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 Don't buy this just for the CDs!, May 19, 2007
By Stuart Southerland (Tulsa, OK)
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After reading Jamie Tate's review [Amazon has since deleted his negative review of the Genesis box set], I went back to listen to some of my old "Definitive Edition Remaster" discs, and Mr. Tate is correct: the "loudness wars" have struck again and the new CDs are much louder than the old CDs.
The word "compression" gets tossed around a lot these days. I don't pretend to understand it all, but I do know that the recording industry is overwhelmed with fear right now. CD sales are in a free-fall, they have given up on DVD-A and SACD for the most part, and in an effort to increase sales, remasters are all the rage to try to get us to buy the same music over and over. Audio level compression is a remastering technique used by producers to change the sound of the music. One easy trick the industry uses is that they can release a "remastered" CD with increased volume levels, and the average listener's first impression to this is that the "louder" version sounds better. Of course it doesn't, but I disagree with Jamie Tate's opinion that this ALWAYS results in an inferior product. (Although it sometimes does-there are numerous examples of producers going too far.) For one thing, the Genesis CDs are not just LOUDER, the mix has been altered. The most obvious example is that, for the most part, Phil Collins' voice is a little more up front in the new CD mixes. Mr. Tate obviously hates this, but your opinion may differ.
After reflection, I do agree with Jamie Tate on his ultimate conclusion - Don't buy this collection if you are only going to listen to the CDs. Especially if you already have some or all of the "Definitive Edition Remaster Series" discs. That being said, the new mixes on the CD hardly make me sick to my stomach [as Mr. Tate claims], nor do I think that most people shelling out $100 for this collection are going to ignore the DVDs. If you have a surround system, you get a completely different mix to listen to, and most seem to really like the 5.1 DTS version(s). I do. Also, there are videos, concert footage, and an extra CD of material that was not released on the original albums or CDs. I'm going with 4 stars instead of 5 for two reasons: 1.) the CD version is no big improvement and increasing the loudness is a cheap trick; and 2.) it was stupid for Rhino to leave the SACD layer off of the CD (it is in the European versions) because the SACD version DOES sound better. The Amazon description is incorrect in its claim that this version contains a Hybrid SACD, it does not. I know that SACD has not taken off in the US, but if people can't buy SACDs they won't buy SACD players, and, obviously, if you don't have a player, there is no reason to buy SACDs. How would a Hybrid SACD have harmed sales?
57 of 65 people found the above review helpful.
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The Musical Box, Part I, May 24, 2007
By Alan Caylow (USA)
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With the release of "Genesis: 1976-1982", it's time for the diehard Genesis fans of the world to raise a toast to this most magnificent band, and to be grateful that their music is finally, at long last, getting some respect. The first of three (count 'em, three!) box sets devoted to Genesis, "1976-1982" covers the five albums the band recorded during this period: "A Trick Of The Tail," "Wind & Wuthering," "And Then There Were Three," "Duke" and "Abacab," and each album has not only been remastered, but remixed (i.e. changed in volume levels & effects) by producer Nick Davis. And each album now comes with a bonus DVD that includes all kinds of video goodies: interviews with the band members about the making of each album, rare archival concert & TV footage, and music videos! You also get two more exclusive Genesis treats: a bonus CD/DVD combo with rare Genesis songs from this period---songs released as EP's, B-sides, etc.---and a lovely 48-page book. I'm not going to re-review all five Genesis albums here---I'll just say briefly that I give all five featured albums in this box set the top rating of 5 stars. Instead, what I will touch down on is what you probably *really* want to know about: the sound quality, the DVD's, and the new mixes themselves. My verdict on the sound quality: SENSATIONAL. Sound-wise, these Genesis albums have all been given a fresh---and refreshing---coat of paint. One thing you notice instantaneously on these new mixes is that all of Phil Collins' lead vocals (and some of the backing vocals) have been brought right up front, so you can distinctly hear the words he sings without having to occasionally consult the lyric sheet. The band's instruments now have more crispness and more punch to them. You can hear more separation in the sound, more boom to the sonics, and you can detect more overall atmosphere. And yes, you can indeed hear notes, effects, and complete passages being played that you never could hear before. It's amazing! The DVD's are nothing short of fantastic. The concert & television footage, the music videos, the band interviews...in short, WOW. The bonus CD of rare songs is *excellent* stuff. (And welcome back "Match Of The Day" and "Me And Virgil," two rare songs that were unfairly kicked off the band's previous box set from 2000. A wrong has finally been put right!) And the accompanying booklet has great photos, and the text is insightful and a pleasure to read, although I disagree with a few of author Michael Watts' less-then-enthustiastic opinions of a few choice songs. But for the most part, he is quite respectful in his writings about the band. So, why am I only giving "1976-1982" four stars instead of a perfect five? Well, because although I give tremendous applause to Nick Davis for a remixing job extremely well done, he didn't do it perfectly. The new, earthier-sounding mix of "And Then There Were Three" took a couple of listens for me to fully appreciate. Also, on "Duke," Davis removed a brief guitar part of Mike Rutherford's towards the end of "Misunderstanding," for God knows why. And the title track to "Abacab" is faded out a few seconds too early, and there's a couple of other minor quibbles like that. So, Nick Davis didn't get it *completely* right---and I'm not gonna toss out any of my old Genesis CD's, 'cause I want to keep the old versions of the albums preserved---but, to Davis' credit, he came very close (oh, and he made a genius decision to alter Phil's vocals on the rare song "Pigeons" to make him sound like he's singing through an old-time radio---it fits the song perfectly!). So there you have it. Genesis have been greatly honored with the release of this marvelous box set, "1976-1982." I guarantee you will hear---and see---the band in a whole new light with this collection. So, a toast to Genesis! And I can't wait for box sets 2 and 3.... :-)
39 of 47 people found the above review helpful.
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 A box of ear fatigue..., May 16, 2007
By Jamie Tate (Nashville, TN)
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I don't understand how these remixes are getting such good reviews. Nick Davis used to do such amazing recordings. What happened? When did he become such a fan of over EQing everything? Can't everyone hear how overly EQ'd these mixes are? They simply aren't enjoyable to listen to. They're harsh and thin with a boomy low end and hollowed out midrange and clearly have inferior musical balances than the originals. I guess it's a case where people buy into believing remastered always means better even without volume matched comparisons. Remember, louder doesn't mean better.
I can take about ten minutes of these discs before my ears just start ringing and I have to shut it off. They've lost a lot of the punch and power the original mixes had. The sound of the SSL console EQ Nick used has a distinct tone. They will ring when overused. You can hear it all over this set. It should be annoying even to those whose ears haven't been trained. There's a lot of poorly chosen EQ that adds a nasal quality to the instruments. The cymbals are harsh and Phil's vocals are nasally and sound like a they're coming through a megaphone. Things sound small and jammed together. Nick Davis has made everything sound like a small transistor radio, albeit a very loud transistor radio.
And what's with all the compression? These heavy mixes are ridiculously inappropriate for this beautiful, emotionally dynamic music. These songs used to have dynamics, loud and soft orchestrations that built the music. Now everything is LOUD! The LOUD! parts are LOUD! and the soft parts are LOUD! That's not detail you're hearing, it's just compression.
It makes me sick to my stomach that these loud, overly EQd, overly compressed remixes are going to replace the dynamic, fuller and more artful original mixes.
Welcome to the MP3 generation where sound quality just doesn't matter as long as it's loud. I guess I should get a cheap stereo that makes everything sound bad. That way these Genesis remixes won't upset me so much.
Genesis... the George Lucas of the music world. ICK!
26 of 35 people found the above review helpful.
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A box of ear fatigue..., May 16, 2007
By Smafdy Assmilk
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I don't understand how these remixes are getting such good reviews. Nick Davis used to do such amazing recordings. What happened? When did he become such a fan of over EQing everything? Can't everyone hear how overly EQ'd these mixes are? They simply aren't enjoyable to listen to. They're harsh and thin with a boomy low end and hollowed out midrange and clearly have inferior musical balances than the originals. I guess it's a case where people buy into believing remastered always means better even without volume matched comparisons. Remember, louder doesn't mean better.
I can take about ten minutes of these discs before my ears just start ringing and I have to shut it off. They've lost a lot of the punch and power the original mixes had. The sound of the SSL console EQ Nick used has a distinct tone. They will ring when overused. You can hear it all over this set. It should be annoying even to those whose ears haven't been trained. There's a lot of poorly chosen EQ that adds a nasal quality to the instruments. The cymbals are harsh and Phil's vocals are nasally and sound like a they're coming through a megaphone. Things sound small and jammed together. Nick Davis has made everything sound like a small transistor radio, albeit a very loud transistor radio.
And what's with all the compression? These heavy mixes are ridiculously inappropriate for this beautiful, emotionally dynamic music. These songs used to have dynamics, loud and soft orchestrations that built the music. Now everything is LOUD! The LOUD! parts are LOUD! and the soft parts are LOUD! That's not detail you're hearing, it's just compression.
It makes me sick to my stomach that these loud, overly EQd, overly compressed remixes are going to replace the dynamic, fuller and more artful original mixes.
Welcome to the MP3 generation where sound quality just doesn't matter as long as it's loud. I guess I should get a cheap stereo that makes everything sound bad. That way these Genesis remixes won't upset me so much.
Genesis... the George Lucas of the music world. ICK!
25 of 34 people found the above review helpful.
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 Revealing new mixes and interviews, May 20, 2007
By BingoMosquito (Seattle, Washington USA)
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These new stereo and 5.1 mixes and DVD extras reveal Genesis in an appropriate light for today's music appreciator. Granted, the original mixes (vinyl LPs, the 1994 remasters) will always be a standard for someone out there with a tendency toward nostalgia, but as digital technologies advance it becomes necessary (if financially possible) to take advantage of them.
I do agree that the stereo mixes are much louder, but they are also much CLEARER with a wider frequency spectrum revealing little musical parts that were previously heard subconsciously. The downside of that is some prominent riffs get enveloped in the new wall of sound, however I can practically feel Phil Collin's saliva being spit into my ear now that the vocals are further upfront. And finally, Phil's intricate drumming and percussion touches are brought up, satisfying anyone who, like me, believed they've been too deep in the background before the abacab album.
The 5.1 mixes are subtle and not gimmicky, except for the occasional background vocal or percussion popping up from behind. If you adore Tony Banks' synthesizer and Mellotron work, you'll love the 5.1 mixes. Given that Tony had primary oversight of all the new mixes, there seems to be a lot of attention given to the depth and effect of his keyboards in the 5.1 mixes. In fact, the interviews reveal that Mike Rutherford heard the re-mixes and had some input. Phil Collins and Steve Hackett had no input on the re-mixes, and their participation here is limited only to the interviews.
The DVD extras are somewhat fascinating. Each DVD has a 10-15 minute 2006 interview with each band member about each respective record. Pretty revealing stuff. Did you know that "Behind The Lines," "Duchess," "Guide Vocal," "Turn It On Again," "Duke's Travels," and "Duke's End" were all song parts that was meant to be a 27-minute long suite somewhat like "Supper's Ready"? Armed with that new info, I actually re-created it using editing software, and it WORKS as a long song: lyrically, thematically and musically. Just start "Turn It On Again" before "Guide Vocal" completely fades out and start "Duke's Travels" just as "Turn It On Again" starts its fade out. It works.
The concert footage on the DVD extras is fun to watch, especially the 1976 shows with Bill Bruford on drums. Also, the promotional music videos for the singles off each album are there, including an appearance on The Mike Douglas Show from 1977 culled from what looks like a very old VHS tape. The synching up of the Digital Dolby 5.1 music with that deteriorating footage is a jarring experience, but amusing nonetheless.
The bonus CD contains all the British EPs (Spot The Pigeon, 3x3) and b-sides of singles unavailable elsewhere. Bonus DVD has the "Paperlate" music video and 2006 interviews about the re-mixing process. Also, the booklet included has some interesting commentary on each album by Michael Watts. Each album has full lyrics and recaptures well all the art included in each original release.
Lastly, I need to know from anyone who has bought this box set or the "... and then there were three..." album DVD if at just past the 22:00 minute mark in either 5.1 mix version (during the song "Burning Rope") did your player stop playing and go crazy for about 30 seconds before resuming the song? I need to know if it's just my Sony DVD player or a defect in the DVD, but it only happens there at that exact moment consistently.
18 of 21 people found the above review helpful.
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Essential for any Genesis fan, July 16, 2007
By Paul Allaer (Cincinnati)
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I was 14 when Genesis' "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway" came out, and my music world was never quite the same after that. When Peter Gabriel left, it was quite the shock and it looked like that might be it for Genesis. But instead, the band surprised everyone (including themselves) by delivering what is arguably their finest album ever ("A Trick of the Tail") and would march on for many years, taking lots of left and right turns. I, for one, was quite taken aback with the turn taken with "Duke" and "Abacab", neither of which I ever bought. Until now.
"Genesis 1976-1982" (6 CDs, 6 DVDs) is extraordinary on so many levels. I'm not going into a dissection of each of the 5 studio albums from that period, except to say that having now listened to "Duke" and "Abacab" from start to finish (and with the benefit of 25+ years hindsight), I can see what the band was trying to do. Each of the albums is now also onto 5.1 Surround Sound, and that sounds absolutely amazing, if you have the right audio set-up at home (which I happen to have). The 6th CD "Extra Tracks" (13 tracks, 59 min.) collects odds-and-ends from various EPs, B-sides and other miscellaneous "lost" songs from that period. The colletion sounds a bit disjointed because, well it IS disjointed, although I love "Inside and Out", with a furious Tony Banks solo towards the end, wow, and better yet is "It's Yourself", which really shoulda been included on the "Winds & Wuthering" album, just outstanding.
