Rating: 9/10

Track Amount: 8

Running Time: 53 minutes and 37 seconds

Genre: Progressive Rock

Personnel: Peter Gabriel (vocals, wind instrumentation, percussion), Tony Banks (keyboards, electronics and 12-string guitar), Steve Hackett (guitars), Mike Rutherford (guitars, bass guitars and additional instrumentation), Phil Collins (vocals, drums and percussion)

Producer: Genesis & John Burns

Recording Location: Island Studios, London, UK

Record Label: Atlantic Records

Art Direction: Betty Swanwick

Best Tracks: Dancing With The Moonlit Knight, The Battle Of Epping Forest

Quick Verdict: One of the best Progressive Rock albums ever made

The United Kingdom was falling behind economically in the 1970s amid Industrial decline and the domination of US influence on its society and culture. Genesis captured this concept and delivered a pseudo-concept album of songs that attacked the monotony of US culture and its influence on the UK, which has largely continued well into the 21st century. Peter Gabriel, the vocalist of Genesis, borrowed the album title from a UK Labour Party 1973 manifesto (indicating that the band was not a USA sell out) statement during a time period when the Conservatives under Sir Edward Heath were running the UK, amidst a national decline and a time when the UK was no longer seen as a dominant power, with the days of the British Empire being numbered. Politics aside, this album was quickly recorded and released after Foxtrot (1972), and although it did chart, critics were fairly divided over the album back on its release in 1973. Despite that, many today acknowledge this album as a classic album of its own kind. This album put Genesis onto the Progressive Rock radar more so than before, and the music is the most important thing of all on this album. Let’s take a listen to the music present, and we shall hear if it still holds up to this very day.

1. Dancing With The Moonlit Knight begins with the opening vocal line, “Can you tell me where my country lies?” and it launches into a song railing against materialism amongst some pretty and awesome 12-string acoustic guitar playing and cool keyboards, with singing mentioning the album title. These guys quite clearly understood the music and mission at hand. The music itself is fantastic to hear, with some neat arrangements and sounds. This album release is something that all English historians should familiarise themselves with. The song itself launches into an absolutely fantastic and nicely structured Progressive Rock piece that is both anthemic and fantastic. There are many structural and sonic changes throughout. The sped-up section of guitar based glory on this song is fantastic. Instantly, one can hear that this is a genuinely great song. It sounds euphoric, awesome and fantastic throughout. Most Rock musicians are on the left of politics, and Genesis articulated the decline and fall of the British Empire very well on this song in an intelligent, sonically wonderful and Progressive Rock way that makes sense if you believe in Socialism. A seriously cool and inspired listen with many layers of great sonic exploration at hand. It never gets dull or boring throughout and is absolutely a classic song at hand. The guitar soloing throughout, in particular, is very solidly impressive to listen to. The keyboards are quirky themselves, and add a level of sonic tastiness to the whole song. An adventurous tune that breaks down into flute instrumentation in the second half, with some sweet and lovely instrumentation, including what sounds like mandolin soloing away. Very, very different. This builds up to a fantastic and awesomely suspenseful conclusion at hand. Neat and cool, that is for sure. A wonderful listen if you were a musician and aware of the decline of the UK back in the 1970s. Killer. It ends with the elongated outro fading out.

2. I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe) begins with some sonically advanced keyboard sounds that are quite dark and foreboding, alongside piano. Some unusual percussion enters, along with some mock British speaking, eventually launching into a sweet and quintessentially British tune at hand. This sounds really sweet and excellent for what it is. In hindsight, this is already a classic album of mammoth proportions that any Rock Music fan should listen to and experience. The harmonies and singing are glorious throughout, just sounding absolutely sweet and enjoyable. There is something to be said of this music, which seems to point out a bleak future of English life at the helm, which has largely come true over the decades following its release. The music and sounds are really amazingly fantastic to listen to. The spoken word sections make this a bit of a weird listen, but the music, variable sounds and polished production make this a clear winner. Not bad for a four-minute-long tune. Very interesting, and very, very clever. It ends with the dark keyboards from the intro.

