Selling England By The Pound
Atlantic Records, 1973
REVIEW BY: Benjamin Ray
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 05/11/2005
and refining the attack started on Foxtrot. It remains a staple of any progressive rock collection. "Dancing With The Moonlit Knight" is a bit of British fantasy with a rock core and some wonderful vocal work from Peter Gabriel. The song really ends after five minutes, but there are three minutes of atmospheric noodling on the guitar and keyboard that don't add much to the song. Skip instead to the pop elements of the quirky "I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)" and the acoustic "More Fool Me," Phil Collins' first real vocal song and the harbinger of his solo work and the later sound of Genesis in the 70s.
Far and away the best song is the stunning "Firth of Fifth." An extended piano introduction gives way to a standard verse and then the best solo of Steve Hackett's career (following Peter Gabriel's flute solo); Hackett emphasizes every note, creating a real mood. The same goes for the anxious, moving keyboard work by Tony Banks at the end of "The Cinema Show," redeeming the first half of the song. The band would only play that part of the song in concert once Gabriel left; it's easy to see why.
"The Battle Of Epping Forest" is the only misstep, a 10-minute piece with no real focus; Hackett later quipped that Gabriel sang over all the best instrumental parts). Following this is the pleasant instrumental "After The Ordeal," with a definite British folk feel, but it is hardly essential. Replacing it with the superb B-side "Twilight Alehouse" would have been an improvement.
No matter. This one shows Genesis at the top of their game and is the perfect place to start when delving into the band's early catalog.