This is the first Genesis album with the "classic" lineup, which include newcomers Steve Hackett on guitar and Phil Collins on drums. The addition of these two great musicians makes the album far better than both its predecessors, and marks the beginning of the golden era of Genesis which lasts through 1977; five more LP's and two live albums. Not everything here is essential, which is really why Cryme deserves 4 1/2 stars instead of 5, but there's enough excellent material here to satisfy any fan. "The Musical Box" is an astonishing piece of music, the drama of which the band perhaps never quite topped. It begins with 12 string guitars delicately accompanying Peter on vocals, and eventually builds and builds to a fantastic climax...and then is followed by the soft and subtle "For Absent Friends" with a then mousey-voiced Phil on vocals. "Giant Hogweed" is a rocking song with some wordy vocals that also builds to quite a climax--probably the loudest the band ever got. The second side isn't quite as consistent..."Seven Stones" is a solemn song which includes one of Tony's first recorded uses of the mellotron..."Harold the Barrel" is laughable, forgettable fun, and "Harlequin" is a rather fruity ballad. Nursury Cryme ends with a bang, however, in the form of "Fountain of Salmacis," a very wonderful and underrated Genesis song that tells some obscure story of mythological figures (you know these Prog guys), but manages to be rather moving at times.

GEORGE STRATOSIN REVIEW - NURSERY CRYME

This is where the 'classic Genesis formula' finally falls into place, together with the acquisition of new guitarist Steve Hackett and new drummer Phil Collins - the cute little bald chappie with probably the most unpredictable career in the whole history of rock/pop. Back then, though, he did have all of his hair firmly in place and rarely ventured onto the steep path of singing, much less songwriting... oh man, those were the days. Not that I have any hard feelings towards Phil (except for ruining Clapton's career in the mid-Eighties, that is), but somehow he always looks more favourable on photos dating back to, say, nineteen seventy-three, than any time in the present. But let's get on with reviewing, shall we?
The new guys do contribute a lot of interesting stuff to the band's sound, from Phil's mature prog-rolls to Hackett's professional soloing (that is, when he does get a chance to do some soloing, which isn't that often, and even then he managed to procure himself an elaborate pedal which makes his guitar sound just like it was another of Tony's synths). But it's neither Collins nor Hackett that manage to beef up the rating for the record. Rather it is Gabriel's lyrics, which have finally matured to the point of being able to successfully compete with the lyrical brand of such cultural heroes as Pete Sinfield, Keith Reid or Jon Anderson, and, I'm not afraid to say it, to beat them at it.

The material is divided here into two groups: the three lengthy, pretentious marathons ('Musical Box', 'Return Of The Giant Hogweed', 'Fountain Of Salmacis'), balanced by a handful of shorter, not-so-pretentious ballads and suchlike. Those of you who hate lengthy pretentious prog rock, however, won't get much of the shorter numbers. See, at some point Gabriel obviously decided that the simple pop tunes he proved himself master of on FGTR were way too obsolete and dated (hey! that's what everybody else says about it, isn't it? but not me!), so he eliminated them and preferred to concentrate himself on weird verse structures and chord progressions that are so complicated it kinda makes you sorry about what you thought of that last Beach Boys album... What I'm trying to tell you, actually, is that these shorter numbers might sound nice, but none of them are memorable in the least - no matter how you try to get into them, all you'll be left in the end is some crazy background noise. While you're in, though, you might just as well enjoy it.

