is as memorable as anything this band has ever done.

If those first two songs are typical Genesis (ie. typically awe-inspiring), then the album becomes a bit unpredictable from here. "Your Own Special Way" is the band's first stab at simple balladry since "More Fool Me". Unfortunately, it's as forgettable. The recording/production (hats off to David Hentschel) brings out its beautiful keyboard layers, but the rest of the song is so middle-of-the-road it could've been written and performed by any number of '70s-era lite-rock balladeers. Shades of things to come. "Wot Gorilla?" is a colorful instrumental, maybe seen as a more carefree "Los Endos", a bouncy bit of authoritative playing that unfortunately doesn't last long enough for it to develop into the true monster it could have. "All In A Mouse's Night" is a lighthearted tale with appropriately airy music supporting it. This song underscores my opinion (which I have also heard others voice) that 'Wind And Wuthering' is probably the most Banks-driven Genesis album of all. While Rutherford pumps along quite strongly along with Collins' dexterous rhythms, Banks lays his keys all over everything, becoming almost smothering in places. Hackett lays back, employing sound- effects a majority of the time until the moments he strikes and reminds you there is a guitarist in this band. In contrast to Banks on 'W & W', this is probably Hackett's most subtle performance in his 6 albums with Genesis.

"Blood On The Rooftops" begins with a signature bit of acoustic Hackett, then into a song of brooding melancholy, made lighter in mood thanks to Banks' bright melodic choices. It has never seemed quite complete to me, but what we have here is enjoyable regardless.

Pure drama is what you'll get in the beyond-amazing instrumental "Unquiet Slumbers For The Sleepers.In That Quiet Earth". (Might as well but the two titles together-it's conceptually one song, broken apart on the track listing due to issues of songwriting credit that were of concern to the band.) Built of massive pieces that build an even grander structural whole, ".Quiet Earth" is played in a most authoritative way, surely one of the prime examples of Genesis at the height of their powers. Heavy and dominating at times, gentle and sublime at others. And speaking of sublime, the great and wonderful "Afterglow" floats everything to a warming close. Banks considers this one of his very favorite Genesis songs, and who can disagree? A gorgeous song with a gentle linear flow, this panoramic wonder is made a classic thanks to Banks' incredibly lush layering and Phil's best vocal work in Genesis up to this point.

'Wind And Wuthering' is an always-amazing listen, with a production that is thick and always pushing Banks' layers of keys to the foreground. If it weren't for "Your Own Special Way", I would easily give this the big 5-star treatment.

With A TRICK OF THE TALE (1976), Genesis marched on as a quartet after the shocking departure of Peter Gabriel in 1975. Surprising to critics and fans, it was a great album, and is considered to be one of their finest. Less than a year later, the group released its follow-up, WIND & WUTHERING. While A TRICK OF THE TAIL assured fans Genesis could go on sans Gabriel, WIND & WUTHERING cemented this. This album is more synthesized and more progressive than its predecessor, and is also much less pastoral. It reflects the autum/winter feel of its grey, foggy cover (very English). Many of these songs are Genesis classics, but this album is usually underrated and ignored. Tony Banks and his keyboards still dominate throughout, but Steve Hackett's guitar manages to play a prominent role. Phil Collins' singing is also much more confident on this album, an improvement over A TRICK OF THE TAIL. This is the last purely progressive release by Genesis, and is also their last essential album. Guitarist Steve Hackett would leave in 1977, and Genesis would quickly turn to pop. The album begins with Hackett's guitar, leading into the wonderfully progressive tale/song, Eleventh Earl of Mar. As an opener, this is just as strong, and more complex, than Dance on a Volcano. It has excellent lyrics, and benefits from the writing talents of all five members of Genesis. This song stands as one of Genesis's finest songs, from any era. The drumming and keyboard work are standouts on this fabulous track. One for the Vine is a divisive track for Genesis fans. Some detest it as ten minutes of Tony Banks' bland, self-indulgence ... other consider it essential. I fall in the latter category. It meanders slowly, but beautifully, to the midway point where it erupts in a circus of sounds, featuring excellent synthesizer work. It then calms itself, and winds down. This track, lyrically, is a gentle sequel to The Knife, off of TRESPASS (1970). Mike Rutherford's blatantly commercial ballad, Your Own Special Way is the weak point of this exceptional album. When compared with the groups later pop hits (i.e. Invisible Touch, Anything She Does), this is a fairly good song. Sadly, it points to the not-to-distant commercialization of Genesis's sound. Nonetheless, it is enjoyable, and features some good piano. Wot Gorilla? is a short and jazzy instrumental, reminiscent of Collins' Brand X work. All in a Mouse's Night is a silly "Tom& Jerry" themed track. It features clever enough lyrics and interesting tempo-changes. It is clearly an attempt to replicate the humor of the Gabriel days (i.e. Harold the Barrel), and does so somewhat successfully. Unfortunately, Collins' voice could never match the theatric emotiveness of Gabriel. Blood on the Rooftops quietly is a gem, and features brilliant classical guitar work from Hackett. The next too tracks are instrumentals, and show just how talented these musicians were. "In That Quite Earth ... sounds very similar to Steve Hackett's solo work on VOYAGE OF THE ACOLYTE (1975). The chaos of this track segues seamlessly into the gentle Banks' ballad, Afterglow. This track is a pop styled ballad. Tony Banks' wrote excellent lyrics for it, and Phil Collin's vocals give it unexpected punch. It is a nice gentle end to a very enjoyable album. This album is highly recommended to fans of early Genesis, but many find it to be an acquired taste - Four Stars.

Excellent? Yeah, I think that, even if people think that this album is minor in the releases from the band, reconsider this! It's what I say. The lyrics telling stories are very good. Eleventh Earl Of Mar, One For The Vine and specially All In A Mouse's Night with their story of "Tom & Jerry" are fantastic. Talking about the melodies, make me put this record in the my hall of favourites, and just me that always had a bad idea from the band because of the 80's, this album make me look to the band and now I'm going to search for the others. If I was you will make the same!

Actually, 4 and a half stars. This is the last top-shelf Genesis album, though the next one wasn't really too bad. Also, I think it's the best non-Gabriel Genesis, and holds up as well as many of the earlier ones. I think all of Genesis' albums up to this point are a little inconsistent, with a couple of not quite as good tracks among the brilliant songs on every album. It's damn hard to pick a favorite Genesis album for this reason (however i don't think the Lamb has a weak moment). After this one, it all started falling apart. This album is nostalgic for old England, but in a completely different way than "Selling England by the Pound" is. Highlights are the historic piece "Eleventh Earl of Mar"...brilliant...and "Blood on the Rooftops". I agree with another reviewer, save this for a melancholy winter day when you are curled up by the fireplace with a glass of whisky (not whiskey). Hackett and Banks are brilliant throughout, with the most questionable turns courtesy of Mr Rutherford, which makes you wonder if you really should blame Phil for them eventually selling out.

"Wind and Wuthering" is the last Genesis prog album. I've found this work not really interesting at a first listening, but after several listenings I have appreciate the inconfondible Genesis style, with several duets between Hackett guitar and Banks keyboards. The sweetness of this work is so elegant that you remain without words for the grat melodies and the vocal lines by a good Phil Collins. Album's structure is solid and the consequence of the tracks is the best that can be. Really good album, recommemded to all.

I remember when I bought this album as a teenager from a local store of second hand records. I then wondered why anybody would sell away so intriguing albums away. Now twenty years after I see myself in situation I could consider doing the same. The magic of Peter Gabriel seems to be a crucial factor for me, and the band's personal album highlights reside on the early phase of the group's career, and never have grown integral as a group due some unstability or musical elements on their production line. The album covers felt very cozy, reminding the usual fall / winter / summer / spring of Finland. The overall sound is clear and there is happy energy in mystically starting "Eleventh Earl of Man". "One for The Vine" and "Your Own Special Way" certainly fusion beautiful ballad elements to more complex arrangements and sonic details. Yet this energy and evolvement of this record feel somehow artificial, or more possibly the psychological state vibrating from the album does not match my own mind. Maybe this is a indication of my own boredom and/or disability to relate with the musicians vision. As this disability exists also partly on the most hailed early 1970's albums of the band, my opinion should not be taken too seriously. Maybe some day I'll rest on the unquiect slumbers for the sleepers, and from that quiet earth I'll find afterglow illuminating my vision to the deeper core of this symphatethic, but slighly mundane vinyl.

The album opens with one of the band's strongest songs ever, the exuberant, dynamic "Eleventh Earl of Mar." The last three songs are also excellent, from the elegant dramatic ballad "Blood on the Rooftops," the brooding, mysterious "Unquiet Earth," and the hauntingly beautiful "Afterglow."

Unfortunately, the songs in between are flawed: "One for the Vine" is an epic marred by substandard composition. "You Have Your Own Special Way" is a sickeningly sweet foretaste of the commercial Genesis of the future. "Wot Gorilla" is a pointless fusion instrumental. "All in a Mouse's Night" is - no pun intended - a bit cheesy.

But the highlights are clearly among the best Genesis songs ever. If only the band had stayed in the studio a bit long longer, "Wind and Wuthering" would have been a 5-star masterpiece.

I happened to find this album at a discount, so I decided why not indulge? This is the first Post-Gabriel CD I have bought, and I say it really does still sound like Genesis. Maybe it was Steve Hackett's influence, maybe it was just Phil Collins getting prepped for his Pop turnover, whatever it was, this album is great.

The Eleventh Earl of Mar opens the album, and it continues a long trend of great Genesis openers. This album also features more guitar from Steve Hackett, varying each song in it's style. He still plays like he did back during the Nursery Cryme days. Phil Collins also gives a great overall performance on the vocals and on the drums. Peter Banks is the star of the album, offering a great performance on each track. Mike Rutherford also plays great bass in this album as well. Other tracks to listen to are One For the Vine, Blood on the Rooftops, and Afterglow.

Overall, I recommend this album to anyone who wants to listen to Post-Gabriel Pre-Pop Genesis, it is a very good offering.

I can still remember getting this album after hearing A TRICK OF THE TAIL and being mesmerized by it's richness in terms of the music and captivated by the lyrics which seemed like children's stories inspired by too many drugs or by Hans Christian Anderson or some such author, then being somewhat confused by the new direction the band began taking on DUKE. When I ripped the plastic off the vinyl (yes, I was around when they had vinyl) edition of this album I wasn't sure what to expect.

When Bank's chilling keyboard intro to ELEVENTH EARL OF MAR came through my speakers I knew I was in for a treat. This track was certainly an interesting tempo for Genesis who I always thought did well with even - tempo or slower, more "plodding" paced themes. The mood is up and down but with Collin's phrenetic drumming and Hackett's "war cry" guitar sounds the up - tempo thing really works for me.

ONE FOR THE VINE is one of those more even tempo pieces mentioned before and is very well composed and performed. No surprises for fans of old school Genesis. Just plain good music.

YOUR OWN SPECIAL WAY and AFTERGLOW (as beautiful as it is) are less than standout pieces, probably because they pale in comparrison to the meatier and more ambitious tracks on the LP but they don't hurt the overall flow of the album.

Where things really get interesting is when you hear the "twinkle" sound that introduces track 4. WOT GORILLA is not a well conceived idea and is certainly not a stand alone track but it is a 3:19 fun ride that really showcases the level of musicianship and power this group has when they cut loose. The instrumental gives each member (except Hackett) a chance to show what he can do and is worth listening to repeatedly.

ALL IN A MOUSES NIGHT is certainly one of the band's more interesting songs and is actually more complex than people think.

My 2 favorites on the LP are BLOOD ON THE ROOFTOPS and the two part instrumental UNQUIET SLUMBERS FOR THE SLEEPERS/ IN THAT QUIET EARTH. The first one (Blood on the rooftops) is a gorgeous kind of lazy summer day song with some absolutely mind blowing melodies and an easiness rarely captured by the band. The latter 2 songs are really a single song with two parts. Here again the band explodes out of a beautiful melody into a true assualt on the auditory senses. The sheer, unadultereted, raw power of Genesis is harnessed her and makes the album worth the purchase.

It's hard to mention a Genesis studio album as my favorite but after many listening sessions I've decided to choose this album. Perhaps because I'm a hugh fan from Steve Hackett (I've even bought guitar books to study on his acoustic guitar pieces) and especially on this album Hackett florishes as never before with wonderful and compelling play on both the acoustic as the electric guitar. He has influenced so many Italian, German, Soutch-American, Japanese and USA bands from the late Seventies and early Eighties, incredible. And the interplay with the lush and varied keyboards from Banks is at its pinnacle. But the focus is not only on Steve Hackett, all the other members does a splendid job and the compositions are without weak moments, especially "One for the vine" (breathtaking break halfway), "Blood on the rooftops" (wonderful acoustic guitar intro and moving vocals) and "..In that quiet earth" (Hackett's classic!) are top notch songs. AN ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT ALBUM!!!

Second follow-up album after Peter Gabriel left the band. The lead singer role was filled up by Phil Collins who also sit at drum stools. The band proved that without Gabriel they still could do excellent albums "Trick of The Tail" as well as "Wind and Wuthering". With the launch of this album the music critics believed that Genesis could move along without Gabriel as lead singer. No one would argue with the musical quality of keyboard based opening track "Eleventh Earl Of Mar" (7:41) where the music was composed excellently with basic style of Genesis music. The soaring keyboard sounds at the opening followed with inventive drum works by Phil Collins during opening part is really mind-boggling. Especially when it is followed with a neat and dynamic music flow from start to end. It's a rewarding experience.

Or, how could you challenge the wonderful melody of "One For The Vine" (10:00) with killing keyboard melody at the opening followed with excellent Phil voice that says "Fifty thousand men were sent to do the will of one"? Uughh man . it's really a catcher! The music is very rich in arrangements as it combines with various styles with the unique one just before the interlude part when the music turns into a kind of country. Wonderful!

"Your Own Special Way" (6:18) is a straight forward pop song with excellent melody. It's good when we listen this song as integral part of the whole album as this serves as an introduction to great instrumental outfit "Wot Gorilla?" (3:19) . "All In A Mouse's Night" (6:37) is another wonderfully crafted song with excellent combination of high and low points plus energetic Phil's voice.

"Blood On The Rooftops" (5:27) is a nice song that starts with melodic acoustic guitar that has inspired many groups. Whenever I listen to the opening part, I always remember the intro of "River of Life" of PFM. It shares similar nuance. The remaining tracks serve as trilogy as it should be enjoyed as one song, i.e. "Unquiet Slumbers For The Sleepers... "(2:23) that sets the ambient nuance, followed seamlessly with "...In That Quiet Earth" (4:49) which brings the music dynamically, and the last part is another pop song "Afterglow" (4:12). Notes: the guitar riffs in the middle of "In that Quiet Earth" combined with keyboard solo are really memorable. I especially enjoy when this song is used in the meddley "In The Cage" of the Genesis Mama tour. Awesome!

Overall, it's an excellent addition to any prog music

Progressively yours, GW

Yes, I've rated this album a five. I can honestly say I love it; it is Genesis at their finest, most mature and most dynamic, Gabriel years included. From start to finish, this album never fails to impress. As many before have said, it is the album to sit by the fireplace with a glass of whisky and listen to. Contemporary and sophisticated, it is surprising that so many people overlook this album. Eleventh Earl Of Mar: Dynamic Prelude. The dreamy, mystical synth melody combined with the cosmic bass notes set a scene immediately, as they are joined by some sci-fi mellotron work and some even more cosmic synths, with piano and drums joining respectively. The song rocks quite a bit and is very easy to listen to. A definite highlight of the album from the first listen. 9/10 One For The Vine: Suite. Sweet. A sweet suite. In fact, one of the most grown-up, mature songs Genesis have written. Opening with some minimal guitar work from Steve Hackett, joined by the piano which drives most of the song, 'One For The Vine' develops into a highly enjoyable suite of musical themes. It is soaked in Mellotron glory, although it is decidedly lacking in the guitar department. But this is more than made up for by some of Phil Collins' best and most heartfelt vocal work. An absolute all-time Genesis favourite. 10/10. Your Own Special Way: Ballad. Most consider this a low point on the album, much like it's successor's 'Follow You Follow Me'. However I rather like it, it is a pleasant, contemporary, warm song. It might have been better a bit shorter as it does drag slightly at 6:18 long and sometimes seems little more than a vessel for some thoughtful poetry. Musically, it has a mild country n' western feel with its jangly electro-acoustic guitar and slidey, whining synths which remind one of a slide guitar. 7/10 Wot Gorilla?: Instrumental. A strange, 3 minute instrumental piece which serves little more purpose than to showcase musicianship. In other words, we're being reminded how brilliant these four musicians are. Which is never a problem! This song is similar in drive to 'Los Endos' and the later track 'In That Quiet Earth'. And tonally reminds one of 'It' from 'The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway'. Interesting, definitely worth a listen if you are fond of instrumental tracks. 7/10 All In A Mouse's Night: Mini-suite. Pleasant, typically Genesis 6 and a half minute track, similar to the opening track of the album. It is a quirky, prickly track with a heavy drive, telling a very self-explanatory story in the vein of Tom & Jerry. Very twee, cute lyrics which are once again typical of Genesis in one of their straightforward storytelling moods. Also uses the typically progressive method of having a very long, drawn-out fadeout, the lyrics stopping a whole 2 minutes before the end of the track. 8/10 Blood On The Rooftops: Ballad. A pretty, mature, contemporary track with a beautiful classical guitar introduction, joined slowly by Phil's voice, then accomplanied by Mellotron. A song you can't help but love, the mellotron work absolutely makes this song. At only 5.27 long it seems a bit short and could easily have been developed into a 'One For The Vine' type song. This song would be echoed musically on the following album with 'Many Too Many' as the chord sequences are remarkably similar in places. 10/10. Unquiet Slumbers For The Sleepers...: Instrumental. An ambient, peculiar instrumental track, only 2 and a half minutes long, which fades into the following track. This track can either be regarded as filler material or part 1 of the final stage of the album. 7/10 ...In That Quiet Earth: Instrumental. A burst of energy. Fantastic syncopated drumming with sublime (and previously greatly missed) guitar work from a now centre- stage Steve Hackett. This is part 2 of the final stage of the album and is arguably the best. The bassline of this, played by Mike Rutherford is up there with the best, and is in the same vein as 'Los Endos': hard and fast. A highlight of the album, and a favourite of instrumental lovers. The album paints an image first of a tropical island, but slowly develops into a sun-drenched desert perhaps, and the track even reprises part of the theme of 'Eleventh Earl Of Mar'. 10/10. Afterglow: Mini-Epic Outro. Wonderfully majestic guitar work based around a two-note melody, on what sounds like an electric 12-string guitar. This track is an epic beast which is also quite catchy. Some say it's not what it could be, some say it sounds tired, but I say, they could do a lot worse. It's the third and final part of the three piece suite which closes this album is, incidentally a definite highlight. The powerful vocal work is what makes this song what it is; and that is, a fantastic closer to a fantastic album. 9/10.

I genuinely love this album, it is vastly overlooked and contains some real gems. Make it a priority!

I bought several cds of Genesis before hearing about this one. At my first listening, I've not been very surprised of the quality or anything, but after 5 times, I really noticed all the talent and the work behind that about that 'dark' Genesis album. Wind & Wuthering is like a travel with different styles of soft progressive music. Thou it's a Collins cd, it's more similar to Gabriel's era style, like Trick of the Tail. The 2 firsts songs (Eleventh Earl of Mar, One for the Vine) are great with mysterious and rythmic paterns. I also love Blood on the Rooftops, a kind of gentle and soft ballade, but also a great prologue to the best part of the album, the instrumental (Unquiet slumber for the sleepers, in that quiet earth)... and listen to the intense, orgasmic end of in that quiet earth.... One low point, though, I sincerly think Afterglow is out of context. In fact, I always listen to the record from the start, and at that point, after that (magic) in that quiet earth, the momentum is kind of broken...

An album with a better production that albums like "the lamb". It has more ideas and varied stiles. For me Wind and Wuthering, Trespass and Nursery Crime are best albums. It sounds different that Peter Gabriel albums, it was an arrival of new ideas, and way of mixing, and compose songs. Your own special way is the only song that I considering isn't inspirate. Unquiet the slumbers for the sleepers/afterglow in that quiet earth is marvelous and vibrating, unpredictable. Afterglow has a mitical chorus for me One for the vine has more sections or movements "well united" that many Peter Gabriel era songs.

"All in a night mouse" sounds amazing with those aaaah.... aaaah, incredible, as original as "middle pause "cappela". Exist in this song a "tempo harmony", non-abrupt sense of composing, unique. The way wich melody slow down softly is prodigious. Synths are mystical, unachievable, strange, No-exists a synth section like this in any album. You feel that it's fullness. I don't have words.

Blood of the rooftops is autumnal in the same way to lovely cover of disc, I think that this intro acoustic guitar is the nearly best guitar moment of all Genesis works, It is as good as Anthony Phillips work in Trespass. Tony Banks mellotron in this song is own of a "maestro"

Phil Collins voice is velvety in general, a perfect company for romantic piano and mellotron that dominates the album.

Eleventh earl of mar and Wott Gorila are typical great sound of Genesis. "Eleventh earl of mar ending and piano intervention is very nice and inspirated.

An album tremendously well-composed. In this moment I listening H to he Who am the only one and don't seem to me as original and varied as it.

An excellent goodbye from the classic period.

Oddly enough, although this album is very similar to "Trick of the Tail", somehow I like it better and I must digress a bit.

Me and my fellows from the school days used to own this album, being young GENESIS converts into prog rock. Beginning of the 1980s Yugoslavia had a domestic record production that printed many major international music acts through obtaining licence from the major international record companies. Biggest catalogues were owned by Jugoton and PGP RTB local labels. The latter was alas notorious for their lousy quality of vynil records which were often made so badly that once purchased record had to be replaced at the shop for another, after many skippings on the turntable. PGP RTB owned Phonograph/Philips catalogue including its subsidiary Charisma label, including GENESIS of course.

"Wind and Wurthering" was available and surely we tried to listen to it, but were always dissapointed by a "weak bass sound" and "bad production". Not until someone got an "original" vynil from the West were we aware of the cause of such "bad sound": extremely poor plastic thing of PGP RTB release. Now, listening to a CD I cannot but admire the last work of the four musicians. When "the sound problem" is finally OK, I can only say that "Eleventh Earl of Mar", "One for the Vine", "All in a Mouse's Night", "Blood on the Rooftops" and "Unquiet Slumbers..." are all excellent numbers, equalling the best moments of their classic period.

Of course there is a sequel to "More Fool me" - "Your Own Special Way" - which shows the way Collins would lead in the 1980s, and which is a must to skip over if you don't like Celine Dion-style weeping. But overall this is an excellent "swan song" of the GENESIS true epic and progressive opus.

In 'Wind and Wuthering' Genesis began withering.

What's wrong with this album, one might ask ... Well, it lacks dynamics and mindblowing musicianship. Also, Collins vocals come a little bland here. The result is a slightly boring album.

The opening track is an exception. It is the strongest song of the album, and has a lot of energy which is something this album lacks. 'Wot Gorilla' is another strong moment of the album, reminding the listener of the great musicianship of 'Trick of the Tail'. The epic is quite a pretty and melodic song, tho its percussive instrumental break is horribly out of place.

Not a bad album at all! It is just disappointing for having such a group of excellent musicians and releasing this. This album shows that the band was running out of gas and was about to release an even weaker album (and then there were three) until exploring pop while being successful at it.

My Grade : C

My personal favorite of all Genesis albums. Phil Collins brought the voice that allowed Genesis to be the band that they were capable of being. Peter Gabriel no doubt has a great, distinct voice that brought life to the earlier Genesis records but Phil's voice is simply purer and actually much easier to listen to. The earlier albums are great but this album has all the classic Genesis ideas and I think the sound that above all made them what they were. Eleventh Earl of Mar is a typically classic opening Genesis track and it goes on from their. Every element complementing every other element beautifully and thoroughly. My personal favorites are You have your own special way, Blood on the Rooftops and Afterglow a truly magnificent ender. Blood on the Rooftops is especially good with Steve Hackett's opening on classical guitar followed by the soft, soothing vocals of Phil and the song builds until the shattering climax of the chorus. These are three of the best songs in the whole Genesis repertoire. Everything about this album makes it a masterpiece. Definately an essential worth owning and enjoying again and again.

I admit it, I'm not an ardent supporter of Genesis. But like every good amateur of progressive music, I have all their discs. Wind and Wuthering is one of my favorite albums of Genesis. Later "and the there were three", I have the feeling that everything is going to degrade. Wind and Wuthering is a magnificent album, lyric, a little bit dark and "windy", but very coherent in its construction. And Peter Gabriel's absence does not disturb me. A very good Genesis.

I find Wind and Wuthering to be an enjoyable and entertaining record, the last with Steve Hackett, and his swan song is rather nice. Compared to A Trick of the Tail, where his guitar seemed more muted than usual, he has a profound impact on the final product. "Eleventh Earl of Mar" is an darkly majestic opener, and among my favorite Genesis songs; the song moves like a story, Mike Rutherford's bass is at its peak, and Hackett has a slashing guitar solo midway through. Still, keyboardist Tony Banks continues to be pivotal to the band not just for his instrumental talents, but his songwriting, exhibited on the ten-minute epic "One for the Vine." Rutherford's "Your Own Special Way" seems to be the number which gets dumped on most frequently, but I find it to be a rather pleasant love song, and more intellectual than other counterparts the band would produce during its pop phenom period. Phil Collins, who also gets dumped on for "ruining" the band, proves that while he may not have the vocal power, he makes up for it emotionally. "Wot Gorilla" is an instrumental that sounded cool to me at first, but it faded bit by bit each time I heard it, and Banks' keyboard melody actually becomes rather annoying. "All in a Mouse's Night" has lyrics that seem inane at points, but Banks still is using this as a Tom and Jerry piece. I love Hackett/Collins "Blood on the Rooftops," which is very English, but very beautiful in the melancholy sort, with Hackett's classical guitar intro leading into a new story of the changing times..."Helen of Troy has found a new face again." The final three numbers (on CD) are meant to be listened to together. Hackett/Rutherford's "Unquiet Slumber for the Sleepers..." has such a setting to it, as if drifting into the night for a good two minutes plus. This leads into "...In That Quiet Earth," where Steve Hackett's electric guitar melody and warp solo drive the first half of the instrumental, along with Collins' rapid-fire drumming (some of his best since Lamb Lies Down on Broadway). Hackett turns over to a pre-grunge rhythm guitar in the second half, as Tony Banks synthesizer solo can be rather creepy. This all leads to Bank's love number (and the album finale) "Afterglow," a brilliant song lyrically with a great harmony vocal arrangement. The latter number isn't loaded musically, but it's a decent way to close things. Overall, Wind and Wuthering was a sign, despite it's greatness, that this was all going to end soon. Steve Hackett would leave with his axe, and the band would further the pop transition. However, I don't think the band ever died out, despite the constant criticism for selling out. Here is an essential release for those that enjoy the progressive-era works by Genesis.

A TRICK OF THE TAIL showed a band that was still able to produce great music in the face of great adversity. WIND AND WUTHERING showed a band whose formula was quickly wearing thin.

First of all, the production had been gradually getting better with each successive album. But here it's downright slick. If anything, the album feels overproduced, compressed and flattened to within an inch of its life, to the point that album opener "Eleventh Earl of Mar" sounds as thin as a piece of onionskin.

Second, the band's compositional style was looking shopworn. Rutherford's "Your Own Special Way" tips the scales too far, away from the charming folk-balladry of earlier albums and head-on into the drippy, mega-romantic MOR balladry that would signal the band's artistic downfall. And their "story song" style jumped the shark big time with the insufferable "All In A Mouse's Night".

Still, there's enough here to be of interest to the serious fan. "One For The Vine" is one of their slow-growers like "Mad Man Moon", but is very much worth your while in the end. "Blood On The Rooftops" is an utterly chilling number, featuring one of Hackett's most heartfelt performances. And the the transition from the energetic instrumental cycle "Unquiet Slumbers for the Sleepers/In That Quiet Earth" into the emotional (and much-imitated) album-closer "Afterglow" is another one of those "textbook prog" moments.

Album announced in 1977 "Wind And Wuthering". It is a masterpiece album that plays the symphonic rock being sophisticated. The work that is the overall and expression of feelings style. The ensemble and the rhythm became more lucid. If you are GENESIS fan, "Eleventh Earl Of Mar", "One For The Vine", and "All In A Mouse's Night" are famous piece of musics once that should be listened.

This is a brilliant sonic adventure of crystal clear recording that has excellent impact of very thick and rich sustained bass works. Tony Banks overwhelmed the whole album and sometimes Hackett's guitars sound like Tony's synth (the guitar leads in One for the Vine at places sound almost like keyboards). Mike used a lot of bass padels here and the only way to capture the real sound of this album is to enjoy it loud with a powerful stereo. If you listen to this album in a walkman or a small system, you are missing most of the hard works. A point to note that this album contains a lot of instruments than any other Genesis albums (three pieces). And some pieces had exceptionally good drums and guitars. But overall Tony rules. The cover of this album is a stark contrast to the heavy use of Tony's synthesizers-- which was used in the most classical way. One for the Vine is one of the greatest prog rock written while Afterglow still drifts me away. This brings me to the point that most works of Golden era Genesis and Yes had layers of sounds which can escape your ears if you listen to them in small systems. This is not necessarily the case with ELP or even Pink Floyd.

One album that passed me by at the time was Wind & Wuthering. Sure I heard it but even after several plays it never stuck in the memory like some of their albums, and I never really listened to it again until now. After so many years listening to it again, it still comes across as a rather anonymous album, without the style of their previous outings. Maybe Trick of the Tail was such a huge effort, maybe they put their all into it after Peter Gabriel departed, that there was just nothing left.

Tony Banks just does not seem on top form, and after Gabriel's departure, he was their main driving force. "Eleventh Earl of Mar" starts (and finishes) with a haunting melody but there's little of substance in the middle; "Afterglow" is pretty good, as is "One for the Vine"; but it isn't Banks (or Genesis) at their best. No, the best tracks on the album come from others - Mike Rutherford's "You're On Special Way" and the sublime "Blood on the Rooftops" by Collins and Hackett.

Banks' songwriting could always tend toward being too sweet - the title song to Trick of the Tail was never my favourite - but here in "All In A Mouse's Night" there's a new low. The song tells the tale (should I say tail? Ho ho) of a mouse's expeditions at night:

"The door's been opened, my chance to escape, Must run quick, better sorry than late"

I for one didn't find it amusing; if the thought was this song was witty, it's badly mistaken. I thought Yes' "Don't Kill The Whale" was awful but this song hits a new low in cruelty to animals in songs of which fortunately there are very few in Prog - Floyd's album dedicated to four legged beasts being a notable, successful exception.

Another thing - for some reason the keyboards just do not seem to have quite the same sweet sound as previous albums - different keyboards or different production, I'm not sure why.

There are two linked instrumentals - "Unquiet Slumbers." and "In That Quiet Earth" - after several airings I have to say the latter sounds like a ho-hum day in the rehearsal room.

The album cover shows a late Autumn scene with a few last leaves falling away - symbolic of Genesis music at the time? Steve Hackett's departure followed of course, after which Genesis really did start to head towards mainstream pop, but listen carefully and there's the beginnings here.

I'm still giving this 3 stars because even though it's a disappointment to me, it still has some mighty fine moments; but you'd have to write "could do better" on the school report.

I have been listening this one now for a good time!! I believe that musically Steve, influences in this album were to the max...and, that is the main reason for me to get this one! We start to see and listen, the beginnigs of what GENESIS will turn into!! Not a pretty prospect for Progressive fans, but, nevertheless a great album!! being "One For The Vine" the highlight and center piece of the album!! I think probably 4 1/2 stars really!!

The last of the progressive albums before they became more pop oriented and the last to feature Steve Hackett. I like it a lot but it isn't quite up to the standard of the earlier material (think of Your own Special Way).

Blood on the Rooftops with its evocative acoustic guitar intro and insightful lyrics is excellent along with the epic One for the Vine. All in a Mouse's Night shows the band's humorous side and the Eleventh Earl of Mar is a historical epic. Unquiet Slumbers....... is also a powerful number which is reminiscent of Apocalypse in 9/8 from Supper's Ready this segues into the last song, Afterglow, which became a concert favourite (the live versions easily outstrip the studio version).

For me the best period of Genesis starts with Foxtrot and ends right here. Some reviewers rant and rave at Your Own Special Way but at the time it seemed a great song which imo fitted in perfectly with the mood of the album. I also enjoy Steve Hacketts work on this album especially the glorious guitar intro on Blood on the Rooftops. Half a notch down on TOTT but still classic Genesis.

Well this album is kinda Steve Hackett-album, which is not bad at all. Acoustic sounds and beautiful singing by Collins. I actually can't find no "bad song" from this great album, every song is great and very "windy" actually. The name of this album could not have been any better. I don't know who made up that name but its cool! I highly recommend!

This is one of those great albums that you can practically guarantee to find in the bargain bin of most second hand music stores - especially if you're a vinyl freak like me.

So, having found a mint conditioned first pressing, most reasonably priced at a paltry pound of our English money, I began my exploration of exactly what would have been heard back in 1977, and... it's a Genesis album.

Yup.

Without doubt, this is the Genesis that made "Trespass", "Foxtrot" et al... but despite the swirly intro, there's a more regular feel to "Elevnth Earl of Mar", and those vocals - despite the odd asides - well, they're not very dramatic are they?

More kind of singalongaPhil... but OOooh! when Tony Banks goes off with the keyboards and everything fades down low, there's that familiar shiver of delight - the soft sixths and minor sevenths - and what about those Mellotrons???

Phil does his best to fill Gabriel's shoes, but it would seem he's more enjoying singing like Phil than Pete generally, and when he does, we can't really hold that against him. But I'm not keen on him "doing a Pete".

Then Crash!! The Genesis drama unfolds - Rutherfords growly bass underpinning slowly shifting harmonies, piano arpeggios and melancholic lead lines... Mmmmmm!!!

Another melancholy lead line from Hacket begins "One For The Vine", which meanders off following a strong song structure, the sections of which unfold like a musical voyage, entering a more free-form that has "traditional Genesis" hallmarks all over it - little keyboard scurries, mood shifts, lights and shades of texture woven together as a skilled seamstress embroiders a tapestry - but using the aural equivalent of watercolours.

Then, there are the most almighty splodges of colour, in a passage that used to drive me mad - the needle used to stick in the groove of my old copy at exactly this point, so this would just go on and on and on until I could be bothered to tap the stylus...

But back to the song... it just gets better and better with a curious solo feeding into a section that sounds almost like the Beatles on Abbey Road, moving seamlessly and with a highly improvised feeling - but stylised in manner. Without doubt, this is one of the finest of the "Post-Gabriel" songs, but I do start to wish that Phil would stop trying to imitate Gabriel''s lyrical style, as he lacked the literary depth to pull it off... Of course, that wish comes true on later albums, for better or worse...

"Your Own Special Way" is a nice song, but not what I (or any other progger) would want on a Prog Rock album - it's a Phil special ballad, better by far than "More Fool Me" but not quite up there with "Ripples", especially with the desparately twee instrumental section.

"Wot Gorilla?" is an instrumental - an icy, tinkling intro giving way to sizzling percussion from Phil, and gorgeous keyboard layers and guitar textures underpinned by bass pedals with glacial harmonic movement, and a slowly building atmosphere that leaves you wishing for more as it tinkles off into the distance.

"All in a Mouse's Night" has some crazy percussion and rhythms from Phil - he's at his very strongest here, and Tony Banks pulls out all the stops, so to speak, to produce interesting textures. Sadly most of this is too far down in the mix, and not intended as foreground, so the entire song ends up sounding a bit samey unless you're listening intently. Rutherford's largely uninventive bass would seem to be the main reason for this - and where is Hackett? The solo he puts in sounds as if he's cruising in 3rd, waiting for the moment to shift upwards, but never does. A great pity, as some of the ideas are very good, and re-used on his later albums (I recognise "Voyage of the Acolyte" in here..." The lyrics are mildly amusing, being concerned with a 10 foot mouse with teeth and claws to match - but hardly substantial stuff.

Some beautiful, if somewhat faltering Spanish guitar begins "Blood on the Rooftops"... and Banks produces some wonderful textures. When the music kicks in, it's almost like going back to "The Musical Box", with the nostalgic flavours.

The album continues in this vein of inventiveness - nothing melodically outstanding, but rhythmically solid, harmonically slow-shifting, formally loose and texturally exciting Prog Rock - with the possible exception of "Afterglow", but with loads and loads of really good bits, magical textures floating past in a gentle, dreamy haze - absolutely perfect for these cold winter nights, and some seriously cool drumming from Phil, as ever.

There's this one bit towards the end of "This Quiet Earth" that you really MUST hear, though - seriously! It's fantastic!!

"Afterglow" wraps it all up perfectly, of course, and needs no introduction. Odd, really, considering that it's essentially a simple song. However, tape down those neck hairs...

If I was rating this alongside other Genesis albums, it would be kind of average to middling, but as a Prog Rock album, it's great and should be in your collection - after you've bought Foxtrot, SEBTP, Nursery Cryme, Lamb, Trespass and WAW, of course...

3.75 stars.

Secong greatest PC Genesis album, righ after Duke. Very much influenced by Hackett, it seems he did all the music here. I like PC's voice here, but unfortunately it was no the best in '77, yet. The music is great and the best here is, that every song is excellent. Really fascinating and great lyrics (yes they are, check them out). Greatest song is One For The Vine, very beautiful, musical concept, which grows all the time and gives you something to concentrate on. Very recommended indeed.

Another corker with the fantastic 4! The album is cosisted of 3 instrumentals which in places are dull which take it down a star for me but any way. The 1st 2 tracks are sublime, perfect in everyway. "You have your own special way is cheesey, but good, the rest is reaaly cool but dull. Still a must have essential!!!!

Would like to say that this is a wonderful album apart from the last track which is a little plodding. Your Own Special Way was a Rutherford composition and at this stage there was no conception that Phil Collins was anything more than a a drummer who sang. He did turn into an AOR pratt but Rutherford and Banks did as well. They wrote the later songs just as much. He didn't lead them or make them. He is also not a reason to dismiss this album. Epic sweep, killer melodies, classical-ish arrangements, piano and keyboard runs, and sub standard vocals (as well as beautiful guitar). The last good Genesis album. Lets face it. Don't let Phil Collins ruin that for anyone.

Genesis may have suffered from loosing Gabriel but they still managed to make great music. This album has a really nice flow, Your Own Special Way is maybe a bit too long but it has a nice feel to it i think. Allso Collins does a good job here i really like his vocals on this album. Musically the whole band does a great job.

Wind and Wuthering is my favourite no-gabriel Genesis album, slightly better than Trick of the tail. I highly recommend this album

This album would have been better than 'A Trick of the Tail' if it wasn't for two reasons, 'Your own Special Way' and 'All in a Mouse's Night'. Many people completely slate 'Your own Special Way', but for what reason? because it's pop? Well that may be some peoples reason but Genesis had some excellent pop songs, the reason I do not like 'Your own Special Way' is because it is very, very boring. It's miles too long to keep ones attention throughout the whole song, and yes, the lyrics can be cheesy at times. 'All in a mouses night' is another let down because nothing very interesting happens here either, and the lyrics don't quite cut it, Banks wrote great songs with a lot of imagination, but this is not one of them.

'Eleventh Earl of Mar' kicks off the album tremendously, a very energetic romp (I mean come on, listen to Rutherford!) with some excellent guitar from Hackett, the album could have not opened with any other song, here the lyrics are tremendous, and very Genesis. The mid section is also very well done, clear melodic vocals from Collins with Hackett's spanish guitar, works very well. 'One for the Vine' is a little longer and just as good, if not better. A Banks penned track that has many different sections, with the whole band making themselves heard, Rutherford especially, fantastic basslines again (It all goes wonderfully nuts after about four and a half minutes) and the trademark Genesis atmosphere that gives a lot of the songs on this album a nice charm. After the dull 'Your own Special Way' things pick back up again with 'Wot Gorilla?', an instrumental that may seem superfluous to some, but to me, an excellent three minute 'What the hell was that??' type track with powerful drumming and storming keyboards. Another dull six minutes with 'All in a Mouses Night' and then an unexpected gem. The Collins/Hackett penned 'Blood on the Rooftops' that has a beautiful spanish guitar intro and a nice vocal, with Banks adding his touch nicely. The final three tracks 'Unquiet Slumbers for the Sleepers... In That Quiet Earth' and 'Afterglow', contain, in my opinion, some of the greatest music on any Genesis album, wonderfully haunting at times (Reminds of 'Silent Sorrow in Empty Boats') and striking a wonderful connection with the cover art, something that sounds like it should be played late at night. 'Afterglow' is a chilling ending, with a lot of power.

Wind and Wuthering is an excellent album, (Here you can judge the book by its cover, or album rather) it is held back somewhat by the two songs I mentioned earlier but they do not disrupt the flow as much, they just don't seem to hold there own against most of the other individual tracks on the album, due to their lack of any real spark. It's much darker than 'A Trick of the Tail', which will appeal to many Genesis fans. Collin's vocals are strong, better here than on the previous album and he still gets better in the next couple of albums. This was Hackett's final album album with the band, and it is a fitting swansong as he does great work on the album.

I remember buying this album the week it was released (nearly 30 years ago). I also happened to see them in concert for the 1st time, a couple of weeks later. This album sounded great the 1st time I listened to it, and still sounds great today. Of all the post- Gabriel era Genesis albums, it still remains my favorite, with only "A Trick of the Tail" coming close to matching it for total brilliance. From the opening keyboard strains of "Eleventh Earl of Mar" to the beautiful sublteties in "One For the Vine" right through the powerful climactic end of "Afterglow", the album remains as totally enjoyable today as it was back in 1977. Unfortunately though, it was to be the last great epic album from these guys. I find that many prog fans seem to agree on this point. "Wind & Wuthering" ... one of the classic recordings from Genesis.

There are 3 excellent albums from the band post-Gabriel. (Duke bested TOTT and W&W but not by much. It's like comparing diamonds.) This one will always have a special place in my heart. There has never been a more fitting cover for an album of songs with that lone tree clinging desperately to its summer leaves. From beginning to end it exudes an atmosphere of a blustery day in Autumn with the sun peeking through the clouds only sporadically. The mysterious opening to "Eleventh Earl of Mar" sets the tone wonderfully and moves elegantly right into "One for the Vine" to give you almost 18 straight minutes of the kind of music only Genesis can provide. I don't have the problem with "Your Own Special Way" that others seem to possess because I'm a sucker for a beautiful love song and the guitars and synthesizer weave around each other expertly on this tune. "Wot Gorilla" would have been right at home with the best of the instrumentals on The Lamb and "All in a Mouse's Night" is fantastic music overlayed with whimsical lyrics that showed they were still capable of a little levity. "Blood on the Rooftops" is just flat-out majestic with its unique chord changes and intriguing lyrics. All leading up to the WOW moment that occurs during "...In that Quiet Earth" when the gargantuan 12-string guitar sound ushers the towering dinosaur into the room and devastates your mind. You'll find yourself reaching for the volume and cranking it up every time. Absolutely awesome! They could have ended it there but they stay in character with the heartwrenching "Afterglow" that brings the cold wind of lost love back to the forefront. It's a song that works better on stage (especially on 3 sides live) but don't shortchange the impact it has on this album. On the previous album they had something to prove (and they did!) but this one showed their collective heart exposed and they created a true masterpiece with this collection of progressive rock music.

