The Ant Band – From Genesis To Reimagination – review

Preface

Finally, the new album by the Ant Band is in the can. More than four years have passed since the release of Anthony Phillips' fantastic debut album, A Light On The Hill, on his 70th birthday. The reviewer had already set his sights on the 75th birthday of the band's namesake as the release date for a new Ant Band album.

Well, now this surprise, but even more astonishing, no longer with titles from Anthony Phillips' extensive oeuvre. No, the unloved first Genesis album From Genesis To Revelation has been re-recorded, redesigned, reinterpreted (see title). That of all things? Is that courageous, naive, or even overconfident? If the reviewer already had problems reviewing the debut album of a 'school band', how would it be with a cover version? Well, let's open Pandora's box with an open heart and ears… ¹

Background

Early on after their debut album, The Ant Band decided to cover From Genesis To Revelation. They shied away from comparisons with the successful debut, which consists of songs by Anthony Phillips. In the opinion of the Ant Band, Genesis' debut album contains some very sophisticated songs that didn't stand a chance due to poor technical conditions in the studio, the short recording time, the unsatisfactory production and the spirit of the times. Why not enhance and modernise them with today's possibilities? And why not give the album its originally planned structure? Why not use it to highlight the still dormant genius of the young members of Genesis?

Ultimately, these questions led to the goal of creating a well-intentioned homage to this work. The band (largely consisting of the same musicians who played on the debut album) finally began recording at the end of August 2022. Anthony Phillips, who was not initially very enthusiastic about the idea, and Jonathan Dann were once again available in an advisory capacity, particularly Tom Morgenstern, who was the producer and pulled all the strings. Jonathan provided crucial information about the originally planned track list and the musical interludes. ²

Cover

The cover of the original was a black surface with the title in golden Gothic letters. There was no track list or similar information on the back. Not exactly conducive to sales. So Tom Morgenstern decided to use the Gothic lettering for a motif from the Tannhäuser cycle by Willy Pogany, a Hungarian Art Nouveau artist. The dragon slayer became Anthony Phillips with his pith helmet, and the sword became a cricket bat. ³

The cover thus establishes a tongue-in-cheek connection to the biblical motifs of the album, to Anthony Phillips and the name of the Ant Band, as well as to Paul Whitehead's cover of the Trespass album. ⁴ Liner notes, track list and an introduction by Anthony Phillips, among other things, are now available.

Songs and structure of the CD-Album

As the reviewer already noted, the sequence of songs and the selection of instrumental interludes follow the originally intended structure of the (concept) album. Jonathan Dann was able to provide valuable information here, among other things by supplying the track list of the original master.⁵ The album now begins entirely in keeping with the biblical Genesis.

In The Beginning 3:29

The thunder and roar of the primordial elements that created the earth sound somewhat gentler than in the original. The driving drums quickly kick in, and a wavy (!) electric guitar accompanies Nina's vocals, which beautifully belt out the familiar first verse. Is it really Nina? She is supported by Tom, but shows incredible versatility in her voice. Immediately, there is an 'aha' moment: this is modern, fresh, wonderfully groovy wave pop rock. '…This is the sound of a new born world…' Yes, exactly. A great opener, so typical of a Genesis album. Motto: Play it loud!

Interlude 0:53

Jan now plays a beautiful, romantic interlude on the acoustic guitar, which leads to …

Fireside Song 3:29

We dream, float away after the interlude, and are jolted awake by the band's wonderful lead guitar. Oh, how beautiful the chorus is, a catchy tune that isn't plastered over with strings and sounds more like Genesis than the original. Genesis? Yes, it even bridges the gap to the 80s. That speaks to the timelessness of this music. The keyboard at the end of the song is wonderful. This piece deserves airplay. A highlight for the reviewer.

Interlude 0:49

An oud plays a Middle Eastern-style melody with a cajon, which would reappear much later in Twilight Alehouse. It brings to mind a caravan travelling through the menacing wasteland of the desert.

The Serpent 4:06

Robin begins a cappella. The guitar familiar from the original accompanies him until the band kicks in with a lively rocker. The action is heightened by a cheeky organ, while mellotron sounds create a proggy atmosphere. Robin sings fantastically and is supported by an enthusiastic band. The reviewer is completely enchanted by the bluesy, proggy, rocking dragon that disappears with a sad and sombre mood.

Interlude 0:15

Sascha's acoustic guitar gently plays the familiar melody of In The Wilderness. ⁶

The Conqueror 3:15

Guitar arpeggios ring out, the band ventures out of the background, and then the vocals that will dominate the piece break through the scene. A timeless pop song with dark lyrics that evoke a Rolling Stones, Byrds, or Beatles feel.

Interlude 0:44 (only on CD)

Wow, what is Gereon playing? Is that Swan Lake? It's absolutely beautiful.

