ABOUT "A TRICK OF THE TAIL"

Ah 'Trick of the tail'

Not a fan of Phil collins led Genesis albums...but it's hats off for this one.

 

 

 

 

Yep! Love that album, one i can play over and over

Ripples is probably the best of Phil Collins era songs.

A Trick Of The Tail is the most consistent Genesis album for me - they never hit the heights of inspiration that they reached with Gabriel, but there really isn't a bad song on it - even the token 'comedy' number, Robbery, Assaualt and Battery, doesn't start to grate after repeated listens, unlike Get 'em Out by Friday or The battle of Epping Forest. I also saw the TOTT tour, which was my first prog gig (Stafford Bingley Hall, 1976), so the album has special significance for me.

It's an interesting point though Ja Ja. Could they have made such an album with Gabriel still in the fold? "The lamb..." seems to indicate that Gabriel's inflence was getting stronger with each album, so I suspect their change of style may have come sooner had he stayed.

I think even by that time he was starting to turn his back on prog, and look for new areas to explore. 

 

This was the album that showed the world that there was still Genesis life after Gabriel: well, Collins was more than eager to display his jazz leanings, Banks was specially inspired in his writing and performing, and Hackett was also enjoying some more space for his soloing and textures to come forward, while Rutherford continued to do some more progress in his achievement of musical maturity. His composition 'Ripples' (with some additional stuff rpovided by Banks) is one of the most beautiful Genesis pieces ever, and sure Hackett knows how to enhance its appeal with his soloing from the instrumental interlude onwards. IMHO, the only 5-star Genesis album sans-Gabriel.

Great stuff. The following album 'Wind & Wuthering' is almost as good (4 1/2 stars), and even gave room for some of the most amazing Hackett inputs for Genesis  -  'Blood on the Rooftops' is my fave Hackett-era Genesis tune.

But soon fater... then there were three, and we all know what happened afterwards.

Regards.

Jaja:

I have always loved, admired and respected TOTT.  However, I actually prefer Wind & Wuthering, which I think is even "deeper," and more "compelling"; the "sound" on TOTT is "lighter," more playful.  And that's great and appropriate, given the general "playfulness" of the material.  However, I prefer the slightly "darker" tone of W&W, which sends chills up my spine in many places, including Eleventh Earl, One for the Vine (without question the greatest post-Gabriel Genesis composition), and especially Blood on the Rooftops.  Even the arrangements and sounds of the oft-maligned Wot Gorilla and Unquiet Slumbers are far more intense than most people give them credit for.  And what can one say about Afterglow?  It is simply the most majestic, heart-wrenching, tear-jerking Genesis tune since at least Can Utility.

But, then, that's just my opinion...

Peace.

Hi Guys.

I forget to say that the albun's art sleeve (very, very beautiful), makes me think in Lewis Carrol stories books (as "Selling Engand" did too).

I think that this Album is miles away better then "Wind and Wuthering" but in this last one has the best song of both albuns: "One for th Vine".

Best Greetings...

Hi Ivan

I got it... I'm from the vinyl era. And some record I kept with me because there were senastional art works on the sleeves...

 

Edited by Jaja Brasil

Second best Genesis album after SEBTP, ten out of ten. Mad Man Moon is my all-time favourite song, not just by Genesis but by any artist. And Ripples and Entangled are excellent as well. Although Peter Gabriel is the best, I'm not sure whether he would have made the album even better. Say what you will about Phil (and I've said a lot myself), but in this album his vocals are excellent.