SELLING ENGLAND BY THE POUND

Considered by many fans to be the best album Genesis released, it is certainly a tour de force of wit, humour,pathos and general compositional brilliance. The sound on this album is much improved over the earlier albums, and listening to it is a rewarding experience aurally. No weak tracks here, the whole lot blends seamlessly together in an olmost effortless way. Probably the most notable thing on this album is Steve Hackett's emergence as a major player in the band. His guitar work is simply beautiful at times. However, he is matched by Tony Banks's magnificent keyboard work. From the opening unaccompanied vocal from Peter Gabriel, the music is just wonderful. 'Dancing With The Moonlit Knight' is so clever, subtle and melodic it is just ridiculous! 'I Know What I Like' is, of course, a classic. It was also a minor hit for the band. The off the wall lyrics are disturbing in a good way. And here Phil Collins lays down the definitive Genesis beat. 'Firth Of Fifth' continues the string of classic tracks, with the majestic keyboards of Tony Banks underlining the hoarse vocals of Gabriel. And, of course, it has the world famous guitar solo from Hackett. Simply a beautiful piece of guitar work, played almost like a violin. (Something Hackett often tried to do in the early days. He was always trying to make the guitar sound un-guitar like!) 'More Fool Me' is another outing for Phil on vocals, and is a simpler piece, with nice acoustic guitar backing his quite gentle vocals. He wasn't sounding here like Peter Gabriel at all! 'The Battle Of Epping Forest' is another classic. (Even my mum, who died in 1987 liked this track. She loved the lyrics!) Based on a gangland fight, it is amusing and has wonderful wordplay, with different voices and accents as required. (Basically, it is a continuation of songs like 'Harold The Barrel' and 'Get 'Em Out By Friday'.) Wonderful stuff! 'After The Ordeal' has long been known to be a Track Tony Banks doesn't much care for. But it is a fine instrumental, with nice piano, before Hackett's fine guitar sidewinds its way over the top. 'The Cinema Show' is yet another classic. Tony Banks shines here, with the sort of playing that dazzles without being overly showy. The ending is a real treat. Finally, 'Aisle Of Plenty' reprises part of the opening track, and has superb wordplay based on local supermarkets and their prices at the time. Nothing else to add really. Definitely a classic and worthy of five stars. Nevertheless, for me it is not their best album. That was coming up next...