Genesis - We Can't Dance/ Invisible Touch/ Domino

[bob_32_116]

A compilation of the best tracks fron self-titled (a.k.a. "Shapes"), Invisible Touch, and We Can't Dance would have made one killer album. As it was, each of those albums was pretty patchy in quality, though I consider Shapes the best of the three. I'm not too familiar with Calling All Stations.

I have come to loathe "I Can't Dance"; I'm not sure whether it's the music or the lyrics that I despise more. The song "Invisible Touch" has also well and truly worn out its welcome with me. In fact it's really only Domino parts 1 & 2 that I consider essential from that album, though I do quite like The Brazilian as a closer.

[LeFrog]

I have come to loathe "I Can't Dance"; I'm not sure whether it's the music or the lyrics that I despise more. The song "Invisible Touch" has also well and truly worn out its welcome with me.

Same for me, even though I am a fan, I must admit that French radio has killed any love I had for Invisible Touch (the song) and I Can't Dance by overplaying them. (Today, these are the 2 Genesis tracks you can still hear on the radio in my country, all the others seem to have faded into oblivion).

I discovered IT at the age of 12 or 13, and WCD came out when I was 14. I played both albums to death back then and they were my introduction to the band and then to Prog in general. I owe a great deal to these records and they bring back a lot of memories, so I never could hate them even though I admit they haven't aged well.

[jkelman]

There are some good tunes on Invisible Touch that could still be described as prog. WCD is weak all the way through IMO.

The poster who said Genesis had a 10 album run of classic albums is way off base. It started with Foxtrot & finnished with W&W, thats 5! You'd have to be a stone cold fanboy to argue against that.Agreed Duke was great but you had And then they Were Crap preceeding it!

Not to want to be considered a stone cold fanboy by your definition (!), but you don't think Nursery Cryme fits in the classic group? After all, three extended tunes - Musical Box, Hogweed and Salmacis all have been revisited more (and enthusiastically received) by folks attending Hackett's recent Genesis Revisited tours...

Also, if you go from Foxtrot to W&W, it's actually six, as you have forgotten Live, which was released between Foxtrot and SEbtP....so add NC and that makes seven....

[Progatron]

I think TRESPASS is a really great album with a very special atmosphere. A Genesis classic.

Agreed. I love that early period, and I'm always going to have a soft spot for "White Mountain". 1970 was a pretty interesting year in the band's career, all things considered.

[aith01]

On The Shoreline is quite possibly the finest song that Genesis never included on an album, although it may be tied with You Might Recall.

[LeFrog]

On The Shoreline is quite possibly the finest song that Genesis never included on an album, although it may be tied with You Might Recall.

... or Inside and Out... or Evidence of Autumn

[Progatron]

On The Shoreline is quite possibly the finest song that Genesis never included on an album, although it may be tied with You Might Recall.

... or Inside and Out... or Evidence of Autumn

I've always really liked "Submarine", "The Day The Light Went Out", and "It's Yourself (Beloved Summer)" too. Very strong stuff that all would have fit beautifully on their respective albums.

[aith01]

... or Inside and Out... or Evidence of Autumn

Agh! Too many to choose from!

Seriously, all of those B-sides were excellent.

[dpt3]

Also, if you go from Foxtrot to W&W, it's actually six, as you have forgotten Live, which was released between Foxtrot and SEbtP....so add NC and that makes seven....

Add in Seconds Out, count the double albums as 2, and you've got 10, even without Trespass, which should definitely count, imo!

[Score2112]

... or Inside and Out... or Evidence of Autumn

...or You Might Recall.. fantastic.

[PotatoSolution]

You Might Recall would find a comfortable spot in my Genesis top 10 (not just of B-sides, but of their whole career). I'm going to listen to it right now and love it.

[mozo-pg]

I think some of Can't Dance is quite strong. Funny thing is, I haven't listened to it in years.

[rich]

Since I Lost You is without doubt the worst song Genesis ever recorded! WCD is a more "whole" album,than IT,which does have its moments but I hate the drum sound on this album.Driving the last spike,Fading Lights,and the exceptional Dreaming while you Sleep ,all from WCD,are some of their best works they recorded as a trio.

Really the worst song ever by Genesis... that distinction imho would go to I can't Dance or Who Dunit, truly the only Genesis songs I always skip. Having said that not a fan of Since I lost You but it's not a horrible pop song, just not a great or good Genesis song at least to my ears.

[Tangram]

Nope, worst Genesis song is Anything She Does. Hands down. Played IT a lot when it came out. It had the big production sound that was popular at the time. But ASD is horrible. I got my first CD and was so happy to be able to skip it. I'm not as fond of the album as I was back then but The Brazilian and Domino are awesome. For Brazilian fans, try Tony Banks Thursday the Twelfth.

