NURSERY CRYME

Nursery Cryme is Genesis' third studio album. New to the band are two members that would be very important to the unique sound of the band: guitarist Steve Hackett and drummer Phil Collins. Nursery Cryme is often said to be inferior to future releases like Foxtrot and Selling England By The Pound, but I think this album shows the band at their best. The album features several epic pieces and also some shorter pieces. These shorter pieces often are described as "filler" by many people, but I feel that they contribute to the album's quality by adding some softer moments between the epics.

"The Musical Box" opens the album with a gentle intro. This epic song features many different parts, so it's no surprise that after several minutes the power of it gets unleashed. The striking and fuzzy guitar soloing by hackett, the powerful organ by Tony Banks, Phil Collins magnificent drumming, it all sounds fantastic. Peter Gabriel's vocals are very emotional as well, and the sum of these things makes "The Musical Box" an absolute masterpiece. "For Absent Friends" is a soft and brief break, sung by drummer Phil Collins. The song gives the listener a chance to calm down after the epic opener and before another epic piece, "The Return Of The Giant Hogweed". Though not as overwhelming as "The Musical Box", this song still is fantastic. The intro is one of the most convincing intros I've ever heard, having an intense strength. Also, the piano part and the guitar solo after the five minute mark are absolutely lovely. "Seven Stones" is another great song, though it's not one of the short songs and not an epic as well. It's a calm and pretty accesible song, very rich of organ. This is definitely not the best song on the album, but it's a very good one indeed.

"Harold The Barrel" is an unusual piece. Peter Gabriel narrates the story of a man that's on the point of jumping down from a building. Just like Gabriel would do in the future, on Selling England By The Pound, he makes use of different kinds of voices in the song. This isn't a masterpiece obviously, but a fun song definitely. "Harlequin" is a soothing and lovely song, serving the same use as "For Absent Friends". The albums closer is the third epic, the astounding "Fountain Of Salmacis". The song opens with mysterious mellotron sounds, followed by a verse, which is full of Mike Rutherford's excellent bass playing. Everything about this song sounds so good, making it one of my favorite songs ever. The song is fairly straight forward for its length, though the second half features a superb organ and guitar climax. Also the ending of the song is incredibly powerful.

Nursery Cryme is a masterpiece for sure. It features some of Genesis' best moments and because of the shorter, softer songs the album has a very fine flow. The three epics on this album are among my favorite songs ever made, and in my opinion are superior to songs like "Firth To Fifth" and "Watcher Of The Skies", which are favorites among many Genesis fans. This album deserves nothing less than five stars.