Genesis - Abacab
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Music CD Cover
Artist: GenesisEdition: Music CD
Format: Enhanced
CD Release Date: 2007-05-15
Music Label: Rhino / Wea
Soundtracks:
Music CD 1
- Abacab
- No Reply at All
- Me and Sarah Jane
- Keep It Dark
- Dodo/Lurker
- Who Dunnit?
- Man on the Corner
- Like It or Not
- Another Record
- Abacab [DVD]
- No Reply at All [DVD]
- Me and Sarah Jane [DVD]
- Keep It Dark [DVD]
- Dodo/Lurker [DVD]
- Who Dunnit? [DVD]
- Man on the Corner [DVD]
- Like It or Not [DVD]
- Another Record [DVD]
- Abacab [DVD][*]
- No Reply at All [DVD][*]
- Keep It Dark [DVD][*]
- Man on the Corner [DVD][*]
- Reissue Interviews 2007 [*][Multimedia Track]
- World Tour Programme 1981 [DVD][*]
Free Music Notes for Abacab
Free Music Review: Decent album, but unworthy follow up to "Duke".
Hit: 3 Stars
I'm not one of those Genesis fans that overvalues the contributions of previous members Steve Hackett and Peter Gabriel as invaluable as they were. In fact, in the past few months, my appreciation of their 1980 album, Duke has surpassed such expecations as to become my favorite album of theirs, PERIOD.
However, a change was in the air, and evidenced by the 1981 album, Abacab, we see the former progsters flung fully into Pop mode.
In spite of this, the album isn't half bad. It has an aggression that Phil Collins claimed with that this is their "punk" album, and though this assertion is misguided, its definitely a more rocking and aggressive album at times, while at the same time simplified.
It starts out with "Abacab", a nonsensical, post modern lyric with a prog meets hard rock keyboard line. Its an intelligent merging of prog (some of the turnarounds for sure) and pop and is likely the highlight of the album. Another cool thing about this song is its very aggressive and jarring keyboards, complete with distortion. I've always liked this song, and want to give it its fair due.
The next song is likely the nadir of all prog rock fans who hung around, "No Reply at All". Its the "Misunderstanding" of this album, but also includes something which had not been included in a Genesis album, horns (though Behind the Lines had an approximation on synthesizer).
Its not a bad song per se, but its definitely more of a Phil Solo song, despite the song being listed as written by all three members (the bass lines are all Rutherford though, and the mid-section is classic Tony Banks for sure).
While "Abacab" sounds deceptively complex (4x4 time, keyboards aren't that hard to play but they sound like it, etc), "Keep it Dark", Tony Banks' meditation on alien abduction, is a cool song that takes advantage of a polyrythm, that is, an odd timed guitar over a 4x4 beat and is therefore deceptively simple. Phil Collins uses ANALOG drum loops (not drum machine on this song) to make an almost industrial feel on this and other tracks with some of the clanging sound.
The music on this is slightly new wave influenced (Police, synth pop) but done in a way that is actually pretty cool. I like the textures and some of the more aggressive keyboards. The guitars are a little meatier too this time on some tracks (such as the title track), though nothing too metallic or aggressive. The song "Whodunit" is not the total lamefest that many fans say it is, it sounds like the band is having the most fun doing their best Devo impression. I like the song because its the opposite of many songs Genesis did before and after, that is trying to NOT appeal to people and trying to unnerve them. Like the song, don't love it. "Dodo/Lurker" is another track worth discussing. Its close to prog pop, but it has some cool keyboard lines and some cryptic lyrics. I also like "Me and Sarah Jane" (another Banks song) with its beatlesque, or should I say "70's Genesis-esque" feel along with some reggae style bits.
The rest of the album isn't worth mentioning though to me. "Man in the Corner" is another overtly Phil-solo material sounding track (complete with all drum machine), and those who are familiar with my review of the self-titled album know what I mean by this! The last 2 songs are unmemorable and boring, almost Mike and The Mechanics like (just kidding but yeah Mike Rutherford was involved in writing them).
Overall, I like the album. Its controversial among hard-core fans. But some of the reasons I like it are the same reasons they hate it. It has an aggressive and experimental feel at times that is definitely appealing. It also has a singularity, if you take the last three songs and "No Reply" off, and put the first four songs on the next album on here, it may have even gotten four or five stars from me. It would've been cool if they played upon the "aggressive synth" and sort of new wavey styled songs for the whole album, but Genesis hasn't been known for singularity always, the variety on the album may be a weakness in my eyes though for this exact reason.
Btw: the reissues are definitely worth purchasing. The remastering AND remixing (definitely something more bands should consider, remastering is mainly just volume and eq on the TRACK itself rather than going thru the various crevices and remixing the songs) are excellent and the extras dvd is a worthy treat, though not as cool as the Trick of the Tale or Duke ones. I can't wait until the Peter Gabriel years get such treatment.
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