The real pay-off on this set are the various visuals added onto the DVDs. Let's start with the absolute best of the whole bunch: a 45 min. concert from 1976 (on the "Trick of the Tail" DVD), with (surpisingly) excellent audio and video and stunning tracks like "Fly on a Windshield", "Entangled" and "Los Endos" (I saw Genesis on their 1977 tour and this brings back many memories). Equally good is a 45 min. excerpt from a 1980 London show (on the "Duke" DVD) with killer performances like "In the Cage", "Dance on a Volcane" and again "Los Endos"). Also not to be missed is a 40 min. 1978 BBC documentary called "Three Dates with Genesis" (on the "And Then There Were Three" DVD), where the BBC reporter follows the band on 3 shows (Germany, Holland and then Knebworth). The real eye opener is of course to see a behind the scenes look at a big festival like Knebworth in 1978 (admission price: 5.50 British Pounds!), it's like watching a time capsule. Each of the 5 studio albums comes with a "2007 reissue interview", which lasts about 15-20 min. each and is quite interesting the first time around. This box-set also collects the many videos the band did, which are quite enjoyable (I remember seeing the "Robbery, Assault & Battery" video as a kid on Belgian TV in 1976; hadn't seen it since). Last but not least, the set contains a nice 48 page booklet with great liner notes.
I can't emphasize enough how estatic I am with this reissue. I already was tempted to buy this when Best Buy ran it with $30 off, but then when I saw that Amazon sells it at FIFTY PERCENT OFF, I immediately jumped on it and ordered it here. Best decision in a long time. This box set is absolutely essential for Genesis fans from the 1970s. As for Genesis fans from the latter era, give this a look and listen. Chances are you'll be stunned, in the best possible way.
15 of 19 people found the above review helpful.
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The audio sounds really really bad., August 23, 2007
By J. Saunders
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I hope this is not the version of these Genesis records that survives through the ages because the audio on this set sounds absolutely terrible. It is compressed and limited far beyond all good taste. My friends and I had a listening party, checked it out on both a very high end system and tiny computer speakers, and compared it to the old mixes. We all agreed that the 1994 remaster versions were far superior in both contexts. The 1994 versions are actually clearer because the limiting on these new versions causes severe chopping off of drum transients thus making the drums more muddled. Such is the trend for the past ten years or so in recording. We have the best recording gear ever available and the worst sounding recordings because whoever is putting out these squashed recordings has no ear. This boxed set was a great idea. It looks great and features lots of video material and bonus songs. But I just don't see the point of that if it sounds bad.
Well, I just noticed that a lot of the reviewers think this new version sounds great. I have a degree in music and have been playing live, writing, and recording music for years now, so I'm not some idiot who doesn't know what music should sound like. Maybe it's all what you're used to. If you don't want or care to hear drum transients that cut like drums have for thousands of years, or don't need the spots where Phil's drums boost the songs' energy like the way he intended, then don't worry - you'll find none of that on these recordings.
>Anyone who doesn't think the sound is amazing needs to upgrade their stereo system to one which will unleash the sound quality this set offers.
I listened to it on an audiophile 5.1 system that cost probably $25,000 in an acoustically treated room. I'll try to find one that costs $100,000 and see if that helps.
15 of 29 people found the above review helpful.
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"HOLY MOTHER OF GOD.....", April 24, 2007
By Bargamon (Carolinas)
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Pricing is interesting of this box on Amazon. I won't bash them as its their forum. The "Musical Box" we can speak of.......
Wow! I loved this band in my youth and my first album of theirs was "Seconds Out". In fact I have owned it in 8-Track, LP, Cassette and CD. I beg of the band to mix that one up in this format and I will buy it. I promise.
THis past winter I put together a well researched new audio/surround system for my den. There have been days Im not sure if it was really woth the time and expense until I open up some SACD recordings and the music just jumps out! Thus, when I cued up "Volcano" form Trick it sent a shiver down my body that sent me back to the days of good headphones! These recordings in SACD just now imerse the room with sound and details I never knew to be in this music! If you have such a system, then you know what I am talking about. Take one of the all time favorite recordings and its a wonderful moment when it all comes together!
What is interesting is to revisit these albums all these years later and rediscover the more "mature" songs that have greater depth and texture than I ever can remember. Likely due in fact to maturity by the listener, and the enhanced recording. Lets put it this way, after the 80's Phil was overexposed and I couldn't handle him anymore!
There are many moments to behold in these 7 discs. THe song " A trick of the tail" really jumped out! Ripples (especially live) was always a favorite and one can really now hear Phils vocals. Especially the part where he tries to reach for a "Peter" like chord in one instance. The video for Ripples is funny. close up of phil shows what a kid he as back then, but its funny as the song progresses it is visible he is starting to perspire on his face. THe Video to "Trick" is great as the band is gathered around Tony's piano and having a good time lip synching to a low bugdet offering. There are some interesting effects that start to happen that make it fun, but there is that someting in phils hand that one does not know what to make of? Then you realize its what we used to call a "Bowl" and the band might be a bit more giggly as the song goes off. They might be a bit "buzzed"! Very funny!
I was thrilled to see the 45min short of live music with Bruford! To me the energy of that band with the ever so elegant Hackett was my favorite live lineup. Don't get me wrong, I loved Peter and still feel the best Genesis album of all time is "selling england" but the band really opened up in the post Peter days with Hackett. Chester might have been better over all in the long run but the band was on a mission post Pete and had somthing to prove, and they had debts to pay. I thought I once read they did not get out of Debt until "Duke". 10 albums and then the money started flowing in!
I have the SACD region zero with gives me the standard Cd, SACD on one disc, and DVD-A and DVD video on the other. I thought the Genesis home page had a good deal on them. With all that and the extras (mostly already found on the Archive 2 and the booklet it was still a good value compared to owning them seporate.
Wind and Wuthering has always been a favorite so I was happy with having this one in SACD and all its goodness. What suprised me was how good an album Abacab really was. It was the first album of the new era, or the beginning of the end as some purists might say but songs like "Keep it Dark" and others really jump out in wonder high resolution.
IM sure if the Genesis series is sucessful, aging babyboomers will flock to similar offerings if produced by Led Zep, Yes, Beatles, etc
I am really looking forward to the Peter Gabriel years box and hope they also can do a live series with Seconds Out, Genesis Live, and perhaps the upcoming tour.
13 of 16 people found the above review helpful.
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Finally they did it right, March 31, 2007
By D.E.B. Schotman (Dublin, Ireland)
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I have just heard A Trick Of The Tail, I can only tell all of you skip the SA CD's and go to the DVD audio first. I never heard Genesis so masterfull as its recorded on this album. The DTS tracks are full bit rate and 96/24 bits so in other words the best possible sound you can reach right now. And the result is breathtaking. It took years, I mean year after year we heard about them working on a surround remaster of The Lamb, but eventually they did them all. You truly will hear surround, and hear so many things you never heard before, accents, details from which you never knew that the song had to offer so much.
Most importantly, the while the old remasters were sounding hollow and had nothing of the power Genesis had on stage, this time the power is there. Sound is so much dynamic now !!
The only real dissapointment is that the show with Bruford is not remastered and songs such as Cinema show or Suppers Ready are performed only half. But since its a show with Bruford I think, that the historical value is much more important. Truly legendary stuff !!
Now wait for the concerts, and more important the next 2 sets. Ofcourse the next set, the 70/75 box will be the real threat.
12 of 18 people found the above review helpful.
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5 Stars For the Music, 1 Star for the Remastering/Remixing, September 21, 2008
By Jeff Carney
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If you want to hear classic late 70s/early 80s Genesis sound like it is being broadcast on FM radio, then this is the ticket. The disrespect to the original mixes here is nothing short of depressing. We're not talking about something that will only disappoint "purists," but work so drastic that it has arguably been the most controversial "remastering" of the past decade. I'm not sure I have ever read so many negative reviews about a remastering job, and if you are curious about such commentary, your search engine will surely reveal enough reading for a lifetime. Even some of the defenders of this set have admitted that they can only tolerate it at "low volumes." Should this be the way we have to listen to music!? I like music that makes me want to turn it up and experience the sound as I become emotionally engaged in the sonics, not music that makes me feel like maybe I should watch some TV after ten minutes. This stuff is a thrill ride for a few minutes, but how anyone could listen to Genesis in this fashion on a constant basis is something I cannot fathom.
Suffice to say that this stuff has clearly been pummeled (and I mean *pummeled*) with compression in the remixing process. The subtle elements of the original mixes are just squashed. Everything is loud, in your face, and dynamically limited beyond reason.
The "Defintive Editions" weren't definitive, and most audiophiles I know seek out the early Virgin/Charisma CDs with those horrible cropped covers (most of which look bad but SOUND great!). However, compared to this stuff, even those DEs were glorious. The DEs may have been digitally no-noised (ick!) and inferior to the original UK discs (and some US discs) by ten miles, but even they were 100 miles better than this approach. I don't hear any digital noise reduction on these, which is good, but the compression is simply unbearable to my ears. You can almost feel the compressor just "pumping" on some of this stuff. The sonic approach seems akin to the worst trip (nightmare) imagineable: Vintage Genesis being mixed to appeal to the modern "dance club" crowd or something...
No thanks. Two thumbs way, WAY down. ;-(
12 of 20 people found the above review helpful.
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Wish these CDs sounded better!!!, November 19, 2007
By pixiesfan (Virginia, USA)
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What is the point? Unfortunately, these new remasters are a waste of money. My original CDs from the 80s sound much better. Maybe these would sound good as mp3s but I want this to sound good on my high-end stereo at home.
11 of 23 people found the above review helpful.
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NOT for analogue lovers..., April 29, 2007
By Ole Troll (Ohio)
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Sure, ANYONE could say a mouthful about such an ambitious project. I'm going to limit my comments to those things I THINK mid-period Genesis fans would want to know about it before plunking down $162.50+ to bring it home. I have good reason to think that if you're NOT already a mid-period Genesis fan, you've no reason to be reading this.
I'll speak mostly about things unique to the BOX SET. Once I've had time to carefully critique the individual album reissues (no, I haven't had time yet) I'll probably subject the unwary reader to my o-pines under the individual album product headings. (Forewarned is forearmed!)
Now there are several versions of this already, and a US (WEA/Rhino) immitation still to come (5/15 last time I checked.) My version is the EU (PAL) issue on EMI/Charisma. The box is LOVELY despite the choice of an inappropriate Genesis logo to adorn it. The cardboard box it was shipped from Amazon.co.uk in looked like it had been used as the Official game ball in "Match of the Day" but the product survived unscathed. Inside the box is, for me, a nice touch: a plastic guide-liner which the individual jewel cases slide into, separating them enough to allow them to be removed without having to "pour" the lot o' them all out. There's also a hard bound book (with bemusements by one Michael Watts) of the same dimensions. The discs of "Extra Tracks" are inserted in its front and back covers. Since these discs (with the same 13 songs on each, in SACD and DVD formats respectively) are unique to the box (so I've read) I'll say a few things about them here. They lack at least 2 studio recordings by these blokes from the period that I know of: an outtake from the ATOTT sessions that's called "Indians" on the bootleg Lp I have it on, and the single version of "Follow You Follow Me" which I ONLY bought so many Mad Man Moons ago (sorry...) because its B-side was a nice track leftover from W&W called "Inside and Out", which thankfully IS included here. The single of FYFM was markedly different from the album version, and most definitely SHOULD have been included. This is NOT why I didn't credit the product a 5-Star.
That reason (which I alluded to in my heading) I'll now discuss. Look folks, with the SINGLE exception of ONE song from ATTWT, this whole work is completely re-mixed from the Original multitrack session masters...the actual tapes that were running across the tape heads 2 1/2 to 3 decades ago while these incredible geniuses played their instruments! (Just that thought reduces me to a blob of quivering protoplasm.) And NOT to negate the debt of gratitude I (and many others) owe to Mr. Nick Davis who painstakingly poured over what had to be hundreds or perhaps THOUSANDS of rolls of self-same looking 2" mylar waiting and listening for that ONE particular take that had made the final cut, and became an indelible part of the prgressive rock story in general, and the "book of Genesis" specifically.
BUT..........
Naturally the "resolution" here is uniformly PHENOMENAL! On EVERY cut you will hear things you never knew were there, and you will enjoy every nuance you'd already picked out with greater clarity and audiological palpability than ever before possible. Mr. Davis did not have to worry about the final product having to be squeezed into a tiny divit sliding across the surface of a disc of PVC. And THANK GOD he didn't. How rewarding it is to be able to, at least approximately, hear and feel the power of a rock band of virtuosos performing in their studio space as they intended their compositions to...well...BE. That much is a baseline for something like this.
However, we aren't in Heaven, and this falls short of being heavenly. I don't know enough about digital technology to say HOW it happened, or WHERE in the transfer process it crept in. But, sorry to have to tell you this, but it's awfully brittle and digital sounding...throughout. The warmth and comfort that these recordings (at least those before "Duke") used to wrap me up in, is almost absent from these versions. Believe me, I wanted these to be perfect worse than anyone I know. But if analogue (which initially these recordings all were) warmth is important to you, I'm afraid you'll be disappointed by the results. The exagerated silibance (sp?) of the cymbals and Collins' vocals are most particularly distracting to my pleasure while listening. I needed to tell you the truth as I hear it, if you've bothered to read this far.
