WIND & WUTHERING

The last really essential Genesis album is also the last with Hackett, and that's no coincidence. It was always good for the band (at least for the fans!) to have several songwriters, and after this LP Genesis never again attained the level of creativity heard here. Like many classic prog bands, Genesis seemed to be searching for a new sound as the 70s drew to a close and they were confronted with the popularity and immediacy of "New Wave." The results, while generally "good" music, simply lacked the staying power and resonance of their classic material.

The first two tracks on the record are longer songs in the old epic style, with imaginative lyrical themes, and lots of musical changes. Great stuff. "Your Own Special Way," though pretty, seems to be a blatant attempt at a "hit," and has the feel of a Phil Collins solo vehicle -- too predictable by half. "Wot Gorilla" is a powerful instrumental in the "Los Endos" vein, and "All in a Mouse's Night," if a trifle whimsical in its subject matter, is nonetheless classic Genesis. Hackett's "Blood on the Rooftops" has a sad, nostalgic beauty (which the guitarist would bring to such lofty heights in his forthcoming solo career), and then the next two tracks offer an excellent instrumental segue into the closing "Afterglow," which, if a little maudlin, is still an effective, anthemic song that brings the proceedings to a majestic end.

Overall, "Wind and Wuthering" is an excellent album which, while maybe not quite as good as its predecessor ("A Trick of the Tail" is, in my opinion, the best of the post-Gabriel discs), is nevertheless well worth listening to (loud!) again -- and again!

Peter Gabriel left the band after "The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway", than after "Wind And Wuthering" Steve Hackett left the band and a commercial pop act was born. This was the last prog document of the band before they would turn to mainstream...sad but true for old fans!

If there was one number absent this would've been another real gem but Your Own Special Way has simply no business on such album. Not that this is a bad song in itself - it would settle fine on any Celine Dion record - but here Mr Rutherford [%*!#]ed up and because of internal stife (and individual credits and royalties) it seems Mr Banks let this one on the record to counter the sheer mass of Hackett material. Special Way is probably 20 percent of the reason Hackett left (this is my personal reading but if you think about it.....).

The rest of the album is normal but slightly lesser quality than TOT Tail. One For The Vine is one of those quest as White Mountain or Mad Man Moon. Eleventh Earl Of Mar is correct but Mouse's Night is sub-par to Robbery , Harold The Barrel , Battle Of Epping Forest & Get Them Out By Friday . The three Hackett tracks on side two are the cornerstone of this album: Blood On Rooftop is one of the best English nostalgia and Slumber and Earth are simply delightful instrumental.

Although still a classic album, when you look at it retrospectively, this album is really the start of lesserthings to come!!

For this issue I have to point out the same considerations as for the above album and, above all, I like to remark that it is worth an higher score for its importance once again. Well this is a usual opinion and a common idea as well, regarding of 3 albums by GENESIS at least. Talking about this work, it was the last "Progressive" issue by GENESIS and it is strange that it's often regarded as a minor work or an underrated album among their old fans. Honestly there a few pop songs, the typical mainstream numbers by Phil COLLINS, but here quite bearable and well enriched by a couple of "jewels" at least. The mythical "The Eleventh Earl of Mar", thanks to a splendid intro by Steve HACKETT and - above all - such a splendid mini-suite like "One For the Vine" or a couple of epic tasteful instrumental tracks (such as "Wot Gorilla?" and "In That Quiet Earth"), are an immortal testament of a Golden period which won't never comeback!! The other pop number "All in a Mouse's Night" is simple but not banal and characterized by a very interesting instrumental excursion!! The last essential work by GENESIS, even though it's not completely a MUST HAVE...

Then one who's faith had died fled. . .

If "A trick of the tail" had shown that Genesis were by no means a spent force without Peter Gabriel, "Wind and Wuthering" showed that they were if anything stronger.

With more space for each band member to express themselves, Tony Banks was the one to take most advantage of this; composing or jointly composing most of the tracks, many of which are dominated by his keyboard work. One of his best ever pieces "One for the Vine" is here. It features some superb keyboards, and a tale which seeks to offer an imaginative explanation for some religious beliefs. Banks is quoted as saying that he put everything into this track, as some of the parts might have been dropped by the band had he offered them as separate pieces. The track is reminiscent in some ways of "White Mountain" from "Trespass".

"Eleventh Earl of Mar" is a fairly typical Genesis opening track, upbeat with plenty of vocals, and a historical tale to tell. Mike Rutherford's "Your own special way" is a rather mushy ballad, pleasant but a bit uninspired. In retrospect, the outtake "Inside and out" would have been a better track to include.

If you ignore the "Tom and Jerry" cartoon based lyrics of "All in a mouse's night", it's actually a decent number. The lengthy mellotron solo at the end brings to mind "Seven stones" from "Nursery Cryme".

Steve Hackett's "Blood on the rooftops" is a melancholy number, very atmospheric, and sympathetically sung by Collins who gives one of his finest performances here.

Hackett's lead guitar only really comes to the fore on the lengthy three part closing track(s). This trilogy dominates the second side of the LP, being predominantly instrumental. The gradual build up and transition to "Afterglow" represents some of Genesis finest and most progressive work. On its own "Afterglow" would have been pleasant in the "Follow you follow me" mode, but as part of this piece, it is a wonderful closer.

There are many highly memorable Genesis moments on this album, the band once again managing to squeeze an extra 10 minutes onto the normal length for an LP. Classic Genesis indeed!

Unfortunately, Hackett would leave the band after this album, and then there were three. . .

The last of the GENESIS albums to reach truly epic proportions, much of it fueled by the stellar songwriting of Tony BANKS and Steve HACKETT. "Wind & Wuthering" does have half its heart in the music before ("Trick of the Tail") and after ("Scenes From A Night's Dream", "Follow You, Follow Me"), but, oh, what they do with that other half. The quartet clearly ups the ante from their last album, reclaiming the sublime heights of such seemingly lost wonders as "Selling England By The Pound" on works like "Afterglow", "One For The Vine" and "Blood On The Rooftops".

HACKETT's guitar leads the charge up the hill, re-using the same successful strategy set forth on his own "Voyage of the Acolyte" for sections of "Eleventh Earl of Mar", "Unquiet Slumbers For The Sleepers." (a prototypical HACKETT title) and ". In That Quiet Earth". In fact, his contributions have rarely been so pronounced on any GENESIS album. Phil COLLINS also brings his extracurricular work to bear on the band with the instrumental "Wot Gorilla?", a tune that would sound at home on any number of BRAND X albums.

However, the record's most recognizable moment belongs to Mike RUTHEFORD, the lovely and tranquil "Your Own Special Way". It became their biggest US single to date (the first of many to come), and remains perhaps RUTHEFORD's finest contribution to their catalog. I would have been happy to hear the band continue in this vein for years to come, but it wasn't meant to be. HACKETT left soon after, and his ear for sprawling musical structures was audibly absent from .. "And Then There Were Three". As a result, little of "Wind & Wuthering" appears on the band's official live albums; only "Afterglow" and "One For The Vine" have been so honored, which is something of a shame. In a way, this is the forgotten masterpiece, a last hurrah long since drowned out by the band's commercial success, but one lost chapter that rewards repeated readings.

Again we find contradictions in Genesis history, let's see: Foxtrot was complex, SEBTP softer, The Lamb ultra complex, ATOTT softer than ever, and when any reasonable person was expecting something easier and radio friendly the band releases the wonderful Wind & Wuthering like a return to the roots.

This great album starts with two masterpieces Eleventh Earl of Mar and One for the Vine absolutely different to any song from ATOTT and closer to Foxtrot even than almost anything from "Selling England by the Pound". Both songs have all the characteristics of an epic. "Eleventh Earl of Mar" narrates the story of Sir John Erskine, an anti heroe of the XVII - XVIII Centuries while "One for the Vine" seems like a late sequel to The Knife (from Trespass).

The lyrics are better developed than in the previous album, maybe less poetic but more inteligent, even the underrated "All in a mouse Night" makes me remember the acid humour and sarcasm of Gabriel's years (remember Harold the Barrel) .

All the other songs are amazing, with a greater contribution of Steve Hackett than in any Genesis album, except for the soft and out of place "Your Own Special Way" which would have sounded much better as a track from Invissible Touch.

IMHO this album is the peak of the Collins era and the end of the Genesis Progressive saga.

After the highly succesfull 'A Trick Of The Tail' the question was 'can Genesis keep it going?'.The answer is definetly yes.'One For The Vine' still stands tall and proud as one of the very best Genesis tracks (from any era) while the very beautifull song 'Blood On The Rooftops' is one of the most underrated.Comparing with ATOTT this has some greater peaks although lacks the consistency of the former album.However still well worthy of a 4 star rating.

Only one year later out comes Wind and Wuthering. Another excellent contribution to the Genesis catalogue. 11th Earl of Mar stands out as the best track for me as it keeps building and tilting to new heights throughout the song. But it is all great even Wot gorilla. Sure it had a softer feel to TOTT but it has an autumanl feel just like the cover and it is truly a beautiful creative blend of the finest prog. It even had senseless lyrical tunes like ' All in a mouse night' which while 'story telling like' has great musical content.Recommended to all remotely educated lovers of 70's music. In saying that it is also ageless so if you are new to Genesis, don't mess around get the CD.

This was the last great prog rock album by Genesis, a farewell to Steve Hackett, and his unique and mixed down contributions to the music of Genesis. WAW has some of the most classic Genesis songs, and a couple of inevitable time wasters. This was Tony Banks' favourite album, and it's not surprising when you read the credits. The album opens with the sinister sounding 'Eleventh Earl of Mar' a song which grabs your attention instantly with a very unusual minor chord which gives way to a warmer, though quite dramatic passage into the first verse. The production is bright, classy, hi- tech and way ahead of its time. The drums are powerfull and deep, and the keyboards rich and warm sounding. You know from the first track that they were on a positive vibe when writiing this album, probably as a result of the success of 'Trick of the tail' and of course relief that the world had accepted a Genesis with Peter Gabriel. The second song 'One for the Vine' is a Tony Banks classic. He took almost a year to get this song right, coming back to it in between writing the rest of the album. OFTV is a masterpiece of prog rock. It moves through a variety of moods and musical styles, sometimes sounding like a film score, then sounding like the Beatles, then ending up on a magnificient keyboard driven plain of prog ice (read the lyrics and you'll get my metaphor!) Its after OFTV that disaster strikes. Mike Rutherfords drippy ballard 'Your own special way' is next. It's not appalling, by any means, just lame when stood next to the rest of the album. 'Follow you follow me' from '..and then there were three' still makes 'Your own special way' sound like 'In the cage', dont get me wrong. I've heard worse from post Gabriel Genesis. Much worse. I just think Mike Rutherford should have retained this essentially crap song for one of his solo efforts. What would be the end of side one on Vinyl, is 'Wot Gorilla' a pointless Banks/Collins instrumental designed to use up the end of the studio tape...or something. I cant think of an intelligent reason for including the track on the album. Steve Hackett had presented a song called 'Please dont touch' to the band, which was rejected by Collins, in favour of 'Wot Gorilla'!!!! Anyone who has heard 'Please dont touch' which ended up on Hacketts second solo album, will agree that it is clearly superior to 'Wor Gorilla' The anti Hackett politics was much in evidence here, I think. The rest of WAW is consistently very good music. The lyrics to 'All in a mouses night' are barely worth commenting on, but the music is classic Banks driven Genesis. 'Blood on the rooftops' 'Unquiet slumbers..In that quiet earth' are classic contributions from Steve Hackett, rich in melody, very memorable and very moody. Another review has criticised the moodiness of this album, but I think its the underlying melancholy in Genesis that give them their appeal. WAW is rich in melancholy, and for that reason I feel is one of their best albums overall. The album concludes with 'Afterglow' an anthem to most Genesis fans.

I had been tempted to give this album 5 stars. If Phil Collins hadn't hadn't rejected Steve Hacketts 'Please dont touch' I may well have done.

GENESIS demonstrated that they were a very good band without Peter Gabriel with "A Trick of the Tail". But there were some frictions between Steve Hackett and the rest of the band members in this album, as most of Hackett`s songs were not liked by the rest of the band, who wanted to compose more simple songs. Fans like to blame Phil Collins for being "responsible" of GENESIS`s most commercial songs and albums, but in 1976 he was only the lead singer and drummer who helped the band survive without the overrated Gabriel and he wasn`t the main composer, as he became a "real" composer until "Duke". So, for me, the "responsibility" for more simple songs fell more in Banks and Rutherford. But this album is still "Progressive", maybe the last true Progressive studio album from GENESIS. And Hackett`s influence from his first solo album is very present here. In this album he sounds more confident, but this confidence led him to leave the band after the 1977 tour to record more solo albums. "Eleventh Earl of Mar" (composed by Banks/Hackett/Rutherford) has very good keyboards and guitars "atmospheres", and very good drums. It also has a classical guitar section by Hackett. "One for the Vine" is one of Banks`songs, with Grand Piano and keyboards atmospheres, and lead guitar by Hackett. "Your Own Special Way" (called the most "commercial" song in this album), written by Rutherford, has very good 12 string guitars, and superb keyboards arrangements by Banks, plus some Auto-harp by Hackett. "Wot Gorilla" was composed by Collins/Banks, and has some keyboard solos with classical music influences. "All in a Mouse`s Night" has interplay by the keyboards and the guitar, and a fantasy story written by Banks, who again plays a "classical music" keyboard solo in the end of the song, with Hackett also in lead guitar. "Blood on the Rooftops" (composed by Hackett/Collins), has a classical guitar by Hackett and good keyboard arrangements by Banks. "Unquiet slumbers of the sleepers..." is another song very influenced by Hackett (composed by Hackett/Rutherford), and this song and the next ("...in that quiet earth") are for me linked very well with the very good cover design. These song titles were taken from the last paragraph of Emiliy Bronte`s book "Wuthering Heights". "...in that quiet earth" is an instrumental piece with contributions by all the members of the band, and again with keyboard solos with influences from classical music. "Afterglow" (composed by Banks) is a very good song, and in the end it has several vocals sounding like a "chorus", which in live versions in the late 70s were replaced with the mellotron.

After "Trick of the Tail", GENESIS comes back with a surprisingly well made album, very progressive and less fusion than their previous one. BANKS' keyboards are more floating here, despite he is still rhythmic and melodic. Hackett's guitar is very acoustic, and the electric guitar solos are very melodic and mature, fitting very well with the floating keyboards. The best track on this album is the song "One for the vine", a subtle, delicate/structured, graceful & beautiful epic masterpiece, very progressive, full of changing airs: actually it is one of my favourite tracks from GENESIS: its end reaches the quintessence, when the melodic keyboards + guitars suddenly take all the available room, creating really moving sounds capes. COLLINS' voice is more timid than usual here, giving some tenderness to the ensemble. On the poignant and floating "Blood on the rooftops", he sings perfectly, quite like on Ripples! His drums can be very fast and complex, except here he seems to take a break. The country-esque & cutie "Your own special way" really opens a door to Collins solo career, as reveals his excellent lead & backing vocals. "Wot gorilla" is a drums-keyboards performance, which I find rather good but incomplete. "All In A Mouse's Night" has at the end one of the best guitar solo ever recorded among the Genesis albums: the combination floating keyboards-electric guitar is indeed very appreciated: the guitar is melodic, expressive and VERY emotional. "Unquiet Slumbers For The Sleepers... In That Quiet Earth" really demonstrates COLLINS performance on drums + HACKETT's wonderful electric guitar solo. Finally, the ultra floating "Afterglow" has its magical moments, very atmospheric and relaxing. This album is excellent, that's the least we can say!

Last album before guitarist Steve Hackett left the band for a much deserved solo career, which led the rest of Genesis on a more commercial oriented sound after this one. Musically, this album is similar to A Trick of the Tail with the main difference beign the darker and more autumnal feeling prominent here. There are several standout's here, "Blood on the rooftops" is one of them, perhaps the most unusual song on the album. A very beautiful ballad by Hackett and Collins, unfortunately overlooked even by fans. "...In that quiet earth" is an excellent upbeat instrumental and is one of the highlights here. The only bad thing on this album is "Your own special way" which IS a decent ballad by Rutherford, though nothing really interesting overall. I'll give this album 4.5/5 in overall. It's a chilling and excellent end of their classic prog-phase, this album can be seen as a valediction of sorts.

Their second adventure without Gabriel, 'Wind And Wuthering' certainly saw Genesis changing yet further, but again delivering an album of awesome, powerful music. Imagine the unmistakable, timeless style of 'A Trick Of The Tail' but skew it towards the intensity and heaviness of 'Dance On A Volcano' and 'Squonk' and you'll have a good idea of what to expect here.

The album mixes strongly lyrical tales such as 'Eleventh Earl Of Mar' and 'One For The Vine', more beautiful, broad statements like 'Blood On The Rooftops' (possibly the best ever Genesis track co-written by Collins?), and many instrumental workouts typical of early Genesis, here in perhaps their most tight and accomplished form. Even 'Wot Gorilla?'s non sequitur title belies what is in fact an incredible track, positively blazing with Collins' superb drumming and indeed the whole band in full overdrive on a sophisticated jam you might never have heard before but know right away you've been waiting for forever. 'All In A Mouse's Night' is also in danger of suffering from its title and (relatively) light story, but again the listener is likely to be surprised by the brilliance of the music on show - Collins' cymbal work as the vocals first kick in is breathtaking, turning around the vocal melody and not letting the crescendo that carries this strange but exciting little tale die out until the piece shifts. The band could easily have carried far more serious subject matter with Banks' genius composition here, but this is still good as it stands, dynamically moving through many different tones. The album closes with an extended suite comprised of three segued tracks: two instrumentals, and the triumphant, anthemic climax, 'Afterglow'. Despite the rollercoaster ride that has preceded, somehow the album sustains its energy even through this, beginning with the densely layered acoustic and classical guitars of 'Unquiet Slumbers For the Sleepers...' which ebb and flow like an oncoming autumnal tide of emotion and exuberance. And the promise is kept, breaking into '...In That Quiet Earth', the band return to the full-scale assault found in 'Wot Gorilla?' before finally fleshing out into the relentless confrontation against personal loss that is 'Afterglow'.

'Wind And Wuthering' is actually a very enigmatic album, by no means resting on the laurels of their previous masterpiece, and delivers what I can only describe as an extremely confident presentation of some of Genesis' most energetic ideas. Behold music that is heavy without resorting to huge chunks of metal. This sounds like a band finally at ease with who they are, casually riding on their own inertia and free to explore, with Banks and Collins' performances in particular scaling new heights in complicated, symphonic rock. Plenty to investigate, delightfully packaged, an essential album.

'Wind And Wuthering' moves over a similar stylistic range as 'A Trick Of The Tail', but it improves on those themes with even more variety, more assertive playing, and several moments of instrumental synergy that stand amongst the greatest moments in this band's incredible discography.

How can you lose with the two wonderful songs that open the album? "Eleventh Earl Of Mar" echoes the pastoral feel of much of 'Selling England By The Pound', with Phil's multi- layered vocals giving him a ghostly presence. The rhythms are intense and pounding, offsetting Hackett's delicate acoustic work and the blue-sky-beautiful keyboard genius of Tony Banks. "One For The Vine" is a deeper journey than the opener, offering plenty of emotion and a lot of dense layers to plow through. Excellent headphone listening. It's a fascinating trip through peaks and valleys, lots of different parts, lots of great playing, moments of arresting tension and soothing calm. The 5:28 mark brings a vibrant keyboard-driven theme that is as memorable as anything this band has ever done.

