SELLING ENGLAND BY THE POUND

My oh my, what an album. This was my first Genesis album that I received almost a year ago, and I'll admit I wasn't too impressed at first listen. After all, I had just gotten into progressive music via Close to the Edge and Fragile, and at first I couldn't understand at all how in the world this album could be rated more highly overall. It wasn't a good album to be introduced to the band, really; it seems more like one of those albums that you come to appreciate more after being introduced to the band from their more accessible albums. I even almost submitted a review giving four stars, and (thankfully) my computer wasn't working quite right at the time, and know after listening to it more closely as well as getting my hands on more early Genesis albums, I finally came to understand why this album truly is a masterpiece. I fell in love with Foxtrot and it's epic Supper's Ready, and found SEBTP to be a bit more delicate and artistic overall, as well as somewhat better produced - and that's saying a lot. The whole album from start to finish is pure musical bliss, the only not so incredible song being obviously More Fool Me, but this is easily made up for and then some. Firth of Fifth and Cinema Show are highlights for me personally. I even came to appreciate The Battle of Epping Forest, which I thought kind of a stupid song at first, but after listening to Phil's futile attempts at theatrics on some of Trick of the Tail I came realize why these obscure lines that Peter Gabriel does are so great, and quite amusing as well. I still feel, while this album, does indeed well represent symphonic progressive music at it's best, it does not quite transcend the genre like Close to the Edge. Nonetheless it (as well as Foxtrot) is for certain one of the essential albums for any progressive listener.