Genesis Trespass CD

Composers: Tony Banks; Mike Rutherford; Anthony Phillips Band.
Genesis: Anthony Phillips (acoustic 12-string guitar, dulcimer); Mike Rutherford (bass instrument); Peter Gabriel (bass drum); Tony Banks, John Mayhew.
Personnel: Mike Rutherford (vocals, guitar, acoustic 12-string guitar, 12-string guitar, nylon-string guitar, cello, electric bass); Anthony Phillips (vocals, guitar, electric guitar, 12-string guitar); Tony Banks (vocals, guitar, piano, organ, Mellotron, keyboards); Anthony Phillips Band (vocals, acoustic guitar, acoustic 12-string guitar, electric guitar, 12-string guitar, dulcimer); Peter Gabriel (vocals, flute, accordion, drums, tambourine, percussion); John Mayhew (vocals, drums, percussion).
Audio Mixer: Nick Davis.
Audio Remasterers: Chris Blair; Geoff Callingham; Nick Davis; Tony Cousins.
Recording information: Trident Studios, London, England.
Photographer: Lewis Lee.
Arrangers: Peter Gabriel; Anthony Phillips; Tony Banks; Mike Rutherford; Anthony Phillips Band.
Genesis' first truly progressive album, and their first record for the Charisma label (although Trespass was released in America by ABC, which is how MCA came to have it), is important mostly as a formative effort. Peter Gabriel, Tony Banks, and Michael Rutherford are here, but the guitarist is Anthony Phillips and the drummer is John Mayhew. Gabriel, Banks, Phillips, and Rutherford are responsible for the compositions, which are far more ambitious than the group's earlier efforts ("Silent Sun," etc.). Unfortunately, much of what is here is more interesting for what it points toward than what it actually does -- the group reflects a peculiarly dramatic brand of progressive rock, very theatrical as music, but not very successful. The lyrics are complex enough but lack the unity and clarity that would make Genesis' subsequent albums among the most interesting of prog rock efforts to analyze. Gabriel's voice is very expressive but generally lacks power and confidence, while the conventional backup vocalizing by the others is wimpy, and Phillips' playing is muted. Tony Banks' keyboards are the dominant instruments, which isn't that bad, but it isn't the Genesis that everyone came to know. The soft, lyrical "Visions of Angels" and "Stagnation" are typical, gentle works by a band that later learned how to rock much harder. Only one of the songs here, "The Knife" -- which rocks harder than anything else on Trespass and is easily the best track on the album -- lasted in the group's concert repertory past the next album. ~ Bruce Eder
TRESPASS is more pastoral and low-key than the Genesis albums that followed it. The interplay between guitarist Anthony Phillips and bassist Mike Rutherford finds the group at its folkiest and most subdued. Tony Banks hadn't yet turned to the synthesizer. Peter Gabriel had not yet reached the heights of poetic socio-political broadside that would mark such albums as FOXTROT. The anomaly here is "The Knife," a gloriously bombastic track full of classical motifs, thundering riffs and rhythms, and a strong anti-war message. It would become one of the most-loved early Genesis tunes.
Drummer John Mayhew might be the Pete Best of prog-rock, as he was Genesis's original drummer, ultimately replaced by future bandleader Phil Collins. On this, Mayhew's final recording with Genesis, he shows taste and restraint, laying out for long sections while the sonic tapestries of the guitars and keyboards unfold. Though not an essential pick in the Genesis catalogue, TRESPASS is a satisfying snapshot of this important band's formative development.Mojo (Publisher) (3/01, p.82) - "...It sounds very muddy...but tracks like live favorite 'The Knife' found the group establishing a recognizable identity..."