Genesis

If Genesis still had one foot in the art rock world with Abacab, they jumped into pop with both feet on their eponymous release. Genesis used crisp, glossy production and mid-tempo arrangements designed for pop radio in the 1980s. After years of relative obscurity on this side of the Atlantic, one cannot blame the band, especially one so talented. There were many hits, the biggest of which were the slower easy listening songs such as "That's All" or "Taking It All Too Hard." While all the songs are unbelievable catchy, they often mask inane lyrics ("Illegal Alien") and the lack of musical innovation that fans had come to expect was a little disappointing. Although they had lost their edge, Genesis still had the ability to craft catchy songs. Genesis still represents the best pop radio of that era, and the album is still recommended for fans looking for 1980s nostalgia or fans of Phil Collins' solo work. — Vik Iyengar.

Phil Collins - Percussion, Drums, Vocals; Genesis - Producer; Tony Banks - Keyboards, Vocals, Vocals (bckgr); Hugh Padgham - Producer, Engineer; Mike Rutherford - Bass, Guitar, Vocals (bckgr); Geoff Callingham - Technical Assistance; Bill Smith - Cover Design