A TRICK OF THE TAIL

Gabriel's departure weakened the band lyrically and in his unique vocal presentation and theatricals but it did not destroy them as some would contend. This and the next album (Wind & Wuthering) were still high quality and they survived Gabriel's loss far better than that of Hackett when he left after W&W. This is a good 4* album but there are clear signs that the band was past its zenith.

Everyone knows the story: drummer Phil Collins takes over vocal duties and (fast forward 10 years) Genesis becomes the biggest band in America for a while. This is, of course, largely due to the fact that they changed their style an awful lot towards more housewife-friendly AOR. But on this, their first Collins-fronted album, things were, well, pretty much as they always were. This proved that Tony Banks's monumental synths, Phil Collins's powerhouse drumming, Steve Hackett's swooning guitar and Mike Rutherford's pulsating bass were as much a part of the Genesis sound as anything that Peter Gabriel had to offer. Here is my track-by track review of the album:

Dance On A Volcano (05:55) - Tony Banks says on "The Genesis Songbook" DVD that once they had written the intro to this song, all uncertainties about the future of Genesis were cast aside at once. Listening to the first 60 seconds, one knows exactly what he means. It is an absolutely colossal piece of music, richly melodic and ominous- sounding. This leads into the first vocal part, which has timing so complex and jerky it truly does sound like a record that is skipping. The song alternates between light and shade most effectively until about 04:20 when the tempo increases for a breathless instrumental section. A flawless start to a new chapter in the band's history. (10/10)

Entangled (06:27) - Gentler but by no means more light-hearted than the cataclysmic opener. Built on the warm and velvety sound of the 12-string guitar, this enchanting piece blissfully floats and soars until it is weighed down by the choir of mournful voices simulated by Tony Banks's trusty Mellotron. This sounds like something from a bygone century. (9/10)

Squonk (06:30) - This was, if I recall correctly, one of the songs used as an audition piece for prospective new vocalists. It tells the entertaining story of the pathetic Squonk, a mythical creature in a perpetual state of weeping. The music, with its plodding and straight-forward beat, is not too complex and very easy to sing along to. Phil Collins adds just the right amount of vocal nuances to compensate for the absence of instrumental variation. I must add that the live version done by Spock's Beard is far superior to this one. (9/10)

Mad Man Moon (07:36) - An evocative Tony Banks composition with a heavy emphasis on his beautiful piano melodies which continually alter in tempo and mood. Although Collins nails the vocal, I dare say that this could have worked equally well as an instrumental piece - such is the quality of the melodies. (10/10)

Robbery Assault and Battery (06:17) - Quaint British comedy songs are always a danger area for prog bands. Sometimes they work (Genesis - The Battle of Epping Forest), but mostly they die a horribly unfunny death (ELP - Benny The Bouncer). This one falls somewhere in between. Phil Collins does the required voices without too much resulting embarrassment, and the story itself isn't too toe-curlingly lame. But the sound of the first two and a half minutes is just a little too wispy and wafer-thin. Compare it to the more fleshed-out sound of "All In A Mouse's Night" from the Wind and Wuthering album released a year later, and you'll now what I mean. At 02:35 Tony Banks delivers his best solo on the album and the music takes a turn for the better, fortunately. A great example of a song that gets a lot better as it goes on. (8/10)

Ripples (08:06) - This is a gentle, 12-string guitar-based track much in the same vein as Entangled. Only that it is much better. In fact, it is probably the band greatest "ballad". I simply lack the words to effectively convey the atmosphere and mood created by the band on this pinnacle of their creativity. This ranks them alongside composers like Wagner and Mozart in the milieu of evoking emotion through music. No bull[&*!#]. (10/10)

A Trick of The Tail (04:35) - A lively and merry Banks composition with a great stomping beat and "doo-wop" backing vocals. Not the most intellectually stimulating of Genesis tracks (although compared to "Illegal Alien", this is like quantum physics), but it's certainly one of the most melodic and hummable. Hackett plays a great little solo very high up on his fretboard in the fade-out. (9/10)

Los Endos (05:46) - an impressive instrumental reprising many of the album's melodies and hooks. Some reviewers have likened this to Brand X (the jazz-fusion group Phil Collins was a part of around the same time as this album), but I can't validate this as I have never heard Brand X. But if they mean the drumming is manic and complex, and the whole things sounds like a really tight jam - I fully agree. Having said that, this is probably my least favourite track on the album (only by hair's breadth) That keyboard solo in Robbery really saves it you know! (8/10)

Okay, so that's it! What have we learned? Genesis sans Gabriel is still a world-class band. Is this a good place to start with Genesis? Yes. Who is the hero of this album? Collins.

If you like this, I strongly suggest you check out "Wind and Wuthering", which is marginally better.

Thank you for your time. FIVE STARS

Now to the better parts. For those of you raised on the Gabriel era stuff wishing to march on further into the bands discography you will notice that the tracks 'Entangled', 'Ripples', and 'Los Endos' still prove that there is alot to offer yet from the newly formed foursome. 'Entangled' and 'Ripples' are both similar in that they are primarily ballads and more acoutically oriented. Both are excellent, though sappy (not that there's anything wrong with that). Excellent keyboard work from Banks and guitars from Hackett dominate these tracks making me wish that Hackett had more prominence in the previous albums. 'Los Endos' is an instumental medly of the musical themes produced in the previous tracks and is an excellent stand-alone piece sealing the deal that this is definitely a decent album, but not great!

In spite of having been recorded after the shock that was Peter Gabriel's departure, "A Trick of the Tail" seems to be universally acclaimed as one of the best Genesis albums. I must admit to having always had a soft spot for both this album and its follow-up, the patchier "Wind and Wuthering", though I would never go so far as to call either of them a masterpiece.

Solid is probably the best word to describe AToT. Eight tracks, impeccably performed by a band that, in spite of having just lost their charismatic lead singer, are at the top of their game from a purely musical point of view. A quirky, very English cover in warm shades of brown and gold, and equally quirky, humour-laced lyrics. Though the loss of Gabriel's visionary, quasi-mystical slant can be felt, in a way the transition is not as strongly noticeable as one might think. Phil Collins (who had yet to become the prog musician everybody loves to hate) fulfills his vocal duties admirably: his voice may even be better than Gabriel's in a strictly technical sense, and he delivers the long, often intricate lyrics quite successfully (although I have to admit that I'm not overly keen on his use of a higher pitch, often bordering on falsetto).

AToT's standout tracks bookend the album. "Dance on a Volcano" starts out with a very distinctive, explosive drum and organ riff that paints a sort of sonic picture of the song's lyrical content. If one had any doubts left as to Phil Collins' skills as a drummer (however much one can hate him for his later career), his commanding performance on this song immediately clears the ground - besides, the interplay between the four band members is nothing short of dazzling. Energetic, uplifting "Los Endos", possibly the foremost candidate for Genesis' best instrumental, closes the album by cleverly reprising the themes of all the other songs, with Banks' majestic keyboard washes dominating the proceedings.

The other tracks offer a wide spectrum of moods and musical textures, though they can be neatly divided in two strains: the mellow and melodic (wistful, dreamy "Entangled", with the unexpected sting in the tail of its dryly ironical closing lines; lush, keyboard-laden ballad "Ripples"; the beautiful piano melody of "Mad Man Moon", featuring some excellent, understated singing from Collins) and the more upbeat (tongue-in-cheek "Robbery, Assault and Battery", somewhat reminiscent of "The Battle of Epping Forest"; drum-and keyboard-driven "Squonk", and the quirky, endearingly poppy tune which is the title-track).

Unfortunately, Genesis' golden years were reaching their end, though on this album the future development of the band's sound still seems quite remote. AToT is certainly a more than worthwile offering from one of the seminal, most influential bands of prog, although not as challenging as their Gabriel-era masterpieces. However, you could definitely do worse than add it to your collection and enjoy it for years to come.

Collins does well making up for Gabriel on the vocals. The lyrics, as well, aren't too shabby. One of the very few faults of this album's is there isn't a large amount of inspiring moments, or musical diversity. Some of the tracks seem to repeat themselves endlessly, which isn't awful, since they are, in fact, good moments. The rocking-out sections aren't as complex as they were back in the good ol' days, or as adrenaline-pumping. But Banks' writing is at a peak here, and the piano sounds he generates are so entirely spooky, eerie, moving, and unique, that buying it is certainly worthwhile. The album art is nice, and sound quality is great. A good album any Symphonic fan, Genesis fan, or general prog fan seeking to know Genesis better must buy. Enjoy.

"Dance on A Volcano" shows right off the bat that they weren't going anywhere. Great song- I love 7/8 so much. I also love the last minute or two when Tony and Steve just become one and go nuts.

"Entangled" is like something played in heaven. It's so light... almost like a dream sequence or a fantasy...

"Squonk"- typical great song, for some reason gets lost in my mind by some other songs.

"Mad Man Moon" is sometimes my favorite song of this era. Such a brilliantly written song. Peter isn;t the only one that can dish out witty prog lyrics. Tony really shows his geni(s)ous on this one. Beatiful piano parts. Really, don't miss this one.

"Robbery, Assault, and Battery"- Funny. Makes me laugh. Phil and Tony show they're comical side again.

"Ripples"- Oh my. They just keep coming. This is one of the greatest songs ever (how many times have i used the word "great"?). Piano again is great, plus great Steve guitar at the end. Another can't miss.

"Trick"- Still great. 'tis said to be the weakest track on the album, but look at what it's up against. Love it too.

"Los Endos"- Amazing finish. Gives me chills. All need be said.

Despite my comment on "Mad Man Moon", I really don't have a favorite off here. One smack of euphoria (any Brand X fans?) after another. Definately a prog masterpiece. Listen to it.

Speaking of Steve's guitar work on this album, it seems pretty sparse. Steve's unique style adds so much to Genesis' music, and it makes the first and last track shine more than the others. In my opinion this album is a step backwards for Genesis and I think that it is definitely because of the loss of Gabriel. Also, I think that the next album Wind and Wuthering is much better, and this is due to much more guitar from Hackett. Also, Wind and Wuthering just sounds so much more progressive to me. There are many more tempo changes, changes in dynamics, and powerful instrumental passages. This is not a bad album by any means, but compared to the previous work of the band it is definitely not up to par. So, for me this album is just "good."

I think the sense of relief at Phil's ability to handle the vocals overcame me for a while and I wasn't as critical of the album as I am now.

There are some kick ass moments in Dance on a Volcano, Squonk and Los Endos for sure, but I don't hear a lot of Hackett's influence or trademark guitar.

Other problems for me are: Entangled- (nice, but overextended); Mad Man Moon- (lyrics, more on that later); Robbery, Assault and Battery (an attempt to deliver a Gabriel-esque song involving multiple characters- more on that later too); Ripples- (actually, not much wrong with that except again overlong for the musical ideas it contains); Trick of the Tail- (pleasant enough but nothing stunning);

What it really seems to lack to me is the lyrical complexity and humour that Gabriel brought to the band. Collins doesn't have Gabriel's ability to assume different persona within songs either.

So it's pretty good, but certainly with hindsight it marks the beginning of end for the classic Genesis sound, a trend that continued with Wind and Wuthering and ended with And Then There Were Three.

But at this point, the album begins to lose me. Robbery and Ripples are not bad songs, but the rest do little for me. Most of the rest of the album just sort of washes over me and seem nondescript and a little boring. Still, there is nothing terrible or unlistenable, just nothing that does much for me. Final track, Los Endos is a nice coda to the album and does a great job of pulling all the major themes of the album together in an exciting and impressive way.

Overall, not one of the better albums from early Genesis, and probably my least favorite of their prog period (I don't count their debut........since I've never heard it and have no interest in hearing it). Still, a decent album though that is deserving of a three star rating, even if only for the two excellent opening tracks.

With "Dance on a Vulcano" I immediately was reassured that MY Genesis was not dead. The intro is of course great, but what we all were waiting for was to hear Phil's vocals and compare them to Peter's one : the master.

Well, honestly Phil is doing a great job here. I was quite scared though, because so far Phil's reference were mainly backing vocals or some reply to Peter (Play Me My song ... Here It Comes Again). Not to mention the disastrous "For Absent Friends" and "More Fool Me". So this opener was quite a relief.

"Entangled" is a superb melodious track. Accoustic and mellow but very nice. More commercial than usual probably: all sweetness and harmony. On the contrary of "Squonk" which is one of their harder song so far and will be the opener of their live performances in the live tour that followed (I was lucky to see this one - but I will tell you more about it in my review for "Seconds Out").

"Mad Man Moon" on the contrary will never be played live. IMHHO, it is the best track of the album : great piano work, nice melody and a good lenght to develop the idea. A top ten in their repertoire and a composition of the sole Tony Banks.

"Robbery, Assault & Battery" opens the B side and as far as I can remember it led to their first true video clip with Phil disguised in a robber. It is a good rock and pop song. Maybe a first sign of things to come...

"Ripples" was also one of my fave from the album at that time. A long, mellow accoustic ballad. Maybe I was too melancholic at the time. This song has not really passed the proof of time (at least I have reversed my feeling and I much more appreciate "Dance On A Vulcano" and the excellent closing number "Los Endos" - "The Ends" than 30 years ago).

The title track generated another video clip as well but is the weakest track of this album. a gentle rock ballad, with an upbeat chorus. No more.

Four stars for this work. A huge relief.

For those who never have heard anything from Genesis, this record is good for a start. Songs like Entangled, Sqounk, and of course title song a trick of the tail itself should be enjoyable even for a person without any particular interest for progressive rock.

A very good record!

But the high fidelity and undeniable power of "Dance on a Volcano" with it's odd conga-line-from-hell beat grabbed me by the aural lapels and made me realize that I had better take Genesis seriously for this strong collection of songs was obviously a force to be reckoned with. Therefore, Trick of the Tail remains one of my favorite Genesis albums because it was my first to own. Steve Hackett's gorgeous twelve-string opens "Entangled" and Phil Collins' amazing vocals made me wonder why this excellent singer had been hiding behind the drum kit for so long. (I really knew nothing of their history). Then Tony Banks' synthesizer and Mellotron take over, creating a wonderful and mysterious atmosphere. "Squonk" bursts through the speakers like the second coming and never lets up in its intensity. It's quality rock and roll but it certainly doesn't sound like anything else that was being produced at that time.

"Mad Man Moon" is without question one of the best songs Tony has ever written. There is a palpable mood of sadness that runs throughout the tune as Phil sings "If this desert's all there'll ever be then tell me what becomes of me, a fall of rain?" It's a very poetic piece. The keyboard interlude is absolutely brilliant in its structure and feel as it leads to the fast- paced but brief bridge. If you've ever wondered why Tony Banks is so highly regarded by proggies worldwide, this alone should answer any questions about his ability. The song ends as peacefully as it began and is one of the standouts of the album. "Robbery, Assault and Battery" is a bit of levity that is inventive and clever in its arrangements of varied musical ideas. Again, it is Banks' brilliant middle section that draws this song up from the realm of the ordinary and makes it unique. His Hammond organ work is spectacular here.

One of the things that makes these songs stand out are the well-written lyrics (especially considering that Gabriel, one of the greatest rock lyricists ever, was no longer around) and "Ripples" may be the best example of all. It's about the inevitable effects of aging and the refrain of "Sail away, away, ripples never come back. Gone to the other side, sail away, away." is haunting and memorable. Again, Mr. Collins delivers a passionate and poignant vocal, doing this beautiful song complete justice. It's yet another of my favorite Genesis tunes. "A Trick of the Tail" is a strange little song that fits well enough here but, frankly, is quickly forgotten. "Los Endos" is a perfect instrumental finale that sorta wraps up all the various themes of the album into a forceful and strong coda.

My thinking is that when Peter Gabriel announced his pending departure the remaining four bandmembers, rather than becoming discouraged, decided to pool their creative imaginations together and shock the music world with a defiant and defining statement that they were far from finished. None more so than Tony Banks who has a writing credit on every tune. In many ways the group was just starting a whole new journey together with a new sound (for better and for worse) that would take them from relative obscurity to the top of the charts in just a few years' time. The remastered version is exquisite and sounds as fresh and exciting as the first time I heard it three decades ago. It was one of the first "progressive rock" albums that wasn't discordant or difficult to absorb for the general public, inviting a whole new audience to see and listen to innovative music in a whole new light. It is truly a landmark.

Personal favorites are "Dance on a volcano" and "Mad Mad Moon" but all are very good. "Moon" is especially beautiful with very good lyrics, great chord progression, and awesome piano. Tony Banks is one heck of a songwriter. Although it would be nice to have Gabriel on here, they do very, very well without him.

I would recommend this to anyone, and to you "Gabriel only" genesis fans, give this one a chance. There is some good stuff on here.

Great music.

With few exceptions, this might be one of the most accessible prog albums. It has a certain warmth to it that many could find themselves enjoying. As I find with many other Genesis works, some of this falls flat on it's face however, for being downright boring.

My favorite piece is the opener, which sounds similar to much of the PG era Genesis, it's actually quite a good piece, with interesting dynamics and memorable melodies. However, much of the rest of the work is just too dull for me. Rarely can we find a powerful and moving moment, rarely a sign of innovative songwriting.

There appears to be a lack of artistry in much of this. There's no flavor, no pizzazz. It's lukewarm water. It might be something we all need, but we prefer it in other forms, like a refreshing brew. Something with some kick in it. Inspiration seems almost completely gone, and it is no wonder (and with such ease) as to how the band went to pop. A Trick of The Tail isn't bad per se, but it's nothing special.

From the first notes of Dancing on a Volcano, you know the band went back to Nursery Cryme and SEBTP for initial inspiration. This album is a natural follower of the later, and togheter with W&W, makes "The Lamb..." look like the odd album in a great sequence. We have all those great lush athmospheres created by Banks and Hackett (Entangled has got to be the most beautiful thing they ever wrote togheter), great vocals from Phil (along with drums, the only thing he does right - damned be the the day he was handed a pen) and the usual skill of Mike. The survival of the Prog-Machine Genesis seemed assured when listening to songs like the Dancing on a Volcano, Squonk, Robbery, Assault & Battery and Los Endos, with their fantastic rhythm changes, faster pace and symphonic passages. Mad Mad Moon and Ripples served well their purpose as softer, more romantic pieces, well complemented by Steve's guitar, especially the later, with its ethereal middle section. The title track is definitly the gayer in an album that is generally somber, and the closest Genesis had ever come to a pop-track.

One of the reasons I like this album so much probably has to do with the fact that there is so much Hackett in it. Yet while some might say Wind & Wuthering has even more Hackett (and good Hackett it is!), we notice here that there was still present a strong will in driving the band forward, with each member contribuiting with as much good material as possible. This is the product of a band who almost desperatly wanted to prove, and successfuly did, that they could last without what was generally assumed to be it's driving force. Something that I feel was beggining to lack in W&W.

Genesis was also very good at shades of darkness and light, shifting from Dance on a Volcano's hard edge to Entangled's tinkling keys, tinkling percussion, ethereal synths and janglely acoustics guitars. It don't get any better.

Squonk, that "imaginary being" song, has always been my favorite from the album. As an adolescent first hearing those lyrics, I could relate to the strangeness I felt about just being me, "what's the difference when you don't know the reason?" During puberty we are all squonks, pools of emotion. Anyway...

Mad Man Moon takes you on a Pan-like journey of the mind. I love the bridge from this tune. Banks keyboards standout brilliantly. Robbery, Assault and Battery is a bit of fun, but may well be the weakest track here. Ripples returns to the softer side of prog, lilting and filled with lyrical imagery and subdued instrumental expression. A Trick of the Tail took awhile to click for me, but it's message is still appropriate for the turbulent times of today. Los Endos is an excellent instrumental, which cleverly recaptures elemts of the complete album.

4.5 stars... Every prog fan should own this one.

Not that I want to get into the historical side too much. Music is what matters here, and the guys do a good job. I'm not particularly fond of "Dance on a Volcano", though it's interesting to see how there's a jazzy vibe running here, sort of the work Phil did with Brand X back then. But then two of the most solid Genesis songs I can remember come in: "Entangled", a gentle and emotional waltz with funny lyrics that when you think it's over, hammers you in the head with an epic mellotron extended ending. "Squonk" with it's heavy and steady beat (Almost a slow headbanging thing) and the story about this mythical animal who dissolves to tears when cornered. Unfortunately, though the song is long in its own terms, I never thought it found the right way to go out... it could have gone on and instead dissolves, just like the Squonk itself. Could that have been the point?

"Mad Man Moon" is what from this point on one could recognise as Banks' work. I'm really fond of Tony's work, but his kind of emotional songs I tend to skip from time to time. "Robbery, Assault and Battery" is a song I never liked, I hate the lyrics and the melody never felt special, except for the jazzy parts, that is... great addition to the Genesis pool of resources. "Ripples" is Genesis in full emotional mode again. Nice song, but again, not one I relate to very much. The title track follows, and it's a happy beatle-esque thing, really enjoyable. Finally, "Los Endos" creates a medley out of instrumental parts of the album. Not mind-blowing but interesting, and certainly better crafted than what Queen tried to do with its "Jazz" album closer some years later.

In short, a very good album with some uneven points, but really recommended.

Well, no, it's not bad at all, said I, after a few listenings. No Peter here. OK, this is just another band. Listen and enjoy. I will. Actually, it's not. What? Another band. I don't have that impression. So, you're trying to tell me that Phil guy actually can sing.

But we knew that already.

After the first seconds of listening of those crazy diminished guitar chords on "Dance On A Volcano", we are aware that the guys didn't lost the plot. And production is very good; Nursery Cryme days are gone for good. This is focused, but not conceptual; mature, but not boring; brilliant but not a masterpiece. Hm. I really should leave that sentence for the end of the review. But it is, it's obvious. Actually it is a masterpiece - a masterpiece of between-Gabriel's-presence and Hackett's-unpresence period.

What is going on?

Two brilliant tracks. Two very good tracks. One very significant track. A lovely overture. And the rest, with its ups and downs, but filling the album perfectly. Actually, "filling" is not a good word because it will leave a bad impression. And there is no song here that left a bad impression on me. Some are weaker, but still very enjoyable.

The weakest one is, perhaps, "Squonk". I find it a little bit boring. Actually, quite boring. I am fed up with that one. Lovely lyrics though. About a small pool of tears. No. If you just read the comments attached to each song written in the inner sleeve you'll get the idea. The song is a perfect bridge - perfect, I said - between two Genesis' era. Traces of Phil's 80's are here, and 70's are still present.

"Robbery, Assault And Battery". What a lovely title it is. That is important because if you agree with me on that, you might agree with me on the other points as well, and find my impressions valuable for your young, intact, roseing musical knowledge. Knowledge. Guys from the band know how to do it better than that. Cheesy chorus and cheddar lyrics. Robbery, assault and battery. A felon and his felony. The rest of the songs is good. I assure you.

"Los Endos". Now, this number can won in competition for the most stupid song title in the history of progressive rock. Maybe not. If you know any others, feel free to inform me; I'm curious and I don't know why. That's because I'm a masochist I guess. The song is actually an overture and it consists excerpts of other songs on this album. Spooky at the moments, brilliant all the time.

Are the emotions changing over the years and decades? Of course they are changing. I didn't mean that. I mean, is it possible that an emotion, let's say love, anger, melancholy is not globally the same in the different decades. Anger of the seventies is not anger of the nineties? Love in the sixties is not love in the eighties? Well, that's the case with "Ripples". It's lovely song, and it's pure melancholy. But seventies melancholy, not this modern one. Listen to the Emerson Lake and Palmer's "Take A Pebble", for example. You will find the same example of the feeling. Actually it reminds me more of Pavlov's Dog.

I'm often wondering if it's possible to be 100% polite. I mean, if I wrote the word puka, that means nothing. Right. I speak three languages (and I wave my hands in several more languages) but I can't remember if the word puka is insulting, offensive expletive in any of these languages. On the other hand, there are several thousands languages around the globe, so that word must be offensive somewhere (or if applied) to someone. Quite possible; "A Trick Of The Tail" is maybe to worst possible swearing somewhere on Earth. On a second thought, "A Trick Of The Tail" could be even in English interpreted quite kinky. I apologise if anyone ever got offended by Genesis' song. It's quite nice epic, actually.

I hate when my brain tries to explain to my heart that it's wrong. I hate when I'm wrong. For example, I absolutely adore the song "Entangled". It contains some dreamy, floydian feeling. That's strange, I'm not fan of Pink Floyd. But I love The Stranglers. And this song, in a same way as "Golden Brown" does it, contains slow waltzer tempo, with one bar added at the end of the verse. Just too good to be true. After the pathos of last verse (I don't want to spoil the party, you have to hear it to believe it), the song flows into the seas and shore of lovely string-like keyboards. That part of the song is maybe a little bit too protracted and it should have been more developed. See? That's what I was talking about! I like the song as a whole! What's the use of phrases like should have been more developed? Sorry, I left the question mark inside italic. Now it's corrected: "?".

Anyway, what's the use of using of loads of italicized or bolded fonts inside a review? It gives a certain significance. It looks more mature and analytical. It's proving that you're a smart guy capable of using the text codes. If you didn't noticed yet (didn't noticed? I never knew if that's correct perfect tense. Alas, my English!), the point of a review is to get your attention on a certain album, and I am doing it with a good reason, because this is good album. What else should I do? Maybe I should start writing reviews with Irish accent? How would ya loike that? On a second thought, I'm writing in Irish way already; Joyce was Irish. Or maybe I should explain in a old-fashioned, conventional way, that "Dance On A Volcano" is an astonishing song, with excellent keyboard solos within the 7/8 time measure, a lovely collage of different parts ranging from dreamy to furious? It is. Even the lyrics are, good, although I never liked Collins' "ho ho ho" somewhere in the middle of the song. This is not Jethro Tull's Christmas album, mind you.

The number of the stars this album deserves is equal to the number of progressive rock fans worldwide who are actually glad that Collins replaced Gabriel. And there's no Gabriel here, and this is an excellent progressive rock album. There something to think about. Or not. Thanks, Hackett. And everyone else.

Sometimes I trend to think this album has been overrated in progressive rock history. I purchase it because I read good reviews and recommendations on several magazines and web sites but.... honestly it did not clicked on me the way I expected.

Personally, I think Genesis is not in their best season! Gabriel has left due to personal reasons and Phil Collins is trying to resurrect a band without a Gabriel's unique voice. I would say that this is the point where this legendary band has started their way down to his sad death in Duke's End... but still fighting to survive!

"A Trick of The Tale" is like turning to a new direction from previous recordings where symphonic elements were present along every album. ATOTH is a fusion between progressive rock, 70's hard rock, and new pop era. The softer tracks are focused on acoustic guitar heading for a popish style and the heavier ones are still technical but not like before. Despite my complaints, I must admit Genesis still has some elements that characterize his celestial and beautiful essence. Let's check it track by track:

"Dance on the Volcano". 8/10. A very enjoyable track. The first 30 seconds evocates Los Endos with its certain symphonic background. I consider this track very enjoyable but I do not like Phil Collins' voice who starts to sing at 1:00 min. Even though, this track returns to its progressive roots after the 4:20 min with Hackett and Tony Banks solos which are extraordinary. The track is not that bad at all but I think it is not cohesive enough. If Peter Gabriel would have sung it would have sound much better but Collins' vocals are not mature enough.

"Entangled" 10/10. It is a catchy mellow ballad that I enjoy a lot. It reminds me of "Colors" from "Shadow Gallery" which is track from "Legacy" album. It is totally acoustic and I think that Phil's vocals fit very well with this style. It has a very interesting keyboard part and chorus arrangements from 4:20 min to the last. This is probably one of the best tracks of this album and one of the Genesis' best tracks.

"Squonk" 7/10. This is a plain pop oriented track with repetitive riffs and soulless vocals. It has some good moments and the track as a whole is good but not exceptional. No solos, no majestic parts, a plain soft track.

"Mad Man Moon": 8/10. A completely different track from anything Genesis had recorded before. It begins with delicate keyboards and fine vocals, at 2:42 minutes we find mellotron passages which I consider annoying and after that it comes the excellent classical keyboard lines. At 4:50, we find a darker part and then the band returns to the tunes of the beginning of the track. This is a very good and enjoyable track, and extremely romantic. Definitely a very good track. "Robbery, Assault and Battery" 7/10. This is one of the hardest tracks to review because it has flaws and also take-breathing annoying instrumental passages that reminds Genesis golden age. The strange combination of repetitive riffs and those progressive arrangements makes the whole track a bittersweet experience. The track begins with a popish riff that reminds me the eighties. However, Phil vocals have an interesting theatrical style. That popish atmosphere finishes by 2:35 min when Tony Banks introduces himself with a phenomenal instrumental section from until 3:55 min. From 4:20 to 4:50 we have a solo by Steve Hackett reminding me "Selling England by the Pound". At the last their same structure at the beginning keeps to the end.

"Ripples." 6/10. A very soft track oriented to a romantic style. The track is not bad at all but it is not enjoyable for a progressive lover. It has an instrumental part from 4:15 to 6:40 which is too long and boring. As a pop track is good but considering it comes from Genesis, it could have been much better.

"A Trick of The Tail" 4/10. Very popish track, enjoyable but lacking musical virtuosity.

"Los Endos" 10/10 is an excellent instrumental track and probably the best of this album. The use of mellotron and the dynamic compositions reminds the finest progressions of this legendary band.

In conclusion, three and a half Stars for a really good but not indispensable album! For fans like me, this album is a real must...

Good Progressions!!!

1. "Dance on a Volcano" opens with a bizarre wistle in time to the drums, but the guitar riff (mixed with liberal bits of synth) keeps the listener interested. Phil Collin's morally-tinged vocals are actually very good, and not as nasal as many people profess them to be. Keyboards are likely the strongest parts, and Steve Hackett works well with Tony Banks to supplement with his guitar. Overall, this track is not a highlight: it meanders, like many late '70s progressive rock albums, but retains a bit of power in the vocals and synthesizers.

2. "Entangled" is a true comedy in the vein of parts of "Supper's Ready" and "Get 'Em Out by Friday" from Genesis' previous album, Foxtrot. It begins in a minor key, with some rather sad guitar riffs and high register keyboard effects to highlight the farytale feeling. This piece of music seems to... float across rooftops in the dead of night, as the vocals describe. After a minute and a half, piano comes in, and Genesis' newly polished harmonic singing comes in for the melodic line. The song tells of hospitals raking up the bill after kindly helping someone back to their health. "Entangled" is an improvement on "Dance on a Volcano", and ranks slightly higher on my list. There are orchestra-hit-like mellotron pieces springled around as well, with choir-tron concluding the piece, making for better feelings toward this album on my side.

3. "Squonk" is an almost generic mid-to-late 1970's piece of prog, with surprisingly strong vocals, and excellent/warm synthesizer pads. Our drummer friend Mr. Collins works so very well in making the rhythm section work, falling away with a few tempo changes. The singing is a tad muddled, and not that exciting but for a few crescendos. The bass, guitar, and keyboards work together to form that Rutherford/Hackett/Banks balance which makes a long-time reviewer feel fuzzy inside. A decent piece of music!

4. "Mad Man Moon", considered experimental for 1976, has a contingent involving piano and vocals that change around in tempo. Mellotron, flute, drums, and bass work together to create a sorrowfully beautiful ballad of rather epic makeup. It creates a feeling of melancholy, almost inducing tears if a person is in the correct mood. Hackett's tortured guitar works well with the harmonic, echoed vocals, and Banks' signature mellotron/organ combo offers an immensely strong backing. Piano does not stand out as it did in 1973's "Firth of Fifth", staying mostly rhythmic, but it becomes much more melodic toward the second half of the piece. Non-Western percussion is added in, and synthesizers augment the piano's drifting, pastoral theme.. almost as if the moon is rising over a rapidly flowing river at night. Beautiful!

5. "Robbery, Assault & Battery" is one of my favourite pieces of music, period. The music is full of whimsey, sarcasm, and irony. If Gabriel had been present to sing on this song, I believe Collins would have done it more justice. Telling of a bank robbery, jail, and various happenings in court rooms, the song is exemplary for Collins' use of different pitch in his vocals to illustrate different characters. There is a short, yet frantic, bit of synthesizer solo in the middle section, augmenting the uptempo drums, all adding a bit of irony to the vocals, which tell of failure. Great drums, as well!

6. "Ripples" is almost throw away, except for the drums, piano, and bass. The power and beauty (dare I say glory, as well?), once the song actually gets going, rival much of 1972's Foxtrot and 1973's Selling England by the Pound. Whatever Banks did to practice piano, I want to take that lesson or meet that teacher, for his playing here is excellent. Synth horn adds a noble air to the proceedings, and the drums augment Collin's voice... overall, a grandiose experience.

7. "A Trick of the Tail", the centrepiece of the concept and of the album, is a story of an odd creature leaving its home, being found by humans, and leading humans there. It is strong, very strong, and attempts to show the world from the point of view of creatures which aren't human. Musically, it takes a backseat to the storyline and vocals, which are key to understanding and liking the song. However, the piano again comes up and makes everything else seem inconsequencial.

8. "Los Endos" begins with strong synth playing, excellent bongo/tom tom drumming, and an overall feeling of frantic desparation. I will not leave a structural description of this piece, as it is absolutely my favourite on this entire album, and needs to be heard by each in his or her own way. It is beautiful, and contains an end-of-the-album "goodbye" to Peter Gabriel... listen closely, and enjoy this one; it's a gem.

"A Trick of the Tail" does not retain the cohesiveness retained throughout "Trespass", "Nursery Cryme", "Foxtrot", and "Selling England...", but it is a strong prog album when standing alone. I would recommend this album heartily to anyone who loves prog, but to a newcomer to Genesis, find one of the earlier outings.

After the retirement of PETER GABRIEL drummer PHIL COLLINS started singing for GENESIS and I have to say that his voice fits as well as GABRIEL's voice to the music. With A TRICK OF THE TAIL GENESIS went new ways, it did not sound like the GENESIS from 1970/1971 until 1975 anymore, but it was no radical change and by no means a renunciation of Progressive Rock for the benefit of pop. The chant of PHIL COLLINS did not form such a big contrast as it was the case as PETER GABRIEL sang for GENESIS anymore, it incorporated a bit more into the music I think, but still the chant was unmistakable. The keyboard does not lord it over the guitar as is the case on the group's next output WIND & WUTHERING, all seems to be well balanced. The lyrics are still awesome on this album as we are used to the lyrics of this great band.

The opener "Dance On A Volcano" is one of my favourite GENESIS songs and the last song "Los Endos" who relates on many passages of the album is outrageous and forms a retrospect on the album. All songs are great, I especially like besides the two tracks I have already mentioned before the titles "Ripples", a song about death and fugacity, the sad "Mad Man Moon" and "Robbery, Assault And Battery" which reminds me a bit on "Harold The Barrel" (NURSERY CRIME).

A TRICK OF THE TAIL is an amazing diversified and sweeping album. Do yourself a favour and buy this album, it is a masterpiece!

PETER GABRIEL leaves, and the four remaining members have room to breathe. Rather than the muddy mix of previous GENESIS albums, 'A Trick of the Tail' allows BANKS, RUTHERFORD, HACKETT and COLLINS to shine. Suddenly it's about the music, and nothing Genesis ever did approaches the sheer musical excellence of this record. No, it's not really a concept album in the lyrical sense, but it is bound together by shared musical themes, brought home by the stunning closer, 'Los Endos'.

'Dance on a Volcano' is no simple opener. A powerful opening theme is counterpointed by a sophisticated verse rhythm, and PHIL COLLINS powers into the vocals. Of course we're going to compare him to PETER GABRIEL. And you know what? There's no comparison. Forget 'Sissudio' or 'You Can't Hurry Love', I dare you. Come on, hear what he's doing here. A unique voice, so confident already, beautifully phrased, only to get better in the years that followed. 'On your left, and on your right ...' COLLINS doesn't have the sheer presence of GABRIEL, but that's all to the good - now we can hear GABRIEL'S former backing band, and they're not bad! 'Better start doing it right!' Oh, they are. GABRIEL has the voice of a solo artist; COLLINS that of a band singer, with a tremendous range. Now that GABRIEL has left, to go on to his own stellar solo career, they're all finally doing it right. Win-win.

On to 'Entangled'. No drums, just beauty. A peasant conceit lifted into the stratosphere by TONY BANKS' last two minutes. Listen to that lead break on the keys. Imagine Gilmour playing it on guitar - it'd be ahead of 'Comfortably Numb' on all the 'greatest guitar solos' lists. With the mellotronic voices and the ethereal atmosphere, the climax of this song is as good as music gets.

Then in roars 'Squonk'. Just the right gap between songs for the thundering start to work. Not their very best song, but it still beats GENESIS' earlier 'weird animal' stuff such as 'Hogweed'. 'Mad man Moon' is just beautiful: we now begin to realise that TONY BANKS is and always was at the heart of what GENESIS managed to accomplish. Plaintive, precise piano, just gorgeous singing from COLLINS, this song goes unnoticed in the GENESIS canon but would be a career highlight for almost any other band. The rising transitional note between 'sun and sand' and 'Within the valley' is another classic BANKS moment, of which there are dozens on this record. And has there been a line so fraught as 'Forever caught in desert lands/ One has to learn to disbelieve the sea'?

'Robbery, Assault and Battery' does what the awful 'Epping Forest' couldn't; freed from GABRIEL'S overindulgence, prog's playfulness is masterfully summarised. 'Ripples' is extraordinarily powerful, marred slightly by an overlong central transition section. Again, GABRIEL could do many things, but singing 'Sail away, away' wouldn't be one of them. Lovely big drum sound, and splendid effort from Mr RUTHERFORD. A faint echo of this song, 'Fading Lights', can be heard on 'We can Dance', but it's only an echo; this is the business. The title track is a fun piece, lovely clean pop allowing the humour of this band to rise to the surface again.

Finally 'Los Endos.' An instrumental coda wich brings the musical themes of the album together, this really is redolent of the best of this album. Disparate themes welded together into five minutes of music which soars from peak to peak, a summary of a career together. Somewhere near the best five minutes of music on the planet.

So come on, all you doubters. Cast aside your anti-COLLINS hatred. Give this a listen.

And to think it so nearly didn't happen.

This album does not have a low point. Each song offers something different and can stand alone as a masterpiece. And each part of each song sounds like it was crafted, not thrown together in haste. The aggression of Dance on a Volcano, the complexity of 13/8 in Robbery, and the dissonance of Squonk, the etherealness of Entangled, all satisfy the Progressive ear. Of course, Los Endos is a perfect ending with it's return to themes of previous tunes, not to mention the throw back acknowledgement or thanks to Peter Gabriel in the background singing of Collins "There's an angel standing in the sun".

If you haven't heard this album, please do yourself a favor and get it. You shan't be let down.

The all singing and dancing 5.1 SACD re-master adds DVD footage of a mid seventies concert which must have originally been shot for a TV show. Not quite as good as the "Duke" footage in my opinion but as there is so little classic Genesis live stuff available on DVD it's nevertheless very welcome. Again the re-master adds band interviews, promo (mimed) "videos" (including "Ripples") and a (mimed) US TV show. Great stuff. Plus some dodgy bootleg quality film of a Japanese performance which again I think is mimed.

These re-masters aren't cheap but they've been done with a bit of flair and at least add some worthwhile add ons . I hope the next tranche of releases maintains the standard.

The artwork on the cover is quite amusing and associates to the varied songs on the album. This was the best produced Genesis album to date as some of the earlier recordings have shown the lack of top notch facilities and sound. (Don't get me wrong I love them all just making an honest observation)

This is 5 star. No doubt in my mind.

I must say the band did quite wonderful on their own with Phil Collins taking the lead. There isn't a weak song, nor a pinch of filler on A Trick of the Tail, albeit a slight nod towards the radio-friendly side of things. The music is quite original, even if not as complicated as some of their earlier masterpieces (with the exception of Dance on a Volcano). The topics are all interesting and there's even a bit of subtle humor in places. I find that Banks' keyboard work seems to dominate in the mix.

This is definitely not as good as their 1970-1973 period, but it certainly is a masterpiece nonetheless. Easily another five star effort from this amazing band. Highly recommended and essential.

"Dance On A Volcano" is such a good song ! Can these guys create a melody or what.The intro is fantasic and the mellotron during the verses is heavenly. I really like the line "So you better start doing it right". Hackett and Banks really shine on this song. "Entangled" has gentle vocals and acoustic guitars to start. The sound becomes fuller and the vocals sound double tracked as the guitar is strummed. Haunting synths,12 string guitar and mellotron to close it out. "Squonk" is another good one with pulsating keys as the drums pound. The vocal melody 2 minutes in is a highlight. "Mad Man Moon" is a ballad with fragile vocals, piano and floods of mellotron. The piano melody recalls "Firth Of Fifth". The tempo picks up 5 minutes in before it settles back down with mellotron.

"Robbery, Assault & Battery" has theatrical vocals while the chorus just doesn't do it for me. The best part of the song is 4 1/2 minutes in as Banks shines.This song is not one of my favourites. "Ripples" is my favourite. It's a song about getting old and it's so beautiful. Acoustic guitar, piano and vocals lead the way. The chorus is so uplifting. The synths to close out the album are great. "A Trick Of The Tail" is somewhat catchy but far from being the best track. "Los Endos" is an instrumental that gives each member an opportunity to show off their talents. The mellotron that rolls in 3 1/2 minutes is very haunting. There is a reprise of a passage of "Squonk" late in the song.

These guys didn't miss a beat when Gabriel left. These are some of the most amazing songs that i've ever heard.

TRICK is a remarkably well-balanced record. Eight compositions of similar length follow each other smoothly. The original A-side, in particular, comes across as a perfect sequence. The grandiose riff of "Squonk", the third track, seems a natural continuation of the dreamlike keyboards solo which ends the acoustic splendour of "Entangled". (I'd never thought a song about a rat-like creature, which dissolves itself in tears, could sound so exciting.) And "Mad Man Moon" has to be the most rapturous melody Tony Banks ever wrote. (Wonder who was responsible for "The Carpet Crawl"?) Its mellotron arrangement is delightful, and Phil Collins sings exquisitely - particularly that final verse which goes: 'Within the valley of shadowless death they pray for thunderclouds and rain, but to the multitude who stand in the rain, heaven is where the sun shines'. "Mad Man Moon" makes the heart melt, so let's forgive Tony for his rambling, incoherent lyrics.

"Robbery, Assault and Battery" is memorable for its extensive keyboards solo, superbly accompanied by the rhythm section. Both "Ripples" and the title track are unspectacular, although they have a funny way of lodging in your mind. And "Los Endos", as all Genesis fans will tell you, is simply one of the most joyful pieces of instrumental music the band ever recorded.

Coming from a later generation, Genesis holds no emotional appeal to me, and when I am offered so many other exciting options, choices like this are boring, and not worthy of attention.

Songwriting: 2 Instrumental Performances: 2 Lyrics/Vocals: 2 Style/Emotion/Replay: 2

Genesis could survive Gabriel´s exit, but it was a whole new band. I really loved how Phill Collins handle well the vocals. The music may be less intricated and ambitious, but still retained enough early elements to make it an essential item for anyone who loves prog music. Only Robbery, Assault and Battery never really captivate my imagination. It´s not a bad song, really, but it is not par to the rest of the tracks, all excellent ones. There´s magic all over this CD, specially during the acoustic parts with some of Banks best mellotron works. The cover art is awesome even today. Also production wise this album was an importante step ahead for the band.

Conclusion: a transitional album that still carries much of their earlier works. Mid period Genesis (with hackett) may not have the same impact as their masterpieces, but it was a new music with lots of merits and very enjoyable songs. Four solid stars.

Overall rating: 2 STARS

COLLECTORS/FANS ONLY

The first time I put this album in, I was very excited and was placing it in very high hopes, for my dad told me it was easily Genesis' best album, and when dance on a volcana threw itself at me, the anticipation just grew. Dance is a really cool opener for two reasons, one beacause it started out electric which is a very non Genesis thing to do, one because it completely goes against every other genesis opener song. Either way great song, but a bit misleading, because it is basically the most fast paced and electric this album goes by far! Entangled is a jaw dropper, particularily for the extremely catchy chorus and eerie synth solo at the end. As far as lyrics go, one of the best on the album easily! The next song squonk, is a bit disapointing, because of the poppy synth riff that goes throughout the song, and strangely sounds a bit like the kind f riff the band was going to make ten years later and one less member. After this song, I find myself still anticipating a hckett solo or lead line since the opener, which barely makes the cut. Mad Man Moon is amazing lyrically, but musically, very awkward and somewhat boring, and easily one of Collins worse vocal performances. Robbery assault and Battery is a very fun song, filled with jaunty piano and awkward time signatures, good placement after the dull mad man moon. Ripples is my favirote song on the album, mostly because of it's complete and utter progness! Although it stays very mellow throughout the song, the chorus is awe inspiring, and the key oards are very smooth, along with very well written lyrics!The next two songs A trick of the tail have never eally popped out to me as I think they should, the title song is just piano and some otherwise corny lyrics, and the closer is a pretty cool instrumental, but lacking the dynamics to be a great, no solo's, no breaks, no speed up's, ect ect.

The music of the album easily surpasses the vocals and lyrics. The mood is very mellow, 50% twelve string guitar, while the other 50% is keyboards and drums. ABSOLUTELY NO ELECTRICS, besides maybe two or three notes after Dance on a volcano, which really upsets me considering they have one of the greatest guitar palyers at the time. The keyboards are very innovative and creative, with some very cool Synths and moogs, combined with lots of piano's. Phil does an excellent job on drums, maybe except for the awkward keyboard solo on Robbery assault and barberry. As for the vocals, I dont think Phil really found his frontman vocals he learns to perfect on Duke and loses on invisible touch.

Overall this album kinda disapointed me at first, but after many close listnes, i have come to appreciate the mellow atmosphere and pretty acoustics. The major mistake of the album was not showing off hackett nearly as much as he was!

***3 stars!

Similarity: These lyrics are outrageous. Each song tells somewhat of a fairytale story. I know my thought bubble displays a huge "WTF?" often times when I actually read the lyrics.

Difference: Sorry gang, I think Peter was more entertaining as a lyricist. I'm much less intrigued by the lyrics on ATOTT.

The music, however, is equal if not better than much of Genesis under the reign of Gabriel. Dance on a Volcano and Los Endos open and close excellently. Ripples is a beautiful ballad that, in my opinion, rivals Carpet Crawlers. Conversely, Dance on a Volcano and Squonk show Phil's ability to "rock out" more. Though I prefer him as a ballad singer, he truly succeeds here.

Some of the slower songs seem to drag on. Mad Man Moon and Robbery Assault Batter bore me a little. I often feel like I'm listening to them just to get to Los Endos.

Great album, I would say this is an excellent addition to any prog music collection.

Dance on a Volcano - what a shock to Gabriel-era Genesis fans. The first song on the first album post-Gabriel is, egads, a dance song. OK, it is a lively prog rock song with excellent keyboards and drum work and some nice behind the scenes guitar work, but "put your left foot first and move into the light" might include the Hokey Pokey as its inspiration.

Entangled - is a melodic song featuring some beautiful playing by Tony, Steve, and Mike. Even in their proggiest days Genesis has always excelled at performing prettier mellower songs (not quite a ballad per se, since it isn't a song about love). A song perhaps about the theater of dreams, possibly brought on by anesthetics. Interestingly forecasting the costs of the healthcare industry with "you'll have no trouble until you catch your breath and the nurse will present you the bill".

Squonk - when I was a young child and we would go camping we would go "snipe" hunting. This was a make-believe character that was used as a way to entertain us kids as we would walk around the fields at night trying to find these snipes. I believe that my childhood snipe may have been related to the squonk. At any rate this is a pretty straight ahead song that tells a good story regarding hunting squonks. Possibly a commentary on fox hunting by the royals in England. This song reflects past prog Genesis in that it could be a leftover from Nursery Cryme with 2 or 3 references to nursery rhymes. In addition, Phil is singing multiple characters like Peter Gabriel did on previous albums. Phil sings as the hunter and as the squonk. He doesn't accomplish this as well as Peter Gabriel might have however, and this song is a disappointment to many Peter Gabriel-era fans. However, I like it and find it quite entertaining.

Mad Man Moon - is another song on the mellow side of prog. It also promotes dream-like qualities and lyrically paints a very picturesque landscape with its many descriptive references. About half-way in it begins to rock a bit then it mellows out again and finally ends with the final minute of a very quiet musical passage.

Robbery, Assault and Battery is another of the more "controversial" Phil Collins era songs that is equally liked and derided by Genesis fans. I find it to be a fun song that keeps a nice pace and quite enjoy the music and the humor of the story. Again Phil Collins sings different characters throughout the song in a "tribute" to Genesis' past, but again he doesn't quite do it as well as Peter Gabriel might have. Also, I find the chorus quite "catchy". Hopefully, it doesn't play on my internal ipod the rest of the day.

Ripples is quite possibly the most beautiful song ever performed by Genesis. Again the lyrics are very visual and the guitar and organ/keyboard playing are very gentle. A possible reference point might be Take a Pebble from Emerson Lake and Palmer. I believe that it symbolizes "embracing this moment in time" because "you're not getting any younger".

A Trick of the Tail is a song telling a fantasy story of a mythical "beast that can talk" that comes from a land of gold who is captured by humans and then tricks them into bringing him to his home where he then disappears back to his fantasy world of gold. This song features some nice guitars and even some nice drum playing by Phil, which is quite infrequent throughout this album. Another story that I quite enjoy with another "catchy" chorus.

Los Endos - an excellent prog instrumental to end this album. Possibly another "trick of the tail", which if you were to think of this song as the tail of the album, it might trick you into thinking that Genesis were a progressive jazz band. The song does replay some of the themes encountered along the way throughout the album.

All in all I believe this is an excellent album that would be an excellent addition to any prog music collection.

"Dance on a Volcano" and "Squonk" are classics and the solos of "Ripples" and Robbery, Assault and Battery" are fantastic. The title track is a nice pop song in the same vein as "I know what I like." of Selling England by the Pound. Then I haven't mentioned "Los Endos" yet, the quintessential ending track. An instrumental that especially live became a Juggernaut.

Maybe not their absolutely best, but one of the better albums Genesis did.

Well, I would say this is a perfect album. No bad materials can be found here. Phil can cover up the spot that Peter left perfectly (even, sometimes I think Phil had sung little bit better than Peter. But Peter's the one, he's the true Genesis' vocalist I think). Steve's guitar sounds more 'tasty' than previous album, "The Lamb". Tony and Mike's stuff works good too. Probably, this was the last Genesis' great album. And also, to me, this album contains the band's greatest words ever written.

Five stars was the results, I'll go with it.

The start of this album is quite promising with "Dance on a Volcano." Phil's entrance on this disc is stellar, the way the music shifts and the particular music that is going on at the time provides a great start. Besides that the song ends up lacking that character and memorability of the previous releases - it is hard to match, to be fair - it is a good tune, and unfortunately it's mostly downhill from here. I would like to know who is responsible for the refrain of "Entangled." That has got to be the one of the most annoying choruses I've ever heard. The song is only slightly remdeemed by the instrumental part toward the end. The end is great, the first half is just that unpleasant. "Squonk," unlike the name, is not an awesome, fun song, but rather a slower and less good "Dance on a Volcano." "Mad Man Moon" is a highlight for me; there is good band interplay, melodies, structure, etc. "Robbery, Assault and Battery" is a pretty good one as well. "Ripples" is a bit dull. "A Trick of the Tail" has a great riff to start, one that would make a very good short, poppy song, but I think they didn't take the right direction with it. The instrumental closer, "Los Endos," shows some fusion creeping into the mix, as Phil was involved in the fusion group Brand X at the time. They peppered some themes from the album into the piece and everything. It's another highlight.

You can see that the band is not quite sure what to do and where to go now that Peter is gone, but the band tries to maintain their dignity and to a degree of sucess. We don't have to write them off yet. In fact, they will have one last stand with their next output before they collapse into mediocrity and worse. A Trick of the Tail is worth having if you find it in the bargain section of a used record store like I did, but don't pay full price for a new CD.

From the outset, 'Dance on a Volcano' hit me hard. I loved the intro, and the way it struck me as 'listen to me, I have something to say'. What is this odd rhythm, is my record skipping ?? This was the album, by method of deduction, I figured out what the mysterious strings and choir sounds were - a Mellotron !!!! From then on, it was all Crimso, Moodies, Yes and most things 'tron. What a superb introduction to the 'fantastical world' it was.

Continuing with 'Entangled', a tune that features one of the most powerful synth/ choir-reel mellotron sections I've ever heard. Simply breath-taking, mellow 'Floydian' 12-string (when did Floyd ever actually use a 12-string acoustic ??) arrangement and then that insanely magical passage - I'm totally blown away by this stage. 'Squonk' is next, which sounded more 'harder' but full of imagery from another place (just the right concoction a 15 year old needed at that stage !!). Rounding off Side 1 was 'Mad Man Moon', one of Keyboardist Tony Banks' compositions, something of a 'ballad', but beautifully arranged, utilising his keyboard rig of the time (Piano, ARP Synth and Mellotron, don't recall organ in this one).

Side 2 started with 'Robbery, Assault and Battery', again showing off the band's instrumental prowess, fully symphonic, quirky character role-play in Phil Collins' singing/lyrics, and more show-offy playing from all concerned. The long track, 'Ripples' (8mins 4secs), is an acoustically based track and sounds wonderful and inspired. It contains a lovely, classically oriented instrumental part. Title-track is a catchy and accessible song but no less engaging regardless. Closing (mainly instrumental) piece, 'Los Endos', was/is the most appropriate ending to this superb display of instrumental/lyrical dexterity, and to this prog listener, remains one of the highest ranking prog albums I listen to. Full score.

A Trick of the Tail starts with Dance On a Volcano with it´s strange rythm and generally exciting melodic approach. There are some pretty complicated instrumental parts in the song which I find very interesting. This is a classic Genesis song.

Entangled is the next song, and what a beautiful song. The 12 string guitars are fully displayed in the beginning of the song, and once the keyboard sets in this song goes from beautiful to Godly. This is symphonic prog at it´s best. Really essential. The ending of the song is so overwhelming that it takes my breath away.

I had to get used to Squonk before I could fully appreciate it, but now it is one of my favorite songs on the album. Really emotive and captivating even though this is one of the more rock like songs on the album.

Mad Man Moon is a favorite of mine. I just love the piano from Tony Banks on this song. It´s so inspiring and beautiful. I think Phil Collins delivers his best vocal perfomance of the album on this song. This is really emotive.

Robbery, Assault & Battery is maybe the weakest song on the album, and the one that reminds me the most of Peter Gabriel. He would have made this song a winner. It just doesn´t work when Phil Collins tries to be funny and sing different voices. But I´ve grown used to it and of course I enjoy it.

Ripples is the most Pop like song on the album. The chorus is almost in a vein where I can´t stand it, but only almost and in fact I find it to be a beautiful song. Not the best on the album though.

A Trick Of The Tail is one of my favorite songs with a great humour ( and not once do I think of Peter Gabriel) and a nice melody. This is not the most progressive song, but I still think it is a very strong song.

Los Endos is the most complex song on the album, it is an instrumental track with themes from most of the other songs on the album. This was a Genesis live favorite and I must say that I think this sounds like it would be better live than it is in the studio version. It´s not bad at all, I just feel it has a live feeling that this studio version doesn´t honour. A good track though.

Beneath all my criticism I hope it shines through that I really like this album, and I would recommend it to anyone into prog rock. Even though there is a big difference between Peter Gabriel Genesis and Phil Collins Genesis some of the earlier releases from the later are very essential to prog heads.

This is not a masterpiece, but very close to being one. 4 stars is fair.

Dance on a Volcano: Emphasizes the funness of this album with its catchy rhythms and memorable hooks. The drums kick in well with the screaming guitar, and Collins sounds like a distant Gabriel singing. The verse sounds very dramatic and I love it. the last part of the song is probably the most intense instrumental section the band ever did, surpassing Los Endos and Moonlight Knight. Banks' Synth and Hackett's electric run side by side up some intense scalar runs, and it ends on an eerie note, leading nicely into...

Entangled: Possibly one of the most beautiful tracks the band, or any band, ever recorded. Everyone is on 12 string here except Collins, who of course has no guitar talent whatsoever. The overlapping notes echo round and round, making the perfect atmosphere for the dreamy vocals. the lyrics are also about sleep, which suits the music. The chorus is the epitome of catchy. the ending section contains some epic mellotron and synth work from banks, as well as some powerful bass notes from Rutherford on the pedals. This also segues nicely into the next song, the powerful...

Squonk: A powerful intro, with deep bass synth notes and some nice strumming. The main chord progression in this song is excellent, alternating between minor and major. Collins soars in with nice vocals, and the synth echoes him from far away. The lyrics are very image evoking, im not sure what theyre about, but theyre nice. The chorus is dramatic and beautiful at the same time. Collins does some of his best singing here, and the whole progression through everything is so long and complicated. The outro is tearjerking, seemingly sady regretful.

Mad Man Moon: Banks' moment to shine on the synth and grand piano. The intro is gorgeous, with piano augmented by a flute sound, making us think of Gabriel Days. The vocals are nice again, with the lyrics painting pictures of days long ago. when the piano kicks in, it is one of the best instrumental bridges, except this time more mellow instead of intense, like Dance. then the synth comes into play with the piano underlying it. When Collins comes in to sing over this, its a hard rocking genius moment, and the transfer back to the original melody is painstaking and perfect. My favorite song on the album.

Robbery, Assault and Battery: A nice upbeat start to side 2, with some great synth tones. the one and only storytelling song by Collins, with lyrics about a burglar and the cops chasing him. The bouncy drums add much to the song, and the synth adds a silly feel. Collins does some roleplaying, as a falsely accused man, the burglar, and the cops. the chorus is nice and hardrocking, but a little simple. The bridge, however, is in an impossible time signature with some equally impossible soloing by banks. the bass is also nice here, keeping time well. Hackett appears to be nonexistent.

Ripples: Nice acoustic intro, with some soft singing.there is some nice piano backing the verse. However, this song gets a little too sappy for me, and the chorus takes it over the top. it also gets repeated too much, killing it. The bridge, however, is excellent with heavy piano overlaid by some excellent Hackett and Banks soloing again. But the chorus is repeated as a fade away outro, making it bad again.

A Trick of the Tail: Following Ripples in the vein of being too poppy. it sounds a little like the Beatles, but Collins voice kills it. The piano and guitar following collins' voice is a little old at this point. The chorus is also a little too much.

Los Endos: Fortunately, the amazing, jazz/fusion, powerful instrumental outro saves the second half of this album from being entirely pop. The shimmering intro reminds us of Dance on a Volcano, but soon it becomes evident this is an entirely different song. After the opening chords have all been strummed, the drums kick in with a purpose. the blasting chords power their way through this salsa section, shared by synth and guitar, with the bass doing stellar runs in the background. As it slows down a bit, the high synth notes come in and take us into a slower, but no less powerful section. the bass hits it again, and the mellotron eeriely segues into the background. Then it picks up again and the synth flies towards the stratosphere. it slows down again as the drums go wild. the opening theme for the album is reintroduced at a slower tempo, and seems to end the song, but the mellotron hits a sharp note, and the drums bring us back up again for the dramatic reprisal of the Squonk chord progression and outro. There is an allusion all the way back to the end of Foxtrot, when Collins shouts in the distance: "theres an angel standing in the sun"

Overall, a great album, brought down a little by some shmaltzy tracks on side 2, but brought up from the genius of side 1 and the closer. Collins and Co. would soon try even less to make progressive rock as they would try to make commercial pop. the end of an era, with Gabriel recalled once or twice, but now completely gone. This album almost makes me cry because of what could have been done if Gabe had stayed for this one.

You can argue long into the night (as indeed many have) about whether Genesis's enforced change of vocalist was a good thing or a bad thing. Was Collins 'better' or 'worse' than Gabriel? What is certain is that he was different. He brings a gentler quality necessary for the songs in this collection - songs which are perilously difficult to sing, as you'll know if you've ever tried. And 'collection' is the word. This album is more like a book of short stories, introducing us to unforgettable characters. Who could fail to be moved by the Squonk, the creature which disolves intself into a pool of tears through fear? Who could not smile at the robber who lives to fight another day, mourn with the woman watching her youth disappear year by year, or share the spirit of adventure of the beast with horns and tail?

Musically the album is a delight as well. From the somewhat disquieting opening notes of Dance On A Volcano, to the triumphant reprise of that and other themes in the concluding piece Los Endos, we are taken on a journey worthy of these lyrical creations. The 7/8 time of Dance keeps us on our toes. The lava is indeed nearby! Then comes the dreamy intoxication of Entangled. One can almost smell the ether in the smooth interplay of keyboards and acoustic guitar in the coda of this, the only Banks/Hackett composition in the Genesis canon. The drama of Squonk is followed by the music of long hot summer days in Banks's Mad Man Moon. The cheeky Phil Collins voice emerges perhaps for the first time in Robbery, before Ripples sweeps us away on into the stacatto beat of the title track, which has us marching jauntily along with our devillish companion. Los Endos - apparantly a nod of appreciation to Santana - pulls together and rounds off the album in a satisfactory climax - a compositional technique applied again equally succesfully in Duke. There's even a closing nod to Supper's Ready - their past is not forgotten.

Did Genesis survive Gabriel's departure? Survive is not the word. They evolved, developed, progressed to become the band they wouldn't otherwise have been, and Trick Of The Tail should have left fans in no doubt that even greater things lay ahead. This is a must have album that you'll play for years and never tire of.

****= Dance on a Volcano; Entangled; Robbery...; Ripples ***= Mad Man Moon; Trick of the Tail **= Squonk, Los Endos. All in all: 26 stars divided by 8 songs = 3,25 stars.

After the departure of Peter Gabriel, Genesis' sound really does take a drastic change. For some people this is a welcome development, but not so much for me.

Firstly, Collins takes over lead vocals. I think the issue here is not his voice, which I, personally, enjoy on all the previous albums, and on the following Wind & Wuthering, but that he's not that confident with it, and doesn't really make the songs his own on this album. Occasionally he adopts weird accents on Dance On A Volcano, Mad Man Moon and Robbery..., but it just doesn't pay off for him as much as it did for Gabriel. The lyrics are still very good, but the relatively non-distinctive nature of Collins' vocals here do obscure that a little, so they originally felt like repeated pop choruses, even when they aren't.

Secondly, the music is somewhat less explosive. There are far fewer great rock moments, and nothing like Fly On A Windshield or Firth Of Fifth. For me, at least, this meant it's taken a lot longer to acquire and get used to, and puts it somewhat behind the Gabriel era albums for me.

Anyway, they say she comes on a pale horse, onto the music:

Dance On A Volcano was a little difficult for me to get into, but I now do enjoy it. Great opening, mainly guitar-based, good drumming, a great quirky bass part from Rutherford, and overall a very enjoyable track.

Entangled is an odd creature. On the verses and the instrumental second half, good, enjoyable acoustic guitars from Hackett and Rutherford, here, and banks provides excellent synth and mellotron (I think) parts. Collins provides a nice vocal, and the song suits him. However, the choruses really don't work for me. I've never been a great fan of playing acoustics with too many chords, and this isn't an exception. The vocal harmonies aren't very distinctive, either. A very good song, I admit, but not one that grips me.

'Like father, like son' A good, but simple drum-and-bass rhythm, with matching guitar, opens Squonk. Great vocals for decent lyrics, here, somewhat more assertive than on the rest of the album, I feel, though I wish they were a little more prominent in the mix. I love the drums on this one. One of my favourites from the album.

Mad Man Moon is one of the most beautifully opened songs I've heard so far, with stunning piano and keys, emotive vocals, perfect background electrics from Hackett, and an uncharacteristically quiet performance on the percussion from Collins. Oddly enough, it merges into something with a more Latin feel, with strange percussion that sounds like castanets, cheerful and classical-styled piano juxtaposed. This is followed by the strange Sandman section, with odd, but intelligent lyrics, accented vocals. After that brief interlude, it returns to an even finer rendition of the opening, 'Within the valley of shadowless death', with a superb return to the piano theme, even better guitar minimalism and percussion, and a great ending from banks. Lyrically, this is certainly my favourite song from the album, and probably for Genesis as a whole. Essential listening for Genesis fans.

Robbery Assault And Battery is yet another weird case, where nothing manages to offend, and I love the electric guitar and bass, and the drumming's quite catchy. The cockney vocals are amusing enough, and there are two great short instrumental sections near the end and at the end, respectively. I think it's the silly keyboards here that put me off the song as a whole. A good song, and I think I should like it more than I do.

Throughout Ripples, much like Entangled, I love the piano-and-guitar verses, with superb vocals, but I don't enjoy the chorus and its harmonies much. Good lyrics, great piano, and a decent instrumental section towards the end. I prefer my soft songs staying relatively soft throughout, rather than doing what these two do, which is start with a beautiful melody and then go to a generic chorus at a slightly louder volume.

Oddly, I really enjoy the pop-ish ATOTT. A thoroughly enjoyable short song, with great guitar from Hackett, and acceptable vocals and lyrics, with some great harmonies, plenty of bombastic silliness. I don't know what so many people dislike about it, but unlike the rest of the album, I liked this one on the first listen.

Los Endos is essentially a medley of tunes from the rest of the album, together with the legendary 'There's an angel standing in the sun!' of Supper's Ready, and a couple of weird shimmerings and strange percussion things indicative of what the band would do with the instrumentals on the next album. This, however, is much more catchy and enjoyable than them, with the rhythm section standing out a little more than Banks and Hackett.

In the end, not my favourite, but a solid four star effort. Perhaps not recommended to those who prefer the harder rock aspects of Gabriel-era Genesis, or those who healthily dislike acoustics. If, like me, you fall partly into the first of those two categories, it may need a fair few spins to grow on you.

Rating: Four Stars, though personally a borderline three Favourite Track: Mad Man Moon

Edit: just saying that I am getting fonder and fonder of this. Hackett's subtleties are becoming thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyable, and the album as a whole has grown on me massively since I wrote the review. Not love at first listen, but nonetheless, love.

It's very probable, that I've heard this album before. It was called Selling England By the Pound, and it had Peter Gabriel on vocals... and quite a lot fresh ideas back then. But then again...

Genesis could have gone in a slightly more new wave direction, if they continued writing songs similar to 'Squonk' or 'Back in NYC'. They COULD have gone Police-ish, mainly by killing Banks. That would help later on, and might have prevented Hackett from leaving. Tough luck. Instead, they used the blueprint of 'Selling...' and created two decent albums.

The guy who hit the drums and sang lines like: Here it comes againnnn... on the 'Musical Box' unexpectedly took Gabriel's place (who had chosen the life of a family man, away from all the big time & superstar popularity... yeah, like Genesis were ever really popular amongst PEOPLE - disclaimer: human beings that attended Gabriel-Era gigs couldn't have possibly been normal people). Not a really bad choice. Phil sounds funny though - like a slightly distorted guitar, sometimes even like... Bee Gees! really, especially during the 'sugar' moments of some ballads. His voice is not harsh enough to deliver the aggressive emotions like Gabriel did. On the other hand he's just perfect for love songs. The biggest problem is that on several parts of the album his hardly audible. The guy/team responsible for mixing the sounds should have been killed as an example. It would get even worse on Wind & Wuthering. I don't know why? Maybe they had still Gabriel singing set to default ;)

As I stated earlier, a handful of songs on A Trick... sound like some twisted Selling... and early Genesis rearrangements. E.g. Robbery, Assault and Battery is a copy of The Battle of Epping Forest, the idea of Squonk is very similar to The Return of the Giant Hogweed . However, while Hogweed sounds very chaotic, Squonk has a well-arranged melody with a simple, yet catchy guitar tune (Hackett wins with simplicity). Dancing on a Volcano (one of the faster tunes, with an interesting intro), Entangled (mellow Phil goes Bee Gees-like), Ripples (with awful vocals in the first minute but constantly getting better; Rush's Madrigal has a really similar melody) and Los Endos (an ending song - reprising the Dance on a Volcano and Squonk themes; construction similar to Aisle of Plenty) are nothing original amongst Genesis songs. They're on the level they ought to be.

Apart from Squonk, there are two gems on the album: Mad Man Moon and if that isn't original, cute and cuddly, I don't know what is. A mellow inspiring piano melody flowing (Banks always flows... he wouldn't stop flowing even if he had a tragic death song two play; thus he should have been killed). I suspect some Camel influences here (The Snow Goose was released one year earlier - so who knows?) the other one is the title track - A trick of the Tail suits Collins' perfectly in terms of lyric interpretation and vocal abilities. And, oh my, the song has a catchy chorus. In my view it resembles the really bright sides of Genesis' earliest works (From Genesis to Revelations I suppose), but on the level of Selling....

So... It's just a copy of Selling England By the Pound with a new vocalist, you might ask. Clearly not. It based on a blueprint that proved well 3 years hence. The next album would go in much the same direction. Well, isn't progressive rock supposed to explore various unknown musical directions, even though sometimes acquired taste is necessary? If it stops doing that it turns from prog to mellow rock. This is the direction Genesis took (the album sold quite nice refilling the budget, severely emptied after The Lamb Tour), and kill me, if they aren't a superb mellow rock band.

Best Song: Mad Man Moon (at least it's original) Worst Song: Ripples (there's nothing worse than a mourning Collins)

Well what can I say that hasn't been said by various reviewers before me?

I gave this album a five star rating as it is my all time favorite album, without question.

We'll go song by song then finish up with a couple of general comments.

1) Dance on a Volcano simply rocks (10/10). The beginning of the post Gabriel era starts out with a bang as the powerful intro starts us out. The song weaves through the chaos and hell of a volcano as an allegory to love. One of the highlights is Mike Rutherford's bass, especially towards the end. 2) Entangled is hauntingly beautiful (10/10). The first half is a lovely guitar and vocal bit, the harmonies on the chorus are fantastic. Follow this up with Tony Banks atmosphere and you have a lullaby for the ages. 3) Squonk is simple and powerful (9/10). "Like Father Like Son" the immortal words that got Phil Collins the gig, blare out and grab you. This is not The Lamb. 4) Mad Man Moon is chock full of proggy goodness (10/10). Tony Banks' piano work is outstanding, Phil's voice, soulful. 5) Robbery, Assault and Battery is fun (7/10). A rollicking tale of cops and robbers, not the deepest song on the album, but fun nonetheless. 6) Ripples is a sad lament (9/10). A somewhat sad song exploring the passing of youth, "Ripples never come back" Phil mourns in one of their most beautiful ballads. 7) A Trick of the Tail always makes me smile (10/10). The story of a creature, bored with his life and seeking adventure. He finds that adventure in the form of humanity. Maybe the grass really isn't greener. In all honesty, this is not terribly progish, but still a fantastic song. 8) Los Endos sums up the whole she-bang (10/10). A jazzy, Santanaesque vamp recalling many themes of the album. The reverse snare transition to the Squonk theme is otherworldly.

Throughout the entire album (with the exception of the instrumental 'Los Endos'), the focus remains on story telling. The characters on the front of the album only give a hint of the depth that each of them have. The sadness of the seamstress looking in the mirror gives but a hint of the emotion of Ripples. The mirth of the creature, the surprise of the robber. Each one has their story.

The musicianship is wonderful as well. Each of the four have their moments of brilliance and put forth a solid effort. Everyone is showcased on 'Dance on a Volcano' and 'Los Endos'.

All in all, this remains my favorite Genesis album, and in fact, my favorite album of all time. If you write this off as the beginning of the end, then I believe that you'll miss out on a wonderful set of music.

Genesis is a remarkable group. Usually a really great band has one or maybe even two members that stand out as having something really special, Genesis had (at least) five unique talents among its ranks! When Peter Gabriel left, Phil Collins stepped up and started singing, revealing that he is every bit as good as Gabriel was! Who would have believed that one of the best drummers in the world also was a great vocalist? Gabriel went on to a successful solo career and Collins brought the band onwards to new heights. A few years later Rutherford would similarly step up and take over guitar duties when Steve Hackett left and 'then there were three' and the rest is history, as they say.

A Trick Of The Tale is actually my favourite Genesis album and one of my personal favourite albums of all time. There is nothing I do not like about it. Everything from the lyrics to the detailed art work to the vocals, the guitars, the keyboards, the drums, etc. Only a handful albums in my collection is as close to perfect as A Trick Of The Tale. Phil really grew with the challenge and he sings extremely well on this album as well as drum like a mad man on Los Endos. This song became a standing concert closer on most subsequent Genesis tours and Steve Hackett plays it too with his own band. Steve is one of my favourite guitar players of all time and A Trick Of The Tale might be his finest hour. Tony and Mike are doing an excellent job too.

The dramatic Dance On A Volcano opens the album with an almost metal riff. Entangled and Ripples are much softer songs with soaring keyboards and guitars. Los Endos is a Jazz-rock/Fusion instrumental reprising a theme from Dance On A Volcano that is a perfect (and unusual) way to end the album. All the songs are simply great and the whole album holds together very well.

My re-mastered CD version is the new CD/SACD & DVD version and I think the sound is great on the CD and the visual extras are worth while for fans.

This may not be as groundbreaking as earlier Genesis albums, but this is still a masterpiece!

So the fans were merely sure it could be a flop. But it wasn't!

The ambientation was really different from the darkness and undergrond situation af the preceding album, but here we can find another time the aim to tell fairytales, as Squonk and A Trick of the tail, shown in the very early albums of the band.

Nowadays we can argue that the easy listening influence of mr. Collins was already taking place, though balanced by the Steve Hackett prog-creativity.

I think Steve Hackett is still one of the greatest prog-guitar players of all times.

But the album is brilliant and full of magic moments of great music.

Starting from the wonderful 7/8 of Dance on a Volcano and passing through Squonk, Mad Man Moon and Ripples we reach one of the greatest instrumental prog-standards played by the moltitudes of prog-musicians: Los Endos, where the instruments seem to melt together and where in the very end of the track we can listen the Collins tribute to the former great singer (There's an Angel standing in the sun. To Peter Gabriel) and our spine shivers with emotion.

Collins remembers the Gabriel way of singing, but his tune is much higher, so sometimes he becomes a little strident, with the respect of Gabriel's beloved deep tune.

Moreover Gabriel was always been a great performer (and still he is!) while Collins was still far from it.

Luckily the instrumental parts of the whole album are great, well performed and rich with feeling, starting from Rutherford's bass to Collins' drums and passing through the richness of Banks' keyboards and Hackett's extraordinary guitar.

I cannot give less than 4 stars. Nearly a masterpiece.

Take the title track; it has that immediate infectiousness of any delicate art-pop song, but either I played it too much or it's overbearing prettiness got to me and I really can't listen to that song with the same scope as most proggers. This album sounds like the end result of a serious band trying to merge art and pop into one package of which the end result sounds flat out boring to my ears.

Only certain songs can please me at certain times and there isn't a reason why I prefer some songs to others. Take ''Entangled'' and ''Ripples...''; both are very long, very quiet acoustic numbers that are meant to be very pretty, but it so happens that ''Ripples...'' does nothing but bore me while ''Entangled'' can keep my interest for a while.

For the most part, there's not much life being pumped into the band here, other than Mike's bass which is astounding. ''Robbery, Assault and Battery'' and ''Los Endos'' are the least boring of the batch, and I like ''Entangled'' very much, but it's too sleepy, serious and pretty for me to really take to heart. It's missing that bite that Peter Gabriel possessed on their earlier classics.

Genesis' first album without Peter Gabriel would find them walking of unfamiliar grounds in terms of direction and composition, yet somehow they managed to churn out something befitting of the ''classic'' Genesis sound. Everyone is still at the top of their game and Hackett seems to have turned the volume knob from 5 to 11 as he's much more dominant in this carnation of the band. Phil has taken on the vocal parts - but for all those nervous about how it sounds, don't be worried at the moment, since for this album and the next he'd be trying his best to sound just like Gabriel, and succeeding to a large degree. He still takes a proud seat behind the drums and proves that he's still a capable drummer, meaning that later album's drum machines would not yet be in use. There are tunes on the album that can rival some of the best that the band has released, and with their poppier side starting to shine through this album can very very accessible for those weary about more sophisticated works from the band like Selling England By The Pound.

What really makes this album great are the songs that have a perfect combination of the band's later and older sound. This album really is a transitional work, and though it has its feet set more firmly in the band's 70s works than the later stuff, it really does have a ''catchy'' feel to it. Likely the best example of this is the title track, A Trick of The Tail features a sing-along chorus and yet an incredibly ''progressive'' air to it with Hackett's superb playing and Bank's backing atmospheres and frontwards keys. Squonk shows the band in Led Zeppelin mode with a chunky riff and aggressive vocals - a side of Genesis not often seen. Robbery, Assault And Battery is another more upbeat tune with story-telling lyrics and some very impressive instrumental parts.

But the best had yet to be mentioned. Two songs on this album epitomize what Genesis does best, the opening Dance On A Volcano is a majestic powerhouse with an unforgettable intro from Hackett. A speedy pace brings back memories of Dancing With The Moonlit Knight and excellent keyboard solos from Banks in the middle and end really show off some ''classic'' Genesis. Los Endos is an amazing instrumental that ends the album by revisiting themes used throughout the record. Colins is on fire on this track, and listening to him go mad on the skins is almost enough to make any progger forget about what he was about to do to the band on their upcoming albums. Almost. This is one of Genesis' more speedy moments, and this song really rocks! Something you don't often hear about the band.

Other songs on the album are pleasant, if not as impressive. Most of them feature the same kind of playing that you'd expect from the band, and some very impressive solos. Still, these songs don't necessarily stand out above the rest, although a Genesis nut would tend to disagree with this statement. Entangled is a slow and pretty piece featuring a somewhat haunting chorus, and in a similar vein is the lengthy Ripples. While these songs are quite good, this album is a its best when the band is trying something new, not just sticking to what they know.

In the end this is still a classic Genesis, and indeed, a classic prog album. While it may not have quite the same punch as some of their other material, this album is undeniably great. 4 volcanoes out of 5 - the band would mature for the second (and last) album with this line-up, but this album is definitely worth investigating for any prog fan. An excellent addition to your collection.

The album itself begins with the superb "Dance on a Volcano". As usual, Steve Hackett's guitar work weaves in and around the song and leaps about with Tony Banks's keyboard work. The song moves at a frantic pace with Collins's vocals keeping pace. Collins is spot on with the vocals, his voice sounding more pure and clear rather than Gabriel's gritty singing. Ending with a swirling instrumental flurry, we are led off to the quiet and dreamlike "Entangled". An acoustic number featuring no drums, Collins has the voice of an angel here, in stark contrast to the dark lyrics about mental illness. This is my favorite song off the entire album. Banks closes the song with a beautiful mellotron solo, ending this lovely, grim little tune. Another rocker, similar to "Dance on a Volcano" comes in next. "Squonk" is a pounding, bass heavy tune with lyrics telling of a tale to hunt a mythical creature known as the Squonk.

The listener is treated next to the gorgeous and lush "Mad Man Moon". Starting with the mellotron that we know and love, we are treated to a quiet ballad with more top notch vocal work from Collins. The middle of the song is filled with some triumphant instrumental work before we once again reach the beginning mellotron lines. Song number six is "Robbery, Assault, and Battery" a song about a criminal who always gets away, no matter what. Personally, this is a controversial song for me, not because of the lyrical content, but because of one little detail. To start, this is a good song, it has some fantastic drumming by Collins, jazzy bass playing by Mike Rutherford, and Banks's usual virtuoso keyboard playing. The only problem is the keyboard solo near the middle of the song. Comparing it to the version found later on the live album "Seconds Out" the solo is played much too quickly when in reality it is a fantastic little detail to the song. The live version has the solo being played slower and much more drawn out with a great contrast to the drumming. Whatever, that is my only complaint for the album.

Moving on, we hear the grandeur of "Ripples". Another acoustic based number, this song is accompanied by beautiful grand piano chords and echoing bass. One of the defining moments of the album is the middle of the song where we hear rolling piano notes and one of Hackett's most emotional guitar solos. This is the sound of the ripples becoming waves and crashing before the listener.

After this, we come up to the title track "A Trick of the Tail". This could easily have been a single release with it being the poppiest track on the entire album. Even though it sounds like it could have been an outtake on the later Duke or Abacab albums, it still has the feel of a classic Genesis song and is actually my second favorite on the album. The closer here is the incredible Los Endos. Opening with a shimmering guitar riff and galloping drums the song kicks into a heavy twisting hard rock guitar riff before kicking into reprises of the main melodies from previous songs Squonk and Dance on a Volcano. Being the only instrumental it is one explosive conclusion to the album, and if one listens closely to the end of the song, they can hear Phil Collins whisper a lyric from Supper's Ready. I won't reveal it to you, you decide what he's saying for yourself. Pick this one up. Even if you are skeptical of Collins era Genesis, this one will not disappoint you. Whether you are a jazz fusion, symphonic, or psychedelic prog fan, this has it all. Or as I said up above, you decide for yourself where this album fits, both musically and personally.

Like I said, I wasn't there, but I'm sure this is the way I would've felt. After knowing only of Nursery Cryme, Foxtrot, SEBTP, Lamb Lies Down and such, there's no way I would have had any confidence in the bands new releases. Actually, this is the way I felt. However, almost 30 yrs later, Genesis being brand new to me. But, I know, if the news was current, meaning, in 1976, I would have taken it a lot harder.

It took me a while to finally take this album for a spin. A lot like Yes's Going for the One, I was skeptical at first and weary of a letdown. When I finally did, I was awestruck, seriously. Now, you have to consider my rather low expectations. So, when I say awestruck, I'm not saying I felt the same way after listening to A Trick Of The Tail, than Foxtrot, for example. A Trick Of The Tail barely, barely skips a beat transitioning from a Gabriel led Genesis to a Collins led Genesis. The album is near flawless. It doesn't have the sheer epic ness of Foxtrot, but many don't, so, it's really a non issue. Like most Genesis albums, it has fast and loud parts and very soft and melodic parts; lyrically amazing as well. Squonk is a popular favorite (rightfully so), but I really enjoy Ripples. If I could give 4.5 stars, I would. This is a must have for any fan of Genesis. Also, an excellent addition to any collection, but I wouldn't go as far to say it's a must.

Dance on a Vulcano is one of the better to me. Classic track in the Genesis history I believe. So typical for what they are about, second part is really special, first half more accessible, great composition (4*).

Entangled is more of a ballad, a good one but not one of their all time best to me though the mellotron towards the end will always be something special of course (3,25*).

Squonk is one of those songs I don't really have a downright opinion about. It's a good song but average for Genesis standard (3,25*).

Mad Man Moon is more interesting to me, more versatile, better composition than previous song. Great track (3,75*).

Robbery, Assault and Battery was always the stand out song for me on this album, accessible and recognizable, first signs of a more popular sounding Genesis ? (4*)

Ripples is another highlight, a wonderful song mainly thanks to great vocals by Phil (3,75-4*).

A Trick of the Tail is the shortest track of the album. The title track is just as Robbery a more popular one proving that Genesis is slowly but surely leaving their symphonical touch as they had a few years before this (3,5*).

Los Endos is the closing instrumental track closing the album in style (3,5*).

In fact I expected this album to finish above the 3,5 average and it did. But not really in a convincing way. If I compare it to my previously reviewed Nursery Cryme I think this one is slightly better overall but it lacks the real highlight that a song like Musical Box is. Still 4 stars.

Written after PG left, it is a bold and stunning statement by a group of songwriters who refused to give up after their most recognisable element left.

Dance With A Volcano has exceptionally complex vocal and instrumental arrangements, whilst Entangled is simply a stunning ballad, beautifully sung by Collins with the first hint of the surround keyboard wall of sound that Banks would make very much his own.

Squonk is again a very complex piece of musical arrangement and is simply fun. Mad Man Moon is for me the finest Banks composition ever - a lovely ballad with delicate keyboards and a very sympathetic treatment by Collins.

Robbery Assault & Battery is great fun, whilst Ripples finally convinces all just how crucial Steve Hackett was to this band. A story of growing old and lamenting that process, his guitar solo simply cries out to us in that story.

The title track has been attracting some radio airplay recently and the testament to Los Endos is that it is still played by Hackett and the band in gigs to this day, instrumentally exceptional and a joy to listen to digitally with decent surround sound speakers.

I opened up the sack, and all that I found was a pool of tears, just a pool of tears. What a work of genius and proof that Genesis were NOT just about Gabriel, but a collective of superb songwriters and performers.

An essential addition to any prog rock collection.

"Dance on a Volcano" Hackett's guitar and Banks's synthesizer take to the fore in this opening track. The bass and drumming are almost just as strong, and Collins does his best to fill some amazingly big shoes. More than anything, though, this is Banks's song, as his synthetic sounds dominate the last part of the song. The tones do sound like carryovers from the previous album.

"Entangled" More in the vein of Genesis's first few major albums, this track relies heavily on acoustic guitars, not the least of which is the fat sound of the twelve-string. With an amazing vocal melody, the song does not fail to please; the layers of guitars are great, and the harmonies are incredibly enjoyable also.

"Squonk" A strong step toward the 1980s sound where Genesis was heading, "Squonk" does boast a very good melody, even if the instrumentation is largely lacking. The music exists as a vehicle for the narrative lyrics. This was also the audition piece, according to the band, that Collins performed to become the new lead singer for Genesis.

"Mad Man Moon" Although it begins with piano and flute, the song is largely based around Banks's Mellotron and piano. The instrumental middle section is somehow dark and splendid, evocative of the previous album, featuring fast riffs on synthesizer and piano.

"Robbery, Assault, and Battery" Upbeat and amusing, this track hearkens back to the more histrionic approach of Peter Gabriel, with Gabriel singing in different voices to convey the story. It has a heavier sound, again looking-forward to the 1980s sound the band would soon adopt, except for Banks's impressive keyboard soloing over an odd time signature, which is reminiscent of his glorious work during the second part of "The Cinema Show."

"Ripples" The quiet moment of the album (and strangely the longest track on the album), this is largely dependant on the twelve-string acoustic guitar as many classic Genesis songs had been. This is by far the most pleasant song on the album, with delightful lyrics and a lovely melody. During the instrumental section, the volume of Hackett's lead guitar swells in, with Banks responsible for most of the accompaniment. The music build to a final, majestic repeating of the refrain.

"A Trick of the Tail" The title track has a fun melody and enjoyable lyrics. For once, Rutherford stands out a bit more, his bass carrying the main theme. The words describe a devilish-looking creature who left his home to come to Earth, but wound up in a freak show. No one believed his story of homeland. Despite its structural simplicity, Genesis has strangely enough never performed this song live.

"Los Endos" Peaceful electric guitar and synthesizers eventually give way to a charging rhythm and chunky bass. Banks' lead synthesizer tone is the same as that on "Riding the Scree" from the previous album. The piece includes excerpts from three different pieces, namely "It's Yourself" (a B-side to "Ripples"), "Dance on a Volcano," and "Squonk." During the final moments of the song, as it is fading out, Collins sings some of the last lyrics of "Supper's Ready," perhaps as a tribute to their departed vocalist.

It's a beautiful warm sounding album containing some of the bands most sublime moments with Entangled, Mad Man Moon and best of all Ripples which even my wife who hates Prog likes. While these more subdued pieces are all lovely songs the band also find time for their more explosive and dynamic moments. Dance On A Volcano is a fantastic opener, the scene being set by chiming twelve strings before the track explodes into life. Squonk is as near as Genesis had yet got to a straight forward rock song with it's simple John Bonham influenced rhythm from Phil Collins on drums. Robbery, Assault and Battery is a cousin of Harold The Barrel from Nursery Cryme with a short but superb instrumental section. The title track, while being the weakest song on the album is pleasant enough and the album closes with the blistering Los Endos, a stunning instrumental which in parts revisits themes visited earlier on the record. Such is the bands faith in it that it remained in their live set for the rest of their career.

A fantastic album then, despite the fact that guitarist Steve Hackett does not feature as much as he could, no doubt in part down to the fact that he didn't have a lot of ideas to bring to the table, having used them all up on his first solo album, Voyage Of The Acolyte. Nevertheless it remains an essential seventies symphonic prog album that any fan of the genre will surely enjoy.

The first words we hear from now lead singer Phil Collins on _Trick of the Tail_ is "Holy Mother of God you got to go faster than that.." and already the music is heavier, more crazily syncopated, and better produced than anything Genesis had ever created. The boys were making an emphatic statement that they were just fine without Peter Gabriel, thank you, and in fact were "Gonna start doing it right." Having felt pushed into the background during the exhausting Lamb tour, Genesis had some fire that was ready to explode. The result of course is the song Dance on a Volcano.

Quickly though, we see that this new Genesis is not going to be all fire. Phil Collins' much smoother voice finds its own element in softer material, starting with Entangled, a solid story-song. While one could imagine Gabriel doing the verses, with the grand chorus, a new Genesis sounds emerges. Harmony vocals with big echoes in lockstep, something absent for the most part since Anthony Phillips' departure, now return. This quiet balladry reaches its peak on Ripples, a beautiful song that again seems initially reminiscent but builds to a huge, strummy "Sail Away" refrain.

Squonk, the third song, points to the future of the band, beginning with a plodding 4/4 and shimmery guitars. Very behind the beat, it wouldn't be out of place on pre-Invisible Touch 80's Genesis albums (though we'd have been gleeful if that sound reached this level in those days). Collins sounds like himself, rather than imitating Gabriel, which he does frequently on this album. Despite this, he lacks Gabriel's expressive range, his level of eccentricity, and frankly, his level of literacy. Though the lyrics here are fine, none match the nuance of Gabriel-era Genesis. Collins' sense of melody and a hook are excellent, however, and on the albums namesake track, the English whimsy that had always been a part of Genesis reaches a previously unreached peak.

Despite a mild mid-album lull with Mad Man Moon and Robbery, Assault, and Battery, the overall quality of the songwriting here is quite good and the performances are extraordinary. The ending instrumental, Los Endos, is a part of the Genesis canon for good reason. Finally returning to the fire and energy that they opened with, the band shows us some of their astounding virtuosity in a frenetic finish. The rhythm section races along at breakneck pace before slowing into a dreamy key sequence and finally some reprises of the melodic themes of the album.

All in all, the boys succeeded in shedding their dramatic star in convincing fashion. It is indeed an excellent addition to any prog collection.

Dance On A Volcano,pointed out by many as a remarkable rescue of the Gabriel era sounding,seems to me exactly the opposite:one of the points in the album where the whole group is more developed and free of the hauting charges the previous singer left over them.It may take a while to aprecciate this song entirely,but once it hits you,it becomes a very impressive opener and overall a great composition.Mike Rutherford and Phil Collins are outstanding in bass and percussion throughout the recording,and this is sensed since the very beggining of the opening number.It's worth pointing out that Phil as the new singer doesn't leaves much to be desired,that meaning that he could not possibly take charge for the apparently unreplaceable gap Peter left in the band.

Entangled may be the most interesting song present on this album,a rare acoustic highlight with a powerfull chorus and verses that complete the beautifull work of Hackett.Squonk follows,an expressively weaker piece that echoes all through the album,enjoyable but somewhat empty of depht...and strangely...boring(sorry everyone),despite the very nice bass/drums leadership.

As for Mad Mad Moon,what a perfectly touching and lovely symphonic prog piece...except for the fact that,here,Peter Gabriel's absence is screaming out loud.So noble is Collins attempt to sound as charismatic as his former bandmate,this piece will unfortunately never escape the shadow of past glories for me.But being perfectly fair(after all I'll not judge the album after my personal impressions),there is absolutely nothing wrong with this fine piece of prog.

Robbery,Assault & Battery,on the other hand...doesn't sound like anything made by Genesis,before or after it.Let me make myself clearer:this is a bad song.Period.Someone is clearly trying to make something in the fashion of Harrold the Barrel or Get'em Out By Friday,but the lyrics/music relation (suposed to be the song's strongest factor)is simply ridiculous,specially at the chorus.Curiously enough,I constantly find myself with it stucked in my head,for this is a catchy tune.The problem is it's absolutley out of place,and as far as musical avaliatons go,this is a cheesy song,one that I'm quite honestly pretty sure would be hated if it was released on albums post Hackett departure.

Ripples brings back some of the new band's idendity,that is,softer and mellower.I do love the lyrics and find the verses particulary touching,although it took me a good while to get used to the somehow pop- reminding chorus(and I'm doing my best not to sound arrogant).

The title track is,along with Entangled,the song that lifts up the album for me.And please focus on this last sentence,this is only my personal opinion,after all this is usually considered a low point.I just LOVE the lyric/verse and melody co-relation,and the chorus express very vividly and subtely the feel of this album.Los Endos closes the recording as an interesting overture,well thought-off and very apropriate.

Some may have noticed,I like A Trick Of the Tail for all the wrong reasons.It is probably my least favourite 'prog-Genesis' album.As far as song writting goes,Genesis were definetly not out of shape,and they delivered another album full of stunningly beautifull compositions.The one star I'm taking away reflects the fact that unlike Wind & Wuthering,Gabriel is deeply missed at points.But the moments when he is not make the is album so much worth listening to.

Review by Progkidjoel

Genesis' "A Trick of The Tail" is the first post-Gabriel Era Genesis album, and possibly the best. This album, although only 8 tracks in length, never ceases to amaze, entertain or amuse the listener.

1. Dance On A Volcano (5:53) One of my favourite Genesis tracks ever, this great track opens with a flowing melody and an interesting guitar and drum pattern. Quite a challenging listen for the first few tries, this song is sure to amaze and amuse. Phil Collin's vocals were particularly strong on this track, and led alot of the musical brilliance to be found on the first track of this album.

[4 Stars out of 5]

2. Entangled (6:28) A slow, flowing, harmonic piece which carries on a great lyric with yet again great vocals. Quite remmenisent of "The Musical Box" from Gabriel-era Genesis, this track is one of my favourites of the album. The lyrics to this track are the leading star, and boy, do they shine.

[4.5 Stars out of 5]

3. Squonk (6:27) A squonk: (Not a word for word quote) Is a beast, which when threatened, scared or entrapped can dissolve itself into tears. My favourite track from this album, and one of Genesis' best ever. The drum track to this song is absolutely great, powerful and rhythmic, yet at the same time, incredibly metronomic in a way which lets the vocals flow over the top. The keyboards at the chorus to this song are fantastic, and so is the Lyric. One of my favourite Genesis lyrics ever, "If you don't stand up, you don't stand a chance" is a great explanation of a Squonk.

[5 Stars out of 5]

4. Mad Man Moon (7:35) One of the coolest prog tracks I'd heard up to that point, this flowing, piano-led ballad is fantastic. One of the very first songs I ever learnt on piano, I love this song to bits and will never forget it.

[5 Stars out of 5]

5. Robbery, Assault & Battery (6:15) More of a comedy than a song, this track is as amusing as it is fantastic and reminiscent of Gabriel-Era Genesis. The lyrics convey the story of this track fantastically, and never cease to entertain, even after numerous listens. The instrumentals on this track are also very great, and add to the overall depth of this track.

[4 Stars out of 5]

6. Ripples (8:03) Another semi-space rock track, which is quite similiar to entangled, this is quite an interesting track. It's high vocals and flowing piano melody at the chorus are quite deep, and make this song feel very... Thick? In an emotive way. Deep would be a better word to use. A great track, none the less.

[4 Stars out of 5]

7. A Trick Of The Tail (4:34) One of the best EVER Genesis' tracks, the title track of this album tells the tale of a beast, who left his home in search of adventure, only to be captured and riticuled by humans. This is one of the defining tracks of Collins-era Genesis, and should not be overlooked. Not only one of the most memorable title tracks ever, but this song delivers brilliance in a very "Supper's Ready" way, and does nothing other than entertain and engage both the old and new Genesis fan from beggining to end.

[5 Stars out of 5]

8. Los Endos (5:46) My least favourite track from this album, I didn't see what the point in adding this track was. Its a flowing epilogue to a great album, displaying the dynamics, elements and harmonies from the best tracks on the album, but never the less, I found it incredibly dull in comparison to the rest of this great album.

[3.5 Stars out of 5]

Closing thoughts:

The production value on this album was great, albeit a little bit too treble concentrated. Where the bass is visible, it is great, but it's a shame these moments are too scarce. An easily reccomendable, 5/5 album for any proggy, old or young, Gabriel or Genesis, symphonic or Neo.

Final rating: 5/5 Stars (NOT an average) -Joel G

In short, A Trick of the Tail, the first with Phil Collins on the mike as the frontman and more importantly the first of the Tony Banks era, something that most Genesis fans don't acknowledge. Banks get a writing credit on all of the songs and if there is a slight negative to this album, it's that the balance is a little too keyboard oriented. A little more Steve Hackett and this would have been perfect.

Still a masterpiece. 5 Stars.

The end of the Peter Gabriel era was not the end of Genesis. They just regrouped (litterary speaking) and came up with this masterpiece. From the first tone to the last tone; this is excellent stuff. There are some light-weight pop tunes here too. But most of it is pure Genesis and this album is a part of the Genesis legacy we find in so many other prog rock bands these days. Even the vocals are excellent here and I am not a member of Phil Collins fan club. Most of this album is Tony Banks through and through. Steve Hacket is only playing a supporting role on this album. It is a waste of this great talent. But listening to what Tony Banks does here makes you forgive Genesis for that travesty. I love this album as one piece of music. But the closing track Los Endos is just brilliant. The same is the title track. I do not care too much about the light pop material which sneaked in here. But this is still one of Genesis best albums and one the best albums in my record collection.

4.5 stars

I wasn't born at the time, but I guess when Gabriel left, a lot of people were wondering about what would happen to the band. How would the new album sound? The answer is pretty easy. Add 'Selling England by the Pound' and 'The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway', subtract Gabriel from the equation and you've basically got the sound of 'A Trick of the Tail'. Many feel that 'The Lamb' in a way lost the organic and warm sound of 'SEBTP' in favor for a more sterile, technical sound. I'm a fan of the way both sounds - - they reflect the respective albums' concepts and lyrical themes. I think however that 'A Trick of the Tail' sounds even better, instrumentally at least. The vocals are naturally another matter. Basically 'A Trick' has the same instrumental sound as 'The Lamb', but the warmth and dynamics of 'SEBTP' is back. Perhaps this is due to the organ gaining a larger role again. This is perhaps most easily heared in the gripping ending of 'Entangled' or the beautiful middle part of 'Mad Man Moon'.

As for the songs, I like them all. The opener 'Dance on a Volcano' was definitely a statement by the band, in a way distincting themselves from the Gabriel-Genesis sound. For the first time the band really turns up the pace. This track rolls fast! The highlight is definitely Banks synth playing. The whole track really sounds fresh.

The album soon returns to old Genesis territory with 'Entangled' which is a beautiful piece. The ending is fabulous. It's powerful, yet beautiful, much thanks to the mellotron in combination with Hackett's twelve strings guitar. It isn't just the ending that makes this track great however, the whole thing is really beautiful. Hackett's accoustic playing really shines, as well as Collins' vocals. Penned in part by Hackett, I guess it hints at what could have been if Hackett were allowed a bit larger role in the post-Gabriel Genesis.

The next track up is the, at the time, unusual 'Squonk' about this little imaginary creature which can dissolve itself to tears when threatened. The lyrics are well written and Collins delivers pretty well. What is special about this track is its over all style. It features Genesis in a slow rock groove which certainly was unusual for them at the time, but which pointed forward to later pop songs. Don't take this as a warning -- this groove is extremely catchy, and further more it is topped by a absolutely beautiful synth melody by Banks (this one stuck in my head from first listen!) Besides, the chorus is also very strong, with another great melody played on organs. Over all this track works very well and is in fact one of my favorites.

Following up is 'Mad Man Moon', which seems to be a largely overlooked track by many. I don't quite get why. This is probably the album's highlight. Right from its start we're given a beautiful melody on piano by Banks, with Hackett accompanying it with beautiful guitar playing. The chorus is also beautiful with a rather interesting chord progression. The real gem is however the middle section. Probably one of Banks' finest piano moments. After a while accompanied by some great symphonic synth playing. Simply a great track. The lyrics are perhaps a bit strange but whatever. The music is excellent. Even some flute here. Wonder who played that...

'Robbery, Assault and Battery' is a bit overrated in my eyes. The whole robbery concept is ridiculous and this aspect is only strengthened by Collins' flawed attempt at voice acting a la Gabriel. Musically however, this track has a really great instrumental section. Definitely one of Banks' highlights on the album.

'Ripples' is another track which is overrated I think. To be frank I find the chorus a slight bit cheesy. A bit unoriginal perhaps. It's a nice track however, and especially the middle section is moving. Even Hackett comes out to do some soloing stuff a la 'Firth of Fifth'.

The album ends with the title track before it closes off by picking up the speed again and giving us a few a reprises from earlier songs. The title track never appealed much to me. I guess it's a solid single by the band, but for me it isn't especially interesting. One interesting thing however is Hackett's weird atmospheric high pitched playing in the background during the sections featuring the intro melody on bass. The closer 'Los Endos' picks, as mentioned, up the pace. Collins provides some really rhythmic drumming, clearly inspired by his work with jazz fusion band Brand X. His playing is simply outstanding. Rutherford's bass also gets to let some steam out. Banks of course grips the chance to spill out one catchy synth melody after the other. After this chaotic section is followed by the intro of 'Dance on a Volcano', this time with an epic mellotron choir to back it up. Powerful! Then comes a powerful reprise of 'Squonk'. The final few seconds Hackett contributes substantially to the song but it fades out ...

I find 'A Trick of the Tail' to be a really entertaining album. Not very melodramatic, complex, theatric, spanning four LP sides or anything like that. Just a set of really, really strong songs. Some fast and furious, others mellow and beautiful. There's no masterpieces here, just great tracks which fit very well when you just want a casual listen.

A Trick of the Tail is what is called by many the start of the Phil Collins era, but by others a continuance of Peter Gabriel's legacy. Genesis have not really changed their sound around the two first Collins albums (Trick of the Tail, WInd & Wuthering), but there are obvious hints of what might happen next. This album still carries the power of previous Gabriel era albums, and Collins' vocals even sound similar, as we've heard before on songs like The Raven (Lamb), For Absent Friends (Nursery), amongst others.

The first sounds of Hackett's guitar in the beginning is sure to ring a bell for the old days, or even the radio from a week ago. The song is one of the Genesis classics that are on this album. This is reminiscent and will most probably put joy in the hearts of the Foxtrot era fans. Phil's takeover has given him strength and now the drums are a much more important part than in previous Genesis albums. *cue obvious mention of synthesizers* Tony Banks provides heavy use of synthesizers on this track and the whole album in general, giving it a proggy yet poppy feel.

Entangled's opening is reminiscent of Nursery Cryme / Lamb Lies Down songs, with its keyboards and Phil Collins vocals. The sound of Hackett's guitar is fantastic on this album, and this one definitely shows it. The guitar sound and overall sound of this song can please fans of songs like Watcher of the Skies, and other songs featuring heavy use of effects on keyboards and guitars. This song is not reminiscent of following songs on this album and Genesis in general, so once you hear it, it's not gonna give you a good overall impression of the album.

Squonk is more of a song for the people who like the pop-80's "Genesis", "" intended. It features an 80's drum sound, 80's feel, and just plain 80's overall. It features Phil Collins' voice for many years to come, with all of his usual effects and sounds. There is a part where Banks brings in his Hammond for an old remniscing of the old days, but that's the only thing I think Gabirle-era fans only can enjoy. This album does not feature Collins' Gabriel imitating voice, unlike other albums, which in my opinion, has its upsides, but also its downsides. The upside is that you can reminisce of how great Genesis was when Gabriel was around and how he built the band's overall sound, but the downside is that Gabriel is not there any more, and you can't hear his voice, and when Collins uses the Gabriel accent for even a second, it reminds you he's not there any more.

Mad Man Moon's opening made me think of Looking for Someone on the Trespass album as soon as the first note rang. The drums come in and I immediately think of Nursery Cryme songs, and think I'm flipping through Genesis albums one by one. The mellotron comes in, and like earlier, I think of Foxtrot's Watcher of the Skies opening, with that beautiful string mellotron sound. This is a great reminiscing track, and as sad as I may be for saying such good things about Collins (no hard feelings, but it's not Genesis without Gabriel), but I think he really brings out the old days of Genesis on this track.

Robbery, Assault and Battery is what I like to call, the "cute" song of the album. It has this childish tune and sound, and the instrumentation is pretty childish, but not in a bad way! It is actually my favorite track from this album. Collins' drumming here is as excellent as he was back in his first Genesis apperance with Nursery Cryme, the popstar has not changed a bit in his drumming after all! The classic guitar line in the chorus is just, well, classic. I do not know if this was a hit or not, but this can be a fun song to dance to, sing to, or play to. This is the instrument show-caser on this album, great stuff!

Ripples starts out as a poppy(ier) song, but it's piano parts are amazing and remind me at some times of classic Genesis tracks, like Supper's Ready. When the whole band enters the song still sounds poppy, but with the obvious "You can hear it's prog!" Genesis sound. Banks is the guy on this track, with great piano work, and keyboards in general. If you like songs that are vocals piano, and can enjoy Collins' vocals, this is the song you should check out before getting this album. There is a reverse guitar solo by Hackett, but it's not as audible as I guess it should have been. The song is repeating itself, and except for the guitar solo, it isn't that diverse.

The title track sounds like a pop version of a song off The Lamb, or a cheap copy of Robbery, Assault & Battery. Harmonies are cheap and have been used many times before on other songs, a lot of them being pop songs. It sounds like one of the 80's Genesis tracks was written and recorded in 1976, somehow, using a very advanced inflatable-time- machine. One of the lamer songs on this album.

The final track is Los Endos, a classic which is played at most Genesis gigs ever since March or April 1976, when the Trick of the Tail tour got on the road. It is a fast paced song, sounding like Camel's debut at many parts, instrumentally and rhythmically. It then goes into a part which is one step closer to the Genesis I, and a "few" other people like. After 3 minutes of the latin rhythm, it sounds like the band is slowing down and Hackett's guitar plays a simple guitar part with a little delay, and a little reverb, and that's all it takes to make it sound beautiful, and that is one of the things I loke about Hackett.

This is the 1000th word of this review, and with that, I mark the end of it. The album is good, and even great at some parts, but the long and sometimes unnecessary make me give it, yes, a 3 out of 5. I'd have expected good words to come out my keyboard, but all the bad things I said started making sense to my ears, and I finally understood, with all the greatness in this album, there's some pretty bad stuff in it. So yep, 3/5.

The reason for the many good songs is the genius of Steve Hackett of course. His trademark style is all over this album making it almost as good as his first solo album Voyage of the Acolyte. Almost, we must admit, because there's a few occasion where Collins takes the spotlight and gives us a first idea of the bland soft pop direction he would steer Genesis in. Entangled has a nice closing section but the pop song at the heart of it is a punishment to endure. The same can be said for the lackluster Mad Man Moon and Ripples.

Now, that brings us to the reason why you can't convince me this deserves more then 3 stars. All good tracks here appear in a better version on Seconds Out, so if you get that live album instead, you get all the good tracks from this one plus a good deal of classic Genesis tracks in very pleasing renditions by Phil.

Moving past the quirky, sometime raw feel of The Lamb, Tony Banks dominates with subtle, tasteful orchestrations and beautiful melodies.

True, Steve Hackett is either absent or restrained in many of the mixes (save "Entangled" in which in part his compositional talents and playing are given ample attention). However, the adroit drumming of Mr. Collins, supple bass and guitar of Mr. Rutherford complement the overall sound. David Hentschel's fresh, clean engineering allows the album to breath whereas prior entries in the Genesis oeuvre (Nursery Cryme in particular) felt suffocatingly layered and muffled.

Please do not confuse the "lighter" aspects of the album with "poppy" as assuredly I think no less of Gounod imbuing his endearing lightheartedness in his symphonies. "Trick of the Tail" is catchy yes, but lyrically poignant and musically sublime in a way quite unlike the disturbing sonorities of say "Fly On A Windshield."

This album, in my opinion, cements Edward Macan's notion of Genesis as the "Mozarts of Prog" with their intricate ensemble interplay and Mr. Banks' 18th-century influenced virtuoso stylings.

Trick of the tail is the first one of the two great albums made without the Gabe. It's really a great album, even though Gabe isn't on it. It starts with the nice jam of "Dance on a volcano" and goes then to the nostalgic "Entangled". The old Genesis sound is still fresh, and these two tracks take you back to the times of Selling england by the pound and maybe Foxtrot. The funny thing with Collins voice is that he sounds almost exactly like Gabe on this one(and W&W), except without that rasp that Gabe sometimes puts in his harder vocal parts.

There's real gems on this albums too, "Mad Man Moon" and "Ripples" are outstanding, and then there is the ending instrumental "Los Endos" which is also magnificient. The problem with the album is of course rest of the tracks. "Squonk" is a bit too loose, "Robbery & Assault" is just boring and "Trick of the Tail" fails to deliver even though it isn't as bad as the two i described.

This album actually shows that Genesis is more than just Gabe, even though Gabe was a BIG part of the best Genesis. Tony Banks deserves a big credit for this album, as the keyboard solos are mostly amazing. Credit goes also to the rest of the band for keeping the standards high, so that Genesis could remain as the best prog and rock band of all time. 4 Stars.

It might be worth mentioning here that I was in no way raised with Genesis and it wasn't until a few years ago that a friend recommended them to me.

The album is truly a Genesis album, the symphonic and bombastic feel of the older records shines through from the first notes with "Dance on a Volcano" and the fact that they open the album in 7/4 just made me all the more delighted; progressiveness was to be had!

Going through the songs one by one is pointless, I think records should be enjoyed as wholes and nothing else. What I especially like so much about this album is how each track really stands out from the others, yet does so in such a fashion that it never feels disconnected.

I had a pretty interesting experience when a friend visited a while ago. He was playing some video game and I was by the computer listening to the album. He is the kind of guy who listens to hardcore and electronic music of all sorts, not the type of guy who'd lurk around on this site. He looked up from the TV and asked me what band it was, saying he loved the song that was playing(Entangled). I think this just goes to show how Genesis stretch over musical borders, bringing a lot of great things together for everyone to enjoy, no matter what musical background.

Edit: Sometimes I am too stingy with reviews and want to avoid giving too many 5-star reviews. I wanted to be as "objective" as I possible, but coming back to this record time and time again only to love it more makes me realise that 'A Trick of the Tail' is a masterpiece and so deserving of a 5 star rating I ought to slap my own face. That is all.

A masterpiece. 5/5

After the departure of Peter Gabriel, things looked uncertain for the remaining four members but with this album, they were able to prove that they could carry on, and quite well, without their esteemed ex-front man in the picture. "A Trick of the Tail", with its beautiful intricacies and atmospheres, is evidence enough that a new era of Genesis had begun. But does it necessarily match up to the glorious albums made by the classic 5 lineup? Let's have a look, shall we?

"Dance on a Volcano" sets the mood for the album right away. Collins' crazy drum parts and Banks' keyboards really shine in this track, making for a solid first track. "Entangled" is one of the softer songs and also the most eerie. However, its thoughtful lyrics and music provide a pleasant feeling. "Squonk" is one of my favorite tracks from the album and also one of the "heaviest" Genesis ever did. Collins' voice performs excellent here. "Mad Man Moon" is one of the more somber tracks, but very beautiful overall. The band as a whole is top notch in this track. And now, to side 2.

The second side is slightly weaker than the first, in my opinion, but not so weak as to bring the entire album down. "Robbery, Assault, and Battery" is one of the weaker tracks, but showcases Collins' drumming skills at their best. A funny video was made for this song. "Ripples" starts off very well, with Hackett's acoustic 12-string leading the way, but dwindles slightly towards the middle. Still quite a good track. "A Trick of the Tail" is the "poppiest" of the songs but also one of the best. The song has one hooked from the beginning with its catchy riff. "Los Endos" is the instrumental that ends the album, and in such a high fashion. Exceptional bass work from Rutherford, especially. The song also features Gabriel's voice near the end, as an nod, I presume. And thus so, the album comes to an end.

"A Trick of the Tail" will always remain one of my dearest albums, seeing as how it was one of my first prog records. Although it may not be a masterpiece, it is definitely worth attaining if you have not done so. An excellent addition? You betcha.

1. "Dance on a Volcano" - 8.5/10

2. "Entangled" - 8.5/10

3. "Squonk" - 9/10

4. "Mad Man Moon" - 9/10

5. "Robbery, Assault, and Battery" - 8/10

6. "Ripples" - 8/10

7. "A Trick of the Tail" - 9/10

8. "Los Endos" - 9/10

69/8 = 86.25% = 4 stars!

Banks and Hackett seem particularly charged on the bookend pieces of the album, Dance On A Volcano and Los Endos. Their performance exceeds most of their previous output. This song is forceful and strong, with unexpectedly powerful solos from both guitar and keyboards.

Unfortunately, between the bookends are much lesser songs. Squonk is lumbering prog that never overcomes it's slow pace. Mad Man Moon, Robbery, Assault & Battery and Ripples are all plain MOR, with proggy breaks that save them from total worthlessness. Entangled and A Trick Of The Tail are light prog, nothing more.

At least this album has some value.

This is one of the early Genesis albums that's very hard to rate. It has some moments of brilliance, but it also has weaker parts. Furthermore the recording is done quite bad. The strange out of space sound of tracks like Dance on a Vulcano and Squonk is just horrible. Why this thick, sticky recording? Why not record all instruments in a way it doesn't sound like one big blur? Is this modern? It does give the record an early pre-neoprog sound.

Two songs are standouts on this album. Dance of a Vulcano is a very progressive track with a great main theme in 5/8. Throughout the track new melodies make this a very enjoyable song. Follow-up Entangled is one of my favourite Genesis tracks. The great gentle acoustic guitar parts in the beginning with the warm vocals of Phil Collings are truly emotional and effect my mood. The symphonic solo parts are uncomplicated but very effective. This is a great progressive ballad!

From this point the quality begins to decline. Squonk has both good parts and bad parts but mainly suffers from 'modern' recording technologies and far-far-far-away lyrics from Phil Collins. Mad Man Moon is a bit better with a Kayak-like piano part in the middle of the song, but this song also introduces the mellow Genesis ballad style that would begin to bore on Wind and Wuthering.

Robbery Assault and Battery isn't my cup of thee. I don't like the structure and the vocals on this song. The compositions has some potential though. Ripples isn't very memorable as is the title track that has just a nice main theme. The instrumental ending (Los Endos) is as good as the first two tracks and has a very progressive sound. Most of the melodies and sounds are taken from other songs of the album.

Conclusion. An album with highlights and songs that leave me indifferent. The recording could have been much better and more human. This would have saved it from losing a star and going to three stars. Some tracks are quite essential progressive listening, others are not so important. Still this is must-have for fans of the band, excellent for fans of the genre and interesting for those interested in the neo-progressive genre. Three stars.

Phil Collins perches atop the vocalist stool surprisingly easily, and shines on the three best tracks - "Entangled", "Squonk" and "Ripples". The first is Hackett all the way, a simple almost CSN rivalling folk tune that ultimately scores via one of the most gorgeous mellotron choir passages ever conceived. "Squonk" is a precursor to Mike Rutherford's later work, at turns ripping and reflective, managing to garner sympathy for the poor and clearly unappealing rat-like critter. "Ripples" is another Hackett gem that extrapolates to his late 1970s solo work. Apart from the sparkling chorus, the instrumental section merges several melodies and might eclipse "Firth of Fifth" as a hair raising experience.

Other good tunes include "Mad Man Moon", the fanciful title cut that smells like a wood nymph tail, and the monster closing instrumental "Los Endos". Even if "Robber Assault and Battery" sounds too much like what the group would later become, and "Dance on a Volcano" is as welcome as a skin eruption, tails wins heads down.

The first irony is that the loss of Gabriel assured the band were a shadow of their former self, even as their commercial viability would eventually reach the stratosphere. The second is that the band were becoming sonically more pleasing as they had less to say, they were becoming better musicians as they lost the quality in songwriting that gave the instrumental work purpose. How much of this was the result of Gabriel being the soul of the band will never be known and doesn't really matter. Sure, the decline could have continued even had he not left. His departure only meant it would be a certainty sooner than later. The band survived the loss of one of its emotional anchors in Ant Phillips. It would not survive losing the balance from the purist Genesis perspective. Commercial achievement is another thing altogether and something I don't care about. But at the very core issue of substance and gravitas, Trick of the Tail lacks what Selling England and its predecessors had in spades. Gone is the magic of getting lost in their world and its subtle dark overtones, replaced by plastic and a nice hum for your day.

Trick of the Tail is wall to wall flowery prose without that indescribable Genesis spirit of the Trespass-Selling England years. With Collins ascension the songwriting would receive a boost in the separate areas of fusion and pop sensibilities. They would try out these interesting fusion inspired ideas to only limited success. Even at this stage you can clearly hear the beginnings of the mastery they would find in the embrace of mainstream, catchy directions. This is the beginning of the Genesis pop period even if it is still largely hidden within the prog cloak. "Robbery" and "Ripples" would lead to "Your own special way" which leads to "Follow you follow me," and we all know where it ended up. Of course there is still plenty of entertainment here for the wider Genesis fan and I'm not saying it's a total disaster. Just that we have moved into a lukewarm 3 star territory and that's being generous. As a vocalist Collins lacks the passion and depth of Peter Gabriel. As a songwriter he proved not a capable replacement either which is one reason Trick is the beginning of the end of progressive Genesis. Some claim it the first neo-prog album. I'm not sure about that, but I am sure it's a shadow of the band I really love.

4(+), end is pleasant (reprise) type of song. Like a knight, who stops traveling, turns around and overlooks his album and say: "We have done it, it's good and we can get away with it."

This CD is perfectly symphonic prog, one of the very best ever, with all the characteristics. In my view, it is equalling SEBTP, Foxtrot and Nursery Cryme, as the best from Genesis, in the prog-world (Inv. Touch would be the counterpart in the pop-world ... ).

'Dance on a Volcano' and 'Robbery, assault & battery' are much complex tracks, with a music so difficult to reproduce by any group, lots of tempo variations, power and fun. 'Squonk' and 'Los Endos' also generate lots of power and energy (by the way, it is amplified in the new remix version !!). The title track is very entertaining, funny, still proggy, very well constructed and original. So, everyone is, up to now, excellent. But, my favorites ones are the other three... 'Entangled' is soft, but very melodic; the guitar and keyboard plays are amazing, very artistic and going increasing in emotions. Superb. 'Mad man moon' is one of the best single track by Genesis, ever ! Complex musical scheme, present at the start and the end, fragmented by a gorgeous 7/8 episode, more energic and... a reference. Also most superb. 'Ripples' has a more pop segment (the refrain), but the center diversion is another typical complex and musically perfect example. Quite soft, but with the fantastic center solo and impro. Again, mostly superb.

We all know what routes were coming on Genesis... It is bad that could not attain this super-prog quality in some subsequent CD's (let's say : from Duke and on...).

A very solid 5, even if Gabriel was not on it.

"Dance on a Volcano" is cool as far as the as the beat goes. They definitely have some good music to listen to.

I happened to catch the video of "Robbery, Assault, and Battery" and it was pretty cool seeing a band like Genesis perform their budding hit on the little screen. This is a good tune and I still sing it a lot.

I happened to hear Annie Haslem sing "Ripples" and I realized how beautiful the tune really is. I think I like her version better, but it is a class tune no matter who does it.

The last standout is "Los Endos" which restates some of the rest of the album's themes. It is Hackett dominated, which I loved to no end.

This album is somewhat proggy, but not like their earlier stuff. They stay too long on some things, but the fan and the novice will find more than a few enjoyable ideas within the confines of this release. I will give it 3 stars, because I think it is good, but it is definitely non essential.

Perhaps the overly creative Peter Gabriel was actually stifling the creativity of Genesis by overpowering them with his own creative juices. After Peter Gabriel left, many feel that the magic was extracted from the band, in a sense the cork had been popped and the genie had escaped from the bottle. Gabriel went on to do other great things and left the band dangling by a thread with the reluctant Phil Collins to take up where Gabriel left off. "We came close to calling it a day when Pete left," Rutherford mentioned in an interview, "It wasn't that we lost our nerve. We were always confident we could write the music, because Tony and I had done most of 'The Lamb.' It was just a question of whether the public would accept us." There was a lot of misconception that the band could not continue sans Gabriel. After the enormously popular "The Lamb Lies Down In Broadway" the band had to come up with something extraordinary as there was such an expectation with this new lineup. Could Genesis pull it off without the enigmatic Gabriel? The answer is a bonafide yes. This is perhaps one of the best Post Gabriel Genesis albums of all time. The musicianship is absolutely brilliant when you have the likes of Hackett guitar extraordinaire with, Banks, masterful on keyboards and mellotron, Rutherford, bass rhythm professional, and of course, percussionist Collins on lead vocals.

It begins with the progalicious off kilter rhythms of Dance on a Volcano with Banks, Rutherford, Hackett and Collins in full flight, a force to be reckoned with. The intricate time signatures are astonishing, a mixture of jazz fusion and complex melodies. I love the way the drums are off beat, not quite in time with the signature, but the off kilter metrical pattern is consistently off the beat and it works so well. The lyrics are quite amusing nonsense, and the time sig is chaotic in a passage of proggy delight, "On your left and on your right, Crosses are green and crosses are blue, Your friends didn't make it through. Out of the night and out of the dark, Into the fire and into the fight, Well that's the way the heroes go, Ho! Ho! Ho!" There is a chilling self prophecy towards the end with the estranged vocals "Let the dance begin", and we all know the "We Can't Dance" album and how that shaped their music for the worst, becoming commercial and radio friendly. In any case this opening track is brilliant Genesis and a killer to present the new Genesis. Hackett's guitar riffs are infectious and unforgettable on this track. This is the best track on the album, a tour de force of proggy rhythms and virtuoso musicianship.

Entangled has an excellent Hackett 12 string intro and the soft vocals of Collins accompanying. The track is essentially a folk ballad, the type that would grace every Genesis album from here on with Collins at the helm. The lyrics are all about a patient who dreams disturbing things, there is no slipperman or fox here, just a simple melodic balladic form, "Madrigal music is playing, Voices can faintly be heard, "Please leave this patient undisturbed." Sentenced to drift far away now, Nothing is quite what it seems, Sometimes entangled in your own dreams." . The harmonies are quite nice, and even pastoral at times, especially some of those swells on the keyboards that add an ethereal quality. The end synth break is a highlight, showcasing Banks inimitable flair.

Squonk has a solid steady rhythm with very familiar lyrical style, the nursery rhyme or is that cryme style, "All the King's horses and all the King's men, Could never put a smile on that face." The lyrics are very fairy tale in style, "He's a sly one, he's a shy one, Wouldn't you be too. Scared to be left all on his own. Hasn't a, hasn't a friend to play with, the Ugly Duckling, The pressure on, the bubble will burst before our eyes." The story is all about the furry little squonk and it makes references to all sort of chidren's literature such as 'Snow White'; "Mirror mirror on the wall, His heart was broken long before he ever came to you..." So Genesis were still maintaining the thematic content of past albums that was centred on fairy tales and nonsense rhymes which is nice to see. The lyrics that refers to the 'Trick of the tail' is here too, "Now listen here, listen to me, don't you run away now, I am a friend, I'd really like to play with you. Making noises my little furry friend would make, I'll trick him, then I'll kick him into my sack. You better watch out... You better watch out." A great song that is quite popular among Genesis freaks.

Mad Man Moon begins with a dreamy flute sound and very soft piano. Collins gently sings in a melancholy way while the mellotron plays underneath, "Was it summer when the river ran dry, Or was it just another dam. When the evil of a snowflake in June, Could still be a source of relief. O how I love you, I once cried long ago, But I was the one who decided to go. To search beyond the final crest, Though I'd heard it said just birds could dwell so high." This is a very pastoral song which changes feel at 2:45 with a piano interlude, played to perfection by Banks. This is a quiet sleeper track.

Robbery, Assault and Battery has some of the more character driven lyrics we have become used to from Gabriel, but this time Collins plays the very English characters, "Slipping between them he ought to have seen then, The eyes and their owner so near. With torch shining bright he strode on in the night, Till he came to the room with the safe." Collins uses a tough cockney accent on the next sections, "Hello son, I hope you're having fun." "You've got it wrong Sir, I'm only the cleaner." With that he fired, the other saying as he died, "You've done me wrong," it's the same old song forever." The chorus is memorable, melodic and easy to sing along to in a live performance, "Robbery, assault and battery, The felon and his felony..." There are some compelling time sig changes and Banks is allowed to shine with his scintillating keyboard lead breaks. The section at 3:20 is great sounding like the type of style on "Foxtrot". The cathedral grinding pipe organ sound at 4:30 is majestic and powerful. The verses return, the storyteller vocals sing, "I've got clean away but I'll be back some day, Just the combination will have changed. Some day they'll catch me, to a chain they'll attach me, Until that day I'll ride the old crime wave. If they try to hold me for trial, I'll stay out of jail by paying my bail, And after I'll go to the court of appeal saying, "You've done me wrong," it's the same old song forever." This line repeats until the song ends. I like the style of this old school Genesis track.

The last three tracks are featured many times in live performances as a trilogy and indeed on compilations. I had heard them many times but on this album they made a perfect ending to the album. Ripples begins immediately with trademark 12 string Hackett brilliance. The melody is very strong and memorable, one of the best of Collins quieter moments with the band. There is an uplifting chorus that soars, "Sail away, away, Ripples never come back. They've gone to the other side. Look into the pool, Ripples never come back, Dive to the bottom and go to the top, To see where they have gone. Oh, they've gone to the other side..." I like the instrumental break with violin style guitar and very well executed piano flourishes and an extended passage of synth. A fan favourite and performed live it is a gem.

A Trick of the Tail is a bit of a transition between two treasures. The lyrics are a real feature telling the bizarre tale of a beast. "And wept as they led him away to a cage, Beast that can talk, read the sign. The creatures they pushed and they prodded his frame, And questioned his story again. But soon they grew bored of their prey, Beast that can talk? More like a freak or publicity stunt..." The melody is whimsical matching the Beowulf style lyrics. I always liked this as it is so different than anything else on the album, and a lot of fun, not taking itself seriously. I can understand why many feel this to e a low point on the album but it resonates with me, especially the infectious chorus, "They've got no horns and they've got no tail, They don't even know of our existence. Am I wrong to believe in a city of gold, That lies in the deep distance, he cried and wept." The quest for the beast is humorous but it is intriguing, and streets ahead of any of those love ballads that were soon to permeate the genesis catalogue in the dreadful 80s.

Los Endos is a true classic that has ended many Genesis concerts, full of incredible instrumentation and shades of light and dark textures. The drums, the tom toms are frenetic and driving, the guitar is riffing eloquent, and the bass is a key rhythm powerhouse. It settles into the familiar 6 chord keyboard pads that all Genesis fans know. Banks is absolutely stunning on this instrumental. At 4 minutes in there is a choral section and gradually building keyboard motif, until there is a type of reprise of album tracks, you can determine the various melodies. Collins even subliminally has a few lines of singing, "There's an angel standing in the sun, Free to get back home." . Then it fades into the distance. This was the perfect way to end an excellent album, with the band demonstrating their uncompromising musical genius.

Overall, "A Trick of the Tail" is a wonderful beginning to the new lineup without Gabriel, proving the band can do incredible things even without their frontman, flutist. The songs will grow on you after a while and some have become part of Genesis folklore now, especially the last three tracks and the opening track. This progressive excellence was not to last unfortunately. There were three more solid albums with prog elements until 1981 when the band sold out to mainstream commercial radio snapping their prog apron strings once and for all and effectively destroying the trademark sound to become marketable to a mainstream target audience; adoring females. The music on this album is well accomplished and many guitarists love to emulate the work of Hackett on this and keyboardists can revel in the talents of Banks. This is a very pleasurable album with much to recommend it; one of the best from 1976. I was not going to go as far as to call it a masterpiece on first listen, but it really grew on me and I get the chills when I hear some of that work from Hackett, and Collins is at his best here, therefore it is perhaps the best work Genesis did sans Gabriel, and that is worthy of 5 stars without question.

Without having to take orders from Gabriel, these mega-talented instrumentalists were 'freed' to do what ever they want. The instrumental parts on this album are just amazing, they are so amazing. The boys were at the top of their game here. The songs are catchy and have memorable choruses. They are typically off-kilter and have typically eccentric stories about various subjects from dancing on volcanoes and violent, thieving felons to little creatures who cry themselves into extinction.

As for the songs, "Dance on a volcano" is an accomplised, if ominous opener. Some good guitar textures here, I think Hackett has a strong influence on this song, but the writing credits go to the entire band. The second song "Entangled" is a gentle, acoustic song, and I think it's mostly Hackett's work. Again, very catchy chorus and a wonderful guitar solo at the end, very ethereal.. After this song, Hackett prettymuch disappears.

"Squonk" is kind of medieval funk-rock. Very catchy, and even though this is the only song where the vocals get obscured, it is still one of my favourites on the album. There are a pair of Banks Ballads "Ripples" and "Mad Man Moon", which have melodic perfection and ever- so-inspiring instrumental interludes. The rocker "Robbery, Assault and Battery", which featured Phil Collins giving us his wonderful cockney accent, also has some very interesting instrumental sections. The last two tracks, "Los Endos" and the title track area bit of a let- down, hence the four star rating. The title track is an Elton John-ish piece of piano pop that is probably only on here because it's a song glorifying the Devil. "Los Endos" is a reprise. Not a bad song but a lot of it feels like it is reliving a lot of the earlier music. This album is also out-done in terms of ambition, by other Genesis albums, but still most of the music on here is just amazing.

A lesser-classic from the seventies that is sure to please with it's amazing instrumental vision, originality and catchy songs.

I suppose I fall somewhere toward the latter option, as I certainly believe the Gabe's contributions were far from perfect, but I also enjoyed a good deal of the creative songwriting and instrumentation that were hallmarks of early Genesis.

Instead, in Trick of the Tail, we have the slow trend toward pop, with plenty of prog mixed in. I'd agree that some prog is better than no prog, but in my opinion, the prog content in Trick is much lessened than in their previous albums. The good news is that this still puts this album ahead of many other prog albums!

Highlights: Dance on a Volcano, Robbery, Assault and Battery, and Los Endos. Here, the prog is solid but not great, or consistent for that matter. There is plenty of experimentation in rhythm, such as the 13/8 flight of fancy in Robbery. In some ways, Los Endos eliminates the need for some of the other tracks, such as Squonk, because I would have preferred them to just rock out a bit longer on the closer than plod along for 6 minutes of Squonk.

The rest? It's all solid, but I find some of it somewhat dull (Entangled, Moon, Ripples), even with the nice 12-strings and spacey keys throughout.

So, A Trick of the Tail is good prog, and is also a good prog album (including a major plus for the album cover and sleeve), but is never great to my ears. I come back to it only rarely.

Dance in a Volcano: A classical Genesis album beginner. A strong song with a dramatic atmosphere, and a full progressive ending with Banks shining in a classic keyboard solo.

Entangled: A shared effort between Banks and Hackett. Steve provided the verse and Tony the chorus. The fantastic acoustic guitar pattern is pure Hackett quality, and the closing mellotron solo by Banks is superb.

Squonk: A solid track composed by Banks and Rutherford, and sung in a perfect way by Collins. The song rest over a hard bass drum line, over which Ruhterford puts a great guitar riffs complemented by great keyboards melodies.

Mad man moon: Well, that track is into the top ten Genesis ever, unless for me. A Banks masterpiece, in which Collins seems to be the perfect singer, and maybe the only one who could sing this song by this way. A progressive number by every sides. Developed over a complex piano base, with touches of mellotron, the song shines by its melody line which gets into a fantastic chorus, very emotional. Then an instrumental interlude full of piano and keyboards, a Banks trademark.

Robbery, assault and battery: Maybe in an inferior level than the rest. This track, composed by Banks and Collins, gets into a new dimension when the band performs it live, registered in the Seconds out album. The keyboard solo is progressive rock at its best.

Ripples: Another highlight composed by the Genesis masters Banks and Rutherford. Beginning into an acoustic mode the song gets into a great chorus until it flows into an anthological instrumental piece in which the organ and the electric guitar construct a magic passage.

A trick of the tail: The other Banks one. Here we have not instrumentals, but the fantasy lyrics are well fit with the music developing a great atmosphere. Maybe not so prog as the others but I love this track.

Los Endos: The album closes with this Genesis iconic instrumental, composed by the band as a group. Collins suggested to make a track using different parts of other songs of the album. The piece is very original and powerful. The last part is great, in which some suspense precedes the appearance of "Los Endos" in a superb and full orchestra reprise of the Squonk melody. Over the music we can hear a distant Collins singing "there's an angel standing in the sun?" Some said that this was the last farewell to their old mate Peter Gabriel.

Dance On A Volcano - 9/10 Entangled - 9/10 Squonk - 8/10 Mad Man Moon - 9/10 Robbery, Assault & Battery - 8/10 Ripples - 10/10 A Trick Of The Tail - 8/10 Los Endos - 8/10

MY CONCLUSION? this album is wel worth checking out a great introduction to the Collins era, just be prepared for not all their albums to sound like this..

Genesis - A Trick of the Tail (1976)

Best song: ENTANGLED

Overall Rating: 10?

Hahahahaha! You tricked me! If it weren't for Phil's absolutely worthless vocals, which honestly make Jon's space flatulence look adequate, I could have easily construed this as a mediocre Yes album, kind of like Relayer or something. Where are the melodies? Where are the melodies? You know what, I'm tired of looking for them. This album is impenetrable, and I don't mean that from a melodic point, either. Something like this is ample proof of how essential a man like Peter Gabriel was to the band's force. The Lamb might have been rough for a single sitting, and it might have been utterly incoherent, both conceptually and musically, but at least it was never outright boring.

Where are the melodies? Screw that, where's the energy? Each song seems like a generic, pale imitation of Gabriel-era Genesis. Who is the culprit behind the sickening hollowness? I bet it was that asshole, Banks. He always had it out for the sincerity of the group, and his cheese synths were always at the forefront of their musical misery. But, Senior Collins doesn't exactly help. He transforms the mediocre astral ballad, Entangled into a mushy little adult contemporary tune. No, that's exaggerating it a bit. It's really a gentle song, and maybe even the best moment on here, but it's not a drop in the bucket of what More Fool Me was.

When Hackett gets to play, things are fine and dandy, because the instrumental passages, sans keyboards, are the album's saving graces. The haunting touches to the end of Entangled really do wash over me, and show that this wasn't a band to go down without a fight. It only took Banks two years to strangle the life out of progressive genesis, though. That arrogant fool! As if anyone listened to genesis for his proto-80's goo fusion. I sure as hell didn't. By the way, just discard all those ranting Yes comparisons in the opening paragraph, because it just isn't fair. See, genesis at their worst could still write more emotionally intriguing music than Yes could have written while fasting in a damned peace corps rally on a breast cancer awareness march into impoverished new guinea ghetto villages. Squonk actually showed to me that Phil Collins had potential as a competent singer, 'cause some of those vocal melodies take me places, ya know? That is until they decided to rip out the song's soul in favor of the generic late 70's prog rock mush of vapid jamming that doesn't go anywhere. The song is ONLY worth hearing because of those mildly sweet vocal melodies that pop up occasionally.

It's still much less memorable than Genesis are known for, and the overall focus of the band is no longer on creating a world of their own, it's on just writing neat songs. No, neat isn't synonymous for amazing, it's synonymous for acceptable, but hardly enthralling. Selling England was a damned trip into another world. The Lamb was a wrecked vision of our own world, but Trick is nothing more than a collection of unrelated prog rock tunes that sometimes evolve into jaw dropping compositions, but mostly tend to be content with simply rocking along on this finite little line, drawn by basic repetitive melodies, with hooks that are just silly and childish compared to what I know they were capable of, with or without Peter Gabriel.

The song placement is silly, with pseudo trippy ballads smashed together in what I can easily view as an adult contemporarification of the band's heart. Oh, and they've got more directionless keyboard passages than you can shake a Wakeman at. It's as if the fellows are too afraid to be subtle or jarring, with their metaphorical head chopped off. But, I still don't despise 'em. They're all trying, and at least the band isn't drowning in ....self parody! Naw, that wouldn't be until next time, friends. Have I told you all lately that Phil Collins is a wet paper bag compared to Peter Gabriel, and his voice does nothing for me when he's singing anything even remotely "rocking"? I didn't? Well, take a listen to Robbery, Assault, and Battery, to see why. Golly, you'd think they could have mustered more than that two tone keyboard riff atop those stiff drums. Did Banks really expect a song to be carried by Philly-boy's harping? Lord have mercy! Oh, it's also another excuse to show off how completely decent he was as a keyboard player. Tony Banks, that is. I wouldn't let Phil Collins near a keyboard to save my life. No Jacket Required has scarred me.

So, I'm stuck. Honestly, Trick of the Tail bores me to cheeto tears, even if the songs are never outright bad. Hell, there are some neat moments, like Entangled, so it's definitely not an abject failure, but I just can't sit through this thing without wanting to kill a keyboardist or go listen to some Gabriel solo material, or something. It's a shame that my favorite moments on this here record are when they are the least complex and "wanky". It's an uneven album, even if it's almost all the same, all the way through. Half rockers, half jerkers, nothing totally sincere, nothing otherworldly, just mundane music by professionals lacking a definitive or appealing vision, or melodies, dude. You might like it, but I doubt it will cause too many tears to fall, unless of course, you're weeping over Genesis going down the toilet. Count this as an extremely low 10, almost a 9 out of fifteen, for containing the remnants of a really cool band. Perhaps Steve Hackett could perform his eulogy, oh wait...

***

2. "Entangled" (6:28) IMO, one of Genesis's greatest songs--top five! Tony's eerie solo, the 12-strings and bass pedals are awesome. Steve's mixed way too quietly! (10/10)

3. "Squonk" (6:27) 
Great opening guitar hook, good vocals with really weak lyrics (Is this the pre-history to "A Trick of the Tail"?). The song really never goes anywhere. (It was pretty boring--a letdown--in concert.) (8.5/10)

4. "Mad Man Moon" (7:35) 
Beautiful song, sensitive, melodic, varied and rich. One of Tony Banks's most majestic. (13.5/15)

5. "Robbery, Assault & Battery" (6:15) Genesis had a habit of laying down some really interesting, really beautiful music and then, IMO, ruining it with either horrible lyrics or over-dramatic presentation. This is one of those songs. 8/10 musically + 2/10 lyrics and presentation = average of (7/10)


6. "Ripples" (8:03) A song I can never seem to hear too often or too much. I was always disappointed Hackett's guitar was mixed so far in the background and so thin. (13.5/15)

7. "A Trick Of The Tail" (4:34) is actually a very cute, bouncy song. Theatric and mythic with a modern moral. A nice change of pace. Tight presentation; no fluff or excess. (9.5/10)

8. "Los Endos" (5:46) An awesome overture/finale of this new adventure in Genesis world. (Great concert closer teamed with "Dance on a Volcano" and with Chester and Phil pounding away together in the background.) (9.5/10)

"Trick" is not a bad album. In fact, it is a rather good album. Why they mixed Hackett so quietly into the mix, I'll never know, but I love hearing the drums, basses, and keys.

I really get the argument that this album may mark the beginning of the Neo Prog era--that the "classic" prog era was over. There is just something 'different' about this and its counterpart "Voyage of the Acolyte."

B+/4.5; a near-masterpiece of progressive rock music despite the fact that it holds a much dearer place in my heart.

A really good album from Genesis, hope you'll like it.

"There's an angel standing in the sun, there's an angel standing in the sun, free to get back home..."

After the departure of Peter Gabriel the Genesis began a search for a singer ... only to discover that he was among them, playing drums. And this man named Phil Collins took the band in an era of prosperity and commercial success - and bitterest critics, many of them here on the site. But before that the group has created two great masterpieces progressive 100%, one of which is Trick of The Tail, my favorite album of the band ...

... and one of the best of its kind ever created.

From the dark opening of Dance on a Volcano to reprises and the powerful jazz-fusion of Los Endos through the pastoral atmosphere of Entangled, melancholy and Mad Man Moon Ripples and restoring the past with the theatricality of Robbery, Assault and Battery this is an album that was never it made ​​him tired. 50 minutes are breathtaking, giving us some of the best moments of this band which is always a favorite of many.

The only two weak elements that I would like to highlight are Squonk and the the vocal passages in Robbery ... But foturnately is nothing that can overshadow the brilliance and genius of Trick of The Tail - and can not make me change my mind about the love I have for this album.

Thus begins Genesis, and my venture into the world of prog rock began with Genesis and with this album. It was a revelation back then, when I really had no similar music to compare it with and considered it a true masterpiece. It helped me to delve deeper into prog territory and gave me encounters of which the majority has been good, some dreadful, and a few truly wonderful. Therefore I find this album a good place to start when I decided that I should review some albums here on the archives.

This album is the first Genesis album after Peter Gabriel's departure and the first to showcase Phil Collins abilities as a lead vocalist. He comes off as higher pitched than Gabriel and imho he is lacking a certain edge that was always present in Peter's voice. Musically speaking though, media and some fans had overestimated the impact Gabriel had on the making of the music, He was considered to be of he same importance for the songwriting as, for instance, Ian Anderson or Peter Hammill had for their respective bands, and A Trick of the Tail showed that this was not the case. A very Banks-oriented album, with the sound clearly dominated by his keys and most of the songs written or co-written by him, you could clearly hear musical traces of, for instance Nursery Cryme or Selling England here. Oddly though, not much of their previous double album The Lamb lies down on Broadway.

But to be frank. I find something to missing here. Over the years I've found myself coming back to this particular album less and less often. Why so, I can't tell. Lyrically this is a letdown from the quirky cleverness Gabriel delivered. The most of the lyrics are ok, no more no less. I like "Squonk", somewhat reminiscent of Gabriel's way of telling a story. A Trick of the Tail", that seems to focus slightly more on the lyrics, on the other hand, clearly misses the mark.

Musically, this is a good album overall with compositions on par with a lot of their earlier material. But how much I may love the interlude in "Ripples", the ending of "Dance on a volcano", or some of the clever lines in Squonk, I still feel that all the elements apparent on this album has been performed slightly better by other bands. It never gets really dull, "Entangled" is a beautiful ballad, actually better than, for instance "Harlequin", the solo in Mad man moon is brilliant, Hackett delivers subtle beauty with his guitar lines throughout...

...but Phil played better jazz fusion with Brand X, Harmonium, Focus or... well, early Genesis wrote more haunting melodies. Supertramp or maybe even 10 CC on a good day could trumph out "A Trick of the Tail" (the song) as a prog pop chartattempt. All the ingredients are still there, but I find that edge missing. The edge that maybe disappeared with Gabriel after all. It puzzles me, because I can't point out a certain fault. And of course, this IS after all a good album.

It's just that in comparison with some other albums in my collection I find this one to be a very nice listen, but also a very predictable one. A good starting point, a great starting point, but Genesis has made no less than eight better albums according to my taste.

And "Los endos"? Well, a nice song. No more, no less. "Duke's travels" are way better.

Dance On A Volcano has everything that I love about great Genesis compositions - sharp melodies, amazing interplay between the members and a touch of music magic! If there is any real criticism that can be uttered about this release then it would be pointed towards the lyrics. If you don't believe me then try closely examining the lyrics to Entangled and tell me that you actually consider them to be worthy of the music that they accompany.

The rest of the material, leading up to Ripples, isn't as masterful as the two opening tracks but they do a good job of expanding the band's sound to new areas where the collective hasn't yet traveled. Both Squonk and Mad Man Moon feature great instrumental arrangements even if the compositions themselves might not be top notch. Still it's the ballads that seem to dominate this album and they get to a hauntingly beautiful conclusion with Ripples. Steve Hackett's guitar, towards the end of the track, can only be resembled to that of a cherry on top of a perfect desert that you want to consume over and over again!

Since I'm still talking about the individual tracks, I might as well come out and admit that Los Endos has never been a favorite of mine. Yes, it's a fun little conclusion to the album but it adds nothing to the already quite impressive album for me. This is something that I really can't explain, but if there are others who agree with me then please let your voice be heard. In conclusion, A Trick Of The Tail is a great Genesis album that returned the band to the formula of Selling England By The Pound and showed the world that the quartet still had what it took in order to conceive great music.

***** star songs: Dance On A Volcano (5:53) Entangled (6:28) Ripples (8:03)

**** star songs: Squonk (6:27) Mad Man Moon (7:35) Robbery, Assault & Battery (6:15) Los Endos (5:46)

*** star songs: A Trick Of The Tail (4:34)

Genesis are a different band without Gabriel and therefore it is unfair to compare directly with their previous work. Of all the tracks, I feel that only "Robbery, Assault and Battery" and Tick of a Tail" could be sung by Gabriel.

Collins handles the vocal duties well and in fact he does have a similar style to Gabriel. Some of the songs (Dance, Squonk, Los Endos) are heavier than on previous albums and the drumming and bass is a lot more dominant overall. These are also contrasted by some mellow tracks (Entangled, Ripples - both of which have beautiful and extended guitar /mellotron outros). The instrumental interludes are superb and show Genesis growing in strength as musicians.

Overall this is another exceptional performance for Genesis. There are no weak tracks here, and even "Trick of a Tail" which received some airplay has interesting lyrics and keyboards.

4.7 stars

Listen for the reference to Supper's Ready at the end of Los Endos which is the band saying good-bye to Gabriel and without any animosity.

In this case Genesis played a good Prog album, devastated by virtuosity and complications in Prog parts but devastated also by too long POP parts and without true balance from both parts. In substance the Prog parts are too Prog and the POP parts are too POP. At the same time Collins is not Gabriel and non have Gabriel magic.

In a good substance this is my perception of "A Trick Of The Tail", a good album for 1976 and for Genesis in 4 man line-up.

Steven Hackett is still in the band, and there's a lot of really cool rhythmic stuff they're doing. I read that Trick is the closest they get to Led Zeppelin which is respectable. And that's true also in the sense that sometimes the drums are more straight up rock than "wussier" folkish drumming. Overall 4 - 4.5 stars!

"Dance on a Volcano" features some nice technical chops that I don't recall hearing much of in Genesis' earlier material, and is kind of aggressive. The main motif of the song is quite catchy, and makes the track stand out more than it would otherwise, as nothing else really is significant other than the technical musicianship.

"Entangled" is a very beautiful acoustic-folk ballad that really reaches me emotionally. I've always felt that Genesis had strength in writing these beautiful acoustic songs. This track is soothing and I consider it to be stretched out to a very appropriate length at almost 7 minutes, and the ghostly effects near the end really do wonders for the atmosphere. This is one my personal favorites from this album.

I consider "Squonk" to be one of the earliest examples of neo-prog. It's progressive and lightly poppy with very strong synths throughout that give the song a heavy, monstrous vibe. The track is really catchy, and Collins really lets his vocals shine. This very strong track is one of the best on the album.

"Mad Man Moon" is a beautiful track with lots of soothing mellotron, and the vocals on this track really shows how Phil Collins vocals suit this style of softer songwriting much better than Gabriel. The song moves through a few passages that are all beautiful, and this track really sounds like it could have been a Renaissance song from the Ashes are Burning album. Very beautiful indeed.

"Robbery, Assault & Battery" is a slightly bouncy and poppy song with nice staccato mellotron lines, and despite its name it is actually quite a fun song. The chorus is very catchy and is easy to sing along to, and kind remind me of "I Know What I Like" from Selling England by the Pound. It eventually progresses into a nice solo on the keys backed by funky bass that takes up most of the track.

"Ripples" is another slowly paced song that is similar to "Mad Man Moon", but gets slightly more aggressive in the middle. The song goes from beautiful folky guitar picking, to fantastic piano lines set to a fast paced beat during the second half of the track. The light guitar solo near the end is very ethereal and calming. Collins again lets his voice shine, and this is one of the best tracks on the album.

The title track is another bouncy and poppy prog rock song that is highly enjoyable. This track also reminds me of "I Know What I Like". The beat is steady throughout which makes this very accessible to anyone.

"Los Endos" is an aggressive and bass-heavy song, with a very symphonic feel to it. It progresses through a few different passages, but maintains an excited feel throughout and is the best ending for a Genesis album that I've ever heard. Very strong instrumental ending to a fantastic album.

I feel like Gabriel leaving the band was mostly a good thing, and that Collins at the front profoundly improved the songwriting. Every song here is memorable and enjoyable, and often beautiful. Collins has a voice that suits the band far better, and I would highly recommend this album to any symphonic prog fans, even though I'm not really one.

Dance on a Volcano - 16/20, Entangled - 18/20, Squonk - 18/20, Man Man Moon - 17/20, Robbery, Assault & Battery - 14/20, Ripples - 17/20, A Trick of the Tail - 17/20, Los Endos - 19/20

Overall album score - 86%.

Dance on a Volcano: This song ALONE made me a Genesis fan, no kidding. It has a jammy feel to it with a progressive edge. They seem to be getting more rock n roll with this song(and album) but it still ranks as one of their all-time best. It feels like a strong, complete song.

Entangled: The first of the slower tracks. Not much percussion, but dominated by Steve and Tony intermingling their bits together in a nice, easy going track.

Squonk: To quote Mr. Collins "That was our Zeppelin track", and it feels like it, from time to time. The drums get loud and aggressive, but not quite Bonzo aggressive. It still rocks out with a great guitar/keyboard riff and awesome vocal from Phil. This is the one that made him the lead singer.

Mad Man Moon: At first, I loved this track, but this song has gone downhill for me. It feels like a jumbled mess with no clear direction. It starts and ends alright, but I get so confused listening to it.

Robbery, Assault and Battery: Kind of a comedic track like Harold the Barrel from the older days. It tries to tell a story about a robber and cops and such. It's not bad, in fact, I love the instrumentation of this song, the keyboard solo/drum jam is a classic Genesis but the lyrics annoy me a tad. It seems Phil is trying to do the Peter thing of being multiple people like in Epping Forest but ends up kind of lacking. But still, a great track

Ripples...: An amazing ballad. I love this track so much and has a power ballad feel, but in an organic 70s feel to it. The middle instrumental section is great as well. This song really shows off Phil's vocal capabilities.

A Trick of the Tail: The title track, apparently made during the Selling England sessions, does feel like a simple "pop" track made for the Phil-era, per se. I still like it for being a harmless, catchy tune.

Los Endos: This is how you end an album. It combines elements from Volcano, Squonk, and the B-Side, It's Yourself, as well as original music to make an excellent jazz-prog-rock-jam instrumental. The cymbal rhythm that dominates the track, as a drummer, I still have trouble doing just right. The band are in full form and end with a book-end, glorious end, feeling like they are proud of this work, as they should.

Overall, I after listened to this album, I was hooked on Genesis till I die. This is in my Top 5 albums ever and on my "Desert Island" list. 5 Stars. Highlights: Dance on a Volcano, Squonk, Robbery Assault and Battery, Ripples..., A Trick of the Tail and Los Endos

On top of that, Phil really comes into his own as a singer on songs such as the comedic and whimsical Robbery Assault and Battery (which like the best Gabriel era material manages to be whimsical without being embarrassing) or the emotionally moving Ripples. In presenting an updated vision of the pastoral prog of Genesis' earliest days, A Trick of the Tail and its successor go a long way in making sure the Phil Collins era has at least a few albums worthy of the band's illustrious past. It doesn't quite make up for We Can't Dance or Invisible Touch, but let's be honest, neither does Nursery Cryme or Selling England By the Pound.

1. Dance on a Volcano - Sheer brilliance. Brand X had an effect on COLLINS to bring his glorious jazz drumming to new heights. This is my favorite on the album and one of my favorite Genesis songs, ever. Just listen, I can't explain it any more.

2. Entangled - A wonderful break from the chaos. This beautiful "ballad" wraps its tender arms around you and embraces you within it's tender melodies and soft vocals. By far their most moving piece in terms of beauty to the ears.

3. Squonk - Returning to the proggy nature of the album, Squonk features great bass lines by RUTHERFORD and excellent organ riffs by BANKS, classic in foundation and composition, another stand out track.

4. Mad Man Moon - Another beautiful composition to balance out the intensity/softness that is present in the album. Not as moving as Entangled to me in terms of sensuality, but nevertheless a great moving piece. BANKS' keyboard leads and the sped up tempo that is commonplace within Genesis complete the song with great precision.

5. Robbery, Assault and Battery - Ah, the great theatrics of Genesis return in the form of their cheesy dialogue and weird voices (which I LOVE.) Has a similar feel to "Get Em' Out By Friday" and "Willow Farm" from Suppers Ready. Swinging, fun and complex, just the way i like my prog. COLLINS lyrics are comical and amusing, in the vein of PG.

6. Ripples... - The last of the ballads, and not by any means the least moving. COLLINS stands out with his fantastic vocal melodies in sync with the flowing keyboards. Truly moving, tears may have been shed a few times, if not by this song then by the others for sure.

7. A Trick of the Tail - My least favorite track, and a weak song for the title track. Even though it is my least favorite track, it is still good in the vain of their contemporaries like "The Beatles" or any other British Invasion bands. Possibly alluding to the pop direction Genesis takes in the upcoming albums?

8. Los Endos - The best, and i mean the best, finish to an unbelievable piece of musical ecstasy. Jazzy drums, fast keyboard shredding, and almost explosive bass chords reprise "Dance on a Volcano" and bring this album to bookend status. And best of all, the allusion to PG using the lyrics "There's an angel standing in the sun...There's an angel standing in the sun / free to get back home" makes this album that much greater. It proves that Genesis could easily move on without PG, but that he could never be replaced for what he did and that he will never be forgotten within the band.

Final Rating - 5/5 stars. Essential, not just for Genesis fans, but for fans of Progressive rock, and even just rock music.

One word of caution - if you can find the Definitive Edition Remaster, buy that rather than the newer mix (which sounds amazing in 5.1 but notably less impressive in its SACD format). The search is well worth the effort, believe me.

The first album after the departure of Peter Gabriel is a very good work, although perhaps a little too melodic: you can feel here the first clear signs of what will be the band's style for years to come.

