How does it compare to the artist's other releases
Good
Value for Money
Good
Advantages:
Huge collection of the very best of Genesis from all eras .
Disadvantages:
None that spring to mind
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
I'm 17 - yet my favourite band is Genesis.... Strange that, not many 17 year olds know about this great band. If they do, they’re most likely to not admit it because they’re embarrassed about their knowledge. The wonders of the human psyche. Another strange thing is, I like all three eras of Genesis, whereas most only like one particular era, usually that of Gabriel or Collins. I was slightly confused at first, when hearing both Peter Gabriel and Ray Wilson singing, as I was introduced to them by a Phil Collins track.
The way I see it, there are three eras in Genesis’ history. This album, aptly named “Platinum Collection”, covers all three of them in some form or another.
Era 1, the Peter Gabriel years is covered on Disc 3. Don’t be fooled by the short track list, for the songs are nice and long. They’re not half bad either, with popular favourites such as “The Musical Box” and “Cinema Show” making appearances.
Era 2 is the most covered lead, being one track short of two CDs on it. This isn’t surprising as it was the years when Phil Collins had the lead. Memorable tracks such as “Mama”, the great hit “Turn It On Again” and my favourite, “Abacab” are there, helping to bump the total amount of songs in this era to 30 tracks.
Era 3, unfortunately, is covered to the extent that only one track appears. The great intro riff and extreme lyrics of “Calling All Stations” is the lone star from the Ray Wilson period.
With this album comes a commentary, effectively, from Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford and Tony Banks. It describes the life of times of Genesis, going from one album to the next, including some interesting insights to how Genesis create their unique sound.
CD1
The intro to the album comes in the form of the great tune “No Son Of Mine”. This song sets the scene as we begin the journey through the years and hits to come to the very best of Genesis. The only weak link here, in my opinion, is “Illegal Alien”, with Phil Collins singing like he needs to answer a call of nature. Not a bad song, but they’ve had better days. All in all, I think this CD is a great ‘un.
CD2
“Abacab” is the opening song, and what a great choice. A brilliant song to tap your foot too with a great drum solo. Enough about my favourite song, more on my favourite CD of the three. Good tunes like “Duchess” and “Turn It On Again” are ever present, with no weak links that come to mind.
CD3
The Peter Gabriel era was a strange one, full of strange performance costumes and some very strange songs. Strange is good though, and I, now, fully this CD. This CD is home to the longest songs, hence its short track list, with four 10 minute (or so) long tracks, and the 22 minute long “Supper’s Ready”. Before listening to this CD, I had never heard a Gabriel Genesis track. It was when I listened to it for about a third time that I really enjoyed it. Basically, if you’re new to the original Genesis, don’t dismay on your first few hearings of this CD. I changed my tune quite quickly and I love this CD now.
OVERALL
If you’re a Genesis fan, you’ll love this album. However, the chances are, if you’re a Genesis fan, you’ll already have all of the songs on this album anyway. If you’re new to Genesis and like a combination of experimental rock and soft rock keyboards, you’ll like this very much. If you match none of the above, this album is probably not for you.
VALUE FOR MONEY
This album, valued at £15.24, is pretty good value for money, given the fact that there are three great CDs here. However, I wouldn’t recommend purchasing this album if you’ve already got all of the songs. Common sense suggests that you wouldn’t hear anything new.
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How does it rate alongside the competition
Good
Cover / Inlay Design and Content
Good
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