If those first two songs are typical Genesis (ie. typically awe-inspiring), then the album becomes a bit unpredictable from here. "Your Own Special Way" is the band's first stab at simple balladry since "More Fool Me". Unfortunately, it's as forgettable. The recording/production (hats off to David Hentschel) brings out its beautiful keyboard layers, but the rest of the song is so middle-of-the-road it could've been written and performed by any number of '70s-era lite-rock balladeers. Shades of things to come. "Wot Gorilla?" is a colorful instrumental, maybe seen as a more carefree "Los Endos", a bouncy bit of authoritative playing that unfortunately doesn't last long enough for it to develop into the true monster it could have. "All In A Mouse's Night" is a lighthearted tale with appropriately airy music supporting it. This song underscores my opinion (which I have also heard others voice) that 'Wind And Wuthering' is probably the most Banks-driven Genesis album of all. While Rutherford pumps along quite strongly along with Collins' dexterous rhythms, Banks lays his keys all over everything, becoming almost smothering in places. Hackett lays back, employing sound- effects a majority of the time until the moments he strikes and reminds you there is a guitarist in this band. In contrast to Banks on 'W & W', this is probably Hackett's most subtle performance in his 6 albums with Genesis.

"Blood On The Rooftops" begins with a signature bit of acoustic Hackett, then into a song of brooding melancholy, made lighter in mood thanks to Banks' bright melodic choices. It has never seemed quite complete to me, but what we have here is enjoyable regardless.

Pure drama is what you'll get in the beyond-amazing instrumental "Unquiet Slumbers For The Sleepers.In That Quiet Earth". (Might as well but the two titles together-it's conceptually one song, broken apart on the track listing due to issues of songwriting credit that were of concern to the band.) Built of massive pieces that build an even grander structural whole, ".Quiet Earth" is played in a most authoritative way, surely one of the prime examples of Genesis at the height of their powers. Heavy and dominating at times, gentle and sublime at others. And speaking of sublime, the great and wonderful "Afterglow" floats everything to a warming close. Banks considers this one of his very favorite Genesis songs, and who can disagree? A gorgeous song with a gentle linear flow, this panoramic wonder is made a classic thanks to Banks' incredibly lush layering and Phil's best vocal work in Genesis up to this point.

'Wind And Wuthering' is an always-amazing listen, with a production that is thick and always pushing Banks' layers of keys to the foreground. If it weren't for "Your Own Special Way", I would easily give this the big 5-star treatment.

With A TRICK OF THE TALE (1976), Genesis marched on as a quartet after the shocking departure of Peter Gabriel in 1975. Surprising to critics and fans, it was a great album, and is considered to be one of their finest. Less than a year later, the group released its follow-up, WIND & WUTHERING. While A TRICK OF THE TAIL assured fans Genesis could go on sans Gabriel, WIND & WUTHERING cemented this. This album is more synthesized and more progressive than its predecessor, and is also much less pastoral. It reflects the autum/winter feel of its grey, foggy cover (very English). Many of these songs are Genesis classics, but this album is usually underrated and ignored. Tony Banks and his keyboards still dominate throughout, but Steve Hackett's guitar manages to play a prominent role. Phil Collins' singing is also much more confident on this album, an improvement over A TRICK OF THE TAIL. This is the last purely progressive release by Genesis, and is also their last essential album. Guitarist Steve Hackett would leave in 1977, and Genesis would quickly turn to pop. The album begins with Hackett's guitar, leading into the wonderfully progressive tale/song, Eleventh Earl of Mar. As an opener, this is just as strong, and more complex, than Dance on a Volcano. It has excellent lyrics, and benefits from the writing talents of all five members of Genesis. This song stands as one of Genesis's finest songs, from any era. The drumming and keyboard work are standouts on this fabulous track. One for the Vine is a divisive track for Genesis fans. Some detest it as ten minutes of Tony Banks' bland, self-indulgence ... other consider it essential. I fall in the latter category. It meanders slowly, but beautifully, to the midway point where it erupts in a circus of sounds, featuring excellent synthesizer work. It then calms itself, and winds down. This track, lyrically, is a gentle sequel to The Knife, off of TRESPASS (1970). Mike Rutherford's blatantly commercial ballad, Your Own Special Way is the weak point of this exceptional album. When compared with the groups later pop hits (i.e. Invisible Touch, Anything She Does), this is a fairly good song. Sadly, it points to the not-to-distant commercialization of Genesis's sound. Nonetheless, it is enjoyable, and features some good piano. Wot Gorilla? is a short and jazzy instrumental, reminiscent of Collins' Brand X work. All in a Mouse's Night is a silly "Tom& Jerry" themed track. It features clever enough lyrics and interesting tempo-changes. It is clearly an attempt to replicate the humor of the Gabriel days (i.e. Harold the Barrel), and does so somewhat successfully. Unfortunately, Collins' voice could never match the theatric emotiveness of Gabriel. Blood on the Rooftops quietly is a gem, and features brilliant classical guitar work from Hackett. The next too tracks are instrumentals, and show just how talented these musicians were. "In That Quite Earth ... sounds very similar to Steve Hackett's solo work on VOYAGE OF THE ACOLYTE (1975). The chaos of this track segues seamlessly into the gentle Banks' ballad, Afterglow. This track is a pop styled ballad. Tony Banks' wrote excellent lyrics for it, and Phil Collin's vocals give it unexpected punch. It is a nice gentle end to a very enjoyable album. This album is highly recommended to fans of early Genesis, but many find it to be an acquired taste - Four Stars.

I remember when I bought this album as a teenager from a local store of second hand records. I then wondered why anybody would sell away so intriguing albums away. Now twenty years after I see myself in situation I could consider doing the same. The magic of Peter Gabriel seems to be a crucial factor for me, and the band's personal album highlights reside on the early phase of the group's career, and never have grown integral as a group due some unstability or musical elements on their production line. The album covers felt very cozy, reminding the usual fall / winter / summer / spring of Finland. The overall sound is clear and there is happy energy in mystically starting "Eleventh Earl of Man". "One for The Vine" and "Your Own Special Way" certainly fusion beautiful ballad elements to more complex arrangements and sonic details. Yet this energy and evolvement of this record feel somehow artificial, or more possibly the psychological state vibrating from the album does not match my own mind. Maybe this is a indication of my own boredom and/or disability to relate with the musicians vision. As this disability exists also partly on the most hailed early 1970's albums of the band, my opinion should not be taken too seriously. Maybe some day I'll rest on the unquiect slumbers for the sleepers, and from that quiet earth I'll find afterglow illuminating my vision to the deeper core of this symphatethic, but slighly mundane vinyl.

I happened to find this album at a discount, so I decided why not indulge? This is the first Post-Gabriel CD I have bought, and I say it really does still sound like Genesis. Maybe it was Steve Hackett's influence, maybe it was just Phil Collins getting prepped for his Pop turnover, whatever it was, this album is great.

The Eleventh Earl of Mar opens the album, and it continues a long trend of great Genesis openers. This album also features more guitar from Steve Hackett, varying each song in it's style. He still plays like he did back during the Nursery Cryme days. Phil Collins also gives a great overall performance on the vocals and on the drums. Peter Banks is the star of the album, offering a great performance on each track. Mike Rutherford also plays great bass in this album as well. Other tracks to listen to are One For the Vine, Blood on the Rooftops, and Afterglow.

Overall, I recommend this album to anyone who wants to listen to Post-Gabriel Pre-Pop Genesis, it is a very good offering.

It's hard to mention a Genesis studio album as my favorite but after many listening sessions I've decided to choose this album. Perhaps because I'm a hugh fan from Steve Hackett (I've even bought guitar books to study on his acoustic guitar pieces) and especially on this album Hackett florishes as never before with wonderful and compelling play on both the acoustic as the electric guitar. He has influenced so many Italian, German, Soutch-American, Japanese and USA bands from the late Seventies and early Eighties, incredible. And the interplay with the lush and varied keyboards from Banks is at its pinnacle. But the focus is not only on Steve Hackett, all the other members does a splendid job and the compositions are without weak moments, especially "One for the vine" (breathtaking break halfway), "Blood on the rooftops" (wonderful acoustic guitar intro and moving vocals) and "..In that quiet earth" (Hackett's classic!) are top notch songs. AN ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT ALBUM!!!

Second follow-up album after Peter Gabriel left the band. The lead singer role was filled up by Phil Collins who also sit at drum stools. The band proved that without Gabriel they still could do excellent albums "Trick of The Tail" as well as "Wind and Wuthering". With the launch of this album the music critics believed that Genesis could move along without Gabriel as lead singer. No one would argue with the musical quality of keyboard based opening track "Eleventh Earl Of Mar" (7:41) where the music was composed excellently with basic style of Genesis music. The soaring keyboard sounds at the opening followed with inventive drum works by Phil Collins during opening part is really mind-boggling. Especially when it is followed with a neat and dynamic music flow from start to end. It's a rewarding experience.

Or, how could you challenge the wonderful melody of "One For The Vine" (10:00) with killing keyboard melody at the opening followed with excellent Phil voice that says "Fifty thousand men were sent to do the will of one"? Uughh man . it's really a catcher! The music is very rich in arrangements as it combines with various styles with the unique one just before the interlude part when the music turns into a kind of country. Wonderful!

"Your Own Special Way" (6:18) is a straight forward pop song with excellent melody. It's good when we listen this song as integral part of the whole album as this serves as an introduction to great instrumental outfit "Wot Gorilla?" (3:19) . "All In A Mouse's Night" (6:37) is another wonderfully crafted song with excellent combination of high and low points plus energetic Phil's voice.

"Blood On The Rooftops" (5:27) is a nice song that starts with melodic acoustic guitar that has inspired many groups. Whenever I listen to the opening part, I always remember the intro of "River of Life" of PFM. It shares similar nuance. The remaining tracks serve as trilogy as it should be enjoyed as one song, i.e. "Unquiet Slumbers For The Sleepers... "(2:23) that sets the ambient nuance, followed seamlessly with "...In That Quiet Earth" (4:49) which brings the music dynamically, and the last part is another pop song "Afterglow" (4:12). Notes: the guitar riffs in the middle of "In that Quiet Earth" combined with keyboard solo are really memorable. I especially enjoy when this song is used in the meddley "In The Cage" of the Genesis Mama tour. Awesome!

Overall, it's an excellent addition to any prog music

Progressively yours, GW

An excellent goodbye from the classic period.

Oddly enough, although this album is very similar to "Trick of the Tail", somehow I like it better and I must digress a bit.

Me and my fellows from the school days used to own this album, being young GENESIS converts into prog rock. Beginning of the 1980s Yugoslavia had a domestic record production that printed many major international music acts through obtaining licence from the major international record companies. Biggest catalogues were owned by Jugoton and PGP RTB local labels. The latter was alas notorious for their lousy quality of vynil records which were often made so badly that once purchased record had to be replaced at the shop for another, after many skippings on the turntable. PGP RTB owned Phonograph/Philips catalogue including its subsidiary Charisma label, including GENESIS of course.

"Wind and Wurthering" was available and surely we tried to listen to it, but were always dissapointed by a "weak bass sound" and "bad production". Not until someone got an "original" vynil from the West were we aware of the cause of such "bad sound": extremely poor plastic thing of PGP RTB release. Now, listening to a CD I cannot but admire the last work of the four musicians. When "the sound problem" is finally OK, I can only say that "Eleventh Earl of Mar", "One for the Vine", "All in a Mouse's Night", "Blood on the Rooftops" and "Unquiet Slumbers..." are all excellent numbers, equalling the best moments of their classic period.

Of course there is a sequel to "More Fool me" - "Your Own Special Way" - which shows the way Collins would lead in the 1980s, and which is a must to skip over if you don't like Celine Dion-style weeping. But overall this is an excellent "swan song" of the GENESIS true epic and progressive opus.

In 'Wind and Wuthering' Genesis began withering.

What's wrong with this album, one might ask ... Well, it lacks dynamics and mindblowing musicianship. Also, Collins vocals come a little bland here. The result is a slightly boring album.

The opening track is an exception. It is the strongest song of the album, and has a lot of energy which is something this album lacks. 'Wot Gorilla' is another strong moment of the album, reminding the listener of the great musicianship of 'Trick of the Tail'. The epic is quite a pretty and melodic song, tho its percussive instrumental break is horribly out of place.

Not a bad album at all! It is just disappointing for having such a group of excellent musicians and releasing this. This album shows that the band was running out of gas and was about to release an even weaker album (and then there were three) until exploring pop while being successful at it.

My Grade : C

A TRICK OF THE TAIL showed a band that was still able to produce great music in the face of great adversity. WIND AND WUTHERING showed a band whose formula was quickly wearing thin.

First of all, the production had been gradually getting better with each successive album. But here it's downright slick. If anything, the album feels overproduced, compressed and flattened to within an inch of its life, to the point that album opener "Eleventh Earl of Mar" sounds as thin as a piece of onionskin.

Second, the band's compositional style was looking shopworn. Rutherford's "Your Own Special Way" tips the scales too far, away from the charming folk-balladry of earlier albums and head-on into the drippy, mega-romantic MOR balladry that would signal the band's artistic downfall. And their "story song" style jumped the shark big time with the insufferable "All In A Mouse's Night".

Still, there's enough here to be of interest to the serious fan. "One For The Vine" is one of their slow-growers like "Mad Man Moon", but is very much worth your while in the end. "Blood On The Rooftops" is an utterly chilling number, featuring one of Hackett's most heartfelt performances. And the the transition from the energetic instrumental cycle "Unquiet Slumbers for the Sleepers/In That Quiet Earth" into the emotional (and much-imitated) album-closer "Afterglow" is another one of those "textbook prog" moments.

I have been listening this one now for a good time!! I believe that musically Steve, influences in this album were to the max...and, that is the main reason for me to get this one! We start to see and listen, the beginnigs of what GENESIS will turn into!! Not a pretty prospect for Progressive fans, but, nevertheless a great album!! being "One For The Vine" the highlight and center piece of the album!! I think probably 4 1/2 stars really!!

This is one of those great albums that you can practically guarantee to find in the bargain bin of most second hand music stores - especially if you're a vinyl freak like me.

So, having found a mint conditioned first pressing, most reasonably priced at a paltry pound of our English money, I began my exploration of exactly what would have been heard back in 1977, and... it's a Genesis album.

Yup.

Without doubt, this is the Genesis that made "Trespass", "Foxtrot" et al... but despite the swirly intro, there's a more regular feel to "Elevnth Earl of Mar", and those vocals - despite the odd asides - well, they're not very dramatic are they?

More kind of singalongaPhil... but OOooh! when Tony Banks goes off with the keyboards and everything fades down low, there's that familiar shiver of delight - the soft sixths and minor sevenths - and what about those Mellotrons???

Phil does his best to fill Gabriel's shoes, but it would seem he's more enjoying singing like Phil than Pete generally, and when he does, we can't really hold that against him. But I'm not keen on him "doing a Pete".

Then Crash!! The Genesis drama unfolds - Rutherfords growly bass underpinning slowly shifting harmonies, piano arpeggios and melancholic lead lines... Mmmmmm!!!

Another melancholy lead line from Hacket begins "One For The Vine", which meanders off following a strong song structure, the sections of which unfold like a musical voyage, entering a more free-form that has "traditional Genesis" hallmarks all over it - little keyboard scurries, mood shifts, lights and shades of texture woven together as a skilled seamstress embroiders a tapestry - but using the aural equivalent of watercolours.

Then, there are the most almighty splodges of colour, in a passage that used to drive me mad - the needle used to stick in the groove of my old copy at exactly this point, so this would just go on and on and on until I could be bothered to tap the stylus...

But back to the song... it just gets better and better with a curious solo feeding into a section that sounds almost like the Beatles on Abbey Road, moving seamlessly and with a highly improvised feeling - but stylised in manner. Without doubt, this is one of the finest of the "Post-Gabriel" songs, but I do start to wish that Phil would stop trying to imitate Gabriel''s lyrical style, as he lacked the literary depth to pull it off... Of course, that wish comes true on later albums, for better or worse...

"Your Own Special Way" is a nice song, but not what I (or any other progger) would want on a Prog Rock album - it's a Phil special ballad, better by far than "More Fool Me" but not quite up there with "Ripples", especially with the desparately twee instrumental section.

"Wot Gorilla?" is an instrumental - an icy, tinkling intro giving way to sizzling percussion from Phil, and gorgeous keyboard layers and guitar textures underpinned by bass pedals with glacial harmonic movement, and a slowly building atmosphere that leaves you wishing for more as it tinkles off into the distance.

"All in a Mouse's Night" has some crazy percussion and rhythms from Phil - he's at his very strongest here, and Tony Banks pulls out all the stops, so to speak, to produce interesting textures. Sadly most of this is too far down in the mix, and not intended as foreground, so the entire song ends up sounding a bit samey unless you're listening intently. Rutherford's largely uninventive bass would seem to be the main reason for this - and where is Hackett? The solo he puts in sounds as if he's cruising in 3rd, waiting for the moment to shift upwards, but never does. A great pity, as some of the ideas are very good, and re-used on his later albums (I recognise "Voyage of the Acolyte" in here..." The lyrics are mildly amusing, being concerned with a 10 foot mouse with teeth and claws to match - but hardly substantial stuff.

Some beautiful, if somewhat faltering Spanish guitar begins "Blood on the Rooftops"... and Banks produces some wonderful textures. When the music kicks in, it's almost like going back to "The Musical Box", with the nostalgic flavours.

The album continues in this vein of inventiveness - nothing melodically outstanding, but rhythmically solid, harmonically slow-shifting, formally loose and texturally exciting Prog Rock - with the possible exception of "Afterglow", but with loads and loads of really good bits, magical textures floating past in a gentle, dreamy haze - absolutely perfect for these cold winter nights, and some seriously cool drumming from Phil, as ever.

There's this one bit towards the end of "This Quiet Earth" that you really MUST hear, though - seriously! It's fantastic!!

"Afterglow" wraps it all up perfectly, of course, and needs no introduction. Odd, really, considering that it's essentially a simple song. However, tape down those neck hairs...

If I was rating this alongside other Genesis albums, it would be kind of average to middling, but as a Prog Rock album, it's great and should be in your collection - after you've bought Foxtrot, SEBTP, Nursery Cryme, Lamb, Trespass and WAW, of course...

3.75 stars.

There are 3 excellent albums from the band post-Gabriel. (Duke bested TOTT and W&W but not by much. It's like comparing diamonds.) This one will always have a special place in my heart. There has never been a more fitting cover for an album of songs with that lone tree clinging desperately to its summer leaves. From beginning to end it exudes an atmosphere of a blustery day in Autumn with the sun peeking through the clouds only sporadically. The mysterious opening to "Eleventh Earl of Mar" sets the tone wonderfully and moves elegantly right into "One for the Vine" to give you almost 18 straight minutes of the kind of music only Genesis can provide. I don't have the problem with "Your Own Special Way" that others seem to possess because I'm a sucker for a beautiful love song and the guitars and synthesizer weave around each other expertly on this tune. "Wot Gorilla" would have been right at home with the best of the instrumentals on The Lamb and "All in a Mouse's Night" is fantastic music overlayed with whimsical lyrics that showed they were still capable of a little levity. "Blood on the Rooftops" is just flat-out majestic with its unique chord changes and intriguing lyrics. All leading up to the WOW moment that occurs during "...In that Quiet Earth" when the gargantuan 12-string guitar sound ushers the towering dinosaur into the room and devastates your mind. You'll find yourself reaching for the volume and cranking it up every time. Absolutely awesome! They could have ended it there but they stay in character with the heartwrenching "Afterglow" that brings the cold wind of lost love back to the forefront. It's a song that works better on stage (especially on 3 sides live) but don't shortchange the impact it has on this album. On the previous album they had something to prove (and they did!) but this one showed their collective heart exposed and they created a true masterpiece with this collection of progressive rock music.

