Rank the Tracks: Genesis - Abacab

Who dunnit is a bit of an odd duck which is why I said "what were they thinking." However, I don't know if I would say it's awful. It's just not what I would expect from them. It sounds more like an experiment than a proper song. 

Dodo/Lurker ( I prefer it as it is in this edited version)

Intruder wrote: Man on the Corner is classic 80s Genesis - maybe my favorite track from the post-TTWT era.  It's the only track I return to the Abacab LP for - the best tracks on the album are done far better on the Three Sides LP.

My favorites are:

Steve Wyzard wrote: Boojieboy wrote: It's so hard to get into their stuff post-Duke. Now, you could take the best songs from then to the end, and maybe come up with one decent album, but it's a sad to associate the band name with that era. They should have renamed themselves after Hackett left. The Trio, The Three, The Clowns, Banks-Collins-Ruffie, anything. LOL I have no issues with Abacab or the self-titled "Shapes" album. The real problems start with Invisible Touch.

Boojieboy wrote: They should have renamed themselves after Hackett left. The Trio, The Three, The Clowns, Banks-Collins-Ruffie, anything. LOL

*After "...And Then They Were Three."

I mean, just think about it. And Then They Were Three could've been the perfect way for Banks, Ruthreford and Collins to close the Genesis chapter and continue to make music under a different name. A great mix of the old Genesis sound updated for the new "Hacket-less format" (eg. Down and Out, Snowbound) with some bits announcing what's soon to come (eg. Follow You Follow Me, Scenes from a Night's Dream).

Abacab (the song)

Edited by Sean Trane - June 17 2024 at 03:38

Dodo/Lurker
Abacab
Man on the Corner

I always thought Duke and Abacab straddled the fence of is it Prog or Pop Rock. For me, Duke just falls on the side of Prog whereas Abacab falls on the side of Pop Rock. I like both albums.

Dodo/ Lurker is a great track.

Abacab and Keep it Dark are very good tracks.

Man on the Corner, Me and Sarah Jane and No Reply at All are good tracks. Take the horns out of No Reply at All and replace them with Bank's keyboards and there would probably be more love for that song in the Prog community.

Another Record is meh.

Like it or Not, I don't like.

Who Dunnit? is terrible. One of the worst songs Genesis recorded.

I wish the second side would have been Man on the Corner and the Dodo/ Lurker suite, which would have included the excellent Naminanu leading off the suite before it segues into Dodo with Submarine following Lurker and ending the suite (as well as providing the answer to the riddle found in Lurker). That suite would be 15+ minutes long and with Man on the Corner would have made side two about 20 minutes long. That suite would have firmly put the Abacab album in the Prog camp.

Great: