SELLING ENGLAND BY THE POUND

"Dancing With The Moonlit Knight" starts off with Gabriel singing all by himself, the instruments are silent. "Can you tell me where my country lies ? Said the unifaun to his true love's eyes...". That is so emotional. Acoustic guitar and piano follow then the mellotron floods in as the song kicks in. Check out the guitar playing of Hackett on this tune ! Things becomes quite pastoral 6 minutes in to the end of the song. "I Know What I Like (in your wardrobe)" was the single released from this album. For me the vocals really steal the show here. Gabriel speaks the words, he also sings the words, and he offers up some vocal melodies too. Some odd metered drumming from Collins as well. "Firth of Fifth" opens with perhaps the greatest piano melody I have ever heard. Gabriel's incredible vocals come in,and the vocal melody before 3 minutes is so emotional. We get a flute melody from Gabriel, a synth solo from Banks, and a dark, haunting, melancholic guitar solo from Hackett as the mellotron flows. The band actually had purchased a new mellotron just before this recording. It's fitting the song would end as it began with some beautiful piano melodies.

"More Fool Me" has mellow verses with fragile vocals from Collins while the chorus is more uptempo with strummed guitar. "The Battle of Epping Forest" is such a journey ! Marching band-like drums and mellotron to open.The vocals from Gabriel are brilliant as he plays different parts.There is a couple of occasions that THE BEATLES came to mind. Synths are fantastic 9 minutes in. This is just an amazing tune. "After The Ordeal" is a beautiful instrumental. "The Cinema Show" opens with 12 string guitar soon to be joined by vocals. The song brightens 2 minutes in. The sound is so delicate and intricate with these textures and shades drawing our attention. It's all too much to listen to just once. There is a vocal melody 4 minutes in that is like listening to sunshine. 6 minutes in the mood changes as we eventually hear Bank's pulsating keys and mellotron. "Aisle Of Plenty" is only a minute and a half long, but it makes you want to start the record all over again because it is sort of like a reprise of "Dancing With The Moonlit Knight".The mellotron is at it's most glorious on this song, and that is saying something because there is a lot of mellotron on this masterpiece.

And speaking of masterpieces, this is album one of the greatest ever.

Share this GENESIS review

Social review comments () BETA

---

---

Review related links

• Send comments to Mellotron Storm
• Report this review (#124698)
• Buy GENESIS music online with PA partners
• Show all GENESIS MP3/Stream
• Go to GENESIS page for videos, full discography with ratings, reviews and much more
• Go to Selling England by the Pound page for more details, where to buy and ratings/reviews
• Search the Forum for GENESIS related discussions