A TRICK OF THE TAIL

While it doesn't include the "classic" Genesis lineup with Peter Gabriel, I have always thought this was their best release. (Nursery Cryme a close second). Steve Hackett shines forth on this release like on no other. Not a single song on this album is less than perfect to me. It contains great melodies- "Entangled", "Ripples" being the standouts. The opener and "Squonk" are great! In fact, "Squonk" is my all-time favorite Genesis track. Great lyrics and a strong beat keep this always interesting. "Trick of the Tale" is just a plain cool song with a great story and a foot-tapping beat. The only "maybe" soft spot on this is "Robbery Assault and Battery" which goes on a little long and seems like it is trying to be "Harold the Barrel" or "The Battle of Epping Forest". But, it is not bad, just not as "perfect" as the rest. 5 stars with no hesitation. By far the best Phil-era Genesis.