Customer Reviews

Platinum Collection Genesis

5 star:		(29)
4 star:		(27)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

For the Genesis Beginner -

There have been several Genesis compilations released to date: (1) "Turn it On Again - The Hits" is essentially Disc 1 of this 3 disc set, culling most tracks from their hit albums "We Can't Dance" and "Invisible Touch". If you mainly are interested in Genesis for these tunes (ie, Land of Confusion, In Too Deep, Thowing it all Away, No Son of Mine, etc) you can save $10 by simply buying the one-disc set; (2) "Genesis Archive 1967-1975" is mainly live material from early Genesis' magnum opus "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway" - for hardcores only; (3) "Genesis Archive 1975-1993" is mainly B-sides and random live cuts from this era of Genesis - also for hardcores only.

THIS compilation is BY FAR the best accumulation of Genesis songs across their entire career, released to date. Disc 1 covers the Phil Collins pop machine years; Disc 2 covers some of their pop years, moving more into their "introspective" period in the early years of Collins as front-man; Disc 3 covers the progressive rock era Peter Gabriel-fronted Genesis from the early '70's.

I would suggest that a "casual" fan of the band buy this set in order to give the tunes on Disc 3 a shot, among other reasons. For those of you who may have NO idea what to expect, and have never listened to other bands like King Crimson or Yes in their early years - these songs are more musically intricate, and generally of greater length, than their pop songs. They are less about hooks and catchy riffs, and more about telling a story, or creating a particular mood. They are more challenging, and less accessible. However, if you're looking for something different, look no further.

For Genesis Hardcore Rabid Fans -

I will not argue over song selection. This is the best anyone could have done over 3 discs. Personally speaking, the collection would have been perfected for me with the exclusion of "Illegal Alien," "Your Own Special Way," and "Calling All Stations" (the latter I like, though it just seems out of context here); and the addition of "Dance on a Volcano" and "One for the Vine." Otherwise, perfect.

Despite what others have noted, I do not detect a significant overall improvement in sound on Discs 1 and 2 over the "definitive edition" remasters released years ago. If there are improvements on certain songs, the effect is minimal, or even innocuous to the quality of the song (ie, sometimes I think they change things just for sake of changing).

However, I believe it's worth shelling out the $20 to buy this album for the improvement on Disc 3. There is a discernable sonic improvement on these cuts, especially for "Cinema Show" and "The Knife" (especially for those of us here in America where the definitive edition remaster of Trespass never made it to this side of the Atlantic!). I should caveat that statement, however, by adding that evidently "Supper's Ready" is not among those tracks newly remastered. It's the same version from the definitive edition remaster of Foxtrot; therefore, if you buy this compilation solely for a new and improved version of this cut, please do not.

Other comments for all -

I'll just add that a cool companion piece to this compilation is the newly released DVD with the same cover, and all of the videos (aptly titled "Cinema Show" - although ironically there was no video released for that particular cut). It is also worth picking up - and incidentally includes certain tracks excluded from the CD's, such as "No Reply at all" and "Man on the Corner" from the Abacab album.

THE BAND: Mike Rutherford (guitars & bass), Tony Banks (keyboards & synth bass), Phil Collins (vocals, drums & percussion), Peter Gabriel - through 1974 (vocals, flute), Steve Hackett - through 1977 (guitars).

THE DISC(S): (2005) 3 discs containing 40 songs clocking in at approximately 234 minutes (Discs 1, 2 & 3 contain 77, 76, 79 minutes respectively). An 18-page booklet is included with a brief summary from band members; as well as song titles and writing credits, what songs came from which albums, pictures of the album covers, and thank you's. Digitally remastered sound. Label - Atlantic/Rhino.

