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Rating: After rather hastily dismissing vocalist Ray Wilson, Genesis (currently on standby) decided to delve into their archives for some tracks that had been "left by the wayside." Thus, in 1998, "Archive 1967-75" was released, tracing the group's rise from the tentative "From Genesis to Revelation" to worldwide fame over 4 CDs.
In 2000 (almost quietly), it was the turn of "Archive #2 1976-92." If the Gabriel-era Genesis had recorded practically everything they had composed (Archive 1967-75 is more a collection of "unreleased live performances," with very few gems discarded from the early albums), the Genesis led by the chameleon drummer had produced chart-topping albums, almost entirely abandoning the experimentation and complexity that had previously defined them.
However, Genesis did not lose their talent, and indeed, this collection contains much of the ideas sacrificed for the charts. The first of the 3 CDs making up "Archive #2" is perhaps the most interesting: 11 unreleased tracks plus a useless remix of "I can't dance." "On the Shoreline" is a fine piece. It starts with an introduction reminiscent of "No Son of Mine," but then reveals itself to be much more interesting, featuring good lyrics and relaxed but not cloying sounds. After the bland "Hearts on Fire" (though with a nice bass line) and "You Might Recall," Banks gives us "Evidence of Autumn" (a Duke recording outtake) with sounds typically dear to the keyboardist: melancholic and indeed, autumnal. Following is "Do the Neurotic," one of the best pieces in the collection. It is an instrumental (as the title suggests), very aggressive and unusual for Genesis standards of the time: Rutherford's guitar is perpetually in the foreground (here he plays at being Hackett). Collins drums out a fast and powerful rhythm, while Banks' keyboards serve as embellishment, creating 7 minutes of instrumental progressions. Frankly, it's surprising that it was excluded from "Invisible Touch" (no, on second thought, I understand why).
Collins' pop tune "I'd rather be you" is mediocre, while the following tracks are almost all successful. "Naminanu" seems like a sketch of something unfinished; it's actually a semi-instrumental (the only word Collins repeatedly says is Naminanu) with a vaguely jazzy undertone. It would not have appeared out of place on "Abacab," quite the opposite. We thus arrive at another gem, the marvelous "Inside and Out." Also composed by Steve Hackett, it features two distinctly different parts: the first reminiscent of the more delicate tracks on "Wind and Wuthering," and the second with a decidedly instrumental energetic and unusual surge (much credit goes to the guitarist) that makes it fully progressive. Collins is in great form on vocals in "Feeding the Fire," and the guitars make the track very aggressive. The protest lyric complements the track’s "positivity" (naturally "discarded" from "Invisible Touch"). The pleasant instrumental "Submarine" optimally closes the album.
The second CD consists of live material, while the third is a mix of the first two: remixes, unreleased tracks, and live performances. The overall appeal is less significant, but at least 3 tracks make the disk appealing. "The Day the Light Went Out" (from the "Abacab" sessions) has a lively pace, with the keyboards at the forefront. However, it features more "dark" atmospheres in the chorus. "Pigeons" is an amusing march, boasting humorous lyrics and an inspired Collins on vocals. "It's Yourself" is the group’s most "unjustly forgotten" composition, and the reason is incomprehensible. A "discarded" track from "A Trick of the Tail," it reprises some musical themes present on Los Endos. The sung introduction gives way to a sweet, hypnotic, rarefied instrumental. The barely audible voices (probably recorded backwards) wonderfully close it.
The rating is 4/5 for Genesis fans, 3/5 for others.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 On the Shoreline (04:49)
Well there's a place where two worlds collide
The pile of stone against the pull of the tide
You can stay with your feet on the ground
Or step into the water, leave the dry behind
On the shoreline
Meet me on the shoreline
Where you can only swim if you try
Well, if there's somewhere on the other side
It might be better, it might be as bad
Someday soon you'll have to make a move
Cos you can't stay forever, ah just waiting
On the shoreline (on the shoreline)
Meet me on the shoreline (on the shoreline)
Take me over, lead me through
Well can you take me there, to the other side
Where everything is new, uncertain and strange
Don't ever let me go till we're there
I don't know what it is I'm looking for
And until it's found I won't be sure...
Well, there are squares in the game of life
When you can keep on moving or turn aside
Yes, there are times when you have to decide
To put your feet in the water, or stay
On the shoreline (on the shoreline)
Meet me on the shoreline (on the shoreline)
Where you can only swim if you try
I'll be there - oh
On the shoreline (on the shoreline)
I'll be there on the shoreline (on the shoreline)
Where you can only swim if you try
I'll be there
I'll be there - oh
Yes, I'll be there
I'll be there...
03 You Might Recall (05:32)
What was it you said to me
Back in the days when things looked fine
'bout how we would be together
Until we left the earth behind
Oh, it's funny how things can change
Cos there was a time I thought I'd be the one
Who'd leave and start again
But now I'd stay forever
Ooh my hopes are as the leaves upon the water
Just sunk in the night
And though I know you couldn't care, you oughtta
Ah, the end of a life
Or maybe when you're older, and you're thinking back
You might recall
Now did I act carefully, did I do right?
Or were we meant to be, all of our lives
In love and harmony, all of our lives?
So now, take my hand
Come, hold me closely
As near as you can
Believing all that we could be
And all that we have been
And all that we are
Everyday seems summertime
The river flow with wine
Ooh when you were here with me
I wish we'd stayed that way forever
Oh my hopes are as the leaves upon the water
Just sunk in the night
And though I know you couldn't care, you oughtta
Ah, the end of a life
Or maybe when you're older, and you're thinking back
Well you might recall
Now did I act carefully, did I do right?
