Sorry, that title is a mouthful!

Ombasan wrote this in the "Wise After the Event 5.1" thread, and I thought it was an interesting observation:

Quote Originally Posted by ombasan View Post
Yesterday I listened to side 1 (in 5.1) for the very first time: Instrumentally, I totally dig this. You just have to get used to Ant's voice! I find it interesting that this came out at almost the same time as "And then there were three", but "Wise" sounds like it was done several years earlier - almost like an alternative Genesis-offering for the period of ca. 1972 - 1975.
I agree, and I think there are probably other solo and offshoot albums that display the same phenomenon. One that came to mind right away is Tony Banks' "A Curious Feeling" which came out in 1979, between (I think) ...and then were three and Duke. If I had had to guess, I would have put it at 1977.

Is this that the material was written earlier, and maybe material Genesis didn't want to use on ...and then there were three?
And in the case of the Banks album and Wise After the Event and other solo albums, maybe less is spent on production, thus the recordings have an earlier sound?

Can you think of some other examples (or shoot down this "theory," such as it is)?