Genesis, "Duke"
Mitch gets in too deep with that '80s sound
Mitch’s Pitch:
Genesis is a weird band. If you asked a random music listener about them you’d probably get one of two responses. Most people think of them as being an ‘80s guilty pleasure pop-rock band that was fronted by Phil Collins. They had some really great singles that were huge and some really terrible singles that were inexplicably still huge.
For other people, they think of Genesis as the critically-acclaimed ‘70s progressive rock band fronted by Peter Gabriel and featuring virtuoso guitarist Steve Hackett. As a general rule, the more you like the Gabriel years the less you like the Collins years and vice versa.
I believe that’s a false choice. The real genius of Genesis is that they’re both poppy and proggy - cheesy and cool - and Duke is proof that they’re at their best when they blend the two.
Genesis is all about evolution. They’re a band of continuous growth and change, and somehow they were always able to honor their past while creating a new future. This is a band, after all, that replaced their charismatic lead singer with their drummer, and had their bass player take over on guitar duties after the brilliant Hackett left.
Their 1980 release Duke - their second as a trio - shows them embracing an entirely new, modern sound dominated by synthesizers and drum machines. It’s the perfect time capsule of that era in music, but it’s also just a great, listenable album full of excellent songs and jams.
The album is built around the deconstructed Duke Suite, which consists of six songs that are thematically, musically and lyrically linked. The way the musical themes and lyrics from “Behind the Lines” and “Guide Vocal” are reprised in “Duke’s Travels/End” is a classic Genesis trick that works every time.
One of Genesis’ strengths has always been the drumming of Phil Collins, who can swing like a jazz player and brings an incredible energy to the songs. His playing on Duke is fantastic, and his use of drum machines is innovative and highly effective at creating drama - see “Duchess”. Phil’s two solo songs - “Misunderstanding” and “Please Don’t Ask” are both top-shelf and introduce his patented sad bastard balladry. His vocals are so strong, so powerful, and so confident that it’s almost hard to believe that Phil wasn’t always a lead singer.
Keyboardist Tony Banks is the quiet glue of Genesis and his synthesizer tones are a big part of the new sound. In all honesty, the tone is a little sharper and harsher than I like from Tony - but his playing is excellent and his song “Heathaze” is a dark horse contender for best song on the album.
Bassist and guitarist Mike Rutherford also steps up. His bass playing is surprisingly fluid and funky (“Behind the Lines”) and his guitar solos are understated but tasteful. Phil does a nice job singing his schmaltzy ballad “Alone Tonight” but the less said about “Man of our Times,” the better.
Duke is the sound of a band in complete control of both their past and their future, embracing change and continuously evolving, while delivering one of the most listenable albums of the 1980’s.
No misunderstanding here, Duke is a Genesis album for us all to love.
Don’s Response:
[Don wearing a Karnac headdress, holding an index card to his forehead, eyes closed]
'“The Lacrosse Team”
“The Krzyzewski-Ville Student Section”
“Christian Laettner”
[Don opening his eyes and reading the index card]
“Three Dukes less hateable than Duke by Genesis.”
Okay, that was a cheap shot. But let’s be honest, when you hear the word, “Duke,” you instinctively want to punch someone in the face. And even if you might regret it after, one thing we can all agree on is that “Duke” probably deserved it.
But like the Duke basketball team, I must admit I begrudgingly respect the effort put into Duke the album, even if it’s way too white.
There are obvious bright spots, especially the hit singles “Misunderstanding” and “Turn It On Again,” featuring Phil Collins’ confident vocals and versatile drumming. His instruments drive the band, as if he’s the point guard, the lead drummer, as it were. He can’t dance, but he sure as hell can go to his left.
But there are too many unforced turnovers. “Cul-de-Sac” should be skipped based on its title alone. Then you have to endure an opening instrumental that sounds like the soundtrack played before a futuristic Disney ride, only to realize the line circles again before you finally get to take off before ultimately realizing the experience is just a dead end.
Unfortunately for Mitch, this is how I feel about most of the record, especially the interminable instrumental suites.
It’s just too self-conscious and full of itself. Vintage Duke.