3. Firth Of Fifth is a nine-minute-long piece beginning with some fantastic piano playing at hand. This launches into a song piece that sounds fantastic, originally melodic and brilliant throughout. An amazing tune at hand, the piano is pseudo-Classical Music at hand, which is a good mixture in the world of Progressive Rock. Soon enough, this launches into some really fantastic music at hand with some neat singing and glorious British Rock Music at hand. This is a fantastic listen, once again, that certainly deserves your time and ears. This music is a one-of-a-kind that has multiple polished sections of amazing sound and production that sound light years ahead of other music and music trends of the time. It goes from anthemic to blissful in the breakdown, with some pseudo-Classical Music flourishes at hand. This sounds superb and fantastic throughout. This breaks down back into the section of piano and flute near the midsection, which is sweet and very different overall. The flute is lovely as well, and it sounds really inspired and amazing throughout for a song of this sort. King Crimson no doubt would have loved this tune and paid close attention to people like Genesis back in the day. This artistic and intelligent music launches back into glorious action with keyboards galore and imaginative sounds and structures you never thought existed in Progressive Rock Music. A fantastic song with so much going on, it set the scene for Oasis’s 1997 album Be Here Now with its many layers of sound and sonic intricacy. The drumming is also energetic and fantastic on this song. Following it is some awesome guitar work that is like a melodic British ode to music itself. For an extended piece, this is never dull or boring, either. The music and performances by all members of Genesis are seriously great here. Some unusual guitar work, keyboards and drumming fill in time on the second half of this song. The music and performances are world-class on this album, and Genesis had the vision and purpose at the right time and place for this album. The guitar soloing in the second half is memorable and moving, just sounding absolutely top-notch throughout. The music and playing are seriously sweet to listen to at hand. It gradually gets quieter towards the end, before a surge in drumming, keyboards, and vocals finalise this glorious Progressive Rock piece. A truly fantastic listen at hand. Great, great music and a wonderful song indeed. It ends with the Classical Music styled piano to finalise.

4. More Fool Me begins with some clean and clear 12-string acoustic guitar and harmonies, launching into a shorter piece that sounds like The Incredible String Band in its own way. This is a moody and emotional song that sounds simple, yet pretty in its very own British way. This music and its sounds are absolutely pretty and gorgeous. This launches into a neatly strummed acoustic piece with upbeat vocals about relationship issues. This simple and lovely music has its own merits to listen to. This may not have been as popular as Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side Of The Moon (1973), but it is just as innovative, in a way. A gorgeous love song at hand that simply delivers. Fantastic music at hand. Awesome.

5. The Battle Of Epping Forest is an 11-minute-long song. It begins with a faded intro of some interesting marching drums and keyboards at hand. This is Lord Of The Rings styled music in a Progressive Rock way. Guitars enter as well, and this tune comes sharply into vision. This continues to enter into a solidly sweet and fantastic sound which fades out, and the main section of music enters. This enters into a song about luxury cars and other desirables in modern life, all a feature of Capitalism. The music and sounds are extremely intelligent, and yes, this is not designed necessarily to groove to, but more for playing through headphones at home. This gorgeous song has some fantastically melodic singing and instrumentation galore for its nearly 12-minute-long glory. It continues the pseudo-concept album lyrical nature of English folklore, history and circumstances throughout. This music sounds absolutely fantastic for what it is, and all fans of music that evokes hard thinking rather than rocking out, if you listen to this album. A genuinely interesting listen that breaks down into a section of guitars and keyboards near the midsection, with some fantastic and tasteful vocals about life in the UK during the early 1970s. Ironically, the UK has become a poorer and much more politically divided place than it ever was back in the 1970s, when the country went to the IMF in 1976 because it was broke. The music and sounds throughout are seriously cool. This music has a neat and impressive sonic set of textures, with lyrics about materialism and the toxic nature of all that. Nonetheless, this is a gloriously wonderful and socially aware tune that sounds super cool. The singing covers various UK accents (of which there are many), and the music and sounds are intelligent and articulate. Nonetheless, this music is absolutely pretty and solidly good to listen to. Obviously, Genesis themselves were aware of the real causes of what was driving English society down the drain, more than anyone in the ranks of politics had at the time. There is a story of violence and brutality in the second half, set to some of the most awesome Progressive Rock at hand. This continues on sweetly with electronics that sound very advanced and monumental throughout. The sounds and style are absolutely sweet to listen to. Many people will not like the lyrical content here as it is politically motivated, but this isn’t Billy Bragg. There is a buildup of drumming and sonic textures towards the end, which sounds really glorious and fantastic. An awesome listen, the build-up to the conclusion of this sort is nonetheless top. Guitars, keyboards and drums mesh it out in the conclusion. A great Progressive Rock piece that ends fantastically. A neat listen.

