Genesis Solo Albums ranked worst to best

[battema]

I'm gonna be full honest here: posting this probably qualifies as a subliminal form passive/aggressive trolling. Even if it IS relevant to the boards, and might, just might, even inspire a few interesting tangental conversations.

I'm at peace with it.

http://ultimateclassicrock.com/genes...albums-ranked/

Edit: I found this on Fark, and found this comment under the link:

"Mike + the Mechanics make Air Supply look like Slayer"

I don't care how much of a M+tM fan you are, that's a flat-out

[Top Cat]

Good to see a Genesis thread since Yes is on hiatus.
As a newcomer here I can only imagine there is as much negativity about Genesis here as there is Yes, ARW and Milli Vanilli.

I clicked on the link and looked at several of the listings, and what strikes me most about reviewers and their reviews or lists of best to worst or visa versa, it all comes down to personal opinion, so I don't waste my time.
Now if I read an interview by one or more members of the band who are discussing what they think is their best and worst, I will listen to what they share.

I liked Mike and the Mechanics with the Paul Young and Paul Carrick lineup, even that somewhat dreadful(IMO) Acting Very Strange album.
Not a fan of the new lineup tho.
Incidentally I'm not a Air Supply or Slayer fan.

[JKL2000]

Kind of a dumb list. IMO A Curious Feeling should be a fair amount higher in the list, and Mike & the Mechanics probably shouldn't be on it at all, certainly not as high as it is, certainly not above Voyage of the Acolyte. Some of it makes sense, but some of it it seems like whoever compiled this is trying to hard not to leave anyone out.

[JKL2000]

Good to see a Genesis thread since Yes is on hiatus.
As a newcomer here I can only imagine there is as much negativity about Genesis here as there is Yes, ARW and Milli Vanilli.

I clicked on the link and looked at several of the listings, and what strikes me most about reviewers and their reviews or lists of best to worst or visa versa, it all comes down to personal opinion, so I don't waste my time.
Now if I read an interview by one or more members of the band who are discussing what they think is their best and worst, I will listen to what they share.

I liked Mike and the Mechanics with the Paul Young and Paul Carrick lineup, even that somewhat dreadful(IMO) Acting Very Strange album.
Not a fan of the new lineup tho.
Incidentally I'm not a Air Supply or Slayer fan.

You liked Acting Very Strange but think it's "somewhat dreadful?"

[battema]

Kind of a dumb list. IMO A Curious Feeling should be a fair amount higher in the list, and Mike & the Mechanics probably shouldn't be on it at all, certainly not as high as it is, certainly not above Voyage of the Acolyte. Some of it makes sense, but some of it it seems like whoever compiled this is trying to hard not to leave anyone out.

I kind of thought that was the point, to cover all the basic studio albums (there's a bit at the top about why they skipped the Private Parts + Pieces and archival, live, etc.)... ??

I have no issue with the list...as Top Cat said, it's just one perspective. I agree with some bits, disagree with others. If nothing else, it reminded me about a few albums that I'd forgotten about. Might be fun to re-listen again for kicks

[Top Cat]

You liked Acting Very Strange but think it's "somewhat dreadful?"

Yep, let me clarify due to my poor wording. I remember at the time of it's release many Genesis fans thought it was pretty bad. This I believe is due to the fact Mike appeared to distance himself as far as he could from anything remotely sounding like Genesis. Add to this his lead vocals weren't the highlight of the album, again it seemed he tried to distance himself from Genesis and I read somewhere he drank whisky to get a gruff sounding vocal.
But there are moments on the album I like, and after all it is a historical record of some of Mike's solo work.

[battema]

IMHO...Acting Very Strange was the best evidence that MR is at his finest when working with others.

[Top Cat]

IMHO...Acting Very Strange was the best evidence that MR is at his finest when working with others.

so true, even Mike agreed with that...according to Wiki: looking back on Acting Very Strange in later years, Rutherford was not proud of the album, saying he felt that the songs were very good but poorly executed on the actual recordings. He singled out "Hideaway" as the only track which he felt worked.Dissatisfaction with his solo work in general, and with his vocals in particular, prompted Rutherford to form Mike + The Mechanics.

Smallcreeps Day to me is a great album.

[BarryLI]

IMHO...Acting Very Strange was the best evidence that MR is at his finest when working with others.

Except for the fact that if it's a Genesis atmosphere you like his first solo LP Smallcreep's Day comes closer than maybe even Tony's A Curious Feeling, helped along by Ant's keys and Noel McCalla's vox. Why Mike decided to "sing" on it's successor is a mystery to me (can you imagine a sing-off between Mike and Steve Howe?).

[dpt3]

Weirdly, I find Acting Very Strange more listenable now than I did a couple of decades ago when I first heard it. I'm kind of inclined to agree with Mike that there's some decent material there, poorly executed. I'd definitely rank it near the bottom of Genesis solo albums, however.

The Fugitive belongs nowhere near the bottom, however, imo.

[Progatron]

As always with these lists, mine would be wayyyyy different. All in good fun however. For me, The Fugitive would absolutely not be at the bottom, nor would 1984 and Guitar Noir rank so low.

[battema]

Except for the fact that if it's a Genesis atmosphere you like his first solo LP Smallcreep's Day comes closer than maybe even Tony's A Curious Feeling, helped along by Ant's keys and Noel McCalla's vox. Why Mike decided to "sing" on it's successor is a mystery to me (can you imagine a sing-off between Mike and Steve Howe?).

