Abacab [Original recording remastered]

Amazon.com essential recording
Phil Collins might be swinging away the late '90s, but in 1981 he was sharpening his pop chops, from his first solo offering to this, the first Genesis album to break the hallowed million-copy mark stateside. But Abacab wasn't entirely about charting Top 40 singles ("No Reply At All," "Man on the Corner," and the title track); it still exhibited some late-stage evidence of a trio courting the art-rock muse that had graced its past ("Who Dunnit," "Dodo," "Keep It Dark"). However, by 1983's eponymous follow-up, the hit factory that was Genesis in the mid- to late-1980s was operating full steam ahead, and the angel Gabriel's spectre had all but vanished. Then, there were truly only three. --Bob Michaels

Abacab,Genesis,Atlantic / Wea,Pop,Popular Music,Rock,Rock/Pop

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Abacab [Original recording remastered]

Average customer rating: THE GENESIS' LEGEND AND LEGACY CONTINUES WITH THE COLLINS' ERA AS THE BAND'S FRONTMAN. This happens to be my favorite Genesis album... A Very Good Album Genesis - The Band's Weakest Disc A fun album to just throw on whenever...

Abacab Genesis Manufacturer: Atlantic / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Pop | Styles | Music Soft Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Adult Contemporary | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Progressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Progressive Rock | Rock | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Progressive Rock | Rock | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music 4-for-3 Classic Rock | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 Pop | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 Rock | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Duke Genesis And Then There Were Three Invisible Touch Wind & Wuthering ASIN: B000002J2H Release Date: 1994-11-29

Tracks:

1. Abacab
2. No Reply At All
3. Me And Sarah Jane
4. Keep It Dark
5. Dodo/Lurker
6. Who Dunnit?
7. Man On The Corner
8. Like It Or Not
9. Another Record

Amazon.com essential recording

Phil Collins might be swinging away the late '90s, but in 1981 he was sharpening his pop chops, from his first solo offering to this, the first Genesis album to break the hallowed million-copy mark stateside. But Abacab wasn't entirely about charting Top 40 singles ("No Reply At All," "Man on the Corner," and the title track); it still exhibited some late-stage evidence of a trio courting the art-rock muse that had graced its past ("Who Dunnit," "Dodo," "Keep It Dark"). However, by 1983's eponymous follow-up, the hit factory that was Genesis in the mid- to late-1980s was operating full steam ahead, and the angel Gabriel's spectre had all but vanished. Then, there were truly only three. --Bob Michaels

Customer Reviews:

THE GENESIS' LEGEND AND LEGACY CONTINUES WITH THE COLLINS' ERA AS THE BAND'S FRONTMAN. .......2007-04-22

I will be writing a review on the legendary masterpiece album entitled "GENESIS - ABACAB" by one of Rock's all-time greatest bands ever. I give you one of England's pride and joy's, G-E-N-E-S-I-S. "ABACAB" was originally released in 1981 on Vinyl/LP and Cassette on the Atlantic Records label which is a Time Warner Company. I purchased the very first release of this album on Compact Disc in the late 80's. I also purchased the Definitive Edition Remaster version on Compact Disc in 1994. As always, if I hear any new additional information concerning this legendary masterpiece album or the legendary artist, I will edit this review immediately so that you the consumer will get the overall best informative and most accurate review possible.

GENESIS will forever go down in Rock n' Roll history and be remembered for recording and releasing some of Rock's most sacred anthems. When original GENESIS lead singer and frontman Peter Gabriel met up and joined forces with Keyboardist Tony Banks, bassist & lead and rhythm guitarist Mike Rutherford and drummer Phil Collins, the band line-up would be complete and GENESIS would be born in 1970. Despite that GENESIS would be known for having one of the most famous legendary frontman who would perform with GENESIS from 1970 to 1976, Peter Gabriel would later move on into an extremely successful solo career. When Gabriel departed from GENESIS in 1976, many music critics as well as the many music fans truly felt that GENESIS was finished as a band and could not carry on without Gabriel. Little did everyone know that the band's most greatest talent was sitting behind the drumkit. When GENESIS drummer Phil Collins tried out and auditioned for the lead frontman vacancy of his own band GENESIS, it was clearly evident that the drummer was hiding all of his true talents. The Peter Gabriel era had officially ended and the Phil Collins era was about to begin. When Phil Collins added lead singer and frontman duties to his regular drumming duties, it just seemed natural that Collins was destined to lead GENESIS into the next level and phase. GENESIS would be one of the contributing founding fathers of Progressive Rock in the 80's and beyond. The GENESIS / Collins era would record many great legendary albums to highly critically acclaim. This legendary masterpiece album would mark as one of the band's many great contributions, accomplishments and achievements in Rock n' Roll history. When GENESIS came out of the recording studio with the completely finished acetate and handed the finished product into Atlantic Records, Atlantic Records would release the album as the legendary masterpiece "ABACAB" album in 1981. In my opinion, "ABACAB" is one of GENESIS' many true testaments of three extremely talented masterminded individuals and is a fine fitting tribute to a great legendary band that was truly indeed, far ahead of their time.

It is now time to let the Rock n' Roll music of GENESIS to speak for itself and back it up by doing all of the talking musically. The legendary masterpiece "ABACAB" album begins with forever GENESIS trademark synthesized Progressive Rocker "Abacab," the soulful synthesized Progressive Rocker "No Reply At All," the slow smooth synthesized mild Progressive Rocker "Me And Sarah Jane," the breathtaking Progressive Rocker "Keep It Dark," the incredible synthesized Progressive Rocker "DoDo/Lurker," the powerful synthesized Progressive Rocker "Who Dunnit?," the forever slow soothing GENESIS trademark synthesized soft Rocker "Man On The Corner," the slow heartfelt synthesized song "Like It Or Not" and the beautifully slow turned synthesized Progressive Rocker "Another Record." May I also add that Phil Collins' blistering lead vocals were sizzlin' red hot and burning on fire while laying down the vocals for this legendary album. Collins' incredible vocals were so inspirational that the band contributed and performed perfectly together as one unit thus taking the band into a whole new level unimagined.