Shapes has a fantastic first side but only Its Gonna Get Better works for me on the second. Not bad, just second tier. Ok, minus Illegal Alien.

I'm in the minority but I like I Can't Dance. It's got a crunchy guitar and it's fun. The album is almost 2 separate albums. Lots of strong songs Dreaming while You Sleep, No Son of Mine, Driving the Last a Spike etc. Then a bunch of softer songs. Again, not bad but There is just too many of them. CDs turned all albums into double albums and quality control suffered.

I went thru a Genesis phase recently, and I enjoyed all of these albums. Even Calling All Stations is better than I originally felt about it. I still play all of their albums except the 1st one and many of their solo works. Guess that makes me a fan.

[Scott Bails]

Worst Genesis song is a toss-up between any of the awful ballads on We Can't Dance or "Jesus He Knows Me."

"Who Dunnit" isn't one of my favorites, but at least they were trying to do something different.

[Progatron]

I like "Anything She Does". A quirky Banks lyric about gawking at/daydreaming about the "Page 3" girl in the London Sun. Fun track IMO!

My vote for worst Genesis track goes to "Illegal Alien". "Since I Lost You" and "If That's What You Need" are runners-up.

To be honest, there's really only a handful of tracks I don't like - I legitimately love or really like most of their catalogue.

[JJ88]

All the Genesis songs I really dislike are from the 80s and 90s. 'Who Dunnit', 'Anything She Does', a good half of 'We Can't Dance', several songs on 'Calling All Stations'. I also don't really love the 2nd sides of 'Genesis' or 'Abacab' (after 'Dodo/Lurker') in general. They had better songs on B-sides (save the 'Genesis' album where there seemed to be a relative shortage of material) so why often atypical songs made it onto albums is a mystery. They talk about 'wanting to step outside of the comfort zone' and all that, but they weren't going to change the minds of critics who made their mind up about the band years before.

'Jesus He Knows Me' I do like- quite an amusing, biting lyric. I think the keyboard sounds are not aging gracefully on that song or the rest of the album, though.

[Yaman Aksu]

Found this thread on We Can't Dance:

I like what these two did here -- seems the vocalist is hitting the right notes:
https://youtu.be/ZmhEewTZ6vI

[mozo-pg]

I added the full Genesis catalog to my 300 CD player, including IT, WCD, and Shapes. I'm making a strong effort to enjoying the later day materials. There are strong individual songs on these albums.

[GuitarGeek]

The best thing about I Can't Dance was the video, particularly the bit where Phil loses his pants, literally, to a pool shark. The song itself I just don't think is very good. Jesus He Knows It is like that too, though at least that had the great stanza about how "I believe in the family/With my ever loving wife beside me/But she don't know about my girlfriend/Or the man I met last night". Phil's uncanny Ernest Aingley impression takes it to another level, though.

[Yaman Aksu]

Best parts of the album for me are Driving the Last Spike and Fading Lights, especially their versions on that tour's Longs DVD. Driving While.. is interesting to, stands out. Jesus He only somewhat interesting in the same very limited pop way Invisible Touch was. I find No Son.. borderline tuneless, and I Can't Dance only sometimes interesting enough. Hold On... is pretty much like a mediocre one among Phil Collins solo album ballads, meh, not in the same league as Against All Odds. The other songs I can't remember well -- clearly they haven't been memorable enough.

[Steve983]

It is surprising how many really bad songs they got away with during the 80's and 90's. Not just because I don't like them because that middle of the road pop pap is not my cup of tea anyway but really poor/weak songs. It's like the more successful they got the more crap they poured out - just my opinion of course

[Splicer]

Best parts of the album for me are Driving the Last Spike and Fading Lights, especially their versions on that tour's Longs DVD

"Driving the Last Spike" is a good song made even better live - more energy and emotion from Phil. "Fading Lights" although a good effort, comes up a little short for me as a Genesis epic. It might be a big too melancholic and I'm not keen on Tony's keyboard sounds (on this track or on this album). I do like the effect during the instrumental that sounds like a train screeching around a bend.

[Yaman Aksu]

"Fading Lights" although a good effort, comes up a little short for me as a Genesis epic. It might be a big too melancholic and I'm not keen on Tony's keyboard sounds (on this track or on this album). I do like the effect during the instrumental that sounds like a train screeching around a bend.

My including FL when saying "best parts of the album" was only due to its high-energy half. For the rest of the song, if taken by itself, my comments would be the same as I made for Hold On.. So, essentially agreed.

P.S. I haven't approached FL as a Genesis 'epic', not evaluated it as such, I'm not even much familiar with its lyrics. DLS's lyrics, on the other hand, I had paid attention to, since in that same DVD both Phil introduces it as a story song and they had corresponding visuals on the screen.

[Progatron]

Here's a neat little find from rehearsal footage for the WCD tour. This never did make the set: