SELLING ENGLAND BY THE POUND

One of Prog's crown jewels, Selling England by the Pound shows a band truly hitting its stride. Additionally, this 1973 album, rather than the smash 1974 double LP The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, is Genesis' magnum opus. There is a magic about this album, from the cover art by Betty Swanwick to Peter Gabriel's lyrical & vocal excellence to the individual performances, especially Phil Collins and Steve Hackett. After listening to this album from beginning to end, you get the feeling of having listened to a 40 minute tone poem.

Among the highlights are the intense opening track "Dancing With the Moonlit Knight", with Peter Gabriel's haunting a cappella vocals."I Know What I Like...", with its huge organ tones and lawnmower sounds, is a Genesis classic. "Firth of Fifth" features some lovely piano work from Tony Banks, nimble-wristed drumming by Phil Collins, but the real MVP is Steve Hackett and his majestic and atmospheirc guitar solo. "More Fool Me" shows the future of Genesis with Phil Collins taking the lead voice, and "The Battle of Epping Forest" shows Peter Gabriel at his best both as a lyricist and vocalist. It highlights his penchant for multi-role theatrics. "Cinema Show" is perhaps the best track on the album. It features more lyrical/ vocal excellence from Gabriel, strong instrumental prowess from Banks and Hackett, and some of Collins' best drumming ever. His effortless timekeeping during the 7/8 section shows why Collins was one of the very best drummers in rock music, long before he became a pop star.

Selling England By the Pound is an absolute must to own for any fan of Prog. It shows one of Prog's best bands riding high on wave a of momentum that carried through to the next album,The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway, and helped make it a hit. However, give a listen to Selling England By the Pound and hear what Genesis fans in-the-know have known for years about this classic album. It is their true magnum opus.