Published on May 6, 2005
For their third release, favorable reviews and a growing fan
following eager for their live shows had energized Genesis as they
headed into the studio. But, they were also challenged by the
departure of guitarist Anthony Phillips and drummer John Mayhew.
Enter guitarist Steve Hackett and a diminutive drummer (their third
in two years) with a huge sound and bombastic style, whom you might
have heard of — a young Phil Collins. Collins would stick around
for the life of the band, and go on to…well…other
things.
Hackett proved to be a perfect match for Genesis, with his
intricate style and gift for using guitar effects to produce a
myriad of colorful sounds. Also, he tended to favor heavier
compositions, which would add a harder edge to their songs. Collins
was another excellent addition, and would prove to be one of rock’s
finest drummers. Also he could sing, which would help to add some
depth to the bands previously weak vocal harmonies. The infusion of
new blood would help to be a catalyst that helped form the
structure and style of the bands future.
Genesis’ first two albums tended towards a soft, pastoral sound.
Slow and mid-tempo songs were the norm. Often the energy of the
music was not in synch with the power and depth of the lyrics. A
groundbreaking song from their previous release
Trespass, “The Knife,” changed all that with its harder edge
and driving rhythm. A lot of listeners were charged up by this
blast of musical power, and it became the showpiece of their live
set. The band took the hint, and
Nursery Cryme fuses their traditionally softer style with a
power and drive that was largely missing from progressive rock on
the whole.
Another change was apparent with vocalist Peter Gabriel, who
displays a vocal style very different from his earlier work.
Previously he had stayed within pretty standard vocal stylings. On
Nursery Cryme he begins to expand the scope of his abilities
by using his dynamic range and gift for inflection to create a
myriad of voices and characterizations.
Genesis was hard at work creating a sound that smoothly fused
classic symphonic music with rock music and modern instrumentation.
At the time many progressive bands were using the influence of
symphonic music, but they frequently ended up sounding like
electronified orchestras. What Genesis was creating was much closer
to symphonic rock. A huge part of this was the work of keyboardist
Tony Banks. Banks’ complex and dynamic style blurred the lines
between classical compositions and rock with a fluidity that many
bands lacked.
In addition to breaking new musical ground,
Nursery Cryme shows the first signs of the band’s talent for
creating bizarre stories flavored with fantasy and mythology, and
disturbing dark imagery; melding their often bizarre visions with
finely crafted, mutated symphonic compositions. Genesis’ bizarre
lyrical journeys took off with style on this release, beginning
with the classic “The Musical Box.” Based on a freakish fairy tale,
the story of a young girl who, while playing croquet, knocks her
young friend’s head off with her mallet. Later, the boy’s head
appears when she turns the key of her beloved jack-in-the-box, and
he materializes before her and quickly begins to age. The song is
introduced with gentle acoustic guitars while Gabriel as the young
boy, softly implores her to play the jack-in the-box and release
him into the physical world: “Play me Old King Cole / So that I may
join with you.” The music builds in intensity, with Banks flailing
away at a distorted minuet while Hackett slices and dices in and
around the maniacal keys with razor-sharp guitar licks. As the boy
ages into senility before her eyes, he pleads with the girl to
indulge him in carnal favors before he dies. Gabriel delivers the
lyrics with a creepy intensity, softly crooning “Brush back you
hair / And let me get to know your flesh,” then erupts into fury
screaming “Why don’t you touch me…touch me…NOW!” as
the music rises in majestic chaos to a shattering crescendo.
The first two Genesis albums were distinctly dramatic and
serious. On their third album, they display a wicked and absurd
sense of humor, especially on the track “Revenge Of The Giant
Hogweed,” a sort of B horror movie set to music. The “regal
hogweed” is stolen from its native Russia and brought to England.
Taking root and thriving there, it takes revenge on the people of
London, decimating them with its deadly venom. Another such venture
into absurdity is the rollicking “Harold The Barrel.” Harold, a
restaurateur, cuts off his toes and serves them for tea. In shame,
he totters on a high window ledge as the crowd below eggs him on,
encouraging him to jump. Gabriel uses different voices to portray
the many characters who appear in this song.
Two quieter songs on the album reflect the earlier Genesis
style. “For Absent Friends” is a brief but touching vignette of an
elderly couple reflecting on their past, featuring Phil Collins’
first recorded lead vocal. “Harlequin” is a mid-tempo ballad
featuring some beautiful guitar work by Hackett. As far as their
impact on the album as a whole, these songs are overshadowed by the
more dynamic tracks. They add some placidity to the album but are
ultimately less strong for their lack of power and complexity when
compared to the rest of the set. “Seven Stones” is another song
that suffers the same fate. It probably would have been a standout
track on the first two albums, but again lacks the impact of
masterpieces like “The Musical Box” and “Revenge Of The Giant
Hogweed.” Their isn’t a bad song on the album, but there are
definitely some that are more memorable than others.
Closing the album is another song that would become a staple of
future live shows, “The Fountain Of Salmacis,” based on the Greek
myth of Hermaphroditus. Betrayed by the nymph Salmacis, he cursed
all that drank from her spring to become hermaphrodites. With its
frequent time changes, complex instrumentation and mythological
theme, it’s practically a template for the prototypical progressive
rock song.
Nursery Cryme proved to be a landmark of progressive rock,
and set Genesis on the path to superstardom with its mix of lyrical
depth and strong, complex compositions. This is a must have for any
prog-rock fan. If you want to check out the best of one of
prog-rock’s finest, this is a great album to start with.