Customer Reviews

Fugitive

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

In many ways, I view this work as the sequel to already shining "Abacab", refined of dross. Much of the albeit appreciated production of a Genesis album is stripped away revealing the pure genius of Tony Banks. Rather than overwhelm and submerge the listener with lush orchestration, which Mr. Banks regularly demonstrates his talent by reaching destinations only distantly gazed upon by his contemporaries (e.g. "A Trick of the Tail"), "The Fugitive" takes a radically different approach: abstract minimalism. (Grant it that "minimal" for this artist is beyond the construct of most pop musicians.) Minimal must be distinguished from simplistic. There is NOTHING simple about this work - effortless time and key changes, complex voicing that is never crowded or thick, and unorthodox and surprising section structures. As for vocals, any of Mr. Banks limitations simply add to the compelling nature of the album - at times awkward, but only intensifying the intrigue. This CD guards many high points, from the infectious neo-reggae groove of "This is Love", the colorful and cartoonish "Charm", the captivating rhythmic phrasing in "Moving under", and the mystical instrumental voyage into unknown in "Thirty Threes". The pinnacle of this abstract vision being "By You", simply an inspired higher state of music more to be experienced than simply listened to and reason enough to have this CD. An very exciting work, and a must for any student of musical possibilities, "The Fugitive" is an undiscovered treasure. I highly recommend this work.

As the Genesis sound started to evolve into less prog rock and became more poppish, so did Tony Banks' individual work. This was Banks' attempt to write some 4 minute pop tunes while still imprinting his unique chordings and voicings. What distinguished this album in the Banks canon is that Tony did his own vocals throughout. One can argue about the advisability of this, but IMHO it is apparent that Banks has a folk singer's voice and does not have the vocal presence to drive his own songs, although in a couple instances his vocals add an appropriate lightness (e.g., "By You"). Banks brought an all-star cast to assist, including Genesis tour guitarist Daryl Steurmer. Even with the firepower, perhaps the most fun track on the album, the instrumental "Charm", was apparently done on a little Casio-type machine (remember, this is 1982, and Casio keyboards were toys at the time). Despite being tuneful and tastefully done, it is the weakest TB album he has done so far, primarily because the arrangements lack the majesty one had come to expect from Banks' keyboard work. Later albums would better intergrate a more commercial sound with powerful and unique keyboard settings.

It is on "The Fugitive" where Tony Banks continues to tantalize us with his diverse keyboard styles heard in the instrumental tracks "Thirty Three's" and "Charm", which Tony took a page from "The Grand Parade Of Lifeless Packaging" from the Genesis CD "The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway". "Moving Under" wil have you wondering "Where have I heard this before?" It is songs like "Moving Under" and "Sometime Never" that give this CD its "poppish" side, unlike TB's non-poppish predecessor, "A Curious Feeling". And, unlike "ACF", Banks handles all the vocals on "The Fugitive", whih are a refreshing change of pace compared to Kim Beacon's, which have hardly any life at all. If you're a die-hard Genesis fan, or if you're into early '80's pop, then this CD is for you!

Anyone is who is a devoted fan of Genesis is also most likely a big fan of Tony Banks. Many of my favorite Genesis moments are long keyboard solos (though Genesis is also a great band to listen to for drums, bass, guitars, and vocals), so I was hoping that Tony's solo albums would take that sort of thing even further. This album doesn't quite do that, but I do like it. I guess Tony thinks of himself more as a pop songwriter than as a keyboard virtuoso, but anyone who has heard most or all of Genesis' records knows that he's both. And though he's not Peter Garbriel or Phil Collins, he's really not a bad singer. I wouldn't mind hearing his voice more often be it on lead, harmony, or counterpoint. It's too bad that Tony and the record company don't market albums like this more agressively. I mean he ought to do solo tours and stuff like that. There's usually at least one song that would be very much suited to pop radio. "The Wheels Keep Turning" would have made a great radio hit.

I want to start by saying that I consider all of the proper albums that Genesis put out in the 1980s to be incredible masterpieces, and the same goes for Phil Collins' solo career.

That said, certain folks will tell you that Genesis and Phil's solo career became interchangeable in the '80s. To put it more precisely, certain people will tell you that Phil took over Genesis in the '80s and that his bandmates Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford were just along for the ride and cashing in. This is an incredibly unfair statement.

Tony Banks is a genius. His level of importance to Genesis is incalculable. He's brilliant with keyboard textures, and he's a brilliant composer, and his 1983 solo album "The Fugitive" amply demonstates both of these points. Tony handles all the vocals here, and he additionally proves himself to be a unique and expressive vocalist.

If you're looking for hardcore progressive rock, you're not going to find an abundance of it on this album. On the other hand, it's an exaggeration to say this is a pure pop-rock album. The result falls somewhere in between, offering up some sophisticated pop-rock material along the lines of '80s Genesis, plus some intriguing departures from that sound. With Collins not around, Banks wisely enlisted a slew of excellent drummers to help out, including Steve Gadd, to give some real muscle to the more rocking material. Also, Genesis tour guitarist and long-time Phil Collins guitarist Daryl Stuermer handles all the guitarwork on here.

It's totally obvious that Tony wasn't merely 'passing time' between Genesis albums when recording "The Fugitive"--he wrote every track on the album himself, and he had a wealth of brilliant songs up his sleeve. "This Is Love" is an incredibly catchy reggae-fied pop-rocker with a kickass, extended middle section. Banks also rocks out on the riffy "At The Edge Of Night". The mysterious-sounding "Man Of Spells" is an irresistibly melodic, low-key tune. "And The Wheels Keep Turning" is a brilliantly melodic and haunting song with brilliant lyrics about a lover who loses interest. "Say You'll Never Leave Me" is a gentle ballad with that trademark autumnal Banks feel, plus some pretty strange lyrics. The charming, wonderfully catchy "By You" is a stately, drum machine-based tune that, in retrospect, sounds surprisingly reminiscent of Enya.

