GENESIS REVISITED II

Ah ...it has been so long for me not writing a prog review for this site due to unbelievable workload in my professional life - it's a good problem to have, actually ... And this one by Steve Hackett has been one of albums regularly played during my work and sipping a cup of black coffee ....what a life! How can you afford a life without prog music surrounding you? Even I keep proggin' during my cycling to work on daily basis. But no time to write one until tonight when I need a break after a long hours of work preparing next week busy agenda. But i enjoy it very much ...because I have prog in my blood!

OK ...let's get started with this Genesis Revisited II. First off, I always enjoy any album Steve has produced including this one. I think he is a great composer and not just a great guitar player. And for this one I wan to look at three aspects. First is on the selection of songs for this 2-CD album. Second, on the composition or rearrangement (if any) related to this one and third, how the guitar retouching by Hackett works with this album.

In terms of selection of songs I have to admit that all of them are excellent tracks with the whole tenure of Steve with Genesis until he left after Wind and Wuthering plus four tracks from his solo work. It's excellent! As you know, avid Genesis fans usually categorizing the bands into two era: Gabriel era and without Gabriel. For me personally, the determining factor is Steve Hackett as I do enjoy two albums after Gabriel left: A Trick of The Tail and Wind & Wuthering. So ..no problems Gabriel left the band as long as Steve is still with Genesis. It proved when Steve left the music has completely changed as no longer howling guitar sounds exist. I do not mean also that I do not enjoy Trespass with Anthony Phillips but I just want to emphasize that the existence of Steve is key in Genesis. So I can put four stars actually on selection of songs.

On the composition or rearrangements of the music, I feel dissatisfied as all songs are in its original composition; only some guitar retouching here and there. Why Steve did like this? Why he did not take lessons from his Revisited I which was really excellent as he rearranged the song like Firth of Fifth wonderfully? Or ...did he ever learn from The Fower Kings who covered Cinema Show better from its original form? In this record everything is exactly the same. What is different is that for those Gabriel fan might say that this is a de-Gabriel-ing Genesis as tracks during Gabriel era are sung by others. Yes there are great songs here like Supper's Ready, The Return of Giant Hogweed, The Chamber of 32 Doors, Can Utility and the Coastliners , Entangle, Fly on a Windshield, Blood on The Rooftops. Wow! They sound like Genesis but then what without rearrangement? Why not better listening to the original album of Genesis?

Maybe the reason for listening this album is the guitar retouch (a bit) by Hackett. The sound of guitar is now much more apparent than the original version and I enjoy it. I think I love Steve's guitar playing and they all sound great here with this Revisited II album. In some part like Blood on Rooftops he added some bars of acoustic guitar as well. The solo work like Camino Royale, Please Dont Touch etc sound better here than the original version.

I think this is still a good and enjoyable album - like listening to Genesis compilation PLUS (four solo tracks). Actually Steve can do more with rearrangements of the songs. Keep on proggin' ....!

Peace on earth and mercy mild - GW

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