THE LAMB LIES DOWN ON BROADWAY

Is this the best album in the Genesis collection? Sorry, but no it is not. The one thing that I enjoy the most about this album, however, is the fact that it is jam packed with over an hour and a half of music to enjoy, and even with all of that music there is not a single song that can be called plain, flat-out "bad". Of course, there are many a song that serve their purpose as filler between the main tracks.

"The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway" is the opener to the album of the same name, and it is one of, if not my favorite track on this whole entire album. Unfortunately when you start out on a high and the next few songs don't live up to that, the listener is sometimes turned off. It's a good thing Tony Banks is out of the cage and able to pound away at his keys to produce the perfect sounds and melodies for "In The Cage". "The Chamber of 32 Doors" is really the only stand out track left on the first tape/vinyl/disc, whatever you prefer. It is hard-hitting but not over bearing, and with some nice and subtle vocals.

The second part is virtually an alter universe image of the first part. Where the first part was fairly stable with some remotely related songs, the second part is mellow and ambient at times and then it springs into some driving rock n' roll. Almost no flow at all. Also, on top of that, only a limited few of the songs are worth seeking out. The first side is virtually skippable, with the only interesting number being the incredibly Beatles- esque "Lillywhite Lilith". The second half of part two is a big improvement, with the three-part "Colony of Slippermen" and "The Light Lies Down On Broadway" standing out as incredible songs.

Other than those mentioned, the only other enlightening tracks are the quirky but musically lacking songs like "Cuckoo Cocoon" and "The Supernatural Anaesthetist" . Also, "The Waiting Room" has some good drumming near the end. Besides that, the rest is just filler to provide a build-up for the bigger numbers.

The one big thing that I enjoyed about this album is the fact that it is absolutely packed to bursting with music. With over an hour and a half of playing time, you are guaranteed to find at least some things you like. Other than that fact, I don't see why this album is held at such high standards. I would suggest you find some of the other Genesis albums before this. If you can come across this at a fair price, by all means snatch it up. However, I wouldn't recommend breaking your neck and draining your wallet to get this.