I've owned over a thousand albums at one time or another. I can't say for sure which is my favorite of them all, but the 1972 album "Foxtrot" is a strong contender. The songwriting was more consistent than on the preceding album "Nursery Cryme", and the band had a year's more experience playing with new members Phil Collins (drums) and Steve Hackett (lead guitar). The mediocre production and lack of synthesizers keep the album from having as good a SOUND as some of Genesis' later works, but the overall songwriting and musicianship were at their all-time peak here. You can't consider yourself a true Genesis fan and not have this album.

The centerpice is Genesis' masterpiece, "Supper's Ready", which is undoubtedly my favorite song, a 23-minute epic in seven acts that begins on multiple 12-string acoustic guitars, moves on to Peter Gabriel's hilarious "Willow Farm", and ends big with the ominous "Apocalypse in 9/8" (Tony Banks playing a 4/4 organ solo while the rest of the band repeats a 9/8 riff) and a cathartic ending that reprises earlier themes in widescreen Technicolor. It's awe-inspiring, and far better than the "Seconds Out" version.

The other songs are all good, though not in the same league as "Supper's Ready". "Watcher of the Skies" sounds the most dated today -- its opening wall of Mellotron string chords doesn't sound as big and powerful now. But the song's unique 6/4 rhythm and sci-fi lyric, about an alien coming to Earth only to find humans have moved on to other worlds, are both strong. "Time Table", a rumination on medieval times, is the most straightforward song, with piano ballad verses and a swelling chorus. "Get 'em Out by Friday" is surprisingly relevant today in a time of gentrification and soaring housing prices. The interplay between the musicians is the best of any song on the album, and the song pauses in the middle for a slow duet of Gabriel on flute and Banks on Mellotron flute that is held together by Collins playing behind the beat. Hackett has referred to Genesis' music as "songs that started out at point 'A' and occasionally ended at around point 'Q'", and "Can-Utility and the Coastliners" is a perfect example, a 6-minute microcosm of what early Genesis was all about. The song starts with Hackett and Mike Rutherford on 12-string acoustic guitars and moves through a series of unexpected changes, including Banks playing a rare solo on Mellotron strings and one of his trademark arpeggio solos on organ, and a fine guitar solo by Hackett. "Horizon's" is a brief Hackett 6-string acoustic solo piece that functions as an intro for "Supper's Ready".

(1=poor 2=mediocre 3=pretty good 4=very good 5=phenomenal)

.... long, long ago (okay, we're talking early '70s, so maybe not THAT long), an uppity bunch of European rock enthusiasts, mostly college buddies, introduced us culturally starved Western yahoos to a new realm of music which became known as Progressive. It broke away from the standard of much popular stuff of that day, incorporating elements of jazz, classical, and generally abstract deviance from your basic 4/4, 1-4-5 blues progressions that permeated a musical form which, back then, only got really exciting whenever somebody took an extended solo. And sometimes even that didn't work ......

Enter Genesis. A five-piece, electro-symphonic ensemble fronted by Peter Gabriel, a quirky storyteller who shaved the middle of his head and dressed up in nightmarish costumes. On the surface that would seem a cheap gimmick. Then you really listen to the music. The opening, soaring chords of Watcher of the Skies suggest anything from a panoramic view of a vast canyon to hurtling through space at the speed of infinity. The song relates the tale of your everyday God-Man who is doomed to witness the folly of mortal beings as they come and go over the ages, with no recourse but to ponder on the meaning of it all. Timetable diminishes the energy level, brings us a bit more down to acoustic Earth, with the melancholy observation "Why must we suffer each race to believe that no race has been grander? It seems because through time and space, though names may change, each face retains the mask it wore."

Get 'Em Out By Friday envisions a society which imposes a four-foot restriction on humanoid height - we're running out of all that time and space! Can-Utility and the Coastliners (an enigmatic title if there ever was one) leaves the listener with the impression that mortal leaders, whether political, holy or whatever, are ultimately born to disillusion and disappoint; "See the little man with his face turning red! Though his story's often told, you can tell that he's dead" And we are once again the Watcher, overseeing the folly of it all. End of Act One.