Overall, this is one great legendary masterpiece album worth seeking further research and information into and checking out especially if you are a hardcore diehard GENESIS fan or a devout music collector. As for all of the curious newcomers and new beginners that are not quite familiar with the sound and music of GENESIS, "ABACAB" is not a bad album to start with in beginning a music collection on GENESIS. However, there are many GENESIS' greatest hits compilation albums that you might want to research further into and check out before you make your decision as to which GENESIS album(s) will suit or be right for you to purchase. Either way, you will have made the right choice in beginning your GENESIS music collection. You can do all of your researches and buy as many GENESIS albums that you may want either on Amazon com or your local Borders Books and Music store. Buy this album, you'll be glad that you did.

I would like to highly recommend purchasing this legendary masterpiece album to own as a valuable and important part of his or her own personal music collection. This legendary album has already proven without a doubt to stand the test of time and will always be around to be enjoyed, appreciated and cherished for many years to come, NOW AND FOREVER. This is one great masterpiece album that no hardcore music fan or a devout music collector would want to be without.

In closing, the GENESIS / Phil Collins' era would move on to many greater things and greener pastures as a great high contended premirer Rock band. GENESIS' lead singer and frontman Phil Collins would also do the same thing that Peter Gabriel did years earlier by beginning an extremely successful solo career only Collins would do it differently than Gabriel did. Collins would forever remain loyal to GENESIS and return back to the band and resume his duties as lead singer and frontman as well as the band's sole drummer. Guitarist and bassist Mike Rutherford would also move out on his own and begin an extremely successful solo career by forming his own band MIKE AND THE MECHANICS with the former lead singer and frontman of the band ACE, keyboardist Paul Carrack. GENESIS has already accomplished and achieved so much in Rock n Roll history, that I feel confident that the band is eager to give us more since I truly believe that the band cannot rest on their laurels alone. With that in mind, GENESIS has forever left their mark in Rock n' Roll history and will never be forgotton. So here's to you Phil, Tony and Mike. Thanks for the great memories with many more still yet to come. Keep Persevering. Keep The Faith. And as the saying goes, "AND THE REST IS ROCK N' ROLL HISTORY," need I say more? Thanks for reading my review and I truly hope that you have enjoyed reading it as much as I have truly enjoyed writing it for your reading pleasure. I also hope that all of you will read all of my other reviews in the near future when time permits. GENESIS RULES! Long Live Rock n' Roll. Rock out always and take it easy. Forever In Rock, John L.

This happens to be my favorite Genesis album..........2007-04-21

I'm sure I will get a ton of people disagreeing with me about this particular Genesis recording being their best work. In fact, I'm sure I will get a ton of people disagreeing with me when I say that this phase of Genesis was and has been their most creative and talented phase. Yes, I've heard the comments many times before about the Peter Gabriel version of Genesis was the best phase of Genesis' career. Although Peter Gabriel has recorded some extraordinary material during his solo career, I happen to think Peter Gabriel contributed to one of the most pathetic phases of Genesis' career. There was too much over-indulgence of flash onstage during the Gabriel years and the music was way over-produced! Granted there are songs from that era ('The Musical Box', 'The Knife', 'For Absent Friends') that were alright for their time, but it seemed more about the show and the over-produced stage production than it was about the music. Abacab brings out the music. Specifically the team of Banks/Rutherford & Collins. Again, I've heard the comments of Phil Collins selling out to the record companies at this point and turning to lushy, bubble-gum pop music. In my book, Phil happens to be one of the great musicians of all time and I find it insulting to not mention him when it comes to how the band evolved as crafted and talented musicians. More than that, there's nothing bubble-gummy about 'Dodo/Lurker' or 'Whodunit' or even the title track. This has always been a favorite album in my collection and I believe it should go down in rock/pop history as one of the greatest of all time.

A Very Good Album.......2007-04-19

Abacab signaled a major change in musical direction, cutting their songs down into shorter and more commercially acceptable chunks. However, this change did not clamp on the artestry of the album! Many fans of early Genesis will site this as the album where they "turned off", but I think it's a great addittion to the Genesis canon.

The highlights of this album are the funky title track "Abacab", the almost disco-like "Dodo/Lurker", and "Me and Sarah Jane", which still seems to have leftover progressive elements the band just couldn't rid themselves of. The album also contains the much-hated "Who Dunnit", which really isn't as bad as most people make it out to be. The song was not meant to be taken seriously, and as long as you don't, it will be very enjoyable! (Try playing it backwards)

Abacab is a very enjoyable album and is a worthy addition to a music collection.

Genesis - The Band's Weakest Disc.......2007-04-10

For me this is the album where the train left the tracks. Although I don't think Genesis has ever done what I would consider a totally bad album, "ABACAB" is probably my least favorite of their career. The album came after the surprise success of Phil Collins debut solo album "Face Value" which spawned several huge hit singles. Collins solo stuff was pure pop, and its influence certainly show up on this and the rest of the latter day Genesis catalogue. The music on ABACAB is very much simplified from their earlier progressive work. Considering some of the incredible keyboard solos that Tony Banks had done on previous albums, some of his keyboard work on this album is almost embarrassing. A lot of this disc just seems to be "dumbed down" from their previous work to appeal to the masses. A prime example is the title track "ABACAB", yes it still has prog elements to it, but it pales in comparison to earlier similar works. Even the lyrics are substandard for a band of Genesis reputation. And that in a nutshell is the rub with this disc. Coming from another band this might be considered a great piece of work, but with Genesis we know they are capable of better. Not all is gloom and doom here though. There are some decent songs to be found. "Keep It Dark" is kind of cool. "Dodo / Lurker" is the long prog piece on the disc. It is decent enough, but does not really stand out in comparison to earlier material. "Man On The Corner" and "Like It Are Not" are both nice pop tunes. Overall I would rate this 3 star album, not terrible, but nothing outstanding either. In my opinion this was Genesis weakest disc.

