Customer Reviews

Nursery Cryme

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

 

 

For those of us who were so appalled at the execrable job done on the initial CD release of this landmark 1971 album, the time has come to rejoice. This is truly a masterful remaster, with loving attention given to the sounds of the individual instruments, an awesome dynamic that makes the album sound like it was just recently recorded rather than just run through an industrial meat grinder like the last effort. The screaming guitar intro in "The Musical Box" is restored (rather than muffled under everything), brightness and overall clarity has enhanced and improved problems in the original mix (in which overmodulation had kind of mushed things together, particularly in "Giant Hogweed" and "Fountain of Salmacis"), and overall the tracks are finally afforded the respect they deserve. In places it almost sounds like new instrumentals and vocals were inserted; during the descending "aahhhs" in "Fountain" I'm hearing someone singing or playing an octave higher, absent or obscured in the original release. It's that clear. One problem, if any, with cleaning up a master recording so much is it gives the illusion of having a bit less energy since the distortion is gone. That can be solved of course by turning it up much louder.

This was the first Genesis album to feature the lineup of Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins (in his debut), Steve Hackett (also in debut), Michael Rutherford and Tony Banks. They were just bouncing back from losing 2 key members, and were apprehensive; they needn't have been. Genesis at the beginning of the 70s truly lived up to their name as the beginning of a chapter in rock, with material that was at once symphonic, dynamic and full of whimsical fantasy courtesy of the visionary Mr. Gabriel and the creative contributions of accomplished musicians. Not bad for a band that started out as guys writing songs for OTHER artists to play. This collection and its follow up, the conceptual Foxtrot (also sporting an outstanding 2008 remaster), are among the most vital additions to any serious collection of vintage progressive rock. It is so gratifying to finally hear it produced with a quality that matches the level of the music itself.

This is the very first Genesis album I ever heard, borrowed from an older friend when I was 16. I was completely blown away. And I still feel this is the most amazing music I've ever heard. Especially the first song, "The Musical Box" - very, very heavy and mind blowing music. Not just tepid heavy metal, but intricate classical styling, with both quiet "sensitive" classical parts, plus heavy, heavy parts where you crank it and totally scare the neighbours. SEARING guitar with really cool unique sounds. Heavy, heavy keyboards. Heavy pounding, yet intricate drums. I will always go to my grave thinking Musical Box is almost the best song I've ever heard.

The rest of the album is not a "must" buy, which is why I gave it 4 stars. If all the songs were as good as "Musical Box", it would be a 6 out of 5 stars. Other people might say "Selling England by the Pound" is a more "quality" or "mature" album, but it doesn't really rock like this one does.

But the rest of the album is really good, too. 3 or 4 long, heavy songs, and 2 or 3 quiet delicate harpsichord-ish songs. The heavy songs don't just have plodding heavy metal, but intricate classical styling, with both quiet "sensitive" classical parts, plus heavy, heavy parts where you crank it and totally scare the neighbours. SEARING guitar with really cool unique sounds. Heavy, heavy keyboards. Heavy pounding, yet intricate drums.

Better than their next album "Foxtrot", and better, of course, than their previous album "Trespass". If you are interested in their first 5 years, 1969-1973, the best 2 albums to buy are this one ("Nursery Cryme") and also "Selling England by the Pound". "Selling England by the Pound" is a bit more mellow, with a more polished sound. This one, "Nursery Cryme", is more "rocky" and heavy, though with many quiet, sensitive passages and songs (like "For Absent Friends" and "Harlequin"). The quiet passages really make the heavy passages seem much cooler and very intense... someone else mentioned the longer songs are like stories. Yes, and there is lots of drama musically (as well as in the lyrics of course).

