CALLING ALL STATIONS

Never thought I'd be giving this album a favorable review, but here I am, giving it a favorable review - 3.5. Nearly eight years after its release, I decided to give it a spin, and I was very pleasantly surprised indeed. This album may be lame compared to early Genesis, but it should not be compared with that. If you compared it with the terrible "We Can't Dance", then it is vastly superior in every way, including singing, where Ray Wilson really shines. And it's bullshit that he sounds like Phil Collins, he does not. The album has Tony Banks written all over it, and can be regarded as his solo project. Another way of looking at it is as a Neo-prog album. If you listen to bands like Pendragon and recent Marillion, you will find many parallels in the song structure, style and especially vocals. It's ironic that Genesis has gone full circle - they've inspired the Neo-progressive movement, and have joined it in the end. Sure, the music on this album leans toward pop, but if all pop was this good, then my radio would be on most of the time, instead of gathering dust... There are plenty of thick keyboard textures and Banks puts in some tasty solos here and there. Don't expect "Colony Of Slippermen/In The Rapids" though, and you won't be disappointed. Just take it for what it is - a solid pop-rock/Neo-prog album, better written and performed that recent Marillion stuff. A keeper as far as I am concerned.