Genesis - Calling All Stations


Year of Release: 1997
Label: Atlantic Records
Catalog Number: 83037-2
Format: CD
Total Time: 66:16:00

I was actually expecting worse from Genesis' Calling All Stations, given some of the disparaging comments I'd heard concerning the new vocalist Ray Wilson. Quality work could be expected from Rutherford and Banks, but a new vocalist? Had they found a Collins or Gabriel clone? Fortunately, no, and that's a plus.

Wilson isn't great singer but he isn't awful either - think a Damien Wilson (Landmarq, Threshold), John Wetton, Steve Hogarth, Paul Carrack, Bryan Adams blend.

So, does this new Genesis live up to the old? Well, it isn't any different from last year's model, and if you are a diehard Gabrielist you won't like this either.

Rutherford and Banks really haven't employed any new textures or sounds here. Nir Zidkyahu and Nick D'Virgilio (Spock's Beard) share drum duties, the former handling the bulk of it, providing some interesting drum rhythms, though.

The tracks that stand out are "Congo," "The Dividing Line," and "Alien Afternoon." The slower paced tracks, "Not About Us," "If That's What You Need" and even "Shipwrecked," tend to all sound the same (and like Mike and The Mechanics, especially "If That's What You Need" which is very much like "The Living Years").

Overall, it's a pleasant listening, though not very challenging. If this version sticks together, it will be nice to see Rutherford and Banks leave behind the current "Genesis sound" and explore some other textures and sounds.


Tracklisting:
Calling All Stations (5:46) / Congo (4:51) / Shipwrecked (4:24) / Alien Afternoon (7:42) / Not About Us (4:39) / If That's What You Need (5:13) / The Dividing Line (8:59) / Uncertain Weather (5:29) / Small Talk (5:02) / There Must Be Some Other Way (7:54) / One Man's Fool (8:47)

Musicians:
Ray Wilson - vocals
Tony Banks - keyboards
Mike Rutherford - guitars
Nir Zidkyahu - drums
Nick D'Virgilio - drums (1st half 4, 6, 8, 9)

Discography:
From Genesis To Revelation (1969)+
Trespass (1970)
Nursery Crime (1971)
Foxtrot (1972)
Live (1973)
Selling England By The Pound (1973)
Lamb Lies Down On Broadway(1974)
Wind and Wuthering (1976)
Trick of the Tail (1976)
Seconds Out (1977)
And Then There Were Three (1978)
Duke (1980)
Abacab (1981)
Three Sides Live (1982)
Genesis (1983)
Invisible Touch (1986)
We Can't Dance (1991)
The Way We Walk: The Shorts (1992)
The Way We Walk: The Longs (1993)
Calling All Stations (1997)
Turn It On Again - The Hits (1999)
Archive #1 (1999)
Archive #2 (2000)

The Genesis Songbook (2001) (DVD/VID)
Live At Wembley Stadium (2003) (DVD)

+aka When The Sour Turns To Sweet

Genre: Progressive Rock

Origin UK

Added: May 1st 1998
Reviewer: Stephanie Sollow
Score:
Artist website: www.genesis-music.com
Hits: 2964
Language: english

  

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