NURSERY CRYME

Upon learning that Genesis was a prog rock band, my initial thought was "what, like Styx or Deep Purple, right? Not 'really' prog?" I already knew their debut was not a good example, but Trespass didn't convince me either. Nevertheless, I stuck it through to Nursery Cryme. And from the first notes of "The Musical Box" I was instantly hooked. Here Gabriel really finds his voice and the songs really start to get that theatrical quality. The lyrics feel literary and have an Oscar-Wildesque charm, with their english wit and tales of gothic horror, classical mythology, and a Victoriana motif throughout. He has entered full storyteller mode. The addition of Hackett and Collins brings things to a whole new level. Mike and Tony are as good as usual. Despite any lingering feelings from the loss of Ant Phillips, they both play really well off Hackett, who seems to be doing his best to balance his own thing with Phillips' style. The music is a bit less folky than the previous album (a trend that would continue for every following album) and a lot more dramatic. Many complain about the muddy production, but I think it gives this album a raw edge that really works for the heavier moments.

"The Musical Box" is my favorite Genesis song. It's dark and dramatic, starting with wonderful 12-string guitars and then transitioning to a much heavier sound with Tony augmenting his keyboard to sound like another heavy guitar. Forget "The Knife", this is Genesis at their most metal! The lyrics tell a gothic ghost story, perfect for Peter's prancing around stage. I'll take a moment here to mention the album cover. Paul Whitehead's surreal Neo-Victorian art paired with this song might be the best an album cover has ever complimented the music within. To anyone who claims that prog rock sacrifices aesthetics for complexity, this album should more than prove that wrong! Surprisingly the next song, "For Absent Friends", is sung by Collins and written by Hackett. Oh no, Collins has already turned Genesis into a pop band!!! Not really, this song is a nice pastoral piece with a sort of nostalgic atmosphere, ironically feeling the most like Trespass. "Return of the Giant Hogweed" is another "heavy Victorian" song, with an excellent beginning where Steve shows off his double tapping technique. Tony's piano could stand on its own as the theme from a horror movie. "Seven Stones" is another pastoral song and the first Genesis song where the Mellotron really stands out. It really points to the sound of the next album. "Harold the Barrel" is the first really humorous Genesis song. It's very dark and very catchy, and ends very somberly. "Harlequin" is another short one, but acts as a nice prelude to "The Fountain of Salmacis". I've heard that Mike really hates this song, and I really have no idea why. The grande finale has everything one looks for in early Genesis. If I was going to introduce someone to the band (and try not to scare them away) this might be the song.

Maybe not as cohesive as other albums, this is certainly a perfect collection of songs. It feels like picking up a short story collection. Maybe not an epic novel, but it doesn't need to be. It keeps you hungry for more. It took about one listen for this to rewire my brain from what I thought Genesis was to the real deal. This is essential listening for music fans everywhere and I cannot sing its praises enough!

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