THE FUGITIVE

Four years after Banks first solo album, he released The Fugitive. During those four years Genesis had turned itself into a radio-friendly hit machine and shed most of its progressive rock foundation. Tony Banks was no different with this solo album. If you were expecting something like his debut, A Curious Feeling, you will be severely disappointed.

Instead of progressive rock, Banks gave us a collection of keyboard-driven pop numbers, some with minor prog tendencies. The second thing Banks gave us was his voice in all its glory. If you've ever wondered why Banks or Rutherford don't play a more forward role in vocals, this solo album explains a lot about why Banks doesn't.

Even though there isn't much of anything progressive about this album, I must say that some of the music is enjoyable, particularly the instrumentals. Banks can still create some nice melodies, even if this album seems more like goofing off than anything serious. The rest is quite bland and overall there is a sort of "sameness" to the whole album. An interesting acquisition for fans of Banks (and even some Genesis fans), but not important for prog rock collectors. Two stars.