Hmm...

Half of it is great, the other half is showing what the future is going to be. And yet, the magic operates less and less and less...The core of Genesis is already defined in Wind and Wuthering: Hackett is not part of it. Despite the fact that he wrote some of his best stuff on this record, just like Harrisson in Abbey Road, it is time to say good-bye.

Genesis is always capable of writing a hit, in any generation with any line-up. Here again, songs like One for The Vine is gripping your ears and nicely lays a smile of your face. I even remember hearing Your Own Special Way at a wedding in 1983 I guess...à

So you get the picture that the pace is changing, going more FM and therefore your wife is capable of going thru many songs without threatening to destroy the stereo.

After Peter Gabriel's departure and a certain disappointment with the vocal section of previous Genesis album, "A Trick Of The Tail", I must confess that I lost totally the interest in purchasing this output when it comes to our shops, once upon a time in 1977. Later I had the opportunity, through borrowed vinyl discs to hear "Wind & Wuthering" entirely or partially and I confess again that it didn't impress me. Another chance for "W&W" appeared when, in the 90s, I exchanged my old vinyl collection (keeping only some sentimental biscuits) for brand new CDs but for Genesis I started with "Trespass" and finished with "The Lamb" having gotten "ATotT" only recently. I never minded about "Wind & Wuthering".

Well, considering the amount of garbage (all genres and styles, all countries) that has been produced in the last 25 years I solved to revisit some works that I left behind because I thought they did not fill my quality control and I felt surprised how many of them could please me - in fact, I also discovered that my "quality control" was a terrible and presumptuous mistake that avoided me to be less demanding and musically happier for so many years.

Getting and hearing "Wind & Wuthering" with the sandals of humility was really an enjoyable experience. I realized that this particular work is kind and agreeable, perfectly audible, especially in those days when you want to listen to something more common, usual, and plainer. The work as a whole is well balanced but the musical level is a step behind their previous album - there's a true sensation that the car is almost losing its breaking power just in the top of the slope. Instrumentation is fine but some lack of emotion may be clearly perceived however here and there band members are able to show their tremendous skill and they do it greatly. Again and again, the vocal solos are my problem; Phil Collins isn't definitely a singer and front man shaped in the same furnace from where his predecessor came. Collins goes reasonably in the soft and slow parts but when the tune requires bold and exquisite vocals he fails.

About the tracks, 'Eleventh Earl of Mars" is a fair song, keeping Genesis tradition of neat openers while in the other point 'Afterglow' does well its finishing job. Album core is appreciable, all songs are pleasant but the most noticeable, probably the strongest is 'Blood on the rooftops', a gem that deserves to be aligned together with some Gabriel's era peaks - a great moment indeed. Other songs are correct and hearable, no skipping action recommended.

The resulting feeling is that "Wind And Wuthering" is a typical album to be purchased within a second batch after those truly essential hence good but non-essential. Final rating: 3.

I just started to get into prog right after this album came out, so it happened to be the first Genesis album I owned on vinyl, (I had Foxtrot and Nursery Cryme together on one cassette). Right from the start I was mesmorized, being a huge fan of YES, which was the first prog band I fell in love with, I was taken by the cover of 'Wind and Wuthering' and the first song, "Eleventh Earl Of Mar" encapsulated everything that the cover invoked, that time right before autumn when leaves start to change and the days grow shorter. "One For The Vine" further portrayed the feeling of meloncholy, Bank's subtle keyboards/Mellotron, Hacketts slow soaring guitar and Collin's masterly drumwork, it's my favorite track on the album and one of the best songs, progwise, since Gabriel's departure. The middle section is a mixed bag. "Your Own Special Way" with Hackett's twangy country- like guitar seems out of place and "Wot Gorilla?" also has a 'sticks out like a sore thumb' feel given the cover's somberness. "All In A Mouse's Night" harkens back to Genesis's humorous side ala "Harold The Barrel" and "Robbery, Assault and Battery". From then on, the greyness comes back courtesy of Hackett's guitar and Banks keyboards. In fact, I think with the beginning of "Blood On The Rooftops" acoustic guitar and Bank's Mellotron playing together, it's just pure heaven. "....In That Quiet Earth" for me is Hackett's shining moment with the band, it's pure and powerful. A plain shame that this album had to be his last, but at least for me he went out with a serious bang. The album ends with the beautiful "Afterglow". It's hard for me not to give this grand album 5 stars, but of not for the two songs that seem out of place it would have garnered the score. But still, it's 4.5 out of 5 and I will bump it to 5 cause I LUVS it so much :-)

Following the splendorous artistic achievement comprised in the "A Trick of the Tail" material was the task on the shoulders of "Wind & Wuthering", and well. this one didn't get to match it but it sure came really close. The prevalence of instrumental passages remained and the melancholic density was even increased to good effect, but generally speaking, the group of musical ideas doesn't feel as compact and consistently even as in the prior effort. But all in all, and this must be set clear from the beginning, here we have yet another Genesis gem before their gradual progression into not-prog territory. But let's check the repertoire now. 'Eleventh Earl of Mar' kicks off the album with an explosion of melodic colors wrapped in characteristic symphonic bombast, creating the same effect that the intro theme of 'Dance on a Volcano' did in the "Trick" album. The song develops an elegant path that fluidly segues the rocky sections and the eerie interlude, in a very Genesis fashion. Next comes 'One for the Vine', which is a typical Banks-ian symphonic epic: predominant slow tempo; featured piano, mellotron and synth in the main motifs; proper colors and ornaments on lead guitars; an up-tempo interlude; a bizarre storyline with existential connotations. Being the longest track in the album, it contains enough diversity and clever arrangements to ensure the listener that they won't literally feel the duration time, but only the moods that go displaying successively all the way through to the ending piano theme. 'Your Own Specialway' has been described by Hackett himself as one of the most beautiful songs that Rutherford ever wrote, and I agreed one year after I first listened to this album. At first I felt it just corny and superficial, but after a number of listens I happened to appreciate it as what it is, a very inspired candid ballad, full with moving softness and straightforwardly sentimental. 'Wot Gorilla?' is a decent instrumental that shows how well can melodic prog fit over a jazz-rock rhythmic pattern (perhaps it would have made a decent Camel track for their Sinclair-era, as well). The only thing that bothers me from this number is to learn that it replaced a primal version of' Please Don't Touch' in the rehearsal sessions for this album, as we all know, the aforementioned leftover is a lot punchier and more dynamic, but well. 'Wot Gorilla?' happens to be very good in its own terms. 'All in a Mouse's Night' kicks off the album's second half: I find the keyboard section a bit overblown for this one, and although the standardized splendor of symph prog is well reflected here, it fails to be deep and exciting as 'Robbery, Assault & Battery' was (I apologize for the many comparisons to the "A Trick of the Tail" album). But then come the three peaks in the album. The prog ballad 'Blood on the Rooftops' contains the most beautiful classical guitar passages that Hackett ever created in Genesis' history: this time, Banks' multi-keyboards (piano, mellotron, synthesizers) behave perfectly, being but not feeling like abundant, just creating the proper orchestral textures and moods for the Hackett's guitar. The dual instrumental 'Unquiet Slumbers for the Sleepers.'/'. In that Quiet Earth' is the other tremendous gem of the album. The former's dreamy atmosphere anticipates the exhibition of melodic elegance and punch of the latter: in fact, 'Quiet Earth' shows how melodic prog can bear a real dense feel without getting abstruse or uncomfortable. 'Afterglow' is the segued ballad that closes down the album. I really appreciate its clever simplicity, but I wish that the closing section had been more substantial (perhaps a guitar lead, or a more meticulous keyboard orchestration, but that angelic chorale somewhat sounds a bit corny to me). "Wind & Wuthering" is an excellent item in Genesis' discography, and of course, a must in any good prog collection. It fails to match the consistent energy of "Trick", and so, it can't be labeled as a masterpiece, but it sure is a most impressive musical opus.

I think many will agree with me about this probably being Genesis' last truly good album - as in the case of "A Trick of the Tail", not really a masterpiece (not to mention somewhat less consistent), but containing nevertheless some true gems from a band that was on the verge of musical disaster (at least as far as us Prog Elitists are concerned.)

"Wind and Wuthering" is an autumnal album, imbued with a feeling of melancholy and decline right from the stunningly beautiful cover art, which reflects the title quite perfectly. This would be the last studio album recorded by Steve Hackett with the band, his loss being the key to the almost abrupt change in musical direction introduced by 1978's "And Then There Were Three". As a matter of fact, W&W features one of Hackett's finest hours as an acoustic player in the utterly beautiful opening of "Blood on the Rooftops".

As it is the case of most Genesis albums, W&W can be indicted of being patchy in the overall quality of the songs, which veer from the brilliant double opening act of "Eleventh Earl of Mar" and "One for the Vine" to the slushy, utterly disposable pop ballad "Your Own Special Way" - a song that makes "More Fool Me" sound like "Firth of Fifth" - with everything in between. Just like "Selling England by the Pound", this album has the distinctive feature of containing two instrumental tracks. Two-part suite "Unquiet Slumbers for the Sleepers.."/"..In That Quiet Earth" (another contender for best Genesis instrumental) showcases Hackett's considerable talents in an almost poignant way, reminding the listener of how important his contribution to the band's sound could be, and how his departure was much more of a catastrophe than Gabriel's. In comparison to such commanding presence, the other track, "Wot Gorilla?", feels somewhat nondescript, though it is undeniably pleasant and adequately performed.

Of the other songs, "All of a Mouse's Night" is a witty little number with a slightly cartoonish feel - no great musical shakes, but a welcome bit of light relief on an album that can sound rather earnest at times; while the slow, majestic ballad "Afterglow" sounds definitely better live than in this somewhat understated version. However, though it has many devotees, I have to admit to having never been able to appreciate it fully.

That leaves us with the album's real highlights. Opener "Eleventh Earl of Mar" is powerful and dramatic, with thunderous drumming and keyboards throughout; while the poignantly beautiful, "quiet-before- the-storm" middle section is splendidly supported by Hackett's lilting, wistful 12-string guitar. Follower "One for the Vine", a weird tale of a sort of messianic figure, starts out in a mellow, almost romantic mood that is brusquely interrupted by a wildly jarring synth interlude (what a friend of mine used to call "the dance of cans".), only to slow down again at the end. This song is undisputedly one of Tony Banks' finest moments, displaying all his prowess as both a songwriter and a keyboardist. Then, the above-mentioned "Blood of the Rooftops", besides Hackett's lovely, melancholy acoustic strains, can boast of some of the best lyrics ever written by any band member (including Gabriel), masterfully sung by an inspired Collins.

In a way, the standout tracks on this album are even better than those on AToT, so that it easily deserves the same rating in spite of the letdown that is "Your Own Special Way". This was the swan song of Genesis as we know them, that uniquely, quintessentially English band that formed the inspiration for thousands of musicians all the world over. You can almost feel the sadness in the music - and this makes this record all the more valuable. Flawed perhaps, but still highly recommended.

This was the last 'great' Genesis album. Steve Hackett departed after this one, (well, after the live follow-up, Seconds Out) and the band began its change of direction. 'Eleventh Earl Of Mar' opens the album in fine form, with Tony Bank's keyboards slowly growing in sound, swelling, along with Hackett's guitar, to orchestral proportions. Phil's drums are very powerful here, and lyrically the song is in the classic story-telling mode. The quiet interlude, filled with Tony's superb piano, is entrancing. The whole song sets the special Genesis atmosphere into motion for the rest of the album. Next we have 'One For The Vine' with more excellent piano work, great lyrics and a tremendous melody. This is almost a brother, or sister song to 'Mad Man Moon' on the previous 'Trick Of The Tail' album. Lovely. This album really is Tony's finest hour. 'Your Own Special Way' the track which follows, is often derided as too 'poppy' or 'romantic' but I have never had a problem with it. For me, it is just as strong as the other songs. You can tell Mike Rutherford used to work with Anthony Philips as this song could just as easily be a Phillips' composition. Nice acoustic guitar, mellow keyboards, and a catchy chorus, it is a fine song. 'Wot Gorilla?' is a classic Genesis instrumental. Wonderful percussion and drumming builds slowly in power before the keyboards and guitars kick in. A fine performance from Steve here, simple but effective. And again wonderful keyboards. A damn catchy tune, that almost sounds as if it should have humorous lyrics to accompany it! 'All In A Mouse's Night' kicks off what was side two of the old vinyl album. This does, indeed, have humorous lyrics, and a great tune to match. Starting off with almost church-like keyboards, it leads into good guitar work, fine drumming and tongue in cheek singing. Almost a throw back to the 'Nursery Cryme' days. The song ends as it began, with the church-like keyboards adding mock solemnity to proceedings. (A great bass line from Mike here too.) 'Blood On The Rooftops' is, for me, along with 'Entangled' from the previous album, the best post-Gabriel track Genesis ever did. Truly atmospheric, amazingly beautiful, with exceptional lyrics and the most eloquently understated keyboards from Tony, I have been in love with this song since the album was released. Not to mention Steve's famous acoustic guitar intro, and one of the best vocal performances from Phil, this is a classic. No more to be said. 'Unquiet Slumbers...' could almost fit on 'The Lamb' album, it is an instrumental of that ilk. Again, ridiculously atmospheric, it finds Hackett and Banks together again in fine style. And, of course, it leads on to 'In That Quiet Earth' a gentle tour de force for Steve. This instrumental still features in his stage set these days. Typically melodic guitar from Steve here, played as only he can. Finally, comes 'Afterglow' with its fine melody, leading to a strong emotional climax as sung by Phil, with keyboard led choir at the end. Or is it overdubbed vocals? Or both? A wonderful end to a wonderful album. A must have. Four stars, but only as I don't want to overuse the five star option!

Only few words: this is my second favourite Genesis' album of all time! Just a (half) step below Selling England by the Pound. I always have had a special spot for it. It's difficult to explain but is something that I never felt completely for other great records, as Foxtrot, for example.

Starting from the contemplation of the wonderful autumnal cover art and passing through the first two songs I was so satisfyed that (I remember vividly still now) I always stoped the cd player and repeat them for hundreds of times. Long time passed before I even could listen entirely to the opus!

Keyboards are as evocative as never were, in my opinion. From the fourth minute of One for the Vine on, I was suddenly knocked out: that "cans' dance" and the following symphonic crescendo are the most shivering experience for me with Genesis.

I don't know the discography of this band after the release of this gem but, from what I've heard this is one of their (three) pinnacles. I never recommend it enough!

On a December 2nd 1976, I was on my way to purchase this album (at that time, I often wrote the day of purchase of my albums).

After "A Trick Of The Tail", I was wondering if they could achieve such a good follow-up LP. And damned, yes. They could. Tony Banks is omni present on this work, and he is writing the best tracks.

The opening song "Eleventh Earl of Mar" is a bloody great. Mike, Steve and Tony wrote it. Great mellotron intro (not such as "Watcher, but still...). The track turns into a quite hard song with great keyboards & good vocals from Phil. The rythm then changes completely and is almost Trespass-esque for about two minutes before getting back to the strong and hard side. It is a remarkable combination leading to one of the best track of the album (it reminds me a bit of "Dancing Out...").

"One For The Vine" (from Tony's sole inspiration) is the epic song of the album : it is really incredible and IMHHO belongs to the top ten songs from the band : nice melody, long and strong instrumental passages starting around minute four : fantastic keys again. It is such tracks that made the glory of this line up.

The song returns to a quiter tempo (like the start) before the grand finale which is a fabulous orgy of keys and guitar. Thank to such a track, old fans like myself were still following the band at that time. Although it is a very tranquil song for most of it, the lyrics are quite sanguinary and war oriented (like in "The Knife" or "Hogweed", for the lyrics I mean).

Although I have read a lot of criticism about "Your Own Special Way" written by Mike (it would even have led to the departure of Steve!), I remember that I pretty much loved this song at the time of release. Might be too commercial for "Genesis" but the chorus is very melodious. Just a bit mellowish. The last track of side one "Wot Gorilla" should have been skipped. The album clocking at over fifty minutes, it could easily be shorter by three IMO.

Side B opens with "All In A Mouse's Night" (Banks only, again): it is very pleasant tune to listen to and somewhat funny. It is the story of a cat eating a mouse (normal so far). But he will have to face a "super " mouse of ten feet tall which will eat him in less than a blow ! Great mellotron again at the end. Another great track.

In "Blood on the Rooftops" one immediately feels the input from Steve with a very nice acoustic guitar play. He co-wrote it with Phil. It is the most melodic song of the album : very emotional and subtle (I like that).

The next two intrumental tracks are quite complex. Both have Steve's mark. They could belong to his solo repertoire (he will play them frequently in his live sets). Still, Mike co-wrote "Unquiet Slumbers for the Sleepers..." while "...In That Quiet Earth" is the sole common effort of this album : the four of them contributing.

The closing track (again Tony...) is a great song : starting very slowly and then building on crescendo to reach its climax. "Afterglow" will be a highlight of their live performances from then on.

I feel that "Wind" is superior to "Trick" which I rated four stars... so, five stars for this one.

Considered by many as "the last essential GENESIS' work", which is an opinion i absolutely don't share, Wind and Wuthering is the last album with guitar man STEVE HACKETT, and also the last one to contain true epic songs. That doesn't mean it is the last decent music the guys made, as the next album will prove that even if they don't go "epic" or "absolutely progressive for the entire freakin span of the album" they still manage to do excellent songs, and that's what matters, right?

The album starts with the upbeat "Eleventh Earl Of Mar". This song has a very well done and misterious intro, and at the middle of its lenght there's a quieter section with acoustic guitars and some mesmerizing melodies. Even though this song is quite upbeat as i mentioned before, that's not really the mood of this album, which is actually a more reflective one, with some melancholic moments like HACKETT's piece "Blood On The Rooftops", a strong song very focused on emotion, and the second track "One For The Vine", composed by TONY BANKS. This is the longest one from the album, and it's the most epic one too. The lyrics are excellent as usual with GENESIS, and after its long beautiful and calm first section, there's a keyboard solo showing BANKS on the spotlight (well, he always is, isn't he?). The song then returns to its first theme, until its climatic ending. Then, the maligned "Your Own Special Way" appears. But what is the problem with it? It is a very good and lovely track, which makes me wonder where all the harsh criticism comes from. Is it because it is a "love" song with some crying-like vocals by PHIL? Maybe its simplicity is what causes so much controversy, but it's also what, for me, makes it a charming piece of music. There's also a moving instrumental section. In fact, Wind and Wuthering gives a lot of space to GENESIS deliver great instrumental passages, as we have three entire instrumental songs here: "Wot Gorilla", which is the best one of them, with its classic-music like rhythm, and the combination of "Unquiet Slumbers For The Sleepers" and "In That Quiet Earth" which presents another instrumental climax for the album. "All In A Mouse's Night" is a funny song that tells the adventures of a poor mouse trying to avoid being captured while he leaves his hole to go around for a walk. Sad thing is that, at the end of the song, there's a cat which the little cheese-seeker wouldn't expect, but the good thing is that the song has a really nice keyboard solo and it is simply one of the album's highest points. And finally, we have "Afterglow", a moving song that grows until its climax and ends the album in a top note.

