Genesis
' first truly progressive album, and their first record for the
Charisma
label (although
Trespass
was released in America by
ABC
, which is how
MCA
came to have it), is important mostly as a formative effort.
Peter Gabriel
,
Tony Banks
, and
Michael Rutherford
are here, but the guitarist is
Anthony Phillips
and the drummer is
John Mayhew
.
Gabriel
Banks
Phillips
Rutherford
are responsible for the compositions, which are far more ambitious than the group's earlier efforts (
"Silent Sun,"
etc.). Unfortunately, much of what is here is more interesting for what it points toward than what it actually does -- the group reflects a peculiarly dramatic brand of
progressive rock
, very theatrical as music, but not very successful. The lyrics are complex enough but lack the unity and clarity that would make
' subsequent albums among the most interesting of
prog rock
efforts to analyze.
's voice is very expressive but generally lacks power and confidence, while the conventional backup vocalizing by the others is wimpy, and
' playing is muted.
' keyboards are the dominant instruments, which isn't that bad, but it isn't the
that everyone came to know. The soft, lyrical
"Visions of Angels"
and
"Stagnation"
are typical, gentle works by a band that later learned how to rock much harder. Only one of the songs here,
"The Knife"
-- which rocks harder than anything else on
and is easily the best track on the album -- lasted in the group's concert repertory past the next album. ~ Bruce Eder