Customer Reviews

Lamb Lies Down on Broadway

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4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

"If you think that it's pretentious, you've been taken for a ride" PG

In 1974 Genesis peaked with the release of THE LAMB (their Revelation you could say). Over 35 years later it is still not only listenable, but interesting, unpredictable and fresh sounding and still musically challenging. What other rock-opera/concept album can you say that of? (only Zappa's, WE'RE ONLY IN IT FOR THE MONEY from almost a decade earlier).

THE LAMB is an album/concept/achievement of mythic proportions. For how dysfunctional the recording process was supposed to have been, the result is an amazingly successful synthesis of 5 musical talents at their peak. And what they produced, while directly connected to their earlier sound (traced through the progressively improving TRESPASS, NURSERY CRYME, FOXTROT & SELLING ENGLAND BY THE POUND), was also different by a quantum leap. How could Genesis continue as a band after such an achievement? They didn't. Gabriel went on to explore his 'Electric Shaman' persona in an even more down to earth, less introverted way, and the rest of the band turned to churning out increasingly superficial (and successful) pretty pop hits.

In '74 when this was first released my local FM station played the whole double album in it's entirety. I was an aspiring young Genesis fan then and when I stayed up late to record it, I wasn't sure how to digest the new sound or concepts. I didn't understand it all. It was clearly going to be an acquired taste, something I had to grow into. Years later after it was burned into my mind it became in some weird way my first religion - before I found something more substantial. And yet THE LAMB is still clearly a valid, grand, mythic morality play, incorporating sounds that both root us to Earth and Cosmos..., with words and concepts that unite Greek myth, English romantic literature, psychic archetypes and psychedelic music. It is in essence a story of, and guide to, adolescent male rite-of-passage initiation ritual. You could say The Who's TOMMY did this first, but being more complex, poetic and complete, THE LAMB has endured better.

What resulted was the band's swansong, but each individual was distinct and unique and vital. Peter Gabriel was clearly inspired for this production, taking a lead creative role. His voice is strong, confident and flexible and his lyrics a string of inventive, sometimes profound and often witty one-liners. Phil Collins gives solid powerfully nimble drumming, as well as excellent backing vocals (a role he was always best suited for). Michael Rutherford's bass is a force of nature, crunching and churning along like the inexorable shift of tectonic plates (augmented by that deep and simple bass pedal). Tony Banks is all over the place tying it together with sustaining keyboards played with supreme, dexterous confidence. And then there is Steve Hackett, with a guitar sound and understated vibe that comes and goes like the plaintive song of a humpback whale in the deep, never flashy, always tasteful. And this is the rare accomplishment of this recording - a psychedelic classic that takes you on a trip (in whatever condition you begin in), to expand and challenge and reunite but in an accessible, never creepy or harsh way (like The Grateful Dead, or Pink Floyd could do). From the opening alienated Broadway street scene to the exalted final resolution and recognition of It, the album flows in one continuous blended series of sounds (made of a variety of catchy 4-5 minute songs tied together by the those incredible segues...)

Like many of these reviews, this one is long on words and high on praise. For many years I thought I'd put this album with it's adolescent associations and apparent pretensions behind me. But listening to it now as an 'old fart', I see how formative (and transformative) it was. I'm glad to have met and absorbed and been changed by it, and to have moved on, out of the depths and into the ongoing vastness of It. This sounds like a lot to expect from a rock band and album, but it's true.

Lamb is my second choice of best albums of all time. Genesises version of a rock opera , Is outstanding, and a modern version of alice in wonderland.

I have the original vinyl version of this album - but no turntable anymore. I haven't actually listened
to this all the way thru for probably 25 years. So finally buying the CD was fantastic - like renewing
an old friendship. Of course I remember the main songs - Carpet Crawlers, Counting Out Time,
Back in NY City etc. but what I forgot were all the wonderful interludes between songs - some of the
best guitar and keyboard rifs and solos happen in these spots. I think this is one of the all time best
"prog-rock" albums - right up there with "Brain Salad Surgery" and "The Six Wives of Henry the Eighth".
A must have for any serious concept and rock music lover!

I can think of no other recording in my lifetime that can even equal, let alone surpass, "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway". In every musical genre---this is my personal favorite. I bought it when it was new, so of course I have it memorized. I am listening to it now, but can also play it in my head, and never tire of its ethereal majesty. I was very fortunate to have seen the entire performance of the Lamb back in the 1970's at the West Palm Beach Auditorium, in the third "row" (it was general seating) and it was the concert of a lifetime. I am a prog hound from way back--and the best of the others, whom I love, such as Le Orme, VDGG, PFM, Camel, Banco, Slapp Happy, Jade Warrior, Peter Hammill, Brian Eno, Acqua Fragile, Idiot Flesh, Caravan, Kevin Ayers, King Crimson, and many others besides, cannot hold a candle to this sublime and powerful masterpiece.

This is probably Genesis' greatest work, back when the band was in its heyday. If you are a fan of 60s/70s rock, especially theme albums that tell stories this is a MUST HAVE. Musically it is excellent, containing many wonderful songs and melodies. The songs and the story fit together seamlessly as you follow Rael through the trials and triumphs of his dream, learning about those things that concern a young man in those days.

Remember, you can't claim to be a music expert if you haven't heard this album. It is in the same league as Dark Side of the Moon, Meddle, Tommy, Odgen's Nut Gone flake, etc.

This copy needs to be in your collection if you are a fan of Genesis. If not the try the album clip samples on YouTube before buying. Musically speaking the content is kind of "raw" and hard to explain. But in a simplistic way I'm confident to say that a remake of this album with today's instruments and technology would be a heavy success to this group. Also its themes are truly rich in ideas to do a picture about it.

THIS COLLECTION WAS YEARS AHEAD OF IT'S TIME, A SOUND UNLIKE ANYTHING GENESIS HAD EVER DONE PRIOR AND HAS YET TO BE REPEATED. IT IS AS ENJOYABLE TODAY AS IT WAS THEN AND HAS INFLUENCED A GENERATION OF MUSIC TO IT'S CREDIT. THIS IS A MUST IN ANYONES COLLECTION OF PURE PROGRESSIVE ROCK FROM THE 70'S AND IS STILL TALKED ABOUT ALL THESE YEARS LATER.