SPOT THE PIGEON

For those who wished Steve Hackett would've hung around a little longer, this is a 3-song EP that's worth a purchase if not priced too outrageously. (It only exists in its original vinyl form, but 2 of the 3 songs can be found on the Genesis Archives 2 box.) Recorded during the 'Wind And Wuthering' sessions, you get two upbeat pop-leaning tracks and a bona fide Genesis classic with "Inside And Out". Those first two songs are fairly forgettable, hardly essential additions to the Genesis collection unless you're a completist. "Match Of The Day" is probably the weakest song, with Phil not putting much effort into the vocal performance. It's about soccer, and you can expect a lighthearted musical approach to match the funny lyrical approach. It truly sounds like filler, as if they wrote it in their sleep. "Pigeons" is a short tune recalling their 1983 hit "That's All", so if you like that sort of bounce to your Genesis, go for it. It doesn't appeal to me, but I have to admit the lyrics are a great read, typically wacky British humor at its best. Then there's "Inside And Out", so damn good it's baffling as to why they decided to leave it off of 'Wind And Wuthering'. With it's ballad- esque intro, it would've made the great 'W & W' album even better had they used this instead of "Your Own Special Way". C'est la vie. From the tranquil beginning, which builds up the storyline of the song, it then widens into a lush section propped up with acoustic guitars in the tradition of their early days, as well as Tony Banks' well-layered keyboards. Then things get a bit more kinetic, with Banks flying all over the keyboard, Michael Rutherford displaying his underrated bass finesse, and Hackett's amazing guitar voice becoming the real highlight of this exciting song. A fun little record to put in your collection as a coda to Hackett's last hurrah on the 'Seconds Out' live album, but it's only "Inside And Out" that justifies its purchase.