Tony Banks Curious Feeling CD

List All Reviews

 Stellar
Some albums stand the test of time and this is one of them. I had it on vinyl when it came out (actualy it was my Dad's) then on tape and I'm on my second CD. I never tire of it. If you are a Gabriel/Genesis fan, as opposed to Collins, and like Steve Hackett, especially Please Don't Touch, --this is for you.
Submitted by Rosemary (Burlington, ON, Canada)
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No  2 of 2 found this helpful.

 Better than 80's Genesis
Stay away from 80's Genesis and get Tony Banks' solo albums. They are far better.
Submitted by kul (Atlanta GA)
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No  2 of 2 found this helpful.

 TONY BANKS' BEST!!
This is a must get for Prog-rock fans as this sounds like Genesis' "And Then There Were Three".
Submitted by lem (Lemon WA)
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No  2 of 2 found this helpful.

 Surreal!!!
I give it five stars also! I have to confess though, the first time I listened to it on vinyl I thought like a lot of people that this vocalist can't sing a lick! But then you listen to it a second time you realize how pure and etheral he does sing. It's like saying Neil Young can't sing. He actually had a more perfect vocal range for what they were trying to do with this than either of Genesis' vocalists, Gabriel or Collins. One of my favorite all time prog works. Obviously I was excited when I finally found a cd copy years ago to replace my worn and aging vinyl recording. My only complaint as with many of my early cd's is that it wasn't as bright and crisp as the LP! I wonder if the newer copies have been improved or if this has been in any way remastered. I'd purchase a second copy in a heartbeat if it were!
Submitted by mheinen3 (Oklahoma City, OK, USA)
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No  1 of 1 found this helpful.

 A Dark, Somber Conceptual Album From Tony Banks...
Opening with the moody, dark, haunting instrumental masterpiece "From The Undertow," this is a fine, if partially flawed conceptual album by Tony Banks. Composed during and after the "...And Then There Were Three..." period of Genesis, this album incorporates much of the sound of Genesis' later years (somber, atmospheric and intricate). A concept album about a man's unfortunate loss of memory due to a damning bargain with a demon-esque figure (a la "The Lady Lies"), it features singer Kim Beacon on all vocals, Genesis live sideman Chester Thompson on drums, and Tony Banks on all keyboards and guitars. Here's what the album is track-by-track: "From The Undertow" - originally a piece conceived as an intro to "Undertow" from "...And Then There Were Three..."; this, along with "The Lie," is the best track here. Possibly Tony Banks' finest solo composition to date. "Lucky Me" - a lush, richly harmonized pop song with introduces the character of the concept. "The Lie" - a dark, shuffling, progressive piece with clever lyrics and brilliant music. The best track along with "From The Undertow". "After The Lie" - a fine follow-up to the previous song with grand melodies and fine playing throughout. "A Curious Feeling" - a pop song with beautiful melodies and hints of Banks' later keyboard styles. "Forever Morning" - this is the weakest track on the album; although it has its moments, it is too long and bland to really stick. There are a lot of patched-up parts that don't really blend too well, making this track seem like filler. As an interesting aside, this track does contain hints of the sound that would emerge on Genesis' next album: "Duke". "You" - a sprawling seven-minute masterpiece; a cross-over between a lucid romance pop song and a virtuoso progressive section. "Somebody Else's Dream" - this track tends to drag along with a boring tempo and struggling lead vocal. Although the lyrics are well written, the music is not quite up to par. Along with "Forever Morning," the sound of this track foreshadows the sound of "Duke". "The Waters of Lethe" - an improvement over "Forever Morning," with powerful organ-dominate passages but an inconstinent offering nonetheless. "For A While" - a sad ballad dedicated to the temporary benefits that had been bestowed upon the character, this song has some weak backing parts, but the chorus is okay and the song works well enough. "In The Dark" - a lullaby-like track that brings the album to a calm end. Tony Banks uses his trademark CP-70 Yamaha Electric Piano and Hammond T-102 organ with MXR Phaser 100 and Boss CE-5 Chorus pedals (which were in primary use between 1977-1979). As Banks has stated in an interview, the production of the album is weak. Even though David Hentschel had done a perfect job on Genesis' preceding three albums, the production here is uninspired (perhaps a low budget). The Caroline CD is muddy-sounding and poorly mixed (vocals are almost always buried, drums sound awful). Perhaps the original vinyl LP was clearer. The first five tracks are almost flawless (production excepted), with the first track being the best of the bunch, and "You" fitting right in with those first five. There are hints of the magic sound of "...And Then There Were Three..." here, but it is mainly limited to the first track. This is a must-buy for all fans of Genesis' mid-and later years, and especially for fans of Tony Banks' use of strange, unconvential chord patterns and sounds. Even though it is not perfect, it is a great album.
Submitted by Julian (Las Vegas, NV) 
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No

List All Reviews

Have you heard this album?