Revisiting Duke - Genesis: It's actually good.

I kind of agree with you. I keep reading about how great this album is, and I have forced myself to listen to it numerous times but just find it to be boring to OK at best. I had the 94 remaster, and picked up the original Atlantic CD used to see if improved sound would help me appreciate the album. The older disc does sound better but it still bored me after two listenings so I finally gave up on this album. However I do love ABACAB, to me it is a better album from beginning to end.

 

If you don't mind me asking, which songs are in the "Suite"?

 

That title implies a consensus of it not being good. Which I have rarely seen people say.
Anyway, its a great album.
Its definitley prog to me. Well sizable parts of it. Just not the prog of the 70's.
But I think the Brazilian from Invisible Touch is modern (at least at the time) prog.

 

Behind The Lines>Duchess>Guide Vocal>Turn It On Again>Duke's Travel's>Duke's End

Before they start "Behind The Lines" Phil tells a fairly drawn out 'story' about "Albert" and "The Duchess" and Albert's various misadventures, usually involving getting intimate with his television set and whatnot Including that intro, "The Duke Suite" is a tad over half an hour long, give or take.

 

Hey that's being a bit unfair...it was a Duke reference that sealed the deal...this thread was begging for it!

I don't always troll Phil Collins threads with America Psycho references. But when I do, I prefer Duke topics.

 

That was the point that awakened me to how good the "Phil Era" actually was. They never stopped making challenging music. The two parts of Home by the Sea and Domino alone prove that they still had the chops and interest in writing heady stuff. You just have to get past the singles.

 

The last thing they did with Phil, "Fading Lights" , beautiful 10 minute track with long instrumental. I love the live version on the DVD because during the middle section it's just the three principles playing. Very cool.

 

You're right - every thread which is about a musician or band you don't like is "begging" to have you turn up and troll it. How silly of me not to see that.

 

I got into Genesis full-time via the Turn It on Again: Tour Edition, which contained a number of songs from Duke, and it was those I gravitated towards the most. It took me a while to warm to progressive rock as a genre, but I'm glad I did as it is now the genre I listen to the most. Duke, as has been mentioned, perfectly balanced pop music and progressive rock. Not being a tech guy, I've always liked the piano sound Banks uses on this album (and did on And Then There Were Three as well), Phil's voice, the way the drums are positioned in the mix - it's a killer record. I've never not liked it, but there were times when I pretty much only listened to their 1970-1977 output in album form. But even as an album, from the year 1980 even, there is still a pretty good and solid concept behind it all. It works out quite well. Heathaze is one of my favorite Genesis songs.

Also an honorable mention to a song from the period, Evidence of Autumn. Another one of Banks' melancholy masterpieces. "Why didn't they put it on the album"? - well it's 55 minutes and one disc! Because of this it sounds quite cluttered, at least on my original vinyl (Scandinavian press) but I'm glad I've got a re-press of the original non-remastered CD issue. I've got a feeling that this is one of those albums where people can discuss till kingdom come what should be done, what shouldn't have been done, is a remix necessary etc...

But no. It's still a rock solid album, no matter how "pop" the group ever got they were always superb musicians to begin with, making for mainly well-composed and watertight hits through the eighties and early nineties.

 

Love this album. I was part of a WEA sales promotion a few years ago and if we hit a certain goal, the prize was a platinum album (from a select list) in our name. As cool as some of the others would have been (including Astral Weeks), I love seeing my name on a Duke platinum album award hanging in my office.

 

Ok, let's settle one thing...I OWN lots of Genesis...from Lamb to Invisible Touch...I am a fan. In no way was I putting down the band, just having a little fun. Sorry

 

I might agree with him, but the last four songs kill the album hard. Man On The Corner is alright but the other three just... ass. Such a good start too.

 

I don't consider Duke a transitional album at all. It's the final installment in a great run of albums that began with Nursery Cryme. Yes there were personnel changes throughout, but a core of real ability kept the tracks interesting throughout. Like many, I thought Gabriel's departure would prove to be a fatal blow for the band. I was never so happy to have been proven wrong. Again, and then again after that.

Things were different after Duke. Abacab was a great song, but you know... Who Dunnit. That one single track dunnit for me.

 

For me the last two songs on Abacab kinda drag it down though recently I've warmed up to them a little. I like all the other songs on it. Even Who Dunnit I wouldn't say is a great song per se, but I get what they're going for and I enjoy it.

 

I think Like It Or Not is a great song. Another Record isn't so bad either.

 

Duh!

 

Great!

Thanks for that, I'll give it a listen as one piece.

 

Even better...the May 7 (?) London '80 pro-shot video should still be up on You Tube, it's the entire concert (I can't access You Tube at work otherwise I'd provide you with the link)

 

I like a laugh. Too many uptight people on here who dont.
But...
Its seriously been done to death mate.
Usually by people who have zero interest in the band.

 

I actually find it funny the people who think Duke was the end of the band as a "prog" enterprise. "...And Then There Were Three..." was, to put it politely, an unfocused record. Even if you think every song is a masterpiece, they feel unfinished and not put forward with the best shine they could have (Hackett was VERY missed on this one). The band just didn't feel like it was playing to its strengths anymore.

With Duke, at the very least, you can say that Rutherford came into his own as the guitarist in the band. Even a great track like "Many Too Many" from ATTWT has far too much aimless noodling on it in the fadeout. A little editorial discretion would have gone a long way!

It's far from the worst the band put out, but it definitely represented a dip after Wind & Wuthering and Duke was a distinct improvement afterwards.

 

Yes, the same jokes are so funny when endlessly recycled. I especially bust a gut when somebody chimes in with "hey, kid, get off my lawn" too.

 

100% agree with everything you just said.

 

As a few others have said already, easily the last, great Genesis album.


I recently got the Rhino/Atlantic remix version on vinyl (link below) and it really sounds superb.

https://www.discogs.com/Genesis-Duke/release/6950489

 

My #2 Genesis album (behind The Lamb) .