Perhaps we can hope it was some shortcoming in the DUPLICATION process, and it won't rear its ugly head at all in the domestic pressings to come from WEA/Rhino. Perhaps one of you who select that product will give a listen to it from this perspective and make comment in these "pages" about how well the Americans fared in this regard.
9 of 10 people found the above review helpful.
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SACD or DVD Surround?, April 23, 2009
By Diego Demaya (Houston, TX USA)
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There is a great deal of misinformation regarding the key differences between the European imports of these Genesis box sets and those released in the US market. It is true that the imports have SACD hybrid discs with accompanying DVD DTS and Dolby Digital surround tracks. The SACD hybrids also carry the standard Red Book CD layer. But let's settle this once and for all: the SACD tracks sound no different than the DTS 24/96 tracks on the DVD counterparts. Moreover, the only reason to obtain either of the box sets is for the surround sound tracks--not for the stereo down mixes.
I tested both formats on a Denon DVD 3910 with Firewire digital audio connected to a Pioneer VSX 59TXi amplifier with I-Link with Firewire connections. So my tests were strictly in the digital domain for all layers, the stereo and surround tracks for all formats, SACD, Red Book (standard) CD, DD and DTS. I tested the US releases versus the SACD imports. I used Sennheiser 600 headphones. The disc I concentrated on was the Wind and Wuthering CD and DVD from both box sets--import and US. I also compared the Trick of the Tail discs from both boxes. My import set is the European NTSC SACD box, which I believe was made for Japan release, or countries not using PAL. I also own the US version of this box set.
First, the obvious test was to compare the standard Red Book CD (16 bit 44k) stereo tracks on both the standard single CD offering in the US box and the same tracks on the European Hybrid SACD import box. The sound was virtually identical if not for a slight variation in volume--although I had to strain to hear it. Otherwise, the depth and texture of the sound was identical. The comparison of the SACD stereo track with the US standard CD tracks yielded an improvement as expected. SACD, after all, is a superior format with its 24 bit 96 Khz range as compared to a limited 16 bit 44 khz standard CD layer. In the SACD, you simply hear more in the lower and higher frequencies without the distortion one may encounter in Red Book CDs. So, this comparison was silly to say the least--though someone had to do it!
Second, the SACD 5.1 tracks compared very well with the DTS and DD 5.1 tracks on the DVDs of both boxes. Basically, the DVD in both boxes are identical. The only caution I offer is that Dolby Digital produced a slightly limited 16 bit 48 khz rendition, where the DTS 24/96 stereo and 5.1 sound was discernibly clearer and with less distracting artifacts. The SACD sounded excellent performing equally with the DTS tracks. The SACD sounded no "warmer" than the DTS tracks. Bass and midrange were excellent on both formats. However, on the higher range of frequencies (e.g., cymbals, synthesizers, etc.) both the DTS and SACD formats left me with the impression that something went wrong during the high definition remastering of these tracks. But read more below on this issue.
Next, is the question of whether a Genesis enthusiast should obtain the SACD boxes of these collections. The SACD boxes have not been released in the United States. My first impression is that a collecter will not care: they will simply purchase what's offered. Hence, I read reviews by people who own all versions. However, for the consumer who is conscience of quality rather than for the sake of saying, "hey I have that box too," I must question whether the SACD boxes are indeed worth the extra money or effort. The reason is because my tests indicate the same sound quality on both the SACD and DVD high definition tracks. Thus, a person who owns an SACD player, as I do, for example, might twitch to obtain the SACD boxes simply to justify ownership of an SACD player. But, at least in my view, there is no other reason to justify buying the SACD format in this case. Why? Because the sound quality is no better on the SACDs than what you will find on the DVD tracks of the US versions. Ironically, the import versions are almost a redundency in themselves, because they also come with the complementary DTS and DD tracks DVDs. I suppose that one positive difference between the non-SACD US box and the SACD Import is that the import gives you all formats to satisfy anyone's equipment.
As for the reviewer who reported that the SACD layer sounded "warmer" than the sound on the DVD DTS and DD tracks, they also admitted that their SACD rig was connected via 5.1 analogue cables--not digitally. Well, it is true that any CD player sounds "warmer" when playing through analogue connections. In my case, I use a Denon universal DVD player that connects digitally to my Pioneer Elite receiver through the IEEE1394 Firewire connector. This means that the sound, regardless of format, is entirely processed in the digital domain. Hence, my comparison of the SACD vs. the DTS and DD tracks on the DVD counterpart yielded zero discernable differences. It is possible that the compression used in SACDs is somewhat "better" than what's used for DTS and DD (Dolby Digital). But I am not going to get overly technical about this issue, because I want to enjoy the music not criticize one format over another. It is also possibly true that what one individual hears in their sound system can be completely different from what another person hears in yet another sound system. My point is that it all depends on how you listen to your music or a particualr rock group. Personally, my rig is set to a "centered" or "flat" response setting with regard to tone and base control. My Polk Audio Lsi15 speakers and their surround sound compliment require zero tweaking to achieve a balanced and pleasant listening experience without fatigue. Moreover, I even switched off the subwoofer in the system to avoid "cheating" on bass response. So, I can categorically state that the SACD layer sounded no different than what you find on the DVD DTS sound tracks. The only critical objection I was able to discern was that the Dolby Digital 48 Khz tracks appear to loose some frequency response at the edges of the higher and lower ranges. I can only atribute this to the SACD's 96 Khz range difference. Indeed, the DTS tracks sounded no different than the SACD tracks. Again, there was a slight difference in volume, where the DTS was a bit louder albeit with no discernable loss of quality or "warmth" when compared with SACD.
Let's face it, what the human ear can hear is the real test. There are many audiophiles who will swear by their custom tube-output analogue high definition rigs for SACD and even DTS playback through a 5.1 analogue output. They purposefully stay away from digitizing their music for fear of losing that "warmth" or analogue feel to the music. However, there is much expensive gear out there, the likes of Meridian, Sony SCD ES, and so forth, to unjustifiably pronounce digitally processed sound as inferior to analogue processing. But this issue is truly a matter of sheer taste in playback equipment. I have to admit that SACD tends to give me some sort of "darker" improvement on bass response--but I am truly unsure whether this is a format difference or whether it is simply in my head!
Certainly, while the high definition audio does indeed travel through analogue cables, the data processed through the digital domain cannot lie. Your player at that point becomes merely a transport that allows your receiver to do most of the processing. The player serves to keep jitter and other transport and read issues corrected or balanced. Likewise, there are many systems that can reproduce and process sound in the digital domain--the likes of a Denon DVD 3910 or 5910, a Pioneer Elite DV 59Avi or 47Ai, or the untouchable Sony SCD-XA9000ES. Indeed, I tested my own Denon 3910 by outputing sound from both digital and analogue surround and stereo and heard zero differences. So, when I contacted Denon about this rather strange outcome, their response was simply that my test only emphasized their truly superior digital extrapolation and sound imaging. Whatever dude! Hence, we'll never truly resolve the issue of analogue vs. digital. I am quite happy with my rig, and do not plan on dusting off the old turntable any time soon.
With this in mind, I want to turn to a comparison of the Wind and Wuthering stereo CD issued in 1994 to the CD, SACD, and DTS found on the new box sets. This brings me back to my earlier question above regarding whether something went wrong with the track remastering for this box set. Another faithful Genesis fan made this comparison, and I would like to formally agree with that individual. Simply put, the 1994 stereo issue of Wind and Wuthering sounds superior to its rendition on the box set--whether it's the SACD/DVD import or CD/DVD domestic set. All I could do during my listening test was to sit utterly dumb founded. Essentially, the new stereo recording sounds brittle, distorted, and artifitially compressed to the point of ridicule. The older issue of this album on CD simply sounds gentle, clear, the bass is strong and dark, while the percussion was flawlessly preserved to shine Phil's excellent work with symbals. The soft passages in "One for the Vine," for example, are carefully preserved in the 1994 CD. The new CD is simply stupidly pumped by a sickening use of compression.
And, what's this about increasing the volume? The new rendition is so lound, that you wonder if someone was having hearing issues during the stereo remixes. Whatever happened between the older mixes for the 1994 CD and the newer remixes for the box sets is simply beyond my imagination. I refuse to believe that neither the Genesis guys nor their engineer missed such a wide gap between those older mixes and the newer reproductions. This is what I would call "falling asleep at the wheel!" Moreover and sadly, the SACD, DTS, and DD tracks are the same quality tracks found on the standard stereo CDs found in the box set. Yes, you do get 5.1 surround and 24/96 stereo via the SACD and DTS tracks. You even get 16 bit 48 khz on the DD tracks. But you still get the same brittle and obscenely lound and compressed tracks that compare so poorly to the 1994 stereo CD issue. Indeed, it appears as though they simply downmixed the multi-track audio tapes into two channel stereo without as much as a thought to conduct a carefully engineered downmix: one that takes into account how to properly accommodate all the instruments and vocals onto two tracks.
Why? And, why again? Why was this allowed to happen? There truly cannot be a logical explanation to permit such a butchering of this music. All I can say is that I will not be taking my old Lamb Lies Down on Broadway and Wind and Wuthering CDs to the used CD store!
Lastly, I do want to acknowledge that I am truly enjoying the 5.1 surround tracks, even if they are defective when compared to the older stereo CD. If Genesis set out to change the landscape of classic rock listening by unleashing a totally different spectrum within which to hear their music, then this goal, at least, has been achieved. Just listening to the Trick of the Tail disc in DTS will propel you to a different planet. The music is virtually different while still being earily the same stuff you're used to. Somehow, the tunes come out different, like there's a new map that one has to follow to get to the end of each song. Seriously, when was the last time you experienced music such as this for the first time? Thus far, I can only think of one album: Steve Hackett's "To Watch the Storms."
Is surround sound worth the extra effort for classic rock listening? Okay, if you have not yet heard the Dark Side of the Moon in SACD surround sound, then rush out and purchase the $15 SACD version before it disappears and becomes yet another overpriced Pink Floyd collectible. Or, if you don't own an SACD player, get the Moody Blues "Days of Future Passed" in DTS disc, which will play on any DVD player--provided you have it hooked up for surround sound. Try it! These discs is the reason why music in surround sound has a reason to exist. And, yes, Genesis, at least in my view, has entered this domain as well. Don't worry. The older and better sounding stereo recording is not enough of a reason not to purchase any of these box sets--import or domestic. In fact, the only reason for purchaseing these box sets is because you want to reexperience Genesis for the first time. I believe owning and keeping the older CDs will only add a sinister mystique to the Genesis library. A while ago, DVD-Audio had promised greatness in audio quality the likes of 24 bit 192 khz tracks! But Sadly, those days are over, and SACD has won that war--albeit until it is soon replaced by who knows what lower MP3-type format. Run out and purchase an SACD/DVD-Audio universal player and start buying DVD-Audio and SACD before copyright litigation makes what little music has been released in surround sound formats extinct! I guarantee that the SACD or DVD-Audio versions of Elton John's Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, or the Who's Tommy, will utterly propel you into another land: one of true musical bliss and fantasy.
Enjoy the Sounds!
8 of 11 people found the above review helpful.
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 Tony Banks - He WINS. Hackett - He LOSES, January 15, 2009
By Michael A. Padilla
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Short and to the point: (1) Overcompressed, "radio-friendly" mixes - perfect for low volume in the car, ear fatigue if played higher.
(2) Why is the guy responsible for "Hold On My Heart" and other dreck (Nick Davis) let loose on this revered back catalog to remix it? Answer: He mixed it the way undisputed band leader, keyboardist Tony Banks wanted it - heavy on the Tony Banks, that is.
(3) Listen to "Ripples" from "Trick of the Tail:" The timeless, elegiac Hackett guitar solo (his best since "Firth of Fifth") is unforgivably drowned out by the meandering counterpoint of Banks' synth, which should have remained a lower-volume part of the mix. With Banks in control of these remixes, there was no chance for Hackett to do anything; Rutherford will always back up Banks (those two have been together since the beginning), and, as shown in the box set materials, Collins didn't take any interest in this project. If you know your Genesis history, Banks and Gabriel effectively shared band leadership. Once Gabriel downshifted and bowed out of Genesis, Banks ran the show, being supported by his schoolmate, bassist Rutherford at every turn. Of course, in the 80s and beyond, Collins proved his songwriting mettle to the point that even Banks concluded they needed Collins to stay "big" (that's why they booted poor Ray Wilson, a great singer, but that's another story). This box set proves that, without Gabriel's songwriting additions, Banks truly is a master songwriter, and I'm a fan of Bank's (even own his Strictly Inc. CD and Wicked Lady LP). But without the BALANCE of other viewpoints like, oh, producer David Hentschel, or Hackett, Collins and Rutherford sitting by as the mix comes together, Banks and his chosen remixer Nick Davis are left free reign to craft a substantial revision of what Genesis sounded like, brazenly heavy on the Banks. The changes to "Ripples" are unforgiveable. And Hackett's gorgeous last-third guitar pieces in "All In A Mouse's Night" from Wind & Wuthering are again washed out by Banks' keyboards - changes that totally change the feel of the song. It sounds like "Tonight Tonight Tonight"-era Collins (HUGE vocals) dropped in to track the vocal on "Turn It On Again." On a positive note, I do like the nice clarity brought to Rutherford's virtuoso bass playing on the "Wind & Wuthering" album. Who knew this was the same guy who chugs along to "We Can't Dance"?
(4) Buy it to get the videos (all great), and the B-sides that weren't included on the prior 1976-1992 Box, but bury these remix CDs.
