A TRICK OF THE TAIL

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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