The Album Review Club - Week #145 - (page 1923) - Tellin' Stories - The Charlatans

[crublue1]

I always felt early Genesis had a bit more 'soul' than the other Prog bands..I think that's down to Peter Gabriel.

I must admit on first listen I found the vocals strangely comforting, I'm only aware of his solo work really, but hearing him on this was reassuring, a familiar voice in a different setting. (To me anyway)

 

[Brightwell’s left peg]

Not a fan of prog rock, always found it tedious and hard work. The tracks always seemed to be far too long, with unnecessarily self indulgent solos. Hence I've not really been arsed with early genesis (or later genesis for that matter)

When I looked at the track times on this my heart sank a little, the best part of an hour, and only 6 tunes.
Another fucking bore fest then I presumed.
I was fully expecting to instantly hate it, call it shite and move on.
So I stuck it on in the car on the way home from work and I was pleasantly surprised, it's no way near as "proggy" as I expected. Ok it's a bit of a culture shock for the untrained ear, but once I tuned in, I found myself liking it far more than I expected to. There's plenty here to keep me interested. It's unpredictable, which I really like in music. If this is typical of early genesis then maybe I've been missing out?
Looking forward to giving it a proper go now.

This thread is brilliant for the reasons stated above, no way would I have listened to this, not a chance.
So far so good, and another great pick.

Welcome to the real Genesis

 

[crublue1]

I enjoy classical music and I do think this is part of the enjoyment. I can just get caught up in the music.

Funnily enough I was thinking this genre is similar to classical music in the way you have to listen to it. (For me at least)
It's more of a study, you have to concentrate on it, really give it the time and thought it deserves

 

[crublue1]

Welcome to the real Genesis

Will I need a jacket?

 

[blueparrot]

Not a fan of prog rock, always found it tedious and hard work. The tracks always seemed to be far too long, with unnecessarily self indulgent solos. Hence I've not really been arsed with early genesis (or later genesis for that matter)

When I looked at the track times on this my heart sank a little, the best part of an hour, and only 6 tunes.
Another fucking bore fest then I presumed.
I was fully expecting to instantly hate it, call it shite and move on.
So I stuck it on in the car on the way home from work and I was pleasantly surprised, it's no way near as "proggy" as I expected. Ok it's a bit of a culture shock for the untrained ear, but once I tuned in, I found myself liking it far more than I expected to. There's plenty here to keep me interested. It's unpredictable, which I really like in music. If this is typical of early genesis then maybe I've been missing out?
Looking forward to giving it a proper go now.

This thread is brilliant for the reasons stated above, no way would I have listened to this, not a chance.
So far so good, and another great pick.

I’m not really a prog fan and there are only really 3 Genesis albums I like, this is one, Wind and wuthering and Selling England by the pound. The rest, in my opinion have some good tracks but aren’t albums I can listen to without skipping tracks.

 

[GoatersLeftShin]

That's what gets me...they were only around 22 years old when they made this. Some of the arrangements border on classical.
Having said that, King Crimson were about the same age when they recorded their first album. Roger Waters was around 30 when Floyd made DSOTM.

It astounds me that 22 year olds can make music like this - there's a real maturity in this album. DSOTM is one of my all time favourites and I can 'hear' that he's older mind. Another one to bear in mind is that The Beatles weren't even 30 before they finished. Some people just have a natural talent to produce music and I find it absolutely astonishing how anyone could "hear" these albums in their head and then produce them.

Anyway, I'd not heard this album before and I absolutely love it. I'd heard a few albums like The Lamb... which I loved as well but in all honesty, I think part of the reason I'd never really bothered too much with Genesis is because of what Phil Collins became.

However, this album is absolutely superb and make no doubt about it, Foxtrot is top class prog. I love Peter Gabriel's voice, it's such a rich sound and his delivery is superb. The drumming mixes rock beats and blends into jazz beats and back. The complexity of the arrangements and musicianship is astonishing - particularly given their age. Not only is it technically excellent, it's very melodic. Prog gets bad press, but when it's done well and when it's done as good as this, it's truly brilliant. I've no doubt that Genesis could play with an Orchestra or Jazz Band and not break sweat.

I don't want to sound "old fashioned", but it's hard to imagine bands today doing something like this. This is why I love the 70s - the quality, invention and diversity of styles is mind blowing.

Thanks for recommending this album @Marklr I am going to be playing this a good few times from now on!

 

[Onholiday(somemightsay)]

It astounds me that 22 year olds can make music like this - there's a real maturity in this album. DSOTM is one of my all time favourites and I can 'hear' that he's older mind. Another one to bear in mind is that The Beatles weren't even 30 before they finished. Some people just have a natural talent to produce music and I find it absolutely astonishing how anyone could "hear" these albums in their head and then produce them.

Anyway, I'd not heard this album before and I absolutely love it. I'd heard a few albums like The Lamb... which I loved as well but in all honesty, I think part of the reason I'd never really bothered too much with Genesis is because of what Phil Collins became.