7 of 9 people found the above review helpful.
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What You Get..., May 19, 2007
By DW (chicago, IL)
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To me, the 1994 remixes of A Trick Of The Tail, Wind & Wuthering and And Then There Were Three were good enough. So, I'll only comment about the DVD extras...
Here's what you get:
* The complete Genesis In Concert 1976 video (42:40) (this laserdisc was fetching over $150 alone on eBay)
* Live At The Lyceum 1980 (38:50) video
* Three Dates With Genesis (48:43) video documentary of the 1978 tour. Quality is poor.
* Each DVD disc has modern (2006) interviews with Tony, Phil, Mike and Steve (all filmed individually). These vary in length. Generally around 14:00 each.
* Excerpt from Mike Douglas 1977 (8:08). The band (joined by Chester Thompson) lip-sync You're Own Special Way and Afterglow and are briefly interviewed between songs. Quality is poor (bootleg).
* Japanese Live bootleg 1977 (7:38). Combination studio and live audio of them performing parts Eleventh Earl Of Mar, the end of One For The Vine, the complete You're Own Special Way.
* All music video that were made at the time.
* Scans of tour programs.
Surprisingly, Three Sides Live video is not included on the Abacab disc set.
The set is comprised of:
* 12 discs (6 CD/SACD; 6 DVD (PAL)) with 5 double jewel cases. The PAL DVDs play on computer DVD drives but not on a standard US NTSC DVD player. The CD/SACD discs play on any CD player.
* Each disc insert includes replica artwork with lyrics.
* All discs housed in a nice box (similar to Led Zeppelin's Studio set).
* The discs of extra songs are stored in a hard-bound, 44-page booklet of thick, coated paper. It describes the making of each album and it's impact.
[DW]
7 of 10 people found the above review helpful.
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Genesis Box Set -Get It While You Can, June 3, 2007
By call me panzer: Book,.. (Fort Lauderdale, FL United States)
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I was quite excited to hear that this was coming out after hearing the remixes on Platinum. I am still waiting on the Gabriel era box set. Oh yeah!
Unlike some people, I love all versions of Genesis - Peter, Phil, or Ray. I always felt it was the music that made the difference.
Some have said that this is just a louder version of the same stuff. Well, it IS louder! But it is also much clearer. I can hear the difference between Steve's electric and Mike's 12 string - they are seperated now and clear. Tony's keyboards are up in the mix (I guess it's OK since he was directly involved in the remixes). Phil's vocals are much clearer now and nuances can be heard that were lost in analog mixes. Phil's drums are also much crisper. The whole sound is excellent.
The DVDs with the 5.1 Dolby versions of the songs are fantastic. Mr. Davis sure knew what he was doing. The interviews are interesting, the concert footage is nice, and the music videos, even if I didn't already have the video collection, are a nice touch.
If you are any kind of fan of Genesis, pick this up immediately...or sooner! If you are a casual fan, buy the albums that you like in this format, you will get a kick out of them.
7 of 11 people found the above review helpful.
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must-have for fans of the period, August 13, 2008
By jd (sellersville PA USA)
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Please pardon any apparent duplication of other reviews; i haven't read them in over a month, so any duplicity is unintentional and hopefully forgivable.
The DTS mix totally kicks on my stereo, even without digital/optical connectors--i use a hybrid 5.1 system with 80s vintage wooden columns as the front speakers.
The best features are the 76 tour excerpt on Trick DVD from the White Rocks movie, and the 80 tour excerpt on the Duke DVD.
I for one appreciate being able to hear the soft 12 string and classical passages with clarity and without the hiss and pop of the vinyl versions. Percussion, guitar, and synth in particular leap out of the rear channels in ecstatic definition.
Another bonus is the Abacab full lyrics which were not included with my long lost American vinyl copy -- unfortunately, incorrect and unintelligible words have long been etched on my musical memory.
Sadly, the Japanese bootleg footage is brutally abridged and edited and matched with studio instead of live audio, like the American W&W extras, but you at least get the visual with Steve Hackett.
There was a King Biscuit show, i thought, of the 77 and 78 tours, which would have made a great audio addition if workable. Also it would have been nice to have the supposed Dallas footage that is supposedly out there.
Maybe if they issue a box set of the live albums?
Long story short, if you like this excellent period of the band, and particularly if u r a fan who can recite the track lists from memory, it's a must have--especially if you appreciate the energy and visuals of their live performance, which compensates for lost studio layers with extra energy and composition from Steve and Phil in particular.
Concert highlights:
Fly on a windshield, Entangled, Cinema show/Supper's ready/One for the vine/Earl of Mar/Lady lies excerpts; full Behind the Lines/Duchess/Guide Vocal, featuring Phil 'pushing buttons,' switches and sliders live on his drum machine during Tony's spaced-out sounds and dramatic crescendos.
Other highlights: the band individually discussing each album (in 2007) and its tracks, as well as some additional clarity on Steve Hackett's defection and Phil's crashing lovelife and dashing solo start and its effect and timing concerning the continuation and direction of Genesis.
Also: the video for 'Trick' is not only hokey, it's also funny, with a miniature Phil hamming it up with the guys, turning up in the strangest of places--kinda.
I own the 'Songbook,' the 'History,' and one of the 'Inside' DVD documentaries, as well as the 1980 Gallo book, and each tour's official video release from '3 sides' on, and although there is some overlap of footage and story, I still learned new and interesting things about the band which has both delighted and disgusted me over the years.
Genesis i'm afraid is still my favorite band ever. Now if they could just fill in some of the missing live performance video that has not yet been officially released....
6 of 7 people found the above review helpful.
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The GOOD & The BAD - some key points..., June 4, 2007
By quoter
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First of all, it's very cool to have a dvd audio disc giving you both dolby digital and dts options. The interviews on each disc of the dvd are worth the price by itself. There's a great 1976 concert on the Trick Of The Tail dvd and the packaging of the discs is very cool for collectors.
Regular CD (2 channel) mixes
-The sound is significantly different than the past remasters. Sometimes it's good, other times it's not so good.
The Good -
-Phil's vocals are brought up and can be heard clearly on Trick Of The Tail. His voice was kinda drowned out in the first mix of the album because the band doubted if his voice was strong enough at the time. The difference can be heard, trust me. Very cool to hear him stand out now.
-The mix is more dynamic and you can hear subtle things you couldn't hear well in the original mix. You'll find yourself going "hmmmm" as you listen.
The Bad -
-Each album doesn't sound equally good. I think Tony Banks was in the studio too much during the re-mix because though Phil's drums sound good at times, I think they're lost on some albums. On Abacab for example, an album that Tony Banks himself stated was a record known for Phil's drums, the POWER and THUMP of Phil's playing has been taken down a few levels. "No Reply At All" is a prime example of this. However - the drums are enhanced and sound great on "And Then There Were Three..." - It's amazing with the sonic sound that "Snowbound" has now with deep drum beats that were not present at all on the previous mix. It's a night and day difference.
-Although like I said there's more range and more independent sounds and instruments can be heard - sometimes it's too much. At times it sounds like you have a bunch of separated elements playing at the same time instead of an even mix of everything (yes I'm still talking about the regular cds and not the surround sound mix). The sound can be very thin at times too - very "tinny" sounding.
-some chords or notes that were once prominent have been lowered and cannot be heard as well now. Consequently, others you didn't hear have been brought up. Just very subtle differences - if you know the songs well you'll hear the differences. There are certain parts of "Dance On A Volcano" that make me wonder if I'm listening to the same song I once knew.
Overall, if you're a big Genesis fan, you'll want this set - especially if you have a surround sound system at your house. DO NOT get rid of your old remasters though. Like I said - some songs sound better in the re-mix while others suffer. You'll do some mixing and matching...
6 of 8 people found the above review helpful.
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 Great idea, poor execution, February 13, 2008
By Ian M. Zapczynski (Pennsylvania, USA)
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Being a huge Genesis fan, I was incredibly excited when I heard there would be box sets with each album remixed, including 5.1 mixes and extra tracks/videos.
Unfortunately, I waited a long time before listening to these discs, otherwise I would have shipped the set back to the record company and demanded my $100+ back. For those who say the sound quality is excellent, I suggest you go back and listen to one of the original CDs of A TRICK OF THE TAIL or WIND AND WUTHERING just before putting this one on, and see if you don't clearly hear how terribly remixed and mastered these new discs are.
I haven't heard the 5.1 mixes, but the stereo mixes - which Nick Davis says will replace the old versions in all upcoming releases - are mostly horrid. Not just different - we expected and embraced that - but truly horrid. Where's Steve Hackett? Mixed down whenever possible. Where's Tony Banks' mellotron on TRICK? Mixed down again. Why is it all I can hear is Phil Collins vocals and Mike Rutherford? Give a listen to "Los Endos" and notice how the bass is so overpoweringly LOUD. These mixes are not at all a representation of the contributions of each band member. Know why everything upfront sounds so clear? Because many of the tracks are buried in the background.
The EQ choices make these literally unlistenable when compared directly with most older releases. Sure, there's plenty of bottom and highs, but where are the mid-range frequencies? Phil's incredible drum sound is totally ruined on WIND, being highly-compressed, so much that when the louder parts of the songs kick in, the drums actually get quieter. It is also EQ'd to be tinny, as if played over the telephone.
I should mention that I'm not some picky audiophile with perfect hearing and the need for the remixes to sound like the originals. But really, the mixes and EQ choices are truly amateurish. As I said, I dare anyone to listen to the old Atco CD of TRICK and then put this one on directly after. You'll see precisely what I mean.
6 of 12 people found the above review helpful.
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WHY DID I BUY THIS?, December 23, 2008
By BEATLEFANTOM
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I came late to this set after I got a great deal on it when I bought the 1970 to 1975 BOX. I went ahead and bought both but I wish I had done my homework first. All I can say is this might even be worse than the set of the Gabriel days is. When I listen to Trick of the Tail like this it just makes me sad because even though the Gabriel albums were my very favorite, I always thought albums like Trick of the Tail had such great production. Oh well, no more. I've still got the first CD release of Trick of the Tail and I think I bought it around 1987. It makes this new remastered version sound like somebody forgot to turn the loudness button off their stereo and re-recorded Genesis on it and released it! And people paid for it! lol Well I did too but I at least I can laugh about it. I will hang onto this because of the bonus videos, but I still can't give this more than one star.
6 of 14 people found the above review helpful.
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Excellent sound and presentation - extras: Not mindblowing, July 18, 2007
By Alcibiades (Copenhagen, Denmark.)
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Let me clarify one thing first: In terms of sound, the new 5.1 mixes are masterfully done. Putting in the new disc of Wind And Wuthering or Duke and cracking up the volume will completely blow you away. Personally, I was left with one big "wow" - it was certainly worth the full wait and every penny, but then, I *am* a hardcore fan, so that's hardly surprising.
As for the presentation of the discs, the box itself is beautifully done, albeit not very practical - I do have a lot of trouble getting the discs out of the box, having tried various solutions such as inserting things and turning the box up-side down and shaking it (the latter being my currently favoured approach).
The box-set comes with a special booklet which is quite beautifully done, but whoes content doesn't impress me that much. Basically, a Michael Watt tells us his oppinion on all the ablums and songs, and that's not very helpful to me. To what can I use the fact that he finds 'Submarine' to be going nowhere and 'Me And Virgil' to be a failed experiment, when they just happen to be two of my favorite Genesis B-sides? Nothing ...
But enought a bout the general properties, let me give a disc-by-disc analysis of the set.
- A TRICK OF THE TAIL -
The oldest album of the set, and one that has improved significantly in terms of sound. Also, this disc has the most generous offering of extras: As every disc, the promo videos from this album, that being Robbery, Assault and Battery, Ripples and A Trick of the Tail; hardly that interesting, bearing in mind that these same videos were recently released on the Video Show DVD. A re-isue interview with each band member about the general situation of the band at this time, and the songs of the album. The interviews are really nice, and offers a great insight in the band and the album. On the downside, I will mention that the interviews are only available in stereo sound, this is annoying if you prefer the 5.1 or DTS surround mixes, because the interviews will hardly be audible with you changing the audio settings of your amplifier to stereo mode.
The real gem here, however, is the *complete* In Concert 1976 footage. Though more or less inferior versions have circulated among the fans for some time, it is good finally to have this wonderful show released on DVD from official site. Again, the sound is only in stereo, but it does sound amazing, and the performance, including I Know What I Like, Fly On A Windshield, Carpet Crawlers, Cinema Show part II, Entangled, Supper's Ready parts 5, 6 and 7, and Los Endos, is excellent.
Finally, there are visuals from a tour programme from this time, which isn't that that interesting.
- WIND AND WUTHERING -
This was always one of my favorite albums, and the new mixes sound just beautiful - Eleventh Earl of Mar, One For The Vine, and Unquiet Slumbers for The Sleepers In That Quiet Earth particularly blew me away.
The extras on this disc is a real let down. The interviews are really nice, but the overdubbed bootleg videos from US and Japan television are for me completely worthless. I am particularly dissapointed with the band deciding only to include Video footage, and not Audio footage from this town - there are tons of important live recordings lying around from this time, and any offering from the band would have been greatly appreciated. Also, if they wanted only video footage, they could have included the Seconds Out promo footage from Dallas.
- AND THEN THERE WERE THREE ... -
This was always one of the less appreciated albums, but personally I like it quite a lot. Though not the most profound of the band's albums in terms of musical quality, it is a very coherent album, and the production is nice. It is also one of the few albums where most of the songs sound better on the album that they actually did live. The new surround mix of Down And Out was one I had particularly looked forward to.
