And then there were three guys left in Genesis: Rate their albums.

[ProgArtist]

I'd probably put Duke and even Abacab ahead of AttWT. There's a certain blandness to AttWT that comes from the similar keyboard sounds and production choices.

Looking at the track listings I'll take that back. I like the first half of Abacab quite a bit up to and including Dodo/Lurker, but the rest is patchier. AttWT is more even, but I still wish it had a little more punch and was less monotone sounding.

[Steve983]

1. And Then There Were Three
2. Duke

forget the rest.

[Tangram]

I'll play as I'm a fan of all things Genesis.

ATTW3 - My introduction to Genesis. Love this album but not a fan of its production. Thought I had a defective copy but after I brought it back 3 times, well it is what it is. Undertow, is one of my favorite songs period. The Lady Lies, Down and Out, Ballad of Big, Burning Rope all very good. Never understood all the hate for FYFM. B+

Duke - Duke's Travel and Duke's End are a great way to end an album. Heathaze always gets me. Wish they kept Duke's Suite together. B+

Abacab - OK, Who Dunnit was fun live with MR on drums but it would have been better at half its length and it was pretty short to start. Abacab allows them to solo a bit and there are plenty of very good tracks here especially in Dodo and Lurker. A new sound for Genesis. Didn't care for the last two songs and the best songs all sounded better on 3 Sides Live, so this album didn't get played too much. B-

3 Sides Live - Probably the Genesis album that I have played the most. The live setting adds some muscle to Abacab, and Dodo/Lurker. The In The Cage Medley with Afterglow is one of Genesis' finest moments. I really enjoy both the studio side, which had better songs then were on some of the albums they were made with and the 4th live side from the European issue. A-

Genesis - Great first side, so so second side. Like Abacab the live versions of the best songs are better so this doesn't get played much. B-

Invisible Touch - Ahh, The album PE loves to hate. Can't get enough of the Brazilian. Same for Domino. Huge hit at its release, the big drums and shiny production tie its to the 80's. I really liked it when it was new and I still do but not as much. It contains one of their worst songs in Anything She Does. It's right up there with Illegal Alien as my least favorite Genesis songs. B

We Can't Dance - Like Genesis a strong 1st half and a noticeably weaker 2nd half. I do like the second half better now than when it was released. Must be getting soft in my old age. Like many albums released around this time period, bands tried to stuff this album with too many tracks. Less would have been more in this case. B-

The Way We Walk - The Longs and The Shorts - Released as 2 separate albums because someone in sales told them that they could charge more that way instead of if it was a double album. There were other groups around this time releasing 2 related albums as separates instead of a double. Like it much better on the full release that plays like the concert did. Got to admit, never played The Shorts that much and it suffers from having all of the pop songs (with a couple of exceptions) together. C
Love The Longs even though it would have been nice to have some of those songs in the Old Medley played as proper songs. All of the other songs are better live when compared to their studio counterparts. Not a big fan of drum solos in general, but The Drum Duet is an exception. Still play this a lot. A-

Calling All Stations - Wish they opened with Dividing Line. It would have made a statement like Dance on a Volcano that Genesis is different but Genesis is back. Whenever I return to this album, I like it more than before. That said, the album that they had all the time in the world to perfect but it sounds like the TLC was never taken and the fade-outs were a cop out. Initially, felt that Wilson's voice was not a good match for some of the tracks but after hearing some of his work on YouTube, I don't think his voice is the problem. Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda been better. C+

Live Over Europe 2007 - Excellent sound especially as Banks keys have never been better live. Some songs are a bit slow, some have Phil singing a key lower. As good as can be expected live from a band that started 40 years earlier. B

All in all, I am a huge fan of all phases of their career.

[Rufus]

Duke is the only one I like!

The others, incl. the long pieces are plodders and unimaginative!

[progfan915]

Wow, not a lot of love for CAS here! It ranks highly with me...anyway, I would rank them like so:

1. Duke

One of my Genesis favs, period. It has probably their best album opener since Watcher with Behind the Lines. It gets me pumped up every time. For me, there is not a weak song (yes, I even like Please Don't Ask!). I think what I love about this album is the production. Phil's drums sound HUGE and I love Tony's sound too (was it the Yamaha electric piano? I'm sure someone here knows the details). Cap it all off with Duke's Travels/End and I end up satisfied every time.

