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Progressive Rock CD Reviews

Genesis Live Review by Steve Alspach An import for a number of years, Genesis Live is a rather good document of the band during its heyday in the early 1970s. Recorded in some small town halls, the sound may not be all that great, but there's no denying the talent displayed by Messrs. Banks, Collins, Gabriel, Hackett, and Rutherford in their early days. This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2003 Year Book Volume 1 at https://garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2003-and-2004/.

Track by Track Review

Watcher of the Skies The crowd roars its approval at the opening mellotron chord. Though Banks' mellotron sounds rather scratchy, the rest of the song is quite good.

Get 'em Out By Friday This is a straightforward rendition of the song off 1972's Foxtrot album. Gabriel adds a little bit of flair in the announcement from Genetic Control.

The Return of the Giant Hogweed There's a bit of good-natured drama with this song. Hackett's guitar is at its most powerful, and his interplay with Banks is quite good.

The Musical Box Following the impromptu bass pedal solo, the band plays this piece using the full spectrum of dynamics, ranging from delicate to double-time crunch. Hackett's lead plays well against Banks' counterpoint organ playing. The closing section is perhaps the best recorded version by the band.

Knife The closer off of the Trespass album, this song rocks twice as hard on this album, but Hackett's playing (hey, Anthony Phillips is a fine musician, but as a rock guitarist?) and Phil Collins' drumming give this song the drive it needs to be successful.

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