Genesis

Trick of the Tail

Pretty Good

Review Score:

(8/10)
English art rockers Genesis released their eighth album entitled A Trick of the Tail in early February of 1976. The album marked the debut of drummer Phil Collins' tenure as lead vocalist(which he would be until 1996). Phil reluctantly became original vocalist Peter Gabriel's replacement as vocalist after fellow Genesis members(keyboardist Tony Banks, bassist Mike Rutherford and guitarist Steve Hackett) concluded that he was better than the hundred some-odd people they were auditioning to replace Peter. The album was recorded at Trident Studios in London in late 1975. I first purchased the remastered CD in October of 1997 without hearing a single note, and my gamble paid off. All of the songs on ATotT are fantastic. My favorites on the album are the opening epic Dance on a Volcano, Squonk(which was Phil's first vocal track recorded for this album), the humorous Robbery Assault and Battery, Ripples, the title cut(which had a silly promo video with a two inch tall Phil walking on a piano) and the closing instrumental Los Endos. The other two tracks, Entangled and Mad Mad Moon, are good as well. This album is hands down the best studio disc from the four piece Genesis line-up. Strangely enough, ATotT was also the band's first US Top 40 album peaking at #31 and eventually went Gold in the US. The remastered version buries the weak sounding Atco CD issue from the 1980s. Highly recommended!

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