Smallcreep's Day, Mike Rutherford

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Does anyone else out there think this is a great album?

Mike Rutherford's debut solo album reunited the Phillips/Rutherford dream team, responsible for so much great music on Genesis' Trespass album and it was good to hear Ant concentrate on keyboards leaving Mike to tackle the guitar/bass duties (in grand style) and Noel McCalla (vocals) and Simon Phillips (drums) were inspired choices too. 

The side-long title suite is especially notable, following a day in the life of a downtrodden factory worker who finds out the factory isn't quite what it seems (shades of The Grand Parade of Lifeless Packaging from The Lamb), very dynamic and running a gamut of styles from the mellow and atmospheric to the fiery, this compact group of excellent musicians display a tremendous tightness and flexibility in their performances. The strong romanticism of the closing movement, At The End Of The Day is very moving and emotional, beautifully sung by McCalla. The second side of shorter songs doesn't quite reach the heights of the title track but is still well worth a listen. Recommended.

The mystery was how Rutherford never made another album that came anywhere near the heights of Smallcreep's Day, his later output being a tad too 'FM' for my ears - perhaps Ant Phillips was the magic ingredient missing on these later outings?

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AlanD Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member Joined: August 28 2008 Location: Portsmouth Status: Offline Points: 135	Topic: Smallcreep's Day, Mike Rutherford Posted: February 20 2009 at 09:40
	Does anyone else out there think this is a great album? Mike Rutherford's debut solo album reunited the Phillips/Rutherford dream team, responsible for so much great music on Genesis' Trespass album and it was good to hear Ant concentrate on keyboards leaving Mike to tackle the guitar/bass duties (in grand style) and Noel McCalla (vocals) and Simon Phillips (drums) were inspired choices too. The side-long title suite is especially notable, following a day in the life of a downtrodden factory worker who finds out the factory isn't quite what it seems (shades of The Grand Parade of Lifeless Packaging from The Lamb), very dynamic and running a gamut of styles from the mellow and atmospheric to the fiery, this compact group of excellent musicians display a tremendous tightness and flexibility in their performances. The strong romanticism of the closing movement, At The End Of The Day is very moving and emotional, beautifully sung by McCalla. The second side of shorter songs doesn't quite reach the heights of the title track but is still well worth a listen. Recommended. The mystery was how Rutherford never made another album that came anywhere near the heights of Smallcreep's Day, his later output being a tad too 'FM' for my ears - perhaps Ant Phillips was the magic ingredient missing on these later outings?
	AlanD

Man Erg Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: August 26 2004 Location: Isle of Lucy Status: Offline Points: 7456	Posted: February 20 2009 at 09:52
	I really like this album. It has similarities,especially the Noel McCalla vocals, to Steve Hackett's early solo albums. Rutherford's guitar style was still that of emulatlating the style of Hackett's owing to Hackett's then fairly recent departure from Genesis. If I am correct, Ant Phillips only played keyboards on Smallcreep's Day and no guitar whatsoever? The book that it is based on is a very good read too.
	Do 'The Stanley' otherwise I'll thrash you with some rhubarb.

Moogtron III Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Prog Reviewer Joined: April 26 2005 Location: Belgium Status: Offline Points: 10616	Posted: February 20 2009 at 16:11
	It is good in terms of compositions : songs. I like the concept as well, and the artwork. The production could have been better, I suppose, or maybe I'm just not a big fan of Simon Phillips' drumwork (though no doubt he's very talented). I don't know, somehow Rutherford's and Banks' albums don't sound as good as the Genesis albums. It has to do with production, I suppose. I miss a certain punch. Stiil, the album's good. I don't understand either why Mike Rutherford never made an album anymore which was as good as that. Oh well, maybe I do: Mike chose the commercial route with his Mechanics. Tasteful, in some way, but commercial. I used to like The Living Years (album), but not anymore. Bottomline though: Smallcreep's Day is a very good album.