Pitch Failed
Ken’s Response:
As soon as Mitch announced to us that a Genesis album was going to be his next pitch, the International Space Station reported to Mission Command that they could see my eye roll from space. In news that shocks no one in my world, I can’t stand progressive rock. I find the synthesizers, the drum machines, and the overly-technical production to be gimmicky and wholly artificial. There are a few (a very few) exceptions to the rule, but overall it’s just not for me. I want music to move me emotionally, or to transport me to a time and place, or failing to do either of those things, at least let it be music to dance to. Duke is none of those things.
You don’t have to convince me that Phil Collins is a great drummer or that Mike Rutherford is a fantastic musician. They are. Full stop! But for me, they’re also boring as hell. Using 13/8 time (“Turn it on Again”) doesn’t make you a great or innovative band, in fact it makes me question your motivation for using such a complex time signature. Did you do it because it sounds good and it adds to the overall quality of the song, or did you do it just to prove that you could? Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.
Forgetting my distaste for prog rock, here’s what it really comes down to. I gave Duke a real listen a couple weeks ago and I forced myself to listen to it all the way through. I even called Mitch to tell him how much better it was than the awful Peter Gabriel Genesis stuff I had heard previously. Then I went back and listened again and couldn’t get through the album. Six times I put it up on Spotify, including this morning on the way to work when I was in a great mood and really going into it with a positive attitude. Not once in those six times did I make it to the end.
I will absolutely not be turning it on again.
Pitch Failed
CJ’s Response:
Look, everybody has something they love that other people can’t stand. I’m a metalhead, so I know this better than anybody. But, really, that’s the point of this newsletter. We’re four different people with varying musical tastes and the fun of this exercise is to see if we can convince each other that our music is worthy of consideration. It’s brave to put the things that you hold precious on display for the masses to rend and devour. So, I commend Mitch for this public offering.
All that said, I fucking hate Genesis.
To be fair, it’s not entirely their fault. Under other circumstances, Genesis would be a band that wouldn’t stir enough emotion in me to use a word like hate. They would simply exist somewhere on the furthest reaches of my radar, neither entertaining nor annoying me.
But, I’m a Rush fan.
And, for some reason, a lot of people like to lump Genesis, Yes (don’t get me started) and Rush under the heading of Prog Rock. I’m not going to litigate that case here except to say that I disagree with this categorization in the strongest possible terms. In the words of Demi Moore in A Few Good Men, “I strenuously object!”
For me, Duke is Exhibit A of why I don’t want anything I care about to be associated with Prog Rock. It just seems like so much…(Pausing to see if I should use the off-color term I’m considering. Seeing that I already dropped an F-bomb a few paragraphs back. Continuing.)…jerking off.
“Behind the Lines” sounds like something John Tesh composed as a game intro for the NBA on CBS. “Man of Our Times” sounds like a Berklee School of Music senior thesis. And the “Duke Suite” sounds like the part in Spinal Tap when Nigel leaves the band and they have to play “Jazz Odyssey” in front of a festival crowd.
I love you, Mitch. But, I fucking hate Genesis.
Pitch Failed
Mitch’s pitch went royally sideways and Genesis’ Duke has been exiled from the Newbury St. Collection.
Thanks for reading! Why don’t you share your thoughts about Genesis’s Duke in your own special way?
Please join us next week as CJ keeps us rolling through the ‘80s with Billy Squier’s breakthrough album, Don’t Say No.
This is a travesty. You should all be ashamed of yourselves for giving zero points to a brilliant album from one of the greatest bands ever. I guess the only silver lining is that now that you've broken poor Phil's heart again he'll be inspired to write another great record.
I love the banter guys, but as always you featured the wrong album. Genesis had about 7 good years that ended with ABACAB. That album still holds up today. After ABACAB, Phil went pop/awkward R & B with insipid songs like "Another Day in Paradise" and Mr. Rutherford decided to retool his songcraft with a deceptively considered "supergroup" best know for letting the lead singer croon his big hit with Squeeze, "Tempted". SAD. You all need to raise your game when picking an album. The bullseye is just to the left (so to speak)