"Wind and Wuthering" is probably the last five stars album produced by Genesis, since none of the ones which came afterwards deserves that rating, although we still can find good and listenable ones (as well as total horrors, like "Abacab") This album shows again that even without Peter Gabriel, the band is still in fine shape, specially, as always, Tony Banks and Steve Hackett, also accompanied by the again powerful (like in "A Trick of The Tail") Phil Collins' drumming Every piece of this album is a gem, except probably "Your own special way", the only weak link here. "Eleven Earl of Mar" is probably the song I've played the most on any of my music devices in the last months, I'm totally obsessed with it, since it contains one of the most brilliant mellotron work ever found. "One for the Vine" is a complex and multilayered composition, probably their best long composition of the late seventies. "Wot Gorilla" is another subtle and melodic mellotronic instrumental piece, worth listening several times in a row. "All in a mouse's night" is a probably excesively infatuated song still grand in the well performed spirit of the album. "Blood on the rooftops" is another trademark Hackett composition, providing a relaxing touch at this passage. "Unquiet Slumbers for Sleepers" is an intro with a bit of psychedelia to ".. In That Quiet Earth", one of the strongest tracks we can find on the record, very in the line of "Los Endos". "AfterGlow" is a languid yet melodic ending piece full of charm.

Again, I find that after this, Genesis still managed to perform some remarkable work and I don't strictly think that here ended their proggresive stage (I think "Duke" was their last remotely proggresive effort). But it is true that after Steve Hackett left, it wouldn't be the same. A pity.

WIND AND WUTHERING was recorded during the period when Genesis members were becoming bored of the musical restrictions within the band, thus releasing solo material (Hackett) or even joining side-projects (Collins) and it sounds slightly unconvincing in parts.

I presume the fact that Collins was jamming with Brand X at the time, can be heard from the unusual drumming, time signature-wise, that he adopts on some tracks. Overall the music really reflects the artwork on the cover, with warm harmonies and lyrics based on traditional British homely routines.

With the exception of 'Your Own special Way', which is a rather pathetic ballad, the album is an excellent example of progressive rock.

My favourite song of the album is 'Blood on the Rooftops' which has a beautiful classical guitar intro and a very haunting keyboard part, that counterpoints Collins' singing '...won't you stay?' One cannot tell from the classical guitar intro that the song'll soon lead to a totally different part. I would describe this song as one of the band's best ever, even in spite of the fact that the lyrics do not fit the music, in the sense that the words are very mundane ('...shall I make that tea?') compared to the ponderous music.

Perhaps the last good progressive album by Genesis?

Hmm...

Half of it is great, the other half is showing what the future is going to be. And yet, the magic operates less and less and less...The core of Genesis is already defined in Wind and Wuthering: Hackett is not part of it. Despite the fact that he wrote some of his best stuff on this record, just like Harrisson in Abbey Road, it is time to say good-bye.

Genesis is always capable of writing a hit, in any generation with any line-up. Here again, songs like One for The Vine is gripping your ears and nicely lays a smile of your face. I even remember hearing Your Own Special Way at a wedding in 1983 I guess...à

So you get the picture that the pace is changing, going more FM and therefore your wife is capable of going thru many songs without threatening to destroy the stereo.

The last studio album by Genesis that is highly recommend, followed by a delightful live album. Eleventh Earl of Mar starts with terrific guitar and keyboards by Hackett and Banks in unison . The sound dark and forbidding and match sleeve artwork of the album very well, in fact just like A Trick of the Tailthe mood of the music on this album matchs the artwork very well. After the dark intro the keyboards change the mood to a cheerful one and Collins starts singing and it sounds like a traditional Genesis affair very much in the same vein as Dance on the Volcanoe.Rutherford pounding away at the bass, Banks beautiful and tragic sounding keyboards A great acoustic interlude by Hackett and Rutherford and folky singing by Collins, pretty much first rate music by a first rate band, always well polished, imaginative and interesting. But with this album I cannot get past the feeling that ia lot of it has all been done before in particular their album A Trick of the Tail, don't get me wrong this album is worth your while but in reality the only real real freshness I get from album is from Hacketts iinput. Its like a dark Trick of the Tail and comparisons can be made of the two ( for example Los Endos and Unqiet Slumbers in that Quiet Earth)..It just feels like Genesis were grasping for something else to reach for something more commercial, this is shown in the ballad Your Own Special Way, which was a failed radio-friendly tune and a throwawy track which lowers the album slightly, it feels as if it was business as usual on this album, fantastic musicians creating fantastic songs but some don't quite as fresh as they used to be.Perhaps if Genesis had not have sold out soon their albums would have become very boring and repetitive,who knows?

One for the Vine is perhaps the best track on the album I love it, It is meloncholy and gentle, it has a terrific instrumental an immediate classic, everything a Genesis fan wants and has come to expect, the instrumental sounds very similar to some of the stuff done by Split Enz (many Enz listeners agree that Enz were influenced by Genesis), It has an awesome ending full of both power, humour and tragedy. Hackett Rutherford and Collins greatly complement Banks on this.

Wot Gorrila is similar to the song Riding the Scree on The Lamb Lies Down, a fun little piece, great drumming and percussion by Collins, and very wintery sounding , Hackett has some great interaction with Banks, and great atic work by Mike Rutherford.

All in a Mouses night is a great track but lacks an instrumental likie Ripples and Robbery Assault and Battery, so it doesn't stand out, but does add to the wintery atmosphere to the album, great suibtles by Banks keyboards that sound quite highlanderish and again awesome bass by Mike Rutherford. Good just not mindblowing as I'm accostomed from one of the greatist bands ever.

Blood on the Rooftops is a Hackett, song excellent first rate composition by Hackett, great classical guitar, it sounds quite fresh and hints at Hacketts solo career. I think Phil Collins wrote the lyrics on this track, they do sound quite poor which is a shame. Unquiet Slumbers for the Sleepers... has a great outer worldly feel to it, written by Hackett and Rutherford, dreamlike with the added meloncholy of Banks keyboards. It evolves into ... In that Quiet Earth, with a great celtic feel to it, Hackett is quite assertive on this piece, with some more assertive guitar to it , which hints at what Genesis could have sounded like if Hackett remained, overall an excellent instrumental and another instant classic.

The Instrumental the again evolves into Afterglow, heralded by many Genesis fans to be a classic, I personally don't like it that much, its not as bad as Your Own Special way but its nothing spectacular either,perhaps one day I'll get it but at the moment I treat it as a filler, a nice one that soothes you to the end of the album, but far from a masterpiece.

Its a solid four stars though just not perfect, Steve Hackett's input sounds as though it was very essential to this album, and adds a lot of freshness to it. Despite my negative statments of this album it is still excellent and worth your time, and has moments of sheer genius and great refinement and polish, its just not perfect, and of course you can accuse me of nitpicking after all this is Genesis!

After the great A Trick of the Tail, Genesis go darker with Wind & Wuthering. The sleeve announce what is on the the album: melancolic feeling. But what a feeling! Eleventh Earl of Mar is the perfect opener with a good rythm and a rich sound. But it's on the second song, One for the Vine, that Genesis strikes hard. This song is probably the best of the Collins era and is easily in my top 5 Genesis songs: the ending section almost makes me cry even after a thousand and more listenings! Blood on the Rooftops shows the acoustic side of Steve Hackett. Unquiet Slumbers for the Sleepers, In That Quiet Earth and Afterglow are probably the Hackett testament with Genesis; these songs really have hard Hackett feeling and I love it! All in a Mouse's Night has a little pop feeling but it's still solid prog, especially the ending section of the song. Wot Gorilla and Your Own Special Way are the weakest songs of this great piece of music but it's listenable. I can't give 5 stars to this album because of these two songs. I give it 4 stars and 3 quarters!

After Peter Gabriel's departure and a certain disappointment with the vocal section of previous Genesis album, "A Trick Of The Tail", I must confess that I lost totally the interest in purchasing this output when it comes to our shops, once upon a time in 1977. Later I had the opportunity, through borrowed vinyl discs to hear "Wind & Wuthering" entirely or partially and I confess again that it didn't impress me. Another chance for "W&W" appeared when, in the 90s, I exchanged my old vinyl collection (keeping only some sentimental biscuits) for brand new CDs but for Genesis I started with "Trespass" and finished with "The Lamb" having gotten "ATotT" only recently. I never minded about "Wind & Wuthering".

Well, considering the amount of garbage (all genres and styles, all countries) that has been produced in the last 25 years I solved to revisit some works that I left behind because I thought they did not fill my quality control and I felt surprised how many of them could please me - in fact, I also discovered that my "quality control" was a terrible and presumptuous mistake that avoided me to be less demanding and musically happier for so many years.

Getting and hearing "Wind & Wuthering" with the sandals of humility was really an enjoyable experience. I realized that this particular work is kind and agreeable, perfectly audible, especially in those days when you want to listen to something more common, usual, and plainer. The work as a whole is well balanced but the musical level is a step behind their previous album - there's a true sensation that the car is almost losing its breaking power just in the top of the slope. Instrumentation is fine but some lack of emotion may be clearly perceived however here and there band members are able to show their tremendous skill and they do it greatly. Again and again, the vocal solos are my problem; Phil Collins isn't definitely a singer and front man shaped in the same furnace from where his predecessor came. Collins goes reasonably in the soft and slow parts but when the tune requires bold and exquisite vocals he fails.

About the tracks, 'Eleventh Earl of Mars" is a fair song, keeping Genesis tradition of neat openers while in the other point 'Afterglow' does well its finishing job. Album core is appreciable, all songs are pleasant but the most noticeable, probably the strongest is 'Blood on the rooftops', a gem that deserves to be aligned together with some Gabriel's era peaks - a great moment indeed. Other songs are correct and hearable, no skipping action recommended.

The resulting feeling is that "Wind And Wuthering" is a typical album to be purchased within a second batch after those truly essential hence good but non-essential. Final rating: 3.

I just started to get into prog right after this album came out, so it happened to be the first Genesis album I owned on vinyl, (I had Foxtrot and Nursery Cryme together on one cassette). Right from the start I was mesmorized, being a huge fan of YES, which was the first prog band I fell in love with, I was taken by the cover of 'Wind and Wuthering' and the first song, "Eleventh Earl Of Mar" encapsulated everything that the cover invoked, that time right before autumn when leaves start to change and the days grow shorter. "One For The Vine" further portrayed the feeling of meloncholy, Bank's subtle keyboards/Mellotron, Hacketts slow soaring guitar and Collin's masterly drumwork, it's my favorite track on the album and one of the best songs, progwise, since Gabriel's departure. The middle section is a mixed bag. "Your Own Special Way" with Hackett's twangy country- like guitar seems out of place and "Wot Gorilla?" also has a 'sticks out like a sore thumb' feel given the cover's somberness. "All In A Mouse's Night" harkens back to Genesis's humorous side ala "Harold The Barrel" and "Robbery, Assault and Battery". From then on, the greyness comes back courtesy of Hackett's guitar and Banks keyboards. In fact, I think with the beginning of "Blood On The Rooftops" acoustic guitar and Bank's Mellotron playing together, it's just pure heaven. "....In That Quiet Earth" for me is Hackett's shining moment with the band, it's pure and powerful. A plain shame that this album had to be his last, but at least for me he went out with a serious bang. The album ends with the beautiful "Afterglow". It's hard for me not to give this grand album 5 stars, but of not for the two songs that seem out of place it would have garnered the score. But still, it's 4.5 out of 5 and I will bump it to 5 cause I LUVS it so much :-)

Ok, this is a proggressive rock masterpiece by genesis which is the last Hackett-era studio album.

Eleventh earl of mar: a very good song, which has very good guitars by Hackett, great keyboard-work by Banks and solid bass by Rutherford. Complex and awsome progressive piece.

One for the Vine: The epic on this album. One of Bank's greatests compositions. Fantastic piano playing, heavy guitar work by Hackett and great lyrics sung with power by Mr.Collins. One of genesis' best.

Your own special way: A song by Rutherford. Nice acustic guitars, keyboards and vocals. The song flows in an excellent way.

Wot gorilla?: An instrumental by Banks and Collins. The intro is done with bells and stuff like that.Then you can hear Collins's drums and percussion doing a very catchy rythm. Tony's synth dominates this track and has some background guitar work. A weird and interesting piece to listen to.

All in a mouse's night: Anotherone by Master Banks. Awsome organ, synth and mellotron. Phil Collins's vocals represent the different caracters in a great way.

Blood on the rooftops: A song by Hackett and Collins. The intro is done with Steve's Horizons-like-trademark acustic guitar. The song features the mellotron played with softness crating a mysterious atmosphere.

Unquiet slumbers for the slippers...:A soft and mysterious track with contributions from Hackett and Rutherford, which leads to...

...in that quiet earth: One of my favourite instrumentals by Genesis. Great guitar and synth playing.

Afterglow: Anotherone of my favourites. A soft ballad with great organ and mellotron, guitars and powerful vocals. The ending is great. The mellotron is tremendously executed by Banks.

All in all, this is and essential masterpice of prog-music and an awsome goodbye to Hackett in the studio(Then he did his final farewell with "Seconds Out").

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.

'Wind and Wuthering' is the second effort in the Phil Collins era and is a vast improvement over the previous 'Trick of the Tail'. It seems as if the band has learned how to use their new vocalist properly on this album. The songs lack the diversity and theatrics that were attempted on Trick but rather focussed on a more subtle and clean composition style. As with any post Gabriel album the edge and angst is clearly diminished, however the ambience of this album more than compensates for this loss. There is no true low point on the album though some songs are weaker than others.

The final three pieces, 'Unquiet Slumber for the Sleepers...In That Quiet Earth', followed by 'Afterglow' is perhaps their most triumphant of endings (yes, even rivalling the masterpiece Supper's Ready). These three tracks contain no pauses thus giving the feeling of an epic (my guess is that the backlash against pretentious 15-20 minute epics forced them into claiming this as three separate songs). The music here is reminiscent of Genesis' past glory, haunting musical motifs and sounds followed by complex all out rocking and then ending with the uplifting and majestry of 'Afterglow'. This would put to rest the grand era of Genesis, as they would rather dramatically shift over to the pop side of music after this work.

Having observed the epic ending we then turn to the more conventional of the tracks. The album opens with two mini-epics in 'Eleventh Earl of Mar' and 'One for the Vine'. 'Eleventh..' is a somewhat rocking and upbeat song and has some decent moments but overall fails to really excite any great emotion. 'One for the Vine' is a more meloncholic piece that takes a while to get into but is a worthy piece overall. We can see here the adjustment toward a less diverse singing style as their is never a need for Collins to try and belt out anything truly aggressive, rather the band uses his airy more melodic vocal stlyings to their potential. 'Blood on the Rooftops' can be thought of in a similar vein, i.e. a meloncholic piece with some strong moments but generally without any dramatic mood changes throughout. 'Your Own Special Way' is a straight up love ballad rarely encounted up to this point in the bands history save for 'More Fool Me' from SEBTP. I'm sure that die hard prog heads will despise this track as it points toward the bands more commercial future, but it isn't the most terrible thing ever written, but definitely lacks the depth that we've come to expect from these great masters of prog; this is easily the low point of the album.

The final two tracks, 'All in a Mouse's Night', and 'Wot Gorilla" are both very light pieces, thematically speaking. 'All in a Mouse's Night' is a story song, that seems very child oriented. If you can get over the silliness of the concept you may find its not that bad of a piece and in fact very playful overall. While 'Wot Gorilla' is a short instumental and by far the most upbeat that this album gets, I actually would consider this the second best track behind the concluding three songs.

Overall I would say that this is one of the better efforts from Genesis, Gabriel era included, and is easily the best under Collins as singer. It's a shame that this would be the last time that Steve Hackett would be with the band as he finally seemed to be garnering a larger role in the music. Beyond this album there would be only a smittering of memorable moments from Genesis, but conversely a lot of commercial success.

Following the splendorous artistic achievement comprised in the "A Trick of the Tail" material was the task on the shoulders of "Wind & Wuthering", and well. this one didn't get to match it but it sure came really close. The prevalence of instrumental passages remained and the melancholic density was even increased to good effect, but generally speaking, the group of musical ideas doesn't feel as compact and consistently even as in the prior effort. But all in all, and this must be set clear from the beginning, here we have yet another Genesis gem before their gradual progression into not-prog territory. But let's check the repertoire now. 'Eleventh Earl of Mar' kicks off the album with an explosion of melodic colors wrapped in characteristic symphonic bombast, creating the same effect that the intro theme of 'Dance on a Volcano' did in the "Trick" album. The song develops an elegant path that fluidly segues the rocky sections and the eerie interlude, in a very Genesis fashion. Next comes 'One for the Vine', which is a typical Banks-ian symphonic epic: predominant slow tempo; featured piano, mellotron and synth in the main motifs; proper colors and ornaments on lead guitars; an up-tempo interlude; a bizarre storyline with existential connotations. Being the longest track in the album, it contains enough diversity and clever arrangements to ensure the listener that they won't literally feel the duration time, but only the moods that go displaying successively all the way through to the ending piano theme. 'Your Own Specialway' has been described by Hackett himself as one of the most beautiful songs that Rutherford ever wrote, and I agreed one year after I first listened to this album. At first I felt it just corny and superficial, but after a number of listens I happened to appreciate it as what it is, a very inspired candid ballad, full with moving softness and straightforwardly sentimental. 'Wot Gorilla?' is a decent instrumental that shows how well can melodic prog fit over a jazz-rock rhythmic pattern (perhaps it would have made a decent Camel track for their Sinclair-era, as well). The only thing that bothers me from this number is to learn that it replaced a primal version of' Please Don't Touch' in the rehearsal sessions for this album, as we all know, the aforementioned leftover is a lot punchier and more dynamic, but well. 'Wot Gorilla?' happens to be very good in its own terms. 'All in a Mouse's Night' kicks off the album's second half: I find the keyboard section a bit overblown for this one, and although the standardized splendor of symph prog is well reflected here, it fails to be deep and exciting as 'Robbery, Assault & Battery' was (I apologize for the many comparisons to the "A Trick of the Tail" album). But then come the three peaks in the album. The prog ballad 'Blood on the Rooftops' contains the most beautiful classical guitar passages that Hackett ever created in Genesis' history: this time, Banks' multi-keyboards (piano, mellotron, synthesizers) behave perfectly, being but not feeling like abundant, just creating the proper orchestral textures and moods for the Hackett's guitar. The dual instrumental 'Unquiet Slumbers for the Sleepers.'/'. In that Quiet Earth' is the other tremendous gem of the album. The former's dreamy atmosphere anticipates the exhibition of melodic elegance and punch of the latter: in fact, 'Quiet Earth' shows how melodic prog can bear a real dense feel without getting abstruse or uncomfortable. 'Afterglow' is the segued ballad that closes down the album. I really appreciate its clever simplicity, but I wish that the closing section had been more substantial (perhaps a guitar lead, or a more meticulous keyboard orchestration, but that angelic chorale somewhat sounds a bit corny to me). "Wind & Wuthering" is an excellent item in Genesis' discography, and of course, a must in any good prog collection. It fails to match the consistent energy of "Trick", and so, it can't be labeled as a masterpiece, but it sure is a most impressive musical opus.

I think many will agree with me about this probably being Genesis' last truly good album - as in the case of "A Trick of the Tail", not really a masterpiece (not to mention somewhat less consistent), but containing nevertheless some true gems from a band that was on the verge of musical disaster (at least as far as us Prog Elitists are concerned.)

"Wind and Wuthering" is an autumnal album, imbued with a feeling of melancholy and decline right from the stunningly beautiful cover art, which reflects the title quite perfectly. This would be the last studio album recorded by Steve Hackett with the band, his loss being the key to the almost abrupt change in musical direction introduced by 1978's "And Then There Were Three". As a matter of fact, W&W features one of Hackett's finest hours as an acoustic player in the utterly beautiful opening of "Blood on the Rooftops".

As it is the case of most Genesis albums, W&W can be indicted of being patchy in the overall quality of the songs, which veer from the brilliant double opening act of "Eleventh Earl of Mar" and "One for the Vine" to the slushy, utterly disposable pop ballad "Your Own Special Way" - a song that makes "More Fool Me" sound like "Firth of Fifth" - with everything in between. Just like "Selling England by the Pound", this album has the distinctive feature of containing two instrumental tracks. Two-part suite "Unquiet Slumbers for the Sleepers.."/"..In That Quiet Earth" (another contender for best Genesis instrumental) showcases Hackett's considerable talents in an almost poignant way, reminding the listener of how important his contribution to the band's sound could be, and how his departure was much more of a catastrophe than Gabriel's. In comparison to such commanding presence, the other track, "Wot Gorilla?", feels somewhat nondescript, though it is undeniably pleasant and adequately performed.

Of the other songs, "All of a Mouse's Night" is a witty little number with a slightly cartoonish feel - no great musical shakes, but a welcome bit of light relief on an album that can sound rather earnest at times; while the slow, majestic ballad "Afterglow" sounds definitely better live than in this somewhat understated version. However, though it has many devotees, I have to admit to having never been able to appreciate it fully.

That leaves us with the album's real highlights. Opener "Eleventh Earl of Mar" is powerful and dramatic, with thunderous drumming and keyboards throughout; while the poignantly beautiful, "quiet-before- the-storm" middle section is splendidly supported by Hackett's lilting, wistful 12-string guitar. Follower "One for the Vine", a weird tale of a sort of messianic figure, starts out in a mellow, almost romantic mood that is brusquely interrupted by a wildly jarring synth interlude (what a friend of mine used to call "the dance of cans".), only to slow down again at the end. This song is undisputedly one of Tony Banks' finest moments, displaying all his prowess as both a songwriter and a keyboardist. Then, the above-mentioned "Blood of the Rooftops", besides Hackett's lovely, melancholy acoustic strains, can boast of some of the best lyrics ever written by any band member (including Gabriel), masterfully sung by an inspired Collins.

In a way, the standout tracks on this album are even better than those on AToT, so that it easily deserves the same rating in spite of the letdown that is "Your Own Special Way". This was the swan song of Genesis as we know them, that uniquely, quintessentially English band that formed the inspiration for thousands of musicians all the world over. You can almost feel the sadness in the music - and this makes this record all the more valuable. Flawed perhaps, but still highly recommended.

According to me, this is one of Genesis best albums. It's their last truly progressive recording and reportedly their most complex. Even if complexity doesn't matter this is as said good! It starts of at top rate with "Eleventh Earl of Mar" and continues with Tony Banks masterpiece "One For The Vine". "Your Own Special Way" is the weakest and most poppy track, but the ballad isn't that horrible and it fits quite well in the album. The short instrumental "Wot Gorilla?" comes next and by this point, one really is into the moods of the record. From here it only gets better and better. (Didn't think that was possible.) Yes, "All In A Mouse's Night" do have silly lyrics but what the heck, do I care? No! Last out is, of course, the final suite of "Unquiet Slumbers for the Sleepers...", "...In That Quiet Earth" and "Afterglow". Six stars of five possible! "Unquiet Slumbers..." and "...Quiet earth" is Genesis instrumentals at their best (Most instrumentals by Genesis is astonishing, so that says a lot.) and Afterglow - In contrast to "...Mouse's Night" have splendid lyrics. And of course a splendid melody, Genesis have always been good at final tracks.

Wind & Wuthering is an album you have to own. Don't download it, buy it from a record store! It's a complete package with cover and all. Everything on this album fits with the mood first sensed when you look at the beautiful Hipgnosis sleeve. An essential superlative release by an essential Prog Rock group. Get your hands on it now!

This was the last 'great' Genesis album. Steve Hackett departed after this one, (well, after the live follow-up, Seconds Out) and the band began its change of direction. 'Eleventh Earl Of Mar' opens the album in fine form, with Tony Bank's keyboards slowly growing in sound, swelling, along with Hackett's guitar, to orchestral proportions. Phil's drums are very powerful here, and lyrically the song is in the classic story-telling mode. The quiet interlude, filled with Tony's superb piano, is entrancing. The whole song sets the special Genesis atmosphere into motion for the rest of the album. Next we have 'One For The Vine' with more excellent piano work, great lyrics and a tremendous melody. This is almost a brother, or sister song to 'Mad Man Moon' on the previous 'Trick Of The Tail' album. Lovely. This album really is Tony's finest hour. 'Your Own Special Way' the track which follows, is often derided as too 'poppy' or 'romantic' but I have never had a problem with it. For me, it is just as strong as the other songs. You can tell Mike Rutherford used to work with Anthony Philips as this song could just as easily be a Phillips' composition. Nice acoustic guitar, mellow keyboards, and a catchy chorus, it is a fine song. 'Wot Gorilla?' is a classic Genesis instrumental. Wonderful percussion and drumming builds slowly in power before the keyboards and guitars kick in. A fine performance from Steve here, simple but effective. And again wonderful keyboards. A damn catchy tune, that almost sounds as if it should have humorous lyrics to accompany it! 'All In A Mouse's Night' kicks off what was side two of the old vinyl album. This does, indeed, have humorous lyrics, and a great tune to match. Starting off with almost church-like keyboards, it leads into good guitar work, fine drumming and tongue in cheek singing. Almost a throw back to the 'Nursery Cryme' days. The song ends as it began, with the church-like keyboards adding mock solemnity to proceedings. (A great bass line from Mike here too.) 'Blood On The Rooftops' is, for me, along with 'Entangled' from the previous album, the best post-Gabriel track Genesis ever did. Truly atmospheric, amazingly beautiful, with exceptional lyrics and the most eloquently understated keyboards from Tony, I have been in love with this song since the album was released. Not to mention Steve's famous acoustic guitar intro, and one of the best vocal performances from Phil, this is a classic. No more to be said. 'Unquiet Slumbers...' could almost fit on 'The Lamb' album, it is an instrumental of that ilk. Again, ridiculously atmospheric, it finds Hackett and Banks together again in fine style. And, of course, it leads on to 'In That Quiet Earth' a gentle tour de force for Steve. This instrumental still features in his stage set these days. Typically melodic guitar from Steve here, played as only he can. Finally, comes 'Afterglow' with its fine melody, leading to a strong emotional climax as sung by Phil, with keyboard led choir at the end. Or is it overdubbed vocals? Or both? A wonderful end to a wonderful album. A must have. Four stars, but only as I don't want to overuse the five star option!

Only few words: this is my second favourite Genesis' album of all time! Just a (half) step below Selling England by the Pound. I always have had a special spot for it. It's difficult to explain but is something that I never felt completely for other great records, as Foxtrot, for example.

Starting from the contemplation of the wonderful autumnal cover art and passing through the first two songs I was so satisfyed that (I remember vividly still now) I always stoped the cd player and repeat them for hundreds of times. Long time passed before I even could listen entirely to the opus!

Keyboards are as evocative as never were, in my opinion. From the fourth minute of One for the Vine on, I was suddenly knocked out: that "cans' dance" and the following symphonic crescendo are the most shivering experience for me with Genesis.

I don't know the discography of this band after the release of this gem but, from what I've heard this is one of their (three) pinnacles. I never recommend it enough!

In my opinion Wind & Wuthering is by far the best genesis album from the Phil Collins era and up there on a par with Selling England By The Pound from the Peter Gabriel days.

Wind and Wuthering is a mystical, emotional and powerful in its entirety and is especially special as it is the last genesis album with the brilliant Steve Hackett involved.

Eleventh Earl of Mar is an energetic opening to the album and hacketts spacey guitar intro creates the recongizable genesis sound. 4/5

One For The Vine is a magnificent effort from the vault of Tony Banks songwriting and is ten minutes of magic. From the emotional lyrics of Collins on the first half of the track to the more lively mystical instrumental element towards the end 5/5

Your Own Special Way is is gem from Rutherford, beautiful guitar from Hackett 4/5

Wot Gorilla! This is a letdown from the band even through it is only an instrumental. It also shows Collins early weak songwriting. 2/5

All in a Mouses Night is an improvement on Wot Gorilla but in terms of Bank's songwriting this is one of his weaker less memorable songs. 3/5

Blood On the Rooftops is a great song with the brilliance of the spanish guitar from Hackett at the beginning alongside the beautiful powerful emotional lyrics of Collins. A very well deserved songwriting credit for the partnership of Hackett/Collins which is up there with the best Banks/Rutherford have to offer. 5/5

Unquiet Slumbers for the Sleepers/In That Quiet Earth is a great effort. With the spooky keyboard playing from banks through to the precise guitar playing by Hackett this is an enjoyable extended instrumental. 4/5

Finally Afterglow is a strong ending to the album with a good Collins lyric and wraps up the end the album very well. 3.5/5

In conclusion this is a absolute must have album for an genesis fan and is a more subtle, serious and better produced album then the former Trick of The Tail. Genesis may have continued to have hit singles and albums after the departure of Hackett but this album shows just how much they would miss him and his sound and how they would never ever reach this level of excellence again.

A great followup to "Trick". Not quite as good, but what more can you possibly want? This is as said, a much darker album. All the songs go great with each other too. Nice one to listen to all the way through. It's got a distinct sound to it. I noticed when I first heard the album. I came to eventually realize that this "sound" had a little name called Steve Hackett. His influence is all over this album. He was getting "disgruntled" and his bandmates were quick to try to appease him. It wasn't quite enough though (but that's another story (and that's not an insult either)). This is a definate masterpiece. BTW, I noticed whenever I listened to this alnum, it starts to get cloudy/rainy. Hmmm

"Eleventh Earl of Mar" showed me first that they could still do it exceptionally well without Peter for I heard this before "Trick". Great opener. Beatiful piano in the middle. Hmm, Phil's really starting to come into his own too.

"One for the Vine" is the real gem of the album. Another mindblowing Tony comp that supposedly took over a year to write. Love it.

"Your Own Special Way"- If you don;t like this song for the fact that it's a love song, you're not a real fan. Sorry, but you think you're above everyone else. This song is great. Mike wrote this too. Would've thought it was Phil (again not a shot)

"Wot Gorilla"- Nice little instrumental- perfect representation of the feel of the album.

"All in a Mouse's Night"- Another Tony composition. Again, has the same feel, must be the keyboards. Very good, and very underrated.

"Blood on the Rooftops"- Man, I think I listened to Hackett's guitar intro like ten times in a row. I love it. Just another showing of what a great musician he is.

"Unquiet Slumbers for the Sleepers/In that quiet Earth"- I have the album where they're one track. Great song(s). A classic, simple as that. Steve has used this track in his solo reportiore many times.I love the change too. The shift at the end to like a reprise of the beginnign reminds me of "Cinema Show"

"Afterglow"-Phil is amazing, don;t ever take crap Phil, you're the man too along with em all. His vocals make me wanna cry, it's so heart-wrenching.

Listen to this album, for it truly was the end of an era of brilliance.

First album I've heard from this great and classic band. Genesis amazeses me, and I've only heard two albums from them, the other not in the better. Wind and Wuthering is a remarkable album with plenty of good songs to listen to. The best song happens to be Blood on the Rooftops. Phil Collins is a great singer and really does good with what he sings. Hearing his stuff previously from after his leaving the band I couldn't agree with him. But his time with Genesis is prime. Wind and Wuthering is a very complex album and a pinnacle in the Symphonic Prog section. I'm not big into the softer stuff, being a metal head myself, but you can't put these geniouses aside at all! I've been reading and hearing that Genesis is a crucial band of influence next to Yes, Rush, King Crimson, and Pink Floyd. I'm here to testify that this is none the less true! Now, why is this album good? Simple, it has brilliant talent both vocally, emotionally, and musically. It's soft and progresses well and is very entertaining too! Almost every song is enjoyable and something to add to a musical collection. 4/5 stars for Genesis, good job you guys. This stuff is the true stuff from back in the 70s and it's not going to get old anytime soon. Atleast within the next millenium or so.

This is an album that I disliked when I first heard it. It is strange, because at the time, I liked Tick of The Tail a fair amount, but felt this was too "poppy" or something. Well, fast forward about 10 or 15 years, and I finally got around to picking up both albums for me own collection. Now it seems this album is the one I prefer (of the two post Gabriel with Hackett Genesis albums).

The first two tracks are magnificent, and showed the way for legions of neo prog bands to come. I don't see how anyone can listen to these two tracks and not hear where bands like early Marillion, IQ, Pendragon, Jadis, etc., etc., got their sound. Not to say these bands copied this sound, only that it obviously influenced them quite a bit. Eleventh is a great energetic opener, showing that Genesis could still write good prog, even this close to the end of their prog days. One For The Vine, while not really matching their Gabriel era material, is stil a good mini epic with great playing from Banks. Then comes the reason I subtract one star. Your Own Special Way, to be fair, is really not that bad when held up against songs like Illegal Alien and Invisible Touch. In fact the acoustic parts during the verses are not too bad at all really. What brings it down for me are the cheesy chorus and the terrible lyrics. And did such a weak song really need to be over 6 minutes long? I think not. In any case, the weakest point of the album, but still not quite to the level of pop lameness they would aspire to in later years. I happen to think Wot Gorilla? is a quite good instrumental. Excellent drumming by Collins, who would soon begin to focus on singing. A great loss to the world of prog. Which is not to say his singing is not good. He shows great improvement on this album over the previous one, coming more into his own and impressing with his vocal abilities. But he never had the unique character and timbre that Gabriel had and still has. He is always too smooth to my ears. All in a Mouses Night is a fairly forgettable, if not bad, song. Not a favorite of mine, but not bad either.

Finally we come to the true greatness of this album. The final four tracks almost fit together as a suite, and highlight Hackett at his best. I always feel a bit sad that Hackett left after such great contributions, but having picked up his first 4 solo albums, I think he did the right thing. Genesis was going in a direction he could not go (or rather, would not go). But at least we have these great tracks to enjoy. Great guitar playing throughout, as well as excellent drumming by Collins. Afterglow is a great dramatic conclusion to a very good album.

This would, of course, be the end of Genesis for me. I've heard the 3 albums that followed this one, and while not completely terrible (Duke actually has some quite good material) none of it would appeal to me as much as this album and the albums before it. The end of a truly great 70's prog band came with the final notes of this album. At least, in my opinion anyway.

On a December 2nd 1976, I was on my way to purchase this album (at that time, I often wrote the day of purchase of my albums).

After "A Trick Of The Tail", I was wondering if they could achieve such a good follow-up LP. And damned, yes. They could. Tony Banks is omni present on this work, and he is writing the best tracks.

The opening song "Eleventh Earl of Mar" is a bloody great. Mike, Steve and Tony wrote it. Great mellotron intro (not such as "Watcher, but still...). The track turns into a quite hard song with great keyboards & good vocals from Phil. The rythm then changes completely and is almost Trespass-esque for about two minutes before getting back to the strong and hard side. It is a remarkable combination leading to one of the best track of the album (it reminds me a bit of "Dancing Out...").

"One For The Vine" (from Tony's sole inspiration) is the epic song of the album : it is really incredible and IMHHO belongs to the top ten songs from the band : nice melody, long and strong instrumental passages starting around minute four : fantastic keys again. It is such tracks that made the glory of this line up.

The song returns to a quiter tempo (like the start) before the grand finale which is a fabulous orgy of keys and guitar. Thank to such a track, old fans like myself were still following the band at that time. Although it is a very tranquil song for most of it, the lyrics are quite sanguinary and war oriented (like in "The Knife" or "Hogweed", for the lyrics I mean).

Although I have read a lot of criticism about "Your Own Special Way" written by Mike (it would even have led to the departure of Steve!), I remember that I pretty much loved this song at the time of release. Might be too commercial for "Genesis" but the chorus is very melodious. Just a bit mellowish. The last track of side one "Wot Gorilla" should have been skipped. The album clocking at over fifty minutes, it could easily be shorter by three IMO.

Side B opens with "All In A Mouse's Night" (Banks only, again): it is very pleasant tune to listen to and somewhat funny. It is the story of a cat eating a mouse (normal so far). But he will have to face a "super " mouse of ten feet tall which will eat him in less than a blow ! Great mellotron again at the end. Another great track.

In "Blood on the Rooftops" one immediately feels the input from Steve with a very nice acoustic guitar play. He co-wrote it with Phil. It is the most melodic song of the album : very emotional and subtle (I like that).

The next two intrumental tracks are quite complex. Both have Steve's mark. They could belong to his solo repertoire (he will play them frequently in his live sets). Still, Mike co-wrote "Unquiet Slumbers for the Sleepers..." while "...In That Quiet Earth" is the sole common effort of this album : the four of them contributing.

The closing track (again Tony...) is a great song : starting very slowly and then building on crescendo to reach its climax. "Afterglow" will be a highlight of their live performances from then on.

I feel that "Wind" is superior to "Trick" which I rated four stars... so, five stars for this one.

This album was my first attempt at listening to post-Gabriel Genesis. I'm really glad I checked it out. I love Gabriel. He's one of my favorite singers and I was apprehensive at listening to Genesis without him. I hate to say it, but this is my favorite Genesis album if I had to choose. Foxtrot and Selling England by the Pound might come close, but this album has a sort of eery attraction. It's a very sad album. The cover is one of the most melancholy things I've ever seen. The album begins upbeat and ends very emotionally on a sad yet inspiring note. The final four tracks are a work of art and one of the best finales to any album I've heard.

5 stars. My favorite Genesis album. It's really something special.

Considered by many as "the last essential GENESIS' work", which is an opinion i absolutely don't share, Wind and Wuthering is the last album with guitar man STEVE HACKETT, and also the last one to contain true epic songs. That doesn't mean it is the last decent music the guys made, as the next album will prove that even if they don't go "epic" or "absolutely progressive for the entire freakin span of the album" they still manage to do excellent songs, and that's what matters, right?

The album starts with the upbeat "Eleventh Earl Of Mar". This song has a very well done and misterious intro, and at the middle of its lenght there's a quieter section with acoustic guitars and some mesmerizing melodies. Even though this song is quite upbeat as i mentioned before, that's not really the mood of this album, which is actually a more reflective one, with some melancholic moments like HACKETT's piece "Blood On The Rooftops", a strong song very focused on emotion, and the second track "One For The Vine", composed by TONY BANKS. This is the longest one from the album, and it's the most epic one too. The lyrics are excellent as usual with GENESIS, and after its long beautiful and calm first section, there's a keyboard solo showing BANKS on the spotlight (well, he always is, isn't he?). The song then returns to its first theme, until its climatic ending. Then, the maligned "Your Own Special Way" appears. But what is the problem with it? It is a very good and lovely track, which makes me wonder where all the harsh criticism comes from. Is it because it is a "love" song with some crying-like vocals by PHIL? Maybe its simplicity is what causes so much controversy, but it's also what, for me, makes it a charming piece of music. There's also a moving instrumental section. In fact, Wind and Wuthering gives a lot of space to GENESIS deliver great instrumental passages, as we have three entire instrumental songs here: "Wot Gorilla", which is the best one of them, with its classic-music like rhythm, and the combination of "Unquiet Slumbers For The Sleepers" and "In That Quiet Earth" which presents another instrumental climax for the album. "All In A Mouse's Night" is a funny song that tells the adventures of a poor mouse trying to avoid being captured while he leaves his hole to go around for a walk. Sad thing is that, at the end of the song, there's a cat which the little cheese-seeker wouldn't expect, but the good thing is that the song has a really nice keyboard solo and it is simply one of the album's highest points. And finally, we have "Afterglow", a moving song that grows until its climax and ends the album in a top note.

Overall this album is as great as the preeceding ones. HACKETT will leave soon, but the band will still make appropriate prog music on the next album, though mixed with some shorter song formats and a couple of pop numbers.

Hackett's Last Hoorah

The final chapter for Genesis and Steve Hackett, the revered Genesis guitarist. As some may already know, I am not exactly a fan of the band or Hackett, but I have nothing but respect for the man and his class. He was a pioneer and will go down as one of the greats, regardless of my views on his music and composition.

The album can be seen as an ode to the "classic" Genesis of the early 70's and the final stand before the band's future sound, one that would crush the hearts of many of the band's biggest supporters. The last parts of the album are more instrumental in nature, which seem to clearly be Hackett inspired tunes, and there is some nice playing from Banks, albeit a bit ordinary, especially at this point. There's some clear themes throughout the album that pop up every now and then, a few close listens and this becomes pretty discernible (an example being the key riff about 3 minutes into In That Quiet Earth and the beginning of Eleventh Earl of Mar - The same riff would be used much later in Edge of Sanity's Crimson, for those looking for outlandish music connections as I do).

There's a sad nature to the album, as many other fans have expressed as being symbolic to the departure of Hackett and progressive Genesis. However, despite this, I think many will find much more exciting symphonic prog elsewhere. I know I am in the minority here, but truly, there is much better prog to be found.

It's real hard to review an album I don't feel too close to, but as I set myself to review all Genesis albums, I'll find something to say about "Wind and Wuthering". I believe my main problem here is with the album's mood, which many intelligently pointed out as matching with the cover. I look at that cover and see autumn moroseness, which is not what I normally like listening to. Perhaps it has to do with that?

In any case, there are good songs here, and it is a good album. The two epic openers of the album are good but I seldom find myself re-listening to them. Perhaps it's the kind of synths Banks picked here and that would take such an important place in the next album's sound, to my depression. "Your Own Special Way" is a a ballad that I don't hate as much as many do, it's kind of ok for me. "Wot Gorilla?" seems to be a Brand X track stuffed in here by Phil, I feel it out of place. "All in a Mouse's Night" uses an irregular time signature to breath life into somewhat silly lyrics about a cat chasing a mouse... hmmm...

"Blood on the Rooftops" begins with such a gentle lovely guitar piece by Steve than you almost want to kill Tony when he floods the place with a Phil Spectorish mellotron soon afterwards. But the end result is really good. Then comes the instrumental "Unquiet Slumbers for the Sleepers / In that Quiet Earth". Strange atmosphere here, almost like a trip to the Nile, but with interesting passages, specially in the more energetic second half. And it's surprising to hear all that segue into one of the poppiest but more emotional songs of this Genesis' era; "Afterglow". Great, great way to close the album.

In short, a good one, but not great.

I put off listening to this particular album (for some strange reason that I can't recall; maybe the droll cover art) for years while I got familiar with Gabriel-era Genesis. I had already, as a coming-of-ager of the 1990's, had a firm grasp on the pop-Genesis, Phil C. and Peter G. material.

