Published on Feb 14, 1998
Should Genesis have dissolved following the departure of Phil
Collins in 1996?
Many times over the band’s almost three-decade run, they’ve
found themselves having to prove that they can survive losing a key
member. When Peter Gabriel left the band in 1975, Genesis was
declared dead by the cynics – until Collins filled the position
(and quite well, thank you). There were concerns when Steve Hackett
left; the remaining members answered the claims of their demise
again with
…And Then There Were Three, the album that gave Genesis
their first radio hit.
But the first post-Collins album,
Calling All Stations, is almost concrete proof that the
remaining members’ hearts just aren’t into the music anymore.
You could make a case that new singer Ray Wilson isn’t as strong
of a vocalist as either Gabriel or Collins was, but I’m willing to
let such a point slide. He’s filling some very big shoes in the
group, and to expect him to perform at such a high level on the
first shot is asking a lot… too much, in fact.
Besides, if the material he’s given to sing isn’t up to par,
then all expectations are thrown out the window. Fact is, many of
the songs on
Calling All Stations are written poorly, and do not do
justice to the vocalist, no matter who it would have been. The
title track is a plodding beast that should have taken a bullet
between the eyes; the first thing I want to hear on a group’s
rebirth is
not a funeral dirge.
The first single, “Congo,” gets off to a promising start, but
like its predecessor, quickly gets bogged down — it almost seems
that remaining members Mike Rutherford and Tony Banks padded the
music side as a safety net. Too bad that by doing so they cut off
Wilson’s potential contributions.
But this is not to say that
Calling All Stations is a complete failure. “Not About Us,”
despite having a vocal track I wish had more muscle, is a beautiful
song about love gone bad — and, boy, this was not the best choice
to listen to for Valentine’s Day. A follow-up song, “If That’s What
You Need,” seems to answer the problems the subject is having with
his love in “Not About Us”; it reaffirms that he will be there for
her, even if they don’t remain a married couple. Kind of a lesson
we all can learn in there.
“Shipwrecked” and “Alien Afternoon” both show the talents this
new version of Genesis has when they cut through the questions and
doubts and just get down to the
music… if only there were more moments like this on
Calling All Stations.
The band’s penchant for long-winded songs hasn’t gone away; “The
Dividing Line” and “One Man’s Fool” would have been a lot more
effective had they been shorter. (In Genesis’ defense, they’ve been
doing this long before Wilson joined the band, so this isn’t a new
gripe… but one would have thought they’d have wised up by
now.)
Whatever your opinion of the new Genesis, one thing cannot be
denied: Collins’ presence is sorely missed here. Whether Wilson
will step up and become a more involved contributor to the music
we’ll see as time passes — if it’s not too late. But Collins
equalled popular appeal, something this album has been lacking
since it hit the bins… and stayed there.
Calling All Stations is a transition album for Genesis, and
should be approached as such. But with a few exceptions, this might
be a call you’d be better off letting the machine get.