Genesis 1970-1975 [Hybrid SACD, Box set, Original recording remastered]

Five albums are featured in this 3rd and last Genesis box set [Virgin CDBOX 14], each pumped up into a double issue, while the double "Lamb" is now a 3 Disc set ("Lamb" is in a Book Pack while the other albums are 2CD jewel cases). Disc 1 of each issue is the SACD and CD Remaster of the album with both mixes encoded onto the disc, while Disc 2 is a DVD with 5.1 Surround Sound with extras tagged on at the end of each. The sixth and final double is called "Extra Tracks 1970-1975" and features singles, demos and BBC Sessions - again both in Audio and DVD. "Extras' is housed in a 48-page hardback book with an essay, band contributions, photos and celebrity reviews...

NICK DAVIS prepped the 5.1 Surround Mixes and Stereo CD mixes with the remastering carried out by TONY COUSINS at Metropolis Mastering. Both of these guys handled the preceding box sets to both applause and derision in equal measure. While I admittedly don't have a Surround capability at home, I find the sound quality on the Stereo mixes to be beautifully clean - a revelation. "Trespass" & "Nursery Cryme" are hissy in places, but still 'so' much better sounding than the crap 1994 Virgin remasters we've been lumbered with all these years (which in turn were supposed to replace the dire 80's issues). But the great news is "Foxtrot", "Selling" and "Lamb", each of which now has GORGEOUS SOUND. At 8:15 minutes into "Supper's Ready" on Foxtrot when the acoustic guitars kicked in, I was in floods, huge sound filling my room... We've been waiting 35 years to finally hear these great works in DECENT AUDIO.

Here's a detailed breakdown of the sets:
Disc 1 (42:33 minutes) is their 2nd album "Trespass, originally released on LP in November 1970 on Charisma CAS 1020 in the UK and Impulse 9295 in the USA (the original UK issue had the 'Pink Scroll' label design and the CD reflects that). The DVD Audio version also has a 'reissues interview from 2007'.

Disc 2 (39:36 minutes) is their 3rd album "Nursery Cryme", originally released on LP in November 1971 on Charisma CAS 1052 in the UK and Charisma 7208 552 in the USA (Pink Scroll Label also). The DVD audio version also has the 'reissues interview from 2007'.

Disc 3 (51:20 minutes) is their 4th album "Foxtrot", originally released on LP in October 1972 on Charisma CAS 1058 in the UK and Charisma 7208 553 in the USA (changes now to the `Mad Hatter' label design for 3, 4 and 5 reflecting the original vinyl). The DVD Audio disc has 3 extras - reissues interview 2007, Brussels, Belgium Rock Of The 70's 1972 clip and Rome, Italy, Piper Club 1972 clip.

Disc 4 (53:39 minutes) is their 6th album "Selling England By The Pound", originally released in October 1973 on Charisma CAS 1074 in the UK and Charisma 7208 554 in the USA. (Their 5th album, "Genesis Live", was released in July 1973 on Charisma CLASS 1 in the UK; it was an official release and no explanation is given for its no show in this box set). The DVD Audio version has 3 extras, reissues Interview 2007, Shepperton Studios, Italian TV, 1973 clip and Batacain, France, 1973 clip.

Disc 5 (45:38/48:51 minutes) is their 7th album "The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway", originally released in November 1974 as a 2LP set on Charisma CGS 101 in the UK and on Atco 7599 122 in the USA. The DVD has all of the slide show that accompanied the stage shows offering both Surround and standard stereo versions.

Disc 6 "Extra Tracks" (46:44 minutes):
Track 1 is "Happy The Man", a non-album 7" single issued in the UK on May 1972 on Charisma CB 181 ("Seven Stones" is its B-side - a track off "Nursery Cryme")
Track 2 is "Twilight Alehouse", the non-album B-side to "I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)" issued on 7" single in May 1974 on Charisma CB 224
Track 3 is "Sheppard (BBC Nightride 1970)"
Track 4 is "Pacidy (BBC Nightride 1970)"
Track 5 is "Let Us Now Make Love (BBC Nightride 1970)"
Track 6 is "Going Out To Get You (Demo 1969)"
Tracks 7 to 10 are called Genesis Plays Jackson. Michael Jackson was a painter who put music to a silent film of "Metropolis" and invited Genesis in to score it. Some tracks were done, but the full project was abandoned. These tapes have only recently come to light and the four tracks are; "Provocation", "Frustration", "Manipulation" and Resignation" - "Frustration" would later turn up as "Anyway" on "Lamb" and "Manipulation" became "The Musical Box" on "Nursery Cryme".

While the DVD and Audio elements are fantastic and the extras fascinating - I find the packaging naff (typical of all things Virgin). The box lid won't close no matter what you do, the individual booklets are simply the original artwork restored, but again they're too small to read and massively underwhelming compared to the beautiful event feel of the original vinyl gatefold sleeves (especially "Lamb"). And with no new essay, no new photos, nor nothing of their history - when they're released as stand-alone CDs, fans are going to feel mightily short-changed - again! And why no "Live" set - nor the 1975 single edit of "Carpet Crawlers" - or its unique b-side, the live in the USA (Evil Jam) version of "The Waiting Room"? Nor is it cheapest of things either...so with the boys now individually credited as Limited Companies on the rear sleeve - the whole thing is beginning to smack a little too much of corporate greed instead of musical celebration.