Overall this album is as great as the preeceding ones. HACKETT will leave soon, but the band will still make appropriate prog music on the next album, though mixed with some shorter song formats and a couple of pop numbers.

Hackett's Last Hoorah

The final chapter for Genesis and Steve Hackett, the revered Genesis guitarist. As some may already know, I am not exactly a fan of the band or Hackett, but I have nothing but respect for the man and his class. He was a pioneer and will go down as one of the greats, regardless of my views on his music and composition.

The album can be seen as an ode to the "classic" Genesis of the early 70's and the final stand before the band's future sound, one that would crush the hearts of many of the band's biggest supporters. The last parts of the album are more instrumental in nature, which seem to clearly be Hackett inspired tunes, and there is some nice playing from Banks, albeit a bit ordinary, especially at this point. There's some clear themes throughout the album that pop up every now and then, a few close listens and this becomes pretty discernible (an example being the key riff about 3 minutes into In That Quiet Earth and the beginning of Eleventh Earl of Mar - The same riff would be used much later in Edge of Sanity's Crimson, for those looking for outlandish music connections as I do).

There's a sad nature to the album, as many other fans have expressed as being symbolic to the departure of Hackett and progressive Genesis. However, despite this, I think many will find much more exciting symphonic prog elsewhere. I know I am in the minority here, but truly, there is much better prog to be found.

Their last great album - until the next one.

This album falls well short of the brilliance of 'A Trick of the Tail', but is still a great listen. I'm not sure what went wrong with the production, but it's a step back towards the muddy values of early GENESIS albums. And the songwriting is uneven, also like early GENESIS albums. But the highlights here are so very, very good, it's not really worth quibbling over.

The opening track contains an object lesson on how to play the mellotron. What fabulous chords! Then oh dear, 'One For The Vine' harks back to the days of 'Salmacis' and 'Hogweed': obvious, schoolboyish lyrics, and a song that overstays its welcome.

It was a real surprise to read reviews on this site to find people don't like 'Your Own Special Way'. It's an excellent song, with dynamism and balance. 'Wot Gorilla' is a shiny little gem that finishes the first side nicely.

I'm afraid I find 'All In A Mouse's Night' about the worst thing GENESIS ever did. Neither the music nor the lyrics work for me. Some of the material left off this album would have worked far better. 'Blood on the Rooftops' returns the dial to 'excellent' ...

... and then we have the highlight of the album, the three-part finisher. Glorious progressive music right up with the best they've done, with 'Afterglow' capturing that post-coital shine. The first two instrumental parts are stunning, saturated with complex rhythm and clear guitar and key work. And PHIL COLLINS was never better than on the final track.

Ignore all the jabber about this being the last great album. GENESIS continued to write and perform excellent music well beyond 'Wind and Wuthering'. Don't believe me, though; make your own judgement. But there is no doubt this is the last album that sounded like 'Wind and Wuthering'. For what that's worth.

Exceptional effort post Gabriel. Wind And Wuthering is every bit as good as anything from the first several albums (maybe with the exception of Selling England By The Pound).

"Eleventh Earl Of Mar" is masterful with a powerful vocal performance from Collins, whose got a much better voice than Gabriel (but maybe missing Gabriel's passionate delivery). Excellent drum work with some nice high tom interplay that would become Collins signature sound later on.

What could be one of the best songs from the Collins era is "One For The Vine". Possessing synths that are absolutely breathtaking and reminiscent of "Firth Of Fifth". Starts off really soft spoken, but builds upon layer and layer, with it bcoming more ethereal and beautiful as it progresses. Furthermore, when it comes to the softer passages, Collins definitely has the edge up on Gabriel as he handles it without sounding timind. The benchmark of this song, however, is when it picks up and Collins showcases why he's such a great drummer. Listening to the hi-hat work and how it adds so much to the rhythm is jaw dropping; but, when the band explodes and takes the song up into the stratosphere is where I simply fly along with it. Simply magical!

"Your Own Special Way" is a ballad set in 3/4 time signature. Really quite haunting with the acoustic guitar work and Collins vocals, especially the chorus with the beautiful harmonies. For a ballad, it's fairly long but never tiresome.

"Wot Gorilla?" is becoming a favorite of mine--dumb title, stunning musicianship. Collins aggressive beat fades in and Banks' synths jockey's for the pole position for a neck and neck race. Hackett adds a nice flair in the background.

"All In A Mouse's Night" sounds a bit like something from the Gabriel era, and would've worked nicely on Nursery Cryme. Evident in the Gabriel era, that sense of humor is present on this tune, but still has some beautiful musical moments on it. The title may cause you to furl your brow, the the music won't.

Aaahhh, "Blood On The Rooftops". A powerhouse of a song on an already magical disc. It starts off with a classical guitar beginning that sounds a bit like Lifeson's at the beginning of "A Farewell To Kings". The arrangement and structure are spectacular. "Unquiet Slumber For The Sleep" and "...In That Quiet" round out the suite in classic Genesis fashion, which impeccable drumming by Collins. Rutherford especially shines on this number, with playing up on the bass reminiscient of Fleetwood Mac's John McVie.

Wind & Wuthering comes to a close with the melacholic and truly amazing "Afterglow". Nothing dynamic on the instrumentation, but great harmonies and orchestration. The perfect way to bring it all home.

There is nothing that I dislike about Wind A Wuthering and it's up there as a favorite of mine. I like the Collins era a lot, but Genesis really nailed it with Wind & Wuthering and it holds up right next to anything they have ever done. Pure magic from start to finish.

After showing the world that Genesis could release a great album without Peter Gabriel, the group follows up with an even better album: Wind & Wuthering. Right from the start of the album things kick into high gear with Eleventh Earl of Mar, a keyboard-driven masterpiece and probably the best song the group had created since Cinema Show. One for the Vine is another excellent song with an epic-like structure.

The next few songs fit more into the shorter time format like the material on A Trick of the Tail, all of them quite well done, even the sappy Your Own Special Way (although that one can be a strain from time to time). They end the album with a three part suite consisting of Unquiet Slumbers For The Sleepers..., ...In That Quiet Earth, and Afterglow. A magnificent ending to a magnificent album.

Wind & Wuthering is clearly a masterpiece and in my opinion the best release of the Phil Collins era. Indeed, when you read many of the reviews on Prog Archives from many of the more obscure groups, you'll find that many of the reviewers like to compare the best keyboard-driven symphonic progressive works to this album. That's how notable and important this work is. It is one of the definitive works of this genre and should be considered essential. Another five star album for Genesis.

This was my first taste of Phil colins era Genesis. I was advised not to buy it at first because everyone with better taste knows that Phil Collins is not as good as Peter Gabriel-era...but I saw it in the shop while I was on a budget and it was hte only cd i could afford. And a completely don't regret buying it.

Eleventh Earl of Mar: A pounding electric guitar, backed up with synth starts the repeating riff that is often heard throughout this piece. Then Tony Banks picks up on the hammond. Phil Colins voice is very like Peters but he's more...GENTLE I guess you could say. As is often the case- the drum beat is complicated. ooooh- who's drumming NOW? It's still him :) Multitasking! If not recorded over. When the melody and the riff changes- its a beautiful transition. Tony melts the piano well into the sounds that the synth makes. After the third "Daddy- I'm waiting!" we have an improvisation from Hacketts guitar. Very cool but not all that proggy. More poppy- or 'comercialised' if you want to use that word instead. A tad to mainstream compared with the Gabriel-era Genesis before. But better than was came of Genesis in the 80s/ early 90s. :( THATS for sure. "Time to go to bed now..." I like the tune here. Piano and guitar stage-up. The lyrics are certainly not as god as Gabriels but there is some poetry there. A bit more mainstream but still romantic. In a way. A little poppy and happy-clappy but it is STILL prog at this point in history. He sings with the riff at 'I'm fighting..." "..are buring NOW!" at this point it is reminiscent of Firth of Fith because the drums crash and trun into a small catharsis- with the keyboard. After the last "you promised!...DADDY!" - and echoing guitar plays the riff heard at the start.

One for the Vine: This is gorgeous. A fantastic epic by the wonderful (yet often bratty at this time- so I hear) Tony Banks. A guitar moan accompanies a gentle piano which flows like water all the way through. They lyrics are extermely eerie- bizarre! On hearing snippets of them- one would think that it is a religious song about Christ- but on reading them one finds out that it is about someone who pretends to be a messiah in a world of ice :/ nice and weird. The melody is a strange one- yet it seems simple and the cordal progession constantly changes. Look out for the synth in the chorus. There is a complete change at "Folow me!"and it be comes a little happyclappy. Ah- the way the piano trills up and down and then slows. A flute/synth sings a sad solo after Phil sings. We hear the same guitar moan we heard at the start and then the most startling and fantastic percussion part. Like a malfunctioning robot! Then the drums, bass and piano imporve this- making you want to dance. "they leave me no chioce." A very cutsie riff plays at this point. Then we're led back to the beginning but the synths notes are more strong: "He observed one...and by the way he stood up and vanished into air." Weird lyrics. Like I said before. Then a final dancy apocalytic solo from guitar accompanied by synths and drums finishes main rock and roll-like part of this piece before we are led back to gentle Banks piano. A very sweet song.

Your Own Special Way: Oh dear... Well what can I say about this... this SONG? (!) The lyrics are pretty, the flute and guitar are pretty but the chorus is the most overly used, pop-song from the 70s, over-rated, ...how can i put this into words? This is no prog- this is a pop song and its FAR too easylistening for me. Dissappointment! I banged my dead against the wall and was rendered unconcious at this point. Romance is all very well but this song reminds me of blue-vien Cheez. Cliche! The only thing I can say is- look out for the twinking lullaby like keyboard solo before the last verse. Otherwise: avoid.

Wot Gorilla?: This is a little instrumental which starts off with twinkly spooky effects then leads into a drums which go into a crescendo. Then the plucking guitarsand banging synth play a tune not unlike the 11th Earl of Mar. This develops into a whole new melody and it practically dances away. Later we hear it repeat the start and some pop-the-weasel effects sound out. Then it dies back to the twinkly effects at the start. Short and sweet- as opposed to the conventional LONG and sweet music of prog.

All in a Mouse's Night: This song is a treasure. If I ever have kids- I'm going to get them to sing this song. It's a drama and about a couple, a mouse and a cat! CUTE!! The keyboard and synth that features so strongly throughout this album has an appearance all the way through this song too. Strings at first then dancing keyboard. "Aaah" say the lovers. Veery cute. :) When the mouse talks the bass plays a cool riff. and the beat changes. "Suddenly" back to a dancing synthbut the melody is more frantic (dramatic irony- lovers are happy but mouse is being pursued) "Come on baby- let the poor thing go" back to the starting melody. Each character seems to have their own melody: romantic for the couple- sly for the mouse and cat. The cat takes over the couples melody. "But it's alll in a mouses night" Is the catch line- mice get eaten by cats everyday! Go figure. The guitar plays a slightly tragic melody which reminds one of peter gabriel-era genesis. Then the synth leads to a fade out.

Blood on the Roof-Tops: This is the masterpiece of the album. Classical (Bach?) style intro from Hacketts guitar. I really love him for this song. The solo goes from slow to fast then the melody begins. "English film..wednesday play" Collins sings. Then the synth and strings make their entrance. So melancholy- good for looking out of the window into the lights at other houses. Try that in the evening some time when listening to this song. BANG go the drums: "Lets get the news boy- I'lll go get some tea." Ah- life. This song is about everyday life. Make of it what you will. When I first heard it- the music and lyrics seems to suggest a tone of *Why do I bother?* but now I think its more optimistic than that. More like *Why do I bother with silly people's shortcomings?* Referring to politicains and whatnot. The drums dissappear and we're back to the acoustic but stringy verse. The way the synth crawls up to make it's grand entrance during the verse is superb. Listen for the final crashing of drums= the epitome of all the things the song says to us. "Seems Helen of Troy has found a new face again." Gotta love the Mythology input. The guitar and synth sadly fade-out.

Unquiet Slumbers for the Sleepers...: Almost as if it's connected to the Blood of the Rooftops- an instrumental with a very similar guitar. Synth/keyboard sings over the top of the guitar- eventually the guitar is joined by a distant piano- adding an echoing effect. Synth is good but the vibrato makes it sound like a 50s movie about aliens... ..DRUMROLL... ... ...In that Quiet Earth: Guitars pick up and an electric one goes solo. This piece has some good synth and guitar riffs in it but the drums crash a few times. Never loosing their main beat. Rather like fooling around constantly playing instruments- drums do a fill-in. Eventually this mess changes and the synth takes over with a thumping solo. This is passed on to a very impressive guitar. Same thing we hear in Earl of Mar again.

Afterglow: now all settles down and we're brought to a slowbeat and it's a tune that instantly suggests the be all and end all. Therefore the end of the album. :) The melody and lyrics are on the verge of being as cheesey as Your Own Special Way but what saves it? The changing of the melody I suppose.Lyrics are a *tad* more interesting. More passionate indeed. Still a lovesong but the chordal progression save it from being CHEEEZ. The fact that all the band members are joining in singing makes it a great ending- song for the album too.

All in all- I like the album. And i like the album cover! Not that it's relevant but there you go. This album has a dreadful song, two mediocres and the rest are perfect for the likes of me- with the two legends: One for the Vine and Blood on the Roof Tops. So not quintiessential for Genesis fans but certainly the better part of Collins-era Genesis.

It's terribly sad when you see a once-great band lose the plot. With Genesis, this happened on WIND AND WUTHERING. Although much of the band's playing is as lively and sophisticated as on A TRICK OF THE TAIL, this time their material definitely lets them down. Take the opening track, for example. I've always felt the chorus and the verses didn't fit together, and the drama (based on 18th century Scottish history) simply doesn't come across. Tony Banks' keyboards and Steve Hackett's lead guitar make an awfully soupy sound, and Phil Collins' hectoring voice really gets on my nerves - a foretaste of many irritating hit singles to come. "One for the Vine" is a brave attempt to write a follow-up to "Mad Man Moon", and some of its lines are just as beautifully sung (e.g. 'This is he, God's chosen one, who's come to save us from all our oppressors'), but Phil's falsetto during the chorus gives me the creeps, and the much-applauded instrumental middle section may seem fun, but what on earth does it mean within the context of the song??? For a band like Genesis, "Your own special way" and "All in a mouse's night' are simply below par, and "Afterglow", to my feeling, sounds incredibly pathetic.

Fortunately, WIND AND WUTHERING is saved from total ruin by a number of outstanding tracks. "Wot Gorilla?" is a delightful little instrumental - the best possible way to end the album's original A-side. "Unquiet slumbers for the sleepers...in that quiet earth" (the final words of WUTHERING HEIGHTS) is another magnificent instrumental - a highly energetic counterpart to the more familiar "Los Endos". And "Blood on the rooftops" may just be the loveliest ballad Genesis-sans-Gabriel ever recorded: all the more touching because it deals with reality; not with some infantile little fairytale.

Thankfully this doesn't happen a lot, reviewing an album that I don't really like knowing my rating isn't going to be very popular with my peers. I love GENESIS, but out of their 15 studio albums I rank this at number 10. As I write this review "Wind And Wuthering" is ranked number 7 on this site out of the 15 studio albums. So right in the middle. On another site that ranks albums it's ranked 6 out of the 15 studio albums.Yes I know my feelings about this record are in the minority but this is one of the most boring records I have ever listened to in my life. I prefer the self titled album from 1983 over this one because at least Collins isn't afraid to actually sing on that one and that record is much more dynamic with more variety.There is no accounting for taste right ? Haha.

"Eleventh Earl Of Mar" really gets going a minute in with the pulsating keys from Banks.The song changes 4 minutes in as we get some atmosphere before it returns to the original melody. There is mellotron on this track as well. "One For The Vine" is a mellow song with reserved vocals and piano leading the way. Mellotron rolls in after 4 minutes as things get really quiet. The tempo picks up again but it continues to change.

"Your Own Special Way" is an ok ballad. No it's actually not okay. "Wot Gorilla ?" is a short instrumantal with lots of synths. "All In A Mouse's Night" is a keyboard led song that is ok. The mellotron is a nice touch. "Blood On The Rooftops" is a song I just do not like. I mean I like the classical guitar and mellotron, but overall it does nothing for me. "Unquiet Slumbers For The Sleepless..." and "...In That Quiet Earth" are instrumentals that blend into each other, I prefer the second song especially the guitar. "Afterglow" is a nice song.

This record doesn't appeal to my senses at all, neither does it touch my emotions. But hey, it's GENESIS !

"Wind and Wuthering" may be better than "Trick of the Tail", but I couldn't notice because I got very bored very quickly with Collin's passive vocal deliveries and Hackett's laughable guitar, which noodled its meandering way between Bank's cheesy synth and the band's collective inability to write anything memorable with Gabriel leading them. I apologize if I upset any die-hards out there, but this slow-paced and repetitive exercise in balladry has little to offer anyone who wasn't young when it was released. One for the fans, and even then I am wondering how they can rate it so high.

Songwriting: 2 Instrumental Performances: 2 Lyrics/Vocals: 2 Style/Emotion/Replay: 1

A very difficult album to review, Wind And Wuthering. The tensions inside the quartet were obvious, with some members willing to persue a more commercial approach while others (or maybe only Steve Hackett) wanted to keep the sound more progressive. Looking back it is easy to see why Hackett left. Freed from him, the other three enjoyed a 15 year career as a very successfull pop band (in terms of record sales at least).

Stil those same tensios did not prevented the music of this CD to be very good, sometimes excellent. In fact, this can be considered the last truly progressive album done under the name Genesis. even if their pop leanings were clearly visible on some spots (most notably on Mike Rutherford´s song Your Own Special Way). So in the end it is a bit of an hybrid, sometimes a bit squizofrenic record (some lyrics does not help either). Yet thw overall music is beautiful and the musicians are skillfully as ever. It deserves at least four stars in my opinion and I listen to it frequently, after all these years. Just don´t compare this one and The Trick Of The Tail to their classic Peter Gabirel era masterpieces. Since their lead singer left, it was another band. Good band, but really another one.

Nowadays it is almost a classic, just like The Trick Of The Tail, but they are not really par to their previous four studio effords. Excellent additions to any prog collection, almost masterpieces. Almost.

In my review of Selling England .. I stated that I thought Wind and Wuthering is better than that one. An opinion not exactly shared by everyone I guess. But I can explain. It's the overall performance with this album I love and what's lacking on Selling England.. Apart from the last track (Afterglow) I really like every song on this album. It's a very varied album with many highlights. The first two songs are more or less the epics of this album and mainly the second one (One for the vine) is one of my all time favourites of Genesis, a terrific track at least as good as Cinema Show and Firth of fifth. Next is Your own special way, by far the best ballad (maybe along with Dusk) Genesis has ever made. Incredibly beautiful this one. Then a nice instrumental (What Gorilla) followed by two very good ones (All in a mouses night and Blood on the rooftop). Next is the specially connected Unquiet slumbers for the sleepers ... and ... in that quiet earth. This one has always intrigued me and especially the second part is huge in my opinion. Then Afterglow to quiet things down again. A complete and diverse album causing a very enjoyable listen for over 50 minutes.

