MISSING LINKS, VOLUME 2 - THE SKY ROAD

This is subtitled 'The Sky Road ? A Collection Of Archive, Commission & Unreleased Album Material'. Anthony Phillips probably never has a review that doesn't contain within it somewhere the fact that he was a founding member of Genesis; so let this not be an exception. As may be gathered from the above, the music contained on this album was written for it, and one piece goes back as far as 1969! The most recent songs come from 1991, and there are notes telling the listener where each song originally comes from, some rationale, and when it was written and recorded.

The number of most interest to Genesis fans will be "The Beggar and the Thief" which was originally committed to tape with Mike Rutherford in 1969. However, that version is now 'lost' and this version was recorded without him in 1973. It is one of the few songs to feature vocals and overall this album is interesting, but mostly atmospheric as opposed to dynamic. It is useful as background music, and music to relax to, but not one to which I would be turning very readily.

Originally appeared in Feedback #63, July 01