Genesis-A Trick Of The Tail (1976)

"A Trick of the Tail" was Genesis' first major test after Peter Gabriel's departure, and it proved not only a step forward in the band's career but also their most successful album to date. Far from the rumors of the band's breakup following the departure of their charismatic vocalist, the band opted not to recruit a new singer to fit their needs, but rather to have Phil Collins, the band's drummer at the time, take on the role, leveraging his vocal talent already showcased on tracks like "More Fool Me" and "For Absent Friends" from the albums "Selling England by the Pound" and "Nursery Cryme". Furthermore, Collins was ideally suited to be a live frontman, thanks to his experience as a stage actor, which he had pursued for several years before dedicating himself to music. However, it should also be noted that, in a way, Peter Gabriel's departure brought a kind of relief to the rest of the band, due to the already strained personal relationships the singer had with his bandmates. "A Trick of the Tail" was recorded during the last months of 1975 at Trident Studios in London, and the final result was a magnificent progressive rock album heavily influenced by British folk sounds, while maintaining their skills as a top-tier band. Phil Collins would demonstrate that he could not only fill Gabriel's shoes but also assume the role of leader, albeit still in a very subtle way. Compositionally, the band also benefited from a stronger presence of all its members and greater instrumental prominence for each of them, starting with Tony Banks' keyboards and Steve Hackett's guitar. Musically, the album itself is a minor masterpiece. Without comparing it to their previous work, it showcases a band that maintains an exceptionally high level of quality, both instrumentally and in their songwriting. This is evident in the opening and majestic "Dance on a Volcano", a superb track that clearly demonstrates the band's intentions, implying that they were far from finished. The rest is an amalgamation of outstanding pieces, such as the enchanting ballad "Entrangled", the rock anthem "Squonk", the intimate "Mad Man Moon", the theatrical and dynamic "Robbery, Assault and Battery", and the emotive "Ripples", concluding with the refined and commercially viable "A Trick of the Tail" and the progressive "Los Endos". Against all odds (especially from the perspective of purists and orthodox fans), this album garnered high praise from the specialized press and enormous commercial success, achieving several gold records on both sides of the Atlantic.