However, this album is absolutely superb and make no doubt about it, Foxtrot is top class prog. I love Peter Gabriel's voice, it's such a rich sound and his delivery is superb. The drumming mixes rock beats and blends into jazz beats and back. The complexity of the arrangements and musicianship is astonishing - particularly given their age. Not only is it technically excellent, it's very melodic. Prog gets bad press, but when it's done well and when it's done as good as this, it's truly brilliant. I've no doubt that Genesis could play with an Orchestra or Jazz Band and not break sweat.

I don't want to sound "old fashioned", but it's hard to imagine bands today doing something like this. This is why I love the 70s - the quality, invention and diversity of styles is mind blowing.

Thanks for recommending this album @Marklr I am going to be playing this a good few times from now on!

You are bang on the money with your reservations over what Collins became - I really struggle with his solo stuff (and him) and it has always put me off venturing into Genesis (yes, sounds stupid I know).

However, this thread provides me with a different angle of approach. No preconceptions, just fresh ears and hopefully a clear mind.

@Marklr I am looking forward to your pick............

 

[Marklr]

You are bang on the money with your reservations over what Collins became - I really struggle with his solo stuff (and him) and it has always put me off venturing into Genesis (yes, sounds stupid I know).

However, this thread provides me with a different angle of approach. No preconceptions, just fresh ears and hopefully a clear mind.

@Marklr I am looking forward to your pick............

If it gets a bit too much on the first half...listen to Suppers Ready on another day. It can stand alone.

 

[Saddleworth2]

For those that really enjoy 'early' Genesis as showcased by @Markir choice of Foxtrot, there is a rich seam of music that continues to this day in the shape of Steve Hackett's solo work.

Many people believe that Genesis changed when Gabriel left (and they did) but to me the even more profound changes came when Steve Hackett the guitarist left. Genesis made A Trick of the Tail and Wind and Wuthering with Steve but without Peter and both are fine albums in the early Genesis tradition. It was only after those albums that Phil Collins influence on the music took them down an extremely commercial but far less interesting route. So anyone that really enjoys Foxtrot will also like the albums that came before it (Trespass and Nursery Cryme) and the four that came after (Selling England by the Pound, Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, Wind and Wuthering and Trick of the Tail). I have purposely omitted the album Genesis to Exodus (their very first album). Whilst it is interesting to Geeks like me, it is unrepresentative of their later work.

Steve has been making music and touring since he left Genesis in 1977 and continues to make inspired guitar based prog rock. I can recommend for anyone interested, his debut solo album Voyage of the Acolyte as typical of his work. If you can catch him live, he tours annually and plays half his own stuff and the second half is devoted to early Genesis and frankly, his live show musically eclipses what live early Genesis could produce albeit without the bizarre red dress and foxes head that Gabriel had a penchant for. There are some wonderful full concerts on You Tube. Here is an example of his band playing Suppers Ready (with full orchestra).



A couple have mentioned Foxtrot as almost like classical music and there is a great deal of truth in that. Most of the band were educated at Charterhouse where they received a classic education and Banks mother was a classical pianist and he in particular was immersed in the genre from a very early age and has gone on to compose and record classical music. There are some wonderful examples of prog/classical compositions in their work. Check out Firth of Fifth on Selling England and Fountain of Salmacis on Nursery Cryme where the classic influence is particularly clear.

 

[journolud]

For those that really enjoy 'early' Genesis as showcased by @Markir choice of Foxtrot, there is a rich seam of music that continues to this day in the shape of Steve Hackett's solo work.

Many people believe that Genesis changed when Gabriel left (and they did) but to me the even more profound changes came when Steve Hackett the guitarist left. Genesis made A Trick of the Tail and Wind and Wuthering with Steve but without Peter and both are fine albums in the early Genesis tradition. It was only after those albums that Phil Collins influence on the music took them down an extremely commercial but far less interesting route. So anyone that really enjoys Foxtrot will also like the albums that came before it (Trespass and Nursery Cryme) and the four that came after (Selling England by the Pound, Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, Wind and Wuthering and Trick of the Tail). I have purposely omitted the album Genesis to Exodus (their very first album). Whilst it is interesting to Geeks like me, it is unrepresentative of their later work.

Steve has been making music and touring since he left Genesis in 1977 and continues to make inspired guitar based prog rock. I can recommend for anyone interested, his debut solo album Voyage of the Acolyte as typical of his work. If you can catch him live, he tours annually and plays half his own stuff and the second half is devoted to early Genesis and frankly, his live show musically eclipses what live early Genesis could produce albeit without the bizarre red dress and foxes head that Gabriel had a penchant for. There are some wonderful full concerts on You Tube. Here is an example of his band playing Suppers Ready (with full orchestra).



A couple have mentioned Foxtrot as almost like classical music and there is a great deal of truth in that. Most of the band were educated at Charterhouse where they received a classic education and Banks mother was a classical pianist and he in particular was immersed in the genre from a very early age and has gone on to compose and record classical music. There are some wonderful examples of prog/classical compositions in their work. Check out Firth of Fifth on Selling England and Fountain of Salmacis on Nursery Cryme where the classic influence is particularly clear.

Probably not a popular view but I thought “and then there were three”, the first after Hackett is underrated and was a decent effort. I did lose interest in what came after