Artist: Genesis
Label: Atlantic Records
Release Date: 1972
Rating: 5 Skulls
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Title: Foxtrot Artist: Genesis Label: Atlantic Records Release Date: 1972 Rating: 5 Skulls |
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Kefka X's Review:
Okay, all you blood-thirsty, rabid metalheads calm down for just one moment and bear with me. The classic review for this week goes out to all the prog-nuts with their fancy-schmancy mile-a-minute guitar solos, perplexing polyrhythmic drumoffs, and song structures that make Mike Patton sound like the latest Aerosmith hit.Now, the roots of progressive music date back lonnnnnnnnnnng before bands such as Queensryche and Rush. The late 60's/early 70's were host of three of the most influential artists to progressive music: Pink Floyd, Yes, and Genesis. All three acts are perfect examples of progressive, but we'll review the last of the aforementioned for the time being. Now, for an act to be considered progressive they must deviate from the basic chorus/verse standard set by rock 'n' roll and present themselves in a unique, original fashion, one which is usually derivative of classical and jazz. 1972 marked a year where the people's interest in progressive was peaked, and Foxtrot, Genesis' fourth album, is the pinnacle of prog's message (as if the album's avant-garde cover doesn't say enough). The album consisted of 6 tracks, three of which go past the 7-minute mark, and one short guitar instrumental shy of two minutes. "Watcher of the Skies," being the most successful of the album's tracks, still remains a fan favorite, consisting of a minute-long organ piece which crescendos into an outburst of progressive genius. "Get 'Em Out By Friday" is the 8+ mini-rock opera which tells a futuristic tale of a landlord's tyranny towards a block of flats. The true gem of Foxtrot, however, is the mammoth, 23-minute symphony, "Supper's Ready." Broken down into seven segments, "Supper's Ready" covers (half of the album) the creation of man, the revelation of a higher being, war, sin, the Armageddon and rebirth.
Top these themes with a crazed madman, Peter Gabriel, performing stage theatrics dressed in the most bizarre costumes (including a bat and a flower) and you've got some pretty trippy shit. Build all of this on a foundation of four outstanding musicians (Steve Hackett, Mike Rutherford, Tony Banks, and Phil Collins), and you've got a progressive rock album that outshines the rest with its sheer creativity and stellar musicianship. I've always used Foxtrot as the blueprint for progressive music, although there were several other releases that came before this with similar ideas (Pink Floyd - Meddle and Yes - The Yes Album came out a year earlier). Foxtrot is undoubtedly a strong influence on progressive rock and metal today, especially to acts such as Dream Theater, Symphony X, Opeth, Spock's Beard...
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