Nursery Cryme was non a commercial success upon its release. It did non motion into the United Kingdom of Great Britain as well as Northern Ireland of Britain as well as Northern Republic of Ireland nautical chart until 1974, when it peaked at discover 39. The band toured inwards the United Kingdom of Great Britain as well as Northern Ireland of Britain as well as Northern Republic of Ireland as well as abroad for a twelvemonth to promote the album, as well as the tour included a successful Italian leg inwards Apr 1972.
Genesis returned to a five-member formation after the add-on of guitarist Steve Hackett inwards Jan 1971. For a few months prior, the grouping performed alive every bit a iv slice alongside vocalist Peter Gabriel, keyboardist Tony Banks, bassist Mike Rutherford, as well as drummer Phil Collins who had joined inwards 1970. As a four-man formation, Banks played guitar as well as keyboard parts which he credits inwards improving his keyboard technique every bit it required him to play 2 keyboards simultaneously. Genesis toured the United Kingdom of Great Britain as well as Northern Ireland of Britain as well as Northern Republic of Ireland on their Trespass tour before its determination inwards July 1971 so operate on the side past times side album could begin. The band wrote as well as rehearsed at a province dwelling household inwards Crowborough inwards East Sussex owned past times Tony Stratton-Smith.
Nursery Cryme was recorded inwards August 1971 at Trident Studios inwards London alongside John Anthony every bit producer. The album sleeve, painted past times Paul Whitehead who also did the artwork on the previous as well as side past times side Genesis albums, Trespass as well as Foxtrot, depicts scenes from "The Musical Box" as well as Coxhill, the manor household alongside a croquet lawn, where Gabriel grew up.
"The Musical Box" originated every bit an instrumental written past times old Genesis guitarist Anthony Phillips called "F#" which was afterwards re-recorded every bit "Manipulation" on the Jackson Tapes as well as released on the box laid Genesis 1970–1975. The guitar solo was written past times Pb guitarist Mick Barnard, who replaced Phillips inwards 1970 prior to Hackett joining the band. The Genesis tribute band The Musical Box named themselves after the song. "For Absent Friends" is the start Genesis vocal alongside Phil Collins every bit Pb vocalist. "The Return of the Giant Hogweed" warns of the spread of the toxic flora Heracleum mantegazzianum after it was "captured" inwards Russian Federation as well as brought to England past times a Victorian explorer.
If Genesis genuinely established themselves every bit progressive rockers on Trespass, Nursery Cryme is where their signature persona was unveiled: truthful English linguistic communication eccentrics, 1 business office Lewis Carroll as well as 1 business office Syd Barrett, creating a fanciful Blue Planet that emphasized the band's instrumental prowess every bit much every bit Peter Gabriel's theatricality. Which isn't to tell that all of Nursery Cryme works. There are times when the whimsy is overwhelming, only every bit at that topographic point are periods when there's likewise much instrumental indulgence, yet there's a charm to this indulgence, since the grouping is letting itself run wild. Even if they've yet to regain the furthest reaches of their imagination, business office of the charm is hearing them examine out its limits, something that does lawsuit inwards genuine masterpieces, every bit on "The Musical Box" as well as "The Return of the Giant Hogweed," 2 epics that dominate the start side of the album as well as give it its foundation. If the 2nd side isn't quite every bit compelling or quite every bit structured, it doesn't quite affair because these are the songs that showed what Genesis could do, as well as they even so stand upward every bit pinnacles of what the band could achieve.
Released inwards 1971, this is the start album alongside the "classic" Genesis lineup as well as the start to characteristic the distinctive ensemble audio that would characterize their operate upward to belatedly 1976.
What is peculiarly noticeable most only about of the longer pieces on this album including "The Musical Box" as well as "Return of the Giant Hogweed" is an aggressive as well as harsh audio that is largely reflected inwards Steve Hackett's guitar work. Although I exercise non know this for certain, I suspect that this heaviness may receive got resulted from exposure to the music of swain Charisma label band Van der graaf Generator patch on "package" tours inwards Britain.