COMMENTS: In my opinion, there's no one album, per say, that defines Genesis. This "Platinum Collection" is the single most comprehensive collection to date from the band. The 18 track "Turn It On Again: The Hits" (1999) is now obsolete as 16 of those 18 songs are here on the "Platinum Collection". The 2 songs missing are "Congo" and "I Know What I Like" - no issue from me with these being omitted. Genesis had two eras; the Peter Gabriel progressive/abstract era; and the Phil Collins rock/pop era. Gabriel left in 1975 after their magnum opus "The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway" - a great 2-disc set with some wonderful songs. Phil Collins stepped in on vocals and the band never looked back. The chronology of this set goes backward - disc 1 is their most recent stuff, and disc 3 is their oldest material. The radio listening public is probably most familiar with disc 1 and most of disc 2 (the songs on disc 3 rarely made it to the airwaves). The staple hits are here; "Invisible Touch", "Tonight Tonight Tonight", "Land Of Confusion", "In Too Deep", "That's All", "Home By The Sea", "Misunderstanding", "Abacab", etc. As well as some fan favorite gems (some of which were smaller hits); "Turn It On Again", "The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway", "Behind The Lines", "Keep It Dark", "Throwing It All Away", "Many Too Many", "Afterglow", and others. As well as some early prog essentials on disc 3; the 22-minute "Supper's Ready", the two 10-minute songs "Music Box" and "The Cinema Show". This 3 disc set follows Genesis from 1971 through 1997. All the albums are represented with "Invisible Touch" (1986) and "Genesis" (1983) being best represented with 5 songs from each; followed by "Duke" (1980) with 4; and "Wind & Wuthering" (1977), "A Trick Of The Tail (1976), "The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway" (1974), "...And Then There Were Three" (1978), "Selling England By The Pound" (1973) each with 3 songs. There are 5 other albums represented with 1-2 songs from each. With any greatest hits package, there will be some hits and misses. For me, this is just dead on accurate with the exception of: I would have liked to have seen "Illegal Alien" and "Mama" omitted; and a few missing songs added... like the big hit "No Reply At All" or "Man On The Corner" (from Abacab), "Please Don't Ask" or "Duke's Travel/End" (from Duke), or "The Fountains Of Salmicis" (from Nursey Cryme), or my favorite instrumental "Fly On The Windshield" (from The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway). Again, these are minor details in the scheme of things. Overall this is a great compilation and worthy to be in fans library young and old... and especially those new to the band that don't want to fork out the cash for 10-15 albums. This is a great 3-disc set.

Genesis are my favorite band in the whole universe, so naturally I'm thrilled to see my boys finally get a 3-CD retrospective set. "The Platinum Collection" greatly honors the band by choosing a vast array of songs from almost all of their studio albums, from 1997's "Calling All Stations" all the way back to 1970's "Trespass." I also appreciate that the tracks progress *backwards* in time, starting with the Phil Collins era and ending with the Peter Gabriel era (although Ray Wilson is still allowed a cameo track from his brief 1997 sojourn as the group's frontman). Not only that, but many of the tracks have been remixed by Genesis producer Nick Davis, who worked with the band on their albums "We Can't Dance" and "Calling All Stations." To Davis' credit, he really does strengthen the sound of the songs, and you can hear notes played that you couldn't hear before. Also, some of the vocals, both lead and background, also sound much clearer than ever before (such as on "Illegal Alien," "The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway," and "Counting Out Time"). Davis' impressive remix work on "The Platinum Collection" also serves as an excellent sneak preview to the upcoming re-release of the band's catalog, remixed and remastered, now scheduled for 2007. I'd love to give "The Platinum Collection" a perfect 5-star rating, but I can't quite do it for two reasons. One, there's the remix of "Misunderstanding." Sounds great for the most part, but for some reason, Nick Davis removed a brief guitar part that Mike Rutherford plays towards the end of the song. Why? What was wrong with it? It's not like Rutherford was playing any bum notes. I don't get it. Also, nothing from the band's 1969 debut, "From Genesis To Revelation," is featured. I realise this is most likely because Atlantic/Rhino Records don't own the rights to the first Genesis album, but still, *something* should've been included from it, like "In The Beginning," "The Serpent," and the very first Genesis single, "The Silent Sun." It's a very regrettable omission. But other than those two criticisms, I am still very satisfied with this 3-CD set. "The Platinum Collection" is, for the most part, a marvelous retrospective & history lesson about my favorite band.