'Harlequin', while not possessing any distinct melody or distinct hooks, is at least pretty, in the Genesis vibe, and 'Harold The Barrel' is just a fantastic tune, sounding slightly like a medieval Brit folk song, but only slightly: it almost looks like it was built on a "cut-and-paste" principle, with several different melodies cut in little pieces and slapped one over another in a fashion that seems ugly and strained at first, but turns out to be brilliantly executed in the end. Of course, all this contributes to the tune's utter unmemorability, but the individual mini-pieces are all perfectly written and joined together. I kinda enjoy the actual story, too, though I admit it's a little hard to understand why Harold the Barrel was going to jump out of the window... 'For Absent Friends' and 'Seven Stones' kinda suck, though, both the melodies and the lyrics. Can't really enjoy them. Somewhat sloppy, if you ask me. Somewhat senseless, if you ask me, too. Come on now, what is 'Seven Stones' about, with its unclear images with unclear purposes? Sounds like a Trespass outtake to me. Oh, and for the record 'For Absent Friends' features the first ever apparition of Phil Collins in the role of lead singer, but that hardly improves the song.

Now, about the three lengthy marathons. These will take a really long time to get into, but you might do that, and once you do, you'll be happy about it. The lyrics are mostly swell - Lewis Carroll rip-offs with elements of black humour and gothic mystery on 'Musical Box', a fantazmo sci-fi horror tale on 'Giant Hogweed', and a lovely Greek myth about the Hermaphrodite set to music on 'Salmacis'. Out of these, 'Hogweed' is my favourite: the way that Gabriel recreates the atmosphere of panic created by the onslaught of the 'giant hogweed' against the planet is purely intoxicating, with the screams of 'turn and run! stamp them out! waste no time! strike by night!' being the most groovy part. Even the synths feel right in their place here, and the guitar/synth duet in the intro is amazing - an ultra-complex riff played at lightning speed in complete unison. And the main melody is, well, it kinda resembles something in between a music-hall tune and a martial rhythm. Very complex, yet very solid and memorable in the end.

But I also respect 'Musical Box' (a long-time fan favourite) for its beauty and, in part, even Pink Floyd-ian moments (the alternation of quiet and loud in the line 'and I see... and I feel... and I touch... THE WALL!' are certainly Wall-ish). And, finally, 'Salmacis' is just slick, with really talented and meaningful lyrics (after all, this is nothing but a retelling of an old Greek myth) and decent music. But, as you can see, my bet is on Gabriel more than anyone else. Only his singing can make these tunes come to life. So, when the instrumental parts (and they're not that short, I tell you) take over, you'll be bored, I tell you, unless it's a rare case of an expert Steve Hackett solo (he's especially demonic on 'Musical Box'). You - will - be - bored. Why? Because Gabriel and Hackett are the only real virtuosos in the band, that's why. And let me tell you that, as much as I respect (or don't respect) Phil Collins, he absolutely was not the perfect choice for a vocalist. Sure, his voice does sound a lot like Gabriel's, but he's got a lot less of a range, and he can never make a record come alive just by the sheer abilities of his vocal cords, as Gabriel often does.

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As with Yes, record number 3 represented the "big leap" for Genesis. Phil Collins and Steve Hackett entered, bringing with them instrumental skill that the band oh-so-badly needed - in fact, this album is easily the second-most guitar-heavy of Genesis' career, as all of Hackett's tricks are on prominent display at just the right times. The progressive nature of the compositions began to enter full flight, as the band contributed three musical masterpieces in the epics. And, most of all, Gabriel finally discovered his incredible sense of the absurd, as his lyrics became more intricate and more entertaining than ever before. And that absurdity even reaches to the album cover - I may perhaps be all wet here, but I'm almost POSITIVE that the girl holding the mallet represents Gabriel, the other woman on wheels the producer, and the heads lying on the ground the other band members.

Ah yes, it also introduces us to the human-head croquet game that underpins the story of epic number one, The Musical Box. Ignoring the music just for a moment, the story Gabriel creates here is nothing short of sheer brilliance - not just the fact that it's so strange, but the way in which he makes it impossible to truly determine who the 'hero' is. I mean, Cynthia lopped off Henry's head with a mallet, but Henry comes back as an old man and rapes Cynthia. WHO DO YOU ROOT FOR HERE??!! Is the ending tragic? A victory? The answer, of course, is that it's neither (even the giant musical climax at the end doesn't really betray the nature of the piece), and that it is the first of many glorious enigmas that Peter would paint for us.

