NURSERY CRYME

First of all, I think that Steve Hackett was not yet totally adapted to the sound of this band. The contrast with Anthony Phillips is evident, and if I had to choice between the guitar sounds of "Trespass" and "Nursery Crime", I prefer "Trespass"... Of course, Steve Hackett made a great work on "Nursey", but sometimes is a little too strong and less variated than the Phillips's work, and he was not able to use the acoustic guitars so well. It has very much experimentation and heaviness, but for the style that Genesis were offering in the beginnings of the 70's, I think that the work of the previous guitarrist was more idoneous, more soft and with strong contrasts. This thing changed with "Foxtrot", fortunately. But on the contrary, Phill Collins is obviously better drummer than John Mayhey, so the band improved in this way.

But after that, I have also to say that I love this strange sounds that Mr.Hackett's got from his guitars here... Like in The Musical Box, the solo in the middle of the song Is just great, strange, experimental... The use of distorted guitars is magnificent. And the end of this song has also another great guitar tune, with a solo that remerbers me to Brian May! Possible influence here?

The general style of "Nursery Crime" is stronger than "Trespass", following the steps of The Knife. Is a less delicate, more direct album. And maybe less intrincated too. The song Harold the Barrel is a good example for that. Simple and direct symphonic rock act, offering a glimpse of what Genesis will do in the future in their short tracks. The guitars have a great protagonism in this album. While in "Trespass" the keyboards and Gabriel's voice were the keynote, Steve Hackett had the most relevant role in the album. I miss a stronger presence of Tony Banks and Mike Rutherfod here...

Another memorable pieces of this album are The Return of the Giant Hodweed (is a tapping what I hear in the beginning of the song?) a definition of rock progressive in it's purest form. And Seven Stones and The Fountain of Salmacis are good too. For absent friends and Harlequin are good transition songs too... But sorry, I can't find here a song as good as Stagnation, with it's marvellous keyboard solo. Maybe The Musical Box is in the same level, but don't surpasses it.

Conclusion: an obligated album if you like the 70's prog, but in my opinion, "Nursery Crime" is a transition between the great efforth of "Trespass", and the marvellous things to come...

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