Wonderful in some respects and yet strangely disappointing in others, this eagerly awaited box is 4-stars when it should have been six. I can't help but feel that many would be better off waiting for the individual issues.

Box Number 3 is good then, when it could have been great.

I hesitated for a few months, put off by some strong words written about the sound quality. I've listened to all of these albums in their surround SACD format and I cannot agree with complaints about compression, over-EQ and so on. From Selling England By The Pound onwards I bought these albums on vinyl as they came out (and the earlier three)and I can play them in my mind with pops and crackles still there. When they were released as CD's I bought them again. The remastering in surround sound not only brings new clarity (to the point when I would jump at sounds previously lost in the mix) but also brings a beautiful depth through the extra channels. In my experience Genesis used surround sound in the 1970's to great effect in some of their live shows, but this is far more subtle as befits recordings designed for repeated listening. I've used high end audio components from the 1970's (Quad etc) to the present day and IMHO the SACD's are a significant improvement over the vinyls, bearing in mind that the source material is largely electronic and very old.

Back in the late 70's & mid 80's, for a period of about 10 years, the Gabriel-era Genesis was my favourite band - a place that's been occupied by King Crimson for well over 20 years now. Nevertheless, Genesis has remained one of my old-time favourites, specially the Gabriel & Hackett periods, along with a few songs from albums up to Duke.

I was quite hesitant to purchase this Box-set as I practically didn't really listen to Genesis at all anymore - yet, having an SACD player contributed to my decision to get it.

Unfortunately, due to my living conditions - I live in a flat where I can't really play music moderately loud - I generally resort to listening to music on a very good set of headphones.

But now to the music -- THIS BOX-SET WAS DEFINITELY WORTH GETTING!

Trespass, Nursery Cryme, Foxtrot and Selling England by the Pound specially benefit tremendously from the new mastering, and although the EQ issue mentioned elsewhere can be argued to death, the truth is that now you can appreciate A LOT more how well crafted many of these songs are.

In addition, the often excellent playing by these then young musicians reveals itself even more so, as you can hear instruments and vocals more clearly, plus subtleties in the arrangements which seemed 'hidden' or non-existent before.

I've also converted all 5 albums to 256 kbps mp3 files - yes, these SACDs also play on standard CD players & PC's - and I have to say that although they're indeed a bit louder and also probably meant for the iPod generation, the sound quality has been improved significantly - some transitions in the music don't seem as abrupt/ harsh as before, eg 'Watcher of the Skies' & 'Supper's Ready'.

Indeed, with music of such quality even the original 'flawed' recordings did not prevent Genesis from becoming a highly respected & much loved band. There's generally no bombastic self-indulgence in the music unlike other bands of the same period which is why, in my view, amongst other things, the Punk movement brought such a refreshing & necessary change to the music scene of the time.

Looking For Someone, Visions of Angels, Stagnation!, The Knife!!, The Musical Box!!, Hogweed!!, Seven Stones!, Fountain of Salmacis!, Can Utility & the Coastliners!!!, Supper's Ready!!, Watcher of the Skies!!!, Get Them Out by Friday!!, Dancing With The Moonlit Knight!!, More Fool Me, Epping Forest!!, to name but a few, have been revealed in an entirely new way to these ears.

The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway also sounds better, oh yes - The Lamia & Colony Of Slippermen spring to mind - but improvements on this album are not as drastic, in my view, but improved it has been.

For years I haven't been able to listen to any of these albums back to back, specially The Lamb, which could've benefited from some serious trimming here and there. I even purchased all of the 1994 Definitive Remasters but something just didn't grab me any more as it had in the old day - I guess if you happen to be into King Crimson, Henry Cow, Van Der Graaf Generator, plenty of Classical music & a bit of Jazz, you'll probably understand why this was so.

Today, I'm happy to say these albums will definitely be played more often (again) and, although King Crimson is indeed an entirely different beast altogether, Genesis have managed to beckon my ears, mind & heart once again.

The 'Jackson Tapes' tracks are a real gem -- these are clearly the missing link between 'From Genesis to Revelation' & 'Traspass'.

As for the music content on the DVDs (PAL), you get over 2.5 hours' footage, and although the picture quality is not A++, it is nevertheless quite good, specially if taken in the context of historical documents of what Genesis live were capable of back in the 70's. Some of it is absolutely brilliant, the Belgium 1972 performance being perhaps my favourite.

The interviews (2007) feature all band members from the period 1970-1975 except for Trespass drummer, John Mayhew. They average 35 minutes per album, so it's well over 2.5 hrs taken all together with some very detailed comments from all members, including Anthony Phillips.

Many songs are analysed in detail and areas covered include: recording, composition, lyrics, performance, group dynamics, line-up changes, cover artwork and more. Many things said here are quite revealing, and therefore I believe the DVD extras are very much worth it.