'Not About Us' - the 'live in Paris' version

NAU - a twin review
Since I wrote my 'Shipwrecked' review a couple of months ago, pessimism has turned into optimism among many of us. After postponing their US tour, Genesis have now played a bunch of gigs in Europe - and have received very good reviews. The band have now returned to the Continent for the last part of the tour - ending up in Scandinavia early April. To trigger the interest even more, the record company is now releasing Genesis' third single in Europe - 'Not About Us', the nice acoustic ballad from 'Calling All Stations'. As with earlier releases, the single is released in different issues - and here is my review of both versions.

Before I start - I just wanted to tell that I am getting more and more excited by the new incarnation of Genesis. The tour reviews, the box set news, and finally - their latest album and subsequent tracks have re-triggered my passion for the band and my respect for Tony and Mike who chose to continue. I didn't write a review of 'Calling All Stations' - the album - last Autumn, because I felt a bit confused about everything - "am I enjoying this or am I not?" After half a year of exploring the new album, I am not very confused - I am maybe more excited than ever before. Three weeks before seeing my favourite band in Oslo, they even release a couple of treasures - two singles with some very important and listenable additions to the world of Genesis. It's all about us:

On the first CD - the track list is as follows:
1. 'Not About Us'
2. 'Dancing With The Moonlit Knight' *
3. 'Follow You Follow Me' *
4. 'Not About Us' *

* Live acoustic versions from the rehearsal gig in Paris December 13, 1997.

The first edition - as well as the second - contains a radio edit of 'Not About Us' - they've cut the little quiet part including the sweet little keyboard solo by Tony.

'Not About Us' - the first disc

I'm not sure if the editing will make any differences in terms of radio airplay, but the song miss the little "rest" we're all used to from the album. This is not my favourite track from CAS, but I can see some possibilities for it on the radios if they decide to give it a try. I really think they should.

The last three tracks on the first single are live recordings from the happening in Paris at RTL Studios on December 13. Genesis played two rehearsal gigs in Copenhagen and Paris before the tour started, and parts of the latter are documented on this disc - more precisely, the acoustic part. Ray Wilson's first attempt on Gabriel-era material are included, together with a Phil-era hit from the second half of the seventies.

The first vocal introduction to 'Dancing With The Moonlit Knight' - as on most bootlegs mis-spelled as "Moonlight" - is our first official touch with the band's acoustic live set. I put on 'Musica' from the May 1980 show in London, listening to Phil doing the same job. Who is best - or, who is recapturing the mood from the early seventies most convincing? No doubt - Ray does. His voice, together with the guitars, are very close to the original.

'Not About Us' - the 'bonus tracks' version

Ray's voice really shines - and the twelve-strings have so much colour! The concert reviews have told us a lot about these acoustic versions - but none of them really emphasize the strength and power of Ray's voice on this track. 'Dancing' is the opener of my favourite album ever, and my definitive "lost-on-a-small-island" album - 'Selling England by The Pound' - and I had to mobilize some sort of goodwill before putting on this CD-single. How can a guy five years younger than myself communicate the magic from this masterpiece of an album? Well, he can't. But Ray does a remarkable job in bringing some of the darkness and mysticy of the song to us - but it's difficult to get really caught by a track stopping right before it should kick off. Anyway - it sounds very promising for future live interpretations of songs originally sung by Peter.

Then some rolling guitars introduce a light and 'Solsbury Hill'-sounding 'Follow You Follow Me' - as played on the current European tour. Again, the acoustic guitars sound beautiful, but I think you have to be there to really appreciate the song in it's right setting. Therefore I think the reviews from the on-going tour are more appropriate sources.

I wasn't looking for this edition of the single in particular - I was first of all searching for the one with the unreleased studio recordings. Now I'm happy that I was able to order them both from Music-Stop - but it's the "studio edition" which really *kicks*. I hope my following ramblings will justify my point of view.

'Not About Us' - the other disc

The tracks are as follows:
1. 'Not About Us' - radio edit [4:02]
2. 'Anything Now' [6:56]
3. 'Sign Your Life Away' [4:41]
4. 'Run Out Of Time' [6:07]

Let's go directly to 'Anything Now' - very directly indeed. My loudspeakers - a couple of warm, but very effective Monitor Audio R352 - are immediately filled with the entire soundscape of this song. A steady rhythm based on all instruments are blasting into my small living room. Obviously a poppy song - but during its seven minutes much more is revealed. The verses are dominated by Mike's rhythm guitar and bass - and a 'Strictly Inc.' like interpretation by Ray. I think this is a composition by Tony - and this is further reinforced by the song's development.

Anyway - at 0:55 the song breaks a little, and Mike's guitar and bass are still the driving forces. Ray's voice turns a bit more quiet and nasal - and this little bridge are followed by something sounding like a chorus - starting with Ray's beautiful "why should I care", and at 1:50 we're back to the verse, or the A part if you like. Verse, bridge and chorus - and another verse - are repeated, and at 3:48 a beautiful instrumental part fills the room.

I had to put on 'Feeding The Fire' - a B-side from 'Invisible Touch', because I thought there were a connection - maybe in terms of atmosphere. Yeah, there were some links, but I think 'Anything Now' is a lot more adventurous and has a lot more potential. The instrumental part starts very scaled-down and rhythmically enjoyable. Then Tony adds his electric piano in a very improvisational way. Wow - what a live killer if they've had the confidence to play this stuff on tour! Tony just play some very nice chords on top of the never ending steady beat from the rhythm section. At 5:07, Mike gets restless and kicks off his own chords in the key from the bridge section. The song is lifted again before a small, final keyboard solo is added to finish the instrumental part - at 5:45. Two minutes of great excitement! Then the verse tunes the whole thing out in a very natural way...

I have to add one thing: It seems that Genesis in some ways are experimenting on these B-sides. I've mentioned it before - and on this tune we also hear some very strange sounds not heard on the album. Do you remember the Q Sound effect - the concept both Sting and Roger Waters used for their albums 'The Soul Cages' and 'Amused To Death', respectively? It seems that Genesis have used some kind of "widening" effects here - and it really sounds great. Keep experimenting, dear friends!

'Sign Your Life Away' is next. It's even more heavy than the former track - with a very heavy and fuzzy guitar from the hands of Mike. It's maybe too heavy for being one of my favourites - but the song has some great moments. Tony adds some nice colours in the spirit of Peter's 'San Jacinto' every now and then. But all in all - this is not a long lasting track, in both senses. After three or four minutes you just want to hear 'Anything Now' once again - or skip to the next track -

- 'Run Out Of Time'. And, to be honest - this is some of the best things Genesis have ever written. I really can't understand why this song wasn't included on the album - maybe as a last track telling us that it was technology rather than creativity that was limiting CAS's playing time.

In contrast to the two former tracks, this is a low-key and slow experience. I knew the song from an early demo, but listening to it again with perfect sound was very nice. It's a bit jazzy - and Dale Newman told me that Tony and Mike were only messing around - playing their parts separated from each other. Anyway, the result is a beautiful ballad with a lot of Tony in it - with his keyboard sounds dominating most of the song including some very nice chord changes.

I don't think further review is needed. This "studio" edition of the last single is another *must* for all people who are in love with the new Genesis. Get it, listen to it - and enjoy it!

Check also my ramblings on the 'Congo' single - released in Europe mid September.