Build Me A Mountain 4:10 (only on CD)

The band thunders along à la Oasis or Radiohead, giving the track, which didn't make it onto the original album, a very modern rock pop character. Were Genesis already capable of composing songs like this back then? The cool drums, the guitar, the 'dirty' vocals sound timelessly great. This song has all the makings of a single release.

Interlude 0:26

Guitar and wood zither perform a duet. It sounds wonderfully baroque. They welcome…

One Day 3:32

… Robin's gentle singing. A dreamy love ballad awaits us. This is one of the strengths of the Ant Band, which already distinguished them on their debut album: intuitively capturing the beauty of a composition and refining it with appropriate instrumentation and fantastic playing. The reviewer enjoys another highlight of the album.

In The Wilderness 3:21 (LP-Version: 3:18)

The piano initially plays the melody in the foreground until the guitar sighs, the vocals begin imploringly and the wonderful chorus rings out. Here, the whole band can be heard playing beautifully together. Oh, that Minimoog and those jazzy piano touches! The Ant Band has transformed the cloying, sticky original into a compact AOR song with a catchy melody.

Interlude 0:30

Gereon's short, playful acoustic guitar notes form the finale of the previous piece. Well done!

Where The Sour Turns To Sweet 3:30 (LP edit: 3:13)

Gloomy organ sounds boom in duet with the drums, short snippets of Nina's vocals can be heard until it gets rocking, giving Robin's vocal outbursts room to breathe. The vocals come in wonderfully clear, repeatedly interrupted by heavy rock sounds dominated by the electric guitar. Finally, the piece ends in a wall of sound. This is pure energy that was taken away from the original by its poor production.

In Hiding 2:50

Now the reviewer is surprised by a folk-inspired, cheerful wanderer's song. It chirps along harmoniously and carefree until the organ and electric guitar create a pastoral atmosphere reminiscent of the Trespass album. Oh yes, the time signature has been changed from 3/4 to 4/4 compared to the original, from waltz time to pop song. ⁷

Image Blown Out 3:05 (only on CD)

Another song that didn't make it onto the original album. A version became famous through the Archive 1967-1975 box set.⁸ A cheeky piano accompanies the vocals. The song strums along lightly and easily. Yes, Genesis have always been able to compose beautiful pop songs. There is a similarity to songs such as A Trick Of The Tail, That's All, Happy The Man and the like. Supertramp also send their regards.

Before you can get your dancing shoes on, there is a musical interlude. In the middle of the song, the tempo changes and Banks-style keyboards fill the room. This intermission is over quickly. We hear an electric guitar and the song swings out. Yes, this is how Genesis sounded, especially in the 1980s. It is refined, light-hearted, good pop music.

Interlude 0:32

Once again, an interlude introduces the next song. Gereon conjures magic on the classical guitar and the Waldzither. The reviewer thinks he hears a few touches of Anthony Phillips' Seven Long Years.

Am I Very Wrong? 2:44

This flows smoothly into the song, which poses the question in the title. Wonderful 12-string sounds create a pastoral atmosphere. The vocals are distorted, as if coming from an answering machine. Yellow Submarine by the Beatles comes to mind, especially during the closing chorus with laughter and all kinds of brass band fanfare. The theme of the lyrics is taken up: we're celebrating a birthday!

Interlude 0:19

Classical guitar, wood zither and 12-string provide a far too brief interlude to open the window…

Window 2:56

At first, the song comes across as unassuming, almost shy. Modern keyboards, guitar arpeggios and synthetic string/wind sounds give it momentum. Robin has a lot of lyrics to sing and does so with flying colours. What does the chorus remind the reviewer of?

Visions Of Angels 5:36 (nur auf CD)

Without further ado, we come to another highlight. It was well known that the song by Trespass was written back in the days of Genesis To Revelation. But who knew that a version had actually been recorded back then? ⁹ The Ant Band consulted with their namesake and produced a slightly shorter piece than the original by Trespass. A Rhodes piano combined with acoustic guitar takes over at the beginning and forms the common thread throughout the rest of the song. The result is a piece with wistful vocals, dominant acoustic guitar, organ sounds and Nina's angelic backing vocals.

Without the big instrumental flourishes, everything sounds more compact, catchier, and less pretentiously meaningful. It seems as if the music is played more loosely than in the original. This takes away some of the sombre heaviness. The result is an almost cheerful, autumnal rock pop song that fits seamlessly into the structure of the album (also with its lyrics). Really well done.

Interlude 0:28

Jan's oud and Sascha's piano skilfully weave together notes and sounds that lead us to the penultimate song.

In Limbo 3:44

Strumming guitars, a lively rhythm, and then enlightenment. That's it! This reminiscence is quickly replaced by Nina's vocals. Heavy, straight rocking begins. There are tempo changes that are a real joy. From 2:30 onwards, the lead guitar changes the rhythm. Nina's vocals become more pleading, more desperate. The music intensifies once more and ends abruptly. This version also demonstrates the power of the original composition.