I think my initial reservations were that the recordings would sound thin and tinny compared to the superbly mixed albums of the 1980's and 1990's. This all changed when I first heard the remastered Nursery Cryme. I realized instantly that the older material had been rejuvinated and spiced up; it was time to dive into the world of REAL Genesis.

A stupid reason for neglecting this document of musical genius, I know. I think the other excuse for not listening to "W&W" was that I didn't hear much about this album in relation to the way other Genesis albums (Foxtrot, Lamb, Selling Eng., Nursery Cryme, even Trick...) were described and reviewed. Therefore, I figured it negligible to the more "essential" material.

I realized that I had been missing the true essence of Genesis for the better part of a decade, and I had better do some musical research if I was to fully understand why this band was among the Gods of the Genre (and of Rock in General).

One for the Vine, Eleventh Earl..., Wot Gorilla?, Afterglow, etc. A KILLER lineup of blistering, shimmering, well-mixed and orchestrated prog with Phil Collins at his creative peak. What the hell was I waiting for? I have no idea.

I'm just really glad I stopped waiting.

Get this album, a glass of merlot, and INDULGE.

I've written this review not to heap praise on this fine album; I'm just chiming in to put in my two cents in defense of a cut that so many have damned: Your Own Special Way. Not only does it mesh with the rest of the album, it's simply classic Genesis. The Rutherford/Hackett trademark 12-string sound on the intro, Phil's plaintive vocals (his best on the album, along with the classic closing track), Banks keys remain' atmospheric and avoid bombast (which overwhelms the folksy Genesis sound far too often for my taste), - it's a fantastic Genesis love song (C'mon, if More Fool Me were taken off the Selling album and placed on Wind, wouldn't there still be the same backlash?).

If there's one track that is out of place, it's the Wot Gorilla? jam that follow YOSW, which starts out great and then we're bombarded with a blast of Banks....if they'd have avoided featuring his synths in the mix, the album (and particularly the Gorilla? track) would have been a whack more interesting (maybe we could actually HEAR Hackett....buried in the mix as usual, though the remasters help). A great idea and, at times, a groovy listen, but it's typical of the Banks whitewash of a potentially fab Genesis track.

Yeah, YOSW was a forewarning of the future Genesis modus operendi....yeah, it IS a bit melodramatic (not quite sappy, but close), but it certainly fits the vibe of the entire album....yeah, Phil's sings in that same voice that just wouldn't go away in the 80s, but it fits in so well with the whole album that none of that matters....even those background "aaaaaahs" sound great.

Oh, almost forgot, WandW is my fave post-Peter record (Trick was just a little too bouncy) and is a must for any Genesis fan. Listen carefully for Hackett - he's all over this record in the most refined, understated way. Again, the remaster is the disc to seek.... for me, it was like hearing the record for the first time. Damn those old Atco cassettes!

I'll make this a short review because I am tired from the Foxtrot review I just wrote. This is one of those albums that I can say has some great music, but for some reason I just don't find myself loading this one onto the CD player too often. There are a couple of great tracks here, some mediocre ones, and one that just plane sucks. Your Own Special Way is I guess not terrible in terms of musicianship or melody, but it just doesn't fit in the context of the album or with Genesis up to this point in their career for that matter. The two best tracks are the first two, with One For The Vine being the better one. One For The Vine has some excellent musical moments that one can tell were all Hackett's doing (listen for the similarities between this and Spectral Mornings). Wot Gorilla? is actually a really cool intrumental track that has a great beat thanks to Collins; it's short and sweet.

Very quickly, All in a Mouse's Night weaves an interesting tale (no pun intended) about a cat and mouse; this is a good track. Blood on the Rooftops starts out with such a great acoustic guitar solo from Hackett that is reminescent of Horizons but beyond this the song falls flat in my opinion. The last three tracks work together as one long track, but overall this one doesn't impress me. I don't really see the connnection between the music and Wuthering Heights. The music is good, but the melodies fail to captivate.

A couple of other qualms: Gabriel's singing beats Collin's any day, Gabriel's lyrics are better, Gabriel's flute is sorely missed, and you get the feeling that if Hackett weren't involved with this one, it would have been a dismal failure. I would say that if you have many of Genesis' other albums then you probably won't regret getting this one.

Their last great album - until the next one.

This album falls well short of the brilliance of 'A Trick of the Tail', but is still a great listen. I'm not sure what went wrong with the production, but it's a step back towards the muddy values of early GENESIS albums. And the songwriting is uneven, also like early GENESIS albums. But the highlights here are so very, very good, it's not really worth quibbling over.

The opening track contains an object lesson on how to play the mellotron. What fabulous chords! Then oh dear, 'One For The Vine' harks back to the days of 'Salmacis' and 'Hogweed': obvious, schoolboyish lyrics, and a song that overstays its welcome.

It was a real surprise to read reviews on this site to find people don't like 'Your Own Special Way'. It's an excellent song, with dynamism and balance. 'Wot Gorilla' is a shiny little gem that finishes the first side nicely.

I'm afraid I find 'All In A Mouse's Night' about the worst thing GENESIS ever did. Neither the music nor the lyrics work for me. Some of the material left off this album would have worked far better. 'Blood on the Rooftops' returns the dial to 'excellent' ...

... and then we have the highlight of the album, the three-part finisher. Glorious progressive music right up with the best they've done, with 'Afterglow' capturing that post-coital shine. The first two instrumental parts are stunning, saturated with complex rhythm and clear guitar and key work. And PHIL COLLINS was never better than on the final track.

Ignore all the jabber about this being the last great album. GENESIS continued to write and perform excellent music well beyond 'Wind and Wuthering'. Don't believe me, though; make your own judgement. But there is no doubt this is the last album that sounded like 'Wind and Wuthering'. For what that's worth.

Exceptional effort post Gabriel. Wind And Wuthering is every bit as good as anything from the first several albums (maybe with the exception of Selling England By The Pound).

"Eleventh Earl Of Mar" is masterful with a powerful vocal performance from Collins, whose got a much better voice than Gabriel (but maybe missing Gabriel's passionate delivery). Excellent drum work with some nice high tom interplay that would become Collins signature sound later on.

What could be one of the best songs from the Collins era is "One For The Vine". Possessing synths that are absolutely breathtaking and reminiscent of "Firth Of Fifth". Starts off really soft spoken, but builds upon layer and layer, with it bcoming more ethereal and beautiful as it progresses. Furthermore, when it comes to the softer passages, Collins definitely has the edge up on Gabriel as he handles it without sounding timind. The benchmark of this song, however, is when it picks up and Collins showcases why he's such a great drummer. Listening to the hi-hat work and how it adds so much to the rhythm is jaw dropping; but, when the band explodes and takes the song up into the stratosphere is where I simply fly along with it. Simply magical!

"Your Own Special Way" is a ballad set in 3/4 time signature. Really quite haunting with the acoustic guitar work and Collins vocals, especially the chorus with the beautiful harmonies. For a ballad, it's fairly long but never tiresome.

"Wot Gorilla?" is becoming a favorite of mine--dumb title, stunning musicianship. Collins aggressive beat fades in and Banks' synths jockey's for the pole position for a neck and neck race. Hackett adds a nice flair in the background.

"All In A Mouse's Night" sounds a bit like something from the Gabriel era, and would've worked nicely on Nursery Cryme. Evident in the Gabriel era, that sense of humor is present on this tune, but still has some beautiful musical moments on it. The title may cause you to furl your brow, the the music won't.

Aaahhh, "Blood On The Rooftops". A powerhouse of a song on an already magical disc. It starts off with a classical guitar beginning that sounds a bit like Lifeson's at the beginning of "A Farewell To Kings". The arrangement and structure are spectacular. "Unquiet Slumber For The Sleep" and "...In That Quiet" round out the suite in classic Genesis fashion, which impeccable drumming by Collins. Rutherford especially shines on this number, with playing up on the bass reminiscient of Fleetwood Mac's John McVie.

Wind & Wuthering comes to a close with the melacholic and truly amazing "Afterglow". Nothing dynamic on the instrumentation, but great harmonies and orchestration. The perfect way to bring it all home.

There is nothing that I dislike about Wind A Wuthering and it's up there as a favorite of mine. I like the Collins era a lot, but Genesis really nailed it with Wind & Wuthering and it holds up right next to anything they have ever done. Pure magic from start to finish.

I consider this an autumn album. Why? It is sleepy and melancholy in many parts and finishes off with a song that calls to mind reflection of previous experiences and a need to pause before continuing. This, however, is my second favorite Genesis album, after ATotT.

More than any other Genesis album do I find this entrancing. I like to listen to it, alone and with no interruptions. I am always immediately taken away to another place when my listening journey begins. Each track holds a special place with me. There are no songs that are fillers. I'd have to say that the song that affects me most is "Blood on the Rooftops". When the keyboards come in, I get a very strange and tremendous sinking feeling, which is odd because the words simply are nonsense about television programs on UK TV.

Standouts on this album for me are "One for the Vine", "Blood on the Rooftops", and "All in a Mouse's Night". This is an album Gabriel would not sing well on. Collins' voice is just what the doctor ordered. I think Hackett provided some of his best Genesis acoustic work ever. Even, though I understand there was inner turmoil with Hackett and wanting to depart, his musicianship comes through and the band jells. I have always felt that this is an album Genesis should have played start to finish in concert.

After showing the world that Genesis could release a great album without Peter Gabriel, the group follows up with an even better album: Wind & Wuthering. Right from the start of the album things kick into high gear with Eleventh Earl of Mar, a keyboard-driven masterpiece and probably the best song the group had created since Cinema Show. One for the Vine is another excellent song with an epic-like structure.

The next few songs fit more into the shorter time format like the material on A Trick of the Tail, all of them quite well done, even the sappy Your Own Special Way (although that one can be a strain from time to time). They end the album with a three part suite consisting of Unquiet Slumbers For The Sleepers..., ...In That Quiet Earth, and Afterglow. A magnificent ending to a magnificent album.

Wind & Wuthering is clearly a masterpiece and in my opinion the best release of the Phil Collins era. Indeed, when you read many of the reviews on Prog Archives from many of the more obscure groups, you'll find that many of the reviewers like to compare the best keyboard-driven symphonic progressive works to this album. That's how notable and important this work is. It is one of the definitive works of this genre and should be considered essential. Another five star album for Genesis.

This was my first taste of Phil colins era Genesis. I was advised not to buy it at first because everyone with better taste knows that Phil Collins is not as good as Peter Gabriel-era...but I saw it in the shop while I was on a budget and it was hte only cd i could afford. And a completely don't regret buying it.

Eleventh Earl of Mar: A pounding electric guitar, backed up with synth starts the repeating riff that is often heard throughout this piece. Then Tony Banks picks up on the hammond. Phil Colins voice is very like Peters but he's more...GENTLE I guess you could say. As is often the case- the drum beat is complicated. ooooh- who's drumming NOW? It's still him :) Multitasking! If not recorded over. When the melody and the riff changes- its a beautiful transition. Tony melts the piano well into the sounds that the synth makes. After the third "Daddy- I'm waiting!" we have an improvisation from Hacketts guitar. Very cool but not all that proggy. More poppy- or 'comercialised' if you want to use that word instead. A tad to mainstream compared with the Gabriel-era Genesis before. But better than was came of Genesis in the 80s/ early 90s. :( THATS for sure. "Time to go to bed now..." I like the tune here. Piano and guitar stage-up. The lyrics are certainly not as god as Gabriels but there is some poetry there. A bit more mainstream but still romantic. In a way. A little poppy and happy-clappy but it is STILL prog at this point in history. He sings with the riff at 'I'm fighting..." "..are buring NOW!" at this point it is reminiscent of Firth of Fith because the drums crash and trun into a small catharsis- with the keyboard. After the last "you promised!...DADDY!" - and echoing guitar plays the riff heard at the start.

One for the Vine: This is gorgeous. A fantastic epic by the wonderful (yet often bratty at this time- so I hear) Tony Banks. A guitar moan accompanies a gentle piano which flows like water all the way through. They lyrics are extermely eerie- bizarre! On hearing snippets of them- one would think that it is a religious song about Christ- but on reading them one finds out that it is about someone who pretends to be a messiah in a world of ice :/ nice and weird. The melody is a strange one- yet it seems simple and the cordal progession constantly changes. Look out for the synth in the chorus. There is a complete change at "Folow me!"and it be comes a little happyclappy. Ah- the way the piano trills up and down and then slows. A flute/synth sings a sad solo after Phil sings. We hear the same guitar moan we heard at the start and then the most startling and fantastic percussion part. Like a malfunctioning robot! Then the drums, bass and piano imporve this- making you want to dance. "they leave me no chioce." A very cutsie riff plays at this point. Then we're led back to the beginning but the synths notes are more strong: "He observed one...and by the way he stood up and vanished into air." Weird lyrics. Like I said before. Then a final dancy apocalytic solo from guitar accompanied by synths and drums finishes main rock and roll-like part of this piece before we are led back to gentle Banks piano. A very sweet song.

Your Own Special Way: Oh dear... Well what can I say about this... this SONG? (!) The lyrics are pretty, the flute and guitar are pretty but the chorus is the most overly used, pop-song from the 70s, over-rated, ...how can i put this into words? This is no prog- this is a pop song and its FAR too easylistening for me. Dissappointment! I banged my dead against the wall and was rendered unconcious at this point. Romance is all very well but this song reminds me of blue-vien Cheez. Cliche! The only thing I can say is- look out for the twinking lullaby like keyboard solo before the last verse. Otherwise: avoid.

Wot Gorilla?: This is a little instrumental which starts off with twinkly spooky effects then leads into a drums which go into a crescendo. Then the plucking guitarsand banging synth play a tune not unlike the 11th Earl of Mar. This develops into a whole new melody and it practically dances away. Later we hear it repeat the start and some pop-the-weasel effects sound out. Then it dies back to the twinkly effects at the start. Short and sweet- as opposed to the conventional LONG and sweet music of prog.

All in a Mouse's Night: This song is a treasure. If I ever have kids- I'm going to get them to sing this song. It's a drama and about a couple, a mouse and a cat! CUTE!! The keyboard and synth that features so strongly throughout this album has an appearance all the way through this song too. Strings at first then dancing keyboard. "Aaah" say the lovers. Veery cute. :) When the mouse talks the bass plays a cool riff. and the beat changes. "Suddenly" back to a dancing synthbut the melody is more frantic (dramatic irony- lovers are happy but mouse is being pursued) "Come on baby- let the poor thing go" back to the starting melody. Each character seems to have their own melody: romantic for the couple- sly for the mouse and cat. The cat takes over the couples melody. "But it's alll in a mouses night" Is the catch line- mice get eaten by cats everyday! Go figure. The guitar plays a slightly tragic melody which reminds one of peter gabriel-era genesis. Then the synth leads to a fade out.

Blood on the Roof-Tops: This is the masterpiece of the album. Classical (Bach?) style intro from Hacketts guitar. I really love him for this song. The solo goes from slow to fast then the melody begins. "English film..wednesday play" Collins sings. Then the synth and strings make their entrance. So melancholy- good for looking out of the window into the lights at other houses. Try that in the evening some time when listening to this song. BANG go the drums: "Lets get the news boy- I'lll go get some tea." Ah- life. This song is about everyday life. Make of it what you will. When I first heard it- the music and lyrics seems to suggest a tone of *Why do I bother?* but now I think its more optimistic than that. More like *Why do I bother with silly people's shortcomings?* Referring to politicains and whatnot. The drums dissappear and we're back to the acoustic but stringy verse. The way the synth crawls up to make it's grand entrance during the verse is superb. Listen for the final crashing of drums= the epitome of all the things the song says to us. "Seems Helen of Troy has found a new face again." Gotta love the Mythology input. The guitar and synth sadly fade-out.

Unquiet Slumbers for the Sleepers...: Almost as if it's connected to the Blood of the Rooftops- an instrumental with a very similar guitar. Synth/keyboard sings over the top of the guitar- eventually the guitar is joined by a distant piano- adding an echoing effect. Synth is good but the vibrato makes it sound like a 50s movie about aliens... ..DRUMROLL... ... ...In that Quiet Earth: Guitars pick up and an electric one goes solo. This piece has some good synth and guitar riffs in it but the drums crash a few times. Never loosing their main beat. Rather like fooling around constantly playing instruments- drums do a fill-in. Eventually this mess changes and the synth takes over with a thumping solo. This is passed on to a very impressive guitar. Same thing we hear in Earl of Mar again.

Afterglow: now all settles down and we're brought to a slowbeat and it's a tune that instantly suggests the be all and end all. Therefore the end of the album. :) The melody and lyrics are on the verge of being as cheesey as Your Own Special Way but what saves it? The changing of the melody I suppose.Lyrics are a *tad* more interesting. More passionate indeed. Still a lovesong but the chordal progression save it from being CHEEEZ. The fact that all the band members are joining in singing makes it a great ending- song for the album too.

All in all- I like the album. And i like the album cover! Not that it's relevant but there you go. This album has a dreadful song, two mediocres and the rest are perfect for the likes of me- with the two legends: One for the Vine and Blood on the Roof Tops. So not quintiessential for Genesis fans but certainly the better part of Collins-era Genesis.

Genesis had already proved they could persevere without The Gabe with A Trick of the Tail, and the only questions that remained was "How much longer can they go?" the answer is rightly, "As long as Hackett sticks with them!" which would turn out to be only one more album: this one. Enjoy it, for this is truthfully the very last great Genesis album.

The very first trace of that pop-like sound to Phil's voice is here. We also get a taste of the tight, high toms, which will become a very distinct feature of future Genesis, and Phil Collins solo material. That doesn't stop this album from being good, though. In fact, it's quite a nice little album, with high highs, and very low lows. Drumming is slowly beginning to be washed out, as the longer Phil remains a singer, the worse he becomes at drumming. At Abacab his drumming is banal and lackluster, but here, it's still quite good. The melodies, the keyboard dominance, along with the really phenomenal acoustic guitar sections, all make this a great album. Unfortunately, some songs are much weaker, without any real substance. Your Own Special Way, the melancholic acoustic number is arguably the weakest Genesis song to date. Afterglow, another simple, emotional pop song, doesn't contain anything genuinely interesting.

A real overlooked Genesis classic is the acoustic Blood on the Rooftops: a hugely atmospheric ride. The piano-heavy One For the Vine remains a Genesis classic, and In That Quiet Earth is a real energetic ride. There are some very memorable moments throughout this album, but unfortunately, because some songs are really weak, this isn't a must own for anyone other than Genesis die-hards. However, it is a good buy for all proggers (just not a run-don't-walk-to-get-this-one one).

It's terribly sad when you see a once-great band lose the plot. With Genesis, this happened on WIND AND WUTHERING. Although much of the band's playing is as lively and sophisticated as on A TRICK OF THE TAIL, this time their material definitely lets them down. Take the opening track, for example. I've always felt the chorus and the verses didn't fit together, and the drama (based on 18th century Scottish history) simply doesn't come across. Tony Banks' keyboards and Steve Hackett's lead guitar make an awfully soupy sound, and Phil Collins' hectoring voice really gets on my nerves - a foretaste of many irritating hit singles to come. "One for the Vine" is a brave attempt to write a follow-up to "Mad Man Moon", and some of its lines are just as beautifully sung (e.g. 'This is he, God's chosen one, who's come to save us from all our oppressors'), but Phil's falsetto during the chorus gives me the creeps, and the much-applauded instrumental middle section may seem fun, but what on earth does it mean within the context of the song??? For a band like Genesis, "Your own special way" and "All in a mouse's night' are simply below par, and "Afterglow", to my feeling, sounds incredibly pathetic.

Fortunately, WIND AND WUTHERING is saved from total ruin by a number of outstanding tracks. "Wot Gorilla?" is a delightful little instrumental - the best possible way to end the album's original A-side. "Unquiet slumbers for the sleepers...in that quiet earth" (the final words of WUTHERING HEIGHTS) is another magnificent instrumental - a highly energetic counterpart to the more familiar "Los Endos". And "Blood on the rooftops" may just be the loveliest ballad Genesis-sans-Gabriel ever recorded: all the more touching because it deals with reality; not with some infantile little fairytale.

my dad had this on cassette when i was 2 and 3 and i really enjoyed it then, it was really inspiring to me, along with the others he had on tape, invisible touch and duke.

however, when i was about maybe 5-6 it went missing and we never found it. my dad, in around 2002 or so, started asking about the album and i told him that i would download it for him (i was an illegal person, then), and i did but it turned out to be 'a trick of the tail', cos those downloading services don't work. so we finally bought the 1994 remaster in 2005 and i've been in love with this album ever since.

i still love the original mix- whereas some think it has bad sound quality, etc., it has an ambiance about it that is unparalleled by nick's new mix- especially steve's quiet guitar parts, ie: 'blood on the rooftops', 'unquiet slumbers for the sleepers..., and the guitar bits in all the songs, even 'your own special way'.

by the way, there are no weak spots on this album- eleventh earl of mar has it all, the power of genesis á la 'squonk', and then it goes into a quiet, acoustical section, of which this album has a plethora, yet no other genesis album seems to have any of these with quite the same richness that this album does. 'one for the vine' is a classical piece all its own written by composer anthony george banks. phil narrates the story and steve strums on his guitar, while tony comes from behind and overtakes us with a wall of sound, and then the whole band comes in, and everything comes together.

'your own special way' took a long time for me to get into- and it wasn't the keyboard solo that did it either. listen to that warm guitar all throughout it. is this pop? no. this is english folk. mike tells us a story that appears to be about a girl, but is actually a nostalgic story of an old sailor, talking about the only dependable thing left- the wind. his wife has died and he only has the wind left. 'wot gorilla' is a magnificent jazz-rock musical interlude- this song isn't meant to serve as a song by itself, but to serve as a transition into the second side. the whole song itself is a reprise of the first side, the guitars are slightly reminiscent of eleventh earl of mar, the keyboards are a reprise of one for the vine, and the drums are all their own, wrapping up the first side of the album and leaving you waiting for the second.

side two opens up gloriously with tony's keyboard and phil rolling on the drums. this, once again, is english folk, however the music is more of a journey than the lyrics. all throughout the verses, tony hops his fingers on the keyboard and phil narrates our story, and the whole band comes into play during the chorus- and then after the last chorus, this is where a pop band would end, but instead phil gives us a last bit of narration, and we can see the rest of the story in our mind's eye; nothing more needs to be told, and a magnificent ending to this song is given with a duet between tony and steve, with steve paying homage to eleventh earl of mar once again, and the song closes with a final salute and a lone drummer. 'blood on the rooftops' leads us forward quietly as we journey to the thoughts of an old man, wishing things would just stay the same; but once again, musically it's more interesting. the ambiance in this song would be unmatched save 'unquiet slumbers for the sleepers..., yet it still carries itself as the best song on the album. tony's mellotron only compliments steve's acoustic guitar further, enveloping phil in another wall of sound- the music is the main stage here, not the lyrics. it fades out with the sound of a strange keyboard sounding like an oboe.

'unquiet slumbers for the sleepers... takes us across the english countryside at night, alone, we drift amongst the fields and we are swept into the ocean ...in that quiet earth'. we are taken once again with the sailor sailing across the sea, yet this time, the wind has betrayed him, and the oceans roar about his small ship, and he is terrified; and he remembers his wife. 'afterglow' comes forth out of the torment of the seas into a different kind of ocean- one of memories. the old man remembers his wife and all the joy they had in their lives, and how now he is stuck on the sea and he would give anything to be back with her. and then his wife reaches down and pulls him up- and he dies to be with his wife. at the very end, there is a call-back to 'all in a mouse's night', and the drums tap one more time, as a salute to the old sailor, and the song washes over to the right channel, with the wind and wuthering.

Thankfully this doesn't happen a lot, reviewing an album that I don't really like knowing my rating isn't going to be very popular with my peers. I love GENESIS, but out of their 15 studio albums I rank this at number 10. As I write this review "Wind And Wuthering" is ranked number 7 on this site out of the 15 studio albums. So right in the middle. On another site that ranks albums it's ranked 6 out of the 15 studio albums.Yes I know my feelings about this record are in the minority but this is one of the most boring records I have ever listened to in my life. I prefer the self titled album from 1983 over this one because at least Collins isn't afraid to actually sing on that one and that record is much more dynamic with more variety.There is no accounting for taste right ? Haha.

"Eleventh Earl Of Mar" really gets going a minute in with the pulsating keys from Banks.The song changes 4 minutes in as we get some atmosphere before it returns to the original melody. There is mellotron on this track as well. "One For The Vine" is a mellow song with reserved vocals and piano leading the way. Mellotron rolls in after 4 minutes as things get really quiet. The tempo picks up again but it continues to change.

"Your Own Special Way" is an ok ballad. No it's actually not okay. "Wot Gorilla ?" is a short instrumantal with lots of synths. "All In A Mouse's Night" is a keyboard led song that is ok. The mellotron is a nice touch. "Blood On The Rooftops" is a song I just do not like. I mean I like the classical guitar and mellotron, but overall it does nothing for me. "Unquiet Slumbers For The Sleepless..." and "...In That Quiet Earth" are instrumentals that blend into each other, I prefer the second song especially the guitar. "Afterglow" is a nice song.

This record doesn't appeal to my senses at all, neither does it touch my emotions. But hey, it's GENESIS !

"Wind and Wuthering" may be better than "Trick of the Tail", but I couldn't notice because I got very bored very quickly with Collin's passive vocal deliveries and Hackett's laughable guitar, which noodled its meandering way between Bank's cheesy synth and the band's collective inability to write anything memorable with Gabriel leading them. I apologize if I upset any die-hards out there, but this slow-paced and repetitive exercise in balladry has little to offer anyone who wasn't young when it was released. One for the fans, and even then I am wondering how they can rate it so high.

Songwriting: 2 Instrumental Performances: 2 Lyrics/Vocals: 2 Style/Emotion/Replay: 1

A very difficult album to review, Wind And Wuthering. The tensions inside the quartet were obvious, with some members willing to persue a more commercial approach while others (or maybe only Steve Hackett) wanted to keep the sound more progressive. Looking back it is easy to see why Hackett left. Freed from him, the other three enjoyed a 15 year career as a very successfull pop band (in terms of record sales at least).

Stil those same tensios did not prevented the music of this CD to be very good, sometimes excellent. In fact, this can be considered the last truly progressive album done under the name Genesis. even if their pop leanings were clearly visible on some spots (most notably on Mike Rutherford´s song Your Own Special Way). So in the end it is a bit of an hybrid, sometimes a bit squizofrenic record (some lyrics does not help either). Yet thw overall music is beautiful and the musicians are skillfully as ever. It deserves at least four stars in my opinion and I listen to it frequently, after all these years. Just don´t compare this one and The Trick Of The Tail to their classic Peter Gabirel era masterpieces. Since their lead singer left, it was another band. Good band, but really another one.

Nowadays it is almost a classic, just like The Trick Of The Tail, but they are not really par to their previous four studio effords. Excellent additions to any prog collection, almost masterpieces. Almost.

Very disepoining and boring album, after sutch a great album as Trick of the tail where they realy showed they didetn need Gabriel to make great music, (no suprise realy since he only wrote lyrics on the other albums anyway) you whuld have expected something beter then this the only 2 realy good songs are "One For The Vine" and " Blood On The Rooftops " the rest is preety bad IMO. Banks play way to much on this album and he sounds preety bad most of the time, no whonder Hackett left after this one is he even playing on this one? this was the begining of the end for Genesis, altough i like DUKE a litle bit, this is simply boring, dull, uninpired and bad by thiere standards the sound is incredibly cold and technical very much like ELP but ELP atleast wrote good songs and not overlong and boring crap like "Your own special way" and the horrible "In a mouse's night" on of the cheesiest Genesis tracks ever. Its wierd Trick of the tial sounded so warm and magical and then they changed to this what hapend one whonders I whuld gues it hade to do with Hackett not geting any of his song aded on the album if Banks hadent been sutch a ego like Emerson(what is it witch keyboard players and big egos) this album culd have probobly been very good. Collectors/fans only no doubt.

W&W hold a special place with me. I hold the two albums directly following Gabriel's departure in high regard, as they show not only that Colins, Rutherford, Banks, and Hackett are impeccable songwriters, but that, musically, their writing and style matured quite a good deal.

Eleventh Earl of Mar: A nice catchy fast paced beginning that seems to be as equally lyrically driven as it is musically. Not much to say about this song, except that I personally like it, and it think its a more than adequate opener for this album.

One for the Vine: Oh what a gem! A nice slow, aura driven opening with lovely, yet soft and subtle work from Mr Banks. About a third of the way into the songs, there is an entire change of tempo, dynamic, and overall mood. Some quirky off beat piano work is nicely paralleled by some equally as quirky, yet fantastic drumming (especially the hit hat work) by Phil Collins. the song then regresses to the original tempo and feel, only seeming a bit more eerie after such an interlude. The last couple minutes of the song are a series of rises and falls into a wonderful finale. the dynamics are jsut wonderful.

Your Own Special Way: Definitely not like the rest of the album. it isnt progressive at all, but written and performed in the same vein as More Fool Me (Selling England by the Pound). It isnt a bad song otherwise, its just an attempt at a radio hit, if you're into that kind of thing.

Wot Gorilla: A nicle little keyboard driven instrumental. Nothing too spectaculay, and is most likely a filler song.

all in a Mouse's night: A very keyboard driven song. Theres a lot of good things to this one, but I like to mention the little bit of subtle free reign that Hackett gets in the last minute or so of this song, which is absolutely wonderful.

Blood on the Rooftops: Another wonderful song, and perhaps one of Hackett's best contributions to Genesis. the song opens with a wonderful classical guitar piece, and is segued by soft vocals by Collins, which then become more emotional and potent.

Unquiet Slumbers For The Sleepers: Very eerie, but it feels to me like it was written in the same vein as Wot Gorilla

In that Quiet Earth: What a wonderful song. Its hard to describe, but a lovely guitar driven beginning, with a heavy/jazzy overtone to it. the second half is more energetic and shiftf to being more keyboard driven.

Afterglow: Finally, a break from the instrumentals with the album closer. Decent song, less progressive than some of the others.

I've read that this is Genesis's last great album before they became Phil Collins and the Genesi (which would be a great band name, by the way). I've read that the album maintains Genesis's original explosive progression. In my opinion, I read wrong.

This is not Genesis's last great album; it would have to be a great album first, which it most certainly is not. It has its moments, but on the whole, this album feels too much like a Collins album. He hasn't completely hijacked the sound like he did in the 80's, but his influence is definitely there. If Genesis in the 70s was a pristine mountain lake located in the mountains of Colorado, and 80s "Genesis" was a putrescent toxic waste dump, this album is like a farmer's pond. It still supports life, but the water is fairly stagnant and oxygen poor, and the surface bears a film of oil. The water is murky and is certainly not something you'd want to swim in unless it was scorching hot outside and you were desperate. Likewise, this album is no comparison to the band's golden years, but it is still listenable.

3.5 REALLY.

I prefer ATOTT to W&W. I know I say that I prefer Collins as a ballad singer, but for heaven's sake, I'm not looking for a cure for insomnia. It's too bad that a bad song can hurt an album way more than a great song can redeem it. "You Have your Own Special Way" could be one of my least favorite Genesis songs. Sometimes I wish that I allowed myself to skip tracks when listening to albums. It DRAAAAGS on forever. I'm a fan of instrumentals and segues into songs, but Jesus, is "Unquiet Slumbers For The Sleepers..." really necessary. The album would be exactly the same without it.

The Eleventh Earl of Mar and One For the Vine are great treats. But the real redemption comes from Blood on the Rooftops. Hackett really shines on the acoustic guitar. This along with Horizons complete Hackett's acoustic resume. I listen to this track, and can simply smile.

3.5/5 I wasn't sure whether or not to round up or down, but I gave ATOTT a 4/5, and this album should really be rated below it.

...The forgotten album...

By this stage in their career Genesis had produced so many wonderful musical masterpieces that this album is often overlooked and overshadowed by its many predecessors. However it still contains some of Tony, Steve, Mike and Phil's most memorable moments ( in particular 'Blood on the Rooftops' ).

The record is a wonderful collection (in another beautiful sleeve) of some very strong songs which hold your attention from the very first opening chords. So for those of you still hailing the great 'Lamb' and 'Trick ' albums dont forget to re listen to Wind & Wuthering also and don't leave it behind as the forgotten album.

The best Phil Collins performance as Genesis vocalist but the weakest Steve Hackett guitar performance on Genesis. Not as good as Trick of the Tail but far better than the later Genesis releases.

Really proggy, W&W starts with the beautiful and powerful Eleventh Earl of Mar, one of those songs that you love since the first notes. Great keyboard work by Tony Banks and a really good spacy middle section. Second song is the legendary One for the Vine, maybe one of the best songs of the Genesis-Collins era: great lyrics, nice rhythmical sections and a awsome proggy middle section a la Banks. Then, the mellow You Have Your Own Special Way, a shy announce of what Genesis will do in their later productions. Side A closes with Wot Gorilla?, a galloping instrumental with a great drums work.

Side B open with another great song, All in a Mouse's Night another proggy song leaded by Tony Banks keyboards. Second songs is Blood on the Rooftops, another Collins-Genesis era classic! A beutiful ballad where Phil's voice sounds really good. Then we have the long instrumental formed by Unquiet Slumbers For The Sleepers... and ...In That Quiet Earth, the only two songs which has some notorious Hackett inffluence. Great rhythmical sections, awsome keyboards, constant changes... The album deserves to end at this point cos Afterglow sounds totally out of place after listening the previuos songs.

3.5*

In my review of Selling England .. I stated that I thought Wind and Wuthering is better than that one. An opinion not exactly shared by everyone I guess. But I can explain. It's the overall performance with this album I love and what's lacking on Selling England.. Apart from the last track (Afterglow) I really like every song on this album. It's a very varied album with many highlights. The first two songs are more or less the epics of this album and mainly the second one (One for the vine) is one of my all time favourites of Genesis, a terrific track at least as good as Cinema Show and Firth of fifth. Next is Your own special way, by far the best ballad (maybe along with Dusk) Genesis has ever made. Incredibly beautiful this one. Then a nice instrumental (What Gorilla) followed by two very good ones (All in a mouses night and Blood on the rooftop). Next is the specially connected Unquiet slumbers for the sleepers ... and ... in that quiet earth. This one has always intrigued me and especially the second part is huge in my opinion. Then Afterglow to quiet things down again. A complete and diverse album causing a very enjoyable listen for over 50 minutes.

But even this one is not really good enough for 5 stars to me. I set very high standards for that. It's actually 4.4 so 4.

Wind and Wuthering is a mixed bag as there are some very beautiful songs on the album, but there are also some really mediocre ( boring) ones and a really terrible one.

The album starts out nicely with Eleventh Earl of Mar, which is a really good song, an nice blend of rock and more atmospheric pieces. Phil Collins really hits the drums hard on this song and it gives Eleventh Earl of Mar some extra energy.

One of the last great epics from Genesis is next. One for The Vine. This is an absolute favorite of mine. Tony Banks plays some of his best piano and keyboard pieces in this song and the lyrics are thought provoking and clever. There are some nice time signatures in the song, that are definitely very progressive. The song builds up to a grand finale like a true epic is supposed to do. One of the highlights of the album for sure.

One of the real downers on this album is the next track Your Own Special Way. This is too much pop for me to handle. Really cheesy and with some horrible lyrics to go along. An absolute lowpoint in the career of early Genesis. Steve Hackett saves the song from total disaster though with his guitar playing.

Wot Gorilla? is in a similar vein to Los Endos on A Trick of the Tail. An instrumental track which I think would be better suited in a live setting than on a studio record. It´s not bad though, I enjoy it much.

All In A Mouse's Night is an ok track, but I have always felt that something was missing. It just doesn´t feel finished to me. But not bad at all.

But on Blood On The Rooftops it´s a whole other story, an absolute favorite of mine. This is such a beautiful song. Note the beautiful Steve Hacket intro and the symphonic keyboards played by Tony Banks. From my perspective this is a perfect prog rock song. Together with One for the Vine this is the best song on Wind and Wuthering.

Unquiet Slumbers For The Sleepers...is a short instrumental track. Ok but nothing speciel if you ask me. It seques into ...In That Quiet Earth which is also an instrumental. These two songs are ok, but nothing more.

Afterglow is a classic Genesis song. I wonder why ? I find it boring and repetitive. The melody in the song is not very significant and the instrumentation is not very exciting. A very dissapointing ending to a great album.

This may sound like I don´t find this album very satisfying, but it is far from the truth. In fact I find this album essential to prog heads. After all how many prog bands made good music in 1976-77 ? So what if there are some weak songs on the album, the good ones are so fantastic that this is a must have.

A poor follow up to the fantastic Trick of the Tail, the band seems unsure of its direction. The instrumental parts of this album are all incredible, but the vocal parts start to sound schmaltzy, with the exception of Blood on the Rooftops, a fantastic song. Even the epics, One for the Vine and Eleventh Earl of Mar, are disjointed and silly. They both have very sappy vocals from Phil, and Tony Banks uses his synthesizer far too much. it just sounds plain bad. what happened to the glorious days of piano and mellotron? he hardly uses those at all. The instrumental Unquiet Slumbers for the sleepers... ... in that Quiet Earth is just plain boring. Afterglow is very simple and stupid. All in a Mouse's night is a poor attempt at recreating the Gabriel era. Wot Gorilla? is a silly instrumental that does nothing for me, and Your Own Special Way is by far the worst song on the album. In attempting to fuse past glories with the new pop sound, Genesis have completely lost everything they had going for them, which is probably the reason Steve Hackett left after this album.

The second of the two Collins fronted prog albums, I consider this to be by far the weaker. The album is a lot less charismatic and emotional than At Trick of The Tail, and you can practically hear Steve Hackett's soul decaying as the album progresses. The best tracks on the album are the opener and the finale. Eleventh Earl of MAr is the most progressive song on the album, and is along with the beautiful Afterglow is the only one I would consider to be a very good track. Blood on The Rooftops is also good, and an excellent swan song for Hackett. The tracks that really irritate me are The instrumental Wot Gorilla? which is quite frankly terrible, and Your Own Special Way which makes me cringe with every listen. A decent album, but very dissapointing as 70's Genesis goes. 3 stars- barely.

This is an excelent effort by Genesis. Not quite as good as Trick or early works but close. Every instrument is where it belongs with very nice keys by Tony Banks, and enjoyble voice from Collins. Steve Hackett shines on every pice specially on Unquiet Slumbers For The Sleepers... and ...In That Quiet Earth, just a great musician. To me all numbers are enough great to purchase this album with very much enthusiasm, even he's in my collectin from 1992. This Wind and wuthering offers to a prog fan not necesarlly a masterpice of prog, like the early one's but good music, well played and almost everybody can enjoy, at least from tim to time. 4 star no doubt.

Genesis is my all time favorite band. And this being their last true album (no And Then There Were Three... for me, thank you very much!) is a really hard one to talk about. Mostly since I can't stop thinking that this is the last real Genesis album. But I'm not gonna burst into tears just yet, well at least not until I hear Afterglow!

I always thought of Afterglow as a sort of Genesis' farewell and it gives me the goosebumps almost every time I hear it! But lets get off this silly emotional train! We are fans of highly technical and creative music so therefore are immune to purely emotional simple pop songs. Let us not forget it!

The first two tracks that kick-off this album makes it pretty much a must have for every Genesis fan. The rest of the album has not the same intense drive but we do get some nice surprises along the way! Although I never really liked the quite dull Your Own Special Way, Wot Gorilla? feels like something that Phil worked on outside the band and All In A Mouse's Night... well lets just say that having listened to it more that twenty times I still don't get the fuss about it.

Being done with the somewhat flawed middle-section of the album we proceed to our first real surprise! Blood On The Rooftops starts with some of the best guitar play Hackett will accomplish for years to come. The songs eventually proceeds into the chorus section which is quite pleasant. The two following tracks have the Hackett personal touch engraved into them although Tony makes a really great effort as well.

The final track has, as I probably mentioned before, a great emotional value to all Genesis fans. I so happy that the band still keeps this song in their live repertoire! Well there you have it folks! If you haven't heard this album then I suggest you listen to it, if you don't own it then I suggest you buy it... and so on!

***** songs: Eleventh Earl Of Mar (7:41) One For The Vine (10:00) Afterglow (4:12)

**** songs: Blood On The Rooftops (5:27) Unquiet Slumbers For The Sleepers... (2:23) ...In That Quiet Earth (4:50)

*** songs: Your Own Special Way (6:19) Wot Gorilla? (3:20) All In A Mouse's Night (6:37)

Total Rating: 4,11

Review 15, Wind & Wuthering, Genesis, 1977

StarStarStarStar

Wind & Wuthering (along with Trespass) is responsible for getting me into Genesis, even when I, at first, found Selling England By The Pound a little awkward. I've always loved the first two long tracks, but the rest of the album has somewhat worn thin over a good number of listens, and I just don't get anything from listening to the instrumentals. The highlights are, in my mind, preferable to those of A Trick Of The Tail, as are Collins' vocals, which have matured somewhat, and really do make the songs more accessible. A good Genesis starter-album, coupled with something from the Gabriel era, and a good album overall.

Eleventh Earl Of Mar has a great synth opening, a noteworthy organ-drums-bass trio, good vocals from Collins, and a beautiful quiet acoustic-dominated section backed by echoing synths. Lyrically, it just about makes sense, but sounds right. There's an excellent ending with Hackett working over a lush percussion-keyboard canvas, somewhat reminiscent of Hackett's first solo album's closer, Shadow Of The Hierophant.

One For The Vine is probably second or third in my long list of favourite Genesis songs, with absolutely great vocals, very strong lyrics from Banks, which work perfectly over the music. Various keyboards are used in a sophisticated manner, and the talents of all four musicians are well-displayed. Superb instrumental sections, and changes in tempo, and a perfect example of musically realising a concept without letting the concept at all overshadow the music or vice-versa.

Your Own Special Way is difficult to like. I can tolerate and quite happily nod along to the verses. Unfortunately, the opening is utterly terrible, repetitive, with whiny keyboards that I'm not too fond of. The song proper isn't too bad, a decent pop-tinged song, with some of the fairly characteristic Collins drumming that made IKWIL good. The vocals are a little non-distinctive here, but still acceptable, as are the lyrics. The guitar, the harmonies, and the instrumental section are small highlights within the song. If only they'd managed to provide a good opening for it.

Wot Gorilla? is the first of the album's instrumentals, with a tingly percussion opening, suitably silly synths and guitar reminiscent of Hackett's solo album playing along nicely. A real throwback to the instrumentals from The Lamb, listenable, but nothing special.

All In A Mouse's night is another good longer song, though I found it utterly intolerable at first. Compulsive drumming here, great thudding bass, very good vocals coupled with tolerable (if acquired) lyrics. Some distinctive shifts in style, and the tiny, yet vital, electric additions from Hackett and Banks on piano (where the tune is held up by synths) absolutely make the song what it is. An excellent ending, and certainly well worth hearing.

