A CURIOUS FEELING

A Curious Feeling is a dazzling collection of experimental songs by Genesis keyboard maestro Tony Banks, - all of which ooze inexorable simplicity and subtlety through the usage of unorthodox chord progressions and key changes. A strange album, in many ways; for it is the debut album of Tony Banks and was released a year after 'And Then There Were Three'; the ninth Genesis studio album which marked the departure of guitarist Steve Hackett. Musically, A Curious Feeling nods heavily towards the 1976-1978 era of Genesis with its cinematic production values and quirky keyboard-driven pieces. Newcomer fans shouldn't expect too much instrumental noodling here, nor should they expect elongated synth solos for they only appear in small doses sporadically throughout the album in a very tasteful manner. It's a very representative album of Banks and very in-keeping with his musical philosophy to take full advantage of strong melodies/harmonies before concentrating too much on technique. Songs like 'Lucky Me' and 'A Curious Feeling' are fairly abstract pop songs with interesting hooks and changes. 'The Lie' and 'After the Lie' is a mini-concept suite which undergoes many musical changes ranging from bouncy-percussive sections to lavish passages of languor. 'You' begins as a fairly uneventful melodic track before bursting into a unique, harmonically inventive keyboard solo accompanied by enthralling fast-paced percussive instrumentation and jangly guitars buried into the mix; making it indubitably one of the most lively moments of the album and quite possibly one of Banks's finest keyboard solos ever. Flashes of eerie ambience appear throughout the album, particularly on the opening track 'From the Undertow' which was a key part of the soundtrack for the horror film 'The Shout' which was released a year before the album. 'Forever Morning' and 'The Waters of Lethe' are the two big pieces of the album; both incidentally are instrumental and fairly complex; - but 'After a While' is the song where intricacy and melody are diligently and supremely entwined, making it the standout song of an incredibly strong and bold album which, although plagued with occasional filler, is definitely a captivating raw insight into the peak era of Banks's creativity.