But even this one is not really good enough for 5 stars to me. I set very high standards for that. It's actually 4.4 so 4.

Wind and Wuthering is a mixed bag as there are some very beautiful songs on the album, but there are also some really mediocre ( boring) ones and a really terrible one.

The album starts out nicely with Eleventh Earl of Mar, which is a really good song, an nice blend of rock and more atmospheric pieces. Phil Collins really hits the drums hard on this song and it gives Eleventh Earl of Mar some extra energy.

One of the last great epics from Genesis is next. One for The Vine. This is an absolute favorite of mine. Tony Banks plays some of his best piano and keyboard pieces in this song and the lyrics are thought provoking and clever. There are some nice time signatures in the song, that are definitely very progressive. The song builds up to a grand finale like a true epic is supposed to do. One of the highlights of the album for sure.

One of the real downers on this album is the next track Your Own Special Way. This is too much pop for me to handle. Really cheesy and with some horrible lyrics to go along. An absolute lowpoint in the career of early Genesis. Steve Hackett saves the song from total disaster though with his guitar playing.

Wot Gorilla? is in a similar vein to Los Endos on A Trick of the Tail. An instrumental track which I think would be better suited in a live setting than on a studio record. It´s not bad though, I enjoy it much.

All In A Mouse's Night is an ok track, but I have always felt that something was missing. It just doesn´t feel finished to me. But not bad at all.

But on Blood On The Rooftops it´s a whole other story, an absolute favorite of mine. This is such a beautiful song. Note the beautiful Steve Hacket intro and the symphonic keyboards played by Tony Banks. From my perspective this is a perfect prog rock song. Together with One for the Vine this is the best song on Wind and Wuthering.

Unquiet Slumbers For The Sleepers...is a short instrumental track. Ok but nothing speciel if you ask me. It seques into ...In That Quiet Earth which is also an instrumental. These two songs are ok, but nothing more.

Afterglow is a classic Genesis song. I wonder why ? I find it boring and repetitive. The melody in the song is not very significant and the instrumentation is not very exciting. A very dissapointing ending to a great album.

This may sound like I don´t find this album very satisfying, but it is far from the truth. In fact I find this album essential to prog heads. After all how many prog bands made good music in 1976-77 ? So what if there are some weak songs on the album, the good ones are so fantastic that this is a must have.

This is an excelent effort by Genesis. Not quite as good as Trick or early works but close. Every instrument is where it belongs with very nice keys by Tony Banks, and enjoyble voice from Collins. Steve Hackett shines on every pice specially on Unquiet Slumbers For The Sleepers... and ...In That Quiet Earth, just a great musician. To me all numbers are enough great to purchase this album with very much enthusiasm, even he's in my collectin from 1992. This Wind and wuthering offers to a prog fan not necesarlly a masterpice of prog, like the early one's but good music, well played and almost everybody can enjoy, at least from tim to time. 4 star no doubt.

Genesis is my all time favorite band. And this being their last true album (no And Then There Were Three... for me, thank you very much!) is a really hard one to talk about. Mostly since I can't stop thinking that this is the last real Genesis album. But I'm not gonna burst into tears just yet, well at least not until I hear Afterglow!

I always thought of Afterglow as a sort of Genesis' farewell and it gives me the goosebumps almost every time I hear it! But lets get off this silly emotional train! We are fans of highly technical and creative music so therefore are immune to purely emotional simple pop songs. Let us not forget it!

The first two tracks that kick-off this album makes it pretty much a must have for every Genesis fan. The rest of the album has not the same intense drive but we do get some nice surprises along the way! Although I never really liked the quite dull Your Own Special Way, Wot Gorilla? feels like something that Phil worked on outside the band and All In A Mouse's Night... well lets just say that having listened to it more that twenty times I still don't get the fuss about it.

Being done with the somewhat flawed middle-section of the album we proceed to our first real surprise! Blood On The Rooftops starts with some of the best guitar play Hackett will accomplish for years to come. The songs eventually proceeds into the chorus section which is quite pleasant. The two following tracks have the Hackett personal touch engraved into them although Tony makes a really great effort as well.

The final track has, as I probably mentioned before, a great emotional value to all Genesis fans. I so happy that the band still keeps this song in their live repertoire! Well there you have it folks! If you haven't heard this album then I suggest you listen to it, if you don't own it then I suggest you buy it... and so on!

***** songs: Eleventh Earl Of Mar (7:41) One For The Vine (10:00) Afterglow (4:12)

**** songs: Blood On The Rooftops (5:27) Unquiet Slumbers For The Sleepers... (2:23) ...In That Quiet Earth (4:50)

*** songs: Your Own Special Way (6:19) Wot Gorilla? (3:20) All In A Mouse's Night (6:37)

Total Rating: 4,11

Review 15, Wind & Wuthering, Genesis, 1977

StarStarStarStar

Wind & Wuthering (along with Trespass) is responsible for getting me into Genesis, even when I, at first, found Selling England By The Pound a little awkward. I've always loved the first two long tracks, but the rest of the album has somewhat worn thin over a good number of listens, and I just don't get anything from listening to the instrumentals. The highlights are, in my mind, preferable to those of A Trick Of The Tail, as are Collins' vocals, which have matured somewhat, and really do make the songs more accessible. A good Genesis starter-album, coupled with something from the Gabriel era, and a good album overall.

Eleventh Earl Of Mar has a great synth opening, a noteworthy organ-drums-bass trio, good vocals from Collins, and a beautiful quiet acoustic-dominated section backed by echoing synths. Lyrically, it just about makes sense, but sounds right. There's an excellent ending with Hackett working over a lush percussion-keyboard canvas, somewhat reminiscent of Hackett's first solo album's closer, Shadow Of The Hierophant.

One For The Vine is probably second or third in my long list of favourite Genesis songs, with absolutely great vocals, very strong lyrics from Banks, which work perfectly over the music. Various keyboards are used in a sophisticated manner, and the talents of all four musicians are well-displayed. Superb instrumental sections, and changes in tempo, and a perfect example of musically realising a concept without letting the concept at all overshadow the music or vice-versa.

Your Own Special Way is difficult to like. I can tolerate and quite happily nod along to the verses. Unfortunately, the opening is utterly terrible, repetitive, with whiny keyboards that I'm not too fond of. The song proper isn't too bad, a decent pop-tinged song, with some of the fairly characteristic Collins drumming that made IKWIL good. The vocals are a little non-distinctive here, but still acceptable, as are the lyrics. The guitar, the harmonies, and the instrumental section are small highlights within the song. If only they'd managed to provide a good opening for it.

Wot Gorilla? is the first of the album's instrumentals, with a tingly percussion opening, suitably silly synths and guitar reminiscent of Hackett's solo album playing along nicely. A real throwback to the instrumentals from The Lamb, listenable, but nothing special.

All In A Mouse's night is another good longer song, though I found it utterly intolerable at first. Compulsive drumming here, great thudding bass, very good vocals coupled with tolerable (if acquired) lyrics. Some distinctive shifts in style, and the tiny, yet vital, electric additions from Hackett and Banks on piano (where the tune is held up by synths) absolutely make the song what it is. An excellent ending, and certainly well worth hearing.

Blood On The Rooftops opens with a memorable acoustic solo from Hackett. The verses are basically a showcase for his acoustic playing, and with small contributions from the rest of the band, while a great bass part from Rutherford particularly shines in the choruses. Collins vocals are again good, and lyrically the nostalgia and very English sarcasm are great.

Unquiet Slumbers For The Sleepers is largely made by the echoing guitars and piano, with a synth over the top that I find somewhat annoying to listen to, and usually try to ignore. It's mostly acting as a lead-up to In That Quiet Earth, which has a great guitar solo, a good bass line, and some interesting drumming. It moves on to a superb, very mobile, slightly heavier section with Collins really standing out. I don't know quite why, but it does feel a little awkward and repetitive, and the lead-up to Afterglow feels a little forced. Afterglow is a very simple song, with minimalistic guitars and a slow drum-beat augmented by a nice mellotron. Typically, not the sort of thing I'd like, but the gradual build-up does work very well, and the emotional vocals, while still not Gabriel, are great. A very good conclusion to the album.

All in all, the album is one that strikes me as a little mixed, and brought down a bit by the instrumentals and Your Own Special Way's opening, but the longer tracks are absolutely stunning. Generally recommended.

Rating: Four Stars Favourite Track: One For The Vine

Edit: Dropped to three stars, mainly by comparison with the previous few Genesis albums. I think it could be missed by someone who isn't a fan of the band up 'til then, but any Genesis fan should head for it after the classic six, whatever their opinion of Trick.

Wot Gabriel?

With A Trick Of The Tail Genesis established themself as a band that could do without their previous leading force, Peter Gabriel who recently left to pursue a solo career. It was on tis album, though that they forged themselves once more into the progressive genre as a band who could deliver excellent material no matter what (although with the ability of hindsight we see that those hopes would soon be destroyed by the proverbial jackhammer that is pop). The four piece here puts forth some very nice, pleasant music that still has a progressive punch to it. The cover art describes the mood of the album very well -- solemn and tranquil, yet beautiful.

Opening with the serene riff that starts The Eleventh Earl Of Mar we get a song that quickly takes life as it picks up speed to be a Genesis so familiar, and yet still innovative in their own scope. This is further enforced by the wonderful masterpiece One For The Vine which sees the band venture into the double digit track time as they've always done so well. More excellent guitar from Hackett along with other excellent performances during the song turn the song into one of the best since Firth Of Fifth.

Another very nice thing about the album is the instrumentals which inhabit the tracks. Each unique with a kind of Brand X feel to them as they power along in a way similar (but not too close) to something like Los Endos. Slighly heavy and very fast, instrumentals like Wot Gorilla and ...In That Quiet Earth provide a nice listening session to the band's skill with their respective instruments.

Other songs on the album include the comic relief of All In A Mouse's Night which tells the tale of a mouse trying to get along while living in a house inhabited by humans. Blood On The Rooftops is an incredible standout on the album as Hackett struts his stuff and the rest of the band provide a very nice and emotional feel to the song as it treks along.

However, the album is not perfect. This is the track where we get to see the band explore that pop territory (not for the first time, though) on songs like Afterglow which doesn't turn out so bad in the end... but it's Your Own Special Way which shows the band approach that sappy pop area which is oh so unbearable. Poison to progfans, really. It still has it's charm and is much better than some of the later pop songs, but this is the first time, really, that the listener pulls off his headphones and exclaims a surprised WOT!?

An excellent album that really should not be missed by prog fans. One or two missteps should not discourage people from seeking out this album for some of it's moments of pure genius. Good job boys! 4 stars!

Can't We All Just Get Along?

The end of the real Genesis although there would be bits and pieces of it over the next couple of albums. This marks the end of Steve Hackett tenure with the band and it is a pretty damn good ending. With just a couple exceptions this album is as good as any of the last 5. Of course their ability as musicians was as high as ever, their songwriting was more mature but there is some empty spaces that I haven't heard before by this group. Your Own Special Way is not a terrible song but it doesn't seem to go anywhere. Certainly not enough in it to justify it being 6+ minutes. The second one follows it Wot Gorilla that seems like a jam that was culled down to single sequence and it doesn't sound complete. Maybe they should cut the time out of YOSW and gave it WOT Gorilla and made it better or maybe selected a song by Hackett that ended up on Voyage of the Acolyte. Anyway too much empty space for me to appreciate that much of the album.

That being said the rest is tremendous. Eleventh Earl of Mar, Mouses Night and Blood on the Roof Tops are great symphonic songs. One For The Vine maybe the best thing that Tony Banks has written and rival Mad Man Moon from ATOTT. The ending suite over the last three songs Unquiet Slumber for the Sleepers, In that Quiet Earth and Afterglow is just a prog masterpiece.

Even for all that this album does not quiet hit the highs of the last 5 so I cannot give it the highest mark but it doesn't miss by much. If you like any of the previous 5 you will like this one. 4.5 stars from me.

My own special Genesis

Wind And Wuthering is together with A Trick Of The Tale two of my favourite albums. This period of Genesis is in my opinion the strongest one with these two masterpiece albums in a row. Wind And Wuthering might not be as groundbreaking as earlier Genesis albums, but this is still a masterpiece! Phil once again makes an incredible vocal performance and I think he is every bit as good as Gabriel ever was!

The amazing guitar work of Steve Hackett is heard here for the last time on a Genesis album. He would leave after this album to pursue a solo career and he still plays today, performing some Genesis songs live, including the occastional song from this album. And just as Phil would step up and take the role of Peter Gabriel, Mike Rutherford would step up and take over guitar duties when Steve Hackett left and then there were three.

Guitars, drums and keyboards are once again excellently played. Wot Gorilla? and Unquiet Slumbers For The Sleepers/In That Quiet Earth are this albums counterparts to Los Endos from the last album and feature extremely good playing from all members.

Some complain over Your Own Special Way being commercial, but I think it is a beautiful song that fits well into the album as a whole. An album full of only songs like this would be tedious, I agree, but I find nothing objectionable about this song being here. This is still very much the progressive Genesis. Indeed, just the Genesis I love most.

A personal favourite - simply wonderful music!

The sixth consecutive perfect album from Genesis and regretfully the last!Superb album by superb group.The dark tension is everywhere on the album.I have the feeling that some fantasy characters come out of the Lord of the Rings' book and trying to find the One. The fast songs are so mystic and the ballads are so sensual and fine.The sound is so saturated that almost always you can feel all the instruments in action.If you collect only precise works you need this one.

It is looking back that the full measure of this record becomes more clear. It was 1976 after all, and much of the popular music people were buying was grand, ambitious and finished to perfection. 'Wind & Wuthering' may not be a masterpiece but it aspires to be and in the musical climate that dominated following decades, it stands as one of many accomplished releases during an astonishing period by a band that refused to compromise. A portrait of musicians giving their all to an album because it was important, it meant something, and was an event in their and others' lives. And it sounds as fresh as ever all these years later.

The album is both clean in tone and rich in color palette, concentrated progressive rock with all the elements but more defined and crisply rendered than their classic work, and delivered with the future in mind. The overall effect is a huge and hugely under-acknowledged (at large) statement and gave prog a dignified, adult record that few others seemed able to. Previous 'A Trick of the Tail' may be considered more progressive or simply better material by some. They may be right, but I doubt it.

'Eleventh Ear of Mar' hearkens to their Trespass days with 'tron swells from Tony Banks but soon we're hearing a modern Genesis with Phil Collins setting the outward tone he'd established on Tail. We miss Gabriel but are gratified for the band's ability to continue making quality music. And with Banks, Rutherford and Hackett in charge compositionally, we hear a true collaborative effort. The track is a bit commercial perhaps but they'd grown up some, and presumably so had their audience. 'One For the Vine' is a gentle English tune about something epic, drizzles apart halfway through into a warm rainy afternoon and then flowers into one of the great prog moments, from a kitchen utensil jam into a humming synth-led passage filled with inspired bits of drums, keys, guitar and sparkling, laced arrangements. A great moment for these four. Incorrigibly sappy 'Your Own Special Way' is almost forgivable and presumably appeased the Easy Rock crowd, sentiment to the point of diabetic attack, a song written for all teenage girls lying on their beds wrecked by young love. Instrumental 'Wot Gorilla' (an in joke referencing a Zappa track) is more like it, an unashamed indulgence of the electro-classical genius this group had cultivated. Banks is inspired here even more than usual, Hackett's faithful acoustic-electric chords and the Rutherford/Collins machine sounding as powerful as ever. Little dramas for 'All in a Mouse's Night' with shifting musical variations representing the different parties nicely and helping an otherwise lackluster little story. Steve Hackett's quiet nylon strings carefully unfold opus 'Blood on the Rooftops', caustic words reflecting pessimistic times but the piece rocks. It abruptly fades into the fairyland sounds of 'Unquiet Slumbers...' and sister cut 'In That Quiet Earth' with tons of big vibrating walls from Banks's ARP 2600 and Collins's tight drums, a sound that undoubtedly provoked countless imitations hidden among many a lesser-known composers' work, winding down with thematic reprise 'Afterglow'.

Surely a firm step toward a bigger market but a terrific offering regardless, and 'Wind & Wuthering' makes their work afterward seem rudimentary.

01. Eleventh Earl of Mar We've started well, tons of layers of keyboard in calling for attention in that we will. Highlight of the song is because of Phil Collins and his battery (the drummer of rock more wronged Progressive), the band is sharp! The low Rutherford is always the case with peculiar timbre, and Tony Banks, well, what about that guy? Genius! And as I commented, I start with stories, Gabriel was not the only one who knew storytelling, a pirate is separating from her son in a shocker. So those who arrive for the first land? It! Steve Hacket and its one thousand guitars. In the central part of the song begins a very beautiful and touching, almost a lullaby, with more melodies and melodies of guitars. And Phil singing beautifully. Then return to the main theme. In a final agoniante Collins really embodies the character, calling her father.

02. One For The Vine One For The Vine is special! Tells a story of a people who expect a choice, he is the main character of brat and definitely not know what to do. The song is beautiful, begins with a melody of pianos and keyboards, is accompanied by just bass and drums, the guitars of Steve seem never appear, Ledo mistake they are there, only we do not have the sense enough to understand. That chorus! Phil is topped with vocals in falsetto. In the middle of the song for the persongem to reflect, which leads us to a part of simple beauty, it always reminds me of when the younger bands need to hear the heart and not their pockets. The center is more agitated, to culminate in a single point of beauty, and low voice together. An epic of gigantic proportions, and unfortunately ignored!

03. Your Own Special Way It starts as a ballad for guitar. Very nice by the way, with a different melody and unusual. Refrain captivating and beautiful, with a very interesting arrangement. The song has a line of guitar dedilhada pretty much in the background, and then have a share of keyboards, very nice by the way.

04. Gorilla wot? Instrumental composed largely of broken and battery and keyboard (Phil Collins is a hit on that disc), Tonu Banks who came to the shows, and once again shows that Steve guitar is more than 'fry', but 'Music', Mike holds the wave very well here, giving full security to the rate of broken battery.

05. All In The Mouse's Night Man, that great! Counting Genesis story of Tom & Jerry! Yes, that Phil sings music on a cat that demand deseperadamente catch the mouse, sensational, both in letter and in music. Battery low and marking the rhythm broken, layers of keyboard, guitar sounds coming from mansinho with strangers. And a great melody to tell a story very nice. Will the cat be able to get along? Or will the poor mouse escape the bleak future that awaits? Just listening to it! Get their conclusions.

06. Blood On The Rooftops Nice start of guitar, Hackett is exceeded here, a beautiful melody for which Collins open the heart and tell us more stories. And the sharp senses hear a new perception of the world and things.

07. Unquiet Slumbers For The Sleepers ... In That Quiet Earth Dobradinha (which I do not mistake the official disc were two separate songs, but I prefer joining a single). It has an original tune and 'closed' by some sounds sparse sound (with headphones is more noticeable), keyboards and making melody in a strange start. The melody that follows me like a Hail Mary in progressive format (sin? That does not exist! They put it in your head). Why then descambar pruma quebradeira only, primary emphasis to the low genial.

