SELLING ENGLAND BY THE POUND

I used to think that this album was pretty overrated on progarchives, but I've come to change my mind after many more listenings. While there is some filler (More Fool Me), there are many enjoyable moments on this album. This album also had the classic lineup of Banks, Collins, Gabriel, Hackett, and Rutherford, and it had even better production than its predecessor Foxtrot.

The album starts with Dancing with the Moonlit Knight, one of the finest songs on the album. The song starts with Peter Gabriel singing a capella, until he is joined by some accoustic guitar and keyboard melodies. Around two minutes in, the song becomes more intense, and later segues into some tapping done on the electric guitar by Hackett. Although the last two minutes of the song could've been trimmed down a bit, it's still amazing. Afterward comes Genesis's first radio single, I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe). This song is pretty poppy, yet features some great drumming from Phil Collins. While not a highlight of the album, it doesn't really drag it down either. It's neither great nor terrible by any means. Then comes the classic Firth of Fifth. This song clearly is the gem of the album, and in its entirety does not drag at all. The guitar solo around the six minute mark to the eight minute mark is simply sublime. More Fool Me is pretty bad and uninspired, but I've come to tolerate it. The Battle of Epping Forest is another story song by Genesis, and like the others it has many vocals, which are used to help serve the story. I find this weaker than Get Em Out By Friday and The Fountain of Salmacis, which are similar in that they tell a story with multiple characters. That said, this song is still great, though a little too long. After the Ordeal is a great instrumental with nice guitar work by Hackett. The Cinema Show is another classic. At 10 minutes this song has no real filler. Even the keyboard solo, which is roughly 4 minutes long, does not drag at all. This is the second best song of the album, right after Firth of Fifth. The album then closes with Aisle of Plenty, which features some melodies from the opening Dancing with the Moonlit Knight.

I'd say that Foxtrot and Nursery Cryme are superior, but this album still is fantastic. Without More Fool Me and the Battle of Epping Forest it may well be nearly perfect, too.