Duke showcased a new Genesis -- a sleek,
hard, stylish trio that truly sounded like a different band from its first
incarnation -- but Abacab was where this new
incarnation of the band came into its own. Working once again with producer Hugh Padgham, the
group escalated the innovations of Duke, increasing the pop
hooks, working them seamlessly into the artiest rock here. And even if the
brash, glorious pop of "No Reply at All" -- powered by the percolating horns of
Earth, Wind &
Fire, yet polished into a precise piece of nearly new wave pop by Padgham -- suggests
otherwise, this is still art rock at its core, or at least album-oriented rock,
as the band works serious syncopations and instrumental forays into a sound
that's as bright, bold, and jagged as the modernist artwork on the cover. They
dabble in other genres, lacing "Me and Sarah Jane" with a reggae beat, for
instance, which often adds dimension to their sound, as when "Dodo" rides a hard
funk beat and greasy organ synths yet doesn't become obvious; it turns inward,
requiring active listening. Truly, only "No Reply at All," the rampaging title
track (possibly their hardest-rocking song to date), and the sleek and spooky
"Man on the Corner" (which hides a real melancholy heart underneath its
glistening surface) are immediate and accessible -- although the Mockney jokes
of "Who Dunnit?" could count, it's too much of a geeky novelty to be pop. The
rest of Abacab is truly
modern art rock, their last album that could bear that tag comfortably.
Released
14 September 1981
Recorded
May – June 1981 at The Farm, Surrey
Length 47:10
Length 47:10
Label:
Charisma (original UK
release)Virgin (UK re-release)Atlantic
(USA)Vertigo (South
America)
Producer:
Genesis
------------------------------------
By Paul Allaer (Cincinnati)
Abacab is the 5th post-Peter Gabriel album, originally issued in Fall, 1981. It continued the rapidly evolving sound of Genesis from prog rockers to more commercial and mainstream-sounding. Personally, I had a difficult time to accept or like that change as it took place 25 years ago. I never did buy either "Duke" or "Abacab" when they came out. But the temptation of a bunch of DVD bonus materials was such that I did buy the "Genesis 1976-1982" 6 CD/6 DVD set, and now I finally have the "Abacab" album proper.
As to the CD, "Abacab" (9 tracks, 47 min.) is somewhat of a revelation to me. I still don't like "No Reply At All" or "Mman on a Corner" as a Genesis song (how can you differentiate it from Phis Collins' "Face Value" album? you can't, as Phil wrote these at the same time and it just sounds the same), but I found a lot of other things here I like a lot. The title track, of course, but also a brooding "Keep It Dark", the epic 7+ min. "Dodo/Lurker", and "Like It Or Not". Abacab will never be my favorite Genesis album, but I enjoyed it better than I ever expected.
As to the DVD, it first brings the album in a terrific 5.1 surround system, and it sounds fantastic if you have the proper home music set-up (which I do). As to the visuals, it comes with the videos for Abacab, No Reply At All, Keep It Dark, and Man on the Corner, nice but nothing earth-shattering. The "Reissue Interviews 2007" brings about 20 min. of the guys bringing their perspectives on the album, quite entertaining. Regretfully, there is no concert footage, unlike most of the other albums reissued, and that makes this reissue of "Abacab" less essential.
If you are considering buying any of the reissued CD/DVD albums, you really should look at buying the "1976-1982" box instead as it offer far more "bang for the buck" (only $69 here on Amazon), and on top it comes with a bonus CD/DVD of assorted B-sides, EPs and other hard to find tracks from that era.
------------------------------------
By Paul Allaer (Cincinnati)
Abacab is the 5th post-Peter Gabriel album, originally issued in Fall, 1981. It continued the rapidly evolving sound of Genesis from prog rockers to more commercial and mainstream-sounding. Personally, I had a difficult time to accept or like that change as it took place 25 years ago. I never did buy either "Duke" or "Abacab" when they came out. But the temptation of a bunch of DVD bonus materials was such that I did buy the "Genesis 1976-1982" 6 CD/6 DVD set, and now I finally have the "Abacab" album proper.
As to the CD, "Abacab" (9 tracks, 47 min.) is somewhat of a revelation to me. I still don't like "No Reply At All" or "Mman on a Corner" as a Genesis song (how can you differentiate it from Phis Collins' "Face Value" album? you can't, as Phil wrote these at the same time and it just sounds the same), but I found a lot of other things here I like a lot. The title track, of course, but also a brooding "Keep It Dark", the epic 7+ min. "Dodo/Lurker", and "Like It Or Not". Abacab will never be my favorite Genesis album, but I enjoyed it better than I ever expected.
As to the DVD, it first brings the album in a terrific 5.1 surround system, and it sounds fantastic if you have the proper home music set-up (which I do). As to the visuals, it comes with the videos for Abacab, No Reply At All, Keep It Dark, and Man on the Corner, nice but nothing earth-shattering. The "Reissue Interviews 2007" brings about 20 min. of the guys bringing their perspectives on the album, quite entertaining. Regretfully, there is no concert footage, unlike most of the other albums reissued, and that makes this reissue of "Abacab" less essential.
If you are considering buying any of the reissued CD/DVD albums, you really should look at buying the "1976-1982" box instead as it offer far more "bang for the buck" (only $69 here on Amazon), and on top it comes with a bonus CD/DVD of assorted B-sides, EPs and other hard to find tracks from that era.
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