08. Afterglow Enough with the last song with a melody very beautiful, with its voice in the background marking the song, sung very well Vocals (total redundancy). One of the coolest final Prum disk, a beautiful melody that seems to never go away, fade out until the start and get in the brightness of the song.

No problem. We have many records of Genesis to elect as our favorites, but for me Wind & Wuthering is undoubtedly the best!

www.progshine.com

This is a fine album, and, judging by the reviews of the later Collins era LPs, most consider this to be the last essential Genesis LP (I might rattle a few cages when I review them, then!).

It is a classic of symphonic prog and the most glorious example of the wall of sound that this band made their own that exists out there. It is very much a Banks & Hackett LP and shines as a result. Whilst it is true that extra songwriting credits were given to Hackett to placate him or keep him in the band, the work itself does not suffer.

Nearly each and every song on this LP is a winner. Eleventh Earl of Mar conjures medieval chivalry and Collins really does surprise when he reveals just how loud and passionately he can sing. One for the Vine is a prog essential, one of the finest tracks the band ever recorded. It is such a thoughtful piece of music, with Banks especially moving with his quiet keyboards and Collins telling a story of an accidental demagogue. Genesis had returned, after The Lamb, to telling stories people could easily relate to with this and Trick of the Tail. The stories are also no less effective.

You Have Your Own Special Way is, to many people, the ultimate heresy - a charming pop song that bears no relation to pure prog at all. It is for this reason, I know, that many fans loathe the Collins era and certainly later LPs - but I will pose a thoughtful question - just because it is pop, does this make it bad? Absolutely not - this is a fine track with excellent guitar work from both Rutherford & Hackett and it moves happily along. Not all pop, or indeed rock, is bad because it doesn't last ten minutes and feature a mellotron blast!

I usually skip Wot Gorilla these days as it doesn't hold my interest very much, and it is this that reduces the LP to four rather than five stars. It does, however, feature Collins demonstrating what a fine drummer he is.

All in a Mouse's Night is silly, but fun and superbly played, again featuring a band musically confident and creating beautiful surround sound textures. Blood on the Rooftops is the one track that makes me weep that Hackett ever left - it really is excellent and gives a hint of his later, progressive, solo work. Collins treats the story with great sympathy, and the guitar work is stunning.

Unquiet Slumbers...and ..Quiet Earth were split to give Hackett additional writing credits and they feature the band playing tightly and progressively. The latter leads in to the most gorgeous keyboard note and one of my favourite Genesis tracks, Afterglow. Banks, who wrote it, shines with loud backing keyboards, Collins fairly thunders the drum kit at the end, and the guitar and bass accompany a perfect love song brilliantly. Oh, and Collins sings it fantastically. It is a great track, and deservedly still a favourite live.

This is a fantastic LP, and I would, if I had the chance, award it 4.5 stars, but an essential addition to any serious progressive rock collection. Don't be put off by the fact it doesn't feature Gabriel.

W & W is aurally such a beautiful album, but I understand and appreciate the other reviewers who proclaim the "negative" evolution of Progressive Rock music into a "neo-progressive" era with this album and its predecessor, A Trick of the Tail. There can be no disputing the fact that the sound and styles of these two albums usher in something new. Along with a rather drastic change in personnel (the low of flamboyant front man PETER GABRIEL, one of the band's founders who decided to leave the band after the tour for their 1974 magnum opus, the Lamb Lies Down on Broadway--a loss that many feared would be insurmountable and would portend the end of the band), there is a change in temperament. It was as if the band made conscious choice to seek a larger, more commercial audience. Did they water down the music? Simplify it for easier access to the masses? It can be argued that the caliber of musicianship is just as high as their previous outputs, yet it might also be argued that the wisdom gained by the musicians' experience and age helped them to come to a mature realization that it wasn't necessarily the flash and complexity that people wanted to hear, that the adage that sometimes "less is more" might have some truth to it. Even the king noodlers of all-time--musicians like Herbie Hancock and Cick Corea, Larry Coryell and John McLaughlin, Tony Wiliams and Billy Cobham, Jan Akkerman and Thijs van Lier, Stanley Clarke and Al Di Meola--eventually realized that passion and emotion do not always have to be expressed through speed and technique.

With the Trick of the Tail era, Phil Collins-led Genesis became more concerned with the audience connection than before. With Peter Gabriel in the lead it was as if all theatric development was as if by accident and surprise. (Even the other band members were often taken aback by some of Peter's costumes, stylistic choices, and, of course, his bizarre and often macabre extemporaneous space-filling stories. Heck! The most famous story of all revolves around the creation of The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway album.

Peter had become a hot commodity, the "face" of Genesis, and was being courted by other ventures--including Hollywood. As the band was back home in England creating all of the music for their next album--the release to follow their most successful album to date, Selling England by The Pound--Peter was otherwise occupied in New York City. (Working with Exorcist director Peter Friedkin.) When Peter finally found time for the Genesis commitments, he took the music and wrote the libretto of story and lyrics over the course of two weeks time. The band was shocked and a little put off that Peter had done all this without them--even distorting some of the music in ways that they didn't necessarily agree with. And yet, The Lamb was released--under record label pressure--and a tour begun--a tour which had Peter running around on stage as the front man, acting out his libretto, relegating the rest of the band to kind of background or support roles.)

The Lamb and its tour were quite successful--especially in America--but exhausting. Especially to Peter. The reluctant star--who was far more naturally reserved and shy than his stage persona might suggest--could take no more. On August 15, 1975, Genesis' record label officially announced that Peter Gabriel had left Genesis--to concentrate on "other literary and experimental interests outside of music."

With no more Peter Gabriel, the band continued to practice, continued to come up with new music. While Tony tended to his new duties as a father, the other band members collaborated with guitarist Steve Hackett to help render his debut solo album, released under the title, Voyage of the Acolyte. This gave the four further confidence to go on without Mr. Gabriel.

A few ad hoc attempts to fill Peter's vocal shoes helped the band realize that they could still play all of their old music--and that they could create anew. Natural showman Phil Collins (who'd had quite a glittering resumé in stage theater productions in his youth) was an unexpectedly good stand in as Peter. The problem was with filling the stage presence--something a drummer could not do. Thus was born the idea of hiring a second drummer--one that could fill Phil's shoes when Phil chose to be up front as the standup man. Thus, the great drummer, Bill Bruford, was lured into the fold for the Trick of the Tail tour and born was the now-iconic stage setup with two drummers, one right handed, the other left, placed on stage risers behind and high above the rest of the band. Genesis concerts, with their vast stage and industry-leading laser light display, became more of a "show" and less the sacred, mystical, intimate "experience" that the small-venued Gabriel-era concerts had conveyed (which some fans lamented and still lament to this day). Thus the band became a stadium-filling headliner like Emerson, Lake and Palmer, Yes, and Jethro Tull.

The band was known. With the Trick of the Tail album, sales were up, for the tour even moreso concert ticket sales, too. The feature of two duelling drummers was a big hit, as was the ground-breaking light show. The band was almost on the verge of becoming a household name. All they needed was an AM-friendly American hit record. With Wind and Wuthering's "Your Own Special Way" they finally achieved that. What I think the band achieved on Wind and Wuthering that launched a new era of progressive rock music was to combine their usual penchant for mythic storytelling (something Mr. Gabriel had started and had very much excelled at) with highly memorable melodies over lush, romantic soundscapes while remaining steadfastly committed to their usual standards of superb musicianship. (One might consider Mssrs. Banks, Hackett, and Collins as virtuosi of their respective instruments, i.e. keyboards, guitars, and batterie.)

1. "Eleventh Earl Of Mar" (7:41) one of the greatest openings of any song ever! But then things get marred by the odd, muddled lyrics. The two passages in the song's middle section are also noteworthy for their timeless classic Genesis-worthy beauty, but then amping back up to the story's end sours the mix. How difficult it is to create a perfect classic! How nit-picky we prog lovers become when faced with flaw and less than super-human heights from our gods! (13.5/15) (Such a difficult song to rate.)

2. "One For The Vine" (10:00) a great story sung to perfection by Phil--perhaps his best Genesis vocal ever for the uncharacteristic delicacy in his voice (a characteristic that Peter possessed in spades). Wonderful keyboard and bass play by Tony and Mike, the guitars and drums remain restrained throughout the vocal sections, but come to life, of course, during the instrumental sections. (18.5/20)

3. "Your Own Special Way" (6:18) a guitar-based song that anyone among the masses could learn and play solo. A song that every young person could scream-sing to the chorus and sing to their special loved one. Some very romantic moments. (8.25/10)

4. "Wot Gorilla?" (3:19) a Phil-credited instrumental that could have come out of a BRAND X session. Tony is great, Phil not as great as one might expect, Mike's 12-string sadly drowned out (but bass-pedals strong), and Steve somehow mixed behind everybody else. (8.25/10)

5. "All In A Mouse's Night" (6:37) opens with a decent sound palette and great bass and drumming and some great singing, but then all falls apart with the soft percussion-&-circus section and the lyrics that follow. Some sad little tricks used to bridge sections. The buildup to and the actual dénouement are so cringeworthy and embarrassing; saddening and disappointing, then followed by one of the lamest fadeout endings Genesis ever did. (8.5/10)

6. "Blood On The Rooftops" (5:27) opening with some of Steve's best classical guitar work ever the song evolves only positively as it goes on, with another of Phil's finest vocals and some of Genesis' finest lyrics. Pure prog perfection (and listen to those synth washes and gorgeous keyboard arpeggi Tony bathes certain sections in). (10/10)

7. "Unquiet Slumbers For The Sleepers..." (2:23) almost orchestral in its arrangement and rendering with both MIke and Steve's rapid guitar arpeggi and Phil's timpani work providing more than enough backdrop for Tony's haunting synth soloing above. The only flaw would be that that synth sound could have been better. (4.5/5)

8. ...In That Quiet Earth (4:49) really a continuation of the previous song (I feel as if I always considered them one), jumps in with great drumming and great band cohesion with some truly dynamic play--all the while supporting Steve's melodic and then experimental electric guitar soloing. Tony gets a few chances to play with Steve's melody and then interplay with Steve, but it's the bass and drums that delight for me during the first two minutes. Then "the switch" happens. A habit that Steve continued and has not been able to get over of shifting power and beauty in which the two elicit quite drastically different responses from the listener: utter bliss alternated with shock and revulsion. Still, amazing drumming throughout this one. (9/10)

9. Afterglow (4:12) a saccharine simpleton born as a seeming companion to Side One's "Special Way." (8/10)

Total Time: 50:46

There is good music here, very good. "One for the Vine," "Blood on the Rooftops," and even "Eleventh Earl of Mar" [10/10 musically, 3/10 lyrically] achieve the same heights as some of the earlier Genesis "classic." As for the other songs, more often than not the sound draws one in but then some element puts one off: poor lyrics, over simplified song structures, or silly idiosynchrosies, etc. For example, "Eleventh Earl of Mar" opens the LP with such promise--and musically continues to do so--but those lyrics! Ridiculous! Same with "All in a Mouse's Night" [9/10 musically, 2/10 lyrically]. Phil Collins' simple stories for the simple man are no match for the macabre Grimms-worthiness or ambiguous, even absurd Carroll-ingian tales social-commentary tales of Peter Gabriel! The rest of the album is too much "trying too hard" to impress (Steve Hackett on "'Unquiet Slumbers for the Sleepers/In that Quiet Earth," Phil's on "Wot Gorilla") or to get a pop hit ("Your Own Special Way" and "Afterglow"). Again, an amazingly warm sound with the usual high Genesis musicianship but the song composition has met with an impasse: the lyrical content and commercial desire are not served so well by the old song constructs. Tensions are running high as the decision has to be made: will it be a new Genesis for the masses or the old parochial music reaching its fewer more cerebral listeners. Mr. Hackett let us know his choice: He left the band to pursue his own highly experimental creative juices. And then there were three . . . .

B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of neo-romantic progressive rock music; the birth of a new sound.

If you were to liken albums to seasons then this is Genesis's autumn album. From the lonely tree and leaves blowing in the wind on the grey cover through to the music's rich, layered and largely melancholic vibe and the Wuthering Heights reference in Unquiet Slumbers For The Sleepers.. It really has an air of that end of the year season. It also happens to be the last truly great Genesis album, ending a run of seven essential Symphonic Prog albums, starting with Trespass, a run not even Yes can match. Sadly Steve Hackett would depart after Wind And Wuthering taking an essential element of the bands sound with him.

The beautiful sweeping intro of Eleventh Earl Of Mar gives way to one of the bands more bombastic songs. Driven along by Phil Collins powerful and solid drumming, a la Squonk from A Trick Of The Tail and dominated by Tony Banks stunning keyboard work, it makes an excellent instantly likeable opener.

The 10 minute One For The Vine is a truly beautiful song. A track of many moods and changes, from the melancholic early feel through the up tempo instrumental mid section to the majestic keyboard driven finale, this really is Banks' track.

Although we didn't know it at the time, Your Own Special Way was an indicator of what was to come in the future. One of the simpler pieces and the least essential track, it nevertheless has a catchy melody and doesn't seem too out of place with the overall feel of the album.

Side 1 of the original vinyl version closes with Wot Gorilla, an excellent but short instrumental, no doubt influenced by Collins Jazz Rock excursions with Brand X.

All In A Mouse's Night whilst instrumentally lush and rich has a light hearted vibe courtesy of the lyrics, being largely about a mouse which gets the better of a cat. Despite the lightweight lyrical content it's still a fantastic song; another great Banks moment but also featuring an excellent Hackett solo to close.

There are many great Hackett moments on the album but perhaps none more so than on the often overlooked Blood On The Rooftops. Another beautiful and melancholic track opening with some fine solo acoustic guitar. It has an overall orchestral vibe courtesy of Banks, but the acoustic guitar is an integral element for adding light and shade.

Getting back to that Emily Bronte reference, Unquiet Slumbers For The Sleepers...In That Quiet Earth is 2 tracks that go to make up a 2 part instrumental. It really is superb from the beautifully haunting start with no drums, it bursts into life with some excellent jazz inflected drumming from Collins, the track really soars, again some excellent guitar work from Hackett and then the tempo drops, the rhythm more solid, into an eastern feel to end. It then segues into the melodic Afterglow which makes an excellent way to close this fine album.

Listening to this record again reminds me of how much Hackett was missed on their future albums. Although Mike Rutherford would do an admirable job he never really filled his shoes on the solos and although there were some fine Genesis moments to come they were more randomly scattered amongst some mainly patchy albums.

The last in the string of truly great Genesis albums, and the final one with guitarist Steve Hackett, Wind & Wuthering has much great music for a somewhat overlooked work, and I think almost all of it tops the previous album, A Trick of the Tail. The hidden jewel on this album is the standout second track, "One for the Vine." Everything else is more or less excellent, so this album comes highly recommended.

"Eleventh Earl of Mar" Fantastic synthesizer and howling guitar give way to a song that would indicate where this Peter Gabriel-less band was heading. But who cares? It's a killer track, lots of fun, and full of great musicianship. Mike Rutherford's bass incites the listener's head to bob up and down- it can't be helped. Tony Banks's keyboards are phenomenal overall. Hackett does a great job on electric guitar, but his subtle acoustic guitar in the bridge is his highlight without a doubt. Phil Collins's drumming is good, sure, but his spirited vocal performance is not to be missed. This is not my idea of an opener, particularly not this album, but I simply love this historically-based whimsical song. That said, "Eleventh Earl of Mar" is similar in sound to the opener of the previous album.

"One for the Vine" Quite simply one of the best things Genesis ever did, with or without Gabriel. It is a generally unrecognized gem. Hackett's lovely guitar and Banks's piano brings in the main riff, and Collins sings the quasi-spiritual narrative words. The instrumental section in the middle is one of the best pieces of music the men of Genesis have ever constructed, with exceptional drumming and amazing keyboards. Banks and Collins are simply amazing here. Do not miss this song.

"Your Own Special Way" A pretty song laden with acoustic guitar, here is an enjoyable but uncomplicated song. It's a decent piece for dancing, but I don't expect it appeals to most progressive rock fans- but considering Genesis's previous output ("For Absent Friends" and "More Fool Me"), it shouldn't be a problem.

"Wot Gorilla?" Another opportunity for Banks to strut his stuff, he does so in fine style, as this instrumental sounds like something that could've belonged comfortably on The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway.

"All in a Mouse's Night" A cutesy, but otherwise well-performed song about a cat, a mouse, and a frightened woman and an annoyed man, this song has its perks, but is really the weakest and most forgettable track on the album, both lyrically and musically.

"Blood on the Rooftops" A lovely classical introduction by Hackett paves the way for a great song. Banks's synthesizers yield an impeccable result after Collins's gentle vocals. Then things get heavier, and Rutherford's bass stands really out. It has a similar feel and sound as "One for the Vine," and is likewise one of the best on this album.

"Unquiet Slumbers for the Sleepers." Beautiful guitar and atmospheric synthesizers made for a gorgeous, albeit terse, instrumental piece.

".In That Quiet Earth" While the previous section was a quiet, gentle piece of music, this is a riveting performance in 3/4 time that is one of the only places on the album for Hackett to cut loose on his electric guitar. Just before the stellar synthesizer solo from Banks, the band briefly revisits the introduction of "Eleventh Earl of Mar."

"Afterglow" The third piece of this tripartite album ending is a pleasant soft song that compliments Collins's vocals well.

A Melancholy End to Genesis, Part 3

Save the drummers before Phil Collins, every member exit from prog titans Genesis marked an enormous transition for the band. First Ant Phillips, then Peter Gabriel, and after this album Steve Hackett would leave a very different band in their wake. Wind and Wuthering is a sad album in many ways, from the cover to the musical tone to Hackett's role in the music. Despite the mood, there are some simply stunning moments on this album. Most fans of classic prog already own the work, but for those just venturing past the classics, this one definitely deserves a place.

The album is marked by Tony Banks taking the reins of the group in earnest, and indeed he often cites W&W as his favorite album. Perennial live staple "Afterglow" was a piece that evolved almost completely spontaneously in his head. His keys are in the forefront more than perhaps any other album, and much of his work is dazzling. Of special mention is "One for the Vine" which is often counted among the best Genesis songs of all time regardless of era. This is essentially completely a Banks-penned piece, bringing together a number of previously penned parts into an epic about religious devotion, war, and loss. (Unlike Gabriel he forgot to add in the love and sex to liven it up.)

At the same time, Steve Hackett also attempted to contribute his own material to the album. Collins reportedly did not like the material, which was more aggressive prog, rather than the more pop stylings the other members were leaning toward and would pursue after his departure. Ironically, Collins uses the excuse to this day he simply didn't want individually penned songs, preferring works composed as a band. (This didn't curtail the aforementioned "Afterglow" or "One for the Vine.") This conflict led to Hackett's departure and the end of Genesis as many loved them. A trilogy of Hackett songs ("Blood on the Rooftops" and the excellent instrumental pieces "Unquiet Slumbers" and "In that quiet earth") were placed on side 2, and he leaves the band on a decided high note.

Collins vocals have not improved much from TotT here, though they are quite good on the more ballad-like numbers (Again "Afterglow" is an obvious example). At this point in his career, he simply had not developed as many vocal tools as the music needed, and the first two medieval epics sound like they were written for Peter Gabriel. However, I wonder more how the album would have sounded if Collins had possessed the menace he would later use on songs like "Mama" or "Home by the Sea." In any case, while his vocals (on some songs) are the weakest part of the album, his drumming is at its best. Coming off the first Brand X album, his fills are incendiary, his grooves tight, and in an era when some of the best drumming of all time was being laid down, he stood alongside the best of the best. (See "Wot Gorilla?")