The exrtas on this disc is a mixed bag of candies. I'm very pleased to see the Three Dates With Genesis documentary included, a 50 minutes documentary following the band - and the crew! - on tour. But again, the lack of video footage from this era meens that we are completely derived of live footage. This tour accompagnying this album is one of the "lost" Genesis tours, where only small remnants have been released, and it would have been really nice to have some more audio footage included here. The fans certainly would have appreciated it much more than the promo videos - again! - and the programme images.
- DUKE -
By many considered the best album of the era, and probably rightfully so. The music is amazing, and the new surround mix of Behind The Lines is breathtaking. And Heathaze, one of their most overlooked songs, sounds amazing!
The extras are very good - included is the "Old Grey Whistle Test" footage from Lyceum, London, sadly only including the songs Behind The Lines / Duchess / Guide Vocal / In The Cage / Slippermen / Afterglow / Dance On A Volcano / Los Endos, but still essential footage, and the quality is amazing. I guess one can ask for no more.
- ABACAB -
Not one of my favorite albums, the songs always sounded better live than on the disc, but ironically one that is treasured by the band as well as many fans. The extras for this disc are truly disspointing, only including the promo videos, the interview, and still from the tour programme. Even though it is probably too much to ask for, I cannot help but feel it would have been natural to use this opportunity to release the Three Sides Live video footage on DVD, like they did with the In Concert video on the Trick Of The Tail disc.
- BONUS DISC -
The disc includes all - ALL - the B-sides from this era. Yes, this time we get also Match Of The Day and Me And Virgil, thank you! [These tracks were left off Archive II because the band felt they were of inferior quality.] As an interesting note, it seems they have restored the original version of Submarine, instead of the doctored version included on Archives II due to damaged masters!
About the extras on the disc - again, one could have hoped they would have included some "special" treat for those who actually bought the box-set, but no, all we get is the same Paperlate footage (overdubbed) as on the Video Show DVD, and a - rather short - interview on the general procedure of preparing this boxset. Dissapointing.
OVERALL RATING: 9 / 10
An amazing treat for the ear, and a fairly generous offering of exrtas - even though it could have been more, it certainly could have been less, so I guess we should be satisfied. The next box covering the late era should be out this autumn, but I guess the thing we all REALLY anticipate is the release of the third box sometime next year, covering the early era. I can't wait to hear what the new mixes have made of Nursery Cryme - it promises to be mind-blowing!
5 of 5 people found the above review helpful.
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A MUST HAVE, May 13, 2007
By Music lover (Worcester, MA)
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OK, let's keep this simple. Genesis is a band with a huge history, and one of the few bands that have survived multiple "rebirths". This disc set slices right into their career during perhaps the greatest periods of change and transformation. For that reason alone it is a collectors item.
Now let's talk technical details. The sound is the BEST quality of all Genesis discs on the market. Play it on the technology you have, had, or are planning to get and you will not be disappointed. The videos are phenominal. Live concert footage from '76, plus the videos for MTV gives real perspective. While you can get extra tracks on the Archives #2 box set, it is still excellent to hear them in context(from the time they were recorded).
Bottom line for me was the chronological package altogether. My first favorite Genesis disc was "Trick of the Tail", and yet I wasn't turned onto it until the year "And Then There Were Three" came out. Going from scratchy LP records to this is a milestone that all great music should reach, and this IS great music. The main question is value vs. price tag. The answer for me is that this package has a time capsule value, and it outweighs buying the discs separately. The box looks great and stores the discs like a fine wine. One for the vine! Enjoy.
5 of 9 people found the above review helpful.
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Worth A Million $$ To A Genesis Fan!!, May 19, 2007
By Jonny-O (Jerzey)
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I'm a Genesis fan from birth and own everything the band ever put out with the exception of later day remixes and compilations, as I found them unnecessary. This however ... OMFG!! These mixes are insane. It's like being in the mixing room and listening off an old analogue 2" reel to reel - AND - the bonus footage is priceless.
If you want ballz 2 the wall prog rock, check out these mixes on a LOUD stereo, with or without surround, and blow your head off.
If you don't, then move on.
5 of 11 people found the above review helpful.
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Awful, December 28, 2008
By Bill W. (PA)
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It's awful to listen to this. The remastering approach does not work for Genesis. The other bad reviews that complain about how ridiculous this sounds are 100% correct to my ears.
5 of 15 people found the above review helpful.
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What an Overview -- And It's Only Vol. I!, June 6, 2009
By Tullywho (Whiting, IN USA)
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I was really stunned by the 5.1 surround mixes of these albums. Every one of them, particularly the first two, A Trick of the Tail and Wind and Wuthering, is SO greatly enhanced by their new mixes that I'm almost at a loss for words. I have the so-called "Definitive" remastered editions of those first two CD's (I suppose they were definitive at the time) and I enjoyed them very much. These latest editions, however, really up the ante on the initial ones. First off, these CD/DVD's are not only remastered, but they're also remixed, and the nuances that are brought out by the remixing process make these already amazing songs so much more beautiful and enjoyable. "Dance on a Volcano," from its inimitable introduction on, is almost an entirely new song, or at least an entirely new listening experience. "Afterglow," Tony Banks' tour de force, is another already great piece that is raised to a whole new level by its remix. After I finished listening to the first two CD's, I realized that there were still three more CD/DVD's to go (actually, there are four more, if one counts the excellent Extras compilation)! That was a wonderful feeling, especially for a Genesis fan who can't get enough of their stuff, old or new. I guess that one might reasonably conclude that I really like this box set, but then that same one would also be guilty of extreme understatement.
I should include a word about the visual elements included on the CD/DVD's. They, too, are excellent. I've read some negative things about the older filmed material, particularly that which came from American and Japanese TV broadcasts. Granted, they don't look all that great but, nonetheless, I'm really glad they're there. I'd much rather be watching a bootleg sourced from a worn VHS tape of an old performance than watching nothing at all and, to top it off, I thought that the less-than-perfect quality of the material added to its intrigue. Those VHS "age lines" are reminders of just how long these guys have been around, just how much road time they've logged, and just how many stages they've graced. Truth be told, I wish there was more of this type of material to watch and enjoy.
If one needs a cure for so-called "buyer's remorse," spend your money on this set and just see if you don't forget about its cost within the first three bars of Track 1!
4 of 4 people found the above review helpful.
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From Classic Genesis To Commercial Revelation, March 6, 2009
By Johnnie Neptune (Ontario, Canada)
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I will own up to a definite bias here right from the beginning. When Genesis lost guitarist Steve Hackett, they went down a path that was much less musically interesting to me. Many people thought the band would fold without Peter Gabriel. However, I think the loss of Hackett was what really hurt musically. Commercially of course, is a completely different story that everyone knows. If you like Phil Collins music, you of course will love this box set. For me, the great sonic interplay between guitars and keyboards left with Hackett. Tony Banks' keyboards became the dominant instrument. Mike Rutherford was and is a very good bass player and rhythm guitarist. He is however not a lead guitarist, especially in the style of Hackett who was more of a sonic adventurist than traditional lead guitarist. His solo on "Firth of Fifth" ('Selling England by the Pound') remains one of the guitar highlights from the Progressive Rock era.
There. Now that's out of the way, we have the box set where Phil Collins more than capably replaced Peter Gabriel, to the surprise of most, including his band mates. His voice is perfectly suited to 'Trick of the Tail' and this album is so good, it is like Genesis reimagined. 'Wind and Wuthering' follows suit and is the last masterpiece the band produced. Well, I could see adding 'Duke' to my essential Genesis list. All 3 of them are here. After that, there were some very good songs on albums that were just 'good'. For example, "Home by the Sea" and its instrumental sequel on the album that also has "Mama" (next box set please...). Rhino has done a very good job with these reissues though I am jealous that outside North America this box is available in Hybrid SACD. Don't understand why not here but the sound quality is still very good and the 5.1 mixes interesting. Some nice video bonus material, especially on "Trick" with 2007 Interviews. All in all, nicely packaged with a bonus disc of mostly already available material that is at least all in one place to round out the package. Docked a star because it is just not essential. That label goes with 3 of its discs though, so worth a look.
4 of 5 people found the above review helpful.
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Mixed Bag, June 9, 2009
By Drumfan (Denver, CO)
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I have been listening to this boxed set from my favorite band for the past five months and, as much as it pains me to say this, there are SOME issues with excessive loudness and remastering faults. Genesis 1976-1982 is not a complete disaster, but it's not a triumph either. I have owned each album on LP, Cassette, first generation CD and 1994 remaster. Every piece of music in this collection deserves five stars; however, after careful audio analysis, I conclude the following:
Trick of the Tail/Wind and Wuthering - 5 Stars, superior job of remastering, just a little "crunchy" on "Wot Gorilla."
Abacab - 4 Stars - Again, not too bad, but "Keep It Dark" and "Dodo/Lurker" came out a bit loud. In defense, "Another Record" sounds phenomenal, even better than the original vinyl.
Duke - 3 Stars - Behind The Lines, Duke's Travels and Duke's End are too loud. And as another reviewer pointed out, Phil's drums sound "funny."
And Then There Were Three - 1 star. Worst hack job of remastering yet. This was a beautiful album with restrained, colorful dynamics, and now they are gone. Every song from ATTWT is "in your face," so to speak. "The Lady Lies" and "Deep In The Motherlode" are particularly abrasive and loud.
As for the outtakes - not too bad, "Me and Virgil" sounds great, but "Match of the Day" is horrible - WAY too much treble/mid-range, and again Phil's drums overpower much of the essence. Steve's guitar also sounds too distorted for something he would ever allow on record. I just replayed the original "Spot the Pigeon" LP and it sounds much better than the boxed set version.
The extras on the DVDs are all winners, though, particularly the live sets from 76 (with Bill Bruford - Awesome!) and 80.
In short, brace yourself and your sound system for some harsh interpretations of some classic music.
4 of 6 people found the above review helpful.
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Now THIS is how to do a great boxed set!, September 20, 2007
By Ron2112 (Virginia, USA)
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Back in the early 90's, it was great to be a Genesis fan when they led the trend of reissuing their entire catalog in CD-worth remasters. A few years later, it started to become apparent that being at the start of a trend isn't always best. The "Definitive Remasters" were great, but they somehow still didn't quite capture the granduer of Genesis' music. For some reason, songs like "Dance on a Volcano" just never packed a great punch in the CD format.
Happy to say, this is no longer the case. I picked up this set with just a bit of trepidation, not quite sure what to expect given the differences in format between the US and UK versions. That hesitation ended the second I popped in the 5.1 mix of "A Trick of the Tail" to be greeted with "Dance on a Volcano" coming at me from EVERYWHERE! Truly unbelieveable to be hearing new elements in a song that has been a favorite for over 20 years. Likewise for the remainder of the album. Similarly, "Wind and Wuthering" is the other shining jewel of this set. Which isn't to say that there aren't significant differences on the other three records included here -- there definitely are improvements to be found across the board.
The DVD extras are what really make this set. Archival footage is found on 4 of the 6 DVDS, along with promo videos, tour books, etc, etc, etc. All in glorious 5.1 sound. Perfectly suited to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the band, during a touring year.
But the part that no one seems to be paying as much attention to are the CDs included in this set. While they are obviously not in 5.1 sound, it is important to note that all have been remixed in a similar manner to the surround discs. Even listening in the car, these remixes allow the songs to breathe better than they ever have before. Even as a long-time fan, I found myself surprised at the sheer amount of playing the guys were doing here. It's almost as if technology has only now sufficiently caught up to allow us to hear under all the layers of Tony Banks' churning keyboards. The band also did a great job of bringing Phil Collins' voice more to the front of the mix. This seems most apparent on "...And then There Were Three."
In all of this, none of the dynamics have been removed by over-compressing the music. All the highs and lows we have come to love in these albums are still here.
The only problem I have with this project is at the time of this writing, no date has been announced for the Gabriel-era box....
All in all, this set was worth every penny spent, and a definite must for any Genesis fan.
4 of 6 people found the above review helpful.
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Intriguing mixes and a welcome hidden bonus on the extra disc, June 19, 2007
By Jeffrey Blehar (Potomac, MD)
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I will write a full review in this space later, once I have fully digested all the material on this set and closely listened to the new mixes. My first impression: the remixing job is SIGNIFICANT. I've lived with these albums for years and all sorts of different details are jumping out at me with these new versions. The remixes of Trick (my second favorite Genesis LP behind Selling England) and Wind And Wuthering (my least favorite pre-1986 LP) are particularly welcome: Phil's voice is much more prominent on songs like "Squonk," "Ripples," and "Your Own Special Way," and it turns out that there was no good reason for mixing him so low in the first place. And those who worried that Tony Banks' heavy involvement with this project would mean that Steve Hackett's guitars were put even FURTHER down in the mix (shades of Seconds Out!) will thrill to "Eleventh Earl Of Mar," where Steve's guitar solo now positively SHREDS. I don't approve of every remix - "Follow You Follow Me" loses the enveloping soupy warmth that made it originally so appealing - but for the most part Genesis fans are gonna love this "new look" into some of the band's finest work.
However, I would like to alert potential buyers (who are all, let's face it, hardcore Genesis yobbos like me) to a wonderful surprise hidden away on the "bonus" disc of this set: the versions of "Submarine" and "It's Yourself" are different than those found on the Archive set. "Submarine" is restored to its original single mix (with the "hard" ending; the Archives set had a different version that simply faded out). More importantly, the band has quietly restored a missing verse from "It's Yourself" that was otherwise only available on hissy bootleg outtakes from the Trick Of The Tail sessons. I'll also note that while the remixes make many of these songs sound different, Nick Davis has taken particular liberties with the B-sides disc, although thankfully the two songs that were missing from the Archives #2 set ("Match Of The Day," "Me And Virgil") haven't been tampered with.