A Place To Call My Own 6:40 (LP-Version: 2:25)

Are we listening to Mike + The Mechanics? The guitar parts are reminiscent of Mike's band. But then wonderful organ/keyboard sounds blow this impression away. Beautiful mellotron choirs resound, the rhythm section gives it their all. After three minutes, the volume decreases, flute sounds whisper, and quotes from the most memorable pieces of the album fray in the sound fabric. After almost four minutes, the roar of this medley is reduced to a piano, and finally Robin's vocals ring out with the familiar verses. The search for a place of retreat is gently described.

After five minutes of silence with hidden fragments of voices, sounds and a 'shower atmosphere', the song ends. Yes, did the languishing protagonist sing the song in the shower? This is beautiful, not too serious, modern (prog) rock that skilfully brings the past of Genesis into our time. A finale furioso that had to be this long, ending the album and making it a well-rounded affair. Truly magnificent!

Vinyl version

The reviewer admits to being one of those nostalgic types who have fallen for the charm of vinyl records. So he is delighted that, bowing to market forces and the spirit of the times, another edition has been produced in clear vinyl. Due to limited technical possibilities (only a maximum of 22 minutes per side), this edition sticks to the song sequence of the original. In addition to the songs mentioned above, Gereon's Swan Lake interlude had to be omitted, and some songs were shortened or remixed. ¹⁰

Silent Sun 1:43 (nur auf der LP)

In order to stay true to the original album, this song was recorded for the LP version and used as the opener again. Nina sings the song accompanied only by an acoustic guitar. It is a gentle and quiet interpretation of the original. We sit with her on a summer evening in a meadow and watch the sun set gently and quietly.

Where the Sour Turns to Sweet

The piece is eight bars shorter at the end. However, this does not detract from the listening experience.

In the Wilderness (alternative version)

Nina sings lead vocals instead of Robin, Robin sings backing vocals (i.e. roles reversed) and there is a different arrangement (the 'fat' rhythm guitars are missing). This makes the song a little closer to the original. Nina was supposed to sing on the CD release, but she didn't like the arrangement. This is her favourite. She is in no way inferior to the CD version.

A Place to Call My Own (short version)

Unfortunately, this version only includes the sung final section, meaning that the medley is missing. This other mix, with Bert (instead of Martin) on piano, Sascha on bass and Roland on drums, is also only available on the LP. The reviewer prefers the CD version precisely because of the instrumental middle section. ¹¹

All in all

Has the Ant Band succeeded in paying due homage to From Genesis To Revelation with their version, or even in producing an equivalent alternative? The reviewer would like to answer these questions with a resounding 'yes'. Not only have the annoying string and brass arrangements been eliminated and the songs given a modern look with new production techniques, but the beauty of the original compositions has also been brought to light through a very high level of playing technique. It is a joy to listen to the band, swing along with them and accompany them on their journey of discovery through the very young Genesis cosmos.

The reviewer now sees From Genesis To Revelation in a different light. He no longer misinterprets the album as the youthful indiscretion of a school band, but as a collection of consistently successful rock pop compositions that were unable to flourish at the time. This is thanks to the new version by the Ant Band.

Should one highlight one or two musicians in particular? Perhaps the vocal performances of Nina and Robin? After all, for this reviewer, Peter Gabriel's voice was always the only remarkable feature of the original. No, this reviewer wants to praise them all, because it is the musicians' superb collective performance that makes this album so special.

From Genesis To Reimagination stands on equal footing with the original in the reviewer's opinion. To quote Anthony Phillips: 'Bravo boys!' ¹²

Author: Thomas Jesse

The Ant Band will play two concerts in Eichenzell-Welkers near Fulda as part of The First Final Los Endos Event on 23 and 24 May. These will probably be the band's only shows.

From Genesis To Reimagination can be ordered on CD and vinyl:
order CD: Bandcamp | JustForKicks | Burningshed
order LP: Bandcamp | JustForKicks | Burningshed

Remarks:

1 The reviewer does not wish to go into detail about the original Genesis album. He found Andy Thomas's excellent analysis of the album's 50th anniversary helpful.
2 Jonathan Dann is Anthony Phillips' archivist and curator. He is also involved in compiling countless Ant releases. For more on their collaboration, see, among other things, interview with Tom Morgenstern
3 Original on Facebook
4 Original of the Trespass template / on Willy Pogany
5 See interview with Tom Morgenstern

6 Since the opener of side 2 on the original album The Conqueror is supposed to connect to the end of side 1, In the Wilderness, this change means that this no longer works. Conqueror now comes before Wilderness, and the band decided to simply move the intro as well.
7 See note 5
8 See YouTube
9 See note 5
10 Ibid. The omitted songs are available for download for vinyl customers.
11 Information about the LP versions after consultation with Tom Morgenstern
12 Liner notes for the album. Hey Ant and the girl?!