Genesis - A Trick of the Tail

Digitally remastered reissue of the 1976 album by the esteemed Prog/Rock band featuring a new stereo mix of the album. This reissue features the new mix of the album's original tracks (sans bonus tracks) yet adds a new breath of fresh air on these classic recordings. Eight tracks including 'Dance On A Volcano', 'Entangled' and 'Robbery, Assault And Battery'. EMI. 2008. Album Description

probably my least favorite Genesis CD

My intro to Genesis was INVISIBLE TOUCH; I was about 3 years old when my mom and father were spinning that in my father's CD player repeatedly and the video for "Land of Confusion" was earning heavy rotation on VH1. I was about 12 when I found out that Peter Gabriel, who I knew as the guy who did the song featured in the video for "Sledgehammer", used to be in this band, but I didn't get around to buying/hearing any of the music they did with him as lead singer until I had almost graduated high school. I like most of it, I feel proud to say; "The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway", although usually too long and tedious for the moods I'm usually in, is a real symphonic treat when I can get into it. "Selling England By The Pound" is a neat laid-back but detailed soundscape and "Foxtrot" has some interesting stuff on it. I also like the follow up to this CD, "Wind And Wuthering", but this CD...I don't know. It borrows too heavily from the stuff of the Gabriel era without adding anything all to special of its own. If it weren't for the fact that the songs play out for 7+ minutes, a few of these could probably be pop songs; "Ripples" is quite pretty and hypnotic, easy to sing along to, and "Robbery, Assault And Battery" sounds reminiscent of that 'wheels on the bus' song I used to hear in Kindergarten. I guess it all boils down to personal preference. I just feel this CD has too much "sand"-like qualities to it (like what sand sounds like when it's in one's hand or moving through your feet/shoes) and the melodies are too minimalist. Frankly, it just puts me to sleep. October 15, 2008

The Best of Both Worlds

This is my favourite Genesis album after "Selling England". For me, the other Peter Gabriel albums are too dense and impenetrable, with too many competing interests, while the Collins era Genesis, while possibly stronger on melody, became way too saccharinely commercial for my tastes.

So what sets "Trick of the Tail" apart? It's a struggle between the melodic prog leanings of the Gabriel years against the commercial sappiness that engulfed the band in the Collins years. It encapsulates the best of both worlds without being particularly groundbreaking, unlike "Selling England". It's strong on memorable songs, unlike the sprawling "Lamb", the melodies and sounds lodge in your mind. "Dance on a Volcano" and "Squonk" are excellant musically. Tracks like "Ripples" and "Mad Moon", while firmly in the Collins Ballad mould, and "Robbery Assault and Battery" and the title track, both in the Collins pop song mould, succeed in being blessed with the proggy touch that was to evaporate once Steve Hacket departed. This is their saving grace.

In summary, genuinely good, strong melodic songs with clever prog playing - the balance is just right.
June 25, 2008

The First and Best of the Phil Collins Era

Trick of the Tail gets a slight edge over Wind & Wuthering as the best Phil Collins era Genesis album. I won't regurgiate the fine information provided by my brother and sister Genesis fans. I will merely state that Trick of the Tail has eight tracks of sheer musical perfection, from the hauntingly beautiful (Mad Man Moon, Entangled, Ripples) to the downright aggressive (Squonk, the classic Los Endos). Incredible depth, dynamics and musical maturity for four dudes in their mid-20s at the time. A landmark album of the original Progressive Rock era. February 1, 2008

Classic Genesis

Along with Selling England by the Pound and The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, A Trick of the Tail is their best early work. I feel they were at the peak of their progressive rock careers with these three works. December 12, 2007

Arguably Genesis' best album as a four piece 30 plus years on

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 singer (which he would be until 1996). Phil reluctantly became Peter Gabriel's replacement as lead singer after fellow Genesis members (keyboard player Tony Banks, bass player Mike Rutherford and guitarist Steve Hackett) concluded that he was better than the four hundred some-odd people they were auditioning to replace Peter.
The album was recorded at Trident Studios in London in October and November of 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 A Trick of the Tail 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" (which told of Harry the Robber), "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, the atmospheric "Entangled" and "Mad Mad Moon", are also great tracks as well.
This album was the first studio disc from the four piece Genesis line-up and arguably the best of the two.
Strangely enough, A Trick of the Tail was also the band's first US Top 40 album peaking at #31 and eventually went Gold in the US.
The remastered version from 1994 buries the weak sounding Atco CD issue from the 1980s.
Highly recommended! November 10, 2007

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