Platinum Collection, released in 2005, presents an opportunity for old Genesis fans to connect with new fans and vice versa. With the exception of Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford, Genesis at the close of the 20th Century was not the same band that began the late sixties charting a course intent on setting themselves apart from the rest of a big crowd. In a class of progressive, art-rock bands that included Emerson, Lake and Palmer, King Crimson and Yes, Genesis was certainly influenced by the success of power-bands like the Who and Led Zeppelin. Soon, the Genesis experience became its fans waiting in anticipation of another new album and then trekking to the nearest rock palace (such as the Spectrum in Philadelphia) for their outstanding live shows that melded theatre, story telling and complex instrumental orchestration.

When Peter Gabriel left the band in 1975, some would say that it was the beginning of the end for Genesis; it was soon to be the end for many fans. After "searching" for a new lead singer, Phil Collins came out from behind the drum set and became the frontman. Genesis, anchored by Banks and Rutherford plus other fine musicians such as the outstanding guitarist Steve Hackett, went on for 22 years to become a popular, mainstream rock band while Peter Gabriel enjoyed a successful solo career. Along the way, the band was joined on tour by Bill Bruford (formerly of Yes) on drums, Chester Thompson on drums and Daryl Stuermer on guitar. At its end Genesis finished without Phil Collins, and, on their final studio album released in 1997, Banks and Rutherford attempted to return to their progressive rock roots with Calling All Stations and found listeners lacking an appreciation for the dynamics of their "new" sound and lineup.

Platinum Collection is nothing less than the best of the best songs that Genesis fashioned over a little more than three decades of existence. With forty songs spanning almost four hours, the collection does what most compilations set out to do by allowing listeners with an incomplete experience in Genesis fandom to connect the dots between the present and the past.

The songs are arranged across three discs from the most recent output to the oldest except that "Calling All Stations" from the album of the same name finishes Disc 1 rather than leading off. In its efficiency, Platinum Collection becomes a great value for the listener who wants simply to appreciate Genesis for the creativity that embodied their best musical efforts. More than a history lesson, Disc 3 contains the earliest work of the band and besides Gabriel's lead vocals demonstrates the keyboard mastery of Tony Banks, a genius on synthesizers and the Mellotron MkII and M400 that generated a huge orchestral sound from an electronic keyboard.

Here's hoping your experience goes Platinum!

A collection of Genesis tracks that includes material from their whole career (not counting that first album 'From Genesis to Revelation') on three CD's for under $20 is definitely worth getting - especially that many of the tracks have been re-mixed and sonically improved over the 'remaster series' from the mid-90s. I especially like how, unlike most compilations, best-of's and box sets, where they typically sequence the material in chronological order or randomly, 'Platinum Collection' is strictly reverse chronological order, starting with tracks from 'We Can't Dance' from 1991, going backwards in time album by album -- till by the end of the third disc you're back to 1970 (OK they put the one track from 'Calling All Stations' from 1997 at the end of disc 1 - it would've made a very odd Genesis compilation opener so I guess that's the best place they could stick that one). So when I was listening to 'PC' when I first got it, as the tracks played one after the other, I kept thinking 'it's gonna get better' (lifting a sentiment that is a track from the 'Genesis' album not on 'PC', which, like 'Dance on a Volcano', 'Man on the Corner', 'No Reply at All' and 'Burning Rope' would've made better choices then some of the tracks from those albums, but 'PC' tracks are what they are, and that's alright) ... as the set flowed from the 'radio friendly' era of the early 90s to the 80's ... then to the late to mid-70s of the early Phil Collins period which remains my overall favorite period of Genesis (post Peter Gabriel, pre-hits, essentially the albums 'A Trick of the Tail' and 'Wind & Wuthering', two amazing albums from 1976, and of course the live album 'Seconds Out', arguably their best live album), then to the early '70's era that of course features Peter Gabriel in all Genesis' prog-rock best (disc 3 could be sold alone to the Gabriel-era fans who have no use for 'Abacab' or 'Invisible Touch'). It is truly an interesting musical and sonic ride to hear all of 'PC' start to finish. I admit that upon release of the 'Genesis' and 'Invisible Touch' albums, I wasn't crazy about them and was among the fans who cried 'sell out' and 'lame '80's pop' (never mind that Phil Collins as a solo act was bigger than the group during those years), but years later, I grew to like those tight, tasty, well-written songs and realized they were as musically rich as anything they've done, except that they were made for the millions, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Genesis is as class act and 'up there' a band as Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and the Rolling Stones (and, although maybe not as overall 'prog' as heavyweights Yes, ELP and King Crimson in terms of keeping the 7/8 to 5/16 time signature flame alive past 1977, overall have been the most listenable of the prog lot). So if you have little to no Genesis albums and can't decide if you're a 'Peter' fan, a 'Phil' fan or maybe a little of both, get 'Platinum Collection' and you'll be happy with the set.

