Genesis

Duke

Something for everyone

Review Score:

(8/10)
That's what I like about this CD: they were in the process of coming out of their progressive era, and were just getting their feet wet with the pop style that would make them famous in the 1980s.

When Steve Hackett, their marvelous guitarist, left after 1977, it took the remaining trio a little time to recover, which explains why their subsequent release, "And Then There Were 3" was so mediocre (though it had its moments).

But then came Duke. What a great album! The opening 3 numbers show them at their best, especially Tony Banks' keyboards. The fast-moving, upbeat "Behind The Lines" blends right into the next number, "Duchess," which starts off slow and melancholy, but then gets going. The opening trio of songs is closed out with a beautiful Collins vocal "Guide Vocal."

Next are 7 very good Genesis songs which show some very good range, from the guitar-driven "Man Of Our Times," to the catchy single "Misunderstanding," to the soft-sounding "Please Don't Ask." But what really stands out is "Turn It On Again." All by itself, this song captures the prog-rock Genesis was coming out of, as well as the pop era they were just starting to enter. It's little wonder that this song has long been a favorite of all Genesis fans, even some from the Peter Gabriel years.

The CD ends with a final tribute to their progressive era, with "Duke's Travels" and "Duke's End." Keyboardist Tony Banks is at his best here, with his wide range of talents on full display. Phil Collins likewise showed some very strong drum-work here.

Only two things I don't like: first, Tony's keyboards and Phil's drums leave Mike's guitars in the dust. For earlier fans, Hackett's absence is glaring on this album. This is not to suggest Mike is a bad guitarist; it's just like having Ted Danson as your lead actor when you could have had Harrison Ford.

Second, the beginning and closing songs work very well together, but the 7 middle songs really aren't united in any way. Okay, I'm being nit-picky, but seriously, if they'd used a little more creativity, this could have been a great concept album all the way through. For these two reasons alone, it gets 4 stars instead of 5.

All in all, it's still a very good work, and it rightfully deserves its place alongside the best this band has to offer.

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