2. ATTWT

A VERY strong album, right from the opening notes of Down and Out and the odd time signatures. "Good to be here!" Yes, it certainly is. Next up, Undertow which almost brings me to tears every time. Such a powerful song. Tony really owns this album, between that track, Burning Rope, Many Too Many...wow, excellent stuff. I also love Snowbound and yes, even Ballad of Big, although I will admit the lyrics could be better. Finally we have FYFM...just because it was a radio hit doesn't mean it's an inferior song. I love this one every time, and especially loved hearing/seeing it in 2007

3. Calling All Stations

Yes, in at number 3! I found this a very strong album when it was released and was quite happy with most of it. I love Ray's voice and have subsequently picked up all of his solo albums. The album had a darker, heavier, feel to it. Highlights for me are the title track, Uncertain Weather, Dividing Line, There Must be Some Other Way and One Mans Fool. Really, there's only one track I don't like, which is Congo, because it has a lot of promise but just never delivers. I expect more from it. Maybe it's Tony's wimpy (for lack of a better word) little solo near the end. It needed more balls to it.

4. We Can't Dance

As others have mentioned, it suffers from being too long. But it has some stellar moments like Driving the Last Spike and the incredible Fading Lights. I also have a soft spot for Living Forever. The shorter sings work well for me, with the exception of Hold on my Heart. I know Tony wrote it, but I can't stand it, or I can't Dance. Chop these 2 songs and the album improves greatly

5. Shapes

Excellent side 1, and half of side 2 is decent. I will always think of this album in terms of sides. It was actually the first cassette I ever bought. Home by the Sea and Mama are worth the price of admission.

6. Abacab

Ok, starting to really drop in quality here. I know they were intentionally trying to be different. Sorry guys, you lost me a bit, even though Dodo is a gem.

7. Invisible Touch

Bleah. I like Domino and the Brazilian but not much else. An over produced poppy turd. Sorry.

[Svetonio]

As a great prog band, Genesis survived deperture of Anthony Phillips and even Peter Gabriel, but Genesis as a great prog band weren't survived departure of Steve Hackett.

[JKL2000]

I never knew MR played drums on Who Dunnit live! That tour is the only time I ever saw Genesis live, but I was way back in the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, and as I recall there were no screens. I was basically just watching the light show.

[Rufus]

As a great prog band, Genesis survived deperture of Anthony Phillips and even Peter Gabriel, but Genesis as a great prog band weren't survived departure of Steve Hackett.

^^^^BINGO!

[JKL2000]

I wonder if I'm a little unusual (wait for it) in that Duke was my intro to Genesis, but I quickly decided the Gabriel era was far superior. I do also love Trick and parts of much of what followed, but I'd trade all post Gabriel Genesis for the Gabriel era.

[Progatron]

From the album And Then There Were Three right up to We Can't Dance, rate the Genesis albums live and studio (including the 2007 reunion) that featured Phil Collins, Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford.

I think you left one out, intentional?

No, apart from the live albums I didn't leave anything out. If you're referring to Calling All Stations, that did not fit the criteria listed in the original post.

[mx20]

In order of my preference/attachment to them:

ATTWT
Abacab or Duke (tie)
Three Sides Live

Longs/Shorts

that's pretty much it.

There are always some good songs hidden on poor albums, but I can seek those songs out if I ever need to hear them again!

[Tangram]

I never knew MR played drums on Who Dunnit live! That tour is the only time I ever saw Genesis live, but I was way back in the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, and as I recall there were no screens. I was basically just watching the light show.

MR played drums at the show I was at in MSG while PC bounced around. I don't remember TB being on the left side of the stage but I have seen pics of it for this song.

[ProgArtist]

... but I quickly decided the Gabriel era was far superior. I do also love Trick and parts of much of what followed, but I'd trade all post Gabriel Genesis for the Gabriel era.

Same here. And my introduction to Genesis was hearing "Invisible Touch" on the radio when I was in High School.

[Drake]

Abacab

Duke

Attw3

Shapes

IT










CaS

[JKL2000]

Same here. And my introduction to Genesis was hearing "Invisible Touch" on the radio when I was in High School.

Sometimes you just have to say "Wow, if this was, like, 10 times better I might like it!" and investigate further.

[PeterG]

1. ATTWT
2. Invisible Touch
3. Three Sides Live
4. Duke


Then 2 albums I rarely listen to.
5. Genesis
6. We Can't Dance

Then 1 album I really, really dislike:
7. Abacab


The Shorts and The Longs I don't own and have never listened to nor had an interest in listening to, so I can't rank those.

[PeterG]

Wow, not a lot of love for CAS here! It ranks highly with me...anyway, I would rank them like so:

Did you read the OP? That is why most people are not including CAS.

[progfan915]

Did you read the OP? That is why most people are not including CAS.

Ah true, I missed that. But despite that there is still a lot of negativity expressed towards CAS. That's what I was referring to.

[yamishogun]

Ah true, I missed that. But despite that there is still a lot of negativity expressed towards CAS. That's what I was referring to.