But if it were just the story that were so cool, the song would lose much of its power. No, it is truly the music itself that makes this the classic it is. The vocal melodies in the beginning and middle are beautiful but sadly pleading, while the Elizabethan Folk nature of the music alternately soothes and tenses the listener. And, of course, the faster instrumental breaks are just marvelous. Hackett is the star, no question about it, and even Tony Banks is willing to reduce the role of his regular keyboard style in the jams, often using them as a feedback supplement for Steve and Mike (it's really cool to watch a live performance of this song and realize that all of the loudest and most abrasive sounds are actually coming from Tony's keys, and that they actually work). And again, Steve's guitar parts are absolutely incredible - fast enough to satisfy one's need to hear shredding, but also impeccably constructed and written.

And, of course, we have the grand finale, with Peter once again the main star, screaming in the guise of an old man, "Why don't you TOUCH ME, TOUCH ME, TOUCH ME, TOUCH ME, TOUCH ME, TOUCH ME NOW! NOW! NOW! NOW! NOW!" Granted, he could get a little gross with this part on stage, but there's no denying that this conclusion is one of the most overwhelmingly moving moments in the history of rock music.

Unfortunately, the album is somewhat inconsistent from this point onwards. The other two epics are marvelous, but most of the shorter songs are, well, kinda lame. Well, except Harold the Barrel, of course, with Peter singing the story of man about to jump off a ledge. The music is hilarious, maniacally slamming from one up-tempo theme to another while we hear things like old Mrs. Barrel singing "Your shirt's all dirty and there's a man here from the BBC - You just can't jump." But the other short songs, again, stink. For Absent Friends (with Collins' first-ever lead-vocal in Genesis) and Harlequin mostly escape me every time I hear them, and Seven Stones isn't really better. The lyrics are pretentious without being entertaining (I'll bet dollars-to-dimes that Tony wrote them!!), and the only part of the song that has ever fascinated me is the pretty mellotron part at the end.

No matter, though - the other two epics rule. Return of the Giant Hogweed, the heart-warming story of a race of weeds that take over the earth, is utterly fabulous and hilarious, from the feedback-drenched rolling guitar lines of the beginning to the ludicrously complex melody and chorus structure to the interesting jamming in the middle. Even Tony's playing doesn't seem as annoying here, as the main keyboard riff is quite entertaining. And, of course, Peter's singing, from the "Turn and run!" etc. screams of the beginning, to the 'Dance of the Giant Hogweed' at the end, when the weeds finally win their battle and Peter cries "Mighty Hogweed is avenged! Human bodies soon will know our anger! Kill them with your Hogweed hairs! Heracleum Mantegazziani!" is entertaining beyond words.

And, finally, we have Fountain of Salmacis, lyrics by Mike, which tells the story of the creation of Hermaphrodites. The lyrics are straight-forward, without too much 'commentary' or anything pretentious like that, with Peter making you feel for the 'hero' with cries like "Where are you father? Give wisdom to your son" or "Away from me cold-blooded woman, your thirst is not mine!". And some (though not really most) of the instrumental parts are cool too - there's a little too much Tony for me (though I must say the mellotron/organ fade-in, which gets reprised several time in the song, is very beautiful), and it sounds really strange in the mid-song jam when it sounds like he's playing a baseball organ, but Steve, when he's around, knocks your socks off. The simple guitar flourish at the beginning of the jam, in particular, as he slowly creeps between the speakers while building tension with an ominous call from his guitar, wows me flat every time I hear it.

So what of all this? This is certainly the biggest breakthrough of Genesis' career, as the positive aspects of the band are shown in full for the first time - but there are also still negatives. The occasional dose of lackluster songwriting, falling back on simple acoustic patterns that only try to rely on 'atmosphere' instead of actual music content, not to mention the fact that only three of the songs bare the obvious stamp of Gabriel's lyrics, drags down the rating ever so slightly. But don't get me wrong - you should definitely get this. It's just that you should probably get the next few albums first ...

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