GENESIS PUTS UP ITS 'DUKE'

Los Angeles Times - May 25, 1980 - by Steve Pond

'DUKE' - Genesis. Atlantic SD 16014

At first glance, Genesis' first album in two years looks typical. After all, it seems to be a concept album, full of songs about dukes and duchesses, and medieval stories have long been one of the most often-used - and, let's face it, the most tiring - staples of progressive rock.

But listen to what these dukes and duchesses talk about: "Oh you've lost weight I can see/Your hair looks nice/You look good." "Duke," it's true, is a loose concept album, but it's about the breakup of a modern-day relationship, and not about dungeons and dragons.

Musically, too, it's more down-to-earth and modest. "Duke" is identifiably Genesis, but it is toned-down Genesis, with little of the grandiose conceits and bombastic music that made epics like the 25-minute "Supper's Ready" so impressive in 1972 - and would make the band look so foolish if they tried to duplicate that sound today.

Like Genesis' last album, "And Then There Were Three," this record is made up of short, pop-oriented songs. But this is a more confident and successful album than that one, which found the band smuggling to make up for the loss of lead guitarist Steve Hackett, "Duke" is a solid regroupting reminiscent of - though not as surprising as "A Trick of the Tail," the album that proved Genesis could function well without Peter Gabriel.

Keyboardist Tony Banks is clearly the dominant instrumentalist in the three-piece Genesis, but even he prefers to quietly shape the sound instead of taking flashy solos. And all three members now write both collectively and individually. Banks, guitarist Mike Rutherford and drummer Phil Collins all contribute strong songs.

The album is inconsistent, especially when the band's melodic invention runs a little thin on Side 1. But its highlights show a cohesive group of musicians who know how to work together as a band; Side 2, which begins with some varied rock and pop songs and ends with the dramatic "Duke's Travels" and the short instrumental "Duke's End," is one of the best and most consistent pieces of music the band has made in some time.

The strong initial sales of "Duke" indicate that the audience hasn't forgotten Genesis during its two-year layoff. But far more encouraging than the sales figures is the album's quality. If nothing else, Genesis has once again proved that it is one of the most resilient outfits in rock. The group's Tuesday concert at the Greek Theater is sold out.

Thanks to Jeff Kaa for providing this article for The Path