Calling All Stations... I remember thinking the title track was sort of weak but really liked the bite of "Congo" as a single. "Shipwrecked" = boring. Up next, "Alien Afternoon" which is interesting and really gets good in the second half. (almost nothing on WCD is like this except "DTLS") "If That's What You Need" - solid but not great -- great would be the next song "The Dividing Line." There is a charm to "Uncertain Weather" but not really needed. "Small Talk" is definitely not needed. Those two should have been cut to get to the strong "There Must Be Some Other Way" and the excellent closer, "One Man's Fool"

So, if you took what I think are the best songs:

1 Calling All Stations
2 Congo
3 Alien Afternoon
4 The Dividing Line
5 There Must Be Some Other Way
6 One Man's Fool

comes to about 45:00.

[mellotron storm]

Wow. ATTWT is the only Genesis "trio" album that I really enjoy. And I mean really.

For me it's Duke, ATTWT and Shapes. I can't listen to the rest while those three I really enjoy all the way through.
The first time I remember hearing Genesis was back in 1978 or so when a cousin of a friend came over where we were all hanging out and he said "You guys have to hear this!". We were all around 17 or so and this was way before I was into Prog and what he put on the turn table was A Trick Of The Tale and we all listened respectively and I really enjoyed it but I'm kicking myself for not going out and buying it back then. My first Genesis purchase was Duke in 1980 when it came out while I got Shapes and ATTWT much later.
And I agree with the person who talked about the mood on ATTWT, it's a special album for me while Shapes is even more sentimental for some reason, songs like Silver Mountain, the Home By The Sea songs, It's Gonna Get Better and Taking It All Too Hard I find really meaningful. No accounting for taste is there.

[bill g]

And Then There Were Three - B (love 'Burning Rope' of course)
Duke - B+
Abacab - B (Me and Sarah Jane alone lifted this album from being closer to a 'c')
S/T - C
Invisible Touch - C+
We Can't Dance - D
Calling All Stations - B-

The Shorts - C-
The Longs - B-
2007 Live - B

[bill g]

Calling All Stations... I remember thinking the title track was sort of weak but really liked the bite of "Congo" as a single. "Shipwrecked" = boring. Up next, "Alien Afternoon" which is interesting and really gets good in the second half. (almost nothing on WCD is like this except "DTLS") "If That's What You Need" - solid but not great -- great would be the next song "The Dividing Line." There is a charm to "Uncertain Weather" but not really needed. "Small Talk" is definitely not needed. Those two should have been cut to get to the strong "There Must Be Some Other Way" and the excellent closer, "One Man's Fool"

So, if you took what I think are the best songs:

1 Calling All Stations
2 Congo
3 Alien Afternoon
4 The Dividing Line
5 There Must Be Some Other Way
6 One Man's Fool

comes to about 45:00.

There is a fantastic 'B' side, 'Run Out of Time' that would pretty much make a full album's worth, although I would definitely trade out 'Congo' for 'Uncertain Weather'

[Progatron]

Abacab - B (Me and Sarah Jane alone lifted this album from being closer to a 'c')

That really is a great tune, I should have mentioned it myself, as it's probably my favourite from the album.

There is a fantastic 'B' side, 'Run Out of Time' that would pretty much make a full album's worth, although I would definitely trade out 'Congo' for 'Uncertain Weather'

I always liked "Sign Your Life Away" too. It's pretty commercial-sounding, but I enjoy the melody. And fully agreed about the last part. "Uncertain Weather" is one of the strongest tracks on the album. Very Banks-y.

[everyday]

And Then There Were Three - the first Genesis album I heard and still one of my favs
Shapes
Duke - has Heathaze - one of my all time fav tracks
Calling All Stations - some good songs ruined by fade outs
.
.
.
Abacab - poor songs
Invisible Touch - too many pop hits
.
.
.
We Can't Dance - sends me to sleep

[JJ88]

'Congo' has one of the worst fade-outs I've ever heard. I don't think there really was an obvious hit single on CAS; I suspect they may have held out hope for some of the songs like 'Shipwrecked', but this was like an 80s Mike and the Mechanics track and times had moved on. 'Not About Us' is the best of the more 'commercial' tracks, but it doesn't sound like a hit and it wasn't.

I do really like a few songs on it. The title track (save another dreadful fade), 'Uncertain Weather', 'The Dividing Line' (although something is missing from the instrumental section), 'There Must Be Some Other Way' and the 2nd half of 'Alien Afternoon' definitely have a classic Genesis feel to me. It's a shame about the rest of it. This is also not a great album for Tony Banks' keyboard sound choices IMHO.