One other novel chemical ingredient that helped shape the classic Genesis audio was the add-on of superb drummer Phil Collins, who brought a superior score of musicianship to the band that the previous drummer (John Mayhew) was non able to. As such, the usage of unusual fourth dimension signatures increased as well as the ensemble operate became a chip to a greater extent than sophisticated over that found on Trespass (1970). Other interesting developments include the usage of the mellotron past times keyboardist Tony Banks, an musical instrument which is featured prominently on "Seven Stones" as well as the first-class "The Fountain of Salmacis", a slice that Tony wrote patch studying physics at Sussex University. Quieter pieces on the album include "For Absent Friends" (which features Phil Collins on vocals) as well as "Harlequin", patch "Harold the Barrel" is somewhere inwards the middle.
Interestingly enough, Tony Banks has been quoted every bit maxim he did non experience that Nursery Cryme was much of an improvement over Trespass (1970). Although this may alone concur partially truthful musically, conceptually as well as lyrically this is a completely dissimilar story. With reckon to the lyrics, the cosmic as well as surreal imagery that would dominate the Peter Gabriel years was start expressed on Nursery Cryme. For example, "Return of the Giant Hogweed" describes (in anthropomorphic terms) how the invasive wetland flora species Heracleum mantegazziani (giant hogweed) threatens to receive got over the countryside. As a biologist, the idea of an invasive flora (that grows to 15-20 feet inwards height) shouting, "Human bodies before long volition know our anger. Kill them alongside your Hogweed hairs!" tickled me pink.
Other bizarre imagery includes a immature man child that ages suddenly, dies, as well as his spirit as well as then takes upward residence inwards a musical box belonging to his playmate. Consumed past times a "lifetimes worth of desires", the spirit of "young Henry" lunges at the girl, alone to receive got the nanny rush into the room as well as destroy the musical box, hence killing pitiful Henry.
All inwards all, this is a groovy album that initiates a four-year menstruation where Genesis was at a creative as well as artistic peak. Although the production character is somewhat muddy, as well as it does non possess the smoothen as well as sophistication of "Selling England past times the Pound" (1973), this is even so an first-class album as well as is recommended.
Nursery Cryme came at peradventure the most interesting fourth dimension inwards the band's career. They had only picked upward much needed musculus alongside Hackett as well as Collins, but were even so trying to regain their vocalization every bit a band. The lawsuit is only about of the oddest, most original music they receive got always composed, played at a novel score of competency. For me the most fascinating progressive stone tin give notice move the strangest, and--make no mistake--Nursery Cryme is Genesis at their strangest. Here they motion away from the folky tendencies of the albums that preceeded it, but are non yet producing music every bit streamlined as well as professional person every bit that which would before long come. This is 1 of the most unique albums inwards prog stone history.
One of the best things most this album is that the ego jostling has yet to laid in. Steve Hackett plays a large purpose as well as Tony Banks as well as Mike Rutherford sing background prominently inwards only about places. Banks fifty-fifty delivers the "Mighty Hogweed" work inwards "Return of the Giant Hogweed," which is, past times the way, a proficient lawsuit of a vocal alongside the bizarreness I alluded to earlier.
There are others. "Harold the Barrel" is a off-center but moving mini-opera that takes house inwards most iii minutes, as well as "Seven Stones" reveals the influence that the start King Crimson album must receive got had on the band, especially Hackett's guitar solo inwards the middle as well as the Mellotronic thunder at the end. Kind of a creepy vocal inwards its ain way. And speaking of creepy, patch "The Musical Box" is an acknowledged epic masterpiece, its subject of a reincarnated (...)fixated villain is so disturbingly obscure that they had to explicate the floor on the liner notes of the remastered CD (whose audio IS much improve than the original vinyl pressing).
The oddness of the music of this tape is sure reflected inwards the band's colorful phase persona at the time, all infused alongside a wonderful feel of artistic discovery. We know the iii albums to come upward are the v star classics, but at that topographic point is something singularly exciting most this tape that yous won't regain anywhere else.
Tracks Listing
1. The Musical Box (10:24)
2. For Absent Friends (1:44)
3. The Return of the Giant Hogweed (8:10)
4. Seven Stones (5:10)
5. Harold the Barrel (2:55)
6. Harlequin (2:52)
7. The Fountain of Salmacis (7:54)
Total Time: 42:35
Line-up / Musicians
- Tony Banks / organ, mellotron, piano, electrical piano, 12 string guitar, voices
- Phil Collins / drums, voices, percussion, Pb vocals(2)
- Peter Gabriel / Pb voice, flute, tambourine, bass drum
- Steve Hackett / electrical as well as 12 string guitar
- Mike Rutherford / bass guitar, bass pedals, 12 string guitar, backing vocals
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