CATALOG CRAWL: GENESIS, Part 6: (1986-1997)

This installment of the Catalog Crawl for Genesis is devoted to their final three studio albums. From progressive rock devotees, this stretch of the catalog is considered a no man's land. The first two albums represent them at the peak of their commercial powers, which means a lot of commercial-minded pop hits that were accompanied by videos full of silly antics. The final album attempts to reboot the Genesis brand sans Phil Collins and became even more controversial, alienating proggers and pop fans alike.

Thus, only the total Genesis diehards are likely to have interest in the following albums. That said, the first one is a lot more interesting than it gets credit for, smash hit singles and all, if you're willing to adopt a "panning for gold" approach, there are moments of interest on the two albums that follow.

Members: Phil Collins (lead vocals, percussion - albums 1 and 2), Tony Banks (keyboards, vocals), Mike Rutherford (guitar, bass, vocals), Ray Wilson (vocals - album 3), Nir Zidkyahu (drums - album 3)

INVISIBLE TOUCH (1986): the commercial apex for Genesis remains a source of debate among fans who either rate it as a pop triumph or an unforgiveable sellout. It's steeped in the tech of its time (early samplers, drum machines, etc.) in a way that might alienate modern listeners but the stack of hits it produced testify to its accomplished nature. The title track is an engaging labyrinth of glossy pop hooks and the band wraps the gritty Cold War scenario of "Land Of Confusion" in a pulse-pounding electro-rock arrangement where drum machines duel with percussive programmed synths. Ballads like "In Too Deep" and "Throwing It All Away" get knocked for sounding like Collins' contemporary solo work but both are elegantly arranged and impressive showcases for the singer's blue-eyed soul skills. The ten-minute "Domino" suite applies high-tech AOR hooks and instrumentation to the band's vintage prog methodology with surprising success and the epic album version of hit "Tonight, Tonight, Tonight" is a surprisingly complex suite filled with peaks and valleys, proving this now-commercial band still had art-rock impulses.

WE CAN'T DANCE (1991): This is where the Genesis-goes-pop experiment loses steam. Ironically, the pop hits are its most substantial material: "No Son Of Mine" utilizes an interesting minimalist approach to arena rock dynamics in its tale of domestic strife, "Jesus He Knows Me" sets its televangelist critique to bouncy pop and "I Can't Dance" is a likeably self-deprecating self-satire that crossbreeds blue-eyed soul with distorted guitar. Elsewhere, they nod to prog fans with epic-length tracks but pieces like "Driving The Last Spike" and "Fading Lights" feel like really long AOR songs that either have multiple verses or a lengthy rather than complex instrumental break. The rest of the album is adult-contemporary pop a la contemporary Collins solo albums: it's a cliché in prog circles to dismiss Genesis from Abacab on as sounding just like Collins solo albums but there are several songs here that really do - "Tell Me Why" in particular is a dreary Xerox of "Another Day In Paradise." It's sad that this one lives down to the prog fan perception of post-Gabriel Genesis.

CALLING ALL STATIONS (1997): after Collins quit the band, Banks and Rutherford wrote new material and decided to soldier on by drafting in Scottish alt-rock singer Wilson. The problem here is the band is willing to extend song lengths in a prog direction but maintain a mindset that pursues simple melodies and minimalist arrangements. Thus, you have songs that establish a mood but fail to go in interesting musical directions (the title track) or play like lengthier-than-usual adult contemporary numbers ("Shipwrecked" and "If That's What You Need"). There are a few strong moments scattered throughout the running time: "Alien Afternoon" hits the right mixture of AOR melody and progressive instrumental texture while "The Dividing Line" is a neo-prog piece benefitting from spirited, Collins-esque drumming by Zidkyahu. It's also worth noting that Wilson's gruff yet emotive vocals are solid and actually sound like Peter Gabriel in spots. That said, the predominately Banks/Rutherford-penned material hits a weird mixture of being self-indulgent while simultaneously playing it too safe, making it an album that is likely to satisfy few.