Act Two starts off with a serene, melodic view of further "Horizons", a solo guitar watercolor sketch of the promise of a new day, a new vision born of the previous disillusioning images of societal ruination. And just as we've digested the resonance of the final gentle chord ...... Supper's Ready. This 23-minute work is a seven-course Apocalypse served hot, so bring a hearty appetite and remember to activate your prayer capsule. This significant piece epitomizes what the group Genesis was all about (emphasis on WAS), runs the gamut of earthly view through all the absurd distortions that reality can manifest, pulverizes it entirely when all the Antichrists of the ages get together to party in 9/8 (yes you CAN dance to that beat) before flinging the doors open to a blinding white warm Heaven, the promise of illuminating our true way home.

No, this is not just another normal rock album. Not even for Genesis. It is hard to believe nowadays that they used to be THIS group. I think these guys really died and were replaced by impostors. No matter. The fact is, FOXTROT got recorded, it is a work like no other, the kind of album one listens to when they want something not as background music, not as lifesyle reinforcement, but as literature. It is The Bible as written by Lewis Carroll, set to the music of, oh, Ravel or Stravinsky, played on guitars (Steve Hackett, Michael Rutherford), drums (Phil Collins), and '70s state-of-the-art electronic keybords (Tony Banks). And like progressive rock in general, it's not for everyone ..... just the few true Watchers. Like Yes' "Close to the Edge", it is a journey. Indispensable Genesis, with a very visible touch. You could almost forgive Phil Collins for his reworking of "Groovy Kind of Love" ......

_Foxtrot_ is simply one of the finest albums in classic progressive rock, or in "any" kind of rock, period, and it's brilliance and freshness do not seem to go stale, even after all these years. As with most complex music, it deserves quite a few listens before making a final judgement.

It starts off with the atmospherical rocker, "Watcher Of The Skies," with it's lush, dramatic mellotron splashes, and the quirky rhythm in 6. "Time Table" is probably the only subdued piece on the album, but loaded with lots of melody and charm. "Get 'Em Out by Friday", is almost like a mini-play, as it is presented in a character/line format, and the music on here is quirky and complex. "Can-Utility and the Coastliners", is another complex tune, with many shifts in melody and dynamics. Splendid stuff. "Horizons", is a short, classical-like guitar piece, which gets you ready for the big one: "Supper's Ready." This is the 23-minute epic divided into seven sections. The first four take up the first 11 minutes. The last three sections in my opinion are the strongest, but make no mistake, this piece is solid throughout, and in some ways, is like listening to a drama set to music. Willow Farm, features Peter Gabriel's manic humor (Winston Churchill was probably spinning in his grave due to the somewhat provocative lyrics.) Apocalypse in 9/8, appropriately, is mostly in 9/8, and features Tony Banks' organ playing, which is unbelievable and takes the spotlight in this movement. Also, listen to Phil Collins' virtuosic drumming, and how he handles the tricky rhythms. It's something to behold.

This is *excellent* progressive rock that truly stands the test of time; the kind of album that will reveal more subtle nuances the more it is listened to. If you want something esoteric, quirky, complex and daring, this is a great purchase.

This is the second Gabriel era album that I had purchased when I became a Genesis fan (the first being Selling England by the Pound), and it was also the first one that I totally liked on the first listen from that era. I had up to that point SEBTP, and NC. The thing that was great about this is that the group was starting to click and they were in sync with each other musically. Such songs which later became classics like Get 'Em Out By Friday and Can-Utility and the Coastliners showed their knack for storytelling (Pete's lyrics in particular) had begun to reach new heights. Watcher of the Skies is a true show opener, with its menacing Mellotron introduction. Tony Banks was definitely on to something there. And Steve was becoming more confident in his playing in the group...especially with Horizons. Phil Collins' druming showcased a jazzy type feel that gave the band an edge that had not been really showcased in other bands since Bruford left Yes.

And the creme de la creme, Supper's Ready...well, words can't express how I feel when I listen to that. That song, despite it's 22:51 length, is a song that I just have to stop what I'm doing and listen to every time I hear it...just like Styx's "Come Sail Away" does for Eric Cartman. This is definitely an album for anyone who considers themselves a fan of the band, past and/or present. One of the true signs of being a Genesis fan is that you can sing the ENTIRE Supper's Ready song..without missing a beat. Don't worry about that...you may have your work cut out for you in that sense, but it's a great tutorial nonetheless.

