THE LAMB LIES DOWN ON BROADWAY

I am around a 1.5 on this classic, I know a number of the songs pretty well, especially. The title track, In a Cage, Counting Out Time, Back in NYC and the Carpet Crawlers, and moderately familiar with Lilywhite Lilith, and The Colony of Slippermen. I have never actually listened to the whole thing, until now. It's about time, don't you think? Please don't make me turn in my Prog Fan card!

So, of course, this is a rock opera, and the plot summary can be found here: The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway - Wikipedia

Track 1 - The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway

This is the one I know the best. For years it was the only Gabriel era Genesis track I knew, as it was the only one I ever heard on the radio in the Tampa area in the 80s. I have always loved the piano parts in the song. It always reminds me of a carnival. Then when the vocals begin, Peter & Phil blend so well together! I love the groove from the rhythm section when the first verse begins. There is a nice mellow bridge in the middle of the song. I like how Gabriel and Collins trade off on vocals coming out of the bridge. The ending section references The Drifters' song "On Broadway." Awesome opener.

Track 2 - Fly on a Windshield

This one begins with slowly fading in keyboards courtesy of Tony Banks. Gabriel joins in on vocals, it's a quiet song so far. There are some interesting dissonances in the keyboards. Then the band kicks in HARD at around 1:20. The tempo is slow and plodding. Hackett takes a guitar solo near the ending portion of the song. It leads directly into:

Track 3 - Broadway Melody of 1974

The beat is at the same tempo, but the guitar & bass hit accents to back the vocals, while Banks plays sustained keyboard parts. I think this song may have influenced Marillion on "He Knows You Know" nearly a decade later. At 1:33 the beat stops and the music becomes mellow, Hackett plays jazzy chords on the guitar to lead into:

Track 4 - Cuckoo Cocoon

Hackett plays a phasey arpeggiated pattern and the vocals join in. I like the rhythm of the choruses. Flute and keys join in shortly before the end of this very short track.

Track 5 - In the Cage

This is my favorite track of the ones I already knew before now. This is great prog that begins with a bluesy shuffle and the line "I've got sunshine in my stomach, like I just rocked my baby to sleep." The blues gives way to a great Banks keyboard part after about one minute. The excitement builds as the song progresses. I like the odd meter instrumental break that begins at around 3 minutes into the song., then the heavier part that follows a minute or so later. The next shift is at around 5:20, and then we are back into another verse. The song fades out at around 7:20, then another part fades in.

Track 6 - The Grand Parade of Lifeless Packaging

This one has a slightly vaudevillian beat to it. It's an odd little ditty. Collins gradually joins in with a marching snare part. The song builds in intensity as we go along. Until it ends with sustained sounds that close-out side one of the original LP version of the album.

Track 7 - Back in N.Y.C.

This one fades in with a hint of the blues shuffle from "In the Cage," before shifting to a Banks' keyboard pattern in an odd meter and Gabriel's vocals. This one always feels kinda dark & creepy to me. It's a good proggy groove though. There's a shift at around 2:50 into a bridge. The original groove returns just before 4 minutes in. The alternate groover returns about a minute later to close out the track.

Track 8 - Hairless Heart

This one begins with classical guitar and keyboards. After about 40 seconds, a mellotron comes in and the rhythm section joins in. The original melody returns then develops a bit. This is apparently an instrumental interlude of just over 2 minutes in length that leads to:

Track 9 - Counting Out Time

One I'm familiar with. This one has a bouncy Beatlesque beat. It's a catchy tune. There are occasional heavier guitar chords. I like the harmony vocals at around 2:20, just before the silly faux-instrumental break.

Track 10 - The Carpet Crawlers

Here's another one I know. But to be honest, I've never loved it. It's a very slow and plodding song. It's very quiet. I know this is sacrilege to many Genesis fans, but I've never gotten into it. It's OK, just never grabbed me. The harmony section at the end is probably the best part of it.

Track 11 - The Chamber of 32 Doors

This one begins with a mellotron and guitar-led sound that seems like a template for the next 2 Genesis albums, following Gabriel's departure. The tempo picks up after the intro for the first verse, then it slows to a half-time feel. The timing completely changes around 1:45. It quiets back down around 2:50. I like the frequent timing and feel changes in this one. It's more interesting than the previous track to me. This one closes-out side 2 and record #1.

