A TRICK OF THE TAIL

"A Trick of the Tail" is the first Genesis album to feature Phil Collins on lead vocals after Peter Gabriel's departure. Phil Collins doesn't sound particularly confident in himself as a singer on this record like he would on later records, though I still think he sounds really good on this album, especially on the more acoustic numbers. "A Trick of the Tail" uses a similar structure to "Selling England by the Pound" where each bombastic track has a foil track. It's a tried and tested structure for a cohesive album. Despite the similitude, "A Trick of the Tail" in my opinion, outside of a couple songs, sounds musically unlike any Genesis album that came before it, in a way that I can't quite describe.

"Dance on a Volcano" opens the album. Immediately, any doubts one might have of Genesis being able to continue without Gabriel disappear. This is a great song with cool rhythms, and the coda is chaotic but in a good way. "Entangled" is one of my favorite Genesis songs. The twelve-string acoustic guitars remind me of what I'm used to hearing from Genesis. Phil Collins gives a gorgeous vocal performance. The mellotron at the end is one of the most beautiful pieces of music I've ever heard, and never fails to give me full-body chills. "Squonk" is a heavy song with a Led Zeppelin-esque groove. The 3-2 clave at the end of the song is brilliant. "Mad Man Moon" is a piano ballad with some of Tony Banks' best piano playing, particularly during the midsection where he is playing the unbelievably fast triplet arpeggios. Phil Collins' singing also sounds really good on this track.

The second side of the album contains a mix of great and bad songs. "Robbery, Assault, and Battery" sees the band trying to imitate the quirky, amusing songs they did with Peter Gabriel on vocals. The chorus is appalling, but the instrumental moments that border on fusion aren't bad. "Ripples" is probably my favorite song on the album. Similar to "Entangled", it starts off with tranquil acoustic guitars. The song slowly crescendos and by the second chorus, the drums enter. The chorus is gorgeous. The bridge contains reversed Steve Hackett guitar, which is excellent. By the end, I'm in tears. The music and lyrics are moving beyond words. "A Trick of the Tail" is possibly my least favorite song. It's a throwaway, Beatles inspired number, and it doesn't do much for me. "Los Endos" closes the album and verges on jazz fusion. Phil Collins drumming is fantastic. The beginning of "Dance on a Volcano" is reprised with an epic drum fill leading into a reprise of the main "Squonk" riff. Phil Collins sings at the end, with lyrics that allude to the "As Sure As Eggs is Eggs" section of "Supper's Ready", reminding us of where the band came from and where they are currently.

In conclusion, "A Trick of the Tail" sees Genesis adapting to the major change after Peter Gabriel's departure from the band. It's a strong album, but like most Genesis albums, there are a couple songs that undermine the strength of the album as a whole.