Of special mention is Michael Rutherford's "Your Own Special Way." Much maligned, this was perhaps the first true Genesis single in the style that was to make the threesome a gazillion dollars. The main problem with the song is the extremely pedantic chorus lyrics which are unfortunately repeated too often. Had the level of sophistication and taste improved on the lyric writing, this could have been a classic. Rutherford's 12-string intro is gorgeous and complex, involving tuning the usual unison strings to different notes to achieve a unique tonality. The rhythms still retain some complexity, and many of the melodies (besides the main theme) are quite compelling. And yet, the central focal point is so weak that many claim the song doesn't belong on the album at all.

Despite its flaws, Wind and Wuthering certainly deserves its place among the Genesis classics. Again, some of the instrumental work here is the best the band recorded. Essential for Genesis fans, excellent addition for any prog fan.

I'm a bit surprised that so many people seem to enjoy this album. To put it bluntly, it's 50 tedious minutes full of 'More Fool Me'-like songs with Phil trying to sing material his voice isn't suited for at all. On this album it is weak and awfully whiny if you compare it to how he performs on songs like Abacab and Mama.

But the blame is not just on Phil. The rest of the band puts in an equally bland performance. Just compare the instrumental section of One For the Vine against anything they did before. It's second rate at best. There are some nice instrumental tracks though. Wot Gorilla, Unquiet Slumbers and In That Quiet Earth are nice cuts that could have come off any Hackett album. Another track to check out would be Afterglow with its strong crescendo. It saves this album from the dreaded two-star punishment and lifts it to 2.5. But I always round down.

It is really for fans only. Besides the tracks I mentioned I can't see much worth returning to. I'm sure Blood on the Rooftops is meant to have a grand sweeping effect when the chorus sets in but the melody is just too unremarkable to leave much of an impression.

Genesis still had a lot more in them then what came out on this sloppy album.

It's not surprising that Steve Hackett left the band after this album. After standing out for once on A Trick Of The Tail, Hackett's guitar has once again faded into the background for most of this album, leaving Tony Banks' mostly uninspired keyboards to carry the weight,

The songwriting shows a definite decline, with only a few truly progressive songs. Honestly, One For The Vine is the only memorable song on the album. The rest is a mixture of half-hearted pseudo-prog, and the beginnings of pop-Genesis. Luckily, at the time of it's release, I was not a fan of the band, so I don't look at it as wistfully as, say, ELP's Love Beach or Gentle Giant's The Missing Piece, both albums indicating great bands in decline.

2.5 stars, rounded down :P

Genesis - Wind And Wuthering (1976)

This is an album that is considered as a border between the classic progressive part of Genesis' career and Genesis' less liked (in the progressive community that is) pop part of their career. Whilst all tracks are composed quite intelligent, the overall atmosphere is gentle and romantic. There are no standout tracks with rocking moments and Steve Hackett seems to be put aside for this album. Keys are the main instrument here. The recording is better then on A Trick, but it's still not very human. The vocals are insufficient and one wishes for the return of mister Gabriel.

Some highlights are progressive parts of opener Eleventh Earl Of Mar and One For The Vine, the touchy couplets of the poppy Your Own Special Way and the great symphonic Wot Gorrilla? that reminds us of the bombastic parts of tracks like The Return of the Giant Hoghweed. Side one has good parts, but the romantic atmosphere makes me loose my attention. For that reason side two is skipped most of the time. I just don't feel motivated to listen to side two, though some of it's track are actually quite nice. I'd wish this album had some uptempo rocker's that didn't feel like there was a big pop public about to show up at there next show, but a bunch of hard rockin' proggers.

Conclusion. This album fails to keep my attention throughout and that's a big problem for me. The vocals of Phil Collins are quite boring and fail to inspire. It might still appeal to fans of the band and the symphonic genre, but this album should be considered a crossover-prog record with too few moments of glorious sympho-prog. Between three and two stars for me, but I'll rate it three stars because of the compositions that are still very intelligent.

To be frank, I don't listen to GENESIS a lot. You see, the group attained God status in Quebec before anywhere else, and the local FM stations paid homage to them on an hourly basis. As a result, all but my absolute favourites took the stairway to heaven quite a while ago.

Having said all that, good music is good music, and Peter Gabriel's departure allowed the "joe the plumber" character of the remaining members to shine for at least a couple more releases. I have wavered over the years as to which of the 2 symphonic gems is better, so it's obviously a u-pick, but my preference is marginally for "Trick of the Tail". "Wind and Wuthering" opens more strongly, with "Eleventh Earl of Mar", a superior amalgamation of "Dance on a Volcano" and "Robbery Assault and Battery", and "One for the Vine", an improvement on "Mad Man Moon". "Blood on the Rooftops" is Hackett's best performance with his amiable classical guitar picking and a haunting chorus, and the closer "Afterglow" is a fitting farewell to the glory years.

From there, well, not quite so good. The cloying "Your Own Special Way" cannot compete with the "Entangleds" and "Ripples" of the world. Some filler in the middle like "Wot Gorilla", "Unquiet Slumbers..", and "In that Quiet Earth" remind us why Hackett left, as they all seem like mere workouts for some of his more mature and accomplished instrumentals that would grace the early 1980s. "All in a Mouse's Night" is more than a little prescient of the group's imminent decline.

The storm hinted at by the cover and title must have been minor compared to the changes afoot in GENESIS at this time, but the winds of change were already whipped up and the group would soon be withering on the vine. 3.5 stars.

Strange album that surely is making an impression, but still, not much here is helping me to have something to write about. You know, these checkpoints, like strong melody, atmosphere, unusual singer, funny noises. It somehow reminds me more recent band, Brazilian "Apocalypse" (we are all doomed, boo hoo). It's much more calm, beautiful album. True symphonic prog, as there are no dissonant parts, everything is nice here. Reminding me Anthony Phillips. After all, he too started around these years.

4(+), because I'm not touched so much, as I would like to be, however, this record is still one of the best Genesis prog I have witnessed. Still, there's declining tendency towards the end of decade, though "Duke" is still good album.

The "feminine" album is a big improvement over Trick

If memory serves, this is the album Rutherford called "their feminine album" and Banks called some of the most musically complex arrangements they ever did. It is easily the peak of the post-Gabriel years and much better than Trick of the Tail. I would describe it as a masterpiece of light melancholy with hope and heart set against the backdrop of ending seasons. The band had recorded abroad for the very first time for tax reasons. They booked time in Holland and locked themselves away from phones and family to force hard work. It paid off with one of the band's most fully realized and beautiful recordings, an album filled with confidence and great ambition. It may be their "feminine" album and it may be less aggressive/more introspective, but these are all attributes which work perfectly with the material on hand and the state of the band at the time.

This is what Genesis is all about. It sounds like the swan song it was. A goodbye to Steve Hackett and a goodbye to the dreamy, long-winded sound we took for granted would always be there. It is so consistent, so well-composed, and so beautifully arranged. It's an album that is amazingly unified, a musical story perfectly told. The previous album sounded like a bunch of individual tracks of varying quality that never got to this kind of cohesive place overall. While some people find the playing on Trick more dynamic I find just the opposite: Trick songs sound forced to me with the playing often heading into arbitrary fusion avenues, whereas on WaW the playing feels more genuinely emotional, more filled with substance of the heart over flash. "Wind" sounds thematically intentional and masterfully executed, an album of full of personality, mood, and color. It comes with the expected dynamic opener in "Eleventh Earl of Mar" and follows with the classic "One for the Vine," a one-two punch as good as any previous work. There are superb sections of tight jamming and there are some folksier acoustic moments, with a combination of somber recognitions but hopeful circle-of-life outlook. Banks uses lots of piano throughout the album and I think Wind features some of the best playing he ever did. Tons of enthusiastic runs of grand synth pleasures to contrast the fogscapes of the mellotron. I also think some of Collins' finest vocals can be found within. But it is the combination of mood with deliberate, solid song construction that is the strength of "Wind." Every track is packed with vast quantities of nuance and little aural treasures.

"All the great instrumental sounds from the Peter Gabriel era are here, but something else is in the mix as well: A rich lushness and a big improvement in overall engineering. The music is all top notch here...it harkens back and looks forward all at the same time. The melodies are a little more streamlined and it makes it all the more palatable. Instrumentally Tony Banks' keys are dense and multi-layered, something only hinted at on earlier releases. Lush layers of Mellotron, Hammond organ and synth abound. The guitar work is sublime. This was the last album to feature lead guitarist Steve Hackett and he is in excellent form here, turning in some of his best work during his tenure with the band. Both his electric chops and his excellent classical guitar work are a dominant force on Wind." -Sean, ProgressiveEars

I think it probably does deserve to be in the "top 5% club" which is what it takes to get 5 stars from me. The cherry on top is the ridiculously perfect cover art which needs to be viewed in gatefold with the back cover to be appreciated. Open it up and take a look and you can hear the first guitar strains of "One for the Vine" come straight out of the painting. What impact can come from such unassuming imagery, something many bands should take a lesson from! Along with Trespass and Selling England, "Wing and Wuthering" rounds out my top three Genesis favorites and it would be the last album of this level from the band.

Wind and Wuthering is one of those albums that I put on for the first time and heard many things that were both interesting and creative. But over time, Wuthering called to me less and less, until I got to the point where I would think it's about time to listen to it again, but there just didn't seem to be enough to interest me.

Of course, there are some highlights, such as the rocking opener, the quite well-done Vine, Blood on the Rooftops, and parts of the final 3-song closer (though I don't think I would consider any of this material as excellent). However, even though I know there is good music here, I almost always lose interest and want to put something else on. The keyboards are generally excellent, the guitar solid (though sometimes a bit tough to pick out), and Rutherford is again the do-it-all utility man, but it feels that there is something missing. Perhaps it's just lacking a dynamic frontman (as an instrumental fan, I can't believe I'm actually suggesting this!), but I think it's more a result of mechanical playing and not playing off each other. All this makes for a tough review for me.

It appears there are two camps of reviewers: those who see Wuthering as very solid prog, and a good offering from the band, and those who are mostly ho-hum to the album. Count me in the second group, as Wuthering provides a sanitized and concise piece of prog, but one which also ultimately fails to connect with me.

Wind And Wuthering is the second Genesis album by the era of the band fronted by Phil Collins and the last before poppy elements would be overtly present on a Genesis album. This album is also the last with Steve Hackett. I always found this album to be less enjoyable than the previous A Trick Of the Tail, but still includes some good moments.

"Eleventh Earl of Mar" is largely a forgettable symphonic prog track with a heavy-sounding bass and an aggressive guitar solo in the middle. I consider the second half of the song to be more enjoyable; it's beautiful with acoustic guitar picking and mellotron droning coupled with soft vocals.

"One for the Vine" starts with a mesmerizing guitar line and continues with beautiful keyboard. It gradually progresses through soft passages and more symphonic passages, until the middle of the track which features an eclectic and fast paced interlude that is very fun to listen to. A very enjoyable track.

"Your Own Special Way" is mostly just a beautiful symphonic ballad and is highly enjoyable. Again, I'm reminded of how Collins voice much better suits this style than Gabriel. Very beautiful, with a hint of barely noticeable country ballad influence (I'm so thankful that element isn't more prominent. I really don't like country at all.)

"Wot Gorilla?" is a nice symphonic interlude with some decent melodies, but it isn't really significant in anyway besides the wacky name.

"All in a Mouse's Night" is a song that I never thought of as being important. It's very symphonic, but also kind of plastic sounding (foreshadowing the sound that Genesis would soon adopt in full). The only parts of this song that really stood out to me were the funky passage near the beginning and the guitar solo at the end, which is very powerful.

"Blood on the Rooftops" is a beautiful track that starts with a beautifully classical inspired guitar solo by Steve Hackett, and his classical playing continues throughout the song as vocals and mellotron eventually come in. This is one of the best and most beautiful tracks on this album.

"Unquiet Slumbers For The Sleepers..." starts off beautiful and ghostly before revealing a passage of fast paced symphonic rock with very powerful drumming and a very interesting guitar solo. The ending of this track gets heavy and monstrous. This is one of the best instrumentals by Genesis. "...In That Quiet Earth" is the second half of the previous track, and it seems unnecessary that this track is separated. It's more of the same, but still very enjoyable.

The previous track flows seamlessly into "Afterglow", which is a slow paced and heavily symphonic ballad type of song and is very beautiful. Mildly catchy, this is a great ending to this album, although nothing new is going on here.

I enjoyed A Trick of the Tail much more than this album, but this is still better than the albums recorded during the Gabriel fronted era. Most of the music here is well thought out and enjoyable with great playing from all members of the band. Unfortunately, this album marks the end of Genesis' classic sound, making way for a poppy sound that would dominate their future albums. This album, however, I highly recommend.

One for the Vinyl Collection

Released around Christmas 1976, this would be the second post-Gabriel Genesis album, and their second that year. The band would continue their trend of softer keyboard-driven prog on this album, but this is definitely an improvement over 'A Trick of the Tail'.

The album starts with Eleventh Earl of Mar, which is almost 8 minutes in length. The lyrics of this song are based on the Scottish Jacobite uprising of 1715, with the consequence that they will be lost on you unless you're a history boff. Despite a quieter section in the middle, there is nothing in the melody to keep me interested, and no instrumental either.

The next track One for the Vine, is actually one of my favourite Genesis songs, with or without Gabriel. Very few times do you get perfect lyrics combined with wonderful music, but this is exactly what we have here. At exactly 10 minutes in length, this is one of the 'nicest' epics you'll ever hear. It's quite possible to listen to this track on two different levels: listening to the music, or listening to the story. If you are doing the former, then the song really starts to get interesting towards the centre, when the band launch into an up tempo instrumental with rhythmic keyboards. The powerful outro will is incredibly moving, and is followed by a piano piece mirroring an earlier part, in much the same way as Firth of Fifth. The more I listened to this song though, the more I realised that the lyrics were making perfect sense. One day, I sat down with the lyrics in front of me and listened to the song again. My mind was completely opened up. I won't explain the story, but I'll just say that there is a beautiful and eloquent tale which seems believable until the final lines which present us with a great twist. A true masterpiece.

I have a real soft spot for Your Own Special Way. A lot of prog fans will say they don't like this cheesy pop tune and I can fully understand why, but I find the choruses of this song really heartwarming. There are many naval references in this song, suggesting that this song is about a sailor's love. I'll usually put this song on if I'm feeling a bit low, as it always seems to hit the spot.

Wot Gorilla? is a brief instrumental that's heavy on the keyboards. Unfortunately, I can't say there are any redeeming features of this track apart from it's brevity.

All In A Mouse's Night shows a band who have been watching too much Tom and Jerry. The lyrics of the song seem to depict nothing other than that. This song could do with being less repetitive in it's structure, and the 2 minute outro seems too long. The whole song is quite grating, and the 'mouse' novelty wears off quite quickly.

Blood on the Rooftops is a bout of social commentary from guitarist Steve Hackett. A long classical guitar solo introduces this song which is sung beautifully by Phil Collins. The lyrics of the song won't make very much sense to those who did not live in Britain in the 1970s, making this a thing of its time.

The final three tracks fit together to make an 11½ minute track, the first two being instrumentals and the last with lyrics. Unquiet Slumber For The Sleepers... is a quiet instrumental which seems to be brimming with tension. ... In That Quiet Earth is the resolve to that tension. Although it's true that Genesis focused more on the songwriting than on the music, to say that they weren't talented musicians would be a fallacy. One only has to hear the breakneck drumming from Phil Collins in this song to find this. Halfway through this track, a theme from the beginning of the album is reprised, giving the album a more cohesive feeling. This is undoubtedly one of Genesis's best instrumentals.

The final track Afterglow has such a thick bass line that it will shake your trouser legs in the room. The melody of the lyrics seems to closely mirror that of Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas. This is quite an anthemic song which leads the album out very nicely, but it wouldn't have been half as good if it weren't for all that gooey bass though.

As you can see, this is quite a mixed bag in terms of quality. The inclusion of One for the Vine definitely makes this an essential Genesis record, and one that shows that they could still write prog without Gabriel. This is definitely my favourite of the two albums recorded between Gabriel's and Hackett's departure. This an album that truly has it's own special way.

Wind and Wuthering is the last prog classic produced by Genesis in their old pastoral style. Sure, it's got the rather sentimental and commercial Your Own Special Way... but then again, Selling England By the Pound had the equally cute More Fool Me. And just look at the embarrassment of riches the band give us! Has Hackett's guitar ever sounded better than on Unquiet Slumbers For The Sleepers In That Quiet Earth? Has the band's sense of whimsy ever amused more than on All In a Mouse's Night? Doesn't Eleventh Earl of Mar or One For the Vine deserve to rank next to any of their other dramatic, theatrical songs? Doesn't the drumming on Wot Gorilla? absolutely rule? This album is just a joy from beginning to end, and I'm glad Hackett stuck it out in the band long enough to give us this before departing for his solo career - a split that would change the Genesis sound forever.

Genesis find themselves in unquiet slumbers, for the sleepers in that quiet earth

"Wind and Wuthering" ended 1976 on a high note for prog and indeed for Genesis who had already found success with their masterful "A Trick of the Tail". Just in time for Christmas, their latest album features some of their best material sans Gabriel. Each member of the band is in fine form and 'Wind and Wuthering' is firmly entrenched as one of the favourites for the band members themselves. Tony Banks stated that it is among his two favourite Genesis albums, and Steve Hackett is also "very fond" of it and rightfully so as it features some of his most accomplished guitar work. Every song soars along on symphonic layers of keyboards and Phil Collins is excellent on vocals and drums. Mike Rutherford's bass is a wonderful embellishment and the rhythms are complex and outstanding. Here are the tracks, each one tells a story, and each have a soft spot in the hearts of Genesis fans wordwide.

'Eleventh Earl Of Mar' kicks off proceedings with a title that is dedicated to a metaphoric description of an old Scottish uprising. The song focuses on the true tale of John Erskine 22nd or 11th Earl of Mar, who is one of the most incompetent characters of the 15 Jacobite Rising. It is dominated by Tony Banks keyboard wizardry as is most of the album. The music is incredible and as good as the band gets, every member is in full flight but in particular Banks is having a field day overshadowing even Hackett who is usually in the limelight. Hackett is terrific on this album but it is really the last time he would record with the full band unfortunately, embarking on a solo career that was very successful and continues to be so. The lyrics are typical of Genesis, double entendres, quaint pop culture references, and quirky British humour abound; "The sun had been up for a couple of hours, Covered the ground with a layer of gold. Spirits were high and the raining had stopped, The larder was low, But boy that wasn't all. Eleventh Earl of Mar, Couldn't get them very far. Daddy! Oh Daddy, You Promised." Collins is in fine voice, confident and dominating, though he overuses the cymbal splashes on this track. The mellotron is an everpresent force and Rutherford shines on bass. The track features an abundance of synth riffs that remind one of the glorious 80s synth explosion. The melody is deconstructed with time breaks, signature shifts and solo performances. The middle section is tremendous with sweet melodic tones and Collins' gentle approach. This is certainly one of the highlights of the album and very much like 'The Battle of Epping Forest' in many ways, in both theme and structure.