There are also a pair of really engaging instrumentals. "Thirty Three's is a really moody piece with a brief musical quoting of Genesis' "Undertow". "Charm" is rather amusing, starting off with sounds the recall the early days of video games, and it's got really catchy hooks too, although it is a little gimmicky and drags a bit toward the middle after the real drums come in.

The main album portion ends with "Moving Under", which has a nicely catchy chorus and something of an Al Stewart-ish vibe to it, but overall it's surprisingly generic, with disappointingly uncatchy verses. Likewise, the two additional songs featured on this CD release are dishearteningly generic pop songs, especially for someone of Banks caliber--it's easy to see why they were left off the original vinyl release of the album.

Overall though, if you come to this album craving more great music from this genius of Genesis, you're in for a big time treat. "The Fugitive" is a must for any serious listener.

This is one of the best solo efforts by a Genesis band member. I was pleasantly surprised as band members joked about Tony not being able to sing. He does not have a real powerful voice, but a nice Prog rock voice. The single off this album should have been "And the Wheels Keep Turning" - my personal fave. Also notable is "Moving Under". It was this album that defined Tony Banks in my mind as being the mainstay of the Genesis sound.

This was Genesis keyboard player Tony Banks' second solo album. It's pleasant, but if you're not a Genesis fan, there's not much here to entice you. This was Banks' attempt to grab onto the same pop success bandmate Phil Collins was having. "This Is Love" and "And the Wheels Keep Turning" are nice pop songs, but are too restrained to make it on radio. The album has the crisp production Genesis had recently gone to on "Abacab", though at times it sounds a little too rigid and mechanical, suggesting the whole thing was written on drum machines. Banks did his own singing--his voice is wispy, but somehow endearing. When he tries to get soulful, like at the end of "Man of Spells", he sounds like Al Stewart doing a John Lennon impersonation. His voice is a detriment only on "At the Edge of Night", where it isn't strong enough to handle the big finish coming out of a building instrumental bridge. Every song is, at a minimum, catchy. "Man of Spells" is my favorite cut, with a gorgeous riff played in harmony by synthesizer, guitar, and bass synth. "Thirty Three's" is a great, mysterious instrumental, while the other instrumental, "Charm", starts with a simple, silly riff that grows into something more impressive than you'd expect. Banks' lyrics can get overwrought: no one else would set the line "In fading starlight, creeping gloom" to light, bouncy music, and "Say You'll Never Leave Me" tries to make a love song out of a couple about to be killed by a tsunami. The CD includes two songs that were left off the original LP. Daryl Stuermer supplies a few nice guitar leads.

Genesis keyboard player Tony Banks released his second solo album entitled The Fugitive in the Spring of 1983.
At the time, all of the non-singing Genesis members (Banks, ex-guitarist Steve Hackett and guitarist/bass player Mike Rutherford) each released solo albums where they would sing lead vocals around the same time Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins each released their successful Security and Hello I Must Be Going efforts respectively. Ironically, Banks (like Hackett to a lesser extent) had no solo success and Banks' keyboards make the Genesis sound what it is (in fact, Genesis manager Tony Smith calls Genesis "Banks' solo project").
On Tony's second solo album The Fugitive, Banks handles all the vocals himself and sounds like a cross between (in his own words from the band's official biography Genesis Chapter and Verse) Neil Tennant of The Pet Shop Boys and 1970s pop star Al Stewart. He's joined by Genesis touring guitarist Daryl Stuermer, bass player Mo Foster and drummers Steve Gadd, Tony Beard, Steve Gadd and Andy Duncan and whip up an album that has all of Tony's keyboard trademarks and yet is a masterpiece.
The album opens with the first single "This Is Love" which is a great pop-rocker and when I put this album on working one day, I loved it immediately. We follow with the mystical "Man Of Spells" which is another great song. Next is the superbly catchy "And The Wheels Keep Turning" and is a great song. We follow with the exquisite ballad "say You'll Never Leave Me" which is a nice song. The first half closed with the haunting instrumental "Thirty Three's" (which was ironically how old Banks was when he released this album).
We begin the second side of the album with the bouncing, upbeat "By You". We follow with a great epic called "At the Edge of Night" which is a great seven minute piece which does not grow boring nor stale. Next is the second instrumental which is an absolutely charming piece entitled ironically enough "Charm". We closed the original album with the super "Moving Under" which is another great song.
Sadly The Fugitive tanked upon its 1983 release amidst the Duran Duran/A Flock of Seagulls/Michael Jackson music that dominated the music scene at the time here in the US.
The album was re-released on CD outside the US with two bonus tracks "K2" and "Sometimes Never" both great tunes.
The Fugitive is HUGELY RECOMMENDED!

I believe this is the best of Tony Banks' solo albums. If you are a fan of 80s Genesis, you'll enjoy Banks' pop-infused efforts. He sings lead on all the songs, something I wish he would have done more often over the years. All in all, an excellent effort.

From the early 80's comes another Tony Banks album recorded during a Genesis hiatus. Tony handles all the singing on this second solo effort. Despite his self-deprecating comments in interviews, I think he handles the task nicely. The songs are not as mellow as on the album "A Curious Feeling" and there is a nice blend of instrumental and vocal tracks. For fans of the Duke and Abacab era Genesis, this is a look into the man behind the keyboards.