ABACAB

Maybe the more Genesis controversial album, so it is for me too. Abacab has many lights and shadows, and as a balance I will not consider it essential. Definitiely Genesis went to a different sound from here, specially because the hard guitar riffs, which stand out in the album.

Abacab: Good track, in which the best is in the second half. A strong and simple but non conventional instrumental piece in which the counterpoint between the three musicians is great. The use of the Prophet Synt and hard guitar riffs gives a special taste. The first part is good but repetitive, with strange lyrics written by Rutherford. The intro is superb. The live versions, specially in TSL are far better.

Dodo / Lurker: The best track of the album. A true progressive number in wich Banks made the main thing. The track starts with strong tunes combining in a great way the keyboards and guitars over a solid bass-drum job. The arrangements are really good, and the track becomes better in the live versions. But the best becomes at the second half, called Lurker. After an almost talked line by Collins, the track flows into an original keyboard solo in the old prog style over a good percussion work, followed with a superb symphonyc piece. This structure repeats again till the a full orchestra ending wich is really addictive.

Me and Sarah Jane: A Banks track, and in his own words, the last he mades using harmonies in the songwriting. I consider this song a progressive number. Is rahter complex, with many variations, and with a non conventional structure. The melody line sung by Collins is really original and wich many great moments. Very Good.

Keep it dark: A simple but effective track, and maybe something original too. Developed over a hard guitar riff, over which Banks brings some low floating keyboards sounds, the best is in the chorus, basically constructed by a superb vocalization of Collins with some echoes over an ambient synth mattress and tribal percussion. Not prog but good.

Like it or not: A Rutherford ballad, in a strong way, that I like much.

No reply at all: A pop number based on a rather complex guitar pattern. Here the band put some winds. I always consider it a mistake, mainly because this would confuse the listener with Phil Collins solo stuff. The winds gives a good arrangement but was unnecessary.

The rest is maybe one of the worst stuff Genesis ever did