Somehow, I am struggling to write about Genesis’ debut album here as I am less familiar with it than others and honestly, it’s a bit of a different sound from most of what classic 70s Genesis is known for. The debut lineup included Peter Gabriel, Tony Banks, and Mike Rutherford, along with guitarist Anthony Phillips and drummer John Silver. Produced by 60s hitmaker Jonathon King, the album is a bit overly orchestrated and overdone for a natural debut. The band was ambitious, of course but they hadn’t yet mastered the studio environment and were reliant on along to get them there… with mixed results. It’s a not a bad album by any means, it’s just not up to par with what came after.
Genesis has long been a hard band for me to fully understand. I see the brilliance, and the band is full of exemplary musicians, especially with Steve Hackett and Phil Collins in the mix, but I struggle with the trajectory and the overall objective of what the music is looking to convey. Truthfully, this is why I keep coming back to them. Eventually I expect I’ll find that door to the next level of understanding. In the meantime, I am content to wonder what the hell is wrong with my listening sensibilities, haha.
1974 US repress on London Records. This may come as a shock, but I did buy this pristine copy *used* at a record show… possibly for $5 or less. Despite appearances, it does play pretty good.
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