6. After The Ordeal begins with some pounding and melodic piano, before some Classical guitar and piano enter the scene. This sounds really quite good for what it is. This is a neat and sweet instrumental section that continues to power along this great album in a wonderful and sensible way. The music and sounds throughout are very clean and pristine, but are fantastically and excellently played in general. Another good addition to this classic album that has some pretty and intellectual listening to it. There is a Spanish feel to it, before drums enter, and this launches into some cool electric guitar playing that is a nod and a wink to the spirit of Pink Floyd. David Gilmour no doubt would have heard this and been inspired in some way. A decent instrumental song that paints the picture for you, without words or singing, of course. A seriously cool song at hand that is excellent to listen to. Stunningly beautiful, the flute in the outro is nice as well. Another solid piece of music by Genesis.

7. The Cinema Show is a 10-minute-plus-long song. It begins with some more 12-string acoustic guitar that sounds really bittersweetly melodic. It quickly launches into melodic action with some other music textures at hand. Singing emerges from traditional British life at hand. An awesome tune present nonetheless, this has some very similar music to The Incredible String Band at hand, once again. This is a song that is based on Romeo and Juliet, in its own Shakespearean way. It launches into a glorious piece of Progressive Rock that sounds absolutely awesome and is neatly and nicely structured overall. The music and sounds throughout are seriously cool to listen to, and have aged like fine wine, very well indeed. The multitude of guitars and keyboards keeps you listening away in this interesting piece of Progressive Rock Music. An absolutely wonderful and pretty tune at hand, with some flute playing present that sounds really blissful. The music and sounds are seriously cool on this tune. An interesting and boldly British tune, with na-na-nas galore near the midsection. A fine and wonderful piece of music. Drums enter, and this tune becomes nicely alive. Guitar soloing is also present, which fits this music perfectly. Bold and intelligent lyricism emerges at this point as well. This leads into an interesting and sublime guitar solo that has beauty and power to it simultaneously. This album will continue to surprise and dazzle you as it goes along. The second half of the song sounds absolutely sweet and melodic, just delivering what it can. A powerfully melodic and awesome tune at hand is present. There are some neat and choppy melodies and sections of music galore in the second half, with some interesting guitars, keyboards and drums to maintain one’s interest. Some of the melodies in this song are very unforgettable throughout. A seriously cool and interesting tune to hear. This music progresses very well and will make a genuine connection with you as you hear it. The music and sounds will make you smile. The drumming is very intricate on this song as well. All in all, a really good tune that has some powerful and unique flavour to it. Many people may not have the patience for a song of this length; however, it is very rewarding. Towards the end is a monumental build-up to a fantastic conclusion at hand. A really nice tune that sounds incredibly wonderful. Top music for the thinking person at hand. Simply great to hear from start to finish. It ends nicely.

8. Aisle Of Plenty is the closing track, and it more or less continues from the previous track, with some sweet and fantastic acoustic guitar. A short song then emerges about the modern mundanity of shopping. Nonetheless, this sounds majestic and sweet. A seriously cool tune at hand to conclude a very, very good album. Some chanting is present, which sounds different. A great conclusion to a great album with some neat and intricate musicianship.

This is a fantastic album that is one of the peaks of Progressive Rock from way back in 1973. Genesis put their heart and soul into this project of unique English history and culture, and delivered their first truly great album in the process of it all. Aside from winning albums by contemporaries of the likes of King Crimson, Pink Floyd, Yes and numerous others, this is a very hard to beat. Some people may not like the undertones of politicisation of this album, but that is merely nitpicking here. Should you listen to this album? If you love Classic Rock and Progressive Rock, this is an obvious good choice for you. Fans of shorter, more immediate songs should avoid this, however.

If you like this article, please like, share, comment and follow me on The Ultimate Music Library. Thank you, Chris Airey.