A fun album to just throw on whenever..........2007-03-09

This is a very fun album. It's not prog, it's really just pop rock. Very good pop rock.

When I'm in doubt of what to throw on, it's usually this one or Calling All Stations, but I really like Abacab a bit better. It says goodbye to odd time signatures and says hello to catchy hooks.

The only one I really hate is Whodunnit? and I just don't listen to Man on the Corner much because it's not a song that I'm in the mood for often. It's still a good song, though.

I think if you like Duke, there's a good bet you'll like this.

Average customer rating: Great Sound!

Abacab Genesis Manufacturer: EMI Int'l ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Britain | British Isles | Europe | International | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Soft Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Adult Contemporary | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Progressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: Duke Trick of the Tail Wind & Wuthering And Then There Were Three Every Good Boy Deserves Favour ASIN: B000NQR7KW Release Date: 2007-04-05

Tracks:

1. Abacab
2. No Reply at All
3. Me and Sarah Jane
4. Keep It Dark
5. Dodo/Lurker
6. Who Dunnit?
7. Man on the Corner
8. Like It or Not
9. Another Record

Tracks:

1. Abacab [DVD]
2. No Reply at All [DVD]
3. Me and Sarah Jane [DVD]
4. Keep It Dark [DVD]
5. Dodo/Lurker [DVD]
6. Who Dunnit? [DVD]
7. Man on the Corner [DVD]
8. Like It or Not [DVD]
9. Another Record [DVD]
10. Abacab [DVD][*]
11. No Reply at All [DVD][*]
12. Keep It Dark [DVD][*]
13. Man on the Corner [DVD][*]
14. Reissue Interviews 2007 [*][Multimedia Track]
15. World Tour Programme 1981 [DVD][*]

Customer Reviews:

Great Sound!.......2007-05-16

The 5.1 DVD sounds fantastic! It's a very full sound and well worth buying. I'm hearing things in the songs I've never heard before. The interview is short but it's recent. They briefly talk about making the album. There is also a photo gallery of the tour book from 1981 which is a nice touch. The distribution of all the remasters is poor. Abacab was the only one in the entire remasters set that this Best Buy had. It was all that was sent to them. Hopefully, the distribution will improve. Again, great sound on this one and I'm sure the others are just as good.

Average customer rating: The second best three-man era Genesis album gets a long, overdue sonic makeover

Abacab Genesis Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Soft Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Adult Contemporary | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Progressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: Duke And Then There Were Three A Trick of the Tail Wind & Wuthering [Bonus DVD] Nursery Cryme ASIN: B000P7V46W Release Date: 2007-05-15

Tracks:

1. Abacab
2. No Reply at All
3. Me and Sarah Jane
4. Keep It Dark
5. Dodo/Lurker
6. Who Dunnit?
7. Man on the Corner
8. Like It or Not
9. Another Record

Tracks:

1. Abacab [DVD]
2. No Reply at All [DVD]
3. Me and Sarah Jane [DVD]
4. Keep It Dark [DVD]
5. Dodo/Lurker [DVD]
6. Who Dunnit? [DVD]
7. Man on the Corner [DVD]
8. Like It or Not [DVD]
9. Another Record [DVD]
10. Abacab [DVD][*]
11. No Reply at All [DVD][*]
12. Keep It Dark [DVD][*]
13. Man on the Corner [DVD][*]
14. Reissue Interviews 2007 [*][Multimedia Track]
15. World Tour Programme 1981 [DVD][*]

Customer Reviews:

The second best three-man era Genesis album gets a long, overdue sonic makeover.......2007-05-16

Genesis released their lucky thirteenth album entitled Abacab in September of 1981.
The Abacab album was the band's first to be self-produced and was their collaboration with engineer Hugh Padgham (whom worked with Peter Gabriel and The Police at that point) whom drummer/singer Phil Collins collaborated with on his Top 10 Multi-Platinum solo effort Face Value.
Also, Genesis built their own studio The Farm in Surrey and Abacab was the first album to be recorded at the band's own studio.
The album Abacab showcased the band writing all but three songs together as a band which was something they had not done since Peter Gabriel left.
The lone solo songwriting credit for keyboard player Tony Banks was the excellent and proggish "Me and Sarah Jane". Also, guitarist and bass player Mike Rutherford had one of his best pieces "Like it or Not". The album also contains Phil's atmospheric Top 40 hit "Man On the Corner" which its lyric theme predated the concept of Phil's solo hit "Another Day in Paradise" by eight years about a homeless man.
Now for the songs that all three Genesis members wrote together starting with the 7 minute opening Top 40 charting title cut which is an awesome rocker which turns into a killer 3 and a half instrumental jam at song's end. We follow that with the US Top 30 hit "No Reply at All" which featured the Earth Wind and Fire horn section. Other highlights are the British hit "Keep it Dark" which is a silly but great song, the seven and a half minute prog-rocker "Dodo/Lurker" medley, the silly "Who Dunnit" (which is the band's "punk" song) and the classic finale "Another Record".
The Abacab album was Genesis' first US Top 10 album and first Platinum seller for the band.
I first bought this CD on a whim in August of 1997 when I bought the remastered edition (which sounded superior to the original CD from the 1980s) and it is hands down one of the best efforts of the three piece era efforts.
Now in May of 2007, Rhino/Atlantic re-release the album as a CD and DVD set. The album is remixed on CD in stereo for excellent sound (kind of like what was done to The Who catalog in the 1990s). The new mixes are AMAZING and I hear things in the new mixes that I have not ever heard before. Also, it comes with a DVD which has the album mixed in 5.1 plus the four promo videos for the album (the title cut, No Reply at All, Keep it Dark and Man On the Corner (which is the studio version dubbed over the Three Sides Live concert clip but am not complaining)) plus new interviews with messieurs Collins, Banks and Rutherford.
Highly recommended!

