Genesis - A Trick of the Tail (1976)

Steve:

A Trick of the Tail is one of the best examples of "coming through in the clutch" in progressive rock history. Following several years of the band gaining incredible momentum as one of the leading originators and guiding lights in progressive rock itself, frontman Peter Gabriel shocked everyone by deciding to leave the band. He had just guided the band through its most ambitious project yet, The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, one of the most thematically complex and fascinating concept albums I have ever heard. With A Trick of the Tail, any doubts as to the viability of the band without Gabriel were quickly put to rest with what many people (myself included) still consider one of their finest efforts.  

If anything, the departure of Gabriel emphasized the incredible technical skill and abundant compositional imagination that each member of the band brought to the table. What most fans didn't know was that Peter Gabriel was not the most prolific composer in the band, and that the band still had keyboardist Tony Banks, bassist/guitarist Mike Rutherford, guitarist Steve Hackett, and drummer Phil Collins at their creative peaks. Banks and Rutherford (arguably the most prolific composers in the band) continued to deliver their sophisticated chord changes, and extended compositional forms, produced in a way that was no longer subservient to the lyrical concepts of the Gabriel era. I would also argue that A Trick of the Tail is the most sonically impressive Genesis album to date. I often put on "Dance on a Volcano" as an audiophile test-piece, as when I purchased a new amplifier for my stereo system last year. It's a hell of a way to start an album, and one of the most impressive pieces of their career. 

Steve Hackett was given a bit more room to shine on this album compared to The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, but it's pretty clear that he is still underutilized. His finest contribution is what might be my favorite track on the album, the rich psychedelic folk harmony-feast of "Entangled", co-written with Tony Banks. Hackett's unique guitar tone also provides "Dance on a Volcano" and "Los Endos" with much of their power. In retrospect it's not surprising that he would leave the band the following year for a solo career, and this defection turned out to work well for everyone involved. Hackett had too much talent and creative fire to be "third banana" in Genesis, and his solo career remains fruitful and productive to this day. In addition to a steady stream of new original material, he has done more than any other Genesis member to present the band's groundbreaking early material in a live concert setting. Banks, Collins, and Rutherford, of course, would fill the 1980s with some of the best-selling Genesis albums in their history.

As for Phil Collins, today he is a household name, but at the time he was the last person people expected to fill the lead singer slot in the band. Reportedly, about 100 applicants were auditioned before the band decided to go with Collins, which was an inspired albeit risky decision. As the band's drummer, it would be difficult for him to fill the "frontman" shoes vacated by Gabriel. To compensate for this, Collins drummed in the studio for the albums, but for live shows Chester Thompson (recently of Frank Zappa's band) played as a backup drummer, leaving Collins free to work the crowd as needed. Collins also helped continue Gabriel's legacy for story-songs, playing a multiplicity of characters on "Robbery, Assault and Battery". In addition to shouldering the additional vocal/frontman duties, Collins contributed some of his finest drumming on this record as well. "Dance on a Volcano" alone deserves its own exhibit in the imaginary Drummers' Hall of Fame. 

In all, a phenomenal album, and one that exceeded all expectations, considering the band's major shift in personnel. Even fans who bemoan the loss of Peter Gabriel and whine about Phil Collins mostly agree that A Trick of the Tail is on the same level as Genesis' earlier peak years.

Dan:

As I was discovering Genesis back in the early 80s, I found it rather easy to settle on my favorites. Selling England by the Pound is my top choice, followed closely by A Trick of the Tail. I have a dozen of their albums in my collection (thanks to Steve), including some from the 80s and early 90s, and I don't think I've missed anything (not even the dismal Calling All Stations... from 1997). So I'm pretty sure about my personal ranking. After the top two, I would go to Wind & Wuthering and work backwards toward Trespass before moving forward in time toward And Then There Were Three. 

This is a roundabout way to proclaim my admiration for A Trick of the Tail. I don't miss Gabriel; Collins' is an excellent singer especially on slower-tempo songs like "Entangled," "Mad Man Moon," and "Ripples." The orchestral-like arrangements on the album enhance his vocals beautifully. I also love the whimsey relating to the storyline, especially the narrative about Squonk encountering humans who, surprisingly, have no tails. The sadness of the trapper opening up the sack and finding only a pool of tears is poignant. I'm not sure that all of the narratives relate to each other, but I don't really care. The album plays coherently from start to finish and is, in the final analysis, a brilliant work of prog art. Bravo to Phil and the survivors!