SELLING ENGLAND BY THE POUND

The year was 1973 and progressive rock was at its peak. Pink Floyd released Dark Side of the Moon, an album with the rare dual roles of being one of the greatest in Prog history, but also one of the most commercially successful of all time. Yes released their most ambitious album, Tales from Topographic Oceans. An 80 minute concept album in four movements. Jethro Tull, following on from their Prog parody that become one of the signature Prog albums, Thick as a Brick, went further into experimentation, dividing fans just as Yes had, with A Passion Play. King Crimson released Larks' Tongues in Aspic. Mahavishnu Orchestra, Gentle Giant, and ELP also had major releases. Aside from all these great works, there may have been none greater than Genesis's offering that same year, Selling England by the Pound.

According to this site, Selling England by the Pound is the number one Prog album of all time. It appears to wrestle for first place alongside Yes's, Close to the Edge, and Jethro Tull's, Thick as a Brick. And despite having two rather mediocre tracks, being I Know What I Like, and More Fool Me, it excels in its longer tracks, highlights being, Dancing with the Moonlit Knight, Firth of Fifth, and The Cinema Show. Although their previous release, Foxtrot, contained no weak tracks, the quality of the good tracks on Selling England by the Pound more than makes up for these weaker interludes to the real masterpieces.

Musical originality and diversity helps the album reach its revered status. Steve Hackett uses tapping on Dancing with the Moonlit Knight, a guitar technique that wouldn't be fully explored for many years to come. The music gets very complex, with odd rhythms and the use of experimentation with complex time signatures. Firth of Fifth begins with a short classical piano piece. Genesis use their signature harmonised acoustic guitar arpeggios to great effect.

A masterpiece.