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Mike Rutherford - Smallcreep's Day CD (album) cover

SMALLCREEP'S DAY

Mike Rutherford

 

Prog Related

3.72 | 187 ratings

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genbanks
5 stars When I make a review I try to evaluate several things, for example, the presence of prog elements or the quality of the songwriting. I think that Mike Rutherford is without doubts a great songwritter.Him, with Tony Banks, were the main songwriters of all Genesis career, from 1968 till 1997. Of course, seems to be that Mike, when he wants, do something great, prog or pop, but not always things goes by this way. Here, he made an exceptional album, which along other soloist albums like A Courious Feeling of Banks or Wet Dream of Wright, are something iconic (IMO) of that era into the prog rock universe. The album is well balanced between a great songwriting, enough prog elements here and there and good instrumentations. The presence of Ant Phillips in the keyboards was surely one of the keys of this album, he made a great job, and the voice of the unknown Noel McCalla fits really well with muscial context. When I originally bought the LP, the suite Smallcreep's day was in the side one, and the rest of the songs in the side two, so I will review it by this order. The suite is just stunning, begining with the enigmatic and peacefull piece Between the tick and the tock, based over a keyboard motive and the voice of McCalla, to get then into the moving track Working in line, initially suported over an acoustic riff to get then into an incredible electric guitar solo, just great. Despiting a pair of filler tracks (good too), the rest of the suite includes Cats and Rats, a good one, and then two of the main highlights of the album: the instrumental Out into the daylight, based on a picking guitar pattern (in the vein of Follow you follow me or Turn it on again), and consisting mainly in a lead guitar solos. Then this great track flow into the ballad At the end of the day. This ballad, a truly prog ballad could be called something like an anthem, and here surely Phillips has much to do, cos the keyboard maitressare simply outstanding from the begining tilll the end of this marvelous song. The voice of McCalla seems to be ideal for the track, the lyrics are absolutely beautiful and melancholic, but in the last half things are even greater, with a shorter but extraordinary electric guitar motive and this keyboard ending that is something that moves me everytime I hear it.

The rest of the songs make up something great too. From the rocking Moonshine resting over this electric guitar sound that surround the album all the time, passing by the amazing ballad Time and time again, based on a piano motive and with almost poetic lyrics, or the acoustic Every road, simply a piece of art. Romani and Overnight job, are rock tracks with addictive guitar riffs.

I don't know if this is a masterpiece or not, but is something essential and almost perfect, so it has the merit for the five stars.

genbanks | 5/5 |

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