WIND & WUTHERING

Their second adventure without Gabriel, 'Wind And Wuthering' certainly saw Genesis changing yet further, but again delivering an album of awesome, powerful music. Imagine the unmistakable, timeless style of 'A Trick Of The Tail' but skew it towards the intensity and heaviness of 'Dance On A Volcano' and 'Squonk' and you'll have a good idea of what to expect here.

The album mixes strongly lyrical tales such as 'Eleventh Earl Of Mar' and 'One For The Vine', more beautiful, broad statements like 'Blood On The Rooftops' (possibly the best ever Genesis track co-written by Collins?), and many instrumental workouts typical of early Genesis, here in perhaps their most tight and accomplished form. Even 'Wot Gorilla?'s non sequitur title belies what is in fact an incredible track, positively blazing with Collins' superb drumming and indeed the whole band in full overdrive on a sophisticated jam you might never have heard before but know right away you've been waiting for forever. 'All In A Mouse's Night' is also in danger of suffering from its title and (relatively) light story, but again the listener is likely to be surprised by the brilliance of the music on show - Collins' cymbal work as the vocals first kick in is breathtaking, turning around the vocal melody and not letting the crescendo that carries this strange but exciting little tale die out until the piece shifts. The band could easily have carried far more serious subject matter with Banks' genius composition here, but this is still good as it stands, dynamically moving through many different tones. The album closes with an extended suite comprised of three segued tracks: two instrumentals, and the triumphant, anthemic climax, 'Afterglow'. Despite the rollercoaster ride that has preceded, somehow the album sustains its energy even through this, beginning with the densely layered acoustic and classical guitars of 'Unquiet Slumbers For the Sleepers...' which ebb and flow like an oncoming autumnal tide of emotion and exuberance. And the promise is kept, breaking into '...In That Quiet Earth', the band return to the full-scale assault found in 'Wot Gorilla?' before finally fleshing out into the relentless confrontation against personal loss that is 'Afterglow'.

'Wind And Wuthering' is actually a very enigmatic album, by no means resting on the laurels of their previous masterpiece, and delivers what I can only describe as an extremely confident presentation of some of Genesis' most energetic ideas. Behold music that is heavy without resorting to huge chunks of metal. This sounds like a band finally at ease with who they are, casually riding on their own inertia and free to explore, with Banks and Collins' performances in particular scaling new heights in complicated, symphonic rock. Plenty to investigate, delightfully packaged, an essential album.