NURSERY CRYME

This is Genesis's most overrated album. Sure, it's good. Some of the songs border on greatness. But there's nothing that's truly essential here, let alone a masterpiece. 3 stars for the first effort from the classic lineup.

The Musical Box (4.5/5): I'm always happy to hear Peter grab the flute. This is the kind of mini-epic that Genesis usually does well on. This is a well executed attempt, and their songwriting will mature. Steve and Phil both do an excellent job of showing why they should be considered upgrades here.

For Absent Friends (3.5/5): This always struck me as filler, but as really GOOD filler. Some nice lyrics and a rare fondly sentimental vocal performance.

Return of the Giant Hogweed (4/5): Together with The Musical Box, this is the other reason to listen to the album. An earlier reviewer has said that if you don't "get" the introduction to Hogweed, you don't "get" prog. Certainly this song stretches all kinds of limits.

Seven Stones (2/5): I don't like this one much. It's a plodding song that seems to lack a lot in creativity and relies far too much on the keyboards.

Harold the Barrel (3.5/5): This one is hardly a masterpiece, but it's a witty performance and really shows The Gabe's versatility.

Harlequin (1/5): The world didn't really need to hear this song. The ensemble vocals just don't work here, and that and the guitar work is what this song is all about.

The Fountain of Salmacis (3/5): There's a lot of nice subtleties to listen to on this track, but the song just doesn't grab you like The Musical Box does.