Anyway, more later. Just wanted to leave a heads-up on this unexpected bonus for Amazon buyers.
4 of 7 people found the above review helpful.
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Do not buy if you live outside the US & don't have a multi-region DVD player, June 24, 2009
By Steven O'Connor
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We already knew this product was inferior to the UK version, which includes the SACD format. Unfortunately, there is more. The DVDs are exclusive to the US region. Do not make the mistake I made. Check your DVD player first. I have given this rating only because it requires one. I cannot properly rate this box set because I cannot hear it the way I wanted to.
4 of 9 people found the above review helpful.
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Genesis remasters ARE GREAT !!!!!!!!!, May 16, 2007
By Hot Nurse (Pennsylvannia)
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Pretty much sums up this box set with what I believe is their greatest period, ( sorry Gabriel fans ). Ok, that being said they are supposed to release the next box set with the Gabriel cd's redone so their is hope.
I do have to say that I wish they did include the 1983 self titled album, or the " Mama " album as most would call it. That is about my only beef really though.
The sound and picture are incredible. Finally someone who actually DID remaster their music and you can hear it!!!! This again is a MUST HAVE!!
YES, alittle pricey, but I would still say worth it. If you are a fan of not all these cd's or just want two or three, they released these seperately also, so you can pick maybe something you like individualy instead of buying the whole box.
Anyway, Well worth it for me and alot of others. I hope this helps you make a good decision. ENJOY no matter which way you chose to go!!
4 of 11 people found the above review helpful.
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poor quality, April 3, 2009
By lamboption (london,UK)
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just got my new sacd player and popped this in first , was shocked at how terrible and unlistenable it was, simply shrill tinny and annoying.I have a very high end system and have been spoilt but even still thought my new player was not functioning correctly, but it was fine with the police sacd and others.I guess Ill return this and try the original CD or vinyl , cant possibly be worse than this.Bit gutted as was really looking forward to this :(
4 of 12 people found the above review helpful.
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Partial review, December 16, 2007
By hellonwheels826
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This release chronicles the era Genesis was in when I started listening to them, which was around the time Seconds Out was released. I was really stoked when I heard this was being released until I saw the price tag on it. Unfortunately, I don't live on a budget that allows for spending over $100 on a CD collection, no matter how bad I want it. Luckily, I found an avenue where I could purchase the 5 albums here separately. I started with the first couple, and it is only those two that I'm referencing here.
Trick Of The Tail and Wind And Wuthering are my two favorite Genesis albums, both musically and lyrically. However, whenever I give them a listen I'm always disappointed that I can't really understand many of the lyrics, especially on tracks like Mad Man Moon and Eleventh Earl Of Mar. That's why I had to have these two new releases when I read they were being remixed, in part, to remedy that particular flaw in the originals.
I have to agree, to an extent, with some other reviewers when they say the new mixes are "too loud." I agree. Although the vocals are more out there, the music is also, so they almost cancel each other out. And the new vocal mix sounds as though it's been given a small amount of reverb, the result of which makes it sound almost like it's being played in a tunnel. Don't get me wrong, though, I still think they sound better than the original recordings.
Of the two, I'd have to say the Trick Of The Tail release is more worth the cost than Wind And Wuthering, simply because there are more and better DVD extras. There's been a lot of noise created by die hard fans over the last several years about why a DVD of the movie Seconds Out has never been released. One fan provided the explanation that Genesis would only release it if it was "perfect" in sound and visual quality. Well...I have to say that argument is out the window now because there are a couple clips on the Wind And Wuthering DVD which are awful in both. But, and this is a huge "but", the Trick Of The Tail DVD does contain a 40-plus minute movie, "Genesis In Concert," which will probably be the closest thing we'll ever see to "Seconds Out", it being from the Trick Of The Tail tour. Even though some of the songs are edited and the video isn't pristine, it's still by far, in my opinion, the best feature of this release.
I'm looking forward to getting the rest of the 5 remasters, especially And Then There Were Three. That was already a very "loud" album in its original form. I'm dying to hear what Nick Davis has done to that one...
3 of 3 people found the above review helpful.
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The albums the way they were meant to be heard--and seen!, November 23, 2007
By Michael Topper (Pacific Palisades, California United States)
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The first hint that a remixing of the Genesis back catalogue would be a worthwhile endeavor came with the 3-disc "Platinum Collection" a few years back; the Gabriel-era material was an absolute shock, with songs from "The Lamb" and "Selling England"--and even ancient material like "The Knife"--sounding dramatically improved. The wise decision was thus made-- on occasion of the group's 40th anniversary and reunion tour--to remix all of the albums and add bonus DVD material of previously unreleased concert footage and videos. The results are supposed to be the last word on the band's output, although I'm sure that another decade or so from now they'll all be redone again in whatever new audio form is the rage at the moment.
Genesis' output from 1976-1982 has been described here as "one of the most gratifying musical/commercial balancing acts by a major rock artist", and to be sure there's a lot of classic material in this box. "Trick" and "Wind" are certainly worth the price of admission alone, along with their "bonus" tracks (the superlative "Inside And Out" and "It's Yourself", both of which should have been included on their respective albums), and "Wind" (which used to seem to me like a mixture of brilliant and so-so moments) is vastly improved by Nick Davis' remixing job. "And Then There Were Three" is listenable but somewhat less impressive, although the group bounced right back again with "Duke", an outstanding transitional album bridging their prog and pop periods, and which is also greatly improved by its new mix. "Abacab" landed the group squarely into their pop phase and really should have been on the third box with "Genesis", "Invisible Touch" etc. but I still can't deny the appeal of things like "Keep It Dark" and "Dodo/Lurker".
Any major attempt to refashion a group's sound will be met with a mixed fan reaction, no matter how great it is, and this is no exception. This reviewer happens to think the remixing job is outstanding and makes these the definitive versions of all the albums. True, Collins' vocals are pushed up a bit, but so are other instrumental portions buried in the background of the original mixes; like many listeners I heard things I never heard before, which made it almost like hearing these gems for the first time. The sound is louder, punchier and incredibly clear with excellent stereo separation and yet *still* faithful to the "feel" of the original mixes. Of all the refurbish jobs out there the only thing I can compare this with is job done with The Who in the mid-90s ("Sell Out", Quadrophenia", etc.).
Then there's the DVD material, which contains all relevant TV and concert footage from each era and new interviews with the bandmembers (funny how Hackett's haircut these days makes him look like something out of King Arthur's time!). Most fans, like yours truly, have probably already seen a lot of the TV/concert footage on bootleg before (and it's all available for free on YouTube these days), but at least these great performances--the 1976 In Concert film in particular--are given a decades-delayed official release, and in best possible picture/sound quality. In short, get this if you're a fan of this era, chances are you won't be disappointed.
3 of 4 people found the above review helpful.
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"A Trick Of The Tail" Alone, October 8, 2007
By music aficionado
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Having followed Genesis from the very start of the band , I understand , and appreciate all the Gabriel versus Collins arguments. But from whatever camp you come from , or choose to like better , this music has NEVER sounded better. "A Trick Of The Tail" alone is worth the price of the box. Great extras on the DVD's , great packaging , at a great price....But honestly, I can't hardly wait to hear "Supper's Ready" and "Musical Box" (Can you guess my camp ?)
3 of 4 people found the above review helpful.
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Fully Utilized Re-mastering Techniques!, July 13, 2007
By The Happiest Boy (New London, CT- U.S.A)
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As it is with most avenues that Genesis have journeyed down over their 40- year career, this first boxed set to be released out of the eventual three, is innovative, refreshing, and thought- provoking. Just with the knowledge that this 5- album, 12-disc collection is only the first of three re-mastering sessions is enough to stir emotion for several weeks upon end. One could never think that just one group of artists could have the vast history that Genesis posses.
Indeed, this set documents their Beginning and Empirical stages with grandeur like only Hackett, Collins, Rutherford, and Banks could.
I quite liked seeing Steven Hackett in the first two "Review Documentaries" for the albums "A Trick of the Tail" and "Wind and Wuthering". These alone, are worth having the DVDs. All five Review Documentaries are fantastically insightful. With interviews with Hackett, Collins, Banks, and Rutherford; how could they not be?!
There are plenty of other extras on these DVDs, of course. All five DVDs contain photographs of the touring programs from the coinciding tour that took place with the given album. All contain at least 2 videos from that period. As you reach the Duke and ABACAB DVDs, you get actual music videos as we know them to be currently. Although, it must be noted that the "concert film" for A Trick of the Tail and the "three dates with Genesis" for Wind and Wuthering are the true gems out of all five DVDs. Even the interesting and often comical videos for the ABACAB period don't quite match up to these.
Then, there are the DTS 5.1/ Dolby Digital re-masterings that are found on the DVDs. Why American versions of the CDs do not contain the SACD, I've no idea. They are re-mastered in Dolby Stereo, however; giving the records a much more lush and coherent sound.
A special note to those who are playing the music videos on the DVDs : You must select the type of sound quality that your DVD player/ sound-system is capable of. If you do not have the ability to play DTS 5.1 audio but you select that audio, the sound will be absent from the music videos. There are two instances where you are given the chance to select the type of audio you want. If you fall victim to not having the capabilities of playing the DTS 5.1, do not freak out or think that the DVDs are damaged; simply select the Dolby Digital audio selection instead of the DTS. Other than that, you should be smooth sailing for weeks to come!
There really is no need to get into how first-class the records, themselves, are. If you're a fan of Genesis, you know that these are simply some of the most brilliantly written tunes of modern music. All five albums express emotions that inspire all who listen. The musicianship that is exposed by every song, by all four members of the band can't be compared with. This isn't even mentioning the voice of Phil Collins; a man with one of the most distinctive singing voices in music history. Not to mention that Banks and Rutherford occasionally offer their vocal talents on a few songs.
The last aspects worth significant mention are the "Extra Tracks" CD and DVD. This is the same format as the five conventional albums: the CD is re-mastered with Dolby Stereo (not SACD or DTS) and the DVD holds the DTS 5.1 and Dolby Digital Surround sound. As for the songs themselves, there could be an entirely new record based off the vitality of these songs. Many of these tracks were B-sides to ABACAB singles and Duke singles. Some of the others can be found on the 3X3 EP. The remaining can be found on their other EP from this time period.
Superior sound quality, distinguished song composition, admired presentation, and indisputable talent has always been the name of the game for Genesis. It's magnificent to see a band of artist who still maintains these traits after 40 years.
Nothing this ingenious could be rated anything less them 5 stars!
3 of 5 people found the above review helpful.
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A Great Alternative, keep the remasters but Get This!!, May 29, 2007
By R. St Pierre (Fairhaven MA)
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First off, Nick Davis should win a Grammy for what he's done here.
Having listened to the new stereo mixes, Nick Davis has probably done for Genesis what George Martin did for the Beatles. That's not to take anything away from David Hentschel and Hugh Padgham, especially David since he worked on the older of these albums. And it's not meant to compare Genesis with the Beatles for you purists out there. I just think he's upgraded these albums without necessarily compromising their original mixes.
First off, I wouldn't throw away your Definitive Edition Remasters. Keep them just because they're apparently being deleted, and they do sound good and have some differences. The thing about these new versions is that you're going to hear things that just don't seem to be there on other versions. Yet they "were" there, but maybe mixed down (and out?) on the final versions that came out on these albums back in 1976-1982.
There's a lot of debating about whether these versions are better than the prior remasters. That's not my point, although I know for some it's a question of disposable income, and trust me, I'm not loaded myself. That's why I'm talking about the new stereo mixes. I don't have a surround system yet.
I was very skeptical when I saw these were being remixed back in 2004. I thought, "Great, vocal, guitar, or keyboard parts were re-done...." When I heard some of the new remixes on the Platinum Collection, my fears were gone. These new versions will have little nuances that will jump out
at you and the most important thing is that anything you hear was there in the original mixes. For one example, at the end of "Dance on a Volcano", it sounds like Phil's playing a roll on empty glass bottles. So subtle, but now's your chance to hear it. It completely surprised me.
Don't get me wrong, for various reasons, you might prefer the other remastered versions of some of the tracks. Who knows? I just think that Nick Davis has done a great job of showing us what else was there and another way that we can hear these albums in a totally new way, and yet he somehow maintained much of the integrity of the original versions.
Enjoy!
3 of 5 people found the above review helpful.
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A MUST for any Genesis Devotee!, October 15, 2007
By Michael K. Wheeler (Anaheim, CA USA)
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I have been a fan of Genesis since Duke (1980) and am probably one of the few diehard fans of the Collins era. I own everything they have ever recorded, and I love the Gabriel-era stuff, but my heart lies with Phil. He is, perhaps, the most underrated drummer in rock. This collection represents my favorite Genesis era. I know nothing of the technology behind remixing and remastering. What I do know is this: these cd's sound absolutely incredible. I felt like I was hearing new songs. The most notable difference is in the sound of the drums and Collins' voice. Overall, the songs are cleaner and crisper and take on a third dimension. I haven't listened to Trick of the Tail in a while, but now I find myself listening to it over and over. I do think a lot of bands are repackaging their music as a marketing ploy, but if it sounds this good, why not? The only debate I would entertain would be is this a form of revisionism? If what the band produced at a given time with the available technology isn't sufficient for the modern ear, why stop here? Why not re-record? Probably too much work, but whatever the argument, the quality of these discs speaks for themeselves, not to mention the DVD extras which would be worth the cost itself. The next installment due out in 11/07 is 1983-1998. Since I am still listening to Invisible Touch and the Genesis album on vinyl, I will definitely be purchasing that box set.