I think that was the point...his other solo album was more of a "group" effort even if he did most of the writing. Ant was on keys, someone else sang, etc.. Acting Strange felt the most like a pure Rutherford solo album.

Just for saying...I'd never put M+tM forth as innovative/progressive music by any stretch...but I absolutely do enjoy much of their music. Even some of the newer stuff (post Carrack). The debut and Beggar probably being the two I enjoy most, end to end.

[Buddhabreath]

A lot of stinkers on that list no doubt. I haven't heard everything, but Voyage of the Acolyte would be #1 on my list which probably shows my prog dinosaur bona fides...

[JJ88]

Face Value and III are my favourites.

Where's Rufus? He bizarrely shelled out for all those Phil Collins reissues (the thread is on here somewhere) so he's more qualified to comment than most.

"Mike + the Mechanics make Air Supply look like Slayer"

I don't care how much of a M+tM fan you are, that's a flat-out

I'd be surprised if there were too many die-hard 'Mechanics fans on here. I think they had some strong singles but I don't have much interest in what they are releasing now.

[battema]

I'd be surprised if there were too many die-hard 'Mechanics fans on here. I think they had some strong singles but I don't have much interest in what they are releasing now.

Oh, no doubt. If it weren't for the Genesis connection they'd pretty much be an irrelevant topic here on a progressive music board.

[Dave (in MA)]

At least it's not a click-bait slideshow.

[Steve983]

I'd put Hackett & Anthony Phillips at the top of the Genesis solo list.

[Mister Triscuits]

The top of the list should be Gabriel's first four albums followed by a few Hackett albums.

At least a few of Ant's albums should be up there, too; The Geese and the Ghost for sure. But apart from the passable Smallcreep's Day, I've heard nothing by Rutherford, Banks, or Collins that I find worth listening to. Even A Curious Feeling. I've really tried to like it--I've owned it twice and sold it off both times--but I just find it boring.

[Buddhabreath]

^^^

I guess the curious feeling can be somewhat articulated as "Why did I buy this crap?".

[gojikranz]

was reading this the other day. agreed that fugitive belongs far from the bottom have been reappraising it lately and really enjoying it.

some of the private parts and pieces albums were newly recorded material find it hard to think of looking at Ants solo work and not including them. also bizarre that they include gypsy suite and in the review of gypsy suite praise tarka but not include tarka on the list.

obviously comparing them all in this way is kinda silly its gonna come down to personal preference because they are so different but I do find stuff to enjoy from them all. would probably put geese and the ghost as my number one though.

[mozo-pg]

I found it an interesting read. Minus Collins and Mike and the Mechanics, I think I own everything. I, too, would place 1,11,111, and IV at the top followed by Acolyte. Steve did surprisingly well in the rankings overall.

[aith01]

Wow, this really shows how far ranging our opinions can be. I own all of Tony Banks' CDs and love every one of them. Even Bankstatement.

I also love Phil Collins' first three solo albums. After that, his music began to get less consistent for me. But there are still some good songs throughout. He never put out anything quite as diverse as Face Value again.

Regarding Ant's work, 1984 is a masterpiece of electronic music IMO. It should be near the top. And then with his PP&P albums, there's an embarrassment of riches to be found there. They deserve to be on the list.

[Progatron]

Wow, this really shows how far ranging our opinions can be. I own all of Tony Banks' CDs and love every one of them. Even Bankstatement.

I also love Phil Collins' first three solo albums. After that, his music began to get less consistent for me. But there are still some good songs throughout. He never put out anything quite as diverse as Face Value again.

I'm also a big fan of Banks' solo career, there is a lot to love on those albums for the Genesis fan who appreciates his style of composition and chord changes. And his orchestral albums are excellent - particularly the most recent Five, which is a very strong piece of work. Phil's best, to my ears, is Both Sides, which is a rather low-key affair overall, with a lot of moody atmosphere - and contains his best song IMO: We Fly So Close.

As for Mike And The Mechanics, well, Mike's outside writing was by far the most commercial and middle-of-the-road of the entire band. However I do think they managed to craft a fine little pop song with Another Cup Of Coffee. But yeah, the bottom of my list would be littered with their albums.

[bill g]

Wow that list is absolutely ridiculous! All those Phil albums ahead of those classics by Tony, Steve and Ant is embarrassing. I hope Tony, Steve and Ant are unaware of this travesty.

Wow, this really shows how far ranging our opinions can be. I own all of Tony Banks' CDs and love every one of them. Even Bankstatement.

I also love Phil Collins' first three solo albums. After that, his music began to get less consistent for me. But there are still some good songs throughout. He never put out anything quite as diverse as Face Value again.

Regarding Ant's work, 1984 is a masterpiece of electronic music IMO. It should be near the top. And then with his PP&P albums, there's an embarrassment of riches to be found there. They deserve to be on the list.

Yes, although Bankstatement is my least favorite of Tony's (ranked over 'Still'? Wow!!) I still prefer it to all Phil and M&M albums.

And agreed on the Ant output. 1984 is pretty awesome in my book. And 'Slow Dance' ought to be up there on the list as well.

[battema]

Wow that list is absolutely ridiculous! All those Phil albums ahead of those classics by Tony, Steve and Ant is embarrassing. I hope Tony, Steve and Ant are unaware of this travesty.

I took the liberty of tweeting this to all of them. Banks was ambivalent but Ant said he was so distraught he was considering stopping work on Private Parts & Pieces XXVII