Average customer rating: perfect balance between musicianship/production/commercialism another great album--where the "new" Genesis truly arrived

Abacab Genesis Manufacturer: Atlantic / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Pop | Styles | Music Soft Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Adult Contemporary | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Progressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: Duke Genesis Invisible Touch We Can't Dance No Jacket Required ASIN: B00000DOZL Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

1. Abacab
2. No Reply at All
3. Me and Sarah Jane
4. Keep It Dark
5. Dodo/Lurker
6. Who Dunnit?
7. Man on the Corner
8. Like It or Not
9. Another Record

Customer Reviews:

perfect balance between musicianship/production/commercialism .......2005-10-17

1981 - This is a pivotal album for genesis because around this time there were many changes occurring. This was the first genesis album following phil's first solo album (face value) and this gave him alot of confidence and he was writing much more aggressively on abacab. this album was also the first recorded in their newly purchased studio (The Farm). This gave the 3 as much time to record and produce as they needed. Also, dave hentschel had left after many years of production help and was replaced by hugh padgham. Padgham would become a genesis production regular after this album. He also worked with phil on his solo albums and worked with others such as sting. Finally, this is the first and only time genesis used outside muscicians on a studio album. Earth, Wind, and Fire played horns on No reply at All and Paperlate(which was not on the album). Genesis showed they could be great muscicians and have equal commercial appeal in one album. Abacab is a great song. It is very simple but very technical at the same time. It shows that sometimes less is more. This album also shows the improtance of the drum machine in genesis music. It was used as background rhythm with live drums over it just like songs in DUKE where genesis first introduced the drum machine in their music. Man on the corner is an awesome song with great drum patterns both electronic and acoustic. Again, phil's voice is only getting stronger and more confident. overall, a great album and it shows the strong musicianship of the 3 guys and constant evolution of the band. This was a great time for genesis fans because they never knew what they were going to get. Also, there are rare b-sides around likr you might recall, paperlate, naminau, submarine, and me and virgil. You can fine some of these on the second archive set (1976-1992)

another great album--where the "new" Genesis truly arrived.......2005-02-27

I find it interesting to see other reviewers pointing out that "Abacab", originally released in September of 1981, was a huge departure for Genesis--it's an excellent point, because, indeed, this is the album that truly marks the beginning of the "pop"-era Genesis, as it's generally referred to. There's a certain timeless gloss & punchiness here that sets this album apart from all of the Genesis albums that came before it, and it 'sets the stage', so to speak, for their next couple of albums that followed. It's not exactly a coincidence either--David Hentschel who co-produced the previous two albums was gone, & this album was engineered by Hugh Padgham who had also engineered and assisted on Phil Collins' debut solo album from earlier the same year. "Abacab" was also the first album the group recorded at their own studio. Now, don't get the wrong idea--contrary to what certain people will try to make you believe, this is not an album of light & frothy 'sell-out' pop songs. The level of musical intelligence & sophistication is still astonishing, & track after track is intoxicatingly catchy. The 7+ minute title track starts the album off with a bang--it's got an arresting moody atmosphere, & it's simply loaded with savvy keyboard & guitar licks from Tony Banks & Mike Rutherford respectively, laid over Phil Collins' crisp drumming. Tony Banks' solo composition "Me And Sarah Jane" is a definitive example of his compositional brilliance--it flows seamlessly from section to section, working its way through different moods; it truly takes you on a journey. "Dodo" starts off with an exciting, dramatic blast before the irresitible synth riff kicks in, and it's followed by an arrestingly contemplative minor-keyed section before eventually working its way back to the opening section in thrilling fashion. All that said, this ain't a run of the mill "pop" album by any means! Yes, there are some strongly pop-rock-flavored tracks, but they're great in their own right like the highly melodic "No Reply At All" with its strangely hyperactive keyboards; Phil's haunting ballad "Man On the Corner"; & Mike's plodding, yet soulful & soaring ballad "Like It Or Not" with wonderfully passionate Phil vocals. "Keep It Dark" is ultra-crafty, both musically and lyrically, with an intoxicating chorus. And the album's most notorious track--the jokey, quasi-atonal & repetitive "Who Dunnit?"--is exhilirating silly. Quite simply, "Abacab" is one in a long string of masterpiece albums that Genesis put out. Like so many of their other albums, "Abacab" is a supremely rich listening experience from an astonishingly creative & consistent band.

(P.S. During the "Abacab" sessions, Genesis recorded one of their best songs ever--the beautiful, epic pop-rocker "You Might Recall"--but they left it off the album. Check it out on either the original US version of "Three Sides Live", or on the "Archive #2" box set.)

Average customer rating:

Abacab Genesis Manufacturer: EMI Int'l ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Britain | British Isles | Europe | International | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Soft Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Adult Contemporary | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Progressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music ASIN: B000MCIBMA Release Date: 2007-03-27

Tracks:

1. Abacab
2. No Reply at All
3. Me and Sarah Jane
4. Keep It Dark
5. Dodo/Lurker
6. Who Dunnit?
7. Man on the Corner
8. Like It or Not
9. Another Record

Tracks:

1. Abacab [DVD]
2. No Reply at All [DVD]
3. Me and Sarah Jane [DVD]
4. Keep It Dark [DVD]
5. Dodo/Lurker [DVD]
6. Who Dunnit? [DVD]
7. Man on the Corner [DVD]
8. Like It or Not [DVD]
9. Another Record [DVD]
10. Abacab [DVD][*]
11. No Reply at All [DVD][*]
12. Keep It Dark [DVD][*]
13. Man on the Corner [DVD][*]
14. Reissue Interviews 2007 [*][Multimedia Track]
15. World Tour Programme 1981 [DVD][*]

Average customer rating: THE GENESIS' LEGEND AND LEGACY CONTINUES WITH THE COLLINS' ERA AS THE BAND'S FRONTMAN. This happens to be my favorite Genesis album... A Very Good Album Genesis - The Band's Weakest Disc A fun album to just throw on whenever...