Blood On The Rooftops opens with a memorable acoustic solo from Hackett. The verses are basically a showcase for his acoustic playing, and with small contributions from the rest of the band, while a great bass part from Rutherford particularly shines in the choruses. Collins vocals are again good, and lyrically the nostalgia and very English sarcasm are great.

Unquiet Slumbers For The Sleepers is largely made by the echoing guitars and piano, with a synth over the top that I find somewhat annoying to listen to, and usually try to ignore. It's mostly acting as a lead-up to In That Quiet Earth, which has a great guitar solo, a good bass line, and some interesting drumming. It moves on to a superb, very mobile, slightly heavier section with Collins really standing out. I don't know quite why, but it does feel a little awkward and repetitive, and the lead-up to Afterglow feels a little forced. Afterglow is a very simple song, with minimalistic guitars and a slow drum-beat augmented by a nice mellotron. Typically, not the sort of thing I'd like, but the gradual build-up does work very well, and the emotional vocals, while still not Gabriel, are great. A very good conclusion to the album.

All in all, the album is one that strikes me as a little mixed, and brought down a bit by the instrumentals and Your Own Special Way's opening, but the longer tracks are absolutely stunning. Generally recommended.

Rating: Four Stars Favourite Track: One For The Vine

Edit: Dropped to three stars, mainly by comparison with the previous few Genesis albums. I think it could be missed by someone who isn't a fan of the band up 'til then, but any Genesis fan should head for it after the classic six, whatever their opinion of Trick.

From far, this is the best Genesis album. All periods included. And also my personal favorite, from the first to the last second. With its cold and sad cover art, Wind & Wuthering is one of the best prog-rock albums of all times. 9 songs. I don't want to say if one of these tracks is better or weaker than the others. For me, they all deserve 5 stars, and so the album.

Elevent Earl Of Mar is a nice song about a daddy telling a story to his boy in order to make him sleep well - 'daddy, you promised !'.

One For The Vine last exactly 10 minutes, and is probably the most important song of the album.

Your Own Special Way is a slow, maybe the first Genesis song to be totally slow and mellow - but it's magnificent.

Wot Gorilla ? is an instrumental, completely wonderful.

All In A Mouse's Night is very close to the songs of the first Genesis era, it could have been sang bu Peter Gabriel on an album like Nusery Cryme. Splendid. Funny, too.

Blood On The Rooftops is purely magnificent, maybe my favorite here. Poignant.

And then, the last three songs, which are sealed together in a triptycal suite : Unquiet Slumbers For The Sleepers.../...In That Quiet Earth/Afterglow. The two first are instrumental, the last is sung. The first seems to be the perfect illustration for the cover art, the second is groovy and run fast, the last is a perfect closing song.

In its globality, a masterpiece.

Wot Gabriel?

With A Trick Of The Tail Genesis established themself as a band that could do without their previous leading force, Peter Gabriel who recently left to pursue a solo career. It was on tis album, though that they forged themselves once more into the progressive genre as a band who could deliver excellent material no matter what (although with the ability of hindsight we see that those hopes would soon be destroyed by the proverbial jackhammer that is pop). The four piece here puts forth some very nice, pleasant music that still has a progressive punch to it. The cover art describes the mood of the album very well -- solemn and tranquil, yet beautiful.

Opening with the serene riff that starts The Eleventh Earl Of Mar we get a song that quickly takes life as it picks up speed to be a Genesis so familiar, and yet still innovative in their own scope. This is further enforced by the wonderful masterpiece One For The Vine which sees the band venture into the double digit track time as they've always done so well. More excellent guitar from Hackett along with other excellent performances during the song turn the song into one of the best since Firth Of Fifth.

Another very nice thing about the album is the instrumentals which inhabit the tracks. Each unique with a kind of Brand X feel to them as they power along in a way similar (but not too close) to something like Los Endos. Slighly heavy and very fast, instrumentals like Wot Gorilla and ...In That Quiet Earth provide a nice listening session to the band's skill with their respective instruments.

Other songs on the album include the comic relief of All In A Mouse's Night which tells the tale of a mouse trying to get along while living in a house inhabited by humans. Blood On The Rooftops is an incredible standout on the album as Hackett struts his stuff and the rest of the band provide a very nice and emotional feel to the song as it treks along.

However, the album is not perfect. This is the track where we get to see the band explore that pop territory (not for the first time, though) on songs like Afterglow which doesn't turn out so bad in the end... but it's Your Own Special Way which shows the band approach that sappy pop area which is oh so unbearable. Poison to progfans, really. It still has it's charm and is much better than some of the later pop songs, but this is the first time, really, that the listener pulls off his headphones and exclaims a surprised WOT!?

An excellent album that really should not be missed by prog fans. One or two missteps should not discourage people from seeking out this album for some of it's moments of pure genius. Good job boys! 4 stars!

If there is one Genesis album that can stand proudly beside Selling England By The Pound it is Wind & Wuthering, the magnum opus of the Phil Collins fronted incarnation of the band. One For The Vine is just as overtly Progressive as The Cinema Show or Firth Of Fifth and while a majority of the album is generally more Prog-Pop orientated this is no negative factor. Blood On The Rooftops sounds like a leftover from Selling England, familiarly British and smothered in delicate acoustic guitar playing. Your Own Special and Afterglow are certainly amongst the most commercial sounding pieces Genesis had released up until this point yet in some ways the band are closer to their Prog roots here than with A Trick Of The Tail or even The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway. Wind & Wuthering is essentially Tony Banks' album, his virtuoso talents flowing gracefully through every song. Three instrumentals may seem excessive yet all are just as melodic and memorable as any song with lyrics. The ultimate highlight here is undoubtably Eleventh Earl Of Mar, hard rocking and energetic Genesis had not told a story this well since The Battle Of Epping Forest. A second dosage of proof Genesis did not need Peter Gabriel to survive.

Yet another deja vu

Let this be a warning for every prog band - replayed and rearranged old ideas are the worst what prog musicians could possibly offer.

It seems during the jamming process Hackett either injured his hand or damaged his guitar beyond repair. Either way - he is barely audible on half of the tracks and simply absent on the rest. No wonder he left the band shortly after releasing Wind & Wuthering. Banks tries to make up for the lack of guitar with disastrous amounts of mellotron "oooohs" and classical piano melodies. The band gets even closer to pop rock, losing nearly all of its originality (how long can one listen to the pseudo-epic synthesizers?). The band tries to fill the void (or bungle the mood) with three jam tracks and lots of keyboard passages (some of them are nearly accurate, most - too lengthy). Instrumental marathons is really not the type of prog Genesis were good at (check out "The Waiting Room" for further evidence). The chaotic Crimson-like jazz improvisations prove to be nothing but emotionless noises (curiously though the percussions prevails there most of the time, maybe because drums are loud by default), mainly due to the fact that Genesis had no jazz roots whatsoever. As for the arranged (let's say.) instrumental parts, they try to get close to Camel, but get nowhere near the gems like Rhyader; they rather take after Preparation or Epitaph (Camel's unfortunately not KC's). Oh. and by God, the drum roll at the end of Unquiet Slumber. sounds almost like a visit to the circus - no. NOT 'Cirkus', although even the King Crimson classical music experiment would be a smaller disaster, than the irritating ambitions of Collins - I'm talking about the drummer alter-ego now ;-) ; I have no huge objections to Phil's singing, however I still consider him to Bee Gee-like, and not as raucous or ominous as Gabriel. And he is still not as audible as he should be (check out my "A Trick of the Tail" review for more on that).

What's left if we cut the unfortunate jams and evenly unfortunate flat synthesizers? At least 35 minutes of good ol' Genesis with a couple (Thank God! At last!) of new ideas. If I were to categorize the mood of the album I'd call it Brit Synth Prog. Some of the songs have even more British-feel than on Selling England. if you thought it was impossible - you were obviously wrong. For the needs of creating the appropriate atmosphere Phil even tries to impersonate Gabriel's voice on Eleventh Earl of Mar (which is by far the second best song on the album, having much in common with "Watcher of the Skies" - especially the intro), and gets close. two times during the whole song. The fan favourite One for the Vine DOESN'T really impress me. I consider it too whining - just like Ripples, and too long. A curious detail: The filler noises in the middle remind me of Gabriel's Down the Dolce Vita part.

Your own special way is, apart from 'Afterglow, the closest Genesis have ever been to pop. But the chorus is charming and bewitching, and finally I hear Hackett playing; it makes up for the song's radio purpose.

There's no point in describing Wot Gorilla, as I elaborated on the uselessness of Genesis' instrumentals. Skip it! Along with All in a Mouse's Night. Come on! The lyrics are simply stupid and the song is a retarded clone of Robbery, Assault & Battery (which is a retarded clone of The Battle of Epping Forest.Genesis you evil inbreeders! They never learn - and they'll make another retarded clone of "The Battle. blueprint" on their next album! Can you believe it? I couldn't, until I heard).

Blood on the Rooftops saves the traces of originality of this album with a long acoustic opening (something like Horizon's), the most Brit song on the album, with a terrific atmospherical chorus. You might get fed up with the intro, however, after listening to it for a few times and you'll end up (just like me) skipping to Phil singing.

The last three tracks are supposed to be combined in something of a instrumental to instrumental to sung suite. I have no idea why. Afterglow is a great standalone without the dumb improv (made only to put a quote from Wuthering Heights somewhere in the titles to make the album look really really fancy). The last track has something romantic in it. A better ending than Los Endos. Again, one of the few times on the album - Hackett is audible and even Collins is! And the lights slowly fade. to calm the Unquiet Slumbers For The Sleepers in That Quiet Earth (In your face Genesis! I too can put a quote from Emily Brontë, so my review looks fancy and intelligent!).

Best song: Blood on the Rooftops (for the originality, guitar and the British touch)

Worst song: 'Unquiet Slumbers For The Sleepers... (for another Zombie-Banks melody and THE drum roll)

Can't We All Just Get Along?

The end of the real Genesis although there would be bits and pieces of it over the next couple of albums. This marks the end of Steve Hackett tenure with the band and it is a pretty damn good ending. With just a couple exceptions this album is as good as any of the last 5. Of course their ability as musicians was as high as ever, their songwriting was more mature but there is some empty spaces that I haven't heard before by this group. Your Own Special Way is not a terrible song but it doesn't seem to go anywhere. Certainly not enough in it to justify it being 6+ minutes. The second one follows it Wot Gorilla that seems like a jam that was culled down to single sequence and it doesn't sound complete. Maybe they should cut the time out of YOSW and gave it WOT Gorilla and made it better or maybe selected a song by Hackett that ended up on Voyage of the Acolyte. Anyway too much empty space for me to appreciate that much of the album.

That being said the rest is tremendous. Eleventh Earl of Mar, Mouses Night and Blood on the Roof Tops are great symphonic songs. One For The Vine maybe the best thing that Tony Banks has written and rival Mad Man Moon from ATOTT. The ending suite over the last three songs Unquiet Slumber for the Sleepers, In that Quiet Earth and Afterglow is just a prog masterpiece.

Even for all that this album does not quiet hit the highs of the last 5 so I cannot give it the highest mark but it doesn't miss by much. If you like any of the previous 5 you will like this one. 4.5 stars from me.

My own special Genesis

Wind And Wuthering is together with A Trick Of The Tale two of my favourite albums. This period of Genesis is in my opinion the strongest one with these two masterpiece albums in a row. Wind And Wuthering might not be as groundbreaking as earlier Genesis albums, but this is still a masterpiece! Phil once again makes an incredible vocal performance and I think he is every bit as good as Gabriel ever was!

The amazing guitar work of Steve Hackett is heard here for the last time on a Genesis album. He would leave after this album to pursue a solo career and he still plays today, performing some Genesis songs live, including the occastional song from this album. And just as Phil would step up and take the role of Peter Gabriel, Mike Rutherford would step up and take over guitar duties when Steve Hackett left and then there were three.

Guitars, drums and keyboards are once again excellently played. Wot Gorilla? and Unquiet Slumbers For The Sleepers/In That Quiet Earth are this albums counterparts to Los Endos from the last album and feature extremely good playing from all members.

Some complain over Your Own Special Way being commercial, but I think it is a beautiful song that fits well into the album as a whole. An album full of only songs like this would be tedious, I agree, but I find nothing objectionable about this song being here. This is still very much the progressive Genesis. Indeed, just the Genesis I love most.

A personal favourite - simply wonderful music!

The sixth consecutive perfect album from Genesis and regretfully the last!Superb album by superb group.The dark tension is everywhere on the album.I have the feeling that some fantasy characters come out of the Lord of the Rings' book and trying to find the One. The fast songs are so mystic and the ballads are so sensual and fine.The sound is so saturated that almost always you can feel all the instruments in action.If you collect only precise works you need this one.

I, like many others consider this to be the last masterpiece by Genesis. The second album released without former front man Peter Gabriel, Wind And Wuthering is, as well as A Trick of the Tail, a masterpiece. You might think after the mind blowing fantastic Peter Gabriel era Genesis albums, any without Peter would be a letdown, but this is not at all the case with the first two post Peter Gabriel albums. Your Own Special Way is the weakest track on the album, but I only say that because it is quite poppy, but it actually is a good song, and fits nice where it is. All In Mouse's Night followed by Blood on the Rooftops are my favorite tracks, sheer brilliance. Now, I say this is a masterpiece, and it is, but I can't give it five stars as I give Foxtrot and Selling England by the Pound five stars. In my opinion those two albums need to stick out in Genesis's discography. I give it four stars, and this is word for word an Excellent addition to any collection.

It is looking back that the full measure of this record becomes more clear. It was 1976 after all, and much of the popular music people were buying was grand, ambitious and finished to perfection. 'Wind & Wuthering' may not be a masterpiece but it aspires to be and in the musical climate that dominated following decades, it stands as one of many accomplished releases during an astonishing period by a band that refused to compromise. A portrait of musicians giving their all to an album because it was important, it meant something, and was an event in their and others' lives. And it sounds as fresh as ever all these years later.

The album is both clean in tone and rich in color palette, concentrated progressive rock with all the elements but more defined and crisply rendered than their classic work, and delivered with the future in mind. The overall effect is a huge and hugely under-acknowledged (at large) statement and gave prog a dignified, adult record that few others seemed able to. Previous 'A Trick of the Tail' may be considered more progressive or simply better material by some. They may be right, but I doubt it.

'Eleventh Ear of Mar' hearkens to their Trespass days with 'tron swells from Tony Banks but soon we're hearing a modern Genesis with Phil Collins setting the outward tone he'd established on Tail. We miss Gabriel but are gratified for the band's ability to continue making quality music. And with Banks, Rutherford and Hackett in charge compositionally, we hear a true collaborative effort. The track is a bit commercial perhaps but they'd grown up some, and presumably so had their audience. 'One For the Vine' is a gentle English tune about something epic, drizzles apart halfway through into a warm rainy afternoon and then flowers into one of the great prog moments, from a kitchen utensil jam into a humming synth-led passage filled with inspired bits of drums, keys, guitar and sparkling, laced arrangements. A great moment for these four. Incorrigibly sappy 'Your Own Special Way' is almost forgivable and presumably appeased the Easy Rock crowd, sentiment to the point of diabetic attack, a song written for all teenage girls lying on their beds wrecked by young love. Instrumental 'Wot Gorilla' (an in joke referencing a Zappa track) is more like it, an unashamed indulgence of the electro-classical genius this group had cultivated. Banks is inspired here even more than usual, Hackett's faithful acoustic-electric chords and the Rutherford/Collins machine sounding as powerful as ever. Little dramas for 'All in a Mouse's Night' with shifting musical variations representing the different parties nicely and helping an otherwise lackluster little story. Steve Hackett's quiet nylon strings carefully unfold opus 'Blood on the Rooftops', caustic words reflecting pessimistic times but the piece rocks. It abruptly fades into the fairyland sounds of 'Unquiet Slumbers...' and sister cut 'In That Quiet Earth' with tons of big vibrating walls from Banks's ARP 2600 and Collins's tight drums, a sound that undoubtedly provoked countless imitations hidden among many a lesser-known composers' work, winding down with thematic reprise 'Afterglow'.

Surely a firm step toward a bigger market but a terrific offering regardless, and 'Wind & Wuthering' makes their work afterward seem rudimentary.

01. Eleventh Earl of Mar We've started well, tons of layers of keyboard in calling for attention in that we will. Highlight of the song is because of Phil Collins and his battery (the drummer of rock more wronged Progressive), the band is sharp! The low Rutherford is always the case with peculiar timbre, and Tony Banks, well, what about that guy? Genius! And as I commented, I start with stories, Gabriel was not the only one who knew storytelling, a pirate is separating from her son in a shocker. So those who arrive for the first land? It! Steve Hacket and its one thousand guitars. In the central part of the song begins a very beautiful and touching, almost a lullaby, with more melodies and melodies of guitars. And Phil singing beautifully. Then return to the main theme. In a final agoniante Collins really embodies the character, calling her father.

02. One For The Vine One For The Vine is special! Tells a story of a people who expect a choice, he is the main character of brat and definitely not know what to do. The song is beautiful, begins with a melody of pianos and keyboards, is accompanied by just bass and drums, the guitars of Steve seem never appear, Ledo mistake they are there, only we do not have the sense enough to understand. That chorus! Phil is topped with vocals in falsetto. In the middle of the song for the persongem to reflect, which leads us to a part of simple beauty, it always reminds me of when the younger bands need to hear the heart and not their pockets. The center is more agitated, to culminate in a single point of beauty, and low voice together. An epic of gigantic proportions, and unfortunately ignored!

03. Your Own Special Way It starts as a ballad for guitar. Very nice by the way, with a different melody and unusual. Refrain captivating and beautiful, with a very interesting arrangement. The song has a line of guitar dedilhada pretty much in the background, and then have a share of keyboards, very nice by the way.

04. Gorilla wot? Instrumental composed largely of broken and battery and keyboard (Phil Collins is a hit on that disc), Tonu Banks who came to the shows, and once again shows that Steve guitar is more than 'fry', but 'Music', Mike holds the wave very well here, giving full security to the rate of broken battery.

05. All In The Mouse's Night Man, that great! Counting Genesis story of Tom & Jerry! Yes, that Phil sings music on a cat that demand deseperadamente catch the mouse, sensational, both in letter and in music. Battery low and marking the rhythm broken, layers of keyboard, guitar sounds coming from mansinho with strangers. And a great melody to tell a story very nice. Will the cat be able to get along? Or will the poor mouse escape the bleak future that awaits? Just listening to it! Get their conclusions.

06. Blood On The Rooftops Nice start of guitar, Hackett is exceeded here, a beautiful melody for which Collins open the heart and tell us more stories. And the sharp senses hear a new perception of the world and things.

07. Unquiet Slumbers For The Sleepers ... In That Quiet Earth Dobradinha (which I do not mistake the official disc were two separate songs, but I prefer joining a single). It has an original tune and 'closed' by some sounds sparse sound (with headphones is more noticeable), keyboards and making melody in a strange start. The melody that follows me like a Hail Mary in progressive format (sin? That does not exist! They put it in your head). Why then descambar pruma quebradeira only, primary emphasis to the low genial.

08. Afterglow Enough with the last song with a melody very beautiful, with its voice in the background marking the song, sung very well Vocals (total redundancy). One of the coolest final Prum disk, a beautiful melody that seems to never go away, fade out until the start and get in the brightness of the song.

No problem. We have many records of Genesis to elect as our favorites, but for me Wind & Wuthering is undoubtedly the best!

www.progshine.com

So.....if you were expecting A Trick of the Tail part II,you'll know from the word go that you will have to look somewhere else.If ,however,you're only familiar to the time when Peter Gabriel was their beloved frontman,this album will most likely come as a shock.By the time I got to the mid-section of One for The Vine(...around 12 minutes after the album's intro)I just couldn't believe my ears.It didn't grew on me.It didn't required a few listenings so I could get the big picture.What was passing through my mind was something like 'why did it took me so long to get here'........yes,you can say I had something of a twisted nose about a Gabrielless Genesis.Of course,by the time Afterglow faded away,I was immediately inclined to go and get A Trick of the Tail.After hearing these two albums over and over,I came to a simple conclusion.Gabriel's departure may have worked for the best,alright,but while I happen to find that ATOTT somehow lacks the strenght of previous efforts(but still manages to keep the overall quality),Wind and Wuthering is an all-time masterpiece.A flawed one,perhaps.but still a masterpiece.Why?

The overall mood of the album is something hard to put in words.A mixture of drama,melancholy,sadness and a somewhat evening-like feel.As a reviewer put in very wise words,this is the autumn of the band.They would never be the same after this one,and that surely contributes to the album's mood.Phill Collins isn't as bothering as in the previous album,while Steve Hackett is seen here in what is probably his best performance in any Genesis recording,alongside with Selling England by the Pound.As for Banks,he mentioned in recent interviews that this one is between his two favourite Genesis albums.'I think it's because it's a romantic album,that's why I like it so much',he said.I personally like the fact that he and Hackett received the major share of the writing credits.

Even though A Trick of the Tail had more delicated lyrics,Wind and Wuthering is musically more sophisticated than it's predecessor.Despite the fact that the album doesn't contain any aberration such as Robbery,Assault and Battery,the songs are overall better crafted in therms of arrangement.I can't say Peter Gabriel isn't missed at all,but in the an overall way,the band proved they could do well by themselves.All In A Mouse's Night,however,reflects the iconic charisma they left behind with Peter's departure,as I keep wondering how would it sound had it the touch of the band's old leader.It is not a bad song,I just happen to find it a bit out of place in an album that wisely ignores the main factors which granted it's creators success in the past.The only song that is bad enough to the point of bothering me is the ballad Your Own Special Way,but I seem to be the only one to think that way.By influence of Greg Lake,I learned to be very fond of prog rock ballads,but Phill Collins proves once again in here that he should have stayed where he belonged,that is behind a drum kit.This is not progressive rock.This is a fair warning of what was to come as soon as Hackett packed up and left the band.Fortunately,it is surrounded by an amazing musical context,so by the time Afterglow is concluded,one should have already forgotten that this song ever existed.

And with the exception of Wot Gorila?,all the remainig tracks are tear-splattering masterpieces.This album contains the same english character as the band previously presented in Selling England.But while the englishness of the latter had an eruption halfway through the album,this one 'hangs on in quiet desperation'.Mr. David Gilmour was absolutely right.

Eleventh Earl of Mar is one of Genesis most brilliant songs ever.Despite the absolute drama of the synth introduction that echoes it's way throughout the album,I can't think of a other song by any other band that succesfully matched prog and pop.The real gem is found in the quiet mid-section however,where Collins is surprisingly remarkable in his vocal performance.The song reaches a climax with the lines I'm fighting,gravity falling,a tense interlude lead by Tony Banks.Great lyrics,too.

One for the Vine is aknowledged by many as the best song Genesis ever written.That's...probably not true,but it surely ranks up there.Again,Collins is in a remarkable performance,but the spotlight of this composition is it's creator,Tony Banks.Few instrumental passages in all of progressive music history sound as beautifull as the mid-section of this song.A brilliant arrangement and echoing passages give the album it's first climax.I just loved this song since the very first listen,and the delicate chorus still send shivers down my spine.

As for Blood On the Rooftops,it is focused in Steve Hackett's crying acoustic gutar,but the band as a whole transmit in this song a melancholy which may as well be the cause of tears for the faint hearted.I know this sound exagerated,but I guess this is an album that wheter you get the overall picture,or you don't.Unquiet Slumbers For the Sleepers...In That Quiet Earth is a guitar-driven instrumental suite which concludes Blood On The Rooftops,expressing the same sadness and emotions,but here there's also something of a mysterious hypnotic element as the name suggests,specially in the screaming guitar riif in the second halft.And then,as the song crumbles a way to it's final moments,a nervous reprise of the album's intro is played.An annoucement that the album is coming to an end.

This haunting instrumental piece is faded to Afterglow,the dramatic and delicate conclusion to the album.The structure of this song is quite simple in a way,but the band manages to transmit again a sad mood to this song,making it a perfect closer to the album.The screaming(yet silent)dramatic appeal of Wind and Wuthering is diferent to anything I have ever heard.Selling England By the Pound may be the band's finest hour,but as did The Lamb,this album is unique compared anything else they ever did.Hackett's departure in the following year would resulte in the migration from prog to pop,as we all know it.But here,in the last echoings of an era,is where classic Genesis wrote a beautifull epitaph to it's own grave.

This is a fine album, and, judging by the reviews of the later Collins era LPs, most consider this to be the last essential Genesis LP (I might rattle a few cages when I review them, then!).

It is a classic of symphonic prog and the most glorious example of the wall of sound that this band made their own that exists out there. It is very much a Banks & Hackett LP and shines as a result. Whilst it is true that extra songwriting credits were given to Hackett to placate him or keep him in the band, the work itself does not suffer.

Nearly each and every song on this LP is a winner. Eleventh Earl of Mar conjures medieval chivalry and Collins really does surprise when he reveals just how loud and passionately he can sing. One for the Vine is a prog essential, one of the finest tracks the band ever recorded. It is such a thoughtful piece of music, with Banks especially moving with his quiet keyboards and Collins telling a story of an accidental demagogue. Genesis had returned, after The Lamb, to telling stories people could easily relate to with this and Trick of the Tail. The stories are also no less effective.

You Have Your Own Special Way is, to many people, the ultimate heresy - a charming pop song that bears no relation to pure prog at all. It is for this reason, I know, that many fans loathe the Collins era and certainly later LPs - but I will pose a thoughtful question - just because it is pop, does this make it bad? Absolutely not - this is a fine track with excellent guitar work from both Rutherford & Hackett and it moves happily along. Not all pop, or indeed rock, is bad because it doesn't last ten minutes and feature a mellotron blast!

I usually skip Wot Gorilla these days as it doesn't hold my interest very much, and it is this that reduces the LP to four rather than five stars. It does, however, feature Collins demonstrating what a fine drummer he is.

All in a Mouse's Night is silly, but fun and superbly played, again featuring a band musically confident and creating beautiful surround sound textures. Blood on the Rooftops is the one track that makes me weep that Hackett ever left - it really is excellent and gives a hint of his later, progressive, solo work. Collins treats the story with great sympathy, and the guitar work is stunning.

Unquiet Slumbers...and ..Quiet Earth were split to give Hackett additional writing credits and they feature the band playing tightly and progressively. The latter leads in to the most gorgeous keyboard note and one of my favourite Genesis tracks, Afterglow. Banks, who wrote it, shines with loud backing keyboards, Collins fairly thunders the drum kit at the end, and the guitar and bass accompany a perfect love song brilliantly. Oh, and Collins sings it fantastically. It is a great track, and deservedly still a favourite live.

This is a fantastic LP, and I would, if I had the chance, award it 4.5 stars, but an essential addition to any serious progressive rock collection. Don't be put off by the fact it doesn't feature Gabriel.

This album is an interesting one in the Genesis catalogue. Peter Gabriel was not in the band when this album was recorded, however, I think people jump to conclusions when they say that Phil Collins ruined everything. His pop career did lead to a big decline in Genesis's music, but not so while Steve Hackett was around to keep him in check. And this is certainly part of the prog period of Genesis.

The album opens with two epics, taking up nearly a whole side of a record between the two of them. Eleventh Earl of Mar and One for the Vine kick this album off to a great start. Phil Collins does not have a bad voice at all (he only chose to use it for evil purposes during the 80s) and when the instrumental section on One for the Vine kicks in, you can't tell it apart from the Gabriel-era music of Genesis in the least. Wot Gorilla? is a fusiony-sounding instrumental, and while I've never heard any of the work Phil Collins did with the fusion band Brand-X, I've heard this song compared to it quite often. To me, it sounds like something that the Mahavishnu Orchestra might have done circa-Birds of Fire, but somewhat less aggressive. The bell intro reminds me a bit of Lark's Tongues in Aspic, part 1 by King Crimson, but the music that follows does not. All in a Mouse's Night is where things get so proggy as to be cheesy, with the melodramatic opening and the cartoonish verse music. This story of a mouse taking a walk at night and trying to escape the cat and the humans has its charm though, and I don't count it as a bad song, just a bit of fun that I have to be in the right mood for. Next is Blood on the Rooftops, one of my favorite songs on this album, if not my absolute favorite on this album. One of my favorite Genesis songs overall, really. I'd love to learn to play this one. It starts off with a beautiful acoustic guitar intro and leads into melancholy but pretty singing, with lush string-synth keyboards. A very emotional song, and a great success from Genesis. Unquiet Slumbers for the Sleepers and In that Quiet Earth are an amazing instrumental working, once again having a bit of a fusion feel to them. The album ends with the relaxing song Afterglow, which is similar in feel to Your Own Special Way, but while those are the weakest songs on the album, they aren't terrible, and Afterglow works well to ease the listener out of the album.

Hopefully, anyone who thinks Phil Collins is the devil will give this one a try and change their mind. Looking back, it was Steve Hackett's departure that changed their sound for the worse, not Peter Gabriel's. While those interested in Genesis's prog era shouldn't necesarily start here, this is my 2nd favorite album from Genesis.

W & W is aurally such a beautiful album, but I understand and appreciate the other reviewers who proclaim the "negative" evolution of Progressive Rock music into a "neo-progressive" era with this album and its predecessor, A Trick of the Tail. There can be no disputing the fact that the sound and styles of these two albums usher in something new. Along with a rather drastic change in personnel (the low of flamboyant front man PETER GABRIEL, one of the band's founders who decided to leave the band after the tour for their 1974 magnum opus, the Lamb Lies Down on Broadway--a loss that many feared would be insurmountable and would portend the end of the band), there is a change in temperament. It was as if the band made conscious choice to seek a larger, more commercial audience. Did they water down the music? Simplify it for easier access to the masses? It can be argued that the caliber of musicianship is just as high as their previous outputs, yet it might also be argued that the wisdom gained by the musicians' experience and age helped them to come to a mature realization that it wasn't necessarily the flash and complexity that people wanted to hear, that the adage that sometimes "less is more" might have some truth to it. Even the king noodlers of all-time--musicians like Herbie Hancock and Cick Corea, Larry Coryell and John McLaughlin, Tony Wiliams and Billy Cobham, Jan Akkerman and Thijs van Lier, Stanley Clarke and Al Di Meola--eventually realized that passion and emotion do not always have to be expressed through speed and technique.

With the Trick of the Tail era, Phil Collins-led Genesis became more concerned with the audience connection than before. With Peter Gabriel in the lead it was as if all theatric development was as if by accident and surprise. (Even the other band members were often taken aback by some of Peter's costumes, stylistic choices, and, of course, his bizarre and often macabre extemporaneous space-filling stories. Heck! The most famous story of all revolves around the creation of The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway album.

Peter had become a hot commodity, the "face" of Genesis, and was being courted by other ventures--including Hollywood. As the band was back home in England creating all of the music for their next album--the release to follow their most successful album to date, Selling England by The Pound--Peter was otherwise occupied in New York City. (Working with Exorcist director Peter Friedkin.) When Peter finally found time for the Genesis commitments, he took the music and wrote the libretto of story and lyrics over the course of two weeks time. The band was shocked and a little put off that Peter had done all this without them--even distorting some of the music in ways that they didn't necessarily agree with. And yet, The Lamb was released--under record label pressure--and a tour begun--a tour which had Peter running around on stage as the front man, acting out his libretto, relegating the rest of the band to kind of background or support roles.)

The Lamb and its tour were quite successful--especially in America--but exhausting. Especially to Peter. The reluctant star--who was far more naturally reserved and shy than his stage persona might suggest--could take no more. On August 15, 1975, Genesis' record label officially announced that Peter Gabriel had left Genesis--to concentrate on "other literary and experimental interests outside of music."

With no more Peter Gabriel, the band continued to practice, continued to come up with new music. While Tony tended to his new duties as a father, the other band members collaborated with guitarist Steve Hackett to help render his debut solo album, released under the title, Voyage of the Acolyte. This gave the four further confidence to go on without Mr. Gabriel.

A few ad hoc attempts to fill Peter's vocal shoes helped the band realize that they could still play all of their old music--and that they could create anew. Natural showman Phil Collins (who'd had quite a glittering resumé in stage theater productions in his youth) was an unexpectedly good stand in as Peter. The problem was with filling the stage presence--something a drummer could not do. Thus was born the idea of hiring a second drummer--one that could fill Phil's shoes when Phil chose to be up front as the standup man. Thus, the great drummer, Bill Bruford, was lured into the fold for the Trick of the Tail tour and born was the now-iconic stage setup with two drummers, one right handed, the other left, placed on stage risers behind and high above the rest of the band. Genesis concerts, with their vast stage and industry-leading laser light display, became more of a "show" and less the sacred, mystical, intimate "experience" that the small-venued Gabriel-era concerts had conveyed (which some fans lamented and still lament to this day). Thus the band became a stadium-filling headliner like Emerson, Lake and Palmer, Yes, and Jethro Tull.

The band was known. With the Trick of the Tail album, sales were up, for the tour even moreso concert ticket sales, too. The feature of two duelling drummers was a big hit, as was the ground-breaking light show. The band was almost on the verge of becoming a household name. All they needed was an AM-friendly American hit record. With Wind and Wuthering's "Your Own Special Way" they finally achieved that. What I think the band achieved on Wind and Wuthering that launched a new era of progressive rock music was to combine their usual penchant for mythic storytelling (something Mr. Gabriel had started and had very much excelled at) with highly memorable melodies over lush, romantic soundscapes while remaining steadfastly committed to their usual standards of superb musicianship. (One might consider Mssrs. Banks, Hackett, and Collins as virtuosi of their respective instruments, i.e. keyboards, guitars, and batterie.)

1. "Eleventh Earl Of Mar" (7:41) one of the greatest openings of any song ever! But then things get marred by the odd, muddled lyrics. The two passages in the song's middle section are also noteworthy for their timeless classic Genesis-worthy beauty, but then amping back up to the story's end sours the mix. How difficult it is to create a perfect classic! How nit-picky we prog lovers become when faced with flaw and less than super-human heights from our gods! (13.5/15) (Such a difficult song to rate.)

2. "One For The Vine" (10:00) a great story sung to perfection by Phil--perhaps his best Genesis vocal ever for the uncharacteristic delicacy in his voice (a characteristic that Peter possessed in spades). Wonderful keyboard and bass play by Tony and Mike, the guitars and drums remain restrained throughout the vocal sections, but come to life, of course, during the instrumental sections. (18.5/20)

3. "Your Own Special Way" (6:18) a guitar-based song that anyone among the masses could learn and play solo. A song that every young person could scream-sing to the chorus and sing to their special loved one. Some very romantic moments. (8.25/10)

4. "Wot Gorilla?" (3:19) a Phil-credited instrumental that could have come out of a BRAND X session. Tony is great, Phil not as great as one might expect, Mike's 12-string sadly drowned out (but bass-pedals strong), and Steve somehow mixed behind everybody else. (8.25/10)

5. "All In A Mouse's Night" (6:37) opens with a decent sound palette and great bass and drumming and some great singing, but then all falls apart with the soft percussion-&-circus section and the lyrics that follow. Some sad little tricks used to bridge sections. The buildup to and the actual dénouement are so cringeworthy and embarrassing; saddening and disappointing, then followed by one of the lamest fadeout endings Genesis ever did. (8.5/10)

6. "Blood On The Rooftops" (5:27) opening with some of Steve's best classical guitar work ever the song evolves only positively as it goes on, with another of Phil's finest vocals and some of Genesis' finest lyrics. Pure prog perfection (and listen to those synth washes and gorgeous keyboard arpeggi Tony bathes certain sections in). (10/10)

7. "Unquiet Slumbers For The Sleepers..." (2:23) almost orchestral in its arrangement and rendering with both MIke and Steve's rapid guitar arpeggi and Phil's timpani work providing more than enough backdrop for Tony's haunting synth soloing above. The only flaw would be that that synth sound could have been better. (4.5/5)

8. ...In That Quiet Earth (4:49) really a continuation of the previous song (I feel as if I always considered them one), jumps in with great drumming and great band cohesion with some truly dynamic play--all the while supporting Steve's melodic and then experimental electric guitar soloing. Tony gets a few chances to play with Steve's melody and then interplay with Steve, but it's the bass and drums that delight for me during the first two minutes. Then "the switch" happens. A habit that Steve continued and has not been able to get over of shifting power and beauty in which the two elicit quite drastically different responses from the listener: utter bliss alternated with shock and revulsion. Still, amazing drumming throughout this one. (9/10)

9. Afterglow (4:12) a saccharine simpleton born as a seeming companion to Side One's "Special Way." (8/10)

Total Time: 50:46

There is good music here, very good. "One for the Vine," "Blood on the Rooftops," and even "Eleventh Earl of Mar" [10/10 musically, 3/10 lyrically] achieve the same heights as some of the earlier Genesis "classic." As for the other songs, more often than not the sound draws one in but then some element puts one off: poor lyrics, over simplified song structures, or silly idiosynchrosies, etc. For example, "Eleventh Earl of Mar" opens the LP with such promise--and musically continues to do so--but those lyrics! Ridiculous! Same with "All in a Mouse's Night" [9/10 musically, 2/10 lyrically]. Phil Collins' simple stories for the simple man are no match for the macabre Grimms-worthiness or ambiguous, even absurd Carroll-ingian tales social-commentary tales of Peter Gabriel! The rest of the album is too much "trying too hard" to impress (Steve Hackett on "'Unquiet Slumbers for the Sleepers/In that Quiet Earth," Phil's on "Wot Gorilla") or to get a pop hit ("Your Own Special Way" and "Afterglow"). Again, an amazingly warm sound with the usual high Genesis musicianship but the song composition has met with an impasse: the lyrical content and commercial desire are not served so well by the old song constructs. Tensions are running high as the decision has to be made: will it be a new Genesis for the masses or the old parochial music reaching its fewer more cerebral listeners. Mr. Hackett let us know his choice: He left the band to pursue his own highly experimental creative juices. And then there were three . . . .

B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of neo-romantic progressive rock music; the birth of a new sound.

If you were to liken albums to seasons then this is Genesis's autumn album. From the lonely tree and leaves blowing in the wind on the grey cover through to the music's rich, layered and largely melancholic vibe and the Wuthering Heights reference in Unquiet Slumbers For The Sleepers.. It really has an air of that end of the year season. It also happens to be the last truly great Genesis album, ending a run of seven essential Symphonic Prog albums, starting with Trespass, a run not even Yes can match. Sadly Steve Hackett would depart after Wind And Wuthering taking an essential element of the bands sound with him.

The beautiful sweeping intro of Eleventh Earl Of Mar gives way to one of the bands more bombastic songs. Driven along by Phil Collins powerful and solid drumming, a la Squonk from A Trick Of The Tail and dominated by Tony Banks stunning keyboard work, it makes an excellent instantly likeable opener.

The 10 minute One For The Vine is a truly beautiful song. A track of many moods and changes, from the melancholic early feel through the up tempo instrumental mid section to the majestic keyboard driven finale, this really is Banks' track.

Although we didn't know it at the time, Your Own Special Way was an indicator of what was to come in the future. One of the simpler pieces and the least essential track, it nevertheless has a catchy melody and doesn't seem too out of place with the overall feel of the album.

Side 1 of the original vinyl version closes with Wot Gorilla, an excellent but short instrumental, no doubt influenced by Collins Jazz Rock excursions with Brand X.

All In A Mouse's Night whilst instrumentally lush and rich has a light hearted vibe courtesy of the lyrics, being largely about a mouse which gets the better of a cat. Despite the lightweight lyrical content it's still a fantastic song; another great Banks moment but also featuring an excellent Hackett solo to close.

There are many great Hackett moments on the album but perhaps none more so than on the often overlooked Blood On The Rooftops. Another beautiful and melancholic track opening with some fine solo acoustic guitar. It has an overall orchestral vibe courtesy of Banks, but the acoustic guitar is an integral element for adding light and shade.

Getting back to that Emily Bronte reference, Unquiet Slumbers For The Sleepers...In That Quiet Earth is 2 tracks that go to make up a 2 part instrumental. It really is superb from the beautifully haunting start with no drums, it bursts into life with some excellent jazz inflected drumming from Collins, the track really soars, again some excellent guitar work from Hackett and then the tempo drops, the rhythm more solid, into an eastern feel to end. It then segues into the melodic Afterglow which makes an excellent way to close this fine album.

Listening to this record again reminds me of how much Hackett was missed on their future albums. Although Mike Rutherford would do an admirable job he never really filled his shoes on the solos and although there were some fine Genesis moments to come they were more randomly scattered amongst some mainly patchy albums.

The last in the string of truly great Genesis albums, and the final one with guitarist Steve Hackett, Wind & Wuthering has much great music for a somewhat overlooked work, and I think almost all of it tops the previous album, A Trick of the Tail. The hidden jewel on this album is the standout second track, "One for the Vine." Everything else is more or less excellent, so this album comes highly recommended.

"Eleventh Earl of Mar" Fantastic synthesizer and howling guitar give way to a song that would indicate where this Peter Gabriel-less band was heading. But who cares? It's a killer track, lots of fun, and full of great musicianship. Mike Rutherford's bass incites the listener's head to bob up and down- it can't be helped. Tony Banks's keyboards are phenomenal overall. Hackett does a great job on electric guitar, but his subtle acoustic guitar in the bridge is his highlight without a doubt. Phil Collins's drumming is good, sure, but his spirited vocal performance is not to be missed. This is not my idea of an opener, particularly not this album, but I simply love this historically-based whimsical song. That said, "Eleventh Earl of Mar" is similar in sound to the opener of the previous album.

"One for the Vine" Quite simply one of the best things Genesis ever did, with or without Gabriel. It is a generally unrecognized gem. Hackett's lovely guitar and Banks's piano brings in the main riff, and Collins sings the quasi-spiritual narrative words. The instrumental section in the middle is one of the best pieces of music the men of Genesis have ever constructed, with exceptional drumming and amazing keyboards. Banks and Collins are simply amazing here. Do not miss this song.

"Your Own Special Way" A pretty song laden with acoustic guitar, here is an enjoyable but uncomplicated song. It's a decent piece for dancing, but I don't expect it appeals to most progressive rock fans- but considering Genesis's previous output ("For Absent Friends" and "More Fool Me"), it shouldn't be a problem.

"Wot Gorilla?" Another opportunity for Banks to strut his stuff, he does so in fine style, as this instrumental sounds like something that could've belonged comfortably on The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway.

"All in a Mouse's Night" A cutesy, but otherwise well-performed song about a cat, a mouse, and a frightened woman and an annoyed man, this song has its perks, but is really the weakest and most forgettable track on the album, both lyrically and musically.

"Blood on the Rooftops" A lovely classical introduction by Hackett paves the way for a great song. Banks's synthesizers yield an impeccable result after Collins's gentle vocals. Then things get heavier, and Rutherford's bass stands really out. It has a similar feel and sound as "One for the Vine," and is likewise one of the best on this album.

"Unquiet Slumbers for the Sleepers." Beautiful guitar and atmospheric synthesizers made for a gorgeous, albeit terse, instrumental piece.

