Genesis
Duke

THE REVIEW

Until the time of 'Duke' I had never understood their work, although among the tracks of their last seventies album, and then there were blah blah blah and the title of the album is too long and I don't remember it (an allusion to the departure of Peter Gabriel from the group, engaged from then on in a mediocre solo career), I had appreciated the lovely 'follow you follow me', for the rest all the albums before 'Duke' seemed too arrogant and artsy, too intellectual.

Starting from 'Duke', the presence of Phil Collins became more pronounced, the music became more modern, the electronic drums had more prominence, the lyrics lost much of their original mysticism to become more concrete (perhaps thanks to the departure of Peter Gabriel) and certain complicated, ambiguous references to nostalgia gave way to overwhelming pop ballads, in which I enthusiastically indulged. The songs themselves were arranged more in favor of Collins's drums than Rutherford's bass or Banks's keyboards, in this sense and misunderstanding, which was not only their first successful single of the eighties but also indicated the direction their work would take in the following years, please don’t ask is a touching love ballad dedicated to a separated wife who gains custody of the son. Is there perhaps another rock group that has better rendered the intimately negative aspects of divorce and not even having the necessary money for a woman to go to the hairdresser at least twice a week? I don't think so.

Duke travels and duke end must have some meaning, but since the lyrics are not in the album, it’s difficult to say what Collins is singing about; in the last piece, a piano reaches remarkable virtuosity peaks. The only disappointment comes from alone tonight which reminds too closely of tonight tonight tonight later heard in the group’s masterpiece 'invisible touch' and represents the only case where Collins has plagiarized himself.