The big news of the record is, of course, the lead singer. The band decided not to replace Gabriel with a new member and assigns the role of lead singer to Phil Collins who demonstrates that he has a great vocal flexibility. The tone of Collins appears to be quite similar to that of Gabriel, however, the differences stand out immediately: the voice of the drummer is more harmonious and less rough, but lacks the expressive power of his predecessor. Consider, for example, to the difference between the masterful interpretation by Gabriel in "The Battle Of Epping Forest" and that, obviously too histrionic, by Collins in some ways similar, Robbery, Assault And Battery. No question about it: Gabriel wins this contest.

Of course, also in terms of lyrics, themes are very different than before. Gabriel's lyrics, full of inventiveness, his fantastic creatures and his surreal and paradoxical stories, give way to lyrics more ordinary. Hard to say whether this is due solely to the absence of the first Genesis singer or a natural process of change that involves the band.

The music is less gloomy than the previous "The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway", with more frequent use of 12-string guitars (in Ripples and in the excellent Entangled), a recovery of the sounds of "Selling England By The Pound" and a general tendency to avoid the complexities of "The Lamb" (consider, for example, the cheerful atmosphere of the title track, or the powerful but all in all, pretty obvious riff of Squonk).

In some moments the album is a litlle too melodic, for example in the vocal section of Ripples or in Mad Man Moon, however, are still present the wonderful change of pace and great romantic atmosphere that characterized the previous Gabriel era.

The best moments? Dance On A Volcano, especially towards the end, Entangled, probably the greatest song ever since Gabriel left the band, Mad Man Moon, characterized by melodic vocals and a brilliant piano interlude by Banks. Even Ripples and Robbery, Assault and Battery (the 13/8 time signature section in the middle is awesome) have good moments.

Pleasant, but nothing more, the rocking Squonk and the funny A Trick Of The Tail. Unnecessary and out of context Los Endos, is a song that does not fit in the style of the band. Fine irony typical of Genesis, the song was conceived as the answer of Genesis to Carlos Santana: in fact, if you listen to this song you have the impression you're listening to some album by Santana (is the same stuff really: but this is not "Abraxas" or "Cavanserai" and I don't want Santana's music, I want Genesis music!)

In any case, by far the best album of Genesis without Gabriel.

Songs rating: Dance On A Volcano 8/10, Entangled 10/10, Squonk 6/10, Mad Man Moon 8/10, Robbery Assault And Battery 7/10, Ripples 7/10, A Trick Of The Tail 6/10, Los Endos 4/10.

Total rating: 7/10. Four stars.

Best song: Entangled

The lack of a statement is also evidenced in the unusual diversity of styles (for a Genesis album) utilized here. It does not, however, seem to be the Lamb-like diversity of brilliance flowing from a band at its very peak and indicates confusion and irresolution to me. Dance on a volcano and Los Endos mildly evoke the fusion scene, Entangled is gentle and pastoral while Mad Mad Moon and Robbery Assault and Battery seem to be rooted in the SEBTP style.

As the above might indicate, Genesis don't really evidence much growth here. Perhaps, the prevailing circumstances forced their hand and they wanted to stabilize the ship at this stage. I don't know if that's all there is to it, though, because Genesis would continue to be somewhat stagnant for the next couple of albums before taking artistic left turns in the pursuit of commercial success. It could be that their ambitions had reached a dead end and there was nowhere left for them to develop their signature further.

Whatever it may be, this somewhat takes the sheen off the musical experience. Ripples is the only track that brings something fresh to the table. Clearly Hackett driven (even though Banks drowns his wailing guitar in a wall of keyboard), it brings forth a soaring, ethereal, and yet emotional, dreaminess and utilizes Collins's ability to stay melodic even as he hits powerful high notes well. One of my all time favourite Genesis tracks.

Right, Collins! This is Collins's first major outing as a singer to the best of my knowledge. Overall, he makes the transition a lot smoother than it should have been because he doesn't, ultimately, sound completely unlike Gabriel. He sings Squonk with the kind of gusto that might have been beyond Gabriel's reach. But his lack of confidence hurts when the music is sentimental or humorous and he is further crippled in his attempts by Banks's unconvincing lyrics.

Banks's lyrics serve to underline the problem that haunts this otherwise excellent release: the lack of a clear vision or the power to articulate it emphatically. The production meantime is topnotch. Like SEBTP, the overall mix of styles and sonic elements puts this album a bit too squarely in the 'happy and clean' basket and there's not much darkness to contend with.

4 stars then for a Genesis release that is hard to go wrong with and yet one that is, at least for me, hard to love to pieces.

'Dance On a Volcano' (10/10) kicks of the start of the album in classic Genesis fashion. The song has everything that made earlier Genesis great, including the main melody in 7/8, and an instrumental section similar to 'Dancing In the Moonlit Knight.'

'Entangled' (9/10) is an acoustically driven song with some very celestial keyboard at the end. This is Hackett and Banks' at their best.

'Squonk' (8/10) is the rocker of the album, and almost has a Zeppelin feel; Collins really pounds on those drums. The main melody is amazing, and easily one of my favorites from Genesis.

'Mad Man Moon' (8/10) is Banks's piece of the album. It's complete with fantastic piano melodies and beautiful waves of Mellotron.

'Robbery, Assault and Battery' (6/10) is Genesis returning to the 'I Know What I Like/Harold the Barrel quirks of their past albums. The middle does have some amazing driving bass with keyboards and Mellotron.

'Ripples' (7/10) takes the sound of Entangled and mixes in the melody from Squonk to create another beautiful song.

'A Trick of the Tail' (4/10) is the weaker, pop-sounding track of the album. Perhaps this song was a hint of what was to come, but it shouldn't have been what the album was named after.

The album does conclude in a strong manner with the song aptly named 'Los Endos,' (8/10) which is just a fantastic instrumental which reprises some of the parts earlier in the album.

Overall, Trick of the Tail is a welcome departure from the Gabriel era. While the album still contains a few weaker moments, this is a much stronger and united effort than The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway.

7/10

An acquaintance of mine, he considered Tony Banks the finest composer in the world. If you pay attention to Moon you will soon find out what a scholarly is already well-informed on. The feeling of musical is obvious; an open, large and airy approach rules. Had Mozart(more historical figures, as we are narrowed and limited today) descended from his paradisiacal position and joined a collaborative band at the present day, probably he would have learnt the song by heart just as fast as a damsel changes object for her innermost love. But he should not really surpass the uppermost Mad Man Moon compositionally. The tune is the logical continuation of earlier flagship Firth of Fifth; it displays rich and mellow piano parts, keyboard strings and flute like synthesizer. In the absence of ex-singer/flutist Gabriel, Banks does his best to imitate the woodwind instrument. Bearing the circumstances in mind, the try is acceptable. What's lacking is the human vibrato and intonation, which is nearly impossible to copy on an electronic device. But it's unsure if one really misses its inclusion here. It is appealing to fantasize about the presence of a full orchestra but on the other hand it may have sounded detached, compared to the composers own integrated and single-minded playing. The chorus is unbeatable, if your eyes weren't wet during the verses they will guaranteed become at the peak of this exquisitely carved composition. You have never before been so carried away by a melody belonging to contemporary music, and most likely you will not later either. The extensive instrumental section sweeps through the centuries and isn't really set in any specific era. Had Tony Banks gone the other way, back in time, it would have echoed in the lofty music chamber from the pearlescent cembalo. Key changes as in 'In the Cage', another highlight from Banks, had been expressed on the ivories with unequivocal finery. If you listen carefully to the subsequent vocal section you may detect a unique b. vox from Banks himself. Tony Banks is the only member of the band who has spent 100% of his energy on Genesis. Everybody else has been away on various projects from time to time but the keyboardist took his oath of allegiance to the group. We are thankful for this measure and partake of Mad Man Moon on a shining silver plate, comfortably perched on the regal throne.

Why did Phil Collins become the new lead vocalist of Genesis? Who could imagine a top-ranked world class drummer leaving his drum stool for a standing position at the microphone? Even if Collins was a competent songster he's still a better drummer. Hadn't the band recorded the backing tracks in advance there was at least one strong candidate, but the pre-recorded tapes didn't suit his voice. All well documented in the history books. Not even after the record was completed Genesis gave up their search, but as we know, in vain. There's still a big question mark hanging in the air. How did Banks/Rutherford find vocalists Kim Beacon/Noel McCalla on their respective debut solo albums? Any of them could, technically seen, have joined the band as well. Above all Banks' singer has a resemblance to Collins' moderate and dampened style. They were both first- or second choice and not competing with hundreds of others. The participant of the large squad Alan Parsons Project? We're talking mid-seventies and the progressive movement is at its peak, the international scene is crowded with promising names. Despite a slight accent, a thinkable solution...Didn't ELP(or what became ELP) pluck a talent from a rivaling top-act..? Let's stop here. If a honey jar attracts the peckish bee, then Genesis must be a smorgasbord for a singer. An established and highly desirable act ought to have a variety of possibilities, but a directing hand from above had obviously defined the future for Genesis and settled the new line-up. Or were there other reasons involved? Perhaps the quartet deep down didn't want to bring in an untrustworthy outsider, in fear of future collisions and dissension(there were some in the past). After all it's easier to handle four than five wills. Also more space and preferably more paying. The question is interesting, when Hackett left there was no doubt about it. Not even the most splendid, fitting and obliging guitarist on the planet bothered! The guitar shoes belonging to the famed S. Hackett were deliberately left empty.

Still there's an Entangled and it's one of Hackett's highlights during his sojourn. As you can read yourself the writing credit says 'Hackett/Banks', and why bother bout that? Tony Banks is credited on every single track on 'Trick' even if his input differs highly from title to title. Hackett wrote both great achievements Voyage/Please Don't Touch by and large himself, so why didn't he succeed in at least one during the four-piece era? Pure coincidence perhaps but still worth noticing. However, the second song on Trick is unique in a number of ways. Collins creates single-handed a Crosby/Stills/Nash display of phenomenal standard. He takes their multi layered vocals and transfers them into progressive land; hats off to the music god who gave us eardrums and an astute mind adapted to clever listening. The choruses are richer and gentler than everything imaginable, even for your own symph heroes Genesis. Like taken directly from the flowery landscape witnessed from the porch of a remote country-house. You are indeed surrounded by loose and soothing mould. It has to be the most 12-string dominated recording ever from Genesis. Played by Hackett, Rutherford and Banks, that is by now ¾ of the band. The minor portions of electric guitar feel almost out of sight. The lyric is inspired by a painting from Brazilian artist Kim Poor, likewise known as better half of Steve. The couple was newly wedded at the time and it's a most impossible task to find out why Hackett's inspiration shouldn't be seething with fervour. Mrs. Poor, one can't neither disregard her art/moving paintings nor her own exotic charisma. The mild and unconcerned Atlantic winds blowing along the sandy strands of Brazil had an impact on the Victorian A Trick of the Tail. Back in the puritan old world, folks got their breakfast tea down the wrong way by the unconstrained and unbridled beauty of Entangled. It is Steve Hackett's debut not musically but lyrically on the album and no one will have this undone.

Let's regard it from the peculiar and confounding state right in between dream/awakening. Here you are alert enough to be aware of your inexplicable sights but still incapable of escaping your horrors. Next to the heart-rending love songs, the dream state is about the most worn out lyric choice. To catch the attention of the listener you have to come up with a try to something fresh. Hackett really does here, actually Entangled is a sterling counterpoint to 'Counting Out Time' in its field. It's subtle and earnest. We need more exploratory lyrics on this subject. Bearing both For Absent Friends and More Fool Me in mind, even if a fifth member had been brought in we would rightly have heard Collins sing here, not least because he's jobless on the drums, but just as much on account of his timely strength and authority. Entangled is on the stronger side of the vocal feats on Trick, and there are more to be proved. The almighty keyboard final turns the average church organ equipment into a toy instrument. The whole canopy and its underlying universe seem to be a vital part of this primeval force. If there's over intelligent life in the Andromeda galaxy, then they probably have located at least some parts of Tail and accordingly invented a brand new genre; Universal Music. More facts, Entangled is the first song that Hackett introduced on stage. The sitting guitarist stood up and finally made his voice heard live. Not entirely without problem, he stopped short and had to start all over again, slightly embarrassed. Anyhow, the ice was broken. Steve was even heard doing one of the vocal parts as his confidence rose.

As demonstrated, much happened in a year after Gabriel had left. The extra five percent of room he offered each and every remaining comrade were utilized to the breaking-point. Though never calculated mathematically, it became a true to life equation. If Entangled was erudition in the art of 12-string acoustic then Dance on a Volcano is an eruption of the equivalent electric. In other words, the upper half of Rutherford's double-neck. The weight of the song is equivalent to the hostile surroundings on this gruesome mountain. Possibly the heaviest and smokiest Genesis composition regulated from an adjacent control room. The volcano is actually just as big a threat, or even worse, than the comet from outer space. We all know 'bout the extinction of the dinosaurs but long before that, there are theories about a sinister volcano which annihilated about 90% of all living species on mother earth. Or at least greatly contributed to it. The small percentage that trod on and finally led to the human race can justly be said to have chosen the right steps in their pre-historic dance. Music is also a vital part here, the raw and thunderous 12-string has been mentioned. Volcano is the song where its dimensions come to life. Together with monumental Achilles Last Stand(both recorded late 75 and released 76), Volcano owns the most refined effects of the underused instrument. The Old Norse Tor defies Greek deity Atlas in a trial of strength. Rutherford, Banks and Collins began rehearsing as Hackett was belated by his solo, or pre-Genesis project. It's only question about a couple of days, but even this limited period was telling. Would Volcano have behaved differently if Hackett had been present from minute one? Not impossible as it was entirely set up in the heat of the moment. In any case, the finished product doesn't ask for any restructuring. The scorching mid section is very tough indeed, both in tone and wording. Hackett's influence and writing are apparent in last part of the title. For some inexplicable(or explicable) reason it was sacrificed live, it became a dual drum solo and a medley linked to Los Endos. The drum performance notwithstanding, how would the full version have developed on stage? The playful half speed sound distortions are also to be found on Please Don't touch, which indicates whose behind this invention.

Who said that the wind instrument danced out with the departure of Gabriel? They have probably missed out the whistle just before the five min. mark. Slightly more monotonous in the long run than the flute though. The gimmick didn't recur. Volcano contains, as you count out, the obligatory 7/8 time signature. A prog album with self-esteem shan't lack a portion of it. 4/4 will is for the slick pop listener, the prog nature is striving for the oddities. Dance on a Volcano is hardened and steadfast in build, but indefinable in its potency. Beethoven's 5th might be more inclusive when it comes to length and the actual number of participants, but who says that even the top three- composer could create the amount of Con Fuoco in just six flying minutes? Grieg's 'In the Hall of the Mountain King' would definitely be put to the test against this lava spouting massif!! Squonk is another title that false-started with the three-piece line-up. Similar instrumentation, 12-string electric/bass-pedals, keyboards and the accompanying drums. If you listen to the remastered version in a first-class sound setting, you will be fully aware of the quadrangular nature of Squonk's edifice. Is this a clear sign of the new Genesis? Some people may claim this and say that the quartet have become a more straightforward and linear affair. It's allowed to assert the opposite as well; they didn't become anything at all, what happened was that they lost one member, and what was left acted in the same manner as they used to. Or at least would have done in a similar situation. Gabriel was given to the odd costume, the acrobatic vocal style with its surreal lyric, the outlandish sound source...Banks/Rutherford are both inclined to more basic strategies, which saw the light of day on Trick. There are improvements, the drum sound on Squonk, to say nothing of the rest of Trick, is blatant. In an environment with frequent and extended drum breaks, the ace Collins deserves to be noticed when he's playing. From now on, and even more accentuated in the eighties, there's no chance to limit his uplifted position. Squonk intensifies without any solos or real instrumental outbreaks. Rutherford's pounding bass(he switches there and back on pedals/guitar) shortly after 2.30 is a rise in temperature. Tony Banks distinguishes himself with an exclusive synth part, a song within a song. The end section kneels down in a psalm like manner and fades out ceremonially. Some may see this as an anti-climax in an otherwise forceful composition, others as a solemn part of a thoroughly good song. On the live version there's an additional end section.

To study the instrumentation list is an everyday experience for the temporary listener. For the qualified it's a fundamental part, and the biggest experts even notice the invisible. Regarding the order of the musicians, if you turn it upside down you will find Hackett's name on top. Is it alphabetical order? In order of appearance/contribution? Is it a coincidence? Had the outside activities of the guitarist a vital role here? On 'Selling England' Steve played 'electric/6-string acoustic'. On Trick it's 'electric/12-string', so if there wasn't any 12-str. there, why isn't there any 6-str. here? The philosopher will point his index in the air and summon his disciples under the tree of knowledge. Trick is the only album without nylon guitar, if you exclude early Nursery Cryme(which is more comprehensible). Gone are the instruments handled by the ex-vocalist, and now also one of the obligatory guitars. So why this drastic measure? There was no need/room for it, you may suggest. That is true, but there's no need for any instrument; you create a need. If it's not created means it's not wanted. Compare the plural form on Rutherford's '12-string guitars, basses' to Hackett's singular. Pianos etc... Even if it mirrors the reality it's still demonstrative. Michael plays both 12-string acoustic/electric, Stephen only acoustic, he never touched the electric(unlike namesake Howe the equilibrist on Awaken). The question is, where could and should, the six-string acoustic have found its proper place? If you listen to the architectonic Hierophant from Voyage, there's 6/12- string on the chorus which is highly effective. Hackett's part on Ripples could, at least partly, have been transcribed or even doubled in the same manner and given the song yet more lustre. Just like the electrified on Volcano. The Lovers could easily have found its way to Trick as well, and become the new Horizons of the mid seventies! So how do we evaluate a course of events like this? Is it a conscious neglect of one of the group's own members? It is hard to find another explanation, but at the same time there are specific reasons behind. The 'all titles done by all' led to some indistinctness.

All fuss and commotion with Gabriel's defection followed by a five star solo recording after that. Hackett's issue was the first ever from the Genesis camp to indicate one single name as composer. A cynic might suggest that he too could've given some sort of credit to the rest of the band as a gesture for earlier apportionments. If Steve has a share in 'The Lamia', then why doesn't Tony own the ring finger in 'Hands of the Priestess'? Again, why weren't at least parts of the sublime Acolyte-material used by the band? This is a never ending maze where no one is really guilty, it just happened to result in this artistic dispute. Art has to spread its wings, it beats us sometimes how. So what about T. Banks keyboards on Trick? The self-evident piano/organ are in company with an increasingly active synthesizer. There are reasons for this; as mentioned before, in the absence of Gabriel the synth has a greater role to put on. A flute connoisseur could've longed for a guest flutist on one or two tracks(brother John?). As we know, there are no guest artists on Genesis bandstand, but it's a conceivable illusion. The development of the synthesizer(Arp Pro Soloist) is blatant, and so is Banks' playing technique. The result is much more satisfying here than on all previous efforts. There's hardly one single track on this highly esteemed album without its presence. That's not a disadvantage, but a concentrate so to say. The next track is exactly what we're looking for. If you never experienced Banks in prestissimo you will right here, on Robbery, Assault & Battery. Vast, supersonic synth/organ outbursts from the composer, possibly his most virtuoso attempt in this trade. Not without success, solos on The Lamb sound primordial in comparison. Banks, normally more stuck to melody & verse rather than showing off his dexterity and technical prowess, proves that he's not behind his colleagues in Yes/ELP. The organ part is so smooth and well-executed, almost liked filtered through sequencer.

The mellotron isn't the '69 version of the same. The instrument is similar but does a 'relic' flourish in a high-tech surrounding? If you're in possession of the yellow album(Selling England), whether you're a native born Englishman or not, you're still capable of listening to the non-U(non-Upper Class) poetry. Both Robbery and Epping Forest basically deal with the same subject. There are, in fact, a few similarities, or even copied straight off. Collins, who co-wrote Robbery, carries out his role with an insight just as strong as Gabriel mustered during his time. Phil's high spirits are reflected in his optimistic drumming as well. Add the early and tentative video of the song, and you may wonder why the child actor didn't pursue his talents in front of the camera. In fact, his predecessor on the post once had similar ambitions. If the keyboards are high-lighted, then the guitar is halfway buried. Or even treated past recognition! It was partly caught up on stage, as proven on the stout testament Seconds Out, but you can't really call Robbery fully developed in the guitar compartment. Isn't Hackett interesting enough to be noticed in the mix? The reason for its defensive position is rather a result of the album structure than the song itself, what's low here is high elsewhere. We will return to the final judgement regarding the production side. Trick entered an era of a short-lived quartet format, and there were other successful bands of this size. A decade earlier there was at least one. So it may be a bright idea to open the new chapter in the band's career with some sort of connection to the greatest upheaval ever in the music calendar.

Why did title song 'A Trick of the Tail' crop up here and not before? If there was any hesitation it wasn't due to lack of quality, then it wouldn't be found here either. Didn't Trick strike P. Gabriel's fancy or is there a 'hidden' message involved? Or was the band just awaiting its right opportunity? As we are aware of it's an amalgam of two separate song ideas from T. Banks. Written during a period when The Fab Four still were prosperous, a few years before the turn of the decade. If the lyric has the same date-line is unclear, but both story and rhymes are of highest calibre. Fans were rightly astonished by the enchantment in Tony Banks sharp writing. Is this as close as you will ever get to the undeveloped story of 'The Little Prince'? The Fable lies Down in Bedfordshire... The keyboard player has uttered that he'll be more flattered by a comparison to The Beatles rather than the contemporary big six. This is an indelible fact, you can sing along to it - Penny Lane is in my ears and in my eyes, grabbed a creature by the scruff of the neck pointing out. A compliment rather than a degradation, every seventies group has juridical authorization to redo at least one tune from this unavoidable source of inspiration. Is it a coincidence that 'Excuse Me' from the ex-vocalists solo debut sounds, with a little free fantasy, like a major version of Yesterday? Or is it just a trick of the ear? Phil Collins doesn't falter on the vocal harmonies on title song, but the tune A Trick of the Tail remained intramural, while the barber shop singing of Excuse Me sounded throughout the concert halls. In common with the strophe of 'Moonlit Knight', Ripples is immediately likeable, or why not loveable? Both boast with vocals from first second, although the latter is in company with the 12-string.

The sentiment of Ripples is strongly connected to Selling England but the question remains; is there a more visionary, romantic or moving moment to be found? Rutherford is not credited for any solo composition on the record but this feels like his achievement. His bass playing is very chary, but the few tones included are weighed on a scale of gold. During the interims, the tranquil void, you are free to fill out your own course of events. And this is your mission, the empty space is just as explanatory as the composed. The difference is that it's yourself that becomes author and writer. As its gentleness feels staked out, all you have to do is to saunter in optional direction. Ripples is vanilla cream for your taste buds and layers of limitless meadow land beneath your naked feet. A vague but approaching scent of eternal stillness and carefreeness. Only you who is called upon to tread the perpetual road carven out by the angelic voices of Ripples. A special song, Ripples was my first favourite Genesis track. The light classical piano playing, and the most Hackett-defining moment you will encounter on electric. Steve is not playing along to it, he's circling around it! The swallow in the summer sky has no other intention! The longest offering on Trick, the instrumental section is clearly extended and not filled to the brim with twists and turns. Could perhaps have benefitted from a minutes reduction. The final section is performed with piano chords in contrast to the initial brittle tones. What has the painting technique sfumato in common with the wondrous Ripples? The idea is to obtain a smooth, boundless transition where two separate colours(pieces) meet. It's called seamlessness in popular speech, but not in the higher school. A reality at the opening of the mid-section, this is composed passepartout, or just as well drawn composition.

Regarding Collins vocal on Ripples(and the whole album), it would be inhuman to expect an all ready top feat from first to last note. What we are offered is exactly what one could foresee; from full-fledged to a little less full-fledged. From the impeccable and highly personal, to reading aloud from the pre-printed libretto. The drummer's background as second vocalist during a number of years secures a decent level, but his maximum didn't show up here. Not either on the following album but let's move forward and land on the Duke tour. Listen to the version of Ripples on the 80' tour and compare with current, there are bootlegs around with sufficient quality. For the comfortable and idle, chose YouTube. Then started the multi-million selling solo career and an added dimension, but that's another story. When I heard Trick for the very first time I couldn't even pronounce the name of the genre. I was misinformed and told that the lead vocalist was a Peter Gabriel who quit after this album and was replaced by the group's own drummer. My informant was highly of British descent and had a considerable amount of records with an overseas band called Genesis. We can leave out the reason for this bewilderment, but more relevant is if I was convinced or not. I wasn't. When I heard [the vocals] I immediately said to myself that this sounds like Phil Collins. It took some 24 hours or so to verify the correctness in my prophecies. Directly from the decade known as the seventies, when the unrealizable was possible.

For the novice, Los Endos sounds exotic and Mediterranean but it's rather Spanglish than Spanish. The ends are near, the one and only instrumental starts with extracts from 'It's Yourself', on initiative from Collins. Hackett returns to the writing credit for the first time since Entangled, but it's unfailingly the rhythm section that unleashes and worth your attention. If Collins is bringing the open and direct attitude from his side project Brand X, it happens here. It would've been a breach of duty if he didn't. Not everyone is aware of the diversity of the Genesis employed. Once I conversed with a drummer in the absolute world elite, I happened to mention Phil Collins and the immediate reaction was "the pop artist?". I kept quiet. Rutherford is keeping up with his peer, it seems like the bass man has been equally inspired by the inflow of new waves from the outside. You don't have to grasp the bass yourself to relish in his punchy style. The faultless but lesser known congregation Brand X is something to use as a gauge of one's own standing. Hackett/Banks share the same passage, much like another termination called 'It'. The trumpet sounding synth is a clear indication of the fiery senorita and her belonging castanets. It all comes to a halt, and the familiar Volcano intro is laid upon thou once again. You didn't know how stately the backing track to Squonk sounded before you listened to Los Endos. The band had time to study its potential in between auditions. It is by no means inferior to the vocal version, or is it even more impressive? Transporting the album to the fade out, and a few, but unwritten, words are included. The origin of the words is to be found in two different situations. Quite obviously Magnum Opus Supper's Ready, less glaring from Solsbury Hill.

Both Collins/Rutherford(Fripp guitar, Ant Phillips piano) played on the demos to Gabriel 1. As a contrast to the cheeky lyrics of Squonk one can assume that the instrumental Squonk serves as equalization. All in all six songs within a song. If 'Larks' Tongues in Aspic 1' squeezed out the maximum of a short lived line-up of King Crimson, then Los Endos did the same for Genesis. It may be in reduced version, but as Bill Bruford put it; - Genesis is a song based band, and quite lightweight at that too. Isn't the Queen Mab lightweight in her misty twilight dance? She lacks the vigour of the Viking yes but makes up this with an enchanting and yet unchristened symphony of movements. Her sonata is imperishable, and her dull day unclouded. Not only a major change in the line-up, Trick also saw the arrival of new producer David Hentschel. Not entirely new, he had previously worked as engineer on Nursery Cryme. Hentschel was to stay till the decade was ended; four studio- a double live plus two twin solo albums. The spell was broken when Collins rocketed into fame as solo artist with his self-produced Face Value. If the drummer could run his own recording successfully it would of course have been a defeat for the trio to rely on an outside force. Otherwise who knows, he may have remained even longer. What made the band stick to this unaltered state for such a long period? No earlier producer came even close to his superior record. Regarding current album, it is harder to pass a fair judgement on Hentschel since the band is indicated as co-producers. If success is readable in sales figures, then Trick outshone all quintet recordings by far. When Genesis went into the studio to perpetuate Trick of the Tail they were heavily indebted, and it is more than understandable that radio play is just as appealing as a ricercar(complex polyphonic baroque work).

It's not that Tail has put Genesis in the mainstream category, but the many admirers of 10 cc, Supertramp and ELO doubtlessly had a more realistic chance to melt this topical edition than earlier. All songs within the length of 6-8 min. create a sort of conformity. The drums are as mentioned put in a superior position. Like an indication of what to expect from the following decade. If the '75 recording became step one in the development of the drum department, then step two occurred during the making of P.G. 3, with its scientific definition gated reverb. Quite a few listened and took note; the whole world ended up in echo-drenched throbbing, but lacking the feeling and proficiency of its instigators. Hentschel isn't lost as musician himself even if he's not a drummer. His skill in the synthesizer field, and as key. player in general, is clearly reflected in the flowing and winning keyboard textures throughout the album. This doesn't mean that the other components are neglected or forsaken, but let's affirm that the guitar is at least a split millimetre behind. The production on Trick is modernized, up to date, and departs expressly and consciously from the bygone early seventies. To some extent experimental and striving for go-ahead spirit, which is a risk taking. I've heard a few people comment on this particular era asserting that a meek, soft and at times blur sound picture took form. A note reading Segovia versed, who also has a vague knowledge about the capacity of the Gibson Les Paul, would ogle at the austere and severe production of Voyage of the Acolyte. D. Hentschel's contribution to the new unproved Genesis is tantamount to P. Collins voices; top-notch, and occasionally a little less top-notch. Perfection is a passing cloud in the air. There are considerations to be taken; Genesis survived, thrived, kept on touring and recording. Also sold one or two single-records. Far from every band, no matter how gifted, succeeded in this trick. The computation meant that you were able to hear an old medley as late as in the nineties. So the outcome was nothing but remarkable.

It's a mark of favour for the foremost bands to obtain the most creative artwork. Or is it just illusive, is it the music that turns the artwork into a striking object? The museological, but resurrected Lp and its cover/inner-sleeve can be seen as an inspirational source for deepened art explorations. Once you know the coalition with the music it'll shine with translucent light. In due order, there's a lot more to be fascinated by on the LP than the stunted cd. The cd freak will never understand. The short lived quartet was never portrayed on a studio record. At least one of the both heritage they left behind could have been adorned with photos. Not only owing to identification, but just as much or even more as an artistic infusion. You who are in possession of the Long-player Foxtrot know exactly what's on the carpet. You didn't see a band photo before Abacab was released in '81; it covered an entire side of the record cover, at the expense of a lyric sheet! Needless to say, Abacab was the follow-up to the pioneering Face Value. The premier cd issue of Trick is to prefer. The remastered package is perhaps a good choice sound-wise, but please listen with both eyes closed. The dandelion yellow has turned into grainy mustard. Where in the history of art rock belongs A Trick of the Tail? A threefold group consisting of Going for the One, Animals and Trick are a pleasing way to initiate the second half of the decade. I was lucky, or foresight, to stumble across the exclusive selection before anything else existed. Genesis, now reduced to a Pink Floyd numerical, didn't seem to suffer from the changes. Why not a singing drummer just like a (,) bassist/guitarist? There's nothing speaking against it.

