Genesis - Nursery Cryme

 The first in a string of masterpieces from Genesis
At the time of this album's release (1971), Genesis was still very much in its formative stages. The immediate predecessor of "Nursery Cryme", "Trespass" (1970), featured the first classic Genesis tune ("The Knife"), and showed us a band really starting to find its musical voice. However, several key personnel changes helped this band make the leap to a true prog-rock giant: the addition of Phil Collins on drums, as well as Steve Hackett on guitar. These were significant upgrades (both were master musicians), and the increased quality of the band's musicianship allowed the band to push the limits musically.
Nursery Cryme features several great progressive rock epics: "The Musical Box", "Fountains of Samalcis", and "Return of the Giant Hogweed". All of these songs exhibit what would eventually become the distinctive Genesis sound; long, brilliant chord progressions, layers of Tony Banks' keyboards and Hackett's tasteful guitar lines, classically structured with numerous time changes and modal shifts. Phil Collins and Mike Rutherford provide a locked-in rhythmic foundation, effortlessly handling the changes in time and providing exceptional momentum to these fairly complex structures. And of course, Peter Gabriel adds his brilliantly dramatic, mythical and at times humorous vocals and lyrics to the proceedings to top things off.
This album has a few weaker short tracks on it, and for that reason it is not quite of the same overall quality as the follow-ups "Foxtrot" (1972) and "Selling England by the Pound" (1973). However, the quality of the epics more than makes up for this minor shortcoming.
The recording quality is not up to the level of their later releases. In fact the source tape seems pretty limited. I don't think they had access to the best recording equipment available at this time, However this seems to work with the darker material present on this album, and I don't feel it detracts from the listening experience.
The remastering is good here, as good as it can be I think, and this 1994 Atlantic release also includes liner notes & lyrics. I am curious to see what the new Rhino 5.1 surround mixes will sound like, although I have heard some complaints about some of the other albums that have already been released for this edition(i.e. Trick of the Tail, Wind & Wuthering). I'll be OK with it if these aren't great, as I have enjoyed my current copy for nearly a decade and have no complaints with the relative sound quality.
Genesis was one of the leading bands of the 1970s English Progressive rock scene, along with Yes, Pink Floyd, Jethro Tull, ELP and King Crimson. Every fan of progressive rock should have a copy of this album (as well as the next 4 or 5 Genesis albums), as these guys were one of the greatest prog-rock acts ever. Highly recommended. March 1, 2008

 A Personal Favorite
This is an overlooked gem, but if you love Genesis or Peter Gabriel, search Youtube for "The Musical Box" Genesis live in Belgium. You are in for an amazing treat. I've owned this on 8-Track, Vinyl, Cassette, and Digital versions; it's one I find hard to live without. December 10, 2007

 The debut of Genesis' classic lineup almost 35 years later
Genesis' third album Nursery Cryme was released in November of 1971.
By this point, lead singer Peter Gabriel, keyboard player Tony Banks and bass player Mike Rutherford were going through the motions as they lost original guitarist Anthony Phillips and went through drummers as drummer John Mayhew also quit.
The three surviving members of Genesis held auditions for a new drummer and guitarist and settled on then 20 year olds Phil Collins and Steve Hackett (who joined a few months after collins joined). The former also brought some needed humor and a singing voice to off-set Gabriel's theatrics and the latter a superb guitar style.
With a lineup they could be happy with, Genesis went to Trident Studios in London to work on Nursery Cryme, how would the album be, read on.
We begin with the ten minute epic "The Musical Box" which is the reason for buying this album. The beginning is wonderful enough. The overdubbing of 12-strings from Hackett, Banks and Rutherford is quasi-Victorian in its feel with some haunting electric guitar fills from Hackett and joined by Gabriel and Collins' voices and Gabriel's flute. Then it suddenly shifts to an explosive hard rock tune, dominated by the killer soloing of Hackett's guitar and the killer percussion of Collins. Every time I hear this song, I still get a shiver down the spine. The last two minutes of the song are like a religious experience. The virtuoso feel of Banks' organ, cymbal-heavy drumming from Collins, Rutherford's 12-string playing, Gabriel's repeated shouting of the word "now!" and the way Hackett's guitar suddenly bursts from the back to the foreground make for a glorious climax which you don't hear anymore. Next we have "For Absent Friends" which marked the vocal debut of Phil Collins whom would become a key member to this exciting band over the next 25 years. We then end the first half with another epic "The Return of the Giant Hogweed" which tells a haunting but light-hearted tale which is a great song and has an awesome intro with Hackett's guitar and Banks' organ playing a haunting riff.
The next song is "The Seven Stones" which kicks off the second half and is a good tune but not as superb as the first two epics on the album. Next is the comedic "Harold the Barrel" which shows the band were starting to become more light-hearted thanks to Collins' presence. "Harlequin" is next and is the calm before the album's final storm. The final storm is the nearly 8 minute epic entitled "The Fountain of Salmacis" which is a great way to end the album. It starts with Banks' organ and mellotron haunting playing then joined by that awesome bass riff from Rutherford and vocals from Gabriel and guitar from Hackett and drums from Collins. It starts at medium pace then we go fast for the middle section then goes back to the medium pace of most of song then ends slow and majestic. The highlight is the instrumental that occurs about three and a half minutes in. And the way it ends contains some of the most balanced musicianship on the album.
The album may not have sold but who cares about sales, Nursery Cryme is still a classic today despite being recorded in 1971. November 7, 2007

 Good to hear again the "Great" Genesis
After hearing that pitiful performance by the band at the Live Earth concert, I ordered and received Nursery Cryme and Foxtrot. What a breath of fresh air!! All I can say is how the mighty have fallen!! Peter Gabriels depature was a major nail in the coffin, and after Steve Hackett left and Phil Collins "pop music" sound took over, that coffin was 6 feet under!"The Musical Box" is still a classic some 36 years later! And can you imagine the band now trying to duplicate "The Return of the Giant Hogweed"? The song would not fit in with Phil Collins next "Disney" Musical!!!! August 14, 2007

 Genesis in their prime
Everyone talks about Peter Gabriel and how he has such a wonderful voice and a talent for really good lyrics. While I agree, I have to admit I mostly like Nursery Cryme for all the instrumental bits and pieces that appear throughout the album. Whether it's the mellotron-dominated finale on "Return of the Giant Hogweed" (which reminds me of a dark shadow creeping over planet Earth- YIKES what a scary song) or the short organ solo appearing somewhere around the halfway point of "Fountain of Salmacis", these are mainly the things I play the album for.

Don't get me wrong, the vocal melodies are great, and the fairy tale-like atmosphere of the entire album is great as well, but let's not forget Genesis was capable of some very good instrumental sections too. June 6, 2007

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