What can one say about "Foxtrot"? It embodies all that is great and all that is despised about progressive rock. Pretentious, indecipherable lyrics; ridiculously complicated song structures; overblown symphonic pomp; the requisite "epic" side-long cut; astoundingly intelligent lyrics; utterly superb musicianship; vocals that have never been matched by ANYONE (courtesy of the amazing Mr. Gabriel), possibly the finest and most definitive "epic" side-long cut in the history of prog rock; many, MANY MANY moments of sheer, staggering musical beauty, balanced only by... Okay, no balance... this is a lovely album that can only be savoured by many listenings.
"Watcher of the Skies" starts the album off on a high note... Tony Banks' swirling mellotron is the perfect intro to a true Genesis classic. A fan favorite, and with good reason.
"Time Table"... while most consider this "filler", this is an excellent mellow yet exuberant song. The chorus will stick with you in a big way...
"Get 'Em Out By Friday"... tour de force time! An irresistible beat, a wonderful mid section, a lovely interlude, fabulous Steve Hackett guitar, and, of course, a truly bizarre story from the creative genius of Peter Gabriel. Pretty much the perfect example of how to do a 10+ minute progger!
"Can-Utility and the Coastliners"... not a damned clue what the title means, but a beautiful song! That tune, that TUNE... fills your head and refuses to leave (in a pleasurable way... not like "Muskrat Love" or something like that!).
"Horizons"... beautiful Steve Hackett acoustic guitar solo, and I do mean beautiful. Listen to it again, and gripe (as I do) about it being too short.
Which leads us all up to...
SUPPER'S READY...
God and Sonny Jesus this is what Heaven intended prog rock to sound like!
Genesis does their "side long prog-rock epic", and guess what- it IS the DEFINITIVE prog epic. Tull, King Crimson, Yes, Rush, Kansas, Nektar... run through the list of any and all prog bands ever, and NOTHING compares to this utterly magnificent opus.
From what I've read, this is Gabriel's take on the "apocalypse". Possibly true... if I could make sense of the lyrics, perhaps I could back statement up. Of course, in the long run, that's unimportant, in my opinion, as the music is SO wonderful!
It all starts out with "Lover's Leap"... exceptionally strong Gabriel vocals, a beautiful "hook", and, for a change, Banks and Hackett playing together seamlessly. And the lyrics?... Uh, can you say "cryptic"? (they get more bizarre from here on, too!)...
The suite enters a minor key to lead into "The Guaranteed Eternal Sanctuary Man. Quiet vocals lead into a major key song that just rules, and will be reapeated in the finale of this suite. Tony Banks has rarely sounded better!
After a very strange 2-line snippet by a bunch of kids singing, the song goes immedietely into "Ikhnaton and Itsacon and their Band of Merry Men"- A rollicking piece that features some MAJOR Steve Hackett guitar soloing (this is GOOD!), followed by some of Tony's best keyboards.
A short, pretty, mellow interlude ("How Dare I be so Beautiful") leads us into the utter insanity of "Willow Farm"- a tune that has to be one of Gabriel's best and most bizarre compositions! Music doesn't get any more "Veddy Veddy British" than this piece!
Next we hit "Apocalypse in 9/8"... some of the coolest lyrics on the album, followed by an instrumental part that is my personal favorite out of all of this lunac.! Listen, as Phil's drumming gets more and more complex as the piece goes on... Incredible!!! For those who aren't in the know... Phil Collins was a GREAT drummer- almost in the league of Bill Bruford (genuflect!). Seriously, this guy was amazing!
Finally, "As Sure as Eggs is Eggs" takes us to the conclusion of Gabriel's vision. It begins with a reprise of the music of "Lovers Leap", followed by a triumphant ending, backed up by a reprise of the "Guaranteed Eternal" music in the background. Uhh... Gabriel's vocals in this section are just SO staggering that it blows my mind... When he howls the final line: "To take them to the new Jerusal-l-l-e-e-e-m-m-m-m-!"... there is really no more satisfying end to a rock opus than this... sends chills down my spine every time! Fans of post-Genesis Gabriel take note!
Couple this with the fact that the background music the band plays is so beautiful it about causes me to weep uncontrollably every time I hear it.
This is not a "passer", this is not a "maybe" for a progger! If you enjoy the genre at all, you MUST have this album. Pure and simple, 'nuff said. While Genesis actually managed to top this album with their next one ("Selling England by the Pound"), "Foxtrot" remains absolutely required material. Geez, I guess y'all can tell just how much I hate this album!
If you are a huge fan of Collins/Banks era "pop" Genesis, avoid this one like the plague. HOWEVER(!)... If you are a "progger" and/or if you are just a fan of music as it should be played, this one is indispensable.