GENESIS - Seconds Out - album thread

A superb track list, though I do wish more live performances of songs from the W&W album had been included. My main issue with this album is Dave Henschel’s production. It feels like he sucked a lot of the edginess out of the live performances. The background babbling before the beginning of Squonk is bizarre, and it would help the live feel of the performances if the cuts that begin some of the other sides (i.e. Firth of Fifth and Cinema Show) have audience noise (as in cheering!) before the music begins.

Great review of a great album. This was the album that got me hooked on Genesis at 11 years old and I still love it. For me they never sounded better than here, in the studio or live.

I like the review's description of its "ethereal" sound, which to me is spot on. The arrangements were perfect for those songs, delicate when needed, incredibly powerful at times, but never overblown or fatiguing.

Genesis at their peak as far as I am concerned.

10/10

I can see why a lot of people like this album, I do as well. But I always wondered why the sound on hat record was a little .... thin? For me, that's the weak part.

I also always wondered why they only put one track from W&W on Seconds Out ...

I thought we had a big discussion about it not too long ago but if I recall it was in the context of derailing a different thread 😆.

At any rate, it seems a polarizing release, with the bloodless production being a major complaint. As I recall, when I heard it as a teenager, the combination of the somewhat 'cold' cover image and then the strange effect of Squonk bursting out of disconnected crowd chatter added up to the feeling that there was something otherworldly about the album. That appealed to me then, but as time has gone on, I've come to appreciate the completely opposite approach of 3SL more, which has a warm inner sleeve picture showing the sweatiness and raw energy of a concert, coupled with a much rougher aural presentation.

Also good quality bootlegs showing that the band wasn't quite as sterile in 1976-77 as Seconds Out would make you think.

I'm still waiting to listen to a good quality version of it on a decent system. Work in progress.

Edit: it's 46 years old today and was released 4 years before I was born 😭. Testament to the enduring quality of the band I hope.

What a superbly written review! I enjoyed reading it so thanks for putting it together. Wouldn’t disagree with much except to say that Phil’s little diversions during The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway irritate me and I still find the production a little bland. I like the fact they crafted a new running order for the album but would love a complete concert from each of the tours to compete with bootlegs.

The Abbey Road Half-speed remaster is a masterpiece!

I've always thought of Seconds Out as being a little too "polite" sounding, but the performances are all stellar and the tracklist is (almost) perfect.

Sure, I would have loved it if they had re-sequenced it into an accurate 1977 show as they did with The Way We Walk, but the 2009 remix really is incredible and did bring a little more energy and much needed clarity to the album.

And I still believe this is the definitive version of Supper's Ready.

Quote from WinstonWolf

I've always thought of Seconds Out as being a little too "polite" sounding, but the performances are all stellar and the tracklist is (almost) perfect.

Sure, I would have loved it if they had re-sequenced it into an accurate 1977 show as they did with The Way We Walk, but the 2009 remix really is incredible and did bring a little more energy and much needed clarity to the album.

And I still believe this is the definitive version of Supper's Ready.

The Abbey Road remaster is quite better.... it's not the same sound : more clear, more powerful, more energetic...

Quote from WinstonWolf

I've always thought of Seconds Out as being a little too "polite" sounding, but the performances are all stellar and the tracklist is (almost) perfect.

Sure, I would have loved it if they had re-sequenced it into an accurate 1977 show as they did with The Way We Walk, but the 2009 remix really is incredible and did bring a little more energy and much needed clarity to the album.

And I still believe this is the definitive version of Supper's Ready.

Ah the definitive version of SR for me is on Archive 1!

I love sides 2-4 with a passion. I think it captures them live at one of many peaks.

However, I must admit I don't care for side 1 much. In my opinion, they never captured the magic of Squonk, Carpet Crawlers and Afterglow live, compared to what I like about the studio versions.

But that's a minor complaint. This still gets played regularly by me. Especially FOF, IKWIL, and all of sides 3 and 4.

I'm a little surprised for such an in-depth review that I can see no reference to the correct location of Cinema Show's recording. Perhaps this wasn't known about back when this review was created: I cannot recall when it became common knowledge. Not that it really matters.

I've not listen to it in over 25 years and I'm not sure I've ever listened to it all the way through. I seem to remember thinking it sounded a bit flat and weak compared to 3SL and the Mama NEC concerts. Maybe I'll give it another listen.

Quote from Sarahjandi

I've not listen to it in over 25 years and I'm not sure I've ever listened to it all the way through. I seem to remember thinking it sounded a bit flat and weak compared to 3SL and the Mama NEC concerts. Maybe I'll give it another listen.

Try this version : https://superdeluxeedition.com…speed-mastered-2lp-vinyl/

It's incredible (not the same sound...)

Although overall, I still happily listen to Seconds Out from beginning to end (admittedly skipping RAaB), I share some of the opinions about its limitations.

The performances are from a band operating at the top of their game:

Phil sings wonderfully throughout. He hasn't yet achieved the grit and heft of his vocals a few years later, so tougher passages are maybe less convincing. But he can soar on the high notes and is transcendent on passages such as As Sure as Eggs Is Eggs. His drumming is of course amazing, highlighted when he gets behind the kit for instrumental sections.

Steve is in his ghostly tonal phase, which can be magical in quiet sections (e.g., Carpet Crawlers, parts of Supper's Ready). I do miss his more muscular and aggressive tone from earlier years, which would have made Firth of Fifth and other songs truly soar.

Tony has one of my favourite keyboard arsenals with the Hammond, the mellotron, and the ARP for the lead lines. His playing is great throughout.

Mike is playing wonderfully, whether on bass or 12-string. I wish his bass tone had more edge, particularly for songs like LLDOB. However his 12-string sound is sublime.

Tony and Mike should also get props for their tight harmony work on Carpet Crawlers (and on Entangled, released separately).

Chester is a great addition, adding a depth and authority that solidly backs everything up. He integrates incredibly well with Phil. However he also pulls off remarkable fills on his own - the kit-covering roll following "Jerusalem" is a fine example.

As noted with some of my comments above, I do wish the sound overall could have had more edge and power. Boots from the tour are evidence that the band did have more of this live. Squonk, LLDOB, FoF, and DoaV all needed a bit more of this. But the softer, ethereal sound really works wonders for the quieter passages. Cinema Show is magical right up to that tasteless ending that they tacked on in lieu of Aisle of Plenty.

I too wish the song list was a little different. I can understand they choices they made at the time. I still wonder why we can't have some kind of deluxe release with all the potential extra tracks, several of which have been released from these two tours: Entangled, White Mountain, It/Watcher of the Skies, The Lamb medley, Eleventh Earl of Mar, Your Own Special Way, One for the Vine (even though I don't like it), All In a Mouse's Night, ...ITQE, and Inside and Out. That would be a package I would be happy to buy.

Quote from Trick of the Wuthering

Ah the definitive version of SR for me is on Archive 1!

I find the 1995 vocals a bit jarring at times and (ducks for cover) I like Chester's drumming more than Phil's on this tune.