1.
What were your VERY FIRST impressions on listening to the album, say from the first five minutes in?
As I'm terribly familiar with this album, as are we all I think, I'd have to answer that by stating what my INITIAL first impressions were, when I first heard the album, back in the late seventies. I thought the acapella opening was a little odd then the soft, almost medieval tune a little strange, but I grew to like the song. It was never my favourite on the album though.
2.
What did you think of the opening tracks?
As above, "Dancing with the moonlit knight", despite its clever puns and containing the album title, was less an experience for me than "I know what I like" (which I had briefly heard on "Top of the Pops" and also knew from "Seconds out") then the immense prog masterpiece "Firth of fifth." The problem, if there is one, as I see it, is that I knew much of this album going in to it by having listened to "Seconds out", and to be honest I found both the studio versions of "I know what I like" and "Firth of fifth" a little lacking compared to the energetic and extended live versions. I did love the tracks though.
3.
What did you think of the later tracks?
With the exception of "Cinema show", I think this album, if you'll pardon a vulgar metaphor, blows its load too soon. You have "Dancing", "I know" and "Firth" all on the first side of the album, then the so-so "More fool me" and then it goes into "The battle of Epping Forest" which is fun but rather like "Robbery assault and battery" on "Trick of the tail" I've never quite taken to it, and it ends on a dour little ballad. Some great tracks, some not so great.
4.
Did you like the vocalist? Hate him/her? Any impressions?
Oh come on! It's Gabriel! One of THE premier voices in prog rock! Though when Collins sings on "More fool me" he's not bad either, showing how he would later take over as vocalist and frontman.
5.
Did the music (only) generally appeal to you, or not?
I love Genesis' music, particularly Tony Banks' work, whether it be on mellotron, Prophet or just piano. Rutherford's guitar work I've always liked but I do prefer Hackett, and the two meld very well here. The flutes are good too, giving the album a somewhat pastoral, this-is-England feel.
6.
Did the album get better or worse as you listened to it (first time)?
I can't remember, but I know it dipped for me with "The Battle of Epping Forest". Sort of never really recovered after that. Had I not already heard "Cinema show", that might have saved it for me.
7.
What did you think of the lyrical content?
Again, it's Genesis. They did what they did, alluding to societal strata, emotions and feelings, urban vs rural and throwing in as ever a healthy dash of mythology, shaking it all up and adding a soupcon of humour.
8.
Did you like the instrumental tracks?
There's only one (although the intro to "Firth" could almost be taken as one, as could the outro to "Cinema show"), but Genesis instrumentals are always good. This is no exception, and I'm intrigued to read that Tony had to push to allow for its inclusion against the protests of the rest of the band.
9.
What did you think of the production?
Of its time. Very full and rich sounding, but not overproduced I feel.
10.
How well do you already know the band/artist?
One of my favourite artistes of all time, and certainly my favourite prog rock band with Marillion coming a close second.
11.
What sub-genre, if any, would you assign this music to?
Progressive rock, pure and simple. One of the originals, and at the time, the best.
12.
On repeated listens, did you find you liked the album more, or less?
There are few if any Genesis albums I've listened to that I liked less on repeated listenings. Even "Aba-bloody-cab" sort of grew on me after a while. Sort of. But this, though not my favourite Genesis album, is one that gets better with each listen.
13.
What would you class as your favourite track, if you have one?
Probably one of the ones I already knew from the live album. It would be between, I think, "Firth of fifth" and "Cinema show".
14.
And the one you liked least?
Without question, "The Battle of Epping Forest"
15.
Did the fact that this album is a debut allow it, in your mind, any leeway, and if so, was that decision justified or vindicated?
n/a
16.
Are you now looking forward to hearing other albums by the band/artist?
n/a; heard them all, unless they reunite?
17.
Did you get, thematically, the idea behind the album if there was one?
Yeah, a general fear about the English countryside and way of life being eroded by modern times, though what "Firth of fifth" is about I will never know.
18.
Did the album end well?
Not really. I know "Aisle of plenty" sort of bookends with "Dancing with the moonlit knight", but I think it's a weak ending, coming as it does on the heels of a powerhouse like "Cinema show", which I think would have been a better closer.
19.
Do you see any way the album could have been improved?
It's a classic, so I won't presume to offer suggestions for improvement.
20.
Do you think the album hung together well, ie was a fully cohesive unit, or was it a bit hit-and-miss?
Actually I think it doesn't hang together well. There are songs about the loss of identity, loss of love, loss of the will to work and that's fine. But then you have a mythological story (it seems to me) in "Firth" and the tale of a romantic assignation in "Cinema show", with a gang war thrown in for good (!) measure. Seems a little haphazard to me.
Overall Album Rating: 8.5 out of 10.