Tight, overlooked near-masterpiece

Review Score: (8/10)
Chances are you probably won't get around to delineating the loose concept, but Phil Collins, fresh off of a divorce and a bout with alcoholism, sounds edgier and meaner on this album than any other I have heard. The songs tend to be about love and loss, and they all seem to have a cynical bite. Especially after the dry, somewhat drab production of "And Then There Were Three" _Duke_ comes out like a cannon shot. I love the desparation in Phil's voice, which carries all the way through _Abacab_ clear into their eponymous 1984 smash. There's no arguing that the album is more or less the birth of the Genesis pop formula - which I guess means that if you are a fan of the Gabriel days you are supposed to hate it - but as a whole it plays more like a fine, strangely fulfilling 50/50 balance between edgy, quirky 80's prog-rock and choice pop singles. "Misunderstanding" is the big hit here, althouh you will probably also recognize "Turn it On Again". Mike Rutherford puts out some very distinguished guitar work on this album, Collins' drums sound bigger and better than ever, and Tony Banks manages to squeeze out a few more classic keyboard tones on this album. Its worth getting alone for "Behind The Lines" (redone on Collins' solo LP), the superb "Cul De Sac" which is one of Tony Banks' best compositions, and the epic instrumental "Duke's Travels/Duke's End", which plays like a hyperspeed version of "Los Endos" before ending with a coda of the opening musical themes for the album.

More Reviews:

• I like some of it heaps
• brilliant compositions, masterful dynamics, simply BRILLIANT
• Genesis set the course for Chartsville
• A Masterpiece
• Duke
• Le dernier Genesis à tenir la route de A à Z
• Big Genesis Fan
• the beginning of the end...
• What can I say? Extraordinary album!
• DUKE!!! The GREATEST!!!
• Genesis kicks off the 80s in a big way
• Sensible fans know bands evolve
• Duke marked
• I'm Fond of the B-3 and Mellotron
• Highly recommended for who likes real good music.
• We are not posers
• Great Genesis Album
• Why Duke is NOT a sell-out
• Music Of Any Times!
• Yes, this IS Genesis.
• Take that, you 70s nostalgia fans!
• Collins' Period Favourite Album
• Before FACE VALUE, Phil exorcised his romantic demons here
• Something for everyone
• An excellent disc from the Genesis boys like always
• best Genesis album ever
• The transition era
• OK But Not Mind Blowing Stuff
• One of my "desert island" cds...
• Best of the Collins Era Genesis
• "The time has come now we must show our feelings"
• Pop Masterpiece
• Genesis in transition (folks, they're not ALL worth 5 stars)
• Genesis Loosen Up For The Eighties
• The last of the five star greats!
• Turn It On Again...seriously
• Style with substance, substance with style.
• ...And Then There Was Genesis' Last True Prog Rock album
• The End Began Here
• Last of the great thematic discs
• The REAL birth of the modern Genesis...
• Great Album by a classic group
• A brilliant album
• Phil's voice of sincereity
• Solid Album
• Delicious Duke
• Dave
• The music doesn't fit the lyrics!
• phil collins and genesis
• top 5 of all-time genesis albums
• Travelling
• All in all a tad boring
• Horrible
• 'Duke' is an imperial masterpiece
• One of my favorite CDs of all time. The last of its kind.
• Genesis is back!
• "Duke" comes close to being the King
• The best of the new ones with We Can't Dance. A must!
• One of the best albums of all time!
• Remastered?
• "Duke" is a lonely guy
• The 'transition' CD
• You know, it's interesting...
• A fitting end to the progressive era...
• Who is Duke??
• One of five Genesis "Masterworks"
• One of the Best
• Top notch
• The last of their "pre-commercial" discs
• You do NOT want to miss this masterpiece!
• One of the all-time great progressive rock albums.
• A rock masterpiece which takes you on a thrilling journey.
• Great album with a lot to offer
• Duke brings Genesis' progressive era to an end.
• The beginning of Genesis' hit-making era
• Monumental