Genesis
Seconds Out

Guys, here we are facing a true masterpiece, an album that ranks among the most successful live albums of the last thirty years. What makes this double live so incredibly special is definitely the performance of the musicians (Collins, Hackett, Rutherford, Thompson, and Banks), who in this concert recorded in Paris reach heights of absolute greatness. The breathtaking tracklist is accompanied by a top-level recording, which makes this album considered the best of the live recordings for the reasons I mentioned above.

Well, let's get specific: the album opens with "Squonk," a rhythmic track with a great emotional charge where the diverse sounds fit perfectly, especially noticeable in the final part of the song. What stands out is the rhythmic section played by the great Chester Thompson, which is more powerful and less technical compared to Bill Bruford, who accompanied Genesis on the previous tour. We come to "The Carpet Crawl," where Tony Banks' keyboards and Steve Hackett's guitar (listen to the melody he wraps around the song, he's a master!) make it one of the most successful tracks on the album. Followed by "Robbery, Assault and Battery," an excellent song where in the interlude, a piece performed by Phil Collins and Tony Banks seems to foreshadow what will come next. Then there's "Afterglow," a triumph of melodies in Banks' style where you witness a crescendo finale that gives you goosebumps with the organ and drums (played by both Collins and Chester) deserving applause. "Firth of Fifth" opens with a rhythmic base that seems more impactful than the one performed with Gabriel. The confirmation arrives in the instrumental part of the song, starting with Tony Banks replicating Peter's flute with keyboards, then building up to the moment when the two drum sets come into play. Phil Collins is amazing with the syncopations and drum rolls that show great technique and execution precision. The rest is done by the usual Tony Banks and Steve Hackett, who launches into a guitar solo (Daryl Stuermer will try it later after his departure but without achieving the same results) making it one of the distinctive features of the song, highlighting the band's exquisite technique. How can we not mention "I Know What I Like," reproduced with much more rock nuances than the original, and where the instrumental piece "Stagnation" from Trespass is inserted in the middle. And then there's the tarantella that Phil will perform with the tambourine, which will become a staple in Genesis' shows. The first disc concludes with "The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway" and the final part of "The Musical Box," which the band actually used to conclude their concerts.

The second disc is something simply stunning. It opens with "Supper's Ready," a twenty-four-minute suite that encapsulates all that this extraordinary band emanates, that is, class, grandeur, and power. What can be said of the "Apocalypse in 9-8" part where Phil Collins' almost astral and heavenly voice stands out, being in this fragment more emotional and suitable than Peter's. A timeless masterpiece that alone is worth the entire album. It follows with "The Cinema Show," recorded during the 1976 concert, a year earlier (with Bill Bruford on drums). Here Genesis reach heights of technique and speed that are unparalleled. In the instrumental piece, Phil Collins and Bill Bruford appear to be from another planet, delivering odd times repeatedly with such speed and precision that it almost captivates you, not to mention Banks' keyboards perfectly fitting with the beats of the two drummers. Another masterpiece of the group is born in this album, a song you can listen to endlessly to discover new sounds and to say that these were true legends. We arrive at "Dance On A Volcano," perfectly reproduced with Phil's voice adapting to the theme and seeming more aggressive. But actually, this song is a sort of "connection" to the song that follows. And we finally arrive at "Los Endos," where Chester Thompson and Phil Collins first give us a hair-raising duet and then accompany a track that will remain the most beloved by fans, which Genesis will propose at the end of each of their concerts. The best possible closure for a "devastating" album that you'll never stop listening to and appreciating, also because they were Genesis, who loved to amaze and make the audience fall in love with this timeless music. Thank you for everything, magnificent ones!