Abacab Genesis Manufacturer: Atlantic / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Pop | Styles | Music Soft Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Adult Contemporary | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Progressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: Duke Genesis And Then There Were Three Invisible Touch Wind & Wuthering ASIN: B000002IWK Release Date: 1994-06-07

Tracks:

1. Abacab
2. No Reply At All
3. Me and Sarah Jane
4. Keep It Dark
5. Dodo/Lurker
6. Who Dunnit?
7. Man On The Corner
8. Like It Or Not
9. Another Record

Amazon.com essential recording

Phil Collins might be swinging away the late '90s, but in 1981 he was sharpening his pop chops, from his first solo offering to this, the first Genesis album to break the hallowed million-copy mark stateside. But Abacab wasn't entirely about charting Top 40 singles ("No Reply At All," "Man on the Corner," and the title track); it still exhibited some late-stage evidence of a trio courting the art-rock muse that had graced its past ("Who Dunnit," "Dodo," "Keep It Dark"). However, by 1983's eponymous follow-up, the hit factory that was Genesis in the mid- to late-1980s was operating full steam ahead, and the angel Gabriel's spectre had all but vanished. Then, there were truly only three. --Bob Michaels

Customer Reviews:

THE GENESIS' LEGEND AND LEGACY CONTINUES WITH THE COLLINS' ERA AS THE BAND'S FRONTMAN. .......2007-04-22

I will be writing a review on the legendary masterpiece album entitled "GENESIS - ABACAB" by one of Rock's all-time greatest bands ever. I give you one of England's pride and joy's, G-E-N-E-S-I-S. "ABACAB" was originally released in 1981 on Vinyl/LP and Cassette on the Atlantic Records label which is a Time Warner Company. I purchased the very first release of this album on Compact Disc in the late 80's. I also purchased the Definitive Edition Remaster version on Compact Disc in 1994. As always, if I hear any new additional information concerning this legendary masterpiece album or the legendary artist, I will edit this review immediately so that you the consumer will get the overall best informative and most accurate review possible.

GENESIS will forever go down in Rock n' Roll history and be remembered for recording and releasing some of Rock's most sacred anthems. When original GENESIS lead singer and frontman Peter Gabriel met up and joined forces with Keyboardist Tony Banks, bassist & lead and rhythm guitarist Mike Rutherford and drummer Phil Collins, the band line-up would be complete and GENESIS would be born in 1970. Despite that GENESIS would be known for having one of the most famous legendary frontman who would perform with GENESIS from 1970 to 1976, Peter Gabriel would later move on into an extremely successful solo career. When Gabriel departed from GENESIS in 1976, many music critics as well as the many music fans truly felt that GENESIS was finished as a band and could not carry on without Gabriel. Little did everyone know that the band's most greatest talent was sitting behind the drumkit. When GENESIS drummer Phil Collins tried out and auditioned for the lead frontman vacancy of his own band GENESIS, it was clearly evident that the drummer was hiding all of his true talents. The Peter Gabriel era had officially ended and the Phil Collins era was about to begin. When Phil Collins added lead singer and frontman duties to his regular drumming duties, it just seemed natural that Collins was destined to lead GENESIS into the next level and phase. GENESIS would be one of the contributing founding fathers of Progressive Rock in the 80's and beyond. The GENESIS / Collins era would record many great legendary albums to highly critically acclaim. This legendary masterpiece album would mark as one of the band's many great contributions, accomplishments and achievements in Rock n' Roll history. When GENESIS came out of the recording studio with the completely finished acetate and handed the finished product into Atlantic Records, Atlantic Records would release the album as the legendary masterpiece "ABACAB" album in 1981. In my opinion, "ABACAB" is one of GENESIS' many true testaments of three extremely talented masterminded individuals and is a fine fitting tribute to a great legendary band that was truly indeed, far ahead of their time.

It is now time to let the Rock n' Roll music of GENESIS to speak for itself and back it up by doing all of the talking musically. The legendary masterpiece "ABACAB" album begins with forever GENESIS trademark synthesized Progressive Rocker "Abacab," the soulful synthesized Progressive Rocker "No Reply At All," the slow smooth synthesized mild Progressive Rocker "Me And Sarah Jane," the breathtaking Progressive Rocker "Keep It Dark," the incredible synthesized Progressive Rocker "DoDo/Lurker," the powerful synthesized Progressive Rocker "Who Dunnit?," the forever slow soothing GENESIS trademark synthesized soft Rocker "Man On The Corner," the slow heartfelt synthesized song "Like It Or Not" and the beautifully slow turned synthesized Progressive Rocker "Another Record." May I also add that Phil Collins' blistering lead vocals were sizzlin' red hot and burning on fire while laying down the vocals for this legendary album. Collins' incredible vocals were so inspirational that the band contributed and performed perfectly together as one unit thus taking the band into a whole new level unimagined.

Overall, this is one great legendary masterpiece album worth seeking further research and information into and checking out especially if you are a hardcore diehard GENESIS fan or a devout music collector. As for all of the curious newcomers and new beginners that are not quite familiar with the sound and music of GENESIS, "ABACAB" is not a bad album to start with in beginning a music collection on GENESIS. However, there are many GENESIS' greatest hits compilation albums that you might want to research further into and check out before you make your decision as to which GENESIS album(s) will suit or be right for you to purchase. Either way, you will have made the right choice in beginning your GENESIS music collection. You can do all of your researches and buy as many GENESIS albums that you may want either on Amazon com or your local Borders Books and Music store. Buy this album, you'll be glad that you did.

