Track Listing

1. Musical Box
2. For Absent Friends
3. Return Of The Giant Hogweed
4. Seven Stones
5. Harold The Barrel
6. Harlequin
7. Fountain Of Salmacis

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #36202 in Music
• Released on: 1994-08-15
• Number of discs: 1

CD Description
Genesis's third album was a far cry from the delicate folk-rock tapestries and chiming 12-string guitars of its predecessor, TRESPASS. The infusion of a semi-classical structural sensibility had become more prevalent. Fragile ballads are at a minimum, replaced by driving classical-rock epics full of heavy guitar, bass lines, and sweeping Mellotron. The sound occasionally recalls the refined but uncompromising instrumental attack of the Nice (particularly in Tony Banks's Keith Emerson-ish blasts of organ bravura).
The interlocking guitar arpeggios and folkie moments central to TRESPASS are still present, however, providing contrast to NURSERY CRYME's bolder moments. The group's ambitious compositional style and Gabriel's eccentric lyrics are at their height on "The Fountain of Salamacis", "The Musical Box", and the instrumentally sophisticated "The Return of the Giant Hogweed", makingNURSERY CRYME the first Genesis album to truly define theirmature style.

Customer Reviews

The first classic from the classic line-up
"Nursery Cryme" was a significant improvement on the fine "Trespass", but Genesis' manager Tony Smith declared on hearing it that it wouldn't be enough to break the band in the UK. Even though "Trespass" had already topped the charts in Belgium and classical-loving Italy, Smith was right. But it's one of those albums that, once you've discovered Genesis, you have to own, a classic by hindsight.

Where "Trespass" was tentative, "Nursery Cryme" was confident. Acquiring a drummer, Phil Collins, who could propel the band
helped, while Peter Gabriel's penchant for the theatrical emerged here. "The Musical Box" is the prototype for Gabriel's macabre and surreal storytelling, a unique musical structure that unfolds from the nursery lullaby to the dramatic crime. The significance of finding a suitable replacement guitarist for Anthony Phillips is clear here. Steve Hackett recognised that this band didn't need a blues-loving virtuoso, but a team player, someone with the ability to use tone and colour sensitive to the song. Genesis might have been recording long, sometimes mainly instrumental pieces in the 1971 fashion, but they retained a clear focus.

"The Musical Box" is clearly the album's flagship, right down to the album title and cover art, but "The Fountain Of Salmacis" and the triffid-inspired "The Return Of The Giant Hogweed" are almost as prominent. The remaining four tracks, of which "Seven Stones" is the most substantial, are a mix of extremes, the romantic, the comic and the philosophical. The album as a whole though is a triumph.

A new beginning!
This is the first album which features the classic line-up of Gabriel, Hackett, Banks, Rutherford and Collins.

The 'public school sound' of Trespass is peppered with working class additions and this brings their creativity to a new height.

'Musical Box' is an extremely imaginative piece, changing in arrangement from acoustic to electric brilliantly and seemlessly. Apparently the lyrics of this piece inspired the excellent(if bizarre!) cover. From the start of the track Gabriel appears to have leadership and his voice rings with a subtlety and passion which seems curious when you reflect on his age at the time. Tony Banks' swathes of dramatic organ are wonderfully effective with Steve Hackett's lead guitar. Something that is also ofetn missed is Gabril's lovely flue playing which goes so well with the Genesis 12-string signature sound.

Throughout this album there are some original moments of brilliance.

Phil Collins does his first ever lead vocal slot for the band on 'For Absent Friends'. Perhaps this was a sign of things to come!

'The Return of the Giant Hogweed' is a wonderful story and is extremely melodromatic and is led by electric guitar (courtesy of new-boy Hackett who clearly shows his ability here).

'Seven Stones' has Gabriel sounding more public school than ever with his lyric 'The old man's guide is chaarnce'. I particularly love the instrumental arrangemntsin this piece. The whole band get a good chance to show off their individual talents and it works so well in the 'whole'. The thing I like most about this song is Tony Banks's effective and swirling mellotron at the end.

'Harrold the Barrel' is a wonderfully eccentrically-delivered song about a guy standing on a windo-ledge thinking of jumping off.

'Harlequin' is an endearing song, but I think it is the least creative on this album(I suppose there had to be one).

However,the real linchpin on this album is the beautiful 'Fountain of Salmacis'. Mchael Rutherford's bass stands out for me as the best thing about this, Genesis' most wonderful of songs. In spite of this, the story, the vocals, the lead guitar, the excellent drumming and Tony Banks' brilliant keyboard playing make it even better and add to the dramatic and overall effect.

Buy this album - you will not regret owning a recording of such magnificence and subtlety.

One of the best genesis albums.
Couldnt agree more with the previous reviewer. This album and others like selling england were what genesis were all about. The creepy sound and long song lenths 22mins on suppers ready on foxtrot. Weird lyrics and great guitar playing. The more modern genesis got the worse they got appart from no son of mine thats a great song. The peter gabriel albums are stronger and more imaginative and this album is one of their best. Ive got nearly all genesis albums apart from foxtrot ive only just listened to it and its brilliant, but this sticks out, why? because of two songs The Musical Box and Return Of The Giant Hogweed, both creepy and a joy to listen to. The last song on this album is odd but a good ending to the album. If you want to start collecting genesis albums start with either this or selling england as they are both two of the bands best work. Genesis now on tour is great and many people say its not fair that peter gabriel isnt going to be in it. But there was a rumour going round that Peter Gabriel didnt want anything to do with the new tour, but despite that he did create a great band.