Genesis
Foxtrot

The Genesis reached their peak in 1972 with “Foxtrot”, a work far removed from the conceptual aspirations of “The Lamb” and the seriousness of “Selling England”, but so spontaneous and bubbly as to astonish.
The work is permeated with fairytale and futuristic tones; the singing often sounds playful, the music, with its cheerful inlays, often captures the listener's attention with colorful acrobatics. “Foxtrot” is progressive, but as far as possible from what King Crimson intended to do with their debut albums. The music of Genesis is a kind of fusion between the singing of a minstrel and an orchestra of elves, light-years away from the dreamy and evocative music of Crimson, but no less excellent for that reason.

“Watcher Of The Skies” has a very beautiful atmospheric introduction on the mellotron, a crescendo that then merges with the eccentric and grandiose beat of the drums. It's the most rock piece on the album, a sort of medley that splits between keyboard games, the power of guitars and the wild rhythm. The melody, agitated and splendid, alternates its mood following the evolution of the sound volcano that supports it; sometimes it bursts into energetic outbursts, other times it rests gently and then starts again quickly. An absolute masterpiece; the grand finale with the organ and keyboards floating in the sky, precisely “Watcher Of The Skies”.
“Time Table” is another sparkling, classical and enchanting song. The sweetness gives way to the powerful chorus; there's a melancholy atmosphere. The atmosphere completely changes in “Get’em Out By Friday”, which starts off with the exclamation of the title. The piece then reveals itself as a sort of dialogue, well expressed by the various singing tones. The group's theatricality emerges here together with the ability to unite different melodies into a single song; the Genesis are masters at varying themes, in evolving songs. It's another masterpiece, with extreme variety. It's impossible to get tired of this dazzling and always fresh music. The musical abilities of the group are very high, going from captivating guitar solos to simple organ accompaniment, leading to varied and schizoid rhythms.
“Can-Utility And The Coastliners”, another wonderful epic, is seductive in its soft tones. The peak is reached when all the instruments swell and explode while the singing maintains the initial tranquility, marked as always by an impeccable melody. The acoustic guitars, the rhythmic spirals, the harmoniousness of the strings. All the instruments then leap into the power of the finale, tempered by the hypnotic keyboard solo. It's like digging into an immense treasure; the richness of these songs is such that defining it would be impossible.
“Horizons” is a sweet lullaby for solo acoustic guitar. The simplest song precedes the most complex one, the very long and immense “Supper’s Ready”.
Now, describing this work of art is almost impossible; it tells of the second coming of Christ, the fight against the Antichrist and the conquest of the new Jerusalem. It is a monumental suite of 23 minutes; minutes that fly on the wings of fantasy and imagination. The 7 movements that compose it could easily be 10, considering the numerous variations within each. It's incredible how the Genesis are capable of varying the melodies for the entire duration of the piece, the sounds are constantly changing, there are no boring moments, there is not a single misplaced note, there is not a single useless musical passage. The technique is never an end in itself, indeed it is always at the service of the central theme, often enriching it with very fine embellishments that other groups would dream of. Another praiseworthy characteristic is the interplay between music and text; thus at the moment it says “Waiting For Battle”, a dazzling solo explodes; the moments after the clash “Wandering in the chaos the battle has left”, full of desolation, are perfectly depicted by the soft music. It’s pure wonder, like watching a short film.
The best movements are perhaps “Willow Farm” with its bittersweet power and “Apocalypse In 9/8” which truly sets the apocalypse to music, with an extreme intensity that then fades into a liberating finale.
The richness is such that it cannot be fully described. “Supper’s Ready” is the most beautiful song ever made by Genesis, so intense, coherent, and immense as to touch deeply. It’s like exploring a parallel dimension, it sounds always new with each listening, it's impossible to get tired of it.

“Foxtrot”, ultimately, is an excellent album, the Bible of progressive together with a few other records.
Absolutely a must-have, there is no excuse not to.