".In That Quiet Earth" While the previous section was a quiet, gentle piece of music, this is a riveting performance in 3/4 time that is one of the only places on the album for Hackett to cut loose on his electric guitar. Just before the stellar synthesizer solo from Banks, the band briefly revisits the introduction of "Eleventh Earl of Mar."

"Afterglow" The third piece of this tripartite album ending is a pleasant soft song that compliments Collins's vocals well.

Ahhh... the second album of the Tony Banks era, and again he doesn't disappoint. This is the album that Banks always says is his favorite from the group. His stamp is all over this album and while it does have a couple of songs w/o Banks getting a writing credit (unlike A Trick of the Tail), he still had enough of a grip on the group that Steve Hackett would feel too restricted and leave soon after the albums tour.

Eleventh Earl of Mar and One for the Vine are typical and excellent Genesis story songs w/ excellent musicianship that Genesis has been producing since Trepass. These are woven, multi-sectioned works of art that are not to be missed.

The third song is where many say the beginning of the end starts and were Phil Collins wrecked the band. This view drives me crazy. Your One Special Way is written ENTIRELY by MIKE RUTHERFORD. While Genesis doesn't have the Midas touch with the single yet, in the context that it is written as a love song, it is a very good song. Nowhere is it stated that all good songs must not be a love song or a ballad, although if you are going to write a ballad, there is no need to glue an instrumental section in the middle of it. The section just seems out of place and they will become master of the single (much to manys chagrin) down the road.

Wot Gorilla is a Banks / Collins written instrumental workout that seems to split the fans on its value although I find it as a pretty good track. All in a Mouse's Night has lyrics that are questionable, but the music is more than serviceable. Blood on the Rooftops is a Hackett / Collins song that is highly underrated in my book. Beautiful acoustic guitar, the ever-present keys in just the right amount and very good lyrics stating the weariness of listening to the evening news and the preference to not to listen that night and unwind and enjoy the present company.

The three part ending with the first two being instrumental and starting with some beautiful Steve Hackett acoustic guitar, before the band kicks into gear, and ending on Banks' Afterglow, is again not to be missed. The only small complaint about Afterglow is how much better and more energetic the live versions of this song are. This is a common feeling I have about many Genesis songs which makes their live work so interesting.

To rap it up, the autumn artwork is perfect for this recording (especially if you have the vinyl), Phil Collins as always excellent on drums and displays a more confident vocal touch while Rutherford is more then solid on bass and Banks' presence is enormous and everywhere. Steve Hackett's roll has increased but it was not enough to keep him on board. He will be sorely missed. Wind and Wuthering is a very strong 4 but not quite a 5.

A Melancholy End to Genesis, Part 3

Save the drummers before Phil Collins, every member exit from prog titans Genesis marked an enormous transition for the band. First Ant Phillips, then Peter Gabriel, and after this album Steve Hackett would leave a very different band in their wake. Wind and Wuthering is a sad album in many ways, from the cover to the musical tone to Hackett's role in the music. Despite the mood, there are some simply stunning moments on this album. Most fans of classic prog already own the work, but for those just venturing past the classics, this one definitely deserves a place.

The album is marked by Tony Banks taking the reins of the group in earnest, and indeed he often cites W&W as his favorite album. Perennial live staple "Afterglow" was a piece that evolved almost completely spontaneously in his head. His keys are in the forefront more than perhaps any other album, and much of his work is dazzling. Of special mention is "One for the Vine" which is often counted among the best Genesis songs of all time regardless of era. This is essentially completely a Banks-penned piece, bringing together a number of previously penned parts into an epic about religious devotion, war, and loss. (Unlike Gabriel he forgot to add in the love and sex to liven it up.)

At the same time, Steve Hackett also attempted to contribute his own material to the album. Collins reportedly did not like the material, which was more aggressive prog, rather than the more pop stylings the other members were leaning toward and would pursue after his departure. Ironically, Collins uses the excuse to this day he simply didn't want individually penned songs, preferring works composed as a band. (This didn't curtail the aforementioned "Afterglow" or "One for the Vine.") This conflict led to Hackett's departure and the end of Genesis as many loved them. A trilogy of Hackett songs ("Blood on the Rooftops" and the excellent instrumental pieces "Unquiet Slumbers" and "In that quiet earth") were placed on side 2, and he leaves the band on a decided high note.

Collins vocals have not improved much from TotT here, though they are quite good on the more ballad-like numbers (Again "Afterglow" is an obvious example). At this point in his career, he simply had not developed as many vocal tools as the music needed, and the first two medieval epics sound like they were written for Peter Gabriel. However, I wonder more how the album would have sounded if Collins had possessed the menace he would later use on songs like "Mama" or "Home by the Sea." In any case, while his vocals (on some songs) are the weakest part of the album, his drumming is at its best. Coming off the first Brand X album, his fills are incendiary, his grooves tight, and in an era when some of the best drumming of all time was being laid down, he stood alongside the best of the best. (See "Wot Gorilla?")

Of special mention is Michael Rutherford's "Your Own Special Way." Much maligned, this was perhaps the first true Genesis single in the style that was to make the threesome a gazillion dollars. The main problem with the song is the extremely pedantic chorus lyrics which are unfortunately repeated too often. Had the level of sophistication and taste improved on the lyric writing, this could have been a classic. Rutherford's 12-string intro is gorgeous and complex, involving tuning the usual unison strings to different notes to achieve a unique tonality. The rhythms still retain some complexity, and many of the melodies (besides the main theme) are quite compelling. And yet, the central focal point is so weak that many claim the song doesn't belong on the album at all.

Despite its flaws, Wind and Wuthering certainly deserves its place among the Genesis classics. Again, some of the instrumental work here is the best the band recorded. Essential for Genesis fans, excellent addition for any prog fan.

This album doesn't really need another review since it's been well covered by many others. These words emerge solely as a response to the shape of the current Top Prog list as I write this. Somewhere over the last few weeks "Wind & Wuthering" dropped down to 96, which seems simply remarkable to me. And yet, Genesis' first real album, "Trespass," remains at position 64. Really? Don't get me wrong, I love "Trespass." It's a surprisingly better album than one would expect, and I come back to it again and again. But surely "Wind & Wuthering" is a much, much better album. I know that these lists are fairly arbitrary affairs, but are we perhaps letting the Gabriel vs. Collins war rule the day here? Yes, "A Trick of the Tail" rides high, but I'd love to see "Wind & Wuthering" up there as well.

Out of the gate storms the wild bull that is "Eleventh Earl of Mar," followed by the brilliantly complex and whimsical "One For the Vine," one of the band's best compositions. (How can you not love that movement that starts around 4:40 on the CD?) In the middle of the album is the raucous "Wot Gorilla?", with outstanding "Los Endos"-styled drumming by Collins. By the second half we get the great chain of "Blood on the Rooftops," "Unquiet Slumbers For the Sleepers. . .", ". . . In That Quiet Earth" and "Afterglow." This sequence is simply stunning and I think it stands not just as a great bowing out for Steve Hackett, but perhaps as some of Hackett's most spectacular playing with Genesis after "Firth of Fifth."

The weakest moments? Sometimes the lyrics and story of "All in a Mouse's Night" strike me as a bit twee, but I don't think it's any sillier than a number of moments on "Tail." For me the weakest moment is definitely the ballad, "Your Own Special Way." Retrospectively it would be too easy to say, "Ah, right here is where Genesis started to slide downhill into the hell of the vapid 80s." It's not all that bad, but it's not the album's strongest moment. Having sad that, I'm surprised this album has the reputation of being one of Genesis' slow and quiet albums. While the ballad fits that impression, the rest of the album is pretty damned heavy, much heavier than "A Trick of the Tail." (It sounds like I'm knocking that album, but trust me I'm not.)

I end my defense by saying that I think this is one of Genesis' best albums. It's definitely in my top four of their lps. Even if it is the last masterpiece, it is a masterpiece. Maybe a 4.8/4.9 masterpiece, but without a doubt a required album for all prog fans. Oh, and it's much, much better than "Trespass" (even if that album had Gabriel on it!).

In 1977 Genesis released "Wind And Wuthering", a work that a lot of people tend to consider their last, truly, progressive album. The band song-writing approach keeps similar to the previous 1976 "A Trick Of The Tail", but surely suffers this comparison in terms of homogeneity. The opening track "Eleventh Earl Of Mar" is a quite convincing number that features powerful drumming and poderous bass line, and show the listener the path which the band sound was destined to follow, since it could have been contained, without any problem, in the "Duke" album. The following track "One For The Vine", could be considered the album masterpiece, a true progressive epic, that due to its inner complexity, various time and mood changes, took Tony Banks a year to be written; a song that later became a classic for Genesis live shows in the early 80's. "Wind and Wuthering" continues with "Your Own Special Way", a Mike Rutherford number that seems to owe a lot to "Entangled" from "A Trick Of The Tail", but not succeeding to reach its level, remaining a less interesting love song, an unusual format for Genesis, Song number four is the instrumental "Wot Gorilla?" nothing more, nothing less than a "link track", not even comparable with the instead awesome "Los Endos". Comparison with "A Trick Of The Tail" keeps on returning as a sort of curse, even with "All in A Mouse's Night" which if musically is great, lirically it sounds like a bad version of "Robbery, Assault and Battery" a quite silly fantasy tale. Talking about unusual formats, Genesis has never been a band famous for social contents, lirically speaking, and in those rare cases in which they dealt with them they used metaphorical language, like on "Dancing With The Moonlit Knight" from "Selling England By The Pound" a caustic attack to England consumerist approach to everyday life, a matter particularly felt by Peter Gabriel in those days. On "Wind and Wuthering" "Blood On The Rooftops" with its lines "The Arabs and the jews, too much for me" and other references to quotidianity takes the matter from a different point of view, thanks to a more direct language; also to mention interesting harmonic progression. Surely along with "One For The Vine" and "Afterglow" one of the best tracks on the album. Two other instrumental pieces follows : "Unqueit Slumbers For The Sleepers" and "...In That Quiet Earth" that opens up to the perfectly arranged "Afterglow" which features awesome choirs and beautiful organ sctions, not to mention beautiful lyrics: undoubtely one of their best song ever.

"Wind and Wuthering" in the end is not homogeneous as "A Trick Of The Tail", not a masterpiece, but surely a great addition to any prog collection.

My Rating is 4 stars.

This, by far, is my favorite Genesis album. IMO, their best. And look, they did it WITHOUT Peter Gabriel!

After the stunning brilliance of "A Trick of the Tail", we come to this, which was sadly the last studio album with Steve Hackett, but this brief era of Genesis certainly goes out with a bang. (And despite what most prog elitists think, this was not the last progressive album Genesis made, but it was the last full-fledged prog rock album) Not only is it the pinnacle of Genesis musicianship, but the lyrics are quite strong as well (although to me, this has always been the case with Genesis, but it shows more here).

I will do this track by track:

1. Eleventh Earl of Mar: is a terrific opener. Great synthesizers from Tony Banks, and the entire band pulls off a great start.

2. One for the Vine: perhaps the best song on the album. And it's only the second track. Superbly crafted piece by Tony, wonderful, soulful vocals by Phil, especially towards the middle. Like the first track, everyone does a terrific job.

3. Your Own Special Way: a beautiful ballad written by Mike Rutherford, with equally beautiful vocals from Phil.

4. Wot Gorilla?: a decent instrumental, although this is the song that led to Steve Hackett leaving the band. (He wanted more of his compositions on the album, and when they were about to place one on the record, they decided to replace it with Wot Gorilla?, which ended up being the final straw for Steve)

5. All in a Mouse's Night: awesome song that is reminiscent of the Peter Gabriel-era of Genesis, with lyrics that tell a story, complete with characters. It tells the story of a mouse who is attempting to navigate a couple's home to find some food and to just go for a walk. He encounters various nuisances along the way such as the couple themselves (referred to as "Loving Couple" in the lyrics where their lines appear), and a cat. Kind of cute and, as usual for Genesis, brilliant.

6. Blood on the Rooftops: another great song with potent lyrics that reference Batman, Tarzan (ha...ha ha...prophecy, anyone?), and...television?

7. "Unquiet Slumbers for the Sleepers... ...In That Quiet Earth": a powerful instrumental, the best of the two on this album. Definitely in the vein of Los Endos. Steve once again showcases his mad skillz.

8. Afterglow: once again, beautiful. It is, after all, a song by Tony Banks, the master of beautiful songs. Again, potent lyrics. A Genesis classic. Perfect finish to what I view as a perfect album.

All in all, I highly recommend this album.

I'm a bit surprised that so many people seem to enjoy this album. To put it bluntly, it's 50 tedious minutes full of 'More Fool Me'-like songs with Phil trying to sing material his voice isn't suited for at all. On this album it is weak and awfully whiny if you compare it to how he performs on songs like Abacab and Mama.

But the blame is not just on Phil. The rest of the band puts in an equally bland performance. Just compare the instrumental section of One For the Vine against anything they did before. It's second rate at best. There are some nice instrumental tracks though. Wot Gorilla, Unquiet Slumbers and In That Quiet Earth are nice cuts that could have come off any Hackett album. Another track to check out would be Afterglow with its strong crescendo. It saves this album from the dreaded two-star punishment and lifts it to 2.5. But I always round down.

It is really for fans only. Besides the tracks I mentioned I can't see much worth returning to. I'm sure Blood on the Rooftops is meant to have a grand sweeping effect when the chorus sets in but the melody is just too unremarkable to leave much of an impression.

Genesis still had a lot more in them then what came out on this sloppy album.

Well this was the very first Genesis Album I Heard and i've always cherish it as a masterpiece. ok after Trick of The Tail wich is also a superb album Genesis quickly returns to record what will be the last album with Hackett, Genesis will never recover from his departure ever... The album is outstanding from start to finish, it kickoffs with the powerful Eleventh Earl Of Mar which is a keyboard driven song but with a nice interlude, the " My daddy..." part is awesome really really great, One For The Vine is one of the greatest genesis tracks ever, 10 minutes of Tony Banks at his best doing a wonderful epic, then Your Own Special Way is a preview of what will genesis would do later on, but is still a great track especially the softer lullaby part in the middle, Wot Gorilla is a catchy instrumental piece with a Majestic Phil Collins on drums and again Mr Banks giving us a great performance, All In A Mouse's Night is a great great underrated song with several leitmotifs and characters and wonderful singing by Collins. Blood On The Rooftops is another grand underrated track in wich Hackett just kicks ass throughout the song with the classical guitar, its a very "English" song you can imagine so much things with it, a really great great track. Unquiet and In This... make a majestic instrumental duo especially in In That.. we see a great level of musicanship from the 4 guys: Rutherford delivers some crazy bass parts while Colins gives a hyperactive drum performance meanwhile Hackett and Banks lead most of the melodies together, this song is one of the best instrumental genesis tracks ever (yes even as good as Los Endos), The album finishes of with the anthemic Afterglow which is a song that can take you places and is really really but really emotional, the choir on the background and Colins singing are just breathtaking. Bottom line is that this album is at the same level as The lamb, Selling England or Trick and is more balanced and better constructed that Nursery Crime or Foxtrot, so if you are a Genesis fan and you don't album you are missing one of the most emotional and moody albums of all times.

I am he, the chosen one

Oh how my heart aches when i hear the keyboard solo on "One For The Vine". This is Genesis last great album. Wind & Wuthering succeeded almost all my expectations. There's lots of fantastic tunes here, from the opening track to the before mentioned epic, from the funny but great track "All In A Mouse's Night" to the magnificient instrumental of "Wot Gorilla?" The music here takes us back to the times of Foxtrot and Selling England, and it is here where Tony Banks and Steve Hackett show their arsenal of skills. The last three tracks are also fine Genesis, but maybe slightly weaker than the before mentioned ones. If it weren't for the corny and abysmal Collins-like "Your Own Special Way" this album could easily challenge for a five star rating

Nevertheless, this is the last Genesis you want, and should get. 4 Stars.

Second album of the Banks-Collins era and second Masterpiece, if in 'A Trick of the Trail' some tracks like Squonk or some parts of 'Dance in a Volcano' ara crossover prog with some rocker elements in 'Wind and Wuthering' all is pure symphonic beauty. Totally masterpiece. The symphonic beauty of this album is something especial that only great bands could do it. Tony Banks is the real leader of this new Genesis and this is the highest point of this new era. 'One for the VIne', 'In that Quiet Earth' and 'you're special way' are my favourite tunes...but in this album all is perfect. Unfortunately Genesis's upcoming albums are some of them mediocre and horribles.

It's not surprising that Steve Hackett left the band after this album. After standing out for once on A Trick Of The Tail, Hackett's guitar has once again faded into the background for most of this album, leaving Tony Banks' mostly uninspired keyboards to carry the weight,

The songwriting shows a definite decline, with only a few truly progressive songs. Honestly, One For The Vine is the only memorable song on the album. The rest is a mixture of half-hearted pseudo-prog, and the beginnings of pop-Genesis. Luckily, at the time of it's release, I was not a fan of the band, so I don't look at it as wistfully as, say, ELP's Love Beach or Gentle Giant's The Missing Piece, both albums indicating great bands in decline.

2.5 stars, rounded down :P

I dont care what anyone says, the gabriel era genesis is awesome, but this group of guys picked up the slack and did a great job with one less guy. Yes, the other albums are great S.E.B.T.P., Nursery, Fox, Tres.......but trick of the tail and wuthering are wonderful attempts. Collins singing is fantastic in the late seventies. and the couple songs that carry the "fantasy" like feel are very fun and enjoyable (wot gorilla)..... these two post gabriel albums are better than the majority of popular music today as well as then. 4.25 stars from me for this, 4 for trick of the tail.

Genesis - Wind And Wuthering (1976)

This is an album that is considered as a border between the classic progressive part of Genesis' career and Genesis' less liked (in the progressive community that is) pop part of their career. Whilst all tracks are composed quite intelligent, the overall atmosphere is gentle and romantic. There are no standout tracks with rocking moments and Steve Hackett seems to be put aside for this album. Keys are the main instrument here. The recording is better then on A Trick, but it's still not very human. The vocals are insufficient and one wishes for the return of mister Gabriel.

Some highlights are progressive parts of opener Eleventh Earl Of Mar and One For The Vine, the touchy couplets of the poppy Your Own Special Way and the great symphonic Wot Gorrilla? that reminds us of the bombastic parts of tracks like The Return of the Giant Hoghweed. Side one has good parts, but the romantic atmosphere makes me loose my attention. For that reason side two is skipped most of the time. I just don't feel motivated to listen to side two, though some of it's track are actually quite nice. I'd wish this album had some uptempo rocker's that didn't feel like there was a big pop public about to show up at there next show, but a bunch of hard rockin' proggers.

Conclusion. This album fails to keep my attention throughout and that's a big problem for me. The vocals of Phil Collins are quite boring and fail to inspire. It might still appeal to fans of the band and the symphonic genre, but this album should be considered a crossover-prog record with too few moments of glorious sympho-prog. Between three and two stars for me, but I'll rate it three stars because of the compositions that are still very intelligent.

To be frank, I don't listen to GENESIS a lot. You see, the group attained God status in Quebec before anywhere else, and the local FM stations paid homage to them on an hourly basis. As a result, all but my absolute favourites took the stairway to heaven quite a while ago.

Having said all that, good music is good music, and Peter Gabriel's departure allowed the "joe the plumber" character of the remaining members to shine for at least a couple more releases. I have wavered over the years as to which of the 2 symphonic gems is better, so it's obviously a u-pick, but my preference is marginally for "Trick of the Tail". "Wind and Wuthering" opens more strongly, with "Eleventh Earl of Mar", a superior amalgamation of "Dance on a Volcano" and "Robbery Assault and Battery", and "One for the Vine", an improvement on "Mad Man Moon". "Blood on the Rooftops" is Hackett's best performance with his amiable classical guitar picking and a haunting chorus, and the closer "Afterglow" is a fitting farewell to the glory years.

From there, well, not quite so good. The cloying "Your Own Special Way" cannot compete with the "Entangleds" and "Ripples" of the world. Some filler in the middle like "Wot Gorilla", "Unquiet Slumbers..", and "In that Quiet Earth" remind us why Hackett left, as they all seem like mere workouts for some of his more mature and accomplished instrumentals that would grace the early 1980s. "All in a Mouse's Night" is more than a little prescient of the group's imminent decline.

The storm hinted at by the cover and title must have been minor compared to the changes afoot in GENESIS at this time, but the winds of change were already whipped up and the group would soon be withering on the vine. 3.5 stars.

Strange album that surely is making an impression, but still, not much here is helping me to have something to write about. You know, these checkpoints, like strong melody, atmosphere, unusual singer, funny noises. It somehow reminds me more recent band, Brazilian "Apocalypse" (we are all doomed, boo hoo). It's much more calm, beautiful album. True symphonic prog, as there are no dissonant parts, everything is nice here. Reminding me Anthony Phillips. After all, he too started around these years.

4(+), because I'm not touched so much, as I would like to be, however, this record is still one of the best Genesis prog I have witnessed. Still, there's declining tendency towards the end of decade, though "Duke" is still good album.

A synth heavy album that shares its moments of brilliance between the combined efforts of Hackett, Banks, Rutherford, and Collins. Although it is said that Hackett's involvement here was severely limited, his influence is at least marginallay noticeable, which is more than what can be said for their later work.

On the whole, it is indeed, a listenable album, but the over-bearing, glossy production and the overall 'Collins-ness' just about drowns out all equity, morphing the songs into some kind of Adult Contemporary Prog. But perhaps the biggest disappointment is that the guitar work literally goes nowhwere. It just meanders along with the ocassional bit of squeaky, clean, playing that severely grates on my eardrums. The fact that Collin's smug demeanor on the record all but hints at the future direction the trio would take, makes my blood boil. This was an album where the heart was not put in, as already the three stooges were most likely racking up how many extra digits they could fit in on the end of their paycheck. They were just waiting for Steve to bugger off.

There are a few choice parts where things pick up and begin to show some balls, but for the most part, a largely mixed and unequal piece of work from what was once the greatest band of the prog era.

This album has power and beauty. The way it opens with "11th Earl of Mar" is very cool and fresh sounding, even today. This record has a ton of atmosphere and exceeding moodiness. This is Genesis at their best. There is not one bad track on the entire recording.

My favorite track on this one is "Blood on the Rooftops." Steve Hackett starts out this majestic piece on the nylon classical guitar. Then the band comes in to just fill your ears with wonderful heart touching tones. I never heard anything like it. You have got to hear it to appreciate what I'm saying. In fact the next two tunes, instrumentals, are killers. "Unquiet slumbers" and "In that Quiet Earth" are simply immaculate works. Hackett at his best; Genesis at their best, again!

Phil Collins sings his heart out throughout the album, with power and sensitivity. Tony Banks also comes up with wild and crazy stuff. This is a great effort by all band members. I definitely like this one much better than "Trick of the Tail."

I think this would classify as essential listening, so I am giving it 5 stars.

What an album! One of the five best of Genesis, in my opinion. Dominated by the Tony Banks songwriting, and with the biggest Hackett contribution since Selling England?, W&W is just a masterpiece. Composed by Banks, One for the vine, is the best song of the album and maybe one of the best of the Genesis history. The song has all the ingredients that I would expect from a progressive piece. Tells a story (a great story that represents in ten minutes the authoritarian tendencies of the human being), has a complex piano work, a great melody line and of course many instrumental parts. The section after the protagonist talks with the water and the vine, and then takes his decision is superb. Eleven Earl of Mar is another great progressive track. Here the shared effort between Banks, Hackett and Rutherford brings a great result. I think that Hackett's contribution in this track is very important. The lyrics and the guitar work (specially in the acoustic parts) are fantastic. Collins voice sounds really powerfull in this song, and he makes a great drum job. Afterglow is another highlight, a song which became an anthem in Genesis gigs until the present. The first Genesis love song, but not in the conventional way, maybe a love song in a progressive way, in a dramatic way. Written by Banks, we have much feeling and power in only five minutes, with a great ending, which sounds much better in the live versions. Blood on the rooftops, is another highlight, composed by Hackett and Collins. Hackett brings the fantastic guitar intro and the verse, and Collins brings the chorus. The rest are really good too. Your own special way is a good ballad by Rutherford. All in a mousses night is another melodic prog track with the best in the ending instrumental full of keyboards. In that quiet earth is a true band effort, with electric guitar and keyboard solos with a great rhythm guitar supporting by Rutherford. Maybe the first Genesis track with a true guitar riff. Wot Gorila is maybe the weak part of the album, a simple instrumental based on drums and keyboards, but still very good for me. Five stars.

I am giving this album five stars because it is my favourite Genesis album. Wind and Wuthering is quite similar to the previous album "A trick of the tail", more English and elegiac, almost dreamy.

In fact the boys were writing extremely good melodies. This is an unpredictable album. While songs on 'tail' were well structured, in a verse/chorus structure with some extended instrumentals here and there. On WW the songs are more unusual in shape and size. These guys were some of the most amazing talents ever to be released within the realm of rock, and with Gabriel gone, and with his Spectre gone (Unlike Trick of the tail), there is a fierce battle over this enterprise. Battles just to have ones own songs included on the album and other sorts of struggles. So only the best stuff is going to appear on this album.

This mid-period Genesis; "The lamb lies down on broadway" and the two albums, without Peter Gabriel, and to a lesser extent "Selling England by the Pound", feature some of the most amazing music that was ever put to disc. If I had to choose a favourite, this one takes teh cake.

Although this is highly experimental music, it is always easily accessible.

My favourite song is "One for the vine" which is an ever so detailed piece with a dreamy aura, that has many interesting twists and turns. It is like the best classical music in it's complexity and sections, it's exquisite melody and choice of keyboard tones and textures. Very colourful. Other highlights include the beautiful, melodious 'Your own special way' and 'Blood on the rooftops' is just mexmerising. it begins with Hackett playing a lovely piece on his Spanish guitar, then Phil Collins starts singing what is a fairly gentle folk-ballad. Tony's mellotron/synth sounds on this one are also well chosen, innovative and well placed. They are the best three songs I guess, although "Unquiet slumbers for the sleepers in that quiet Earth" is an impressive instrumental and it seagues into the haunting "Afterglow". If that was one song, that'd be quite impressive. "All in a mouses night" is a favourite of mine, quite colourful sounding, nice story.

I wouldn't quite give this 5 stars, I would give it 4.5, because Phil Collins is very hard to understand on "Eleventh Earl of Mar", he's singing is really buried in the mix. That is an otherwise good song. Also, there is a lack of a genuine 'rocker', and this album is a bit 'sleepy', so it may not be everyone's cup of tea. But for me, I will round it up to 5 because very few albums feature such inspired instrumental music as this, as well as such well-crafted compositions as some of the ones on here.

The "feminine" album is a big improvement over Trick

If memory serves, this is the album Rutherford called "their feminine album" and Banks called some of the most musically complex arrangements they ever did. It is easily the peak of the post-Gabriel years and much better than Trick of the Tail. I would describe it as a masterpiece of light melancholy with hope and heart set against the backdrop of ending seasons. The band had recorded abroad for the very first time for tax reasons. They booked time in Holland and locked themselves away from phones and family to force hard work. It paid off with one of the band's most fully realized and beautiful recordings, an album filled with confidence and great ambition. It may be their "feminine" album and it may be less aggressive/more introspective, but these are all attributes which work perfectly with the material on hand and the state of the band at the time.

This is what Genesis is all about. It sounds like the swan song it was. A goodbye to Steve Hackett and a goodbye to the dreamy, long-winded sound we took for granted would always be there. It is so consistent, so well-composed, and so beautifully arranged. It's an album that is amazingly unified, a musical story perfectly told. The previous album sounded like a bunch of individual tracks of varying quality that never got to this kind of cohesive place overall. While some people find the playing on Trick more dynamic I find just the opposite: Trick songs sound forced to me with the playing often heading into arbitrary fusion avenues, whereas on WaW the playing feels more genuinely emotional, more filled with substance of the heart over flash. "Wind" sounds thematically intentional and masterfully executed, an album of full of personality, mood, and color. It comes with the expected dynamic opener in "Eleventh Earl of Mar" and follows with the classic "One for the Vine," a one-two punch as good as any previous work. There are superb sections of tight jamming and there are some folksier acoustic moments, with a combination of somber recognitions but hopeful circle-of-life outlook. Banks uses lots of piano throughout the album and I think Wind features some of the best playing he ever did. Tons of enthusiastic runs of grand synth pleasures to contrast the fogscapes of the mellotron. I also think some of Collins' finest vocals can be found within. But it is the combination of mood with deliberate, solid song construction that is the strength of "Wind." Every track is packed with vast quantities of nuance and little aural treasures.

"All the great instrumental sounds from the Peter Gabriel era are here, but something else is in the mix as well: A rich lushness and a big improvement in overall engineering. The music is all top notch here...it harkens back and looks forward all at the same time. The melodies are a little more streamlined and it makes it all the more palatable. Instrumentally Tony Banks' keys are dense and multi-layered, something only hinted at on earlier releases. Lush layers of Mellotron, Hammond organ and synth abound. The guitar work is sublime. This was the last album to feature lead guitarist Steve Hackett and he is in excellent form here, turning in some of his best work during his tenure with the band. Both his electric chops and his excellent classical guitar work are a dominant force on Wind." -Sean, ProgressiveEars

I think it probably does deserve to be in the "top 5% club" which is what it takes to get 5 stars from me. The cherry on top is the ridiculously perfect cover art which needs to be viewed in gatefold with the back cover to be appreciated. Open it up and take a look and you can hear the first guitar strains of "One for the Vine" come straight out of the painting. What impact can come from such unassuming imagery, something many bands should take a lesson from! Along with Trespass and Selling England, "Wing and Wuthering" rounds out my top three Genesis favorites and it would be the last album of this level from the band.

Now THIS is a perfect Genesis album, the beauty the passion involved the riff in ONE FOR THE VINE, the humour in ALL IN A MOUSE'S NIGHT, the instrumentals featured within this album is a special highlight (there are 3 of them) and of course the final song AFTERGLOW now this song just might be my favourite all time Genesis song, theres just not enough good things i can say about this album, the way it all flows together, those keyboard ad guitar sounds, Collin's vocals its all fantastic, there is not one moment i would change of it...perfect 10 album;

Eleventh Earl Of Mar - 10/10 One For The Vine- 10/10 Your Own Special Way - 10/10 Wot Gorilla? - 10/10 All In A Mouse's Night- 10/10 Blood On The Rooftops - 10/10 Unquiet Slumbers For The Sleepers... - 10/10 In That Quiet Earth - 10/10 Afterglow - 10/10

MY CONCLUSION? No Genesis collection would be complete without this one, its perfect..

Wind and Wuthering is one of those albums that I put on for the first time and heard many things that were both interesting and creative. But over time, Wuthering called to me less and less, until I got to the point where I would think it's about time to listen to it again, but there just didn't seem to be enough to interest me.

Of course, there are some highlights, such as the rocking opener, the quite well-done Vine, Blood on the Rooftops, and parts of the final 3-song closer (though I don't think I would consider any of this material as excellent). However, even though I know there is good music here, I almost always lose interest and want to put something else on. The keyboards are generally excellent, the guitar solid (though sometimes a bit tough to pick out), and Rutherford is again the do-it-all utility man, but it feels that there is something missing. Perhaps it's just lacking a dynamic frontman (as an instrumental fan, I can't believe I'm actually suggesting this!), but I think it's more a result of mechanical playing and not playing off each other. All this makes for a tough review for me.

It appears there are two camps of reviewers: those who see Wuthering as very solid prog, and a good offering from the band, and those who are mostly ho-hum to the album. Count me in the second group, as Wuthering provides a sanitized and concise piece of prog, but one which also ultimately fails to connect with me.

The last, true. progressive output from Genesis, in my opinion. Here, Banks, Collins, Hackett, and Rutherford are at their most impressive, proving that they did not need Gabriel in order to make great music. Sadly, this was Steve's last album with Genesis and I associate that fact everytime I listen to this album, which makes it more appealing to me. It's as if Steve and the rest are saying on a final note, "This is us. This is what we do." And they did not disappoint on "Wind and Wuthering", a somber, melancholic, yet beautiful album. Definitely a must-have for Genesis fans.

1. "Eleventh Earl of Mar" - A powerful tune with "arena-rock" tendencies, especially with the "Daddy, you got to go!" lyric. Collins' singing was not suited at the time with this kind of a song but overall, quite a good one. 8.5/10

2. "One for the Vine" - Easily one of my favorites from "W&W". Very climactic song, entertaining from beginning to end. One of Genesis' finer works. 9.5/10

3. "Your Own Special Way" - Here, we could see the "pop" Genesis starting to emerge. Nevertheless, I find it a very good romantic song. I'm sure my girlfriend will agree as well. 8.5/10

4. "Wot Gorilla?" - A nice, jazzy tune from the chaps. Not one of my favorites on this album but it is delightful at times when I am in the mood. 7.5/10

5. "All in a Mouse's Night" - This song always reminds me of Tom and Jerry, as I'm sure others get reminded of that as well. A very good song, with an exceptional ending. Tony's keyboard work really stands out and makes me shiver (in a good way). 8.5/10

6. "Blood on the Rooftops" - This is the masterpiece of the album. Amazing guitar work from Hackett. Very smooth and calm throughout. Exceptional song. 10/10

7. "Unquiet Slumbers for the Sleepers..." - Beautiful instrumental before heading into another one. Banks' keyboard dominates here, adding an eerie atmosphere that is sure to give you goosebumps. 8/10

8. "...In That Quiet Earth" - One of Genesis' best instrumentals. Fierce guitar, drums, keyboard, bass, everything! Great tune, and one of the stronger songs from the album. 8.5/10

9. "Afterglow" - We reach the last song, one that is not fairly popular with a significant percentage of the prog community, so it seems. I find the song quite enjoyable, giving the album a memorable ending. 8.5/10

77.5/9 = 86.11% = 4 stars for this final, progressive effort from one of the best.

One of the last great Genesis albums. This album is a good picture of why losing Steve Hackett hurt them so much. Some of his best work is contained on WIND AND WUTHERING (although it is often hidden behind the keyboards. Everything here is excellent except for "Your Own Special Way" which should have been about half the length it is. Otherwise this is fine mid-Genesis era music in the tradition of TRICK OF THE TAIL. Top tracks are "One For the VIne" and "All In a Mouse's Night" which I love. ANd the ending merging into "Afterglow" still gives me chills. Beautiful. 4 stars (4 1/2 really)

This is an 'album of two halves'. I remember when I had the LP, I only listened to side two, and found the first side rather uninspired. Time has not diminished my original judgement. Genesis evidently always believed in the adage "fresh strawberries on top" and strove to make their album opener as attention grabbing as possible. This they achieved masterfully with all their previous works and are obviously trying the same trick here. But the 'Eleventh Earl of Mar' is not really a good song and any potential it may have had is diminished by its square drumming, uninteresting vocal performance and frankly overdone production. All 3 of these would become a regular feature from Genesis from now on unfortunately. 'One From The Vine' is slightly better to start with but in no way memorable. It also gets lost in noodling instrumental passages later on, another feature of this album. 'Your Own Special Way' is probably the highlight of side one, an agreeable albeit slight song. It pales by comparison with the lyrical tracks on ATITT. It too is overly long. This is followed by the forgettable throwaway instrumental 'Wot Gorilla'. All in all this is the poorest side that Genesis had yet produced. Side Two is a different story. 'All in A Mouse's night'. although not vintage Genesis, is a lot better than anything on the other side and makes an attractive opener. 'Blood on the Rooftops' is the highlight of the album both musically and lyrically. It is one of the most moving songs in their canon although strangely it never seems to have been performed live. Perhaps it is 'caviare to the general'. A pair of decent instrumentals follow although the second needless quotes from the Earl of Mar. 'Afterglow' is another fine song which matches the autumnal mood of BOTR and brings the album to a beautiful close. If only the first side had been the equal of the second, we would have had another Genesis classic. Sadly that was not to be.

What can I say about the album that has not already been said? Possibly the last great progressive album of Genesis (although I like the band's pop phase). It is also the last album with Steve Hackett (this brilliant guitarist) before he left for his career solo.ironically is one where he there is greater participation , even though Banks's keyboards dominate everything, for a change (not for nothing that is his favorite album). The album follows the line of the former, the masterful "A Trick of Tail ", but is less pastoral and jazz-fusion.Nothing who compromising your quality.

The first two tracks are the best on the album, and perhaps some of melhored songs of all time in the band. "Eleventh Earl of Mar" is an excellent opening track, showing how the Genesis knows how to open your album with class. "One for the Vine "is the largest and most reomântica track over the 10 minutes it varies his mood often, but always remained melancholy and beautiful. " Your Own Special Way "is more commercial and perhaps the weakest of the album, but wait a minute: there is no weak songs here! Deep, deep down, I like it. "Wot Gorilla?" contains remnants of jazz-fusion of the previous album, and is nice, but "Please Do not Touch" by Hackett had been included in her place, things would be much better. "All in a Mouse's Night" is a track with the mood of the Gabriel period (see "Harold The Barrel")-their lyrics talk about "Tom and Jerry "(?), but its powerful guitar solo closes it beautifully."Blood on the Rooftops "is the kind of which song you like from the first time that ouve.Her opens with a guitar solo in the style of Hackett, before the wonderful voices of Collins (the best of any song he ever sang in Genesis). The last three songs form a single song. "Unquiet Slumbers for Sleepers ..." and "... In That Quiet Earth" are completed at all, even in the title, although they differ in sonority.The first is a dark keyboard solo, while the second will be more joyful, seeming to have left the solo album Hackett "Voyage of the Acolyte": it starts with a great guitar solo, before moving on to a great solo by the end we teclado.Por "Afterglow, " a beautiful ballad from Banks and a hymn to this day among the fans.

An excellent album, very underrated and overlooked unfortunately, but that surely can not miss in your collection prog! 5 stars

Wind and Wuthering was released in Australia in early 1977 when I was making the transition from high school to university.

I had to return the first copy since there was a pressing problem on "Your Own Special Way". To me, this was the weakest song on the album and having it played on the store sound system so that the fault good be located and proved was rather embarrassing - this was not the stuff of Genesis.

Wind and Wuthering continues the standard set by Trick of the Tail and covers new ground but also travels some older paths. "Eleventh Earl of Mar", "One for the Vine" and "All in a Mouse's Night" all have parallels to the Nursery Cryme/Foxtrot period.

Banks again dominates the song writing (credits or co-credits for 6 out 9 tracks).

The stand out tracks are "Eleventh Earl of Mar (7:41)" and "One for the Vine (10:00)" on side one and, on side two, "Blood On The Rooftops (5:27)", and the trio of "Unquiet Slumbers For The Sleepers (2:23)", "In That Quiet Earth (4:49)" and "Afterglow (4:12)" which play as a single track.

The lyrics for "All in a Mouse's Night" are a bit weak (perhaps I was looking for something a bit more mature) but the music and keyboard solos are strong .

As I said before, I think "Your Own Special Way" by Rutherford is the weakest song so I was surprised that Hackett included it on his "Genesis Revisited" when there were so many other choices open to him. Perhaps I've missed something?

This was to be Hackett's last studio album with Genesis. My view is that much of Hackett's solo material required Banks to lift it to the next level, and Genesis needed Hackett to challenge Banks. What may have been had they continued together?

4.7 Stars.

The second album to not feature Gabriel, but instead a four piece line-up consisting of Banks, Collins, Hackett, and Rutherford, is very good, perhaps even reaching the same heights as Genesis did several years before this album's release. The opening song The Eleventh Earl of Mar has a very poppy, yet still progressive, feel to it, and it features some incredible keyboard parts from Mr. Banks. The album altogether, though, is not quite as good as Foxtrot and the like, in my opinion. There are some songs that flow by unnoticed. However, the album has many good, even great moments, such as Unquiet Slumber for the Silent Sleepers, an incredible instrumental track that has some of my favorite keyboard parts from Banks, and the following song In That Quiet Earth (the two most likely are meant to be taken as one because of the ellipsis that connects the two). All in all, a very nice effort, and the last mostly progressive album from the band, but not the last good album to be released by Genesis.

Wind And Wuthering is the second Genesis album by the era of the band fronted by Phil Collins and the last before poppy elements would be overtly present on a Genesis album. This album is also the last with Steve Hackett. I always found this album to be less enjoyable than the previous A Trick Of the Tail, but still includes some good moments.

"Eleventh Earl of Mar" is largely a forgettable symphonic prog track with a heavy-sounding bass and an aggressive guitar solo in the middle. I consider the second half of the song to be more enjoyable; it's beautiful with acoustic guitar picking and mellotron droning coupled with soft vocals.

"One for the Vine" starts with a mesmerizing guitar line and continues with beautiful keyboard. It gradually progresses through soft passages and more symphonic passages, until the middle of the track which features an eclectic and fast paced interlude that is very fun to listen to. A very enjoyable track.

"Your Own Special Way" is mostly just a beautiful symphonic ballad and is highly enjoyable. Again, I'm reminded of how Collins voice much better suits this style than Gabriel. Very beautiful, with a hint of barely noticeable country ballad influence (I'm so thankful that element isn't more prominent. I really don't like country at all.)

"Wot Gorilla?" is a nice symphonic interlude with some decent melodies, but it isn't really significant in anyway besides the wacky name.

"All in a Mouse's Night" is a song that I never thought of as being important. It's very symphonic, but also kind of plastic sounding (foreshadowing the sound that Genesis would soon adopt in full). The only parts of this song that really stood out to me were the funky passage near the beginning and the guitar solo at the end, which is very powerful.

"Blood on the Rooftops" is a beautiful track that starts with a beautifully classical inspired guitar solo by Steve Hackett, and his classical playing continues throughout the song as vocals and mellotron eventually come in. This is one of the best and most beautiful tracks on this album.

"Unquiet Slumbers For The Sleepers..." starts off beautiful and ghostly before revealing a passage of fast paced symphonic rock with very powerful drumming and a very interesting guitar solo. The ending of this track gets heavy and monstrous. This is one of the best instrumentals by Genesis. "...In That Quiet Earth" is the second half of the previous track, and it seems unnecessary that this track is separated. It's more of the same, but still very enjoyable.

The previous track flows seamlessly into "Afterglow", which is a slow paced and heavily symphonic ballad type of song and is very beautiful. Mildly catchy, this is a great ending to this album, although nothing new is going on here.

I enjoyed A Trick of the Tail much more than this album, but this is still better than the albums recorded during the Gabriel fronted era. Most of the music here is well thought out and enjoyable with great playing from all members of the band. Unfortunately, this album marks the end of Genesis' classic sound, making way for a poppy sound that would dominate their future albums. This album, however, I highly recommend.