If you are a person who likes classical rock fusion music, "art rock", or "progressive rock", from bands such as "Emerson, Lake, and Palmer", "Yes", or early "King Crimson", you should definitely give this early Genesis music a try. When Peter Gabriel left in 1974, and then Steve Hackett in 1977, Genesis adopted a more poppy, mainstream sound. Their early stuff with Gabriel and Hackett is more rock sounding, heavy, with a classical-rock fusion sound. "Genesis are among the top 30 highest-selling recording artists of all time with approximately 150 million albums sold worldwide." (Wikipedia)

I won't bother to review this recording for its artistic merits, other than to say it is a favorite of mine. Back in the '80's, the old CD Review magazine listed "Nursey Cryme" in its list of worst albums of all time, while keyboard wizard Keith Emerson is quoted in Armando Gallo's "Genesis: Evolution of a Rock Band" as raving "No Bull, their new album really is incredible!" in 1971. Being deeply suspicious that a great 5-channel surround sound recording could be made from an old 16-channel master tape, I bought the European 2008 stereo remix CD version, which includes a nice booklet and a garish, hot pink Charisma CD. (I have never seen that version of the Charisma label before and hope to never see it again.)

This recording was made in 1971 at the U.K.'s famous Trident studio. It's a good thing that an Amazon review doesn't require that you cite your sources, because I don't recall exactly where I read that one of the band members said that Trident didn't have the best equipment at the time and that contributed to Nursery Cryme's somewhat distant, muffled sound. (I suspect this was in a Melody Maker interview, since I spent quite a few hours in the CSULB library in Southern California back in the '70's!)

After listening to the 2-channel remix by Nick Davis with Jeff Callingham and Tony Banks, I'm somewhat in awe of the amount of life they were able to bring to this 16-track production. It sounds as if the tracks came from different reels of multitrack tape, as some are better preserved than others. Opening song, "The Musical Box," must have been particularly difficult. Listening on electrostatic headphones, I could sometimes hear the different tracks being switched on and off, some accompanied by a slight, but noticeable buzz. This was probably in the original issue of the LP and CD, but was masked by the background hiss of the stereo master tape. (The hiss is pretty loud on the older issues, including the "Definitive Edition Remaster" version from the '90's. Apparently that is just the way the old stereo master tape sounds.) There's also some distortion in louder passages, but Pete's vocals are much more life like than on any previous version.

The songs that really stand out to me are "Return of the Giant Hogweed," and "The Fountain of Salmacis." On these tracks, the vocals are again quite clear and the drums are quite lively. I could easily get pulled into the action (and both of these songs are the rock/roll equivalent of an "action-adventure" movie) as Phil switched from playing the full drum set to focussing on the tom toms. (It's hard to believe he was only 20 years old at this time.) The microphone placement was spot-on for picking up that "pounding skins" sound, but the phenomenal drum sound they would achieve on later recordings like "Lamb Lies Down on Broadway" or "ABACAB" isn't there yet. Guitars and keyboards are bold and beautiful and I would describe the sound on this remix as having a "vintage character" that is probably very close to what the band and engineer heard in the control room in 1971, before the noisy stereo master that many of us have listened to for so many years was created.

Each of the two times I ordered this from this very page, I did get an import, from Argentina, but they sound just like the 1994 remaster. It's probably only a reissue. For the NURSERY CRYME to which the first-seen review here refers, you may have to buy the box set where it's found. I couldn't find it anywhere on Amazon singly. It IS a vast improvement over every earlier pressing. But this item ain't that. Maybe it used to be. If you want the 2008, I'd select a smalltime seller and ask them the details. Don't be fooled if you hear it's a Virgin release. The cover date even says 1971, 1994, not 2008! The liner notes are also the exact same as the 94s.

or 4.75 rating, all tracs r good, would be a 5 if trac 2 were longer/had lil more 2 it. best rockin tracs-in caps and then the softer tracs-no caps, in best order r: THE FOUNTAIN OF SALMACIS, RETN OF LG. HOGWEED, MUSICBOX, HAROLDBARREL, 7 stones, harlequin, for absent friends. this is the best genesis lp.

Interesting album, but you need to be a fan of Genesis to understand what they were going for with these recordings.