FOXTROT

It is known that Charisma never heavily promoted Genesis' ''Nursery crime'', even so the album succeeded good sales in Italy and Belgium to become the band's best selling record so far.Inbetween, during the live concerts of the group Gabriel started to develop his endless masquerade of costumes and characters in a unique experience for the audience.As a result, he press became more and more interested in Genesis.In 1972 the group records its next album ''Foxtrot'' at the Island Studios in London, produced by David Hitchcock.It was again released on Charisma in October and on Atlantic for the US market.

The album meant to be an instant Genesis favorite among the Prog community fans and there were multiple reasons for this.The majestic Mellotron in the opening seconds of ''Watcher of the skies'' will haunt every prog listener for the rest of his life.With impressive bass lines and sinister organ parts, this is one of the excellent Genesis poetic deliveries with nice tune changes and a dramatic, symphonic atmosphere all the way."Time table" insists in the symphonic-inclined side of the group, although now in a much lighter way, led by Banks' lovely piano lines and Gabriel's superb vocal chords with Hackett's crying guitars in the background.''Get 'em out by Friday'' is the starting point of Genesis' more complex approach.The composition contains plenty of shifting moods and a variety of climates with great organ and guitar parts and propably the main reason for this is the presence of three different characters in a storytelling line, where Gabriel constantly alternates his voice.Folk references are again present through the flute parts, while the closing Classical-influenced theme is absolutely brilliant with melodic flute and organ parts and Gabriel's dramatic vocals in the forefront.''Can-Utility and the coastliners'', mostly written by Hackett, refers to the story of King Cnut the Great, and reveals a rural atmosphere with an excellent combination of acoustic textures, flute and tambourine and a grandiose Mellotron-based middle part, leading to the organ smashes of Banks.Stunning and underrated piece.

Second side opens with the short ''Horizons'', a superb acoustic instrumental ala GORDON GILTRAP, with a strong Classical aura.This works as the perfect intro for one of the best epic suites ever written by a Prog band, the 7-part ''Supper's Ready'', clocking at 23 minutes.While the music comes close to perfection, it is also one of the monumental performances of Peter Gabriel, who's voice along transforms this piece into a theatrical play.Instrumentally it contains multiple diverse sections of a mix of Folk Rock and Symphonic Rock with strong Classical textures, full of organ and Mellotron nuances, sensitive guitar lines and a fair amount of acoustic washes.The principles of Progressive Rock, variations, time signatures, clever breaks, are presented here in full mode.Music that can be thrilling, dramatic and dark at the same time due to Genesis' impressive ability to blend so nicely different tunes and influences.Complex, intricate but also melodic music of the highest calibre.

When you guess that no album can reach perfection, ''Foxtrot'' is there to dissaproove you.Words are really poor to describe one of the milestones in the history of Progressive Rock.Extremely essential, this as close as it gets to the peak of inspiration.