'One for the Vine' continues the excellent soundscapes with one of the greatest Genesis tracks with a mellotron drone and blasts of wild percussion competing with Hackett's sweeping riffs. The opening riff is sensational and well recognised by Genesis fans. The lyrics are inspired and as good as anything I have heard in the earlier releases; "Fifty thousand men were sent to do the will of one. His claim was phrased quite simply, though he never voiced it loud, I am he, the chosen one." The protagonist is called to serve as the chosen one, and immediately the majestic music echoes the sentiments of the one who will lead. It is regal and uplifting with some dark tones representing the conflict he feels within as he is forced to make the difficult choice. "In his name they could slaughter, for his name they could die. Though many there were believed in him, still more were sure he lied, But they'll fight the battle on." The leader knows that many will die under his leadership but nevertheless must lead in order to instigate freedom. This may also represent the holy wars as told in The Bible, following the same themes as in other Genesis albums especially "From Genesis to Revelation". It switches time sigs dramatically after the serenity of the symphonic musicianship. The tempo quickens and a wonderful synthesizer kicks into gear. A layered wall of sound pulsates along a dynamic percussive beat. Collins returns on vocals as the new time shift locks in. It is a complex track with many diversions. It is perhaps the best track on the album with a lot of progressive touches and an innovative structure, telling a potent story of maturity. The main protagonist is experiencing the changes of adolescence to adulthood as a reluctant leader forced into going in directions without choice that lead him to an eventual demise. Religious overtones abound, and there are multiple interpretations. The protagonist is on the verge of crossing the line between divine inspiration and delusion. He has many people around him who believe in him to the point that leads him to an ultimate decision to take up leadership with both reigns firmly in hand. It takes quite a deal of soul searching before he finally decides to fulfil his purpose instead of doing things his own way. As he takes on the responsibility to leading he crosses into adulthood. "This is he, God's chosen one, Who's come to save us from, All our oppressors. We shall be kings on this world."

'Your Own Special Way' is certainly a poppier approach but has some very nice melodies and a catchy hook in the chorus. Collins is harmonised a few times on layered vocals and I particularly like the uplifting tones. The keys are terrific, but I wonder where Hackett is hiding on this.

'Wot Gorilla' is an instrumental that may feel like filler material but it is very well executed with some delightful atmospherics including a strange gliterring chime lending an ethereal feel. "Wot Gorilla?" may be a reference to touring drummer Chester Thompson, who had been mentioned in 'Florentine Pogen', which is a track on Frank Zappa's "One Size Fits All" album in 1975.

'All In A Mouse's Night' is an intriguing piece where a mouse speaks to a loving couple, Cinderella style. The lyrics are charming with a few dark nuances thrown in. The loving couple begins with talking to each other and the mouse chips in, which may or may not be imaginary; "I can't see you but I know you're there. Got to get beside you cos it's really cold out here. Come up close to me you'll soon be warm. Hold me tightly like we're sheltering from a storm." The mouse then has some amusing dialogue to itself and we may surmise that it is on the head of the lovers who are experiencing detachment from reality; "Think I might go out for a stroll, Into the night, and out of this hole. Maybe find me a meal. Walking along this new shag pile, Presents a problem all the while. Nearly the door." The song continues with its quirky jaunty rhythms telling the tale of the mouse's adventures; "Suddenly he bumps into wood, the door is closed. A voice from the bed, he'll be exposed. Which way to run, must make for the hole, The light's been turned on, he's blind as a mole in coal." Perhaps the mouse is a metaphorical representation of sexual suppression that the lovers are feeling. In fact a cat comes into the story and chases the mouse to its final fate; "But now the cat comes in for the kill, His paw is raised, soon blood will spill, yes it will." The cat has a cynical line of dialogue that further cements the sexual tension in the lives of the lovers. They are experiencing conflict that is represented by the cat and the mouse scenario; "Hard luck mouse, this is the end of your road." In any case it is a fun song harkening back to the classic Genesis material on "Foxtrot" or "Selling England By The Pound".

Other interpretations are that the mouse represents mental health and the protagonist loses it completely when the cat is devoured by the ten foot mouse. Also this could be a dig at the Looney Tunes cartoon where Sylvester is taunted by a 'ten foot mouthsh' and it is actually a baby kangaroo but Junior thinks it's a real mouse and forces his father to fight it to no avail. A darker interpretation is that the loving couple discovered a mouse costume stored in an old casket in the basement. The male donned the costume in order to scare his female lover but it backfires as she has become a cat in costume also and "it only took one blow", she finishes in the superior position of the relationship. Or did she kill her lover accidentally thinking he was a lunatic trying to kill her. Or did the man in mouse costume see a cat on his way upstairs and whack the cat dead. The song is nevertheless about the chase, submission and sexual tension, disguised in a cute tale, and is one of the great tracks on the album.

'Blood on the Rooftops' begins with a medieval style acoustic flourish, a piece de resistance for Hackett.The lyrics are very strong; "Let's skip the news boy (I'll make some tea), The Arabs and the Jews boy (too much for me), They get me confused boy (puts me off to sleep), And the thing I hate - Oh Lord! Is staying up late, to watch some debate, on some nation's fate." The television is becoming a hypnotic device desensitizing the protagonist who is becoming lost in the fantasy of it all. A dramatis personae of his alter ego is the fantasy of escapist TV, and he indulges because his life is so empty. "Hypnotised by Batman, Tarzan, still surprised! You've won the West in time to be our guest, Name your prize! Drop of wine, a glass of beer dear what's the time? The grime on the Tyne is mine all mine all mine, Five past nine." The lyrics are reminiscent of the Gabriel era and indeed Collins sounds similar in this vocal style. The references to pop culture are as strong as Genesis gets and are as blatant, but there are darker meaning beyond the surface particularly in the chorus that speaks of violence and despair, war and destruction, blood and decay; "Blood on the rooftops, Venice in the Spring, Streets of San Francisco - a word from Peking, The trouble was started by a young Errol Flynn, Better in my day Oh Lord! For when we got bored, we'd have a world war, happy but poor." The viewer watches TV shows like "Batman", "Tarzan", How the West Was Won", "The Streets of San Francisco", Errol Flynn swashbuckler movies and Quiz Shows, merged with the horror of the news, but all in one night's viewing, and it all plays out like entertainment. Instead of having any shock effect on the viewer who accepts it and is desensitised. There are touches of references to "Nursery Cryme" in the lyrics; "When old Mother Goose stops they're out for 23, Then the rain at Lords stopped play." The reference reminds one of the nursery rhyme lyrics and front cover of the classic album, and the words are referring to a cricket match where the batter manages 23 runs before being stumped.

The album concludes with two masterful instrumental compositions that run together seamlessly and these are capped off with 'Afterglow', a fond song for the band. The instrumentals, 'Unquiet Slumbers For The Sleepers' and 'In That Quiet Earth', are decent enough to be taken in one sitting as one piece and certainly are a showcase for Banks' killer keyboard finesse. They are pleasant ear ticklers with enough keyboard to satiate any mellotron addict.

The titles of these instrumentals are taken directly from Emily Bronte's "Wuthering Heights" novel; "I lingered round them, under that benign sky; watched the moths fluttering among the heath, and hare-bells; listened to the soft wind breathing through the grass; and wondered how anyone could ever imagine unquiet slumbers, for the sleepers in that quiet earth".

To conclude this may be the last great Genesis studio album and it capped off an excellent year for the band that had also presented "A Trick of the Tail" equally as good. It would be the last time Hackett would produce Genesis studio material but it was not the end for the band despite the massive upheaval of personnel.

Time is a good judge. Genesis (from 1969 to the late 70's) was my most important and collected band in my youth, and still holds the top place when it comes to my nowadays smallish vinyl collections. [Yes comes right behind, BTW.] I have no way to know it, but I think my most listened Genesis albums are not e.g. The Lamb or Selling England, but A Trick Of The Tail and Wind & Wuthering. They have stood the test of time as well - and often better - than Gabriel-era albums. The group really found themselves musically again after their (over) theatrical frontman left. And what a happy decision to have a new lead vocalist from within the group. (Well, I'm not getting into the latter-day pop-Genesis...) Simply, this album is wonderful.

I could talk a lot about each track but I'll keep in mind how endlessly reviewed Genesis are. There's no weak tracks, not even the slightly syrupy love song 'Your Own Special Way' written by Mike Rutherford. Even that one has a beautiful, pastoral aura. A short, sharp instrumental 'Wot Gorilla?' suffers only from a stupid title. As in the great cover art, there's such beauty in this album's music that you don't find anything quite like it elsewhere in their output. Take the glorious 10-minute Tony Banks epic 'One For The Vine' or the lovely Hackett/Collins composition 'Blood On The Rooftops'. Or the two-part prog instrumental full of Hackett-style atmosphere, which is cathartically followed by another love song, 'Afterglow'. That song may not be complex or innovative, but it has an extremely strong emotion without being plain sentimental.

I'm not sure how many of you PA fellows agree, but to me this is among prog's key albums and a fantastic personal classic of mine. In the end, it was the departure of Steve Hackett, not Peter Gabriel, that was artistically a bigger blow...

More like winded and withering, perhaps? And so, gently did fade the lustre of Genesis as the winds of punk began to blow over the music scene of the 70s. They enjoyed better and better results, commercially, with each subsequent album since Gabriel left the band. But this may have also been because they slowly but surely gave up on many aspects that dictated their earlier style and creepily morphed into a more pop oriented outfit. They never had to do a volte face like ELP or Yes; they just slid smoothly, step by step, into, at first, a watered down version of their prog facade which then gave way to out and out pop.

With that unappetising introduction out of the way, I have to say it is not at all a bad album. Actually, even after they went pop, they remained "not bad at all" for a long time. As they shrank from five men to four and just three, Genesis somehow managed to keep delivering a consistent mean level of quality (if, that is, one can hazard to assign qualitative values to music albums). However, consistency can also get somewhat boring when accompanied by a diminishing appetite for adventure.

I give that the album doesn't start on a boring note. The opening salvo, Eleventh Earl of Mar, is rousing with some splendid work at the drums by Collins. The same cannot quite be said about his singing and his lack of commitment drags down the album a bit. Not that he can be entirely blamed for it, because he is quite clearly struggling to project Banks's lyrics.

But even when the lyrics do offer an element of humour, as they do in All in a Mouse's Night, Collins is strangely reserved. Blood on the Rooftops evokes pretty interesting images of Britain but Collins seems to be caught between trying to imitate Gabriel and trying to go motown. Di that perhaps have something to do with the metamorphosis of Genesis? Collins is a pretty good pop singer in his own right, but he's not very comfortable trying to play Gabriel with Banks's lyrics and this can make the album feel a bit vacant in places (quite so, I should say, on Your Own Special Way!)

Instead, it's the understated Hackett who once again lends memorability to the proceedings. His wonderful playing on the Unquiet slumbers/Quiet Earth duo as also on Blood on the Rooftops give them a haunting quality that the band otherwise doesn't always seem to attain. Likewise, his short solo towards the end of One for the Vine supplies badly needed momentum to what almost feels like an extended ballad. One for the Vine and Quiet Earth also have some quirky sonic moments to enliven an at times pedestrian affair.

Of the others, Afterglow is not bad but I am probably not in the mood for more Collins-balladry by then. Wot Gorilla is an enjoyable instrumental though it doesn't particularly make a telling point when it's done. This album has more focus than A Trick of the Tail though I am not sure an autumnal mood works so well for Genesis. The production certainly doesn't help matters, seemingly taking the bottom out of their sound. I feel the album would sound more 'alive' than it does if Collins and Rutherford's grooves were allowed to assault the ears the way they otherwise would.

It is in fact for such moments of quirk as mentioned earlier, the usual Hackettry and Collins's skills as drummer that I give the album 3 stars without hesitation. I desire some more inspiration and liveliness from an album that is generally well put together and 'professional' but somewhat run-of-the-mill by Genesis standards.

In my not so humble opinion . . .

It's been entirely too long since I did a review. I think I only reviewed one album last year and nothing this year as of yet so it's time to jump back onto the bandwagon so to speak. Why not start with an old classic, Wind and Wuthering.

Let's face it, I'm not going to say a lot about Wind and Wuthering that hasn't been said before, it's one of my top twenty albums, frequently peeking into the top ten. It's a classic, one from the golden age of Genesis, in my opinion. My goal here is to, well, to start reviewing again, but also to share the magic of this album to the two people on this site that haven't heard it yet.

The definition of a five star album is an album that is 'essential' and 'a masterpiece of prog'. This folks is not only essential for the musical quality, but also for the historical relevance. On their last album, Tony Banks and the boys went for a two minute atmospheric noodling at the end of "Entangled". It was the beginning of a genre. Wind and Wuthering picked up on the atmospheric vibe of those two minutes and expanded it into a full length album.

You can hear the transition from symphonic prog to neo throughout the album. This is a softer, more keyboard dominated album than the previous Genesis albums. Also, as a departure from the Gabriel era, this is a much more emotional, personal album.

The opener, "The Eleventh Earl of Mar" is all about atmosphere. The lyrics are your typical prog, eccentric story, but the chorus is the simple, and emotional plea, "Daddy, you promised . . . you promised." Suddenly, the lyrics get a little personal, which is one of the mainstays of Neo Prog. "One for the Vine" continues to show the lyrical transition from distant and analytical to up close and personal. We have a typical prog, rambling lyrical story, but like the lead off track, we're hearing the emotions of the hero ooze out in the lyrics. The personal, emotional aspect is still new. This theme continues on the second side of the album and really sets the stage for Marillion, IQ and the Neo Prog movement.

I'm not going to give a song by song review, it's been done so many times before, but if you've been living under a rock and haven't heard this album, give it a spin. It's a classic, Steve Hackett has some of his most soulful guitar work and Tony Banks adds a new level of atmospheric layering to his synths. If that doesn't move you, this album started an era. Whether you like Neo or not, this album is historically important to Prog and not to be missed.

Review Nº 132

'Wind And Wuthering' is another studio album of Genesis that closes one more musical cycle in the life of this great band. This is the album that closes the Steve Hackett's cycle. Hackett left the group in 1977 after their acclaimed second live album 'Seconds Out' released in 1977, which became his final release with Genesis. Once again, the group decided not to replace the lack of another band's member. So, Mike Rutherford took the guitar and bass duties in the studio. During their live performances, he alternated guitar and bass duties with the American session musician Daryl Stuermer, which became with Chester Thompson a permanent live band's member. This represents also a landmark in Genesis' career, because for many fans, 'Wind And Wuthering' represents the last truly great and prog album of them.

'Wind And Wuthering' is the eighth studio album of Genesis and was released also in 1976, like their seventh studio work 'A Trick Of The Tail'. The album has nine tracks. The first track 'Eleventh Earl Of Mar' written by Tony Banks, Mike Rutherford and Steve Hackett is a typical Genesis opening track. It's a fantastic song to open the album and the music was composed in the basic style of Genesis' music. Musically, it's a complex song and is a kind of a return to their musical past. The second track 'One For The Vine' written by Banks is another fantastic song, totally different from the previous one, but with the same quality level. It's a wonderful and melodic song where the music is very rich in arrangements and that combines various styles. For my taste, this is one of the best and most beautiful compositions written by Banks. This is the main reason why Banks is with Hackett one of my favourite elements of Genesis. The third track 'Your Own Special Way' written by Rutherford is, for me, the weakest track on the album, and despite being written by Rutherford, looks more like a song composed by Collins. However and despite be a very good ballad with great melody, is like the title track of 'A Trick Of The Tail'. Both are in an inferior level and both are somewhat out of the high quality of both albums. The fourth track 'Wot Gorilla?' written by Banks and Collins is an instrumental track and is the smallest song on the album. It's a great instrumental track which gives to each band's member a chance to show what they really can do musically, and it reminds us, how great and brilliant these four musicians are. The fifth track 'All In A Mouse's Night' written by Banks is one of the band's more interesting songs and is one of my favourites too. Musically, it's a complex song with excellent combination of high and low points and it has also delightful lyrics. It's the kind of songs that use the very typical progressive method created by Genesis. The sixth track 'Blood On The Rooftops' written by Hackett and Collins is another fantastic song of this album, and is, as I remember, one of the best songs co-written by Collins on the band. This is a very pretty track with beautiful classical guitar introduction very well accompanied by the mellotron and the melodious Collins' voice. This is a very English beautiful and melancholic song. The lyrics are very contemporary and satirical. The seventh track 'Unquiet Slumbers For The Sleepers'' written by Hackett and Rutherford and the eighth track ''In That Quiet Earth' written by Banks, Hackett, Collins and Rutherford are in fact a single song that are only split because of its copyright. This is really a fantastic and energetic instrumental track, is one of the favourite songs of the fans and is one of my favourite tracks too. We even can say that this instrumental song is in the same vein of 'Los Endos' of 'A Trick Of The Tail'. The ninth and last track 'Afterglow' written by Banks represents the grand final for this fantastic and unforgettable musical work. This is one of the most majestic themes ever composed by Banks, and so, no wonders that this is for him one of his favourite Genesis' songs. We can consider that 'Afterglow' is the atmospheric, relaxing and magical moment of this great album. It's the third and final part of three fantastic suite pieces of music which closes this album with a really great musical atmosphere.

Conclusion: 'Wind And Wuthering' always was one of my favourite albums of Genesis. It's one of the most perfects, complexes, progressive and beautiful albums released by them too. Unfortunately, it's also the last studio album with the participation of Hackett, which would prove to be fatal for the end of the progressive music in Genesis. 'Wind And Wuthering' is also the last masterpiece of the group, and surely it wasn't irrelevant the presence of Hackett on the album. If we compare 'Wind And Wuthering' with 'A Trick Of The Tail', the only two studio albums from Genesis without Gabriel and still with Hackett on board, we will realise that 'Wind And Wuthering' is probably better arranged, less romantic and less gentle than its predecessor. With the last notes of 'Afterglow' ends a wonderful book that began with the words 'Looking For Someone' on 'Trespass', and panned seven years full of glorious tales. Soon enough, the remaining trio would already to seal the story with pop music with good quality and sometimes, with a touch of prog. However, it never was the same. They achieved a lot of success in their career, but prog was almost dead from now on.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

Without Peter Gabriel, and Steve Hackett with a foot and a half outside due to undisguised musical differences with the rest of the band, Genesis releases "Wind and Wuthering", the last production with progressive overtones before embarking on their path through different musical currents.

We are no longer going to find apocalyptic supper´s readies, nor ruthless fights between opposing groups in the forests of Epping, those times were already history, but with "Wind and Wuthering" the band develops very successful songs, using the progressive patterns that still existed in their veins, and with a lot of prominence from keyboardist Tony Banks.

The sprawling "Eleventh Earl of Mar" and "One for the Vine" with their varied and changing landscapes; Hackett's impeccably clean classical guitar opening "Blood on the Rooftops"; and the final sequence of the album, from the instrumental and complementary "Unquiet Slumbers for the Sleepers..." and "...In That Quiet Earth" to the melancholic "Afterglow", are all signs that Genesis said goodbye with honor to the genre. that they knew how to develop and enlarge in the early 70s.

After "Wind and Wuthering" was over, Hackett left the band to focus on his solo career (in fact he had already released the very good "Voyage of the Acolyte" from 1975), and the leadership of Genesis and their future musical path would begin to be marked from that moment by Phil Collins.

3.5/4 stars