NURSERY CRYME

Genesis' third album, Nursery Cryme, features our first look at the classic Genesis lineup of Peter Gabriel (voices, flute, precusion), Tony Banks (keyboards, 12-string guitar, backing vocals, Mike Rutherford (bass, 12-string guitar, bass pedals, backing vocals) and newcomers Steve Hackett (guitars) and Phil Collins (drums, percussion, harmony vocal, backing vocals, lead vocals on For Absent Friends). This lineup is the one that gained Genesis the exposure and fame that they strove so hard for.

The Musical Box, The Return of the Giant Hogweed, and The Fountain of Salmacis are all classics of symphonic prog. In fact these songs practically define progressive rock. They are some of the strongest songs in Genesis' repetoire, with the Musical Box still making appearances in concert.

This is not to say that the other songs are not anything much; au contraire! They arequite decent, especially Harlequin and Seven Stones. The most interesting thing about For Absent Friends is that it has Collins taking the lead vocal for the first time, and he does quite well. Harrold the Barrel is a humerous but sick piece about a man committing suicide by jumping off of a building.

All in all, this album is a potent harbinger of things to come from Genesis. It is a definate step up from Nursery Cryme, and points proudly to the future for the upcoming Foxtrot album.