So what prevented the multi-talented band member from singing/playing at the same time on stage? Recall Geddy Lee and his utterly demanding bass lines added to Peart's intricate language. Moreover the keyboard parts on his agenda! Couldn't Collins have done a similar showpiece? Supposedly he could've, but it is more a matter of visuality rather than lack of prowess. After all, how many drumming lead vocalists have you witnessed live? Even Floyd was increased with a fifth musician live. All three mentioned albums emit a phenomenally strong spirit, like an urge to express something of very keen nature. Had the assertion from Robert Fripp, PhD been followed to the letter, had neither A Trick of the Tail nor the other titles even seen the light of day! Crimso disbanded and choose to stay in the morning dew of the early seventies, by order of the leadership. Did Fripp's academic but well considered decision send signals that there were still things to approve? A while later, Fripp himself turned down an offering to become ally with Chester Thompson et al on the upcoming world tour. Understandably, he was more benevolent when P. Gabriel knocked at the door and begged for assistance. The former band vocalist jumped ship in the wake of the ex-mellotronist. As I heard on an analytical radio program once, they claimed that the post-Gabriel era just became a reiteration of just the first half of the decade. That's a simplified and stereotyped way to contemplate the matter. Instead, how many entities can brag with the ability to move from the depths of detached rock theatre to hegemony in the secular pop charts? The singles off present album came in due order, there wasn't yet any Turn It On Again or No Reply at All though. It's unclear whether they ameliorated the total sales, but there are a few noteworthy things.

An Italian release defined as promo single contained the title track plus Hackett's A Tower Struck Down on the flipside. This is an astonishment for the veteran fan. In the absence of a covetable band b-side, it must be taken down as a major anecdote. On the Progarchives you will find Trick at about top 50 in the readers' poll. It's a ranking that seems admissible, a conspicuous amount of fans would establish it as the refinement of the second wave Genesis. If it had been the solitary release of Genesis it would have fared much higher. Any four-piece combination of earlier line-up had turned Tail into a consummate sound work-shop. But what about the essence of the belonging lyrics? There's most likely no knowledgeable supporter of the group who favour any later try than fantasy tinged Trick. All lyrics are good, better or nearly outstanding! They are, unconditionally, placed above their challengers on Drama and A Momentary Lapse of Reason(to be illustrative; the loss of heavy-weights Anderson, Waters, Gabriel). Despite the general high standard, Gabriel's linguistic litheness and agility on Harold the Barrel/Willow Farm is not within reach for all gods' children. His buddies are aware of this fact, while they surely surpass themselves in an energetic measure. The new chief lyricists Banks and Rutherford are more difficult to separate from each other, they cling together and are equally talented. L'ange Gabriel's shadow is hanging over the locale, had he remained wing-commander on Trick his contribution would make up 50%. As it happens, Los Endos is an instrumental; whereby the exact apportionment is written in the stars.

Gabriel left because he complained the band was interfering with his family time. The other four wrote the majority of the music for The Lamb without him. It seems only natural that they could make another album by themselves. "Mad Man Moon" and "Ripples" were always my least favourite tracks on the album. The rest of it is some of the best music the band has ever made. "Mad Man Moon" starts off melancholic and easy-going. Later it gets more classical sounding. Once the drums enter the song gets more interesting. "Ripples" opens with vocals and 12-string guitar in a ballad/folk kind of way. Drums come in during the second chorus. Then it changes to more classical sounding with backwards guitar.

"Dance On A Volcano" is one of the best openers of any Genesis album. Love the 'squeek, squeek'. What a great middle section; intense stuff. And what's more intense? The 'dance' at the end. Great stuff, just as essential Genesis as anything on their previous albums. "Entangled" is one of the band's most hauntingly beautiful songs ever. Collins was going to end up singing this song no matter what...because there are no drums(ha). Features the other dudes on 12 string guitars. Excellent overdubbed harmony vocals. I love how the keyboards gradually get added and by the end they overwhelm the whole song. That ending section is one of the greatest things you will ever hear on a Genesis album: superb mix of Mellotron choir, synth and 12-string guitar.

"Squonk" is a highlight. What a groove! Always loved that keyboard melody before and after the 'chorus' part. Collins certainly shows that he is a capable vocalist for this song. The ending section is great although I wish it didn't fade out so quickly. "Robbery, Assault & Battery" is another highlight. Features some of Tony Banks' best ever keyboard work. Collins' drumming and vocals are great in this track. That middle section is just pure awesomeness. One of the band's most unique songs. The title track points towards the band's more radio-friendly future in a way that say, songs like "I Know What I Like" and "Counting Out Time" did not. It is the most 'single' oriented track on the album. The lyrics however are not your typical pop fare: humans being judged by creatures they don't even know exist.

The best part is at the end...literally, "Los Endos". For many reasons, one of which is the incorporation of other songs into it. The beginning comes from another song called "It's Yourself" which the band wrote around this time but recorded later as a B-side. Towards the end both "Dance" and "Squonk" are reprised. When the track is fading out you hear Collins sing: "there's an angel standing in the sun...free to get back home". Those are lyrics from "Supper's Ready". Apart from that the track is completely instrumental. Love the jungle type rhythm used. The way the track just morphs and changes is brilliant. Just before "Squonk" is reprised is the best part: the drums, Mellotron and synth. Excellent.

One of the groups' best efforts and the last really super terrific awesome one. The followup Wind & Wuthering is similar but not quite as strong (with even more hints of their radio- friendly future). After that Hackett leaves. They would get less proggy after he left yet sell way more albums. Gabriel would soon start his own solo career which would take him in a different direction entirely (although both would end up making R&B-influenced pop/rock hits in the 1980s). I would give this a 4.5 but "Mad Man Moon" and "Ripples" are going to make me knock it down to a solid 4 stars.

This album shows how good Genesis could be when they put their minds to it. Dance on a Volcano is an increible album opener, one of the strongest, in my opinion, in the history of Genesis. The twin guitar attack of Steve and Mike is an awesome accomplishment. Entangled is a 12-string lovefest. Squonk is a great driving Genesis song that pounds away. Mad Man Moon is another soft pastoral song.

Side two opens with Robbery, Assault and Battery, an aural assault with tongue in cheek lyrics, a song that would have been perfect for Peter to sing if he had stayed with the band, with its cast of characters. Ripples follows, a song that I personal rank as one of the best songs they have ever done. A Trick of the Tail follows, loosely based on an American Indian folktale and featuring Tony's excellent keyboard work. Los Endos ends the album with an instrumental that incorporates the themes of many of the songs to pull the album together as a whole. The track is so popular with the band itself that they still play it onstage.

An excellent album, one that I consider to be their third best, only bettered by Foxtrot and Selling England By the Pound. If you can, get the extended 2007 remaster that features amazing live video from this album's tour, it's well worth the price of admission, as well as the 5.1 stereo remastering is amazing, too.

Here's the track listing for the album that was released in 1976

1. Dance On A Volcano- This song is just good, I love how they go crazy and change time-signatures and head into a jam towards the end. It shows you that Genesis isn't resting on their laurels or past glories. They have a new identity. This is classic Genesis in my opinion. 'Let the dance begin!!!" 10/10

2. Entangled- Oh my is this one great, I get tremendous chill whenever I listen to it, Phil's vocals are fantastic along with the rest of the band. When this head towards the end, it gives me even more chills. When the Mellotrons you are like "wow!!". I don't know if I've ever had more chills listening to a Genesis song. When I hear this I think of the shadow of Peter Gabriel and how the band was able to tell everyone "We'll be fine!" . There's no need to worry we're still Genesis and with that in mind, it makes it even more chilling!. 10/10

3. Squonk- Though a little repetitive for my liking it still shines on many levels. Primarily on the groove of the bass and drums. Due to the repetitive nature of this song I'll deduct some points(If you know me by now and my reviews I don't really like repetitive songs in my Prog world) Phil's vocals aren't too bad either! The song is still a good listen. 8/10

4. Mad Man Moon- This one is more of Tony's piece than any other on the album(I believe Tony had a say in every song on this album, I could be wrong though). It's a Piano piece that is just wonderful though the bridge hardly does anything for me. The verses and choruses are fantastic though. 8/10

5. Robbery, Assault & Battery- Now this is one I love, it tells a story about a thief and how he escapes and gets out of jail by paying his bail he continually robs money and precious material from banks. That little jam and that keyboard synth solo and interplay with the guitar is just too awesome!!. I think the lyrics are funny but it doesn't really bother the music(Genesis with Peter did always have that humor though so I guess it really shouldn't bother me). The song is really solid with a great bass and drum attack on the rhythm section. Steve guitar work on this song is often overlooked.10/10

6. Ripples - Ah this one, this one is so great!! I love the piano, the vocals, Steve Hackett's crying guitar(his guitar cries on this song, just listen!!) The music in the background while Steve is playing his solo is just so mysterious and beautiful at the same time!. "Sail away, away though the Ripples never come back". It talks about how everyone beauty goes away from them(it specifically talks about women though). I hope it didn't or doesn't intend to be sexist. Anyways, this song is just beautiful, it's enough to make a man cry(In my opinion). Just a great song. 10/10

7. A Trick Of The Tail- I bet some people were upset by this one because it sounds more commercial than just about anything that they have done until this point. I happen to think the opposite. I was glad that Genesis decided to make something like this(it was a breath of fresh air to me!). I think it's a very enjoyable song, I don't think it's perfect but still really fun! 9/10

8. Los Endos- This one is one of Genesis best instrumentals, I find it to be very solid. It's got some jazzy influences in there. I really like how they referred back to Squonk(I thought that was neat not original but neat nonetheless). This refers to Dance On A Volcano too and it's one of Genesis's best instrumentals. 10/10

Overall the album gets a 75 out of 80 from me. Out of 10 it gets a little more than a 9. I will give the album a 5 star rating because of 5 great songs!Genesis proved to us all that they don't need to rely on Peter Gabriel to make great music, and they did just that!!!.Peace Out!

Genesis would emerge from Peter Gabriel's goliath shadow to produce an album with a true minimum of preconceptions of even where the band came from. They were obviously simply trying to compose and perform great music, regardless of where they'd been before. Sure, the hallmarks of their earlier albums were all there - lush, pastoral moods, occasional savagery, waxing and waning of energies and moods - but the instrumentation goes beyond pretty much anything they had done to this point.

Certainly, this is very much a Tony Banks-inspired production. Songs like "Ripples" and "Mad Man Moon" would have required two keyboardists to fully replicate live, something not often seen on earlier albums (and certainly not to this degree). Additionally, "Entangled" is completely bereft of drums, something only done on those earlier tracks ("For Absent Friends", "More Fool Me") where Phil Collins sang lead; of course, with Collins now full-time lead vocalist, you could argue that there was no real change there, but in this case the instrumentation is far more lush than those earlier two tracks and stuck in between two of the rockiest songs on the album.

And the songs - great-to-magnificent. "Dance on a Volcano" sounds like a Gabriel-era relic. With Collins' vocals apparently being tracked in triplicate, there's a thick voice riding over a complicated tempo in the song's verses, with Mike Rutherford and Steve Hackett providing most of the melody on some rather odd-sounding guitars. The song finishes with a "dance" if you will which I personally would not want to have to keep up with, reminiscent of "Dancing With the Moonlight Knight"'s ending.

"Entangled" - beautiful melody in the largely acoustic beginning, augmented by glockenspiel and more heavy tracking of Collins' vocals. At the end is a beautiful keyboard solo with ghostly overtones played over the guitars and bone-chilling bass pedal thumps.

"Squonk" - maybe the weakest track here, but still great. More heavy vocal tracking, and an ominous tone to Banks' keyboards which lead to the songs sorrowful conclusion, which musically is a reprise of "Dance on a Volcano"'s introductory theme.

"Mad Man Moon" - a tale of survival in a desert, but worried far more with the emotional detachment the protagonist feels than any mere physical needs. The instrumental break is a piano/synthesizer-drenched interlude with scant guitar before Collins' voice breaks in again, apparently with a dream telling the protagonist he's better off where he is, before finishing with the opening themes where the protagonist has apparently resigned himself to his isolation. Maybe a lot being talked about at a metaphorical level here - I can't tell for sure, but it would fit with the overall feel of the song.

"Robbery, Assault and Battery" - a tale of a murderous thief sidestepping and perhaps one day outwitting the criminal justice system. Not overly heavy stuff, really - it's a spoof all the way - but a nice if a little bit slight way of breaking up the album's two epics.

Next, the piece-d-resistance, "Ripples". This is my favorite song of all time. It's a lovely tale of aging and acceptance, with quite simply the most beautiful instrumental section I've ever heard. The opening verses of the song are mostly acoustic guitar with piano coming in midway through, then a beautiful chorus where the piano becomes even more prominent under Collins' gorgeous vocals. Then, the instrumental - a rolling piano, then a beautiful, gently-played guitar adding color as much as melody, followed by a single-hand synthesizer riding over all of it as the drums and bass rumble underneath. It's gorgeous, ethereal and earthy simultaneously, and still gives me chills after hundreds of listens. The song finishes with the chorus as before, augmented more heavily by some of the instruments added in during the instrumental.

The title track is a quirky little number about a creature from a far off land, with horns and a tail, leaving his city of gold and finding individuals looking like normal humans with no knowledge of his peoples' existence. Fun and with some catchy piano and guitar, and another welcome break before the finale...

Los Endos - Once described by Hackett as "Genesis meets Santana". The intro starts with some the instrumental work at the end of "It's Yourself", a song unreleased on the original album, before moving into a portion that seems to be Collins' doing - it sounds very similar to the work he was doing in Brand X at the time. It's frenetic, jazzy and highly percussive. Then, a sudden stop as we move into a reprise of "Dance on a Volcano", before finishing up with a reprise of "Squonk". This song gives the album something of a "concept" feel even if it truly doesn't fit that description.

The fact that after 25 years, this album still tops my list, should be telling as to its quality. If you don't have it, get it and give it a try. I'm pretty sure you won't be disappointed if you can take the time to really listen. It's a rare gem and should be appreciated fully. Five stars.

"Dance on a Volcano" - A very solid track. The old Genesis magic is still there. The track is less wordy fare from the band. The musical pyrotechnics later in the track are very good and somewhat of a change for Genesis.

"Entangled" - Nice fragile dreamlike track.

"Squonk" - Brilliant track - majestic and soaring.

"Mad Man Moon" - Very beautiful softer piece.

"Robbery, Assault & Battery" - quirky track that I can't say I enjoy until around the halfway mark when it fleshes out into a Genesis jam. For me this track is the low point of the album.

"Ripples" - Lovely track. I heard somewhere that the original lyrics of the track had to be changed as they were too bawdy to begin with.

"A Trick of the Tail" - Flighty track that I don't dislike but I don't like it much either - to me it points toward the future of what Genesis would become.

"Los Endos" - Very powerful instrumental piece. I love the drum work on this.

To me this signalled that Genesis weren't dead at all - they recovered well from the loss of Gabriel. I do pick up a lot of hints on this album pointing to the "pop" music band that Genesis would later become. I really enjoy the majority of this album's tracks. There are one and a half tracks that I don't enjoy all that much - a half because I do enjoy some of "Robbery, Assault and Battery". From me a four star rating where the weaknesses are very adequately made up for by the strengths.

"Dance On A Volcano" gets things started with an exciting beginning and end. At points it sounds like Peter Gabriel never even left, because of Phil Collins' voice. "Entangled" is a gentle song with beautiful 12-strings. "Squonk" is a more straightforward rocker. In an interview, Phil Collins said it was the closest they ever got to Led Zeppelin. I don't hear the resemblance, but still, a good song. "Mad Man Moon" makes use of its seven minutes by having melodic and rhythmic changes. "Robbery, Assault And Battery" is a fun song containing what has to be one of the best instrumental breakdowns in any Genesis song. The drumming is fantastic. The song also has an interesting chorus. "Ripples" seems like a long song but it stays consistent and is pleasant to listen to. "A Trick Of The Tail" is a catchy pop song in the same vein as "I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)" from Selling England By The Pound and "Counting Out Time", from The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway. "Los Endos" is sort of a jazz-fusion number that repeats some of the album's material at the end, most notably a reprise of "Squonk".

This album is a testament to the talent of the group as a whole. Coming after The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway, A Trick Of The Tail is another great record. Of course, nothing was going to top The Lamb, but they didn't need to make another album like that. Following in the footsteps of Peter Gabriel, everyone thought the band would not be able to survive without him. But with this album, they proved that they could not only survive, but even do well without him. A solid effort that shows that the group weren't ready to give up the ghost just yet.

While not altogether a masterpiece, this album has the unique distinction of not limiting itself to Prog audiences. There are elements within this record that can appeal to a wide range of music lovers, which makes it the accessible and wonderful group of melodies that I will cherish til the end of my days.

DANCE ON A VOLCANO: Mike plays a riff, which will re-appear a couple of times again later in the album, and quite immediatly Steve, Phil and Tony make syncopated stop-fills with a nice jazzy taste. The thing gets interesting when the large and majestic 7/4 turns into a nervous one. Phil's singing is quite perfect. I think this album shows clearly his whole "drum philosophy": triplets and quadruplets almost everywhere, ghost notes on the snare and great bass drum work. The song ends after an outstanding "jamming" moment in which Tony and Steve build a very nice dialogue between synth and guitar.

ENTANGLED: this is an Hackett one. Music and words. It's a waltz, softly carried on by lots of guitars (Steve, Tony and Mike). The first part shows a weird situation, concerning psychiatrist and things like that. The song touches its finest part when it turns instrumental. The waltz goes on for a bit, while Tony draws an emotional landscape which reminds me a lot of "classical choral" stuff. We got Mellotron (choir) playing chords and the lead synth playing the soprano line. Amazing.

SQUONK: this is a rock song. And stop. I heard someone saying this is the weak song. I could agree, but not completely. We got to understand that, in 1976, Genesis had to handle the progressive audience as well the american one. "Squonk" is a nice track. Nothing like "Epping Forest", of course! It is a nice rock track, which echoes some Led Zeppeling moments (John Bonham drum influence is quite clear!), it has got nice lyrics and great vocal work.

MAD MAN MOON: now this is the underrated song of the block. I think nobody considers Mad Man Moon because it doesn't keep the "usual Genesis taste". I suggest: try to listen to it just as a song. It is simply wonderful.

ROBBERY, ASSAULT AND BATTERY: I always thought that "Robbery" has got to be considered -together with "Harold the Barrel", "Willow Farm", "Epping Forest"- one of the Genesis "Silly" Songs. I always thought that was an attempt to make a Gabriel-like silly- dramatic-comedy-story. And, to be onest, the result is not comparable in terms of lyrics. But it is still a great song. GIANT drumming, as usual. The instrumental moment is a 15/8 jam. Someone still thinks that it is 7/4. But if you pay attention you will notice that is a 7+6. The "one note solo" by Hackett -before the dramatic mellotron part- is to me one of the highest things ever made by human race.

RIPPLES: classic Genesis evergreen. 12 strings, sweet vocals, nice chords. Almost a ballad song. The middle part still makes me unquiet. It nearly makes me cry every single time. The guitar sighs by Hackett are so heart touching.

TRICK OF THE TAIL: cleverness. Pure cleverness. Tony's song. Pure taste.

LOS ENDOS: this is an explosive ending. It is just one of the greatest "ending tracks" of all times. Anyone knows this was inspired by Carlos Santana jams. Not simply a jam, "Los Endos" features Genesis at their best -instrumentally speaking-. It is magic. Everyone of them works for the ensemble. So tastefully built, the song flows into a "Dance on a Volcano/Squonk Reprise" with lots of self quotations including the "There's an angel standing in the sun" part which sends tons of shivers down my spine.

I can only imagine Peter Gabriel thinking "well done, boys."

Oh how fresh and nearly happy most of the songs sound, compared to the strict artistic approach of Selling England... and Lamb. Surprisingly, as I usually like ballads, the two slow songs, Entangled and Ripples made the "weakest" impression on me, if only slightly. But my favourites are Mad Man Moon with its almost classical sound, dancing Robbery, Assault & Battery and the powerful final track Los Endos, which is strong competition for It and Supper's Ready in regards to the best final song of a Genesis album, though I wouldn't consider the latter a classical finale. The rest are strong songs, just without the extra bit. Dancing On A Volcano may be one of the best openers of a Genesis album, but there are quite a few album openers by other artists that remain in my head a bit longer. The same is true for Squonk while the title track is too similar to Robbery, only a wee wee bit weaker.

Still some 4.8 stars for a wonderful album.

A Trick of the Tail was released in 1976 by what many people believed to be posthumously, due to the departure of everyone's favorite sophisticated stage-clown, Peter Gabriel, the year prior. Desperately, the band tried to find a new vocalist, going through about 100 auditions in order to find one. What they didn't realize until later was they already had a vocalist in their midst- Phil Collins. Before Trick Collins hadn't had a large lead vocal repertoire in the band, in fact the only song where he did was 'More Fool Me', an acoustic ballad off of Selling England By the Pound in 1973. The limelight was set his major frontman debut and this was the product. How does it fair?

It's a loaded question, really. With such a monumental shift in front-men some comparisons should be made between the qualities of their styles. For one, Phil Collins grew into his stage presence fairly well; he had a warm atmosphere that greatly contrasted with Gabriel's theatrical vivaciousness (with a sort of separation between audience and band by some proverbial means). In the studio Collins remained the same: a skilled and intricate drummer whose experimentations have influenced the likes of Neil Peart with their complexity. Let's not hasten to forget the other members, however. Banks is as ever a fantastic song writer and the mastermind behind some of the best songs on the album, such as 'Mad Man Moon', 'Robbery, Assault and Battery', and the title track (not bad on the keys either). Rutherford and Hackett of course are fantastic on the strings, creating some of the best hooks Genesis has ever had.

The album itself is interesting because it both reserved and boisterous at the same time. The synth hits are it perfect spots at serve as sort of climactic cannon shots every time they appear. The songs themselves can range from powerful swagger like 'Dance on a Volcano' and 'Squonk', or soft-spoken like 'Entangled' (funnily enough sounding like it took a lot of inspiration from 'More Fool Me') and 'Ripples. It also may be worth it to mention that this album features much of what the hated 80's Genesis would continue to have: groovy bass pedals from Rutherford, atmospheric yet lumbering chords followed with the echo of Collins' voice shouting self-conjoined harmonies into the symphonic fray. What I believe this album has that the albums following didn't have (aside from the band's eponymous from '83 and some certain selections from other albums) is the stoic refinement that were left from the over-the-top self indulgent days of Peter Gabriel's reign. This refinement would go on to be more like residue with the music becoming less and less subtle as their discography progressed.

Trick of the Tail combines the good parts of both Genesis eras- the elegance of Gabriel and the freewheeling of Collins. If you looking for the true best of both world then this album is the prime example of what you're looking for.

Clearly feeling they should continue making quality music in the face of Gabriel's departure, they mustered up the strength to carry on with Collins becoming the main vocalist and front-person. The result is remarkably good. Although the lyrics are clearly missing Gabriel's gifts, Collins demonstrates he can provide sufficiently intelligent substitutes, and furthermore (and probably most importantly, for the history of the band), that he can sound like Genesis. This would come back to bite them as Collins increasingly would take the band into commercial territory that dismissed (or even seemingly mocked) the progressive musical developments on these earlier albums, but for now the band is working well together to come up with 'Genesis' music, hugely aided by the presence of Steve Hackett (who would also remain for the next album, his last with the band). Over time, this album would become an icon in itself, representing a middle-70s Genesis sound and compositional style. I actually think that contemporary band Big Big Train sounds not so much like Gabriel-era Genesis, but instead most like this album in both lyrical form, singing style, and musical form (if one had to compare). This album also presented to the world a number of tunes that would later be considered among the best in the Genesis catalogue. Songs like the opener 'Dance on a Volcano', 'Squonk', 'Ripples' and the title track are really very good. They are also very direct and unpretentious. I don't think that 'Wind and Wuthering' - the only other album to feature this exact same line up - was able to do this so well, leaving Trick of the Tail as a unique and distinct album in the larger Genesis body of work. I give this album 8.2 out of 10 on my 10-piont scale, which translates to 4 PA stars.

'A Trick Of The Tail' is the seventh studio album of Genesis and was released in 1976. This is another album that represents another turning point into their discography. It's even considered by some people the first neo-prog album in rock history. After the release of the sixth Genesis' studio album 'The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway' in 1974 and during the live tour of that album in May of 1975, Peter Gabriel announced that he was leaving the group. At the time, and after the band auditioned over 400 lead singers to find a replacement front man to the group, and because Phil Collins had already provided some vocal work on Genesis, they decided that he was the right man to replace Gabriel.

So, that change transformed the band from a quintet to a quartet. If the problem of the singer became resolved, it raised the problem of a drummer for their live shows. So, they decided to engage Chester Thompson which is an American drummer and session musician who played with Weather Report and Frank Zappa, to perform on their live shows.

'A Trick Of The Tail' has eight tracks. The first track 'Dance On A Volcano' written by Tony Banks, Steve Hackett, Mike Rutherford and Phil Collins is a great opener for the album. This is a very progressive song full of frantic rhythmic variations. It's also a song with a beautiful melody and complex musical changes which correspond completely to the great expectations created around this new studio work. The second track 'Entangled' written by Banks and Hackett is a very beautiful pastoral piece of music that features a superb acoustic guitar work by Hackett accentuated by a fantastic mellotron work by Banks. It's a wonderful and melodic song that makes us glide and dream. The third track 'Squonk' written by Banks and Rutherford is a song with a fantastic and memorable opening and it has also a remarkable fantastic drumming work made by Collins. This is a very simple song with great choral work. The fourth track 'Mad Man Moon' written by Banks is one of the most beautiful songs of the album and is one of my favourites too. We can even say that this is one of the most beautiful songs ever created by Genesis. It's also a song with beautiful chorus and a wonderful keyboard work by Banks. It became as one of the most beloved songs of Genesis, especially in Hackett's musical era. This is really a truly fantastic progressive track. The fifth track 'Robbery, Assault and Battery' written by Banks and Collins is a very good song and particularly it has great imaginative rhythms and time changes. It's a song also with a fantastic instrumental middle section with great individual performances by all band's members. The sixth track 'Ripples' written by Banks and Rutherford is a very calm and beautiful song. It's a song with nice guitar and keyboard musical textures. In reality, Hackett's guitar work is absolutely stunning, accompanied by a soft and wonderful keyboard work by Banks. This track represents the quiet and calm track on the album. The seventh track is the title track 'A Trick Of The Tail'. It was written by Banks and represents a very accessible track with very interesting lyrics. However, this is, in my humble opinion, one of the less progressive songs on the album and it sounds more like a song made to be released as a single hit. So, despite be a very nice song, I sincerely think this is the weakest and less interesting track on the album. In reality, it seems to be more a pop song than a track of a progressive album. The eighth track 'Los Endos' written by Banks, Hackett, Rutherford and Collins, is a fantastic instrumental progressive piece of music and represents my favourite track on the album. I even dare to say, that this is undoubtedly one of the favourite tracks of all Genesis' fans. It's the track that serves to resume the all album because it has some musical elements of all the other tracks. This is a very energetic track that closes the album wonderfully. It's interesting to note that 'Los Endos' became an emblematic song for the group and for the fans too. It became part of the alignment of the songs chosen to be part of almost all of their live shows and became commonly used to close almost all of them.

Conclusion: 'A Trick Of The Tail' is the first album released by Genesis as a quartet and without their front man and song writer Peter Gabriel. I have no doubt in saying that it was, for sure, a horrible moment for them. Certainly, Collins was very nervous wondering if Genesis' fans would accept him as the new front man of the group. However, and despite the loss of Gabriel, the group continued to deliver excellent musical moments for their fans, and 'A Trick Of The Tail' represents an excellent example of that. With this album, Genesis found new musical direction instead of simply revisited their musical past work. As I wrote above, some people consider that 'A Trick Of The Tail' was the first neo-prog album in the history, but others consider that was 'Market Square Heroes', the debut EP of Marillion released in 1982. Anyway and furthermore, 'A Trick Of The Tail' remains as an important milestone in the progressive rock music and in particular to the neo-prog sub-genre. It reveals also and undoubtedly that this is an album with great quality of Genesis. This is in reality an essential album for everyone who really loves progressive rock music with great beauty.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

Once Peter Gabriel left, the band kept searching and they ultimately decided for Phil Collins to be the lead... poor guy, he never wanted to leave the drums, but his voice eventually overshadowed his drums skills on the people wich is sad, but what can you do when you are very talented at 2 things? Not only that, but probably one of the best for the 2 jobs but one of those omits the other?

Well, the band continued and released a pretty aweosome album that i discovered because of a friend of an uncle who is having a hard time now at the hospital, hope that he gets well soon and i must thank him, this album is aweosome and because of those Peter Gabriel fanboys is because i never wanted to listen to this on the first place, i was pretty influenced by them when i started with Genesis, and i must tell everybody, listen to nobody, not even to me if you want, you just need to experience Genesis in its totality and i hope that you and everybody can realize what Genesis is all about, that's why i am here.

As always, i'll be reviewing per song.

1.- Dance on a Volcano 10/10 This song is pretty aweosome, it does almost everything right, the rythms, the time signatures, the atmosphere, the sound... everything is great here... How can i say that is an special song other than it is perfectly made? Well, really nice drumming and crazy "drop" of the instruments at the end.

2.- Entangled 10/10 If you want to listen to this, put your lights at minimum, making a glowy orange scene in your bedroom, make the room be filled with darkness also and look up in the window at night, watch for the rooftops and imagine childrens runing up there, it's a magical night where only the silhouette of the childrens can be seen while the moon washes the colors of the roofs, and you want to be there, as a child, to relive those inocent times that you never had because you were listening to prog alone at your room, you don't regret it, but you cry because you never had a social experience and now... you're tired and ill. That's how i feel, i love this song and i'd like to animate it or something, i want to share how i feel with somebody, maybe that's why i write reviews.

Pretty well done atmospherics by everybody here, and there's not a single piece of drums being played, only sweet Phil singing.

3.- Squonk 9/10 Nicely done kind of badass song, a little repetitive and because of that i sometimes forget that i'm listening to it, but still sports a nice rythm. I have another minor problem with this song, and that one is that in the ending, i would've liked for them to continue, i investigated and found that the ending overlaps infinitely, so they never composed something more to finish the song? Weird, i guess some of those ideas went into the most famous unreleased song from this album. Shoutouts to the singing, again but in a different way.

4.- Mad Man Moon 9/10 This song was perfect!! But the dumb lyrics in some parts had to rest 1 point. This song is really melancholic, here the spotlight is Tony Banks, he plays an incredible piece at half the song where it sounds like something that could be played whilst watching one of those Georges Méliès silent movies, it really takes away into a different reality and i love it. So the instrumentals are perfect here, the lyrics not, and it's hard for me to give it a point less because i mostly focus in instrumentals, but the lyrics really do take apart the illusion, it happens at the second half of the song, it is the singing or the lyrics tho?

5.- Robbery, Assault and Battery 10/10 At first i wasn't very fond of this song, but then after some re-listens, i just love it, it sports a lot of interesting and uniques things here, a funny story, but then an incredible aweosome odd time signature, this is one of the best Genesis songs to showcase odd time signatures. Shoutouts to everybody here because everyone got it's time to shine in this song.