Track 12 - Lilywhite Lilith

This one jumps right in with the full band & vocals right away. The verse has a catchy tune, followed by a short chorus then a brief Hackett solo, before going into another verse/chorus cycle. I like the guitar parts in this one; it's a bit of a rocker.

Track 13 - The Waiting Room

This one begins with sound effects, chimes, etc. that last until around 3:10. A shuffling rhythm begins to take over with synth sounds. But the sound effects continue. Phil gas some good drum grooves. The beat changes close to the end of the track.

Track 14 - Anyway

This one begins with an arpeggiated piano riff. Vocals join in. Nice accent around 1:30, the piano gets faster, and the rest of the band plays heavy hitting notes. By around 2 minutes Hackett has a nice, harmonized lead break. Another verse follows and string-like sounds on the mellotron take over to lead us into:

Track 15 - Here Comes the Supernatural Anaesthetist

A syncopated rhythm from Hackett & Rutherford starts this one off, joined by vocals, then Phil comes in on drums. Banks and Hackett are each featured instrumentally following the opening vocal section. Huge mellotron swell takes over just before 2 minutes and Hackett plays cadenza-like lead lines over them. Things quiet down following that. Some quiet sounds lead us into:

Track 16 - The Lamia

A rhythmic piano part and vocals start this one off. Synth notes join in during the interlude between verses. The rhythm section kicks in for the next verse. The music is slowly building up. Things quiet back down again around 2:15. Another verse follows. I know this is another highly regarded song from this album. It's pretty good, but not at the level of some of my favorite Genesis tunes. Hackett takes a solo starting around 5:45. Phil's drumming is unmistakable as the song fades out.

Track 17 -

Silent Sorrow in Empty Boats

This one fades in slowly, with some nice keyboard and especially mellotron sounds. That seems to be essentially what this track is as it closes-out side 3 of the album.

Track 18 - The Colony of Slippermen

This one is a suite in 3 sections:

a. "The Arrival"

b. "A Visit to the Doktor"

c. "The Raven"

It begins with somewhat "Oriental" percussion and string sounds and other effects. That was "The Arrival". A great quintessential Genesis-style organ part & rhythm section takes over for part b. Gabriel sings in "character" for parts of the verse. Loving the Banks keyboard solo in the Raven section. The subject of the song involves Rael getting castrated and a Raven taking the removed parts away. Pretty bizarre. But, for me, musically, this is one of the most quintessentially Genesis songs on the album along with In the Cage.

Track 19 - Ravine

Apparently, this instrumental section represents Rael's "member" being dropped by the Raven into a ravine and being washed away.

Track 20 - The Light Dies Down on Broadway

This one echoes the opening song with a bit of a different feel?less dazzling. Reflecting all that Rael has been through. I like the harmony vocals backing the lead vocals throughout much of the song. There are some unusual "wobbly" sounds as the song fades out.

Track 21 - Riding the Scree

This has some nice, syncopated rhythms and Banks keyboard parts. Vocals start about half-way through the track.

Track 22 - In the Rapids

This one is also a very quiet track as it begins. Very introspective. At just before the 1-minute mark, the rhythm section joins in.

Track 23 - It

This starts with a synth sounding a bit like an air-raid siren, followed by a quick rhythm and keyboard feature. The vocals join in. Love Phil & Mike's groove on this one. It's a pretty good closing track.

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS:

I know that many Genesis fans consider this album to be their Pinnacle, but, honestly, I'm a bit underwhelmed by it as a whole. There's nothing I "hate" in it, but it just doesn't live up to the level of the three preceding albums or the next several that follow. It has some highlights in mainly the songs I already knew, the title track & In the Cage are still my favorites, and Counting Out Time is delightfully quirky, somewhat like I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe), from the previous album Selling England by the Pound. Maybe I need to give it some more listens, as I know that the songs are here to serve the story, but most of it didn't excite me very much. I am going with a 4 out of 5 stars. Please feel free to dissent in the comments if you are a big Lamb fan.