I would like to highly recommend purchasing this legendary masterpiece album to own as a valuable and important part of his or her own personal music collection. This legendary album has already proven without a doubt to stand the test of time and will always be around to be enjoyed, appreciated and cherished for many years to come, NOW AND FOREVER. This is one great masterpiece album that no hardcore music fan or a devout music collector would want to be without.

In closing, the GENESIS / Phil Collins' era would move on to many greater things and greener pastures as a great high contended premirer Rock band. GENESIS' lead singer and frontman Phil Collins would also do the same thing that Peter Gabriel did years earlier by beginning an extremely successful solo career only Collins would do it differently than Gabriel did. Collins would forever remain loyal to GENESIS and return back to the band and resume his duties as lead singer and frontman as well as the band's sole drummer. Guitarist and bassist Mike Rutherford would also move out on his own and begin an extremely successful solo career by forming his own band MIKE AND THE MECHANICS with the former lead singer and frontman of the band ACE, keyboardist Paul Carrack. GENESIS has already accomplished and achieved so much in Rock n Roll history, that I feel confident that the band is eager to give us more since I truly believe that the band cannot rest on their laurels alone. With that in mind, GENESIS has forever left their mark in Rock n' Roll history and will never be forgotton. So here's to you Phil, Tony and Mike. Thanks for the great memories with many more still yet to come. Keep Persevering. Keep The Faith. And as the saying goes, "AND THE REST IS ROCK N' ROLL HISTORY," need I say more? Thanks for reading my review and I truly hope that you have enjoyed reading it as much as I have truly enjoyed writing it for your reading pleasure. I also hope that all of you will read all of my other reviews in the near future when time permits. GENESIS RULES! Long Live Rock n' Roll. Rock out always and take it easy. Forever In Rock, John L.

This happens to be my favorite Genesis album..........2007-04-21

I'm sure I will get a ton of people disagreeing with me about this particular Genesis recording being their best work. In fact, I'm sure I will get a ton of people disagreeing with me when I say that this phase of Genesis was and has been their most creative and talented phase. Yes, I've heard the comments many times before about the Peter Gabriel version of Genesis was the best phase of Genesis' career. Although Peter Gabriel has recorded some extraordinary material during his solo career, I happen to think Peter Gabriel contributed to one of the most pathetic phases of Genesis' career. There was too much over-indulgence of flash onstage during the Gabriel years and the music was way over-produced! Granted there are songs from that era ('The Musical Box', 'The Knife', 'For Absent Friends') that were alright for their time, but it seemed more about the show and the over-produced stage production than it was about the music. Abacab brings out the music. Specifically the team of Banks/Rutherford & Collins. Again, I've heard the comments of Phil Collins selling out to the record companies at this point and turning to lushy, bubble-gum pop music. In my book, Phil happens to be one of the great musicians of all time and I find it insulting to not mention him when it comes to how the band evolved as crafted and talented musicians. More than that, there's nothing bubble-gummy about 'Dodo/Lurker' or 'Whodunit' or even the title track. This has always been a favorite album in my collection and I believe it should go down in rock/pop history as one of the greatest of all time.

A Very Good Album.......2007-04-19

Abacab signaled a major change in musical direction, cutting their songs down into shorter and more commercially acceptable chunks. However, this change did not clamp on the artestry of the album! Many fans of early Genesis will site this as the album where they "turned off", but I think it's a great addittion to the Genesis canon.

The highlights of this album are the funky title track "Abacab", the almost disco-like "Dodo/Lurker", and "Me and Sarah Jane", which still seems to have leftover progressive elements the band just couldn't rid themselves of. The album also contains the much-hated "Who Dunnit", which really isn't as bad as most people make it out to be. The song was not meant to be taken seriously, and as long as you don't, it will be very enjoyable! (Try playing it backwards)

Abacab is a very enjoyable album and is a worthy addition to a music collection.

Genesis - The Band's Weakest Disc.......2007-04-10

For me this is the album where the train left the tracks. Although I don't think Genesis has ever done what I would consider a totally bad album, "ABACAB" is probably my least favorite of their career. The album came after the surprise success of Phil Collins debut solo album "Face Value" which spawned several huge hit singles. Collins solo stuff was pure pop, and its influence certainly show up on this and the rest of the latter day Genesis catalogue. The music on ABACAB is very much simplified from their earlier progressive work. Considering some of the incredible keyboard solos that Tony Banks had done on previous albums, some of his keyboard work on this album is almost embarrassing. A lot of this disc just seems to be "dumbed down" from their previous work to appeal to the masses. A prime example is the title track "ABACAB", yes it still has prog elements to it, but it pales in comparison to earlier similar works. Even the lyrics are substandard for a band of Genesis reputation. And that in a nutshell is the rub with this disc. Coming from another band this might be considered a great piece of work, but with Genesis we know they are capable of better. Not all is gloom and doom here though. There are some decent songs to be found. "Keep It Dark" is kind of cool. "Dodo / Lurker" is the long prog piece on the disc. It is decent enough, but does not really stand out in comparison to earlier material. "Man On The Corner" and "Like It Are Not" are both nice pop tunes. Overall I would rate this 3 star album, not terrible, but nothing outstanding either. In my opinion this was Genesis weakest disc.

A fun album to just throw on whenever..........2007-03-09

This is a very fun album. It's not prog, it's really just pop rock. Very good pop rock.

When I'm in doubt of what to throw on, it's usually this one or Calling All Stations, but I really like Abacab a bit better. It says goodbye to odd time signatures and says hello to catchy hooks.