This album is very much the album that comes between A Trick of the Tail and ...And Then There Were Three..., but mainly in sound. The writing is actually even more romantic and sophisticated than A Trick of the Tail, and is more of a whole, cohesive piece of music. On "Mad Man Moon", from the previous album, Tony Banks showed great playing skill, but on this album's extended piece, "One For the Vine", he shows his ability to compose and arrange a truly rich piece of music, using great examples of melody, motifs, dynamics, and textrural layering. The song also boasts some of his most thought provoking lyrics, creatively illustrating a theme that is common throughout history, the passing on of the torch of leadership and the seldom understood strains and growing processes that come with it. That song is followed by one of the most beatiful love songs I've ever heard, Mike Rutherford's "Your Own Special Way", which is far more sweeping and poetic than your standard love ballad fare. On the other side, we have "Blood On the Rooftops", a highly sophisticated piece of music by Steve Hackett and Phil Collins that dryly expresses a view that I very much agree with: that there's nothing good or original on television. We get to hear Phil Collins' more Brand X brand of drumming on the instrumental "...In That Quiet Earth", "All In a Mouse's Night" has some great organ and drum interaction, and a very mellodramatic solo from Steve Hackett. The whole album is very ornate and condusive to visual imagination, and even the songs that have more of a rock element also have their pastoral counterparts, like the breathtaking middle break in "Eleventh Earl of Mar." It would have been nice to have Steve Hackett featured more, but one can hardly complain when the music is this carefully crafted and tells such a complete musical story from beginning to end. Another progressive masterpiece from Genesis.

"Wind And Wuthering" is another beautiful work by Genesis. This one seems to be more gentle than "A Trick of The Tail" and has a lot more of Bank's lush keyboards and piano. I agree with another reviewer who said it's quite a 'feminine' album. On the first few listens I liked it a lot, but on revisiting, I fell in love with it. The production is superb and all the pieces are very well crafted with stunning textures and lyrics that paint musical stories. The album has plenty of interesting surprises and changing moods, especially with 'Eleventh Earl Of Mar' and 'One For The Vine'. "Blood On The Rooftops" is also one favourite with Hackett's wonderful classical-guitar. You'll hear some quirky instrumentals too, of which "...In That Quiet Earth" is particularly twisty and turning and exciting with great group interplay. This is essential Genesis and a highly recommended prog classic.

In late 76, early 77, Genesis put out the hidden gem of their career, Wind & Wuthering. In the history of Genesis, I hardly ever hear about this one, they usually go from ATOTT to Then there three, or Seconds Out. This one gets a bit lost in the shuffle when it could possibly be the best Genesis album ever.

Eleventh Earl of Mar: The album opens with the title track and right away you know this is not going to be an easy album, from a listening or playing standpoint. It is very complex but with the same driving force that made Volcano a punchy number from the previous album. The band is still in full form with a classic song

One for the Vine: If there is one song that gets me through my bouts of depression, it is this song. Tony Banks spent a year crafting a masterpiece with this and boy did he deliver. From the opening piano bit to the final fade-out 10 mins later, I am blown away every time. It is very dark, complex, progressive and feels like a 20 min epic compacted in a short 10 mins. Live, this song gets even better(Three Sides Live). Possibly my favorite Genesis song

Your Own Special Way: Mike Rutherford(NOT Phil Collins) tries a Power Ballad with this song. It's ok I guess and did chart ok for the time. My biggest problem with the song is that it feels unfinished. It sounds like it's missing something but I am not quite sure. Decent, but nothing special.

Wot Gorilla?: Interesting title, apparently a reference to Chester Thompson(go figure), and feels like an attempt at Los Endos or Weather Report-esque track, yet it feels rushed and undone like the last song. I heard that Steve Hackett tried to have Please Don't Touch! as the song in its place. That would've been much better.

All in a Mouse's Night: I've always been attracted to this song for some strange reason. I think it's great with some funny lyrical bits(I call it Tom & Jerry being Prog) but musically, it is really well done, especially Mike's bass lick. It is a frequent listen for me.

Blood on the Rooftops: Steve Hackett's big piece on this album. It has a real haunting feel to it and sends shivers in the verses. It's a very emotional track and almost a farewell to Steve. There is not much I can say about it other than just listen and you will understand.

Unquiet Slumbers for the Sleepers......In that Quiet Earth: I am combing these tracks because they go together and I have no idea why they are split up. It starts with some atmospheric guitar and keyboards before a drum roll comes in and kicks the song into high gear with a Los Endos-esque instrumental work, but done way better than Wot Gorilla?. It has a structure to it and tells a great story with no words, imagine that!

Afterglow: A Climatic end to a great album and feels like Steve Hackett's swan song with the band. It has potential to be a hit single, to be honest, with an anthem kind of quality to it with lyrics discussing how a man has tried and given up everything for his true love, hoping she will see what he has gone through. I kind of relate to this track and feels very special, in my heart.

Overall, one of Genesis' best albums and the perfect album for Steve to leave on. At least it was a high. 5 Stars. Highlights: Eleventh Earl of Mar, One for the Vine, All in a Mouse's Night, Blood on the Rooftops, Unquiet Slumbers for the Sleepers......In that Quiet Earth and Afterglow

One for the Vinyl Collection

Released around Christmas 1976, this would be the second post-Gabriel Genesis album, and their second that year. The band would continue their trend of softer keyboard-driven prog on this album, but this is definitely an improvement over 'A Trick of the Tail'.

The album starts with Eleventh Earl of Mar, which is almost 8 minutes in length. The lyrics of this song are based on the Scottish Jacobite uprising of 1715, with the consequence that they will be lost on you unless you're a history boff. Despite a quieter section in the middle, there is nothing in the melody to keep me interested, and no instrumental either.

The next track One for the Vine, is actually one of my favourite Genesis songs, with or without Gabriel. Very few times do you get perfect lyrics combined with wonderful music, but this is exactly what we have here. At exactly 10 minutes in length, this is one of the 'nicest' epics you'll ever hear. It's quite possible to listen to this track on two different levels: listening to the music, or listening to the story. If you are doing the former, then the song really starts to get interesting towards the centre, when the band launch into an up tempo instrumental with rhythmic keyboards. The powerful outro will is incredibly moving, and is followed by a piano piece mirroring an earlier part, in much the same way as Firth of Fifth. The more I listened to this song though, the more I realised that the lyrics were making perfect sense. One day, I sat down with the lyrics in front of me and listened to the song again. My mind was completely opened up. I won't explain the story, but I'll just say that there is a beautiful and eloquent tale which seems believable until the final lines which present us with a great twist. A true masterpiece.

I have a real soft spot for Your Own Special Way. A lot of prog fans will say they don't like this cheesy pop tune and I can fully understand why, but I find the choruses of this song really heartwarming. There are many naval references in this song, suggesting that this song is about a sailor's love. I'll usually put this song on if I'm feeling a bit low, as it always seems to hit the spot.

Wot Gorilla? is a brief instrumental that's heavy on the keyboards. Unfortunately, I can't say there are any redeeming features of this track apart from it's brevity.

All In A Mouse's Night shows a band who have been watching too much Tom and Jerry. The lyrics of the song seem to depict nothing other than that. This song could do with being less repetitive in it's structure, and the 2 minute outro seems too long. The whole song is quite grating, and the 'mouse' novelty wears off quite quickly.

Blood on the Rooftops is a bout of social commentary from guitarist Steve Hackett. A long classical guitar solo introduces this song which is sung beautifully by Phil Collins. The lyrics of the song won't make very much sense to those who did not live in Britain in the 1970s, making this a thing of its time.

The final three tracks fit together to make an 11½ minute track, the first two being instrumentals and the last with lyrics. Unquiet Slumber For The Sleepers... is a quiet instrumental which seems to be brimming with tension. ... In That Quiet Earth is the resolve to that tension. Although it's true that Genesis focused more on the songwriting than on the music, to say that they weren't talented musicians would be a fallacy. One only has to hear the breakneck drumming from Phil Collins in this song to find this. Halfway through this track, a theme from the beginning of the album is reprised, giving the album a more cohesive feeling. This is undoubtedly one of Genesis's best instrumentals.

The final track Afterglow has such a thick bass line that it will shake your trouser legs in the room. The melody of the lyrics seems to closely mirror that of Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas. This is quite an anthemic song which leads the album out very nicely, but it wouldn't have been half as good if it weren't for all that gooey bass though.

As you can see, this is quite a mixed bag in terms of quality. The inclusion of One for the Vine definitely makes this an essential Genesis record, and one that shows that they could still write prog without Gabriel. This is definitely my favourite of the two albums recorded between Gabriel's and Hackett's departure. This an album that truly has it's own special way.

Wind and Wuthering is the last prog classic produced by Genesis in their old pastoral style. Sure, it's got the rather sentimental and commercial Your Own Special Way... but then again, Selling England By the Pound had the equally cute More Fool Me. And just look at the embarrassment of riches the band give us! Has Hackett's guitar ever sounded better than on Unquiet Slumbers For The Sleepers In That Quiet Earth? Has the band's sense of whimsy ever amused more than on All In a Mouse's Night? Doesn't Eleventh Earl of Mar or One For the Vine deserve to rank next to any of their other dramatic, theatrical songs? Doesn't the drumming on Wot Gorilla? absolutely rule? This album is just a joy from beginning to end, and I'm glad Hackett stuck it out in the band long enough to give us this before departing for his solo career - a split that would change the Genesis sound forever.

Genesis find themselves in unquiet slumbers, for the sleepers in that quiet earth

"Wind and Wuthering" ended 1976 on a high note for prog and indeed for Genesis who had already found success with their masterful "A Trick of the Tail". Just in time for Christmas, their latest album features some of their best material sans Gabriel. Each member of the band is in fine form and 'Wind and Wuthering' is firmly entrenched as one of the favourites for the band members themselves. Tony Banks stated that it is among his two favourite Genesis albums, and Steve Hackett is also "very fond" of it and rightfully so as it features some of his most accomplished guitar work. Every song soars along on symphonic layers of keyboards and Phil Collins is excellent on vocals and drums. Mike Rutherford's bass is a wonderful embellishment and the rhythms are complex and outstanding. Here are the tracks, each one tells a story, and each have a soft spot in the hearts of Genesis fans wordwide.

'Eleventh Earl Of Mar' kicks off proceedings with a title that is dedicated to a metaphoric description of an old Scottish uprising. The song focuses on the true tale of John Erskine 22nd or 11th Earl of Mar, who is one of the most incompetent characters of the 15 Jacobite Rising. It is dominated by Tony Banks keyboard wizardry as is most of the album. The music is incredible and as good as the band gets, every member is in full flight but in particular Banks is having a field day overshadowing even Hackett who is usually in the limelight. Hackett is terrific on this album but it is really the last time he would record with the full band unfortunately, embarking on a solo career that was very successful and continues to be so. The lyrics are typical of Genesis, double entendres, quaint pop culture references, and quirky British humour abound; "The sun had been up for a couple of hours, Covered the ground with a layer of gold. Spirits were high and the raining had stopped, The larder was low, But boy that wasn't all. Eleventh Earl of Mar, Couldn't get them very far. Daddy! Oh Daddy, You Promised." Collins is in fine voice, confident and dominating, though he overuses the cymbal splashes on this track. The mellotron is an everpresent force and Rutherford shines on bass. The track features an abundance of synth riffs that remind one of the glorious 80s synth explosion. The melody is deconstructed with time breaks, signature shifts and solo performances. The middle section is tremendous with sweet melodic tones and Collins' gentle approach. This is certainly one of the highlights of the album and very much like 'The Battle of Epping Forest' in many ways, in both theme and structure.

'One for the Vine' continues the excellent soundscapes with one of the greatest Genesis tracks with a mellotron drone and blasts of wild percussion competing with Hackett's sweeping riffs. The opening riff is sensational and well recognised by Genesis fans. The lyrics are inspired and as good as anything I have heard in the earlier releases; "Fifty thousand men were sent to do the will of one. His claim was phrased quite simply, though he never voiced it loud, I am he, the chosen one." The protagonist is called to serve as the chosen one, and immediately the majestic music echoes the sentiments of the one who will lead. It is regal and uplifting with some dark tones representing the conflict he feels within as he is forced to make the difficult choice. "In his name they could slaughter, for his name they could die. Though many there were believed in him, still more were sure he lied, But they'll fight the battle on." The leader knows that many will die under his leadership but nevertheless must lead in order to instigate freedom. This may also represent the holy wars as told in The Bible, following the same themes as in other Genesis albums especially "From Genesis to Revelation". It switches time sigs dramatically after the serenity of the symphonic musicianship. The tempo quickens and a wonderful synthesizer kicks into gear. A layered wall of sound pulsates along a dynamic percussive beat. Collins returns on vocals as the new time shift locks in. It is a complex track with many diversions. It is perhaps the best track on the album with a lot of progressive touches and an innovative structure, telling a potent story of maturity. The main protagonist is experiencing the changes of adolescence to adulthood as a reluctant leader forced into going in directions without choice that lead him to an eventual demise. Religious overtones abound, and there are multiple interpretations. The protagonist is on the verge of crossing the line between divine inspiration and delusion. He has many people around him who believe in him to the point that leads him to an ultimate decision to take up leadership with both reigns firmly in hand. It takes quite a deal of soul searching before he finally decides to fulfil his purpose instead of doing things his own way. As he takes on the responsibility to leading he crosses into adulthood. "This is he, God's chosen one, Who's come to save us from, All our oppressors. We shall be kings on this world."

'Your Own Special Way' is certainly a poppier approach but has some very nice melodies and a catchy hook in the chorus. Collins is harmonised a few times on layered vocals and I particularly like the uplifting tones. The keys are terrific, but I wonder where Hackett is hiding on this.

'Wot Gorilla' is an instrumental that may feel like filler material but it is very well executed with some delightful atmospherics including a strange gliterring chime lending an ethereal feel. "Wot Gorilla?" may be a reference to touring drummer Chester Thompson, who had been mentioned in 'Florentine Pogen', which is a track on Frank Zappa's "One Size Fits All" album in 1975.

'All In A Mouse's Night' is an intriguing piece where a mouse speaks to a loving couple, Cinderella style. The lyrics are charming with a few dark nuances thrown in. The loving couple begins with talking to each other and the mouse chips in, which may or may not be imaginary; "I can't see you but I know you're there. Got to get beside you cos it's really cold out here. Come up close to me you'll soon be warm. Hold me tightly like we're sheltering from a storm." The mouse then has some amusing dialogue to itself and we may surmise that it is on the head of the lovers who are experiencing detachment from reality; "Think I might go out for a stroll, Into the night, and out of this hole. Maybe find me a meal. Walking along this new shag pile, Presents a problem all the while. Nearly the door." The song continues with its quirky jaunty rhythms telling the tale of the mouse's adventures; "Suddenly he bumps into wood, the door is closed. A voice from the bed, he'll be exposed. Which way to run, must make for the hole, The light's been turned on, he's blind as a mole in coal." Perhaps the mouse is a metaphorical representation of sexual suppression that the lovers are feeling. In fact a cat comes into the story and chases the mouse to its final fate; "But now the cat comes in for the kill, His paw is raised, soon blood will spill, yes it will." The cat has a cynical line of dialogue that further cements the sexual tension in the lives of the lovers. They are experiencing conflict that is represented by the cat and the mouse scenario; "Hard luck mouse, this is the end of your road." In any case it is a fun song harkening back to the classic Genesis material on "Foxtrot" or "Selling England By The Pound".

Other interpretations are that the mouse represents mental health and the protagonist loses it completely when the cat is devoured by the ten foot mouse. Also this could be a dig at the Looney Tunes cartoon where Sylvester is taunted by a 'ten foot mouthsh' and it is actually a baby kangaroo but Junior thinks it's a real mouse and forces his father to fight it to no avail. A darker interpretation is that the loving couple discovered a mouse costume stored in an old casket in the basement. The male donned the costume in order to scare his female lover but it backfires as she has become a cat in costume also and "it only took one blow", she finishes in the superior position of the relationship. Or did she kill her lover accidentally thinking he was a lunatic trying to kill her. Or did the man in mouse costume see a cat on his way upstairs and whack the cat dead. The song is nevertheless about the chase, submission and sexual tension, disguised in a cute tale, and is one of the great tracks on the album.

'Blood on the Rooftops' begins with a medieval style acoustic flourish, a piece de resistance for Hackett.The lyrics are very strong; "Let's skip the news boy (I'll make some tea), The Arabs and the Jews boy (too much for me), They get me confused boy (puts me off to sleep), And the thing I hate - Oh Lord! Is staying up late, to watch some debate, on some nation's fate." The television is becoming a hypnotic device desensitizing the protagonist who is becoming lost in the fantasy of it all. A dramatis personae of his alter ego is the fantasy of escapist TV, and he indulges because his life is so empty. "Hypnotised by Batman, Tarzan, still surprised! You've won the West in time to be our guest, Name your prize! Drop of wine, a glass of beer dear what's the time? The grime on the Tyne is mine all mine all mine, Five past nine." The lyrics are reminiscent of the Gabriel era and indeed Collins sounds similar in this vocal style. The references to pop culture are as strong as Genesis gets and are as blatant, but there are darker meaning beyond the surface particularly in the chorus that speaks of violence and despair, war and destruction, blood and decay; "Blood on the rooftops, Venice in the Spring, Streets of San Francisco - a word from Peking, The trouble was started by a young Errol Flynn, Better in my day Oh Lord! For when we got bored, we'd have a world war, happy but poor." The viewer watches TV shows like "Batman", "Tarzan", How the West Was Won", "The Streets of San Francisco", Errol Flynn swashbuckler movies and Quiz Shows, merged with the horror of the news, but all in one night's viewing, and it all plays out like entertainment. Instead of having any shock effect on the viewer who accepts it and is desensitised. There are touches of references to "Nursery Cryme" in the lyrics; "When old Mother Goose stops they're out for 23, Then the rain at Lords stopped play." The reference reminds one of the nursery rhyme lyrics and front cover of the classic album, and the words are referring to a cricket match where the batter manages 23 runs before being stumped.

The album concludes with two masterful instrumental compositions that run together seamlessly and these are capped off with 'Afterglow', a fond song for the band. The instrumentals, 'Unquiet Slumbers For The Sleepers' and 'In That Quiet Earth', are decent enough to be taken in one sitting as one piece and certainly are a showcase for Banks' killer keyboard finesse. They are pleasant ear ticklers with enough keyboard to satiate any mellotron addict.

The titles of these instrumentals are taken directly from Emily Bronte's "Wuthering Heights" novel; "I lingered round them, under that benign sky; watched the moths fluttering among the heath, and hare-bells; listened to the soft wind breathing through the grass; and wondered how anyone could ever imagine unquiet slumbers, for the sleepers in that quiet earth".

To conclude this may be the last great Genesis studio album and it capped off an excellent year for the band that had also presented "A Trick of the Tail" equally as good. It would be the last time Hackett would produce Genesis studio material but it was not the end for the band despite the massive upheaval of personnel.

The final classic Genesis album.

The roots of the coming sugar sweat pop albums is very much detectable on this album (listen to One For The Vine). But the classic Genesis sound is still here. Even with Phil Collins on vocals. Peter Gabriel's absence is off course a loss. But we already got used to this loss on the previous album Trick Of The Tail. Wind And Wuthering though is a much more pastoral, melancholic album than the rather upbeat Trick Of The Tail.

The songs here are really great. Even on the more pop songs like the above mentioned One For The Vine. Some of the songs here even hints to the likes of Trespass and Foxtrot.

In short, this is a great album and the final hurrah from this band as far as I am concerned.

4 stars

Time is a good judge. Genesis (from 1969 to the late 70's) was my most important and collected band in my youth, and still holds the top place when it comes to my nowadays smallish vinyl collections. [Yes comes right behind, BTW.] I have no way to know it, but I think my most listened Genesis albums are not e.g. The Lamb or Selling England, but A Trick Of The Tail and Wind & Wuthering. They have stood the test of time as well - and often better - than Gabriel-era albums. The group really found themselves musically again after their (over) theatrical frontman left. And what a happy decision to have a new lead vocalist from within the group. (Well, I'm not getting into the latter-day pop-Genesis...) Simply, this album is wonderful.

I could talk a lot about each track but I'll keep in mind how endlessly reviewed Genesis are. There's no weak tracks, not even the slightly syrupy love song 'Your Own Special Way' written by Mike Rutherford. Even that one has a beautiful, pastoral aura. A short, sharp instrumental 'Wot Gorilla?' suffers only from a stupid title. As in the great cover art, there's such beauty in this album's music that you don't find anything quite like it elsewhere in their output. Take the glorious 10-minute Tony Banks epic 'One For The Vine' or the lovely Hackett/Collins composition 'Blood On The Rooftops'. Or the two-part prog instrumental full of Hackett-style atmosphere, which is cathartically followed by another love song, 'Afterglow'. That song may not be complex or innovative, but it has an extremely strong emotion without being plain sentimental.

I'm not sure how many of you PA fellows agree, but to me this is among prog's key albums and a fantastic personal classic of mine. In the end, it was the departure of Steve Hackett, not Peter Gabriel, that was artistically a bigger blow...

Wind And Wuthering was the first Genesis album I listened to, thanks to my father who originally owned it. I must say that this could be dubbed the Genesis "Autumn" album; not for its cover, but also for the overall sound of the album. The album forays into bits of jazz fusion from Collin's future "Brand X" and bits of contemporary mainstream rock of 1976-7. This is also one of the softest Genesis albums there is e.g. the album has its kicks, but you could use this music to help yourself fall asleep (in a good way) or literally meditate listening to it. It is a major improvement over the "where do we go now?" attitude of A Trick of the Tail. Banks presides on top with this album, and there is much less focus on singing with this album, a different turn for Genesis.

Eleventh Earl of Mar opens in a synth-ridden manner, but has a really good drive throughout the song. Several sections of the song involve thick bass lines from Rutherford, while Hackett gets to have a solo or two through out the song. One For The Vine is a real treat on this album, with piano-based themes and a middle section that just blows parts of the album to bits. Really good show from the band and possibly the best song on the album, couldn't say anything better. Your Own Special Way has a flavor of the so called "contemporary" stuff I spoke of earlier, it involves mainly acoustic guitars and a really sugar-coated interlude. There is a good amount of Collin's singing ability on this song as well. Then we have Wot Gorilla? which is another Genesis instrumental, not of the same complexity as Los Endos, but just as good. Side One is done.

All In A Mouse's Night opens up the second half with a strikingly loud synth overtone, which sound very operatic and bombastic. The lyrics and premise of the song are usual prog Genesis and, like Robbery Assault & Battery, has many different vocal sounds to make the song a story. The following Blood On The Rooftops marks the last time that Genesis uses acoustic guitars for a long time. There is a essence to this song that makes it stand out, besides the acoustic solo from Hackett. The lyrics are somber and Collins makes that somberness in the piece flow. Unquiet Slumbers For The Sleepers...In That Quiet Earth can be considered one piece because of their connection musically, not just because of a snare roll. The first section is a building piece, but it is very reminiscent of the work on The Lamb, while the second half is more upbeat, groovy, and rock. The instrumental is as decent as Wot Gorilla? and again one of the few good Genesis instrumentals. Afterglow is definitely Genesis' early hits of mainstream sound, although it contains its proggness. Afterglow is slow in its form and is not really suited to the rest of the album (and could be comparable as the predecessor to Follow You Follow Me)

Even if this is considered that last of the classic Genesis, there are many indicators of the band's transitioning ways. And obviously Hackett couldn't cope with the way the band was behaving now, but thankfully his guitar doesn't go unnoticed in the future on his solo albums. The album is okay to listen to, but over constant listens, there are some things about it that don't click; its not perfect. Seriously, this is a good album, although not the best Genesis has put out. Definitely go out and get it.

More like winded and withering, perhaps? And so, gently did fade the lustre of Genesis as the winds of punk began to blow over the music scene of the 70s. They enjoyed better and better results, commercially, with each subsequent album since Gabriel left the band. But this may have also been because they slowly but surely gave up on many aspects that dictated their earlier style and creepily morphed into a more pop oriented outfit. They never had to do a volte face like ELP or Yes; they just slid smoothly, step by step, into, at first, a watered down version of their prog facade which then gave way to out and out pop.

With that unappetising introduction out of the way, I have to say it is not at all a bad album. Actually, even after they went pop, they remained "not bad at all" for a long time. As they shrank from five men to four and just three, Genesis somehow managed to keep delivering a consistent mean level of quality (if, that is, one can hazard to assign qualitative values to music albums). However, consistency can also get somewhat boring when accompanied by a diminishing appetite for adventure.

I give that the album doesn't start on a boring note. The opening salvo, Eleventh Earl of Mar, is rousing with some splendid work at the drums by Collins. The same cannot quite be said about his singing and his lack of commitment drags down the album a bit. Not that he can be entirely blamed for it, because he is quite clearly struggling to project Banks's lyrics.

But even when the lyrics do offer an element of humour, as they do in All in a Mouse's Night, Collins is strangely reserved. Blood on the Rooftops evokes pretty interesting images of Britain but Collins seems to be caught between trying to imitate Gabriel and trying to go motown. Di that perhaps have something to do with the metamorphosis of Genesis? Collins is a pretty good pop singer in his own right, but he's not very comfortable trying to play Gabriel with Banks's lyrics and this can make the album feel a bit vacant in places (quite so, I should say, on Your Own Special Way!)

Instead, it's the understated Hackett who once again lends memorability to the proceedings. His wonderful playing on the Unquiet slumbers/Quiet Earth duo as also on Blood on the Rooftops give them a haunting quality that the band otherwise doesn't always seem to attain. Likewise, his short solo towards the end of One for the Vine supplies badly needed momentum to what almost feels like an extended ballad. One for the Vine and Quiet Earth also have some quirky sonic moments to enliven an at times pedestrian affair.

Of the others, Afterglow is not bad but I am probably not in the mood for more Collins-balladry by then. Wot Gorilla is an enjoyable instrumental though it doesn't particularly make a telling point when it's done. This album has more focus than A Trick of the Tail though I am not sure an autumnal mood works so well for Genesis. The production certainly doesn't help matters, seemingly taking the bottom out of their sound. I feel the album would sound more 'alive' than it does if Collins and Rutherford's grooves were allowed to assault the ears the way they otherwise would.

It is in fact for such moments of quirk as mentioned earlier, the usual Hackettry and Collins's skills as drummer that I give the album 3 stars without hesitation. I desire some more inspiration and liveliness from an album that is generally well put together and 'professional' but somewhat run-of-the-mill by Genesis standards.

Genesis' final progressive rock album is (next to Foxtrot) arguably one of their best. After each band member finding their place in A Trick of a Tail, each of them was able to perform at their peak. This album sounds like a mixture of the sounds from their previous album and the Peter Gabriel era. In fact, this album sounds more like the Gabriel era than Selling England by the Pound, which was a little too light and pastoral, despite how fantastic some of its pieces were.

The album opens up with two fantastic slices of Genesis prog. Eleventh Earl of Mar opens in a loud and sinister manner that no one would expect after listening to the soft sounds of A Trick of a Tail. The sinister feeling then disappears and we delve into a Genesis style rock piece. It is easy to tell that Phil has become more comfortable in his role as the vocalist than he was in the previous album. One for the Vine is easily Tony Bank's magnum opus, even better than Firth of Fifth (even if that sounds a bit heretical). The song features everything needed for a progressive rock classic, but for some reason is forgotten in place of other Genesis songs. It is softer in comparison to the previous song (though it does have some more rocking moments), but yet has a special energy within Bank's gentle keys and Phil's voice.

Many prog fans are not pleased with the inclusion of Your Own Special Way, which has a very accessible sound. I personally find it to be a pleasant experience. Though it may be pop, it is good pop, which can't be said about most pop music or even the pop music Genesis would soon produce. Wot Gorilla? a fun little instrumental. Though it did take the place of Hackett's Please Don't Touch, the feel of that song would seem out of place after the previous song, so there is no grudge here, only enjoyment.

While All in a Mouse's Night may not be Bank's best piece (especially in comparison to OFTV), but is an enjoyable, keyboard dominated piece with absurd lyrics that easily remind one of the humorous and sarcastic lyrics that were often featured in Peter Gabriel's lyrics. Blood on the Rooftops opens with a wonderful Spanish-influenced guitar that could only be played by Hackett. Like before, the lyrics remind of something that would be written by Gabriel; sarcastic yet melancholic at the same time. That with a mixture of a rock and classical sound easily make an enduring classic.

The album closes with a spectacular mini-suite. Unquiet Slumbers for the Sleepers' begins quietly but slowly begins to build up and lead into 'In That Quiet Earth, a highly energetic instrumental rock piece. After the intensity, the album allows the listener to relax with Afterglow. Written in a improvisational way by Banks, this song has a genuine pop-prog rock feel to it that would fortunately become a classic for the band even into the eighties.

Unfortunately, Hackett would soon become frustrated with the band for pushing away the pieces he was writing. Hackett would soon leave, and his departure would be more of a crushing blow to Genesis than it was when Peter Gabriel left the band. Listening to this album is bittersweet, knowing that Genesis would never produce another progressive rock album again and that they would succumb, probably the worst out of their contemporaries, to the pop atmosphere of the eighties.

Five stars for finishing powerfully.

Wind and Wuthering is the last true Genesis album. Their later efforts have some decent moments, but are too plagued by the pop that infiltrated their sound. This is also Hackett's last album, but the influence he has on it is paramount. A lot of the stuff on here sounds like it could have come off Voyage of the Acolyte. But overall, this is very much Tony Banks's album. The amount of keyboard here is phenomenal and the stuff he comes up with on this album is even more so.

'Eleventh Earl of Mar' (10/10) kicks off the album in a classic Genesis style that is very close to A Trick of the Tail, especially Squonk. The bass is driving, the drums pounding, and Tony adds some amazing keyboard melodies.

'One For the Vine' (10/10) has some amazing tempo and mood changes as the song progresses. Keyboards are just as strong here as the previous song, and Collins's vocals aren't half bad.

Unfortunately, 'Your Own Special Way' (4/10) is just more of a hint at the pop that would come to dominate their later albums.

'Wot Gorilla' (10/10) is a short fast paced song with some amazing keyboard melodies and Collin showing his Brand X chops on the drums.

'All in a Mouse's Night' (8/10) is a fun, if lyrically silly, song with yet another amazing keyboard melody from Banks.

'Blood On the Rooftops' (9/10) begins to show case Hackett's influence with some beautiful acoustic parts along with some stunning Mellotron which gives a rather nostalgic feeling.

'Unquiet Slumbers For the Sleeper'(9/10) and 'In That Quiet Earth' (9/10) could have literally been taken from one of Hackett's solo albums. It's just simply beautiful music.

'Afterglow' (8/10) is a dramatic conclusion to a wonderful album, with Collins passionately belting out his vocals.

Wind and Wuthering is the Post-Gabriel version of Foxtrot or Selling England, it's THAT good. In my opinion, it's also their most consistent album since Foxtrot. Unfortunately this wouldn't last, as Genesis plunged into their poppier era. W&W is the final hoorah for this amazing group.

9/10

So After the success of "A Trick Of The Tail," Genesis decided to continue on with the Proggy bits and pieces. What came next was a great one in my opinion. This album "Wind & Wuthering" is one of my very favorites by Genesis and my favorite with Phil Collins on vocals. There is just this quality that I just absolutely adore about it, it sounds very romantic and awe-inspiring!!. I also love Tony's keyboards, piano and synth works on this album(I think it's my favorite work of his with Genesis!!). After this album Steve Hackett left and never came back(what the heck??).However, Steve did say that he is very fond of this album!!. The line-up consisted of Phil on vocals and drums, Steve on guitars (acoustic and electric, I think there' s a harp in there too!!) Mike on bass guitars and of course Tony on the keys!!. On with this underrated classic of an album!!

Here is the track-listing for Wind & Wuthering(1976) an underrated classic in my opinion!!

1. Eleventh Earl Of Mar- This begins in a rather strange manner with Tony's keys and cymbals(it sounds rather spacey and out of this world). Then we get hit the lyrics "The sun had been up for a couple of hours"(I just love that line,haha). Overall it's just a great piece, I love everyone work on this song. This is the legendary Genesis that you hear about on this site!! The way Phil sings " I'm fighting, gravity falling, my daddy won't let them get me,A voice screams seems to be calling. The face turns features are burning"" is enough to bring chills down one's spine. Classic Genesis. 10/10

2. One For The Vine- One of the greatest pieces of music I've ever heard. I will not be going into much detail here, just listen for yourself. Probably my favorite Genesis song!!(I don't know though,haha) Classic Genesis yet again!! 10/10

3. Your Own Special Way-Some people tend to not like this one but I love it, it's so full of emotion. it's just a pastoral tune. Great song in my opinion.10/10

4. Wot Gorilla? - People probably think that this piece is a filler but it's anything but a filler. If you listen closely you'll hear that there is quite of bit going on.The keys, the bass, guitar and drums, it's one heck of an instrumental!! 10/10

5. All In A Mouse's Night- I like this one a lot though the lyrics are quite cheesy(you could make an omelette or a grilled cheese sandwich out of it) I don't know why I like it, I just do. Steve's solo near the end makes this a memorable piece for me. I like it a lot. Those keys that Tony plays are chilling. 9/10

6. Blood On The Rooftops- Ah this one, I love(As a guitarist, I've been able to almost play the intro to it!!!). Steve opens it up with a great acoustic guitar intro setting you up for the rest of the song. This song is just too beautiful yet haunting at the same time(I can't really describe it). Just listen to the song. It gives me the chills. Perfect song 10/10

7. Unquiet Slumbers For The Sleepers... - This song should been made into one along with .. In That Quiet Earth, but look at the title. By the look of the title it sounds like it should sound like chaos but it doesn't it's actually quite soft. 7/10

8. ...In That Quiet Earth- This one is really good, Steve Hackett shows you what he can do here(If only Steve had stayed!!!!). This song is really tailored to his playing. He plays some of the best solos he ever laid out with Genesis. By the sound of the title it sounds rather soft but it is anything but soft. It's got some pretty dark moments in it(hahaha). Listen for the reprisal of "Eleventh Earl of Mar" I love it.10/10

9. Afterglow- I love this one. It's one of those song to bring in a lighter in Concert. People say" Free Bird" but I say "Afterglow". People say it's filler but don't listen to them.I love it.So full of emotion. 10/10

This album ended Steve Hackett's career with Genesis(Noooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) but what an album to end it.It is an underrated classic in my opinion!!. Buy this motherf***** if you don't already own it.

Overall it gets an 86/90.5 Stars easily!!! Classic. Genesis Masterpiece with Phil Collins on vocals!!!! I only hold Selling England and The Lamb in higher regards!!. Buy this one if you don't already have it!!.Peace Out!!!

Very much a Banks dominated album. This was the last studio album from Genesis with Steve Hackett as a member. I personally feel that Collins, Banks and Rutherford had become a core and knew where they wanted to go - Hackett no longer felt an integral part of things in the band and he also wanted more freedom in which to express himself musically.

"Eleventh Earl of Mar" isn't a bad opener but, to me, it is not as powerful an album opener as had been the opening tracks from each of the previous albums barring the very first one.

"One for the Vine" - I enjoy this track with its moods and swings but it isn't Genesis at the band's best. I find that in parts it is very nicely melodic but it has this habit of going all over the place.

"Your own Special Way" - seeking the hit single. I don't mind the track but it wouldn't accompany me anywhere special.

"Wot Gorilla" - I don't really like this track with it's bombastically happy keyboards.

"All in a Mouse's Night" - Another track that I like well enough but I don't love it.

"Blood on the Rooftops" - I love the Hackett intro to the track. This is beautiful stuff.

"Unquiet slumbers for the Sleepers" - I don't know why this track wasn't a part of the next one as they make up a whole.

"..........In that Quiet Earth" - Interesting instrumental track.

"Afterglow" I love this track and along with "Blood on the Rooftops" they are the best that this album has to offer.

I can't in all honesty give an album that I find interesting only, barring for a track that I like very much and a track that I love a great deal, more than 3 stars. I wouldn't have to have been a prophet or a crystal ball gazer to see exactly where this Genesis thing was going. I'm not a Collins, Banks or a Rutherford fan at all and I personally believe that the best things about the band were a member who had left and taken most of the dramatic artistry with him and a member who was about to leave who is a brilliant musician (a man whose contribution to the band in the past and on this album can never be disputed or played down). A three star rating from me.

"A Trick of the Tail", "Wind and Wuthering"'s predecessor, is my favorite album of all time. To say that probably just about anything that came in its wake would be a bit of a disappointment might be a fair statement. To be honest, though, the band does a good job here putting together an album that is still great, just not quite classic to my way of thinking.

Whereas "Trick" is very organic, with a lot of piano and the guitars rather present, "Wuthering" is much more synthetic. The keyboards are lush, heavy and nearly omnipresent. In many ways, the overall aural ratios (if not the actual songs as a whole) between "Wuthering" and its followup "...And Then There Were Three..." are probably the most similar of any two albums in the band's catalog up to this point - lots of keys, washes and heavy moods.

There's certainly some very strong material here, regardless of the instrumentation. "Blood on the Rooftops" lyrically may seem a bit trite, dealing with a day of TV watching, but the music is beautiful - probably my favorite track on here. "Eleventh Earl of Mar" is a nice rocker dealing with a failed Scottish Jacobite uprising of 1715 under John Erskine, featuring a siren-sounding guitar in the intro and outro and plenty of not-so-veiled contempt for aristocrats. "Unquiet Slumbers for the Sleepers... ...In that Quiet Earth" is a lovely two-part instrumental ranking up with any instrumental work the band would do, though it does capture the album's synth-heavy mood at the beginning of "Quiet Earth" by doubling up the guitars with a keyboard.

The rest of the album is a bit patchy, though. "One for the Vine" is overall a great song, but the slightly whiny guitar in the beginning and middle of the song grates on me somewhat (though the rest of it, with its somewhat ambiguous meaning, probably approaches or reaches "brilliant"). "Your Own Special Way" is quite beautiful and full of imagery (carried nicely by the instrumentation), but probably seems rather slight compared to some of the other material. "Wot Gorilla?" is a rather forgettable instrumental - not terrible, but the weakest track in my opinion. Unfortunately, "All in a Mouse's Night" doesn't really improve things much. The guitar solo at the end is very nice, although the drums pull it back a bit too much to "Firth of Fifth" from "Selling England by the Pound" (a great song, but you already did it once - no need to repeat yourself), but the major problem is just that the main verses of the song sound like weaker Gentle Giant material and the story itself seems somewhat forced (if not even a bit laughable). And "Afterglow", while it sounds great live with the vocal chorus keyboards at its high points, isn't as interesting with Phil's voice layered in place of the keys.

Supposedly Steve Hackett wanted to include "Please Don't Touch" on the album, but Tony Banks convinced the rest of the band to include "Wot Gorilla?" instead. I can't help but feel the album would have been a half-tick stronger with that powerful track included - and ultimately the band would suffer the permanent loss of Hackett in the wake of this choice as well. With CD's clocking in at 80 minutes, it's not hard to imagine that "Touch", along with the three tracks from the "Spot the Pigeon" EP, would have made it onto this album had it been made 10-15 years later, and it would have been that much the better for it ("Inside and Out", in particular, is considered a classic by many fans, and while the other two tracks are hardly jaw-dropping they're still fun and catch a different side of the band with a more uniquely British perspective).

So, is this a great album? Yeah, definitely. Could it have been better? In spots, probably. A couple of songs could have been omitted while losing nothing; substituting other choices in would have made it better. And the synth-heavy mix gets a bit overwhelming at times. But, overall, one could certainly spend 3/4s of an hour doing something far less worthwhile than enjoying this little gem. 4 stars (more toward 4.5 than 4).

The second album by Genesis to feature Phil Collins on vocals is a worthy successor to a "A Trick Of The Tail" What i like is that the band decided to make the follow up sound totally different to ATOTT while retaining that Genesis flavour. First up is Eleventh Earl Of Mar with Collins sounding at his most Dawnish. Sweeping synths and Steve Hillage's trademark guitar open proceedings before going into a nice Hammond and Moog driven rock section which reminds me a little bit of "The Small Faces" before going into a melancholic section where Phil reflects that it's probably time to be going to bed now, and not being particularly keen to be a guest in a house of dreams. The song also seems to be about Phil reminding his Dad that he promised something or another.

"One For The Vine" starts off with bending piano from Peter Banks, and then some beautiful vocals by Joan Collins enter the fray, and has a very Geoff living over Donalds feel to it. The mid section has some crazy jaunty interplay between Toby Banks, Mice Rutherford, Steve Hackett and Ringo Starr. A pleasing song that would go well with a glass of wine and a Motorhead album.

"Your Own Special Way" has a lovely Debbie Dowding feel to it, and makes me feel like moving to London every time i hear it. Musically it is in a light mellow vein that brings to mind some of the "Trespass" album as well as a touch of "Forgotten Sons" by "Marillion"

"Wot Gorilla" is a rousing synth driven instrumental with some nice little touches by Steve Howe and some great drumming and angsty vocals by Phil Collins.

"All In A Mouses Night" is a great song all about a mouse and a cat who winds up sparked out by the mouse knocking a jar upon the cats grumpy head. Musically it is again keyboard driven by Lloyds Banks and even allows Hackett some guitar too.

"Blood On The Rooftops" starts off in typical Mark Rudd mood with some classical guitar playing from Steve Rothery and some beautiful mellow hammond playing before the song starts to skip the news boy. Phil apparently makes some tea in this song too. The Karen Dowding-ish style of this song helps it along to a climax which sees Hackett reprise some nice flamenco guitar at the end.

So to the climax of "Unquiet Slumbers For the Sleepers" " In That Quiet Earth" and "Undertow" The whole shoobboodle starts off with some wobbly piano and graveyard guitar sounds. with some nice Bass playing by Mice Rutherford and then enters into a reprise of sorts of "Eleventh Earl Of Mar" with added our little shaun-ness just to add a bit of a Stinka feel to it. It also brings to mind Johnny Orzach being bossed about by a blonde haired woman and a black haired woman, but here it's the stinka sound which wins the day. "Aftertow" is quite simply brilliant with the dust settling around Phil Collins as dust only can. The song itself is about Phil Collins having to find a new home because his present landlord wants to get him out by Friday. It all ends off in an emotional rollercoaster with melting piano, heartfelt drumming by Joan Collins and also manages a sneak reprise of "Market Square Heroes" If you enjoy prog with a more synthetic feel and plenty of reminders of Michael Matnill, you will love this wee little treatie of an album. My advice is to merrily hop and skip along to your local record shop ( if you still have one ) and buy this sweetheart of an album ( If you can stll afford it under the abysmal premiership of Cameron )

Sitting with my completely worn-out Swe-Eng dictionary(the spine is missing) in hand, I look in vain for title word "Wuthering". It comes as no surprise really; I know since long time that the expression is a rareness. A British English teacher, on English soil, once informed my class that it's solely found in book title "Wuthering Heights". It fell on my lot to modestly inform about an album called "Wind & Wuthering". Not only once, I had to repeat myself on a few occasions before I got any reaction. Finally I managed to convince teacher and surroundings. I purchased the single 'Your Own Special Way/It's Yourself', brought it to school and used it as proof of my statements. For safety's sake, along with bible book/old testament 'I Know What I Like'. Anyone had the opportunity to mention a 20-year old Miss Bush too, but it never happened. This occurred in the early eighties, the single 'Abacab' was prevalent on the air. Not presented as Genesis but rather Phil Collins & Genesis. If you had mentioned the horn section of Earth & Wind and Fire around Christmas time 1976, and associated them with an ascetic Genesis; people would have looked strangely at you. Who could've blamed them? 1976 was Christmas time for Genesis fans indeed. Santa Claus delivered the second studio album in one year; W & W was released just 10 months after A Trick of the Tail.

