Genesis

Duke

The last of the five star greats!

Review Score:

(10/10)
Duke was undoubtedly the swan song for prog Genesis as it mingles prog with more condensed potentially radio-friendly numbers. Duke is also one of Genesis' most clear-cut concept albums(along with "Lamb")and that does much to lend power to this album. The subject of man's alienation in relationships runs throughout the work to varying degrees. When you look at it, there aren't many commercial songs on this album. The two that stand out just happened to be mega-hits, and even those fit well into the mood and concept of the album. I think I'll even admit that I like them. The rest of the work features excellent songwriting from both Banks and Rutherford. "Please don't ask" penned by Collins is one of my favorite selections on the album and its sequencing right before the remarkable "Duke's Travels" is essential. If you've been single recently or stuggling in your relationship, there may be no better medicine than this album. These songs are not so much commercial as they are personal, and about people. Early Genesis writing emphasized interesting stories and meaningful anecdotes but tended to stray away from people issues. Duke is about nothing else. But there are still remnants of the dreamlike quality in Tony Bank's writing that was so special in earlier works. We would never see that quality again after Duke but it's here on this album, helping to make it great. Also, there is an indescribable energy on this album most easily conveyed in Phil's drumming that reflects a band that greatly benefited from a much needed hyatus after the emotionally draining "And Then There Were Three" effort. All these things make "Duke" the band's last great album. Abacab was good and I don't talk much about anything after that, but this one is a must in any collection. By the way, listen to "Duchess", and "Duke's Travels" and try to say this isn't prog. In fact, this may be more thematically (and musically) cohesive than any concept album I'm aware of. "But enough of me...."

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