The only one I really hate is Whodunnit? and I just don't listen to Man on the Corner much because it's not a song that I'm in the mood for often. It's still a good song, though.

I think if you like Duke, there's a good bet you'll like this.

Average customer rating:

Abacab Genesis Manufacturer: Msi Music ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Britain | British Isles | Europe | International | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Soft Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Adult Contemporary | Pop | Styles | Music Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Progressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music ASIN: B000QUCZ2U Release Date: 2007-07-30

Tracks:

1. Abacab
2. No Reply at All
3. Me and Sarah Jane
4. Keep It Dark
5. Dodo/Lurker
6. Who Dunnit?
7. Man on the Corner
8. Like It or Not
9. Another Record

Tracks:

1. Abacab [DVD]
2. No Reply at All [DVD]
3. Me and Sarah Jane [DVD]
4. Keep It Dark [DVD]
5. Dodo/Lurker [DVD]
6. Who Dunnit? [DVD]
7. Man on the Corner [DVD]
8. Like It or Not [DVD]
9. Another Record [DVD]
10. Abacab [DVD][*]
11. No Reply at All [DVD][*]
12. Keep It Dark [DVD][*]
13. Man on the Corner [DVD][*]
14. Reissue Interviews 2007 [*][Multimedia Track]
15. World Tour Programme 1981 [DVD][*]

Album Description

Limited Edition Japanese pressing of this album comes housed in a miniature LP sleeve. 2007.

Average customer rating: Abacababacabacabacabacabacabacabacabacabacab Genesis revitalizes with clean new sound 20th Anniversary The Last Blast

Abacab Genesis Manufacturer: Import [Generic] ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Pop | Styles | Music Soft Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Adult Contemporary | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Progressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Classic Rock | Imports | Stores | Music Rock | Imports | Stores | Music ASIN: B00000JX7G Release Date: 1999-03-23

Tracks:

1. Abacab
2. No Reply at All
3. Me and Sarah Jane
4. Keep It Dark
5. Dodo/Lurker
6. Who Dunnit?
7. Man on the Corner
8. Like It or Not
9. Another Record

Album Details

Japanese Version featuring a LP Style Slipcase for Initial Pressing.

Customer Reviews:

Abacababacabacabacabacabacabacabacabacabacab.......2002-11-25

Genesis returned less than a year after what many fans consider their last progressive rock album. Released in 1981, Abacab is considered the album where Genesis left behind it's progressive, storytelling rock past and embraced the pop arena. Many fans seem to detest this album as well as the ones following it and I completely object to their "Phil Collins ruined Genesis" ranting. In fact, Collins revitalized the band with some of the best of what pop music the 80s offered. I can easily say that Abacab was YEARS ahead of it's time, even ahead of Invisible Touch’s time. The drums sound more like real drums as opposed to drum machines like those on 1983s self-titled album and 1986’s Invisible Touch. Whoever keeps saying that the first half is great and the second half is weak, needs to get his ears checked. ALL of the songs are strong, ALL of them.

The title track is a 7 minute long, state of the art, song with awesome keyboards, incredible drumming, unforgettable guitars, and that unforgettable voice of Mr. Collins. The first half is more mainstream while the second half is slightly creepier, almost like two songs in one. No Reply At All was the main hit with a more danceable beat, and Phoenix horns from the Earth, Wind & Fire band. I just love those fast playing keyboards. I'm guessing the lyrics of someone trying to make up but the upset person completely ignores him. It's actually a great song and one of the highlights of this CD. Me And Sarah Jane is a midtempo rock ballad with yet more awesome beats. I just love the bizarre chord changes in the middle of the song. Keep It Dark is a darker, yet another catchy rock song with awesome 80s synthesizers and bell-sounding percussion. I love when Phil’s vocals echo during the last minute and a half of the song. Dodo/Lurker is a more turbulent track with a darker, heavier edge that foreshowed the coming of Domino from Invisible Touch. The second entitled Lurker is quirkier with piercing keyboards. Who Dunnit unfortunately gets too much criticism as it’s actually a great song. In fact, it’s my favorite track off Abacab. It’s a tale of someone denying doing something wrong and inserting some humor and very loud buzzing sonics and pounding beats. I would even go far enough to say that it’s probably the most â€~violent’ Genesis ever got. Crank up the stereo, stomp on the floor to the beats, when this one starts playing. Just be careful not to crack the windows. ïÂ�Š After the explosive Who Dunnit, things mellow down with the socially conscious Man On The Corner which tells the tale of a homeless man. This track is a virtual twin of Collins solo epic “Another Day In Paradiseâ€Â� and is in the vein of “In Too Deepâ€Â� and “Taking It All Too Hardâ€Â�. Like It Or Not is another midtempo power-ballad. The last track Another Record, is way ahead of it’s time. It’s the last track on the album and features awesome keyboards that would become a trademark keyboard sound of Phil’s solo albums during the 80s. It starts off with intoxicating keyboards and ambient keyboards and distant guitar sways before piercing cymbals come in and then the song becomes a passionate, semi-danceable, track about the tale of one trying to move on after a tedious period in ones life. It also has what I guess is a harmonica too. This is another favorite of mines and it ends Abacab on a high note.