3 of 5 people found the above review helpful.
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THIS is what you've been waiting for ..., July 12, 2007
By Gary (Laurel, MD)
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Wow.
I'm 45. I've been a Genesis fan since I was 15. I've been really frustrated by the 'lack of attention to detail' of the last group of Genesis so-called "Remasters" (the absolute WORST packaging, including incorrect liner notes, and really ugly boxes on the back of EVERY Jewel case with the track listing -- yeah, some art work -- AND the title track of "The Lamb Lies Down...." actually FADED in, like on all other CD versions of the song, including the Japanese mini-lp version... good grief, anyone who knows the friggin' song KNOWS this has a hard beginning on the piano.)
OK, I haven't really studied the liner notes yet, but I can absolutely say that the packaging is a whole lot better for the 5 albums in here -- complete art work faithful to the original LP releases, including complete lyrics ("abacab" included). Even the CD labels are faithful to the original releases (The US domestic releases have ATCO/ATLANTIC labels -- I would have preferred The Great Charisma Label actually, and suspect the UK/European discs were pressed with them instead). This package DOES contain a 6th disc, with 13 B-sides and EP tracks recorded between 1976 and 1981.
But The Thing is, of course, the music. So what about the music?
I want to say right away that I haven't heard every track in here yet. But of what I've heard, these recordings sound fantastic. Davis clearly went back TO THE MASTER TAPES this time, and these are not only remastered, but they are remixed. For example, so far, of ALL the tracks that fade out (for example, "Wot Gorilla", "A Trick Of The Tail", "Inside And Out") that I've heard, they are all slightly extended. And there are differences in the sounds at the end of these tunes (you don't hear that decending tone so prominently at the end of "Wot Gorilla" as on the original mix, and the fade is extended just so nicely -- and on "Trick Of The Tail", again, a nice extended fade, and you don't hear Collins "grunts" at the end as prominently).
Of course, as a previous review has stated, "Submarine" is the full-length B-side single version with the hard ending, and "It's Yourself" comes complete with an extra verse (sometimes heard on some really bad-sounding bootlegs). And at least they included "Me & Virgil" and "Match Of The Day" (omitted from the Archive 2 Box) -- which also, I might add, sound just great!
My ONLY complaint (so far) would be that for some reason, "It's Yourself" fades, like on the Archive 2 Box. I have the Italian single version; this song actually has a really sweet hard ending, and it doesn't make sense that someone would want to fade out the song when a perfect ending exists on the master tape. But that's what they did. Go figure. What I'd LIKE to have is that ending tacked onto this remastered version.
Given that one complaint, I gotta say they finally got it right with this release -- and I can't wait for them to put out The Gabriel Years -- if the master tapes have been properly stored, there's no telling how these will sound (HOPEfully, they'll fix it so "The Lamb..." starts like the LP does ... withOUT the crackle).
Gary
YES, I am over the age of 13 ... lol.
PS: The package reviewed is the US Rhino release, and the tracks listened to were from the CD's and not the DVD's.
3 of 6 people found the above review helpful.
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Turn It On Again And Again..., June 8, 2007
By noonions (Holmdel,NJ USA)
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This domestic Rhino 6 CD+DVD set-Genesis 1976-1982 contains a SACD layer- is the first of the forthcoming box sets covering large swaps of albums by rock supergroup Genesis.The set covers the period just after the band's frontman Peter Gabriel left and drummer Phil Collins became the lead singer(1976's "A Trick Of The Tail")up to the point when they were a mainstream pop-rock trio-guitarist Steve Hackett departed after 1977's "Wind And Wuthering"- and MTV dawned(1981's "Abacab"). The individual DVDs contain videos(in 5.1 sound),live concerts,and revealing interviews with the band members.It also contains a bonus 13-track CD+DVD featuring B-sides and songs from EP's and a colorful 48-page booklet to hold them. The remixed,remastered sound quality( by Grammy-winning engineer Nick Davis) on the CD,Dolby Digital and DTS are all excellent.The albums sound like they were recorded just today,not 25-30 years ago!Of course,these albums are some of Genesis's best work like the aftermetioned three and 1978's "And Then There Were Three..." and 1980's "Duke".This set just gave me a much greater realization and apprecitation of Genesis's music during this period than any of the previous CD masterings ever did.The only disappointment I have with this set is the absence of the SACD layer,presumbly because Rhino's parent company Warner doesn't support the format,and that the SACD itself failed to take off in the States,sadly.But that's a minor quibble considering that the formats here are more accessible to most buyers.Kudos to the folks that put this wonderful thing together!
3 of 6 people found the above review helpful.
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Near-perfect box of among the best Genesis albums, October 7, 2007
By Bob Joseph (The Bronx)
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I very much anticipated the release of the three Genesis box sets , knowing there would be not only improved sound of the masters but also many goodies thrown in (videos, live in concert footage, interviews with the band, etc.) The 1976 - 1982 box set is a winner in those departments -- I felt the Nick Davis remastered sound was an improvement over the 'Definitive Master' editions from the '90s enough to warrant getting the box (others may disagree with this) -- just in the very beginning of "Behind the Lines", I now hear certain percussion that I never heard before on any previous CD or LP issue. That the post-Gabriel and pre 'Mama' era years covered by the 76 - 82 box are my favorite Genesis albums (at least my favorite era covered by the three boxes) makes this among my favorite box sets by any artist. I don't have a worthy enough 5.1 surround system to judge the DVD-Audio discs by, but I've played them in regular DVD players through standard 2-channel stereo, and they sound just fine as the CD's do. The bonus disc alone should make a fan of '76 - '82 Genesis want to buy this set -- it's a lost album in itself. I did notice that the version of "Submarine" included on the bonus disc is about a minute shorter than the version that appears on the 'Genesis Archive #2' box set -- I generally prefer a track in its entirety, but if they had to fade it out early to make it fit on the disc, so be it -- still give the '76 - '82 box five stars, and near perfect rating.
3 of 6 people found the above review helpful.
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Brittle and Exhausting, Horrible Mastering, September 7, 2007
By brettmc (San Diego, CA)
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Never in my life have I heard so much treble and bass without any midrange cohesion. Snares, cymbals, high-hats might as well just be white noise generated by percussion strikes and smashed to the limits of human hearing. I cannot listen to these albums--especially Trick of The Tail--without totally re-equalizing my whole system (even listening to the CD layer in the car!), and this goes for all provided formats of these remasters--DTS, SACD and CD. I even went so far as to purchase the identical auditioning SACD player that was used to test these mixes in the studio, to no avail. There very simply is no life or 'air' to these mixes. The high frequency information in general has been pushed into such a narrow band that there is no 'room' in the snares and no decay from cymbal strikes. It is an incoherent, tweaked-out onslaught.
I think we have to place the blame for this squarely on Nick Davis, after all he did produce the two worst sounding Genesis albums in history--We Can't Dance and Calling All Stations--wrought with over compression and even straight up distortion. Perhaps it is old ears that prefer such harsh and inarticulate high frequencies or the hidden agenda of one of the band members to remix these albums in order to claim or restate their cultural relevance. My ears are young and I grew up loving these albums. These remixes are barely listenable, create horrible listening fatigue and it is absolutely unforgivable.
Some of this TC Electronics smashing of high frequencies can be heard with the initial CD remasters done in the early 90's. To this day the original CD pressing of Trick of The Tail is more listenable (with a touch of EQ) than the remaster. The new SACD multi-channel remixes are abysmal.
I fear greatly for the Gabriel era remixes...
At this point I intend to capture these multi-track SACD on my computer at 192khz and attempt to remix these albums myself to DVD-A.
Abacab is the only album from this box set I can recommend without any reservations. Duke is almost passable, but the biggest disappointment is by far Trick of Tail--horrible.
Sorry fans, I had high hopes too...
3 of 8 people found the above review helpful.
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Sound quality is awful, June 25, 2008
By jmnuñez (Madrid, Spain)
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I had been looking forward these box sets long before (both 1976-82 and 1983-98 you can apply this review). Now, I have spent a lot of money and I am very dissapointed with the SACD stereo mix sound quality. I can't stand the harsh sound in my headphones (top level stuff both headphones and amplifier) and in my ATC loudspeakers the thing does not improve very much. Everything is louder, the mix and EQ is a completely disaster. For me the sound quality is essential to enjoy music, so if you look for this, better try the remastered old CD's (The Tricks of the tail MFSL LP version blows SACD away). The visual extras are not really new at all (for very very fans at least) . So the only one reason to get these box sets is (if you have the money) to have two beautiful boxes in your collection.
3 of 9 people found the above review helpful.
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Computer Catastrophe!, May 18, 2007
By tod heller (New Jersey)
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I was very excited to hear the remastered sound of this CD by first playing it through my computer speakers on my iMac and then hurriedly transferring it to my iPod. One major problem: the CD would not even load in my computer. I tried three times but it ejected the disc every time! Anyone else having this issue............?
By the way, I did give it two stars in place of the four that I thought that I would be giving it based on my familiarity and happiness with the music.
3 of 17 people found the above review helpful.
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Great SACD Box Set, November 21, 2007
By mccontrol (Australia)
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The music contained in this box set is of such a high standard.The packaging is pretty good too and as a bonus for buying these new Genesis box sets you get a bonus SACD/DVD set enclosed in a very informative hardback book with essays by Genesis fanatic Michael Watts.The bonus SACD contains B Sides and extra tracks from single releases and EP's whilst the DVD has bonus video content and an extra reissues interview.These discs are not available seperately and are a nice bonus!
Ignore the reviews that complain about the new mixes/bad compression etc....,these people seem to have issues with remastered music in general.I'd like to write about the SACD/DTS 5.1 mixes as I talk of high standards.I'm listening to "One For The Vine" from "Wind & Wuthering" as I type this review and it is breathtaking.I also have the equipment to compare the SACD 5.1 verses the DTS 5.1(96k/24bit) and can faithfully report that they are both top notch.The SACD 5.1 mixes always seem to sound a little warmer to me as they are played back via analogue not digital.I can also write that the stereo SACD mixes sound pretty good,but not a patch on the 5.1.The same stereo mixes have been used for the standard cd layer so they should sound ok too.
I think in years to come,as Mike Rutherford says on the bonus DVD interview,these new mixes will be appreciated for what they are when more people open their ears to surround mixes.
I must also admit that there are some very bad surround mixes out there but Genesis and their trusty engineer Nick Davis have clearly done their homework.ALL mixes in this collection and the companion box set Genesis 1983-1998 have been supervised by Tony Banks.Giving the listener a new experience with evey album(even "Calling All Stations" sounds great).Ok,so they are not the original stereo mixes,these new releases are clearly aimed at fans who have the capacity to hear these great albums in 5.1 via SACD or DVD.
So in summing up,if you've got the hardware to enjoy these fantastic remixed Genesis albums then your ears will love you for buying this set and it's companion.And if you don't have an SACD player(get one!) or a DTS decoder don't worry,you can also listen to the standard 5.1 dolby digital mixes(they are slightly lower quality)on the DVD's via most DVD players/home theatre setups.
Enjoy!
Note to U.S. customers:-Unlike the American release,this European version of the Genesis box set contains a Hybrid SACD rather than a standard cd giving the listener just that slightly better sound even if you don't have an SACD player.Hybrid SACD's play in most conventional cd players as well!
2 of 2 people found the above review helpful.
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Must have for big Genesis fans., July 9, 2008
By Chris Clement (Los Angeles, CA USA)
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The 5.1CH mixes in this box set are something to be experienced if you have the proper equipment. The 2CH mixes, though different from the original CDs I have, are superior. They just take a little getting used to. Before you know it you start hearing little sounds here and there that you never heard before. Then, if you have the old mixes like me, you can go back and listen to them and those sounds are still there (though not as noticeable).
I give 5 stars because I am a huge fan of their work, especially during these years (the Collins era). Getting to listen to this work in such clarity and detail as presented with these mixes brings a new level of appreciation.
I also especially like the bonus disc. In particular "You Might Recall" and "The Day The Light Went Out." Another interesting track on this disc is "Naminanu" which is a little more jazzy (I want to say Brand-X ish?) than your usual Genesis track but catchy nonetheless.
If you really like their work, buy it! For casual listeners it may be a bit pricey and more economical to pick up one or two of the remastered CD/DVD combo albums.
2 of 3 people found the above review helpful.
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a definite TREASURE!!!!, April 5, 2008
By J. D. Tyler (Jersey)
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The bonus dvd's included with each album contains some really incredible footage!!! On Trick of the Tail especially... it contains a concert film that I only remember seeing in the theaters with my oldest brother AGES ago when I was first getting into Genesis. To finally own a copy of that amazing film...... BLEW ME AWAY!!!!!! I watch it a LOT and think it's just a fantastic preview of the live band they became in their more commercially-popular times!!! A DEFINITE MUST-GET!!!!!
2 of 3 people found the above review helpful.
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Genesis re-visited, March 11, 2008
By Eric Stuller (Arlington, WA)
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The first thought I had when I popped in A Trick Of The Tail was how loud these discs are. Fortunately Genesis avoided the trap so many remasters fall into and kept the dymanics with minimal distortion. The other noticeable difference with the new stereo and 5.1 mixes is how much the bass playing stands out; it gave me a new level of appreciation for Mike Rutherford.