Although the latter was recorded in '75, the following year became record holding. Bill Bruford joined on stage for the Trick tour(didn't they retain the five piece format?). This particular line-up was only to last for a limited period. The ex-Yes/Crimso drummer didn't lack the technical ability but he lacked the ability to find out how and where to utilize this gift. At least in Genesis. Just like Collins, Bruford is for sure a highly esteemed percussionist. Bill is actually more often mentioned among drummers than colleague Collins. The reason for this is obvious; William and his Earth Works explored the development of the jazz sax, Phillip turned Abba-Annifrid into an international solo star. Bruford has never been associated by the multitude of pop projects like Collins has. That's more current for the puritan. Phil's diversity and adaptability isn't accepted in every party. Moreover, it isn't known in every party either. 'One More Night' doesn't automatically enter the world of Buddy Reich and Big Band. The duo Bruford/Collins performed the dual drum break leading into 'Los Endos', and that was the ends of their collaborative work. Bruford's stay only lasted for one tour. Even if this agreement had been set up in advance he didn't amalgamate with the Genesis family as well as in the case of Yes. Despite that the deputy here voluntarily cut of the ties after Close to the Edge, Bill was still warmly welcome to participate on many side projects. It doesn't necessarily mean that there was a rift in the lute between both parts in the Genesis camp, but the deft percussionists name was never to grace the instrumentation list of a Hackett album. Neither Rutherford nor Banks. Finally, one cannot avoid making comparisons with a certain Patrick Moraz. What about the free-form jazz excursions on Relayer transmitted to the boy's choir gentle Moody Blues? Eh? That wouldn't work very well. Somehow Patrick and the Moodies managed to overcome this huge barren gap. They remained the song band they always were.

Was Bruford ever a member of Genesis? Or did he just play with them? It depends on who you ask. Some folks, mainly outside the path belonging to the statistician, contend that one of the players on supreme 'The Night Watch' both toured and recorded with equally or even higher ranked band Genesis. The casual spectator who happened to attend the first post Gabriel tour. Pro writer included. Not everybody studied the inner sleeve of the TRICK album under the magnifying glass. So just let them stay in their belief. In a conceptual world not less beautiful than yours and mine. Bruford's case is by no means unique. In a major music magazine way into the eighties one could read: 'Genesis guitarist S. Hackett is out on solo tour?' Not ex-guitarist, but guitarist. Bill did finally team up with a former Genesis member on Revisited 1, but that was probably a pitch from a base salesman. Or did they leave Genesis after all? Now all that's missing is that Gabriel still uses Foxtrot costume and tells stories in between songs. Great, Phillips/Rutherford will have ample time for the elaborate 12-string tuning.

And then they were four. Once again. Wind was the first Genesis album ever to be recorded abroad. After the fine sales of TRICK(and accordingly an increased interest from the collector of tax arrears!), it became tempting to make a jump across the channel. To record abroad meant a healthy 25% tax deduction. Holland is firmly placed on the art map via the palette of Van Gogh, Rembrandt and Vermeer. Now they have the privilege to house English art rock super stars Genesis. The tulips bowed in their autumnal coats. They begged for plantation in the Royal Garden at Kew. To gossip in flower language with the stately hogweed. Historically seen, neighboring Belgium just a stone throw away would've been a more proper location to record in. Just remember where Trespass amazed everybody and went no 1 while the rest of the world was in a deep the Sleeping Beauty slumber. Genesis did not resume their Anglomania until the next decade.

Some bands/artists have admitted that the loss of your own bed, home ground and mother's meat balls could have a volatile effect. Plus the unfamiliar technical surroundings in a studio. It is, or can be, a venture. The incidents are almost as many as there are artists. Sir Elton could just as well have chosen his tiled bathroom to record in instead of a time consuming flight to Jamaica. Ken Hensley of U.H. commentated the lucrative foreign recordings he and his band undertook in the seventies. ? 'What money? I never saw any'. It was Chateau D'Epreciation. One could go on and on here and easily fill an entire article. Or a minor volume.. There's not much that indicates that Genesis were affected by mishaps during their recurring overseas sojourns(three band two solo efforts). It went reportedly as smooth as a parent-teacher meeting at the boarding-school. By a combination of planning, common sense and a crumb of luck. 10 cc preferred Stockport to record in whereas Genesis headed for tax haven Stockholm(Duke). Sleeping in the room next to the igloo watching the breathtaking northern lights. Where polar bears are roaming the streets in search for a light meal. The arctic winds were chilly, but the merry sales of 'Misunderstanding' thawed out every frozen soul. By the aid of Abbas sovereign equipment. Face Value, finally, was by the way a homemade product of the UK. That's exactly what Abacab became.

Mighty opening title 'Eleventh Earl of Mar' is credited to Banks/Hackett/Rutherford. The writing cake on Wind is partly differently distributed than on TRICK. Uppermost we find Tony Banks as usual. What separates WW from TRICK is that Hackett has overtaken Rutherford's position as no 2. The lyric of 'Earl' is just like in the case of 'Entangled', inspired by an art work from spouse Kim Poor. Rutherford gave a helping hand to the final shape of the texts, or even more. 'Down and Out' on following album was credited to Collins/Banks/Rutherford. The allusion is obvious. The point is that Hackett wrote more on 'Earl' than Collins did on the latter. It doesn't automatically give the guitarist first position but could have done with same generosity. In a band like Genesis where every measure is more or less mathematically calculated it does have importance. Stephen was compensated later on the record. Was it enough??

'Earl' is a splendid and solid piece of work from a steadfast established unit in the prog world. Bubbling over with high spirits. Broad Hammond chords, fat punchy bass lines. If the drummer earlier on was held under any kind of restrictions now he's out on free pasture. Both in touch, audibility and fervent playing zest. Why would he, Collins, spend an eternity just 'playing along' to the others? There's little logic in it. On 'Earl', Phil turns Bonzo into a blessed drum-major of the Salvation Army. 'Earl' has the exacting and heavy task to compete with everything from 'Looking For Someone' up to 'Volcano'. Not the easiest thing to be faced with, but it does so with honour. Once I lent WW to a guy whose musical taste was distant from the symph scene(50/60's pop). I would never expect it, but he was positive about first song(plus 'Afterglow'). That leads to following conclusion; the opening tune is accessible in its density of progressive elements. So a slightly reworked, edited version of 'Earl' on a single release? If it sounds farfetched then what about 'Roundabout' from Fragile? In this case it went tremendously well, so don't judge the book by the cover. In spite of/thanks to/ the fact that 8:40 became less than 3:40(world record in editing? 40% of the original remained. With correspondent cut of 'Earl' you'll get a catchy three minute single A-side). Tull's 'Living in the Past' goes in very odd 5/4 time(it went no. 11 in Sweden). The finest singles are hiding where you least expect 'em to.

For the first time since 'Hairless Heart' there's some audible six string acoustic. More than two long year's absence. This is softwood for the composition, just as it is for Genesis. Rank, fragrant vapour from the early morning fir forest. You can almost touch the sticky resin with your fingertips. The preceding electric guitar solo is the most upfront and expressive playing in this field since 'Supernatural Anaesthetic'. The language it supplies is that Wind creatively belongs to Hackett just as much as anybody. The electric returns, wakes us up from the house of dreams. Accompanied by some spacey tape-loop vocals. Like all vocals on the record, performed by Collins. Genesis of 1976 year's issue doesn't consist of a long series of Shulman or Wilson brothers; rather it has become an ELP lonely voice. But you don't always chose, you are given a certain capacity. Collins/Noel McCalla had done much more potent duets than any of them by themselves. Live of course but likewise in the studio. An exciting train of thought. Be happy with drum collaboration Collins/Thompson, it will do just as well onstage in the absence of a similar vocal duo.

Second track on WW, the ten minute long 'One For the Vine', is written, directed and edited by Tony Banks. The result seen through the cine-projector took about 12 months to finalize. Recorded from every possible angle. From slow motion speed to graciously rapid movements. The intro, the silent film tinkling piano is highly evocative. First night on the enclosed garden party, solely for the chosen 'crème de la crème'. For a keyboard lover, there's a lot to get one's teeth into. 'Vine' doesn't belong to the same school of cohesive writing as 'Mad Man Moon'. You must constantly be prepared for the unexpected. Not the conventional verse/chorus/solo but a myriad of ideas thrown in. A slice of Beatles pie with cloudberry jam between 6: 20 ? 6: 35. The piano stretching from 3, 07-3, 30 is so tasty that you regret that it's over far too quickly. Here one will sip at a vintage sherry with one's partner at table and just pretend that time stands still. One of the master passages on 'Vine'. In reality far too limited to be on display for a mere 20 seconds. But that's the nature of the song. You won't detect the cloud that's passing by above your head again either. That's god's gift to us humans. A fast, fleeting glance at the power of the almighty's hand. The intro is repeated at 4:30 and followed by a Man-Erg like outburst. That's Van Der Graaf G. in their most assertive voice. Possibly it inspired their Charisma label mates to trample upon this impetuous path. It will transform the most musically indifferent, no one is left unmoved. It's so brisk and lively that you prefer to indulge it in the evening after dinner. Definitely too vivacious for the morning assembly. Amazingly, both Generator/Genesis released two high quality albums in the course of 1976. What did they put in the well-water in those days?

Concluding piano part seems detached from the intro. Maybe because it's already distant in time. Let's define 'Vine' as a composition of open and free character. It makes you think of 'The Lady is Lies' which is structured in a similar way. Why people are less keen on the last mentioned is most likely a psychological blockage. A three piece can't match a four piece. The Gabriel era faithful turned down the four piece band, the Hackett era loyal had no intention to act differently. The 'Three' album is a pop album and that's that. The lyrics on 'Vine' are not penned by P. Gabriel simply because he's not here. Gabriel is definitely a stronger lyric writer than T. Banks. In the same way as Banks is the most clever keyboard player of the pair. On TRICK it worked out well despite the absence of the ex-front man. Logically it won't remain on the same level in the long run. Of the six vocal tracks on WW at least half of them would benefit from Gabriel's helping hand. Why bother about past history? If you know the history it's easier to foresee and search the future. When the cat is gone the mice will play. Phil Collins is his replacement on vocals, reaching some falsetto like Bee Gees vocals. This measure was repeated on 'I'm not Moving' some five years later. In the more radio friendly format 2: 35. The performance of 'Vine' turned out better live than in the sterile and lifeless studio. The version on Three Sides Live(British issue) is more distinct and clear-cut. If you crave for Hammond/mello just look for earlier bootleg versions.

Some define Michael Rutherford's 'Your Own Special Way' as a ballad(prog ballad..Ugh). Technically there's nothing wrong in this cut-and-dried term, but there are other criteria. It imparts associations with genres that are better kept at a distance. Could you imagine the decorous audience at a symphony/classical concert just suddenly waving their arms with a lighter, or later on a cell phone? It simply doesn't belong to the musically intellectual. Just as likely as if the orchestral member would set fire to her/his Stradivarius. So why would it be more viable here? Let's instead call it an airy and easy-going love song. Which in itself is enough profane. As you're used to beat time with your foot in 7/8 or 7/4 you feel almost embarrassed by its unabashed amorous theme in straight time signature. Normally such fleshly human desires are poetically rewritten, but here it stands right before your eyes in its naked candour. Genesis musical influence on other bands has been analyzed, so what about the lyrical? Canadian SAGA didn't even dare to mention 'she' or 'her' in their lyrics for a very long period. Not until sixth album Behaviour, stationed half way through flip side, came the true 'Promises'. For fear of being singled out as, let's say, 'poems for the cave-dweller ahead of the theatrically exalted'. Nothing depreciatory about the fair sex but there are more banal love songs than grain of sand in the Sahara desert. Adam came first; Eve had to wait behind the scenes. Sadler and co. upheld this discipline in true spirit of Genesis. A cover version of 'Solsbury Hill' is to be found on a collection. Some listeners may seriously take offence at its synonym 'her', but calm down; it's only an illusion. 'Special' is a stark contrast to previous 'Earl' and 'Vine'. Starting out with Mike himself on 12-string chords, with Hackett following on the electric. Collins is thriving with his multi-tracked vocals(a one man choir). Romantic in its musical sentiment, fitting for the couple in the moonlit slow moving gondola. The central instr. section was removed from the evident single-release.

On what basis is 'Special' included on Wind? It's not question about whether it's capable or not, but don't forget that we've reached the second half of the seventies and the music scene is never static. Is WW the first Genesis album where the track choice is based on other factors than pure artistic? That's not unthinkable. It was under all circumstances not the last. On the Duke album, Mike's high above standard 'Open Door' was swept aside in favor of a so called tractable song(cautiously speaking, a minor false step). 'Open Door' could seriously have competed with a 'Blood on the Rooftops', but became a much less reachable b-side. A similar case on Wind where 'Inside Out'(written by Mike/band) was dislodged to Ep 'Spot the Pigeon'. Rutherford's input on WW is underdeveloped both in writing and sounds; 'Inside' should've evened out some of these shortcomings. Not necessarily at the expense of 'Special' of course. 'Inside Out' is too prominent to be left out from the mother record. Nobody disagrees on musical grounds. The 12-string sound is talking to you; just come and grab me; it might be your last chance. Hackett's electric ought to be a hint to a certain S. Howe. An early incarnation of GTR. - So where's the pigeon(?), I was once asked by an Englishman. Spot the winged creature on the cover of Wind was a lot easier, but 'Inside Out' failed to make it onto that particular album.

At the time of WWs release, when everybody were eating Christmas porridge with fruit sauce, P. Gabriel's debut is still not out but only a number of weeks away. What if it's filled to the brim with saleable stuff? Would the foursome take the risk of being overtaken by one single ex-band mate? Rutherford knows at least partly what's in the offing as he could eavesdrop during the demo recording. So it's 'Your Own Special Way' against 'Solsbury Hill'. Probably not match of the day but still there ought to be some competition behind closed doors. Wind and Gabriel 1 were both recorded about simultaneously far away from Nursery Cryme land, during very different circumstances. Why wouldn't there be competition between Gabriel and group? Which talented golf player wants to be no. 2? Which cricket team dream about silver cup in tournament? All band members, past and present, are in their mid twenties. Transitional years between youth and adulthood, there are still things to be proved. From now on the singles were as luminous as the albums they were culled from. So where is second single 'Modern Love' to be found on WW? We suspect that it ended up on the three tracks Ep in form of 'Match of the Day'.

If 'Special' was a contrast so what about track no. four? 'Wot Gorilla' might be lacking in size and length compared with 'King Kong'. Not only a feature film but also a monster track by F. Zappa, even though there are other options from where the title was chosen. Possibly the Genesis drummer already had a glance at Chester Thompson. The latter, who in common with Bruford is placed in the fusion department, would become new live drummer. He was to last longer than his predecessor. Here you can talk about 'a permanently present non-member of the band'. 'Gorilla' was entirely performed by Collins though. Its intro with strong sounding tuned appendages to the drum kit is as fresh for your ears as the piano intro to 'Vine'. One could assume that percussionist extraordinaire Jamie Muir(of Larks Tongues in Aspic fame) had been drafted to the Genesis ranks. Unlike The Flower Kings a while later, who copied Crimson note by note and brought in uninhibited showman Hasse Bruniusson, Genesis continued with a lone drummer in the studio. Phil Collins himself knows just as many percussive tricks as Muir did, even though it's normally not what you associate with his playing. Then why wasn't the tune even more specialized in this direction? The synth lead, bass-pedals and ghostly guitar aren't at all lacking in attraction but it carries a dignity of things you've experienced before(just repeat side A). Congas, crotales, glockenspiel, marimba, triangle, tubular bells, xylophone?In the same manner as keyboard and guitar textures en masse on many other places, like 'Mad Man Moon' and 'Entangled'. The three minutes of 'Gorilla' is something Collins has saved up to. But his technical skill on the vibraphone, which isn't to be trifled with, remains hidden on underground bootleg recordings. 'Wot Gorilla' was tested live but only a minimal number of times. On the very first night of the tour.

The mile long classical intro is a pleasant mix of sober tabernacle mood, Bach tonality and misty meadow land(have a look at the cover). It has become a trademark in its field of no less importance than the acoustic in Beatles song 'Blackbird', or prime leaden folk piece 'Stairway to Heaven'. As you know we're into 'Blood on the Rooftops'. We have reached the heart of the album, up at the Wuthering Heights. Hackett's composing pencil is sharpened. Modern classical music isn't placed under popular music in your local record store but in some cases it ought to be. Still, not everybody has figured out that Hackett belongs to this era of Genesis. I bought the printed music to Trick/WW with venetian blinds on the cover with a blue sky beyond. Remarkably, there were large photos of Banks/Collins/Rutherford inside, but Hackett was clearly missing. I could play the guitar intro on the piano, but people on this level couldn't understand that the trio period was a part of the future. 'Rooftops' is meticulously arranged with not least T. Banks on an array of keys; grand piano, oboe like synth and string machine. 'Rooftops' is the starting point where Banks' respect for Hackett's writing has reached the same level as for Rutherford. It's nothing less than a mark of honor. A platform for a future collaboration between three strong writers. As it turned out; it was the beginning of the end. But a beautiful end.

To analyze the content of 'Rooftops' becomes more than a song title on Wind or a Genesis tune in general. It is music history. Co-written with Collins, not only a fine piece of music; the lyrics parade the highest position. Down-to-earth, anti-fantasy, ordinary weekday; but all seen through the artistic lens. Just like in the case of the album cover, it's coulored by how you grasp the music. They become the caftan on the emperor or in this drama the boiler suit for the manual worker. There's no medieval poetic haze but instead a prosaic industrial fog. 'Rooftops' and 'Entangled' alone comprised enough glory to secure a vigorous solo career. To some extent owing to the great language handling.

The keyboard strings on 'Rooftops' aren't really arranged, they are orchestrated. Banks does his best to imitate an orchestra, encouraged by Hackett. Logically they were written with real strings in mind. Hackett wants to lay real strings so why isn't he allowed to? You can compare a group with a limited company. Every stock holder owns a certain amount of shares. Can you compute how the leverage is allocated among the quartet? 1. Who formed the band and set musical course of action? 2. Who did the years of hard struggle, all toil and moil up to Nursery Cryme? 3. Who did the majority of the writing on milestones Foxtrot and The Lamb? Tony Banks is chairman of the company Genesis, followed by vice chairman Mike Rutherford. Hackett/Collins are both, so far, minority share holders. That's how it works. Banks has the mandate to say 'Yes' or 'No'. Some question naively and unknowingly Banks' big part of the writing and influence but he hasn't a big part at all. It's just illusory. Actually he could've claimed an even larger portion of the composing based on earlier mentioned band laws. Over and above the invisible 'all titles done by all' ideology. Besides, Hackett recorded Voyage of the Acolyte on his own. Depending on how you look at it, this material belongs to firm name Genesis. Hackett capitalized to a great degree on fame earned from his time in the band. So if anyone thinks that Banks did an Acolyte within the group, there's little reason for the latter to feel ashamed. With a fair distribution of the royalty money, the others should just have bided their time and awaited right opportunity to strike. The red carpet will be unrolled only for the one with patience.

It's the same rules in many other bands, but there's one of special interest. To quote Jon Anderson: - 'In a group you follow a certain path'. In the case of Genesis this path happens to be a string-free path. (As you have noticed the diversions from the main subject in this article are many and in a way you're not used to. Basically it's about association value. Like an interdisciplinary paper). The lack of success on debut From Genesis to Revelation paved the way for this conviction. You are free to compare with early YES procreation Time and a Word. Peter Banks wasn't the least bit more impressed than Tony Banks with the inflated sounds from without. A decade or so went by for both bands, and enter Tormato and of course WW. The returning solo star Wakeman proposed string arr. on a couple of tracks on Tormato, and it was thumbs up. Front man Anderson in YES adopts the same position as Banks does in GENESIS. Consequently he could've made 'thumbs down'. He did not. Actually it's a stroke of genius. You have probably listened to 'Madrigal'(Wakeman/Anderson), more than once without even reflecting about its string inclusion. That's a positive sign, it just exists. As purified and imperceptible as the breath of the birch tree. It's not washing you away like the fall of man but scaled to a limited pencil of rays. 'Onward' shares the same high purity ideal, but in a little more projecting role. The superlatives wouldn't have been less clear in the case of Genesis. As frail as the porcelain doll is the string-quartet invited on WW. No one will pass censure on current version, this is the alternative recording. Active, engaged and most of all incorporated in the actual event. A hand-picked selected group of musically aware. Who understand that if the term 'electrified' had been around in the mid eighteenth century it wouldn't have been sinful to adjust the treble level on the amplifier. Who don't treat Genesis as bread and butter but a three-quarter carved statue in need of additional chisel moves. Everybody else would act like an elephant in a china shop; overturn, scratch, trample down. Another option is to hire the practitioners the cousin band here did shortly afterwards. The tranquil section of 'Earl' would be location no 2 for the strings. Then we have placed WW close to the Tormato. Just like YES, with the same cunning temperance. The harpsichordist left YES despite the self-invented success with strings. The autoharpist in GENESIS did also leave, but for other reasons than Wakeman. On solo recording 'Hoping Love Will Last', if you listen carefully, you might find a string arrangement. All things took place that didn't occur in this story.

Hackett lost the battle of his 'Please Don't Touch' but on the other hand he gained space with 'Unquiet Slumbers?' and second section 'In That Quiet Earth'. What was meant to stay within one title was split up in two. Just to offer Stephen some extra credit. The American issue didn't approve of this division and kept it in one piece. Musically a wise decision. It's just as coherent as 'Cinema Show' and still nobody has asked for part 1 and 2 in that case. Hackett left Genesis without any verifiable solo compositions but they all ended up on P.D.T. Enshrouded in a bank of fog, 'Unquiet' moves the project Genesis in a misty and greyish direction. Collins causes a dreamy concert bass drum sound till a snare roll leads into second title. Producer D. Hentschel has a good ear for how to maximize the drum sound. The superior snare sound on 'Earth' is only challenged by the track itself. The originator of Mona Lisa's mischievous smile also invented the switch on the side of the snare drum. So thank the universal genius heartily for your euphonious Genesis disc. Issued 500 years later on. The guitar tone is a record long fermata, that is sustained note lasting for eight whole bars. The bass isn't the centre of your choice of steps or counting. But it pulsates majestically through the artery of the song. Don't say 'We Can't Waltz' because it's fully possible. Guitar effects backward are followed by synth playing forward. The intro of 'Earl'(as 'Volcano' on 'Los Endos') comes back and the synthesizer is laid on concrete hard ground. The aim is to give the six string some well-earned audible space. Hackett isn't a hard rock guitarist. Not more than Spanish maestro Fernando Sor was when he performed ballet Cendrillion in the capital of United Kingdom. That's a compliment of course and not a complaint. Hackett does play the electric guitar but this isn't S.H. His sound creation isn't heavy but the mix turns him in that direction. You can mix a tune in order to enhance, diminish, turn up/turn down, accentuate or put in the background. It is not possible to change musical style through the mix down though. Regarding experimental harder tones, perhaps there were some exchanges of ideas with Peter Gabriel. Listen to qualified 'Slowburn' and come to the conclusion that it's a flirtation with the heavier part of the record buyers. There's even a guest solo guitarist with a reputation in this field to add extra power. Steve Hackett isn't present but in his place a Steve Hunter. At least the four biggest hard rock acts in America during the first half of the seventies were British. There's a presumptive market for a merchant to cash in on. So if Gabriel could, why not art rock band Genesis? It's worth pointing out that music of similar kind in both cases started, and ended, right here. Fernando Sor, by the way, did never light upon author Emily Bronte. The verses of her book had to wait for their dexterous nylon player.

Side B opens in full orchestral grandeur, which enlightens us that Banks is just as keen on creating a string sound as Hackett is. The difference is that it's entirely stuck to his private keyboard arsenal. The lyric setting harks back to yesteryear, with character replicas as from 'Salmacis'. Banks accounts for three of the lyrics on Wind. Rutherford at the very most one and a half. Possibly Mike could've done a scrap more. He might have been invited to either 'Mouse' or 'Vine'. Theoretically seen even both of them. The couple did co-writing like 'Light Dies Down' together with a more than acceptable outcome, so why not here? Four eyes see more than two. The subject was entirely detached but nobody would expect a repetition of the Lamb themes after Gabriel's exit. Musically 'Mouse' offers some excellent passages. The verses are among the finest material the record has to offer(0:55 ? 1:50). To be repeated once again. They are simply too good to be forgotten that quickly. Just like earlier mentioned on 'Vine', there's building material here that could've been utilized even further. Had I been in charge I would've tried to lay the solo guitar/instrumental on the same verses. Over and over again till it flows like the cataract. Peter G. had never written the simplified 'Biko' on a day during the mid seventies. Still you don't miss anything. While listening to a piece of prog you have mostly five-six, seven or eight sections. Or even more. Just like storing an entire pop album. It takes analyzing. From 3:50 and onward, synchronized with mentioned lyric setting, it's a children's play to figure out what the song 'Mouse' is meant to convey. This is Tony Banks, and he was more than cautiously involved in the song creation during the quintet era. He never took copyright on a written piece, did no solo outing. This is not nostalgia, but posthumous proof.

'Afterglow' is held high by the band members. It must be, as it's the one and only from WW included on 'Second's Out'. Just like 'The Carpet Crawl', a true Genesis classic. Even the most intricate music ensemble must stop and breathe freely. 'Afterglow' is a necessity on Wind, as a nocturne. The album wouldn't have done without it. Its accessibility makes it no less proggy. It's a part of the total. Hammond, a sleepy bass-pedal and tons of tape-loop vocals. An idea from Mr. Hackett, the voices are not performed live in studio but pre-recorded on tape and just played over and over again. Its structure therefore sounds rather stiff, more like an instrument. It's very high-tech sounding and studio based. It's unclear if other band-members adored invention tape-loop. Perhaps it was a compensation for desired but denied strings. Otherwise, why wasn't it sampled live instead of the regular keyboard? The first sampler synth was out precisely same year. If not on Second's Out so at least on Three Sides Live. Anyhow, listen to Hackett solo if you want to explore tape-loop further. It suits a song well if it's properly dimensioned and mixed. Like all advanced technique; held in check. Or in the words of Brian Eno; to make technology sound human. If you like the sound of cashflow(even outside your own strong-room), then listen to tape-loop intro on 'Money' from Dark Side. Lyrically 'Afterglow' would have retained its ardour whatever lyricist had been here. Inseparable from the music, thematically not very original, but still Banks finest moment on Wind. Where are other songs from same album on Second's Out? As Wind is a definite fave record of T. Banks it's peculiar to find four tracks from Trick and the remainder from the Gabriel era. 'Afterglow' was taken in Da Capo on third live album as well. A little bit strange as only one track was included from subsequent three-piece album.

WW is unique in that way that it's the only seventies album without an official gatefold release on Lp. (Selling England was commonly found in both variations). The fans from Spain were the winners. Their issue was the one and only designed in the traditional way. The inner sleeves looking the same as the record cover on others, with lyrics and instrumentation. The basic idea with foldout is to offer additional artwork/photos or info, otherwise there's limited motive for it. Selling England was Spartan in this regard. An Austrian release was quite original, looking more like a live album with the group photographed on stage. Both of them ought to bring in a decent sum on the record market today. Not only Genesis skipped the gatefold, even Gabriel did so. If you're Croatian by birth you were able to purchase an ex. of So in 1986 with fold out, otherwise Gabriel considered them to be part of the old school. Turgid and introverted as the music of the early seventies. Where a fantasy fanatic could spend hours in hope of unveiling a mystery sign at the expense of a penniless artist. Not fitting for a modernized approach. On the second Gabriel album though there was an additional inlay of considerable interest. It became the gatefold that never occurred. The resemblance to The Lamb stayed on this level.

Time wise the album Wind & Wuthering is becoming a 12 inch version of itself. Past the 50 min limit. If Selling England could have been a double, than Wind should have been the same. Let's make it 75 min not more not less. Frank Zappa released double Tinsel Town Rebellion in spring time '81. It didn't take long before another well-fed double saw the light of day. As any Zappa fan knows, there are even more creative occasions. Zappa isn't Genesis, but if one single composer could muster this, why couldn't Genesis with its multitude of writers? They could easily have done, but a band is not comparable with a solo artist. When Zappa wants to go in a certain direction he can pose a question to anybody, and this anybody is none less than himself. Himself in a band is also everybody else. You are not what you really is. Please Don't Touch landed as far outside Wind as Acolyte did from Trick. The swirl and in perpetuity fresh 'Carry On Up the Vicarage' isn't possible to leave out from any prog event. Hackett sings duet with himself but Collins is just as right in left channel. Runs for 3 minutes but 6 are just as good. Title track P.D.T. was almost a part of the record but excluded in last minute. The drummer tipped the scale, but on the other hand; Collins isn't bringing any Brand X tunes either for Hackett to chose from. "Wot Gorilla' is frequently put in the jazz compartment by reviewers but the resemblance to Brand X is still somewhat limited. Other strong things are possible but you associate them with Kansas singer Walsh, R. Crawford and Richie Havens. The hastily drawn up and rehearsed but nonetheless brilliant And Then There Were Three? It appeared like a bolt from the blue after Hackett's exit. An album title emanating from a renowned novel. If it's unclear, even the title of WW came from similar source. Both Bronte and Christie are female writers emanating from the same kingdom. A co-incidence of interest mainly for a gray facts collector, it seems.

The instrumentation list on Wind is more embellished than on Trick. For everybody, but in particular Hackett. 12, a lot of 6-string, plus two brand new additions; Kalimba and Autoharp. Ant Phillips played Dulcimer in 1970; here we find the logical continuation. A symph album without the oddness, or at least unusual, becomes less symphy. Kalimba isn't exactly belonging to the guitar family; actually it's also called thumb piano. So why it's handled by Hackett ought to depend on whose idea it was. Listen where Hackett is indicated as composer if you search for the new instruments. None of them are given any solo spot rather they are inserted in the song structure. If you want naked Kalimba move on to King C. intro Larks Tongues part 1. Emanating from regions close to the African equator where native young women are stylizing their body movements to its sound. There is no reason not to be fond of the Kalimba. The autoharp is widespread and found in styles far from what we got here. Its celestial nature is turned upside down by artists who are blaspheming its name. With Hackett's exit both novelties went out through the door. Rutherford's bass stock includes the common 4- plus 6 and 8 string. Mike was one of the first bassists to put the six string into action. The eight string bass is constructed in a well-known way for a seasoned 12-string(guitar) player. Four pairs of double strings give a hearty sound. For John Paul Jones it fitted like a glove. A different function here, Rutherford doesn't have the same sound pictures to cover. You will pay extra attention to the bass sound on parts of 'Earl', the end of 'Mouse' and instrumentals.

Steinway, the Rolls-Royce of all pianos, found little room in the eighties recordings so we're standing at a crossroad. There's an exclusive scent emanating from 'Rooftops' and it's nothing less than the classy and handmade manufacturing of the Steinway. The mellotron is halfway into the museum. Slow but sure even the old reliable Hammond. Luckily, keyboard player Banks himself wasn't exchanged. It's still him handling the digital synths and el-pianos throughout the eighties tours. Occasionally loaded with sounds from the past. P. Collins drums sounded very good already on Trick but give impression of having taken an additional step up the ladder. The recording team has laced their recording efforts even further at the second try. Wind belongs to a trio of albums where the doubling drummer still is finding his way on the vocals. Phil does what's requested of him from his group associates. That means approved results, but the personal niche hasn't fully appeared yet.

While the year of -77 was taking its first tottering steps the Genesis band was already on the road. Wind was presented in large quantities. Non-album material in form of 'Inside Out' and even 'It's Yourself' found its way to the stage. The more remarkable that 'Rooftops'/'Unquiet' were left out in the cold. 999 fans out of 1000 would've loved to hear them. There is no overproduction that renders them impossible to play. Hackett put the 'Rooftops' intro in his bag and walked out. It became a part of the ac. set on his solo tours. 'Unquiet' remained hidden for decades until the acclaimed revisited tour just recently. Had the guitarist stayed in Genesis, then your ear drums had received the bare acoustic sound on the world tour of -78. From day one and onward. Had Hackett remained in the group, the real string sound had also arrived if not in -78 then approximately around -80. It's a spiral staircase. The sinfonietta from the capital of the Duke recording, founded the very same year, had assisted with pleasure. Up to the size of a Magnification tour. To gossip in music language with the stately symphonic sons. For the delicate task of the recording process we have the all-round string-quartet by the name of Stockholm Strings. Whether they were available at the time or not; today they are in demand by all and sundry. 'Down the Dolce Vita' preceded Genesis with years, a quartets turn has finally arrived. Even if it's a wondrous saga; it is still worthy of your attention.

It makes all the sense to me that this is my very first review, since this was the first record I ever bought! Originally, I was searching for "Selling England by The Pound" at a local record store, to no avail. Nevertheless, I decided to take this album home and boy, I was in for a treat!

"Wind & Wuthering" opens with "Eleventh Earl of Mar", an eloquent piece of well-written music that begins with a sudden and powerful burst of energy as Banks' keyboard layers set a somewhat grandiose and mysterious drone, soon joined by Hackett's siren-like guitar. Soon the drums pick up and the song becomes an uptempo rocker (and does it rock!). The dynamic and tightness is just incredible! Afterwards, around the 4 minute mark, there's a slow section, very atmospheric and pleasant but always building up tension, until it snaps and we have a reprise of the fast-paced part of the song. In the end, the keyboards drone that starts the song is mirrored, bringing "Eleventh Earl of Mar" into a brilliant finish. (4/5)

After all this exaltation, there comes a more contemplative number, the 10 minute-long epic "One for the Vine". This one starts rather quiet, with a recurrent riff played by Hackett introducing a somewhat nostalgic piano-led melody, courtesy of Mr. Banks. I'd like to attribute a special mention to Collins' singing, which I think is really heartfelt and touching. He sings about a man who stranded from his army for not believing in the ideals of war, only to find himself many years later leading himself a war. The lyrics are also quite cyclical, but let's get on with the music. So, after some singing over Banks' melody, the song undergoes a slow atmospheric section, with piano and flute. Then there's another play of Hackett's recurring theme, followed from what I believe is one of the most brilliantly composed pieces of music in the entire Genesis catalog: the rhythm and dynamic of the song make a sudden U-turn, starting with rhythmic and highly syncopated assorted percussion and featuring a fast and elusive piano in between, vaudeville-like. It builds up in intensity, until it explodes in a galloping-style drumming, accompanied by a memorable keyboard solo/riff. Then, out of a sudden, the music stops and Collins sings a short falsetto line accompanied solely by piano. Then, again, power erupts, this time featuring a keyboard line with somewhat tragic connotations. Again, we are presented with Hackett's riff, followed by a reprise of the first part of the song (remember Bank's piano-led melody?). The finale is also emotionally powerful, featuring a guitar and synthesizer crescendo à lá "The Musical Box" before it all collapses under its own grandiosity, leaving a lone piano reprising the main theme from the vaudeville section. Absolutely EPIC! (5/5)

The third track, Rutherford's "Your Own Special Way", shows the band in a more commercial outfit. It's essentially a love song following a fairly common structure (albeit 6 minutes long) in pop music. Nevertheless it's worth checking out, as it ads to the romantic feel of the album. (2/5)

"Wot Gorilla" closes the first side. It's a short keyboard-led instrumental packed with powerful melodic lines, in the logical mood of "Eleventh Earl of Mar". (3/5)

The second side opens with a Banks composition, the 7-minute "All in a mouse's Night". This track features so many layers of organ that sometimes Collins' voice is close to imperceptive. At least the organ sounds good, ironically borrowing an epic mood to the song. Why the irony? "All in a mouse's Night" is the heir of such tunes as "The Return of the Giant Hogweed", "Get 'em out by Friday" or "The battle of Epping Forest". Although not so campy, because Collins has a more "serious" comedic approach than Peter Gabriel, it's quite entertaining, recounting the adventures of a mouse around a house, both in the perspective of a human couple, a cat and the mouse itself! Musically, the main interest is the guitar-organ interplay in the coda, really one of the highlights of the album. (4/5)

A true classic follows: "Blood on the Rooftops". It starts with a long and magnificent acoustic guitar solo by Steve Hackett, with a special emphasis in dynamics. In contrast with the rest of the songs on this album, in which the keyboards are the main focus, this is a guitar-driven piece. Besides the acoustic guitar, Rutherford's highly melodic bass playing is also on the forefront, accompanied by clarinet. The overall feeling is very romantic and it's often regarded as one of the best songs in Genesis' catalog. (5/5)

Lastly, there are 3 songs which play in sequence in the album, with no pause between them and flowing one into the other. I like to consider these three pieces as a kind of suite, so I'm presenting them as such: "Unquiet slumbers for the Sleepers.../ ...in that quiet Earth/ Afterglow". "Unquiet Slumbers..." is a short instrumental piece with slow pace and serene atmosphere. There are no drums here, only acoustic guitars providing the base melody and Bank's most gentle keyboard textures superimposing a line reminiscent to "O Fortuna", although in a slower pace and in a calmer mood. Then the drums come in and we're "...in that quiet Earth", probably the heaviest piece of music in "Wind & Wuthering". The textures, the rhythms, the keyboard solos, the sudden stops, all make this an incredibly powerful tension builder. Then, at last, the pressure is released and "Afterglow" is underway. It's basically a simple verse-chorus song about going back home again. It presents a peaceful Have-yourself-a-merry-little-Christmas kind of melody, ending with layers of mellotron and a choir (probably the band members themselves) slowing fading out. (4/5)

Overall, it's a very romantic-album that ends the golden age of Genesis on a high note. Though not in the same pedestal as "Foxtrot", "Nursery Cryme" or "SEBTP", I consider it a better achievement than "Trick of a Tail" and "The Lamb...".

In my not so humble opinion . . .

It's been entirely too long since I did a review. I think I only reviewed one album last year and nothing this year as of yet so it's time to jump back onto the bandwagon so to speak. Why not start with an old classic, Wind and Wuthering.

Let's face it, I'm not going to say a lot about Wind and Wuthering that hasn't been said before, it's one of my top twenty albums, frequently peeking into the top ten. It's a classic, one from the golden age of Genesis, in my opinion. My goal here is to, well, to start reviewing again, but also to share the magic of this album to the two people on this site that haven't heard it yet.

The definition of a five star album is an album that is 'essential' and 'a masterpiece of prog'. This folks is not only essential for the musical quality, but also for the historical relevance. On their last album, Tony Banks and the boys went for a two minute atmospheric noodling at the end of "Entangled". It was the beginning of a genre. Wind and Wuthering picked up on the atmospheric vibe of those two minutes and expanded it into a full length album.

You can hear the transition from symphonic prog to neo throughout the album. This is a softer, more keyboard dominated album than the previous Genesis albums. Also, as a departure from the Gabriel era, this is a much more emotional, personal album.

The opener, "The Eleventh Earl of Mar" is all about atmosphere. The lyrics are your typical prog, eccentric story, but the chorus is the simple, and emotional plea, "Daddy, you promised . . . you promised." Suddenly, the lyrics get a little personal, which is one of the mainstays of Neo Prog. "One for the Vine" continues to show the lyrical transition from distant and analytical to up close and personal. We have a typical prog, rambling lyrical story, but like the lead off track, we're hearing the emotions of the hero ooze out in the lyrics. The personal, emotional aspect is still new. This theme continues on the second side of the album and really sets the stage for Marillion, IQ and the Neo Prog movement.

I'm not going to give a song by song review, it's been done so many times before, but if you've been living under a rock and haven't heard this album, give it a spin. It's a classic, Steve Hackett has some of his most soulful guitar work and Tony Banks adds a new level of atmospheric layering to his synths. If that doesn't move you, this album started an era. Whether you like Neo or not, this album is historically important to Prog and not to be missed.

The last great Genesis album, the first one I ever heard, and still possibly my favorite. The depth of music and meaning in the lyrics is unmatched by any other. The album starts powerfully enough with the classic prog-rocking Eleventh Earl of Mar, not sure what the "Daddy" part is about, though, maybe the Earl's son waiting for his return. The slow middle theme is what makes this song and shows for the first time the richness of instrumentation that permeates the whole record and would become even more evident in the next song. One reviewer treated One for the Vine as some kind of sequel to The Knife. I think they're two very different songs. Both involve charismatic leaders, but in The Knife, the leader is totally into it, far gone in his megalomania, whereas the One for the Vine actually is repelled by such a character, "the chosen one," but finds himself unable to do anything but follow in those footsteps, in the end watching the "one without hope," who is himself as he might have been (at least in my interpretation), vanish into thin air. Not to mention the many levels of subtlety present in OFTV as contrasted against the raw fury of The Knife. And that's a them for the entire album. Subtlety. Depth of instrumentation. Foxtrot had its apocalyptic epic Supper's Ready, SEBTP it's witty satire and brightness, The Lamb it's dark and weighty vision of perdition and redemption, but not even ATOTT had the subtle, alliterative qualities to the extent of W&W. That's why I say W&W might be my favorite Genesis album. You can hear the subtleties in Collins' singing on OFTV, going into falsetto for the "Follow me!" part, which is what the people want the protagonist to be, and then the "No, no, no!" that follows right on is out loud in full voice -- that's who he really is. You can hear it in the odd splashes of timbre, textural color, and harmony, such as the barely audible high-pitched keyboard in the slow interlude in Your Own Special Way, in the bizarre percussion sound near the beginning of the fast instrumental of One for the Vine, in the way Hackett turns on a dime to start the final passage of his solo intro to Blood on the Rooftops, in the chilling, quiet 14/8 melody following "vanished into air" that contains more heaviness than any Metallica song, and throughout Unquiet Slumbers. My ability to describe these passages is unfortunately limited by my lack of knowledge of the instruments used to produce them.

When I look at the 4 star reviews, I see where people downgrade the album due to Your Own Special Way, or for some, Wot Gorilla. I think they're both very good tunes, with YOSW waxing poetic; my favorite line being, " ... of carrying me twice round the world, never closer to home than the day, the day I started." Wot Gorilla is just plain fun, a playful 3 minute outburst. All in a Mouse's Night is not the strongest track, but ends with a very strong instrumental passage which sets the tone for Hackett to take center stage with the gorgeous classical guitar introduction to Blood on the Rooftops. And what more needs to be said about Unquiet Slumbers for the Sleepers/In that Quiet Earth? Afterglow closes out the album with strong emotional singing from Collins.

