Posts by Duke of Earl of Mar

I've always had a strange feeling with this album : interesting stuff, some good, some... I don't know. It's probably his voice, but the overall production sounds also weird.

At the same time, it seems a bold move from him, and it's great : his first album was very Genesis-like (I'm saying this in a good way, Smallcreep's Day is my favourite solo album with A Curious Feeling), this album is a lot more "abacabish". Having Stewart Copeland on board is another interesting point. To my knowledge, this is the only time Stewart did a side-project while still being active in The Police.

Anyway, one of the best tracks of the album. 11 points.

Apparently, George Harrison played the guitar solo, and George Martin arranged the strings, which do sound like in a Beatles track (I Am The Walrus...). Not sure, though, but it would be nice !

11 points.

Not my favourite, but a good song nonetheless, with a great message. Being a fast tempo track makes this song stand out in their catalog. It seems there's a kind of pattern with "fast tempo" songs, they are always funny (Who Dunnit, Illegal Alien, Anything She Does, and this one).

Quote from Dr. John

The biggest loss was of a complete Cinema Show. They were at least considering it in Come Rain Or Shine but Phil thought it went too high for him to sing. He gave up prematurely because the top notes he sings falsetto in IKWIL go higher.

Oh, I thought it was because of Mike Rutherford, who didn't even try to remember his parts with the special tuning he was using on guitar. It's a shame, today there are lots of videos explaining it, maybe at the time there were already a few existing on the Internet he could have looked at, at least...

Quote from thewatcher

On of my favorites because it's a racket! I love how Phil's voice sounds like it's being overwhelmed in the mix when he shouts "maaaaaaaaaaaaan of our tiiiimes", plus the bit where he's singing something I can't make out (sounds like "an enemy <something something>"). And the effective pauses dropped in here and there. The tense keyboard notes that loom ominously in the background in parts.

As regards the thread, I'm partial to cryptic lyrics also.

I quite agree with that. Strange song, but there's something I like in it, the musical tension that goes through, only released when the drum pattern changes at the very end.

Another set of cryptic lyrics is Abacab. The band itself explained that at the time they tended to write lyrics that sounded good rather than had any sense, but these ones are particularly obscure.

"And in the beating of your heart there is another beating heart

All at once I can see what we do,

Me into me and you into you

Me into me and you into you

Tonight, tonight, oh he's s burning bright"

I've always had a strange, diffuse, orwellian feeling about this song. What do you think of it ?

This is very sad news. The Genesis family loses a great man, one of its key members. I've never had the chance to meet him or even read his book but I heard him on one of his shows, he was really interesting. RIP.

A filler, maybe, but it's actually one of my favourite part of this album. 14

Quote from Thelawnmower

Phil’s utterly inventive drumming, very subtle fills and rolls and some very clever use of the bass pedal

I completely agree. I also love his hi-hat at the end of the song (just after the Hairless Heart reminder).

Quote from somsom

Years ago, I had an argument with a fellow Genesis fan on this site about the ending of that song. He pretended that he could hear a reprise of the keyboard melody used in Hairless Heart while I thought it was slightly different.

Me, maybe ? RE: Things you've only recently noticed

To me, it is a part of the HH melody, slightly altered to go with the key (E instead of D) and the harmony (major instead of minor). Overall melodic construction ? Same. Rhythm (tempo aside) ? Same also.

A catchy song with a great groove. The bass part is remarkable. 12 points.

Easy 14 points. The guitar solo is my special moment. One of the best done by Daryl !

Quote from Schrottrocker

Tough one, I like both versions.

Me too.

Today, it would be the Seconds Out version. I really like the beginning, especially Chester's drumming. But to me, the key element is Mike's extra basslines on the choruses.

I like The Lamb live versions, especially the ones from Trick, Abacab and Encore Tour. Lots of energy, especially the last two. I'm quite attached to Seconds Out, so I like this version too.

Both the snippet from WCD tour and the full version from CAS tour sound weaker to me : I think it's because the change in the guitar part compared to the older versions.

The 2021-2022 version was totally different, but good : quite nostalgic.

No Reply At All didn't transfer well.

The Lamia was not that bad live but it lost a lot of instrumental subtleties that were done thanks to the studio environment.

I also prefer the studio version of Follow you Follow Me : a bit softer than the live versions, but it fits the theme of the song.

As for the rest of the album, it's lacking something, but it's a good song.

15... Of course. What else can I say ?

Each song on this album gets 15 points, for me anyway. Same for the whole album.

Tough to choose between this and Entangled (if I had to).

Quote from Liquid Len

Not sure what that instrument is, but it’s a cool sound.

Roland CR-78, used in Me And Sarah Jane, In The Air Tonight, Hand In Hand, and probably the whole 1984 album by Anthony Phillips.

Tony (1976) : To give you support... There, look, before leaving Peter gave me his red dress and his fox head. Am I not good-looking, hey ?

Rutherford's playing is worth a mention here.

As for the song itself, it's ok, I like it, but lost between all the other tracks that are all more remarkable. I have a soft spot for the calm Genesis piano songs though. The instrumental part between the verses (and the ending), with the piano melody that goes up is my favourite part. Cleverly composed.

Quote from raelway siding

I mean, the very first time I heard this song (many years after hearing DTLS) I was really taken aback by the repetition of that part. Genuinely astonished that anyone can say it very vaguely resembles it.

Quote from Backdrifter

I can only think it's very vaguely echoed in the "take me over..." bridge into the middle. Very vaguely.

I hear what Raelway is saying (same kind of melodic and rhythmic motif), but yes, the intervals between the notes and the overall harmony are all different between the two.

Quote from Schrottrocker

Interesting, I always heard it as D# / F# / G. That would take the semitone between the F# and the G, leaving the D# as an outside note without context.

Actually, I hesitated between your voicing (with the B added at the bottom) and mine before writing, but I ultimately think it's D# / E / G (no B at the bottom, I was probably fooled by the staccato part playing B / E). Just three notes, you were right !

As for the F# impression, I got that too, it's probably because all these notes are very, very close to each other.

Try both and tell us what you think of it !

I like the calm bits a lot, with Phil's twin harmonies.

12.

As a side comment, looking at the cover, I wonder if the "bald scientist with the pair of glasses" is or isn't the same guy, a bit frightened, looking down at something, on the Smallcreep's Day cover ?

Quote from Liquid Len

it only lasts for a split second, but that Tony chord that sounds like it’s out of tune

Em(Maj7) chord, second inversion, above middle C : B / D# / E / G.

D# and E are one semitone apart, creating the friction.

Since it's played with a strange sound (apparently from the CP-70, at least live in 1983-1984, but maybe they used the pure acoustic sound of the strings ringing in the studio version, with the CP a bit out of tune to enhance the dissonant effect, I don't really know how they achieved this sound).