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Hey! You're trespassing! Go back to the Genesis page NOW! It's So Pass That It's Trespass
Overall Album Score: 8.1 out of 10 Hola! The beginning of Genesis as we know it starts right here (except, of course, Phil Collins hadn't ruined-I mean *joined* the band yet). While their generally underrated debut (From Genesis to Revelation) was more of a Moody Blues/Procol Harum clone, this is a genuine Genesis album. It's like that structurally (the songs are towering, over five minutes long, and utilizes the same general instruments) as well as lyrically (Gabriel and company muster up some more interesting, philosophical subject matter that I won't try to make judgments on because I'm a big idiot.) However, like its predecessor, it is underrated as well. Both albums deserve to be placed among Genesis's finest ... especially this one. I fully acknowledge that this album is fairly weak compared to the band's later efforts. But, for all Genesis album collectors, this album is more than essenential! (Oh man, I need a drinkie.) I once met a drunk mime and he told me that he liked this album as well. The drunk mime, of course, didn't actually say this (he had his vocal chords removed), but he expressed it. He expressed it by taking a leak in the bushes. Of course, he didn't take a *real* leak. (This mime had his urinary tract removed.) If the drunk mime can like it, so can you! The album was released in 1970, which means the band had plenty of time to be influenced by King Crimson's In the Court of the Crimson King. However, Genesis doesn't blindly copy that album. Not in the least bit. This one is much more symphonic in nature and, if I may say so, quite a bit more accessible to Joe Public. That's not to say that Trespass is better than that major King Crimson debut! No! King Crimson's debut is much more emotion inducing and intriguing than this bugger! However, I've listened to a few minor Prog Rock bands though (like Greenslade and Spirogyra), and Trespass beats them right out of the H20! So, consider this album a minor classic in the Prog Rock genre. (Nursery Crime follows this album, which is actually quite a bit better than this.) Prospective Genesis fans: the only place to start a Genesis collection is Selling England By the Pound. Overall Album Score: 8.1 out of 10 (It's not cool enough to be one of Genesis's TOP albums, but it still is quite special. This album comes highly recommended by me!) Average Song Score: 8.3 (Nothing here that's earth-shattering, but they are all very solid and entertaining.) Album Tilt: 8.5 (This album is interesting enough for me to consider it an early Progressive Rock classic!) Artist Tilt: 7.5 (Artistically, it ought to score high, because this is, in fact, an art album! But, I won't boost the score with this category, because Genesis came out with enough albums that exceeded this big time in artistic quality. This is almost a before-they-got good scenario. But they were pretty good to begin with. Besides ... there are too many dull spots in here and too many moments when I question their abilities.) Track Reviews Looking For Someone 9.0/10 Alright! This is a very captivating, rather eerie, Genesis song! It's also thundering, dynamic, and, most importantly of all, it is INTERESTING. Tony Banks doesn't mindlessly piddle around with that keyboard like some those losers over at King Crimson do with their instruments. And the melody here is quite beautiful at times! It's not a major standout in the Genesis catalogue, but it's wonderful just the same, if not entirely memorable. But it's accessible! And good to the last bite. White Mountain 8.0/10 Hmmm... The All-Music Guide calls it one of the best tracks of the album. George Starostin calls it moronic and the worst track of the album due mostly to the lyrics. Me ... I'm stuck in the middle. The lyrics don't bother me, for one. Sure, it is quite stupid, but I've heard much worse from, for instance, Uriah Heep. It's kind of a weird, dumb fantasy thing. At least it doesn't disgust me. What I like about this song, however, is the musical quality. It was done well enough to make me enjoy listening to it. Even though certain parts sound too much like they were written for a low budget movie or a video game or something. (And the haberdasher says to the prostitute: "Video games in 1970? Surely you vest!") Vision of Angels 9.0/10 Another solidly good track! The lyrics here are much better (and more visionary) than the last track. Both tracks are very pleasing, but here, the B-movie connection is fortunately lost. (And the haberdasher says to the prostitute: "Man, I won't get anywhere if I keep fitting you for clothing.) This track is also more towering and rather breathtaking, actually. Good track! My second favorite. Stagnation 7.5/10 It's still a pretty song, it just fails to captivate me like all those other songs did. It's also nearly 9 minutes, which is on the borderline for being too long, and bits get a teeny bit dull. The melody isn't anything to get excited over, either. However, the song is perfectly listen-able and enjoyable. I like some of the choices for instruments here (like that synthesizer sliding all over the place). I think much of it resulted from experimentation, but it turned out nicely and it benefited the song that much more. Dusk 7.5/10 This one is probably even less interesting than "Stagnation," but this track is only half the length. It's perfectly listen-able; it just extends this album's streak of relative boringness. Though, I guess it isn't *really* boring. The Knife 9.0/10 What a track to close the album with! Even though I refuse to give it listening-preference to the more breathtaking "Vision of Angels," I think this is also a very strong song. This track is the album's loudest and most dynamic by far. That doesn't mean it is as beautiful as these other songs, but it might just very well be the album's best. Am I like Marty? Or am I like Biff? E-mail your opinion about this album here. slb23@shaw.ca (Simon B.) received July 21, 2004 I'm pretty sure this was my first Peter Gabriel-era Genesis
album. I've had it ever since ~1998, and I still think it's one of
their best. Gabriel's voice matured a lot since FROM GENESIS TO REVELATION,
and so did their sound (exit the BeeGees/Moody Blues influence and
enter a more early King Crimson/ELP-ish sound). John Mayhew is not as bad a
drummer as some people say he is. He's a good drummer, but nowere near
Phil Collins or Bill Bruford.
variztia@yahoo.com (Vicente Ariztia L) received Jan. 12, 2005 Trespass happens to be the first Genesis album in which I see a good PG writing good "songsouls". I have some questions: Is it an accordion playing at the begining of "The knife" or is it a keyboard? That melody sounds pretty much like a Gabriel melody, although I know it is a Gabriel-Banks song. |
All reviews are copyrighted by Michael Lawrence. He likes-a Peter Gabriel.