I think most of us agree that Genesis never did another album this strong again, going in an increasingly pop direction after Steve Hackett left.

Reading most of the previous reviews, the general impression seems to be that Wind and Wuthering, released only months after TOTT is a slightly inferior effort. In my opinion, this album is not only equal to the previous album but far superior in many respects.

For a start, the actual production is just superb. The production on TOTT sounded very dry to my ears ,the instrumentation bordering on prosaic at times,even a little clumsy such as the closing bars of "Dance on a Volcano". In contrast, beginning with the follow up album's introductory siren like guitar figure by Steve Hackett set to Tony Bank's swelling mellotron backing, Wind and Wuthering is pure ear candy. In fact the sound is so polished and the instrumentation so assured,it is hard to believe it is the same band playing and with the same engineer to boot.Steve Hackett really shines on this album. His soloing on "...In that Quiet Earth" is pure aural bliss.If only he had been given the opportunity to step forward more often. Another of the album's highlights, "Blood On The Rooftops" also showcases his skills on the nylon string guitar.

This album is often thought of as Tony Bank's and it is easy to see why. The level of sophistication in his chordal arrangements and the use of all those expansive chords especially on the mellotron is what really gives this album its incredible autumnal atmosphere.

Although some of the actual compositions are less memorable than previous albums,the arrangements, playing and production makes this album an absolute joy from beginning to end.The band also know how to make a balanced listening experience.This is why songs like "You Have Your Own Special Way" and "Afterglow" might for some fans be throwaway pop songs,for me they actually make the album all the more rich.In retrospect the commercial direction the band was heading in is hinted on in this album not just in its poppier moments.

There are some albums I like, some albums I truly admire but this album I truly love.An absolute unqualified 5 out of 5

Review Nº 132

'Wind And Wuthering' is another studio album of Genesis that closes one more musical cycle in the life of this great band. This is the album that closes the Steve Hackett's cycle. Hackett left the group in 1977 after their acclaimed second live album 'Seconds Out' released in 1977, which became his final release with Genesis. Once again, the group decided not to replace the lack of another band's member. So, Mike Rutherford took the guitar and bass duties in the studio. During their live performances, he alternated guitar and bass duties with the American session musician Daryl Stuermer, which became with Chester Thompson a permanent live band's member. This represents also a landmark in Genesis' career, because for many fans, 'Wind And Wuthering' represents the last truly great and prog album of them.

'Wind And Wuthering' is the eighth studio album of Genesis and was released also in 1976, like their seventh studio work 'A Trick Of The Tail'. The album has nine tracks. The first track 'Eleventh Earl Of Mar' written by Tony Banks, Mike Rutherford and Steve Hackett is a typical Genesis opening track. It's a fantastic song to open the album and the music was composed in the basic style of Genesis' music. Musically, it's a complex song and is a kind of a return to their musical past. The second track 'One For The Vine' written by Banks is another fantastic song, totally different from the previous one, but with the same quality level. It's a wonderful and melodic song where the music is very rich in arrangements and that combines various styles. For my taste, this is one of the best and most beautiful compositions written by Banks. This is the main reason why Banks is with Hackett one of my favourite elements of Genesis. The third track 'Your Own Special Way' written by Rutherford is, for me, the weakest track on the album, and despite being written by Rutherford, looks more like a song composed by Collins. However and despite be a very good ballad with great melody, is like the title track of 'A Trick Of The Tail'. Both are in an inferior level and both are somewhat out of the high quality of both albums. The fourth track 'Wot Gorilla?' written by Banks and Collins is an instrumental track and is the smallest song on the album. It's a great instrumental track which gives to each band's member a chance to show what they really can do musically, and it reminds us, how great and brilliant these four musicians are. The fifth track 'All In A Mouse's Night' written by Banks is one of the band's more interesting songs and is one of my favourites too. Musically, it's a complex song with excellent combination of high and low points and it has also delightful lyrics. It's the kind of songs that use the very typical progressive method created by Genesis. The sixth track 'Blood On The Rooftops' written by Hackett and Collins is another fantastic song of this album, and is, as I remember, one of the best songs co-written by Collins on the band. This is a very pretty track with beautiful classical guitar introduction very well accompanied by the mellotron and the melodious Collins' voice. This is a very English beautiful and melancholic song. The lyrics are very contemporary and satirical. The seventh track 'Unquiet Slumbers For The Sleepers'' written by Hackett and Rutherford and the eighth track ''In That Quiet Earth' written by Banks, Hackett, Collins and Rutherford are in fact a single song that are only split because of its copyright. This is really a fantastic and energetic instrumental track, is one of the favourite songs of the fans and is one of my favourite tracks too. We even can say that this instrumental song is in the same vein of 'Los Endos' of 'A Trick Of The Tail'. The ninth and last track 'Afterglow' written by Banks represents the grand final for this fantastic and unforgettable musical work. This is one of the most majestic themes ever composed by Banks, and so, no wonders that this is for him one of his favourite Genesis' songs. We can consider that 'Afterglow' is the atmospheric, relaxing and magical moment of this great album. It's the third and final part of three fantastic suite pieces of music which closes this album with a really great musical atmosphere.

Conclusion: 'Wind And Wuthering' always was one of my favourite albums of Genesis. It's one of the most perfects, complexes, progressive and beautiful albums released by them too. Unfortunately, it's also the last studio album with the participation of Hackett, which would prove to be fatal for the end of the progressive music in Genesis. 'Wind And Wuthering' is also the last masterpiece of the group, and surely it wasn't irrelevant the presence of Hackett on the album. If we compare 'Wind And Wuthering' with 'A Trick Of The Tail', the only two studio albums from Genesis without Gabriel and still with Hackett on board, we will realise that 'Wind And Wuthering' is probably better arranged, less romantic and less gentle than its predecessor. With the last notes of 'Afterglow' ends a wonderful book that began with the words 'Looking For Someone' on 'Trespass', and panned seven years full of glorious tales. Soon enough, the remaining trio would already to seal the story with pop music with good quality and sometimes, with a touch of prog. However, it never was the same. They achieved a lot of success in their career, but prog was almost dead from now on.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

#12 Review

If there's something that i have noticed over the times i have heard Genesis albums, is that the artwork cover really represents what's in the album, in this case, the Mellotron and all the themes that this album follows, just the sound it's like what the artwork shows, a grey cloudy sky with a tree, maybe some wind as the name implies, it's really relaxing, i love days like that.

One thing to point out is that this is the last main album where Steve Hackett participated, he had lots of content ideas and made his solo career, but then the members of the band felt weird, like "Why are you putting that nice music there that we could've used?", the answer is quite obvius, Genesis has really good music in all it's instruments, but the main focus has always felt on the piano, and that happens easily in lots of bands, the piano is very noticeable if it's used in every song at almost every second, there are bands like Iron Maiden that i would say clearly Guitar driven (i know that the bass player creates almost every song, but the guitars are more noticeable), bass and drums are great there also, but the piano is almost non-existant, there is one that appears from time to time and it's very noticeable in those particular songs, almost interrupting the guitars.

As always, i review by song.

1.- Eleventh Earl of Mar 10/10 This track sets the mood perfectly for the entire album, the first notes are a great introduction, and are used in one of the final tracks from the album. This song really sounds like a soundtrack at first and then it goes more typical Genesis.

2.- One for the Vine 10/10 I really love the lyrics on this song, i can feel the story through every note and letter. The piano in this song it's really pretty and i love that touch at the end. It has a really weird solo tho, like it lacks more from Steve Hackett...

3.- Your Own Special Way 10/10 Clearly a love song, and a really special one too, it really sounds like nostalgia, it sounds older than the other songs from some reason and i really dig that. The (almost) ending were Tony Banks plays is absolutely pretty, as if the song wasn't pretty and nostalgic enough, it almost makes me cry.

4.- Wot Gorilla? 10/10 The name for this song really got me thinking... "why?", and i never cared for that because the song it's a really nice instrumental one. I did some research and found that Chester Thompson had the nickname of "Gorilla" in his past groups, hmmm...

5.- All in a Mouse's Night 8/10 Not a bad song, i like how it sounds, but the lyrics are boring, a little uncreative and a little gross, even tho lyrics don't play that much of a huge role in what i think about a song, there's another thing also, and that's the part where they sing "and it's all in a mouses night!!", that part feels a little out of place in the song, a little too "cheesy".

6.- Blood on the Rooftops 10/10 An aweosome start with an intro from Steve Hackett here, then the song gets really sad, and i can really see old brick buildings on a black and grey tone, almost like a drawing, with rain pouring gently from the sky. When the song gets intense, so does the light and the rain, the blood is the only thing in this world that has color. Really nice song, lyrics, everything.

7.- Unquiet Slumber for the Sleepers... 10/10 This song shouldn't be divided in the album, it clearly connects with the next 2. This song feels like Genesis in all it's power, with a really reserved drum, many of Genesis songs feel like an orchestra (hence why they are symphonic prog) and this song easily fits an orchestra.

8.- ...In That Quiet Earth 10/10 Now from ochestra to full symphonic prog, weird naming tho, this feels more like an unquiet slumber and the last song was much more quiet, but ok, the other problem is that this are 2 songs, one is like the heroic side and the other is the evil one, i really like how they play these songs in concert and change the lights. In the "Heroic" side, we see Steve Hackett and Tony Banks like fighting, then we see in the "Evil" side a wining Tony Banks, what i'm trying to say here is that in the first part they play the same melody and in the last one Tony Banks does a lot more.

9.- Afterglow 10/10 And the end, this songs follows the last 2 perfectly, a beautiful way to end the journey and a really gloomy too, it reminds me that i'm just lonely guy listening to this vinyl in 1977 while missing lots of people in an empty poor room where all the light i have comes from what enters through the windows.

The complete score for this album would be 98/100 wich obviously means 5 stars. Highlights would be One for the Vine and the last 4 songs... or just go for the full album, it's really great.

GENESIS yes Wind & Wuthering, this one because it was my first purchase from them! So OMNI or other, it's a best for me! Incredible but before I had quite a few friends who passed me by.. the others, in short my 1st is still something, so what an emotion to talk about it to yourself before giving you my impressions!

1. Eleventh Earl of Mar Genesis intro, phew we were afraid of losing the sound; hovering intro, mysterious, latent, yes it's good ... and it goes, Phil goes there with his most beautiful voice not so bad; the rhythmic chorus, not hard but well done; the story yes I stopped on it to see and that's when I understood that it was prog... a story to sleep tall far from cutesy themes that suited me; the synth wants to be persuasive then intimate, almost melancholy; the break, yes it happens, the acoustic arpeggio which plays in stereo, the choirs, we are at the center of the plot with Peter's flute even if he is no longer there; Daddy before Jean-Marc said it so loudly in the big blue, the air starts again, still with this voice, also in stereo, which fills my ears; the mystical end that leaves you speechless 2. One for the Vine ... how to chronicle this title which irremediably seduced me, bewitched me? simple yet the raw Genesis sound of the Gabriel era was gone, the flayed alive sailed, there we still had 4 friends who showed that they were also gifted... follow me with an air of organ, hold a before taste of the next album, for those who love Genesis, my favorite band; the intimate piano with phil on a syrupy ballad that oozes spleen in all winds, we feel the declination before it arrives... that's it... that's it the clock badly set, it's going good we're halfway through it is normal; it's simple but how beautiful, warm, moving is this break where the synth holds its own; 6'30'' and the Charisma Label sound with full nose, finally with full ear... of the famous rabbit; we are in the bucolic universe of Carroll where time stands still, where we can navigate in the middle of fields of cards far from the queen; back to the main air, yes it has aged but what a foot to have a group to which I can put a real 5, without hurting and denigrating what is less good, even much less good! shh I can't hear the piano anymore 3. Your Own Special Way here's the one I like the least, Irish, a light crescendo that's slow to start, title too agreed too as if I knew what was going to happen; good to my heart defending it must be because I never dared to have a pint in a Scottish pub, look it's 'pu' Irish; yet this track has its dose of prog with the suddenly intimate, oldfieldian, evangelistic and contemplative break; the title which however inaugurates the end of the hilarious, twisted and harshly creative breaks of GENESIS 4. Wot Gorilla? the interlude which demonstrates once again that the Genesis sound was above all orchestral, symphonic up to the final bells which prolong the atmosphere 5. All in a Mouse's Night and the second side, I get up, nah I also have it on hard drive.. Genesis intro I like to write this word it calms me down...not like this mouse that is going to live one hell of a night; the synth fills the title, the speakers, I regress, I see myself buying the album, an LP of course, putting it under my arm, no one will take it from me and frolic to my den to not be bitten. .. good title where I love the end, slow, inescapable with this guitar in the distance which still hides and these synths which spin and warm the room; GENESIS it's getting used but me too so let me listen to the last notes alone with the military drum 6. Blood on the Rooftops a Horizons bis?; a majestic arpeggio, one of those you recognize almost before the first note; I see Steve behind his mustache, I see Tony throwing his fingers at his keyboards; boom the dreamy, intimate chorus, yes I like to use these two words since I feel the sounds coming to shiver against my stirrup and make me bend my spine; beautiful melancholy or how a sad air can become glorious; a ballad, a nursery rhyme, a... Genesis story to sleep on the roofs! 7. Unquiet Slumbers for the Sleepers... for those who don't know it's... prog: a title that will be linked with the sequel, a creepy intro title, to make potential sleepers worried... yes it's easy 8. ...In That Quiet Earth ... goes on, you follow or what, we go to the second beat, without knowing since at the beginning we thought we heard Phil who is here behind his drums; there is creativity, swagger, prog juice; it turns, twirls and spins so it's good to be chronicled and to dive back into it... yes in 2023 we forget the dinos, we forget the sound which means that we are still to be discussed; paf the break that inaugurates the GENESIS 3rd version, the one with three; Tony gives it incredible energy and uses Steinway grand piano, ARP 2600 synthesizer, ARP Pro Soloist synthesizer, Hammond organ, Mellotron, Roland RS-202 string synthesizer, Fender Rhodes electric piano... Amen 9. Afterglow For the triptych that frees us from this unequaled and unequaled sound, a sound that rocks, that intertwines, that melts the Marshmallow that you greedily eat while reading... yes, a little fantasy never hurts bad too; good for this last title we feel that it's the end, of the album, of the four, of the adventure; the choirs and the keyboard notes well in the marshmallow send me back there to 10CC yes how strange

Steve Hackett's last album with the band, yet dominated more by Tony Banks and Phil Collins, and still just a great album. They continue their tradition of great album openers and closers, with 'Eleventh Earl of Mars' and the stunning closing combo of the dynamic instrumental 'Into This Quiet Earth' and the transcendent 'Afterglow', perhaps their greatest soaring ballad (and bringing the power reminiscent of the finale sections of 'Supper's Ready'). 'One for the Vine' ranks among their greatest epic tracks and Hackett's 'Blood on the Rooftops' is beautifully sublime. If they would have included Hackett's wonderful 'Inside and Out' in place of the relatively weak 'All in a Mouse's Night' this could have ranked even higher ('Inside and Out' was relegated to the little-heard EP Spot The Pigeon). As it is this is a very strong album, generally quite under-rated, that ranks in the upper tier of Genesis albums. I would rate it as 4.5 stars, but since can't enter that here, I have to round up to 5 stars, as just can't go down to 4 for this mostly excellent album.

Review #121

Have you ever found an album that first, you thought wasn't more than average but with the more and more you listened to it you realized it was a true masterpiece? For me, this album was that only that it was the other way around.

When I was seventeen years old I was madly in love with GENESIS, I've listened to all of their studio albums (from "Trespass" to "A trick of the tail") and I considered all of them indisputable masterpieces of Prog, so when I heard "Wind & Wuthering" for the first time, my first natural response was to consider it another masterpiece, but here I am, ten years later and with a slightly different opinion about this album (and also about "Trespass" and "Nursery Cryme", that I don't consider masterpieces anymore).

One of the things that I like more about the whole Progressive Rock genre is that it is almost a rule that not only one but all of the members of a band have to be extremely creative and talented: no matter if we're talking about KING CRIMSON, ELP, PINK FLOYD, VDGG, GENTLE GIANT or GENESIS, every single musician that played in those bands was incredible in his own instrument or role, so the post-GABRIEL GENESIS had to be good with the four remaining members and in "A trick of the tail" COLLINS, RUTHERFORD, HACKETT and BANKS demonstrated what they were capable of doing without the most popular guy in the band, and what happened in "Wind & Wuthering"? Well, they got a very discreet lack of originality.

"Eleventh Earl of Mar", the album starts amazingly: the keyboards and percussions open the door and then Phil's vocals appear, the bass-line is delightful and the keyboards harmonize the song with a very enchanting melody. "One for the Vine" is extremely long for what it has to offer: the melody doesn't change a lot and it kind of loses itself in a musical wheel, maybe if it was two or three minutes shorter I would enjoy it more.

"Your own special way" is a beautiful romantic ballad, maybe I'm too in love with the whole "Selling England by the Pound" record, and comparing this song with "More fool me" is unfair, but if I take this song as a parameter the one from "Wind & Wuthering" sounds poor and much more oriented to the Pop music Phil COLLINS would play in his later solo albums (and it lasts twice as long). "Wot Gorilla?" is a short instrumental song that I would consider as entertaining but too little exciting.

"All in a mouse's night" brings back a lot of the "Foxtrot" and "Selling England" albums: Tony BANKS' keyboards are not the main instrument in the song but he really could give it a very unique touch. "Blood on the Rooftops" starts with a sweet classical guitar played by Steve HACKETT and then it changes to a more electric piece; once again we have a song that would have worked much better with a couple of minutes less in its length.

The transition from "Unquiet slumbers for the sleepers" and "In that quiet Earth" reminds me a lot of CAMEL's "The snow goose", except for the end of the second song, which sounds as it was part of one of the first solo albums of HACKETT; this is a very good song, but for a GENESIS record (and considering that in the A-side we had "Wot Gorilla?") this is a much larger amount of instrumental songs. "Afterglow" closes the album quite nicely: it is a very calm slow tempo melody that changes to a much stronger chorus part; the melody is excellent for being the closing track.

So, "Wind & Wuthering" is probably not one of the greatest records in GENESIS catalog, but it is nothing of a waste, maybe if it was a little shorter I could consider it a 5 stars album, but not every album could get such a rate.

SONG RATING: Eleventh Earl of Mar, 5 One for the Vine, 4 Your own special way, 4 Wot Gorilla? 4 All in a mouse's night, 5 Blood on the rooftops, 4 Unquiet slumbers for the sleepers, 3 In that quiet Earth, 4 Afterglow, 5

AVERAGE: 4.22

PERCENTAGE: 84.44

ALBUM RATING: 4 stars

This is Genesis at its best. Regardless of the formation. Phil does a great job as the singer and the music is stellar. My only gripe is the plain lyrics compared to earlier Genesis.

Eleventh Earl of Mar - A perfect opener for the album 9/10

One for the Vine - One of the best Genesis songs period 10/10

Your Own Special Way - Is musically solid, but the verse isn't too great 7.5/10

Wot Gorilla? - I love this great instrumental 8.5/10

All in a Mouse's Night - Is a musical highlight. The lyrics are meh 8.5/10

Blood on the Rooftops - Is beautifully delicate 9/10

Unquiet Slumbers for the Sleepers... - a great instrumental 8.5/10

...In That Quiet Earth - Is even better. Hackett and Collins shine 9/10

Afterglow - Is a great closer of this album 9/10

It opens and ends strongly. But the middle is not as great. Still, I give this one 4 stars.

Without Peter Gabriel, and Steve Hackett with a foot and a half outside due to undisguised musical differences with the rest of the band, Genesis releases "Wind and Wuthering", the last production with progressive overtones before embarking on their path through different musical currents.

We are no longer going to find apocalyptic supper´s readies, nor ruthless fights between opposing groups in the forests of Epping, those times were already history, but with "Wind and Wuthering" the band develops very successful songs, using the progressive patterns that still existed in their veins, and with a lot of prominence from keyboardist Tony Banks.

The sprawling "Eleventh Earl of Mar" and "One for the Vine" with their varied and changing landscapes; Hackett's impeccably clean classical guitar opening "Blood on the Rooftops"; and the final sequence of the album, from the instrumental and complementary "Unquiet Slumbers for the Sleepers..." and "...In That Quiet Earth" to the melancholic "Afterglow", are all signs that Genesis said goodbye with honor to the genre. that they knew how to develop and enlarge in the early 70s.

After "Wind and Wuthering" was over, Hackett left the band to focus on his solo career (in fact he had already released the very good "Voyage of the Acolyte" from 1975), and the leadership of Genesis and their future musical path would begin to be marked from that moment by Phil Collins.

3.5/4 stars

"Wind & Wuthering" is the final album to feature lead guitarist Steve Hackett. Ironically, his presence isn't felt as Tony Banks dominates this album. The music on "Wind & Wuthering" has a wintry and romantic quality. Like other Genesis albums, this album contains a lot of great moments, but also not so great moments. Based on what I have heard from Genesis fans, it seems that most people prefer "A Trick of the Tail" over "Wind & Wuthering", but I actually prefer the latter, mainly due to the impeccable structure. Phil Collins also sounds a bit more confident in himself as a singer on this record and has many great vocal moments.

"Eleventh Earl of Mar" opens the album, and reminds me a lot of the neo-progressive rock music of the eighties and nineties. This song goes through some dynamic changes and provides a powerful start to the album. Mike Rutherford's bass playing is quite good on this track. "One for the Vine" is a Tony Banks piano ballad which ebbs and flows in and out of loud, fast sections and soft, slow sections. "Your Own Special Way" is a saccharine Mike Rutherford pop ballad. I used to detest this song, but now I have actually come to enjoy it. This song is indicative of the music that the band would go on to write on subsequent albums. "Wot Gorilla?" is a jazz fusion number with great Phil Collins drumming. Tony Banks plays similar themes on the keyboard that were heard on "One for the Vine."

The second side of the album would be perfect if it wasn't for "All in a Mouse's Night," which is the weakest song on the album. It's Genesis continuing the trend of including one frivolous song on each album, and while it does have some interesting moments, it's a superfluous track. I think that this album could be a masterpiece if Genesis replaced "All in a Mouse's Night" with "Inside and Out," which was included on the "Spot the Pigeon" EP and is immeasurably superior. "Blood on the Rooftops" is my favorite song on "Wind & Wuthering." It begins with a classical guitar piece which then leads into the song. The atmosphere surrounding this song is magical. Every time the band transitions into the chorus, the music explodes and is pleasing to the ear. The following three tracks all bleed into each other, bringing the album to an epic ending. "Unquiet Slumbers for the Sleepers..." is an ambient piece, similar to the interludes on "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway." "...In That Quiet Earth" is the grand instrumental of the album, and sounds like a song lifted from a Steve Hackett solo album. Towards the end, the band enter one of the heaviest sections of the record, and I can't help but head-bang to the music. "Afterglow" is the final track on "Wind & Wuthering," and is another favorite Genesis song of mine. It's a climactic ending to a great album, and I almost think I prefer the "Second's Out" live version of the song, as it feels even more epic and climactic. The vocal harmonies are sublime.

"Wind & Wuthering" is the end of an era for Genesis. After this album, they would go in a completely different musical direction while still retaining some of their progressive rock disposition. "Wind & Wuthering" is a bittersweet album for me, as it feels like the final "classic" album from the band, though I do enjoy "Duke" quite a bit. Most fans of Genesis see the band as having different eras, most notably the Peter Gabriel era and the Phil Collins era. Personally, I think Genesis changed the most when Steve Hackett was in the band and when he resigned from the group. I'm giving this album four stars, though I would give it four and a half if I could. It's not quite a masterpiece but better than most four star albums.

This music just makes me feel better! Album titled "Wind and Wuthering". Genesis recorded their second album without Peter Gabriel in 1977. In general, it was an ambiguous time in the life of progressive bands, but in my opinion it was almost the best year, after 68, since the formation of such bands as Genesis, Pink Floyd, Yes, Van der Graaf Generator. 77, the decline of the punk revolution, the crisis of trade unions in England, the growth of nationalism, unemployment, Indira Gandhi arrives in the USSR, a pact is signed between the USA and the USSR to ban nuclear tests with warheads larger than 150 kt, and another 77 is the atomic number of Iridium. In short, the time is not easy, not easy in the musical life. But at the same time it was very fruitful: Pink Floyd releases "Animals", Yes has a rather strong "Going For The One", well, Genesis has "Wind And Wuthering", Peter Hаmmill records his "Over" - this is not a complete list . The albums are very strong and thoughtful, probably the deepest and the thoroughgoing of all their work (I'm not afraid of this). Back to Genesis, this is the second album without Peter Gabriel, the second album with Phil Collins on vocals (respectively), turned out to be much better and richer (musically) than its predecessor Trick Of The Tail. The album is permeated with autumn mood, the spirit of rain and nostalgia, looking at the cover you feel a cold wind blowing on you, great, top class. It's fair to say that after the first listening, I did not think that this album would become my favorite from the Genesis repertoire. It took a lot of time to figure it out. Only the flute disappeared, for which the listener received the vocals of Phil Collins, which is much deeper and more emotional than Gabriel's. This album also is leader in the number of instrumentals (there are as many as 3!). 1. Eleventh Earl of Mar. Genesis, as usual, starts powerfully, the drums in combination with the keys set a simply crazy atmosphere. In the center of the composition is a colorful acoustic guitar solo, which is instantly replaced by the sounds of the keys and Phil's nervous vocals - just a masterpiece, amazing energy, incomparable to anything else. Magnificent lyrics.

2. One for the Vine. This is a 'whole lotta history', now probably my favorite opus by Genesis, a great measured beginning, slow drums and Phil's melancholy vocals contribute to the appropriate perception of the composition; in the center of the composition there is a slow piano interpolation and Collins' voice; but soon a phone call interrupts the quiet measured atmosphere and there is just creepy drum psychedelia, with all sorts of deviations and excesses; all this "spooky" cacophony is interrupted by Rutherford's cheerful rhythm guitar, under which Phil begins to sing.. "They leave me no choice

I must lead them to glory or most likely to death

They traveled across the plateau of ice, up to its edge

Then they crossed a mountain range and saw the final plain

Still he urged the people on ............."

it's just unforgettable, a whole whirlwind of emotions; the composition again returns to a measured pace and ends with a hurricane finale, smoothly ending with slow keyboard performances. 10 minutes of pure pleasure.

3. Your Own Special Way. It starts as a pure art-rock thing with a simple arrangement, but soon a very hard and loaded chorus starts, very tense and unsettling in essence. Author Mike Rutherford, a great songwriter, guitarist and arranger, as well as a permanent member of the band since 67! Probably this is the most melodic thing of the Genesis, and one of the strongest ones.

4. Wot Gorilla. It is one of the instrumentals, very bright, a whole extravaganza of unique color, everything rumbles and explodes, all this outrage in combination with an electric guitar and keys is simply mesmerizing.

5. All in a Mouse's Night. Another interesting little thing, it takes us back to the days of "giant weeds" and "Harrold the Barrel". Row in one word (that's what the composition itself is about). It is difficult to describe it, I won't do it better, at the end there is a slow and piercing solo by Hackett on guitar (which is not often found in Genesis's music), the whole action ends with a quiet, fading drum roll, strongly reminiscent of a military band going into the distance ...

6. Blood on the Rooftops. At the beginning of the song, Steve plays the acoustic guitar, in a classical manner; the spirit of the renaissance and the autumn mood permeate this composition; this opus is just a leitmotif to the album.

7. Unquiet Slumbers for the Sleepers' The instrumental begins quite quietly, the keyboards pump up the atmosphere, the feeling of the wind and the impending storm, or some other violent force.

8............In That Quiet Earth. This is continuation, but rather the completion of the previous opus. The storm has come and now the listeners cannot hide from the hurricane of sound, frenzied expression flowing into a slow riff in combination with keyboards and guitars, amazing harmony and expression.

9. Afterglow. Great ending to a great album, slow composition with heavy drums and transparent arrangements. The atmospheres of alienation and hope are intertwined with each other, creating an amazing "schizophrenic effect" of joy and despair, all at once. The opus is executed in the spirit of the Beatles.

ONE OF THE BEST SYMPHONIC ROCK ALBUMS OF ALL TIME!

Late 1975 I became a Genesis fan, after listening to Genesis Live, soon I bought all the gems between 1970 and 1975. Looking back I consider Foxtrot as their most captivating album but I am also very much into The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway (apart from the lacklustre side 4). In 1976 'new' Genesis stunned the musical world with Phil Collins as the lead singer on their first non-Peter Gabriel album. I was pleased with A Trick Of The Tail, no more or less. For me Wind & Wuthering, the second non-Peter Gabriel album, is the best Genesis album with Phil Collins as the lead singer. Although it contains less rock and less adventurous musical ideas than my Genesis #1 album Foxtrot, it is such a 24- carat symphonic rock beauty, for me way more captivating than ATOTT, that sounds like the precursor of ATTWT, both obviously embracing a more song-oriented musical approach.

The elements that make W&W such a symphonic rock masterpiece are many, from the variety, tension and dynamics to the lush instrumentation and elaborate construction of the compositions.

Eleventh Earl Of Mar : Intro with moving electric guitar and majestic Mellotron layers, than a catchy beat with strong Collins vocals, accompanied by the distinctive Hammond organ. This is the 'new' Genesis, between sumptuous symphonic rock and lush melodic rock, embellished with wonderful work on guitar (Hackett solo is already shaping) and keyboards, fuelled by a dynamic rhythm-section, and topped with Phil Collins his strong vocals. Halfway a beautiful mellow interlude, then a bombastic eruption and finally again that catchy beat in the second part, it emphasizes the strong dynamics on this album.

One For The Vine : First a mellow atmosphere with dreamy vocals, Mellotron and piano, gradually more intense vocals by Phil, and inventive keyboard work. It's a prelude to a sensational break, with propulsive drums and sparkling piano runs, culminating into a compelling and bombastic symphonic rock sound, wow. The conclusion delivers strong interplay between Hackett and Banks, top notch 'new' Genesis!

Your Own Special Way : A ballad with emotional vocals, twanging guitars and subtle keyboard work.

Wot Gorilla : "And now for something completely different", an instrumental featuring fiery guitar, bass pedals, spectacular synthesizer flights, subtle conga beats, and an excellent rhythm-section. The interplay is awesome and the dynamics great, what a contrast with the former mellow track.

All In A Mouse's Night : Another composition that alternates between sumptuous symphonic rock and elaborate melodic rock. The funny lyrics are sung very well, and lots of shifting moods, in the end first Mellotron choirs and then sensitive guitar runs with volume pedal, Hackett trademark.

Blood On The Rooftops : One of my favorite songs, also because I love the warm classical guitar sound, what a beautiful intro, goose bumps. Tender vocals and inventive keyboard work join, in a melancholical climate. Then the music alternates between dreamy and bombastic outbursts, coloured with the unsurpassed Mellotron, twanging guitar and emotional vocals.

Unquiet Slumbers For The Sleepers : A hypnotizing instrumental with spacy synthesizer flights.

... In That Quiet Earth : Bombastic symphonic rock with fiery guitar leads by an unleashed Hackett, accompanied by deep bass runs and powerful drum beats. In the second part the spacy synthesizer flights from Unquiet Slumbers For The Sleepers return, turning into flashy synthesizer soli, fuelled by fat rock guitar riffs, Hackett and Banks shine, wow!

Afterglow : After all those bombastic and spectacular moments in track #7 and 8, this album concludes with a compelling ballad featuring wonderful vocals, lush Mellotron and twanging guitars. The build-up is great, and Phil Collins delivers another strong vocal contribution on this album, very inspired, topped with majestic Mellotron choirs.

It's a pity that on the legendary double live LP Seconds Out the emphasis is on ATOTT (4 songs, only 1 from W&W), I miss a serie of wonderful tracks from W&W. But Hackett told the band before Seconds Out that he was leaving so we have to rely on bootlegs, like from the BBC Radio1977. But early July 2024 Steve Hackett will deliver a serie of 3 gigs in the Dutch prog venue De Boerderij (sold out within 2 months), I am looking forward to see him. Like all those progheads who left Genesis since 1978 and embraced Steve Hackett as a solo artist. He will play the best compositions from 70-77 Genesis, and his solo work, I am sure these concerts will be superior to Seconds Out, a big hand for Steve!

Some people look as if they've seen a ghost when they hear that Peter Gabriel was the first singer of Genesis. To them, Genesis is that peculiar trio that scored hits like Mama, Land Of Confusion, and I Can't Dance with Phil Collins in the '80s and '90s. There's virtually no chance they know that Genesis continued as a quartet for a while after Gabriel's departure in 1975. Steve who? Steve Hackett? But for the average symphonic rock fan, it's all common knowledge. Steve Hackett is, of course, the creative guitarist with whom Genesis thrived until 1977.

The album "Wind & Wuthering," released in 1976, the band's eighth, is the last full studio effort to which the virtuoso guitarist contributed. This had everything to do with the usual bickering over whose compositions made it past the internal selection process. Keyboardist Tony Banks, in particular, wasn't too fond of the material Hackett brought in, which frustrated the guitarist immensely. The result was that "Wind & Wuthering" was adorned with relatively few guitar parts and a whole lot of keyboard flourishes.

"Wind & Wuthering" was recorded with excellent sound at Relight Studio in Hilvarenbeek and, like its predecessor "A Trick Of The Tail," was mixed at the famed Trident Studio in London. Twelve tracks were recorded, nine of which made it onto the album, and three left-overs ended up on the EP "Spot The Pigeon."

The album features great variety, largely because all the band members contributed to the compositions. The common threads are the melancholic keyboard parts (you practically trip over the Mellotron chords) and the intensely delivered vocal lines. But it's not just these elements that carry the album. The listener's ears are constantly treated to cool drum rhythms, melodic and bombastic basslines, and a wide variety of guitars (electric, 12-string, and classical). To complete the picture, there are also contributions on kalimba and auto-harp, though it's never specified exactly where. Not that it matters, absorbing all the beauty of the album could take a lifetime.

The intro of the opener Eleventh Earl Of Mar grabs the listener's attention immediately with its guitar tones. When the Mellotron swells, the actual track bursts into life with delightful organ play, sharp drums, and driven vocals. There are also beautiful moments with electric guitar, and before you know it, you're in the midst of a dreamy interlude. Bombastic chords bring you back to the main song, and when One For The Vine follows, it's once again evident how demanding the gentlemen of Genesis really are. They constantly demand your attention. The nearly 10-minute piece could only have been written in gold leaf. This mini-epic, composed by Banks, is very piano-oriented at the start. Then these beautiful minutes are followed by a brilliant piece of drum work full of syncopation. Eventually, an exhilarating passage ensues in which Banks masterfully plays his synthesizers. The final section underscores how fantastic this track is.

The song Your Own Special Way, written by Mike Rutherford, is a different kind of piece. This flowing ballad has a rather song-like structure, which is why it was released as a single back then. Thanks to a beautiful arrangement, this track earns its place on the album. "Wind & Wuthering" was constructed according to the LP structure, so the instrumental Wot Gorilla? ended up at the end of side A. This song has a Brand X-like vibe with a surplus of keyboard parts.

The band continues joyfully with All In A Mouse's Night, the opener of side B. It's a fairly narrative song with a fairly grand finale featuring a musical outburst. And what an outburst it is, mouthwateringly good. Which is just as well, because much of the track sounds like a precursor to what was to come in the following years. Blood On The Rooftops opens with classical guitar play, unsurprisingly, since Steve Hackett is the composer. The stately "let's skip the news, boy" sections, featuring lovely Mellotron and heaps of romance, are very beautiful. The three following tracks are all linked together, forming a triptych. The first two tracks are instrumental. Unquiet Slumbers For The Sleepers sounds expansive, New Age-like, and in In That Quiet Earth, where the band comes into full force, Hackett is at his very best. The closing track Afterglow might be regarded by many as the most beautiful love song Phil Collins has ever sung. The stately piece is supported by broken guitar chords, and to complement the Mellotron, the gentlemen themselves sing some wordless tones. It's a powerful ending to a monumental album.

It's incredibly unfortunate that, in terms of style, this album is the last of its kind in the Genesis camp. Perhaps "Wind & Wuthering" is all the more beautiful because of that.

Orginally posted on www.progenrock.com

I'll say I'm a level 3 when it comes to Wind and Wuthering. This is the first appearance of Genesis on the countdown, but it won't be the last! It is also the second and final Genesis album to feature the lineup of Collins, Banks, Rutherford & Hackett, as Hackett would soon leave following this album. I have owned it on CD and am pretty familiar with it, but not quite expert level, and it's been a while since I've played it from start to finish.

Track 1 - Eleventh Earl of Mar

I have always rather enjoyed this track. Banks, Hackett & Rutherford share writing credits on this one. After a short dramatic intro, we get a driving beat that propels the song through the verses. It's mostly 4-4 but with some exceptions on "oh Daddy, Oh Daddy, You promised." I like the piano/mellotron part just before the 3-minute mark. The dynamic level drops at around 4 minutes. The bridge section stays quiet. Things start picking back up at around 5:45, then the driving beat returns. Then around 7:20, it goes back to a part that is similar to the intro. Great track!

Track 2 - One for the Vine

This is the longest track on the album at an even 10 minutes. Banks gets full writing credit on this one. We begin quietly, then begin to build slightly. Phil goes into a falsetto at around 2:20, with harmonies. There is an instrumental break that features Banks on piano, then we return to another verse that is even quieter than the first one. Some quirkiness begins at around 4:45. First piano is featured, then synth in the ensuing instrumental break. There is a vocal bridge which is somewhat Beatle-like in feel, and Phil returns to falsetto by the end of it. For a 10- minute epic with Steve Hackett in the lineup, it takes a while to detect his presence; and then it's less of a solo than a shared melody with Banks near the end of the track. Good track, but not my favorite.

Track 3 - Your Own Special Way

This is a beautiful 6-8 ballad. I'd say that this is the first time on the album that the guitar takes the lead, at least as far as the overall sound is concerned. However, I'm wondering if it's more Rutherford, as he composed the song. The line "Who has seen the wind, neither you nor I," is a reference to a poem by Christina Rosetti. At around 4 minutes, everything drops out except Bank's electric piano. Great ballad.

Track 4 - Wot Gorilla?

A Collins & Banks composition. We begin with wind chimes then Collins' kit fades in with a cool proggy beat. We have a classic Genesis instrumental sound here, featuring Banks on keyboards. The track is very high-energy, but too short, and once again, Hackett seems to be snubbed from being featured with a solo.

Track 5 - All In a Mouse's Night

Excellent rhythms and Collins' vocals kick this one off. I like the melodic and rhythmic change at just before 2 minutes. Excellent dynamic shift at around 4 minutes. Hackett finally gets a proper solo on this one during the ending segment of the song, even though it is credited solely to Banks as composer. Great track

Track 6 - Blood on the Rooftops. A Hackett/Collins co-write, we begin with a classical guitar feature. Collins begins singing at around 1:20, and a mellotron comes in. There is a dramatic shift at 2:12 when the full band joins in with a slow, steady rhythm. Things drop back down, but then it happens again on the next chorus. Great song.

Track 7 - Unquiet Slumbers for the Sleepers?

The title of this one and the following track reference the final line of Emily Bronte's "Wuthering Heights," on which this album takes inspiration. This is a nice instrumental that features Banks, despite being written by the 2 guitarists Hackett & Rutherford. This track seems to mainly build anticipation for the following track.

Track 8 - ?In that Quiet Earth

Bring on the prog energy here! All 4 get writing credits here. Collins' drumming is INCREDIBLE on this one! Hackett is given the spotlight with a brilliant solo, followed by reverse-recorded lines. Banks' signature Keyboards are all over this and Rutherford's bass lines are brilliant. The rhythm transitions at around 2:45 to a more moderate tempo, but the playing remains brilliant! This may be one of the finest Prog-instrumentals of all time. And it leads us to?

Track 9 - Afterglow

This is another fantastic ballad. The sound of this song is just awesome in its scope; it's HUGE. The melody is beautiful. Banks gets 100% of the writing credit here. The ending of this song is so brilliant that it gives me chills.

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS:

A very strong Genesis album indeed, but we will visit even stronger ones as we proceed (IMHO). There are really no weak tracks here, but In That Quiet Earth is the standout for me. It is pretty easy to see why Hackett chose to leave following this album, as he is only featured a few times. Additionally, it is said that many of his compositions were outvoted in favor of Banks' songs. I'll give this one a 4.25 out of 5. A great album, but not their greatEST.

Clicking 4, but really 4.25!

"Wind and wuthering" was yet again one in the streak of fantastic Genesis album. It was also the last truly progressive one. What superlatives can it hold? I consider it being most romantic and elegant Genesis album. Banks (composing, arrangements and playing) and Collins (drums, vocals) are in the exceptional shape. Unfortunately, Hackett isn't represented as much as he should, with the exception of "Blood on the rooftops", "Unquiet Slumbers for the Sleepers..." and "...In That Quiet Earth" though he is still an important contributor to the Genesis sound. Banks uses synths, digital piano and Mellotron architect a rich and one of a kind symphonic sound magnified by his choice of wonderful chord sequences. Collins has gained more colour and subtlety in his voice but wasn't yet at his peak. I like Rutherford use of a powerful bass pedal that augments Banks' approach.

The album starts with two exceptional fantasy tracks. Both are very well developed and bring additional graduation sections at the end. If you listen to this on YouTube, you'll see many listeners praising these epics. Banks mellow solo interludes cross the classical territory and create a natural flow. "One of the vine" is an example of tender singing, guitar and on the other hand, powerful ARP/synth instrumental section supported by disco-like drumming. The tension peak at 8:20 is yet another stunning clever part. Collins' range here is phenomenal. After stepping up to spectacular heights of the two first tracks, things get simplified on "Your own special way", it is closer to pop than prog. The song could have been shorter but Collin's voice treatment and Banks' digital piano solo in the middle are the highlights. "Wot gorilla" is perhaps the only jazz-tinged number that could have easily come out of "Trick of the tail" sessions. It's first two minutes are strong, then it loses the steam a bit. Nice collaboration between Banks and Hackett. "All in a mouse's night" takes us into a magical world of Mellotron, synths and dynamic changes. From 3:55 onward, the band pulls out a stunning symphonic moment with synth layers and dueling with guitar. "Blood on the rooftops" is an introspective melancholic number, not too progressive but well arranged and Hackett distinguished playing propel it to one of the most beautiful Genesis tracks. "In that quiet earth" reminds me a bit of "Los Endos" with its upbeat instrumentation but thankfully, it doesn't reference other pieces from the album. While former Genesis albums may have been more experimental and progressive, the magic of the "Trick of the tail", "Wind and wuthering" and "ATTWT" is at full display. Wind and wuthering has almost no flaws which would change from the next album on. I feel that the loss of Hackett did more to the band than Gabriel's departure. 4.5 stars