6.- Ripples 10/10 Should i say something? This song has made everybody cry atleast once, because it's a pretty song, really sad and melancholic but then it gets pretty emotional and near the end there is one of the most epic solos i have heard, when i first listened to this, there was nothing toping that part and i edited the song so i could loop that part as far as i wanted, i really love that part. But the song in it's entirety is another one like Entangled with almost no drums, until the chorus and the solo tho. Shoutouts to Steve Hackett and Tony Banks, my favorite music couple... maybe.

7.- A Trick of the Tail 10/10 The title trick, i mean track, it's a somewhat short song, with really interesting lyrics, and a really sticky rythm, this song may be a little repetitive, but it gets stuck pretty easy in the head and the lyrics really get inside of my mind and i don't get distracted, i concentrate the whole song, and if i distract for some reason, the chorus hooks me up pretty fast. So in this one is a shoutouts to the lyrics.

8.- Los Endos 10/10 The final song that closes it all with just almost repeating all the songs in the albums with an incredible showcase of talent from Phil Collins on drums and everybody also, but the drums in a really special way. This song is really well executed and i'm glad that in concerts they have come back to this song multiple times, it represents the album well.

All in all the final score is a 98/100, wich obviusly translates to 5 stars, i recommend this album to EVERYBODY.

It is no surprise therefore, that the resulting album reflected their personal tastes and as a result is probably the most diverse album they ever produced.Most tellingly is the fact that for the first time, you did not have to be a Genesis fan to appreciate this album or even be a Progressive Rock fan either. In fact I know quite a few people who are not even into Rock music at all but still love it.So why is this? Ultimately it comes down to way that the album as a whole is at once accessible and involving.

The opening track, "Dance On A Volcano" opens with a series of loud stabbing chords set against a slightly menacing twelve string pattern before settling in to one of those great anthemic instrumental choruses that Genesis were so good at producing. It is really quite stunning.The verses are no less dramatic underlined by an urgent riff.

The next track "Entangled" is a complete contrast, being a gentle acoustic song with some extremely pleasant harmony vocal support from Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford.It is closer in spirit to Folk Rock than Progressive Rock and reminds me a little of Crosby Stills and Nash.Steve Hackett is largely responsible for this beautiful song.

The next track "Squonk" is clearly inspired by Led Zeppelin's "Kashmir" with its crunching and very loud twelve string riff.It has a slow rather plodding rhythm but is still very melodic and has another punchy instrumental chorus.This loud and powerful track made an excellent opening track at subsequent concerts.

"Mad Man Moon",the closing track on side one is pure Banks- a very romantic piano based song with an extended keyboard instrumental and some very atmospheric soloing by Hackett in the background.

"Robbery Assault And Battery" makes an excellent side two opener.Musically and lyrically it is fairly slight compared to the tracks on side one but it does have a suitably muscular riff underlying a catchy chorus as well as a particularly inventive instrumental break.In fact starting at the 2.30 minute mark and lasting barely one and a half minutes, it is remarkable how many musical ideas Banks comes up with including a sudden mood shift with the mellotron creating a dramatic affect that reminds me of a chase seen in a 70's Cop show. This song perfectly showcases how musical inventiveness can be contained within an otherwise straightforward pop song.

The following track "Ripples" is far and away the most achingly beautiful song Genesis ever produced in their entire career. The song about growing old and losing your looks has a an almost unbearably melancholic chorus.

The title track is one of those Genesis tracks that I suspect divides fans. It is pure pop with another catchy chorus but like "Robbery Assault And Battery" has an extended middle eight section reminiscent of groups like 10CC and Wings who also specialized in sophisticated pop. Personally I have a particular fondness for this uplifting Beatlesque song inspired by the book "The Inheritors" by William Golding.

The closing instrumental track "Los Endos" is an absolute classic and is probably the most well known track on the album being played at virtually every concert they performed right into the nineties. In the same way "Squonk" was inspired by Led Zeppelin, this track is clearly inspired by Santana's "Promise Of A Fisherman" with its Latin style percussion and soaring guitar themes.It also neatly incorporates themes from the previous track, mainly "Squonk" and "Dance On A Volcano".Even though there is no improvising as such, it still has a great jazz-fusion feel.

As far as the production values go, the recording is very crisp and polished but I prefer the more "live" sounding Wind and Wuthering" which was recorded only a few months after "Trick Of The Tail". In particular, Steve Hackett's guitar seems curiously muted on the heavier tracks .His playing is as inventive as always but sometimes I wish he could have produced that great fat Gibson sound that he produced on Wind and Wutheringl. Listening to the powerhouse performances on the live album "Seconds Out" of tracks like "Dance on A Volcano" and "Los Endos" it is hard to believe it is the same band playing.Overall though, this album is very nearly my favorite Genesis album second only to "Selling England By The Pound"

A solid 5 Stars *****

"Entangled" is the first of three or four songs on A Trick of the Tail which I can imagine Gabriel singing without much adjustment to the arrangement. It almost perfectly captures the sense of moving between dreaming and waking, and its use of what I assume are multiple 12-string guitars harkens back to some of the band's earlier arrangements. "Entangled" also contains some of the best vocal harmonies the band ever recorded.

The title song is also a strong offering, and another sci-fi tale along the lines of "Get 'em Out By Friday" or "Keep It Dark," although its storyline is more comprehensible. The melodious "Ripples..." is also said to have an otherworldly plot. As nice as "Ripples..." is - - and it is very nice - - there just isn't eight minutes of material here. I feel the same way about closing song, the instrumental "Los Endos," which recycles some themes from "Squonk" and "Dance on a Volcano." It's a solid track, just a little long.

The only song I'm not especially fond of is "Mad Man Moon." It's a little tedious in my opinion; there's nothing here that the band wouldn't top less than a year later on "All in a Mouse's Night." The remaining two tracks, "Squonk" and "Robbery, Assault and Battery" are both good songs, but they sound a bit tepid here compared to the live versions released on Seconds Out in 1977.

The production quality on A Trick of the Tail is better than that of the band's previous album, The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway. The mix is much more integrated - - the instruments, and especially the vocals, sound much more like parts of a cohesive whole than they had on prior albums. Some of this may be due to burying Collins's voice in the mix, but whatever it is, it works.

On the whole, A Trick of the Tail is one of Genesis's best three or four studio albums. There's no "Supper's Ready" here, but this album contains textbook examples of heavy Genesis ("Dance on a Volcano") and light Genesis ("Entangled"). Highly recommended to anyone who figures that all Collins-era Genesis must sound like Invisible Touch!

Absolute perfection. Not one single flaw. And not only that, it's one of those albums that had a huge emotional impact on me. It's got the perfect diversity of various themes, moods, feelings and moments that "give you adrealine" how exciting it is to drop the stylus on this LP. I love it so much that I rarely play it, because I just don't want to get tired of it. I want to enjoy it for a longer time span than two weeks, like most albums have on me in the shorter run.

It starts off with Dance On A Volcano, a sweet, sweet album opener that has the perfect balance between progressive and catchy (without turning to pop). It ends with a killer instrumental.

Entangled comes in. In songs like these, I usually can link the song to a particular season. There, I would link it closest to autumn, but I really don't know. This one is unique in its own way. It's haunting yet charming. It's like a rustic decoration for the album, just like the cover.

Then comes Squonk, probably the most catchy and pop-accessible song of them 8, but still is fairly progressive. I'll say it here ; Phil Collins definitively is a great singer, and on this one I like him better than Peter Gabriel. I consider the 1976-1977 era and the 3 albums with it (including Seconds Out) the golden age of Genesis because I overall prefer the style of these 3 albums. Squonk is a classic of that era, and besides, who doesn't love the rich keyboard sound of that song?

Closing the first side is Mad Man Moon, possibly one of my favorite songs ever. It has a desperate, sad feeling but oh my god is it just so, so, beautiful. I'm a huge fan of the compilation between mellotron & piano like there is in the first part of this song. The lyrics are in my style, and what can I say about the piano solo of the middle. It's extremely complex, but beautiful and makes you feel in the wide-open hilly desert at first (Not like in the lyrics), all alone, but then it places you in the tiniest of areas, contemplating your life and the universe in a very enclosed head. The buildup enters and all light and hope penetrates your brain, and from there it only gets better and better. It's melancholic, but so beautiful that it will turn tears of sadness into tears of joy. It really is one of my favorites, and because of that I don't play it often.

And that closes the first side. Fortunately for us, the second side is just as perfect. Robbery, Assault & Battery as a smaller opening instrumental but fits perfectly for a B-Side opening, just like Dance On A Volcano had a perfect A-Side opening. So, this one has a clear theme based on the track's title. Through the song, there is a very special keyboard solo combined with a unusual but awesome drum and bass pattern. Phil's vocals are just as great.

If Mad Man Moon is not the masterpiece of the album, Ripples is the one. They're both equally pure perfection with a bonus of emotional outrage, of joy. Ripples starts very acoustic, and Phil's vocals are the best on this one. It's a great and beautiful acoustic tune, until the middle part comes in. I can't explain it, but they somehow manage to transform the song into one of the most amazingly beautiful instrumentals of all time, and in the end, it magically goes back to the main chorus in such a beautiful and fluid way. It's one of those songs that makes you cry of joy how beautiful and perfect it is.

Then you have the title track, which is also a little more accessible just like Squonk but less of a rocker. Another song with a great feeling attached to it. Just great, simply put.

Something important in an album to me is how each side starts and ends, but more importantly, how the album as a whole starts and ends. Dance On A Volcano had a killer opening, well, Los Endos is just the P-E-R-F-E-C-T closing for an album. This instrumental pretty much sums up the whole album, and I'd even dare to say, the whole sub-genre that is Symphonic prog. It's that fascinating to hear and closely listen. Phil makes his "voice" shine on drums on this one, and shows his true talent. All four members are at best on Los Endos, and it sums up the whole album ; perfection. Simply put, pure perfection.

1Dance On A Volcano and there he is gone; so don't let yourself go; rhythmic bass forward, drums louder, keyboards more intoxicating, trying, overwhelming, and Phil's voice which blends strangely well; a hellish rhythm to make us forget, a different rhythm to show that the Genesisian sound will indeed be eternal; Phil works on his voice phew nothing to do with 'More Fool Me', in short a bit of Canterbury madness and madness like Banks who plays notes faster than his breathing, the spleen guitar finally arrives and an air of old GENESIS in the end, absolute beauty 2 Entangled for the melancholy nursery rhyme from the start, you can feel it, Steve on a logical Genesisian arpeggio, I would say, which sounds almost better than in the Gabriel era, astonishing; Phil accompanied by choirs to keep the safe...and then one of the two divine breaks arrives, yes the word is out; this spleen melancholy sound, this air which rocks you and sends you to a bucolic land without war, just peaceful cries, what can we say about the angelic choirs, magnificent evolution of the remaining 4. 3 Squonk for a rhythmic title now with the official triad; the drums with rolling drums, the bold keyboards on one side and clear catchy keyboards on the other and the guitar, the guitar which is more melodic guitar; the progressive finale with a gentle decrescendic declination 4 Mad Man Moon for the second nursery rhyme-ballad with piano in front, it calms the ardor a little; Yes, but; wait barely 3 minutes and the piano arpeggio which descends, the symphonic keyboard which swells, yes it prog so finally, it swells and it separates from the orchestrations before with Peter in front who punctuated the title; here we are on a Genesisian composition where everyone seems to be happy to play; again a two-part finale with the resumption of the tune and the darker ending; when I write Génesisienne it is indeed the musical atmosphere that I am talking about

5 Robbery, Assault And Battery second side and the radio edit title, yes the one that smells like pop-rock, with a well-crafted verse and chorus, the one that tells you in your ear, well prog is over; and then Tony arrives and with his keys, he hits the symphonic break; a second keyboard break highlights it even more, a little too much even? Resumption of the verse-chorus with a noticeable evolution to mask the consensual air a little 6 Ripples... or how to realize that the quartet was not going to last... a nostalgic ballad entry bordering on a cappella with piano and guitar; a logical refrain, a symphonic escapade...and the, this famous Genesisian break which gives pride of place to Steve's spleen guitar; yes but watch the official clip again and you will especially see the keyboard keys; the man in the shadows who, in my opinion, emerges from one of the most beautiful spleen prog solos is still in the background; in short, pure personal but persistent feeling; the return to the current world, yes the solo disconnected me from reality, the return is only to finish the title gently like a spring drying up 7 A Trick Of The Tail for the eponymous title and the gift of giving a name to the atmosphere, the Charisma sound, as on the cover, as on the label of the label... yes a unique 'Genesisian' sound made of an osmosis of voices kneaded and entering into the musical rhythm, made of dreamlike keyboards and guitar; a simple ballad... walking in an English garden to locate the tree with roots in which we will be able to fall into the hole and find Alice, that is the universe of this group. 8 Los Endos after the beautiful intro we could imagine a beautiful ending to this album; there is this title; heralding arpeggio, distinctive percussion, distinctive organ, recognizable tune; one GENESIS cannot hide another whatever one says; ah this velvety, flamboyant, airy, ethereal synth... Ah this cover with the choirs, ah this orgasmic arrival which gives the progressive avant-garde title with the final explosion and the fusion of the drums with the keyboards... Amen ; it vibrates, it exhilarates; a little plastered and so who said they have to look like someone?

GENESIS remains this studio beast which here releases a modern symphonic prog rock album, a transitional album that must be taken as it is.

And the answer they were looking for outside was at home. Phil Collins, impeccable in percussion forever, takes on the role of singer and did it well. He is not Gabriel, that is clear, despite his efforts to look like him. But A Trick of the Trail is a very good proposal that continues with the progressive cleanliness. It also adds more accessible and less intricate elements, what doesn't mean that it didn't detract from the final result, supported by those excellent musicians who are Hackett and Banks.

The album began in such a good way, with the bombastic Dance on a Volcano. Followed by the deeply melancholic and perhaps for that reason beautiful Entangled, by Hackett's 12-string guitars and Banks' final mellotron. In my opinion, this is the best Genesis ballad in their discography. The fantasy and powerful Squonk reminds us that the mythological characters are still part of their inspiration. And then, we enjoy Banks' mastery of keyboards with Mad Man Moon and Robbery, Assault, and Battery. The last is also the closest reference to his previous records. Both the extensive ballad Ripples and the surprising pop-twinned song A Trick of The Tail are its least highlights. The album closes with Los Endos, an excellent instrumental execution.

In short terms, A Trick of The Trail is an excellent album in which Genesis began to say goodbye to the more progressive Genesis. They did that respecting its past while continuing looking into the future, what constitutes its greatest merit.

Superlatives tossed about carelessly? No. Blind praise done in isolation? No. Irrational band fanatic? Please....

Yeah, I was a newly-independent college freshman in 1975 when I first heard this album that dared to compete with any Gabriel-era album, so there may be some emotional and sentimental bias in my regard for this album. But let's look objectively at this brilliant album on the whole: 1.) A beautiful canary yellow album cover and inner sleeve (with the original vinyl, anyway) that portrayed many of the characters from the songs. 2.) Complete lyrics spread out across the original fold-out album cover, printed in a suitable scroll (and what INCREDIBLE lyrics they are!) 3.) A true "concept album" (How come nobody else mentions this?!) where virtually every song relates the paradox of a person (or thing) that doesn't realize how good they already have it, and instead long for something different. (The grass ISN'T always greener on the other side.) And I detect in many songs the presence of a devil figure who preys on the doubts and weakness of the song's character, who winds up making a "deal with the devil" to get their perceived needs. I mean, to me, that's a devil figure singing "Dance on a Volcano", right? ("The lava's the lover...", and what about "the evil of a snowflake in June..." etc.)

And I haven't even mentioned the music itself yet!

Tony Banks writes or co-writes every song, and they drip with his trademark sense for subtly changing keys from major to minor to harmonic to new keys, etc. His wall of sound arsenal of keyboards dominates on this album. Phil Collins' voice and harmonies on this album suit the lyrics perfectly (sorry, I did not miss Peter), and his drumming is often a tour-de-force, especially important in the near jazz-fusion of some of the instrumentals.

Steve Hackett gets a good chance to show off on this album with acrobatic guitar licks and solos that sometimes get overlooked because of the unusual tone of his guitar that almost sounds like a keyboard. And aside from his usual fine bass work, Mike Rutherford strums along with Hackett and Banks (just like in the earlier days) on a couple of classic slower songs - the dreamy "Entangled" and the inspirational "Ripples". (Banks also supplies some great backing vocals on the album. NOT Mike Rutherford, though ;-)

The lyrics frequently intone a sense of regret, even though things may not really be as bad as the character perceives them. Were regret and pity the initial overall feelings of the remaining band members when Gabriel decided to leave them, only to later realize that maybe instead of feeling sorry for themselves and drowning in their pity, they should put all of their forces together to show the music world something definitive? Hmmmm....

Peter Gabriel was viewed by many as the "head" of Genesis; I believe that the remaining members of the group were determined to make a statement with this album, and perform a kind of "trick" that only the "tail" of the group could pull off. And they did. Perfectly. They even managed to pay homage to PG in the closing lines of the last song: after tying many of the major themes of the album together in "Los Endos" (like any great work will recapitulate its themes), Collins salutes Gabriel as he wails in the background a line from "Supper's Ready" - "There's an angel standing in the sun...Free to get back home."

Not a weak track to be found, not a bad moment to be had. Few other artists have ever achieved such a level of overall perfection as Genesis did on this album - great songwriting, inventive solos and instrumentals, virtuoso performances, interesting lyrics, great production, super artwork, and a great and original concept that tied the group's real world situation to the world of imagination and stories to which staunch Genesis fans had already become familiar in earlier albums. I love the moral and resolve of this album.

As I write this, "A Trick of the Tail" is nearly 45 years young, and I'll keep listening to this album frequently for many years to come. I admit that musical tastes are intensely personal, and it's often tough to find common ground among lovers of the various genres of rock (or even among the many progressive rock camps). But this album does EVERYTHING right; for MY tastes, it is the oft-sought "perfect album"!

Being released in a year in which Progressive Rock wasn't on its highest peak as it was in the first half of the 1970s, "A trick of the tail" became an absolute classic, not only because of the songs in it but because of what the whole album represents: the evidence that even without the most famous member of a band if the remain musicians are as creative and talented as COLLINS, BANKS, RUTHERFORD and HACKETT, the results will be nothing to complain about.

"Dance on a volcano" is an amazing way to start the album: it is a strong melody with a very recognizable riff that comes and goes for almost the entire song, great and powerful structure combined with the unmistakable voice of COLLINS. "Entangled" is mostly an acoustic song with very harmonic vocals and very subtle keyboard notes that increase reaching the end. "Squonk" is probably my favorite song in the album: the rhythm is slow but very powerful and consistent at the same time; probably one of the best drum lines played by Phil COLLINS. "Mad man Moon" is a delightful ballad mostly led by keyboards and drums with very elegant guitar lines in the background.

"Robbery, assault and battery" starts as an average rock song with a very predictable rhythm but near the middle of the song it changes to a much more experimental instrumental section which gives the song its Progressive nature. "Ripples" is absolutely beautiful: just as "Entangled", it is a mostly acoustic song but this song has a much more recognizable melody and (I think) a much nicer arrangement; at the middle of the song it changes to a more energic instrumental led by BANKS' piano until it returns to its original melody but this time with a much more strong rock arrangement.

"A trick of the tail" is actually the shortest song on the album, it reminds me a little of YES' "A venture" but with a much more powerful structure, it is evident that the album is close to its end. "Los Endos" starts with an instrumental section and then it brings back the melody of "Dance on a volcano" as if it was a coda to the album; the song continues with excellent bass and drum lines until the rhythm slows a little bringing another fragment of the volcano only before it starts reviving "Squonk". This is an excellent instrumental track that closes the album in a very creative way.

Even when the absence of GABRIEL was notorious, it didn't make this anything of a bad album, actually, this is probably one of the greatest albums in GENESIS discography. There are no weak points in this masterpiece.

SONG RATING: Dance on a volcano, 5 Entangled, 5 Squonk, 5 Mad man Moon, 5 Robbery, assault and battery, 5 Ripples, 5 A trick of the tail, 5 Los Endos, 5

AVERAGE: 5

PERCENTAGE: 100

ALBUM RATING: 5 stars

I ranked this album #15 on my TOP 100 favorite Progressive Rock albums of all time.

Like, wow. I only liked two tracks from it. And I would considerate myself a moderate Genesis fan (like a good portion of their music, dislike a good portion of their music). With The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway being a big disappointment for me (since I was expecting something much better from a 4.31 score album), I decided to keep going on with their discography, which lead me to A Trick Of The Tail.

This album is the first without Peter Gabriel and his absence really shows. Songs don't have that pompous and theatrical feel to them but rather feel more serious. If you want me to be honest I prefer the first type of song a million times more. It feels much more alive, memorable and distinguishable, but then again that's purely subjective.

So, which were the two tracks that I liked? They were the first two. Which of course made me think it was going to be a phenomenal album. Dance On A Volcano is the most dynamic song in the album, featuring a constantly- changing theme with strong jazz influences, it works very well as an opener. As for Entangled, I'm mostly in love with it because of the last two minutes. They're very reminiscent of the ending sliding guitar of Yes' The Gates Of Delirium, which is absolutely beautiful.

The other tracks, however, were very un memorable for me. The only thing I properly remember is that Los Endos is a pretty solid instrumental. The album in general features strong jazz influence, although you can definitely tell the symphonic aspect of the band diminished just a little. I simply didn't enjoy this album much, and was expecting more. Still recommend you to check it out because nonetheless, musicianship is top-notch. Two Stars!

Dance on a Volcano - This is a superb way to show Genesis is still capable of making great music. A great opener of the album. 8.5/10

Entangled - A beautiful tune with great use of the mellotron too. 8.5/10

Squonk - This is a great and entertaining track. I love the bass and drums on this one most. 9/10

Mad Man Moon - Another mellow mellotron heavy track. Nice with a fantastic piano instrumental in the middle. 8.5/10

Robbery, Assault and Battery - Great prog track with great vocals from Phil Collins. I like his singing for Genesis. It's less annoying to me than the sharpness of Gabriel (who I tremendously respect). 8.5/10

Ripples - I do like this one a lot. A great tune and beautifully performed. 8.5/10

A Trick of the Tail - A rather straightforward pop tune. But I like it. 8.5/10

Los Endos - A solid closer to a solid album. That never disappoints. 9/10

This is an easy 4-star album for me.

Gabriel may be missed behind the compositional pen but I don't miss him on vocals. Collins was a competent singer in 1976 before he got to control his vocal better and offer some treats. Instrumental parts on this album are among best ones Genesis offered, no pressure to deliver vocals all the time. Banks swapped classical piano and Hammond to more contemporary synths and electric piano. Unfortunately, Hackett starts to be less audible and present in the mix and often as a supporting tandem to keyboards.

"Dance on a volcano" is a particularly strong number due to its strong rhythmic structure. The instrumental ferocious section is mind-blowing and I regret that they rarely played the composition in its entirety but switched to the inferior "Los endos". "Entangled" is the best ballad on the album, genuine, heart-broken with calming Collins harmonies. Then come reflective synths that sound solemn at the same time. "Squonk" is more upbeat albeit still slow evolving around a nice melody. Banks shows good accompanying synths and organ chords but the song is a bit too static and the rescuing instrumental section with excellent chord structure comes a bit too late and could have been longer. "Mad man moon" is one of the best Genesis tracks overall and is one of Banks' masterpieces, certainly the best he wrote with the band after Gabriel left. The composition is developed and structured in an outstanding way offering two dream-like melodies in the beginning and a first-rate chorus with Collins' tender voice. Then we can witness the masterful run of piano, synths that equals or beats any other progressive keyboardist compositional skills. Banks strength is also when different keyboard instrument join forces, create textures. The addition of the band brings us back to the band's previous years. "Robbery, assault and battery" has been criticized for a disco-friendly beat and not a typical elegant Genesis melody but the chorus is pretty good with its dynamics and the middle section led by incredible keys, bass and drums. The chorus melody at 4:35 is so well done and creates the emotional peak of the song. "Ripples" is the third ballad on the album, looks too long with 8 minutes but we quite accessible instrumental part in the middle led by a quite subdued guitar. "Trick of the tail" is the first utterly pop song by Genesis and I believe that first forgettable song since their first album up to that point. Not good enough to be a popular radio song and too bad for a prog song. "Los endos" was meant to be the "finale" of the album as it also contains motives from previous songs. I like the fusion drumming and furious bass playing. When the song reaches the 4-minute mark, it becomes less contributing but some people may like its symphonic character.

This is an excellent album by Genesis.

Phil Collins reiterated what was already evident since Nursery, he is a great vocalist and at first listen, not so distant from the band's previous sound with Gabriel. Isn't Dance on a Volcano the best opener ever on a Genesis album? What about the folky and beautiful Entangled? Such a pair of songs to welcome the listener to this new version of the band, with a an unearthly creative Banks taking over, impressive and unique guitar playing by Hackett, is just such a great album.

Squonk presents the very first glimpse of how Genesis will sound from now on, specially in the late 70's and early 80's, with the Rutherford-Banks tandem crafting atmospheric and groovy rhythms both appealing and danceable. The heartfelt Mad Man Moon could easily be the prelude to The Wind & Wuthering album, very beautiful and melodic. Robbery, Assault and Battery brings us back to the storytelling PG era, equally smart and inventive, just more modern sounding, the band shows they are far from loosing a beat after Gabriel's departure, magnificent. Ripples is another outstanding song, one that could have been taken from either Foxtrot or Selling England, the intricate playing between Hackett and Banks is so unique and recognizable, they were a fantastic duo! The title track portrays a more playful Banks, who's imaginative songwriting seems to have no limit or boundaries, the only downside to me is the fact that the guitars seem to be so low on the mix, wish they were more present here. Los Endos finds the band acting more as a whole, the way they sound the best, great percussion by Mr. Collins, masterful bass by Mr. Rutherford, the incredible keyboard s and guitars having their own private discussion, love every second of this groovy and symphonic track, what a bold choice to close an album, genius! Another must own/known album by the greatest band ever.

In fact, for my taste this first album with Phil Collins on vocals is perhaps my favorite of the group, undoubtedly surpassing the sometimes irregular "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway", and equaling in quality to sacred cows like "Foxtrot" and "Selling England by the Pound", but with the difference of having a superior singer.

Listening to "A Trick of the Tail" you can sort of guess some of the pop influences that would predominate on later records, but the mix of this accessibility with a still very progressive style had an absolutely wonderful result.

Very very recommended for any music fan!

Best Tracks: there's not a single song on the record that's less than great, but Squonk is one of my favorites from the entire Genesis catalogue, and I also love the infectious energy of Robbery, Assault and Battery.

My Rating: *****

DOAV - nice idea which dissolves into childish run-out-if ideas for the last 2 minutes. Why this wasn't paired with Los Endos like on Seconds out, I really don't know.

Entangled - too boring and uninspired. How long can that twanging go on.

Squonk - one of the better ones, but played far too slowly, like wading through mud

Mad Man Moon - the only track on the album, perhaps could only be improve if PG sang it instead of PC

RA&B - One of their poorest songs that does deserve 1 star due to the instrumental

Ripples - ok I suppose, but about twice as long as it needs to be

LE - should be paired with DOAV

Kind of the throw-enough-mud album. Don't get me wrong, I think SEBTP & Foxtrot are two of the best albums of all time and Genesis is one of my favourite bands (up to about 1980). 3 Sides Live is Epic. The tide started to turn at Duke. Abacab - an unfinished album, unrefined, still pretty good though. Genesis - too plastic, Invisible Touch - all plastic... Did they make any more stuff after that?

If they'd have swapped Mad Man Moon for All In A Mouses Night then truly TOTT would be a real turd.

"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.

After the show, one of our group responded, 'Peter who . . . ?'

In addition to the recently released 'Wind and Wuthering,' Phil and 'company' were touring 'A Trick of the Tail.' Released in early 1976, this album decidedly answered the question, could Banks, Collins, Hackett, and Rutherford carry on without 'Peter who . . .?' Although not explicitly a 'concept' album, 'A Trick of the Tail' bears affinity to a Twentieth Century phenomenon known as 'magic realism.'

In the world of literature, Gabriel Garcia Marquez' 'One Hundred Years of Solitude' and Gunter Grass', 'The Flounder' are prime examples of this tradition in literary expression in which 'the ordinary becomes extraordinary' and the 'extraordinary becomes ordinary.'

A modicum of investigation on the Internet has led me to the novel, 'The Inheritors' by William Golding, the final chapter of which is the source of inspiration for Tony Banks' song, 'A Trick of the Tail.' In 'The Inheritors,' Golding delves into the lives of a group of Neanderthals from the perspective of these individuals, who live in an 'eternal present' broken only by the passage of the seasons. Golding is concerned with the origins of religion, culture, sacrifice, and war. In this work's final chapter, the focus is on the perspective of the modern humans (homo sapiens sapiens) who coexist with the Neanderthals (homo sapiens neanderthalensis). Both groups treat each other with fear and suspicion.

In the song 'A Trick of the Tail,' Banks has kept the perspective of the curiosity of the one group for the other, but no longer maintains Golding's exploration of the Neanderthal by the modern human, rather presents the reaction of modern humans to the presence of one 'Bored of the life in the/city of gold . . . In search of another/to share his life.' Banks has transferred Golding's Neanderthal to the character of one who possesses 'horns' and a 'tail.'

And so, the album is an invitation to the listener to enter Banks, Collins, Hackett, and Rutherford's world of 'magic realism.' And, throughout, 'A Trick of the Tail' displays some of Genesis most potent instrumental prowess.

In any other work, 'Los Endos' could function as a fanfare, announcing all of the themes to follow. Here, the themes are stated in retrospect. In considering 'Los Endos,' I like to think of the Who's 'Overture' to 'Tommy.'

At this juncture, I'd like to mention that, during the mid-seventies as I became familiar with Genesis' music, I needed repeated listening to appreciate the virtuosity of Steve Hackett. As we enter 'A Trick of the Tail,' through 'Dance on a Volcano,' Hackett's guitar is considerably overt. In 'Entangled,' we encounter 'Freudian slumber empty of sound' replete with mesmerizing guitar and one of Tony Banks' truly towering final synthesizer solos.

Hackett's 'trademark' is his use of the volume peddle. The guitar work in 'Ripples' exemplifies his mastery of this device. To my '1976' ears, many of Hackett's performances initially registered as synthesizers. Simultaneously, Hackett delivers an exemplary 'rhythm guitar' performance in 'Squonk.' And employing the rubric 'less is more' during Bank's keyboard solo in 'Robbery, Assault, and Battery,' Hackett sustains a single note in an arc that transcends the proceedings.

On an individual level, I must state that 'A Trick of the Tail' holds a critical place in my appreciation of Genesis' music. With 'Selling England by the Pound,' 'A Trick of the Tail' ensured my readiness to approach 'Supper's Ready' and 'The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway.'

I suppose Banks, Collins, Hackett, and Rutherford send an 'acknowledgment' of esteem to 'Peter who' in the ending of 'Los Endos,' when Collins, referring to Rev 19:17 and 'Suppers Ready,' sings 'There's an Angel Standing in the Sun . . . .'

In reference to 'magic realism,' what more authoritative source could there be than the Book of Revelation?