Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Inspiring and enjoyable listening, February 3, 2008
Why inspiring? because this is a band that never quits. First they lost what many believed to be the core of Genesis and that was Peter Gabriel, they replace him with Phil Collins and although the music changed they continue to make great music. 2 albums later Steve Hackett leaves and then later Phil retires from the band but Tony and Mike decide they enjoy making writing together so they audition Ray Wilson and give him the job.
Of course Ray can't replace Phil anymore than Phil could Peter so one has to step "outside" of the Genesis box and listen to it as a total different entity. If one can do this it's easy to enjoy the cd for what it is, an excellent pop/prog album.
I had the privelege to see Genesis perform with Peter for the Selling England by the Pound tour so I have been with them from early in their career. I find it sad people can't accept change, I have always enjoyed Genesis whether they're playing Fading Lights or The Royal Hogweed.
I've enjoyed CAS since I first purchased it and now to have it in 5.1 surround sound is even more enjoyable to listen to.
The DVD interview gives us an insight into their thought process following Phil's departure and the recording of CAS with Ray. They both commented they knew he was the guy from the moment he started audtioning No Son of Mine.
I think Ray has a great voice and it fits in well with Genesis songs, in fact there are times he hits tones which are very reminiscent of Peter(the Dividing Line) however there are very few times he sounds like Phil.
There are 3 songs on the DVD which are live, 1 is the song Calling All Stations and then there are two from Polish TV which are from a longer concert they did.
It's a wonderful treat to see them perform live with Ray as their singer and Nik Zidyahu on drums. Nik's drumming is awesome and adds freshness to the music so does the guitarist who performs with them, at times he and Mike play against one another which is fun and great to listen to.
I think the Polish concert video is worth the price of the cd itself, why they didn't give us the rest of the songs is beyond me, it's a fantastic concert and shows Genesis playing with in my opinion new and fresh energy.
If you've always loved Genesis but passed on this because Phil isn't on it, try to get past it and think of this as a new group with a similarity to Genesis. Just enjoy the music and forget about who's on it.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Letting this one get away..., February 18, 2008
I liked this album when it was originally released. It was dark and moody but sounded fresh and Ray Wilson has a great voice to fit the band. I was pumped to see all the remasters for Genesis but upon a closer look the band really disses this re-release. There were so many extra songs recorded that were used as b-sides to the singles released (i.e Congo, Shipwrecked, etc.) why not include them on this release as a 2nd cd? Also the live footage is great but c'mon! only 3 songs!!, the band had a complete show filmed in Poland waiting to be released if the album was a huge success, but as you can guess it wasn't. Oh well, I really felt the band purposely overlooked this album when it came time to remaster...they could have included all the Wilson era songs plus the concert into a nice comprehensive package that the diehard Genesis fans have wanted of this album.
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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Calling The Overlooked Stations , November 19, 2007
With Genesis reuniting this past year with Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford and Tony Banks as a whole of the original era of success, they've brought down the house to a whole new era of fans, who seem to be more into acts like Britney Spears and Beyonce'. That wasn't the case wioth fans back in 1997 with Genesis. After Phil left the group because of trouble within his personal life with his second marriage ending, the group recruited Ray Wilson to take the lead for their final studio album Calling All Stations. Sadly, though it didn't catch on with die hard fans, but sounded well for anyone who hadn't heard Genesis yet, with that never say die appeal. Now, the album has been reissued again, and it sill sounds really well.
The 2007 re-release of Calling All Stations, 10 years after Ray Wilson took over the lead from Phil Collins sounds very well from the depths of the voice, to the deep sadness and darkness of the album. The songs here have all been restored nicely within the sounds of a new 5.1 surround sound mix, as is shown with the sounds of the album. The collection includes the overlooked tracks Congo, the somber If That's What You Need and the haunting Shipwrecked. The album also includes a DVD of extras that blend in well to the album, including the videos for Shipwrecked and a rare live performance of the soulful and emotional tracks There Must Be Some Other Way and The Dividing Line, and a new set of interviews from the group.
While the album hasn't seen the light in record stores in nearly a decade, Calling All Stations is a good buy for those who haven't yet heard the album. Even though the album doesn't feel like it is a must buy for die hard fans, unlike the recent re-releases of We Can't Dance or Invisible Touch, it still adds some muscle to a overlooked Genesis era that should would try to take notice, and a attitude of music that sounds well to call all stations to.
Album Cover: B
Songs: B-
Price: C
DVD Extras: B-
Remastering: B
Overall: C+
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