Or were we meant to be, all of our lives
In love and harmony, all of our lives?
So now, take my hand
Come, hold me closely
As near as you can
Believing all that we could be
And all that we have been
And all that we are
Oh my hopes were as the leaves upon the water
Ah, sunk in the night
And though I know you couldn't care, you oughtta
Oh, the end of a life
And maybe when you're older, and you're thinking back
Oh, you might recall
Now did I act carefully, did I do right?
Or were we meant to be, all of our lives
In love and harmony, all of our lives?
So now, take my hand
Come, hold me closely
As near as you can
Believing all that we could be
And all that we have been
And all that we are
04 Paperlate (03:21)
Paperlate paperlate
Paperlate paperlate
Paperlate, oh I'm sorry but there is no one on the line
Paperlate, oh I'm sorry but rest easy no news is good news
Ooh it's too easy to live like clockwork
Tick tock watching the world go by
Any change would take too long
So dry your eyes
Ooh it's too easy to live in a cold sweat
Just sitting dripping in pools below
You can wipe your face
Kill the pain
But the fever won't go, no no
Paperlate
Pull it together now
Put your feet back on the ground
Paperlate
Ooh don't worry now
You're not alone
Look around you
Paperlate
Ooh I'm sorry but there's no one on the line
Paperlate
Ooh I'm sorry but rest easy no news is good news
Ooh it's too easy to compute your future
Taking no risks and playing too safe
Any change would take too long
So dry your eyes
Ooh it's too easy to talk about rocking the boat
Making changes and changing track
But you'd better not lock that door
Cos you'll be coming back
Ah you're breathing faster
Silence the only sound
There's no need to be nice on the way up
Cos you're not coming down
Paperlate paperlate
Paperlate paperlate
Paperlate paperlate
Paperlate paperlate
Paperlate
Ooh I'm sorry but there's no one on the line
Paperlate
Oh I'm sorry but rest easy no news is good news...
05 Evidence of Autumn (04:58)
The girl from all those songs
Who made everything feel right
She came in like an angel, into your lonely life
And filling your world with light
Oh, and everybody told you "you're oh so lucky"
Curtains part revealing a country scene
Clothed in green and brown
Evidence of autumn
And recent rain
On a winding lane, a byway
Walking on that road is a certain girl
In all the world the one
Guaranteed to move you and turn your head
When all's been said and done
The girl from all those songs
Who made everything feel right
She came in like an angel, into your lonely life
And filling your world with light
Oh, and everybody told you you're oh so lucky
The night is clear but cool
Ooh maybe dawn is breaking as you turn to find her gone
Then you see the note
Ooh you cannot believe it
And you think you'll go insane...
But that was many years ago
And though the pain is dim
A something still remains
Though you hardly can recall
Her face or form
Her memory lingers on
Ooh she made everything feel right
She came in like an angel (in like an angel),
Into your lonely life (into your life)
And filling your world with light
Oh and everybody told you you're oh so lucky
06 Do the Neurotic (07:08)
Released as B-side of "In Too Deep" single and "Land Of Confusion" CD single, 1986.
(Instrumental)
09 Inside and Out (06:43)
INSIDE
Brother Seems they're letting him out next year
He's behaving himself, I hear
Governor Conway says it will be fine
Just as long as he can tow the line
It's the same old story
But it says here "Mum you're not to worry"
'Cos some you lose and some you lose
At this party, he was on his own
All he did was say he'd take her home
But it seems they didn't go straight there
'cos on the porch, she told him,
"put your hand here"
Yes it's that same old story
They told her mum she's not to worry
Police "If what she says is so,
we'll never let him go!"
Him "Never a word could be heard
Not even the sound of a bird
Singing it over again, telling a different story
Never the same as before
See the summer going out by the door"
Brother And now that you've paid for those lies
Get another disguise
"It's twenty years now since our Kid came free
Oh I remember August '53
But it wasn't quite like they said
With that behind you, you can't plan ahead
Yes it's the same old story
They say you're free, but don't worry
What they said's not so
They'll never let you go!"
Him "Never a word could be heard
Not even the sound of a bird
Singing it over again, telling a different story
Never the same as before
See the summer going out by the door"
Brother And now that you've paid for those lies
Get another disguise
OUT
10 Feeding the Fire (05:51)
You are terrified by the smallest sound
Because you live your life in such a sheltered world
As do those who surround you
Well I have seen you stung by poisonous flies
And you suffer much too much from their bites
There you sit in your comfort watching other people get caught by the
storm
Many a thing that used to be a secret
Has become so talked about
Not worth a second thought
There's different kinds of secrets now
Times change, it's not enough to say
It seemed a good idea a hundred years ago
You think it's not your problem
It really doesn't matter at all
Every stone that's thrown must fall to the ground
But you don't give a thought to where they might come down
You are feeding the fire over which you'll be roasted
Anywhere that they don't speak the same
In any place that they don't think the same
You think it's not your problem
No no
You think it's not your problem
It really doesn't matter at all
Oh...
Maybe it's not your fate to be a leader of men
But you just leave it all to someone else and complain
You could be so much stronger, but it really doesn't matter any longer
Cos you're feeding the fire over which you'll be roasted
Cos you're feeding the fire over which you'll be roasted
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