I highly recommend this CD. Invisible Touch may be their most successful album they ever released and while it’s a must-have, Abacab ranks above that album, the same thing with “Genesisâ€Â�. Abacab doesn’t even sound like early 80s New Wave. In fact, from my point of view, it’s at least five years ahead of it’s time and still sounds fresh more than 20 years after it’s release. It may be difficult for me to say which CD is Genesis’ best as they put out so much great music that it’s almost impossible. I highly recommend buying this CD pronto. To those so-called Genesis fans who seemingly have nothing good to say about Phil Collins, I say “Screw them!â€Â� Buy It! ïÂ�Š

Genesis revitalizes with clean new sound.......2002-10-13

Genesis went through a transition on the "...and Then There Were Three" and "Duke" albums, writing shorter songs than in the past and picking up the intensity on the recordings (especially Phil Collins' vocals). On "Abacab", they completed the process. "Abacab" provided the sound that paved the way for Genesis' pop success in the 80s and early 90s. The band had not been satisfied with how tinny "Duke" sounded on the radio, and came up with a production style, including new ways to process the drum sounds, that resulted in a fantastic crisp, clear sound. Digital synthesizers were now available (great for buzzy sounds like those on "Abacab" and "Dodo"), and gave Tony Banks a lot better sound than the wimpy Polymoog used on "Duke". And the band also changed its way of playing -- rather than showing off their chops by playing as much as possible, they simplified the arrangements and left a lot of space in the recording, similar to the approach used by the Police. Mike Rutherford made the biggest sacrifice to the sound. On "Another Record", he only plays guitar on the intro, on "Man on the Corner" only on the closing, on "Who Dunnit?" and possibly "No Reply at All" not at all (his bass playing on the latter is amazing). There are none of the fiery leads he provided on "Duke", though he gets in a decent solo on the title track.

On songs such as "Abacab" and "Dodo/Lurker", the new approach resulted in songs that were among Genesis' best. "Abacab" has Rutherford and Banks trading simple licks to great effect, though the long instrumental ending hadn't yet been fully realized (the live version, with a lot more interplay between the musicians, was a highlight of the next three tours). "Lurker" couples a synthesizer theme with a lyric right out of "The Hobbit"'s game of riddles. But overall, the material on the album isn't as strong as on most of their albums. It's not BAD, it's just not up to the usual standard. Genesis recorded a lot of extra songs, and chose for the albums the ones that they felt people would least expect to hear from Genesis (for example, the dance beat and Earth Wind & Fire horns of "No Reply at All"). In doing so, they left off some songs that were better than many of the ones that made the album. Replace "Who Dunnit?" and "Another Record" with "Paperlate" and "You Might Recall" and this becomes a much stronger album. "Who Dunnit?" is a throwaway done as a goof, and it's perhaps the weakest cut Genesis ever put on an album. "Another Record" is memorable mostly for Collins' drum work. "Keep It Dark" matches a syncopated 6/4 guitar riff with a lyric about a missing man who tells his loved ones he'd been kidnapped because the utopian alien planet he was ACTUALLY brought to was too beautiful for life on Earth to compare to. "Me and Sarah Jane" is one of those catchy Banks pieces made up of several musical snippets thrown together, like "Burning Rope"; the lyric is...who knows? Something about a man and his imaginary girlfriend drowning together. Think of it as a practice run for the lyrics about incipient madness on "Domino". Each band member has one solo composition on the album, and the rest were co-written; after this album, all Genesis songs were always co-written by the band.

(1=poor 2=mediocre 3=pretty good 4=very good 5=phenomenal)

20th Anniversary.......2001-05-30

Released by Virgin Japan/Toshiba-EMI. This was only the second one I ever heard in my life, after "Invisible Touch". This was the first to sell a million copies the world over. This came just months after "Face Value", making 1981 a breakthrough year for Phil Collins.

The Last Blast.......2001-03-29

Genesis managed to record only one good album in the studio they built for themselves in 1981 and this is it - Abacab. The title means nothing and provides a hint as to the abstract nature of the music, which at the same time manages to pack an emotional punch and some great progressive jams. The title track is one of several stand outs, along with Dodo/Lurker, Me and Sarah Jane, Keep it Dark, No Reply at All (featuring the Earth, Wind and Fire horns), Man on the Corner and Another Record. That constitutes most of the songs on the album, the only exceptions being the ridiculous piece of filler Whodonnit (the band must have wanted a lighter moment) and Like it or Not, a rather tired ballad by Mike Rutherford. That's a pretty good score. What makes these songs good, you ask? Well, they are accessible without being too corny, which means that they combine a pop sensibility with the traditional Genesis spirit of experimentation. This makes for an interesting and engaging listening experience. Nothing like Foxtrot but still a world better than the shockingly atrocious self-titled album that followed in 1983. The Ababcab era was truly the last blast of creativity for Genesis. This is documented further on Three Sides Live and the second box set, which contain live versions from this album that are actually much better than the studio recordings, in addition to some fantastic outtakes. Come to think of it, you might just get turned off to the Ababcab era of Genesis by listening to the album first and the live tracks and outtakes second, so maybe you should start with them. All I know is Ace Frehley of Kiss spent some ungodly amount of money building a state of the art recording studio in his home which never once produced an album. It was literally filled in with concrete by the people who bought his house a few years later. At least Genesis managed to make one good one with theirs. But why you would want to pay double the price for a Japanese import is beyond me.

Average customer rating:

The Color of a Man - Now, until... MP2 - Morgan Paul Manufacturer: Abacab Ent. ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Classic Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Indie Music | Stores | Music ASIN: B0000ZJ6FA Release Date: 2003-11-21

Tracks:

1. Empty Cradle
2. Mannequin
3. Weave
4. So Blind
5. The Color of a Man
6. Turn Another Page
7. What If I
8. Remember
9. Just One
10. Pray For Me
11. Good Bye

Album Description

It has been said that life is a journey not a destination. In our journey we look inside ourselves. There we find an Empty Cradle. We live with a Mannequin, trying to escape that reality as we Weave between the lines of our imaginations, and regret being So Blind. This then is The Color of a Man. In an unkind world, we Turn Another Page and ask What If I could start all over again? We Remember in the autumn of our lives, and one day we find we are Just One. So Pray for Me... Too soon it will be time to say Good Bye.

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6. Autumn Thunder: 40 Years of NFL Films Music [Box set] [Soundtrack]
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Rap Music

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