One side note: did anyone notice the flaws in the booklet? The text on p. 8 (the one with the 'Abacab' cover) does not flow with the next page (pic of 'W&W') ... you have to flip to p. 11 (cover of 'Duke' to contine the story, and then have to flip back and forth again to read the whole thing in order. On the inside back cover credits for CD I, there's a reference to "One Man's Fool (edit) being the exception to the Phil/Tony/Mike lineup of all other CD I tracks. It is "Calling All Stations" that they meant, not the track that closes the one album with Ray Wilson as lead singer. For CD II, the lineup exception tracks are quoted as "Wind & Wuthering" and "A Trick of the Tail"; obviously, someone meant to point out 'except for tracks from the albums W&W and ATOTT'.

If you're a fan of the band, you need this.

If you have just about everything the band's commercially released, you need this.

If you've heard all this stuff before and know it inside and out, backwards and forwards, you...STILL...NEED...this.

Why, you may ask? Well, the tracks that Genesis engineer Nick Davis remixed for THE PLATINUM COLLECTION will make longtime fans of the band sit up and take notice like they were hearing them for the first time, guaranteed. It's a worthwhile addition to any music collection...even one filled full with other Genesis titles.

You can't have it all in 3 discs, but by Gabriel, they sure did try to get almost everything in! The first disc covers the later Phil Collins era, which is fine considering that the band's catalog has only seen a proper remastering up to ABACAB. If you like the hits from that period, you're in good shape with Disc 1. Hey, you also get to hear just one track from the much-maligned CALLING ALL STATIONS album - in this case, the title track, which is confusing since "Congo" and "Shipwrecked" were the released singles. The weight of the burden carrying the Genesis name on past Collin's departure was too great for the band, but it's not because his replacement, Ray Wilson, wasn't up to the task, and you can hear for yourself on this track. Those curious past this point can check out THE VIDEO SHOW, the awesome new DVD compilation of the band's video ouput, to experience the aforementioned singles from CAS (in 5.1 surround, no less!).

Disc 2 gets the listener into the transitional period where Mr. Collins had just taken the lead vocal chores after original frontman Peter Gabriel departed. Hearing the remixed "Misunderstanding" for the first time took me by surprise, since it was from the first Genesis album I bought, DUKE, and had heard that song many times before. If you're like me and this was your entry point to Genesis music, Disc 2 will astound you for many too many reasons.

And then there's Disc 3 - the fabled Gabriel era. Amazing, brilliant stuff that never wears thin on this listener, from the title track to THE LAMB LIES DOWN ON BROADWAY all the way through to THE KNIFE. Two wishes I had with this disc is that they could have included "Watcher Of The Skies" and something off of FROM GENESIS TO REVELATION in the track listing, but understand perfectly that you have to save some gems for album explorations. There are plenty of good reasons left off these 3 discs to do that very thing, dear reader. Hopefully, this 3-disc experience will just whet the appetite.

So order yourself a copy of THE PLATINUM COLLECTION, along with a copy of THE VIDEO SHOW, and "take a little trip back..."

Economic value: 5 Stars; Compilation: 4 Stars; Packaging: 3 Stars

Now that Genesis has decided to do the (take your pick: dreaded/hoped for) reunion tour this year, starting in Europe shortly, coming to the US later this year, it's time to revisit the only compilation that spans the entire Genesis studio catalogue.

