NURSERY CRYME

The band's third album but first with Collins and Hackett. Like the previous two, the production here is not too good. In all three cases it sounds like the band were on a low budget and had to rush the recordings. All the live versions of the songs here sound better than their studio counterparts. It is often claimed that Genesis were a big influence on many French and Italian prog groups. To some extent maybe, but I think that influence is exaggerated. One place this album was an influence was in heavy metal. Hackett was one of the earliest guitarists to do finger-tapping, and his playing in general is closer to what you would hear in '80s and '90s metal than in '70s rock. Banks also puts his electric piano through a fuzz-box creating a guitar sound. The twin guitar attack(with only one real guitar) was an influence on later bands like Judas Priest and Iron Maiden.

"The Musical Box" is probably the single best song Genesis ever made. I haven't heard a live version that was not better, however. Anthony Phillips co-wrote this song before he left the group. Beginning with organ and the part that goes "I've been waiting here for so long", starts one of the best moments in all prog. Truly classic stuff there. "For Absent Friends" = filler. "The Return Of The Giant Hogweed" is another classic. Great dueting of Hacket's guitar and Banks' electric piano. Everything about this song is just great. I like how near the end Gabriel's vocals are recorded at a different speed, giving him a deeper voice.

"Seven Stones" is perhaps the most underrated / undervalued / underwhatever song Genesis ever did. I like the part with harmony vocals and bass pedals. That part leads up to one of the greatest Mellotron solos ever. "Harold The Barrell" is a good song. Almost has a late 70s/early 80s New Wave-ish type vibe. A rare glimpse of humour from this band at this early stage. The piano at the end reminds me of the first album for some reason. "Harlequin" is better than "Friends" but not by much. Sounds like a leftover from Trespass.

"The Fountain Of Salmacis" begins very majestic with good organ and the Mellotron. I love what the rhythm section is doing when Gabriel starts to sing. Later Collins does some jazzy drumming. A rare example of a jazz influence in Genesis' music. This song features some metal-like guitar soloing from Hackett. A really good album overall, but the superior live versions of these songs almost makes this album obsolete. They really found themselves on this album but would go on to write better songs and have better sounding albums. 3 stars.