After Peter Gabriel decided to leave Genesis in 1975, the remaining four members of the band tried to find a new singer. After trying this in vain, they realized the new singer was already in the band; drummer Phil Collins. Instead of faltering, the band began a meteoric rise that took them to the top of the charts all throughout the 1980's. People are more familiar with releases such as "Abacab", "Invisible Touch", and "We Can't Dance". But, there is something appealing about the earlier releases of Genesis, and in particualr, the voice of Phil Collin's on these particular tracks. Still relying somewhat on the sound that Peter Gabriel brought to the band, we find on "Trick of the Tail" that Genesis was just starting to develop the new sound that gave them success all through the 80's.
I find that "Squonk" could have fit nicely on 1980's "Duke". Lavish keyboards by Tony Banks gives this track that signature Genesis feel. I find it interesting that Collins still uses the same vocal style of Gabriel, at least on this particular track. Probably at this time, the same formula that brought Genesis success was the best way to perform many of these tracks. Don't expect the hit single format that Genesis was known for during their peak! This album is very conceptual in nature (think of nursery rhymes meets progressive rock) and very whymsical and lyrical in nature. "Mad Man Moon" is one of the "softer" songs here, but enjoyable to listen to. The "quaint" nature of the lyrics can't be mistaken; "Within the valley of shadowless death They pray for thunderclouds and rain, But to the multitude who stand in the rain Heaven is where the sun shines. The grass will be greener till the stems turn to brown And thoughts will fly higher till the earth brings them down. Forever caught in desert lands one has to learn To disbelieve the sea." Very poetic words, but the true "concept" of some of these songs pretty much escapes me! The vagueness of the whole Geneis experience in the early to mid 70's was one of their trademarks. I suppose the biggest hint of the powerful Genesis sound that was to come can be heard on the opener, "Dance on a Volcano". Melodic guitar from Steve Hackett and those powerful and deep drums from Collins were eventually developed more in the years to come. This "epic" song is really two different songs melded together, but the dramatic effect is the reason I find this to be the most enjoyable track on the album. Collin's vocals finally take on a "soulful" quality on the title track of the release. This imaginative song talks about the "beast who can talk" and his adventures away from his hidden city. At least here, the concept is more "Disney" in nature making it a little more accessible. The bright interplay between Bank's piano and Mike Rutherford's bass gives the tune an almost childlike and innocent quality. The album ends on a high note with the instrumental "Los Endos". The squeeky sound of Banks synthesizers sounds a little bit dated here, but the epic arrangement is true 70's progressive rock. Genesis, Emerson Lake and Palmer, Yes, and others wore the progressive rock label on their sleeves proudly during this time.
The sound quality, like the other Genesis remasters, is very clean and deep. No real improvement on the liner notes can be found here and there are no bonus tracks. Regardless, for the fan who is a little more than casual, "A Trick of the Tail" would be a nice addition to your cd collection. It's also nice to hear Genesis when they were trying to find their own place in the rock world after the departure of their leader. It would be a short time before Genesis would be the hottest band in the world.