"Genesis Platinum Edition" (3 CDs; 40 tracks; 235 min.) tracks the band's history in reverse chronological order, with one exception: the title track of 1997's "Calling All Stations", which is stuck at the end of CD1 and sounds totally out of place--for many reasons. But for that song, this covers Genesis 1971-1991, and it's amazing what these guys put out in 20 years, and how the band evolved. This compilation is a decent attempt to cover it all. CD1 (16 tracks, 78 min.) covers the band's most successfull years, and many of these tracks are also found on the "Turn It On Again - The Hits" compilation. Am I the only one to think that the songs from 1986's "Invisible Touch" album have aged very poorly? It makes me cringe to listen to them. (Note: "Tonight Tonight Tonight" comes in an edited, short version here.) CD2 (15 tracks, 77 min.) tracks the intermediary years and I was surprised how good these songs resonate still. Check out for example "Abacab" (in the full album version, thankfully), and "In That Quiet Earth/Afterglow", but shamefully "One for the Vine" is missing, one of the band's best tracks ever (and perhaps the best song Tony Banks ever penned). CD3 (9 tracks, 80 min.) covers the Peter Gabriel years (1971-1975), and while I did not mind (and at times greatly enjoyed) Genesis' evolution to a mainstream successful band, this era is still the most compelling for me. Check out "The Cinema Show" and "Supper's Ready" (both here in full length) if you're not familiar with them, you'll be blown away, I promise you.

There is no arguing with the economic value of this compilation: 4 hours of music for $20, you can't beat that. The packaging is a different story: skimpy liner notes, and the booklet is misprinted with pages out of order... I have seen Genesis in concert only once, in Brussels on the 1977 tour for "Wind & Wuthering" and I remember it as if it was yesterday. Unforgettable. While I know that this year's reunion tour is probably a money-grabbing thing, I nevertheless do plan on seeing them when they come to Columbus in September, for nostalgic reasons if nothing else.

Having been a Genesis fan since the early day's - Trespass and Nursery Cryme. I must say this is a good introduction to a band who have stood the test of time and come through with a comprehensive collection of songs spaning the group's 30 year career. Be a Peter Gabriel or Phil Collins fan this is a must have for the collection.

This collection is an excellent overview to the works of one of rock's most gifted bands. There's something in this three-disc set for everyone, given the fact that the music on this collection morphs slowly from pop-rock to prog-rock. It actually goes backwards in time with the exception of Calling All Stations (1997)at the end of disc one, beginning with songs from the 1991 album We Can't Dance to The Knife from the Trespass album made in 1970.

The new mixes of some of the songs are way better than the 1994 ones. They sound way more dynamic and full. I'm a little upset that Supper's Ready didn't get the same treatment, and I would've picked out different song choices in some places. Squonk should have been where Trick of the Tail is (a new mix of that would sound incredible), and No Reply All and Man on the Corner were both sadly overlooked. The one thing I won't complain about is the fact that there are no songs from the debut album. The album sounds very bland compared to the rest of the band's work.

The slipshod packaging is another thing that upset me once I got this collection. I think a digipak would've been much more presentable. There's a stupid misplacing of pages in the booklet that takes much away to one's interest in the liner notes.

Despite the flaws, this is still the way to go if one wishes to be introduced to Genesis. It's much better than the 1999 CD, which features only the hits (and one remake). This collection is not all hits, some actually are, others are magnificent pieces of music from a band who was about nothing but the music. I recommend this to anyone. Let's hope that 5.1 albums are finished and released soon, and also for another tour!

For those of you contemplating whether to purchase the 2-disc Turn It on Again: Tour Edition or the 3-disc Platinum Collection, these are what songs are exclusive to each:

Turn It On Again:
Tell Me Why
No Reply At All
Man On The Corner
Pigeons
Inside And Out
Happy The Man
Congo

Platinum Collection:
Home By the Sea
Second Home By the Sea
Calling All Stations
Behind the Lines
Undertow
In That Quiet Earth
Ripples
Los Endos
Lamb Lies Down On Broadway
Firth of Fifth
Cinema Show
Supper's Ready
Musical Box

In my opinion, the Platinum Collection is the better deal, and is the one that I bought.