You can tell the band put a lot of time and effort into these and it serves as a reminder of how great these middle years are (especially the oft-overlooked Wind & Wuthering). Given the treatment of this set, and the 83-98 set, it's safe to say we'll be thrilled with the Gabriel-era set due out later this year.
2 of 3 people found the above review helpful.
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Well worth the wait, August 23, 2007
By ROBO (Spartanburg,SC,USA)
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Excellent 5.1 high resolution mix.Anyone who doesn't think the sound is amazing needs to upgrade their stereo system to one which will unleash the sound quality this set offers.
2 of 4 people found the above review helpful.
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The DVD's are worth the price of admission, June 26, 2007
By Conrad L. Ehrmantraut
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Simply put, this collection is outstanding. To hear Wind and Wuthering with clarity is great. To hear some of the songs that have long been missing from the Genesis CD catalogue, and to have them all in one place is wonderful. But the items that truly make this collection great are the DVD's. "In The Cage" on the Duke DVD is recorded before the 3 Sides Live era. The interviews, while I know are not new, I had never seen. And finally, to see all the other live footage with Steve Hacket is wonderful! If you are a true fan of this era of Genesis, do not hesitate on this one.
2 of 4 people found the above review helpful.
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Fantastic - enjoying every track!, June 18, 2007
By J. Governali
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Was skeptical that the "remasters" would sound any different than the original recordings. I have to tell you that the tracks sound fresh and different - small things like percussive instruments, layers of vocals, and small vocal nuances are VERY different - Phil's voice is clear and placed much higher in the mix than the original recordings allowed. I hear different / new sounds on every track. Differences are most pronounced when listening to the DTS recordings (multi-channel, 96-bit!). WORTH EVERY PENNY - actually a steal at the price considering every album is included in both a CD and multi-channel DVD. The included video clips are just icing on the cake. If you love the band, and know the tracks well, you will be happy with your decision to buy..
2 of 4 people found the above review helpful.
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The Greatest!, October 22, 2008
By John Raimondo Jr. (Valhalla, New York United States)
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I just heard the live concert footage on the bonus DVD that comes with the Duke album and had to write this. It is worth the box set alone just seeing and hearing the Live version of Dance on a Volcano into Los Endos. Awesome! My favorite band of all time and their not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame!?!
2 of 4 people found the above review helpful.
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Nice...but where are the live albums from the period covered?, May 29, 2007
By R. Tolbert (Roswell, GA USA)
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This is great music from a great band, but the box set is not without faults. My two biggest complaints are:
1. Where are the live albums from this period? The 1994 "Definitive Remaster" editions of the Genesis catalog included all titles, yet this box set dedicated to "1976-1982" leaves out 1977's double-live "Seconds Out" and 1982's "Three Sides Live"...which, to me, is odd beyond belief. If this is the first of three box sets, as stated by the band..then where in the world are these two classic titles going to fit in that scheme? (The assumption, of course, is that one of the remaining box sets will cover the Peter Gabriel era (1969-1975) and the last one will cover the years 1983-1992. Are these live albums going to be left out?
2. Finally, the European version of this box set has SACD Hybrid discs that play in any standard CD player. Why not the same for us here in the US? I'd have gladly paid more money for the much higher-quality of sound that hybrid SACDs provide...and isn't that the point of a remaster campaign?
Other than these not-insignificant issues, it's a great box set. The video content in particular is well worth the purchase, in my opinion.
2 of 5 people found the above review helpful.
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Absolutely astounding..., May 25, 2007
By sabalsmom (San Jose, CA)
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If you're a mid-level Genesis fan, you HAVE to get this. What I mean by that is post Gabriel, pre-Invisible Touch. This is the meat and potatoes Genesis that I absolutely LOVE. I saw the Duke Tour and the Abacab Tour, and this brings back sooo many memories. The sound quality is fabulous and the DVDs are just too fun to watch. Some of the bootleg footage from Wind & Wuthering is a little rough, but hey, I can't believe someone had it. The evolution of this band is intriguing and the 2006 interviews by the band - including Hackett for ATOTT and W&W - bring a new dimension and a new spin on things. Now I understand what they were doing, trying to achieve, etc. Very well put together set and extremely enjoyable!!! I give it five squonks. . . er, uh, stars.
2 of 6 people found the above review helpful.
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I'm in Genesis Heaven!, May 17, 2007
By CD Lover (Pennsylvania, United States)
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I haven't spent much time with the surround mixes, so I'll have to comment on them later. I have been luxuriating in the new stereo mixes and am absolutely thrilled! I've always thought "Wind and Wuthering", "And Then There Were Three", and "Duke" were the most poorly mixed/mastered albums in the Genesis catalogue. These new mixes give all these albums new life, with great separation of the instruments, clarity of all the parts, bringing up vocals that were annoyingly low in the mix before. One example that struck me is the "scratchy" guitar in Los Endos that I'd heard when played live, but never noticed on the studio recording. NOW I hear it!
Oh yeah, the packaging is exquisite. They really paid attention to the details on this one. Kudos again to Rhino!
2 of 8 people found the above review helpful.
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Great SACD Box Set, November 21, 2007
By DJ Control (Australia)
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The music contained in this box set is of such a high standard.The packaging is pretty good too and as a bonus for buying these new Genesis box sets you get a bonus SACD/DVD set enclosed in a very informative hardback book with essays by Genesis fanatic Michael Watts.The bonus SACD contains B Sides and extra tracks from single releases and EP's whilst the DVD has bonus video content and an extra reissues interview.These discs are not available seperately and are a nice bonus!
Ignore the reviews that complain about the new mixes/bad compression etc....,these people seem to have issues with remastered music in general.I'd like to write about the SACD/DTS 5.1 mixes as I talk of high standards.I'm listening to "One For The Vine" from "Wind & Wuthering" as I type this review and it is breathtaking.I also have the equipment to compare the SACD 5.1 verses the DTS 5.1(96k/24bit) and can faithfully report that they are both top notch.The SACD 5.1 mixes always seem to sound a little warmer to me as they are played back via analogue not digital.I can also write that the stereo SACD mixes sound pretty good,but not a patch on the 5.1.The same stereo mixes have been used for the standard cd layer so they should sound ok too.
I think in years to come,as Mike Rutherford says on the bonus DVD interview,these new mixes will be appreciated for what they are when more people open their ears to surround mixes.
I must also admit that there are some very bad surround mixes out there but Genesis and their trusty engineer Nick Davis have clearly done their homework.ALL mixes in this collection and the companion box set Genesis 1983-1998 have been supervised by Tony Banks.Giving the listener a new experience with evey album(even "Calling All Stations" sounds great).Ok,so they are not the original stereo mixes,these new releases are clearly aimed at fans who have the capacity to hear these great albums in 5.1 via SACD or DVD.
So in summing up,if you've got the hardware to enjoy these fantastic remixed Genesis albums then your ears will love you for buying this set and it's companion.And if you don't have an SACD player(get one!) or a DTS decoder don't worry,you can also listen to the standard 5.1 dolby digital mixes(they are slightly lower quality)on the DVD's via most DVD players/home theatre setups.
Enjoy!
Note to U.S. customers:-Unlike the American release,this European version of the Genesis box set contains a Hybrid SACD rather than a standard cd giving the listener just that slightly better sound even if you don't have an SACD player.Hybrid SACD's play in most conventional cd players as well!
2 of 2 people found the above review helpful.
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The yays and the nays, June 23, 2011
By C. Paulson
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Having grown up with these albums I was disappointed how some of the new mixes were different. What for? Even in the liner notes it said they tried not to change from the originals but I disagree. For example, on Burning Rope at 4:44 the mellotron choir would send chills up my spine. Its way buried down in the mix. On Pigeons, the vibraphone (which was one of my favorite things about this track) is again mixed to where I can't hear much of it. Phil's vocals on the verses now have a megaphone effect. I'm all for improving something (I really liked the remix of "IT" on the Archives 1 box set) but this didn't do it for me.
I agree the discs are pressed too loud, though I'm no audiophile. Even in my car and on the computer, I had to keep turning down the volume. I can only guess the band picked who would do this project and wanted it that way. I don't know...
On the positive side, I thought the packaging and extras for each of the albums was great. Loved to watch the interviews, live footage and music videos. On the 1970-1975 box set, the Lamb slide show was a fantastic addition!
Otherwise, I'll stick to my vinyl originals and 1994 CD reissues.
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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Genesis' transition period gets sonic upgrade fit for a king!, July 25, 2008
By Classic rock and old sch.. (Lake Worth (a west Palm Beach suburb)
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English prog rockers Genesis' 12-disc box set entitled Genesis 1976-1982, released in May of 2007 here in the US (and a month earlier in Europe) is a MUST for all Genesis fans.
This 6-CD/6-DVD box set featured the first five titles to be re-released in an exhausting and long Genesis remaster campaign which took place in the last year.
The first inklings that a Genesis catalog overhaul was in the making was the release of the 3-CD Platinum Collection box set in 2005.
The albums in this box set include 1976's A Trick of the Tail (see my review of the deluxe edition), 1977's Wind and Wuthering (see my review of the deluxe edition), 1978's And Then There Were Three (see my review of the deluxe edition), 1980's Duke (see my review of the deluxe edition) and 1981's Abacab (see my review of the deluxe edition). Plus a bonus CD/DVD set called Bonus Tracks 1976-1982 which is only available in this box set (three of these tracks do appear on the 2007 Turn It On Again The Hits 2-CD set*).
Each album was painstakingly digitally remastered and remixed by longtime Genesis producer Nick Davis. Plus the albums in the set are double disc sets that features a CD (whereas in territories outside the US and Canada have Hybrid SACDs as Warner Music do not support Hybrid SACDs) and a DVD (which has each album in 5.1 plus interviews with Phil Collins, Tony Banks, Steve Hackett (for Trick, Wind and part of Then There Were Three and the 1976-82 Bonus Tracks DVDs) and Mike Rutherford, videos and concert footage/TV appearances). The discs themselves all look like their original US vinyl album counterparts with the labels (the classic Atco label, the old Atlantic label and the custom picture labels that Duke and Abacab had whilst it has the Famous Mad Hatter Charisma Label logos on their European counterparts).
The bonus CD and DVD on this set is called Bonus Tracks 1976-1982. "It's Yourself" was recorded during the A Trick of the Tail sessions and bits were used in "Los Endos". The Spot the Pigeon EP (which consists of "Match of the Day", "Pigeons"* and "Inside and Out"*) finally gets a US release on this set and the remixes sound much better than the original mixes IMHO. "The Night the Lights Went Out" and "Vancouver" are superb tracks that were left off of And Then There Were Three. The original "fourth side" to the US issue of Three Sides Live is here (the Top 30 hit "Paperlate"* (which has its promo clip from Genesis' 1982 appearance on Top Of The Pops on the Bonus Tracks 1976-1982 DVD), "You Might Recall", "Me and Virgil", "Evidence of Autumn" and "Open Door" (the former three were on the UK EP 3 X 3 and the latter two were B-sides from the Duke era). Then the other two Abacab flip-sides which are the superb "Naminamu" and atmospheric instrumental "Submarine" are here and all of the tracks sound SUPERB in their remixed state though some long for the original mixes (and others are complaining about these mixes) but these mixes are reminiscent to what The Who did to their back catalog in the 1990s (but no one complained about those mixes as bad as everyone does the Genesis mixes)!
Plus, the box contains a 48 page case-bound book with essays about each album and rare photos.
RECOMMENDED IMMENSELY!
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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A must for a die-hard fan like myself, September 1, 2007
By Bobby Vee (Montreal, Canada)
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I have to admit I was a little skeptical about buying this box set, after reading all the glorious reviews on it. I was worried I'd be super dissapointed. Plus, I wasn't sure about which version of the box set I was purchasing (SACD-DVD, DTS, etc..). Finally, I went with my first choice which was the DTS version. I was absolutely knocked out by the sound quality in DTS and also the clarity of the vocals, the music... Frankly, I can't wait for the next installment of the Genesis box set (hopefully, it will be the first version with Gabriel at the helm and also other footage and rarities). I also hope they will put out the live albums with rarities and (another wishful thinking) complete shows or song additions not yet on CD or DVD.
1 of 2 people found the above review helpful.
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GENESIS IS GENESIS, August 4, 2007
By obarreda (Tacna, -- Peru)
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About this box set well I must concur with other reviewers that the European version which includes SACD is the best option but really expensive. I bought 4 of the SACD version and then bought the US box set. Yes, yes I'm a big Genesis fan that's why I did this crazy purchase. Anyways if you like Genesis this is a must in your collection as the sound is completely new and enjoyable. And the DVD content is also a must.
1 of 2 people found the above review helpful.
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Just one thing........., August 17, 2007
By Film critic (Ohio)
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Everyone here has said it well so I am going to keep this short which is rare for me. This has to be the best sounding remastered/remixed cd's I have ever heard. Having them on DVD audio is great too. There are sounds in here I never heard before and I have been listening to Genesis for years. Infact this is my favorite period of Genesis. Especially two of Genesis's maybe all time best efforts.....Trick Of The Tail, Wind and Wuthering, as well as And Then There Were Three(Better then people think). So this release just confirms it. Personally they should have just stretched this set to include the next album Genesis in 1983. As the next set will have calling all stations and nobody wants that. So then it's just three albums. Anyways great job on some of the reviews here I could not have said things better............rock on!.
1 of 3 people found the above review helpful.
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Superb Box Set!!!, July 28, 2007
By Music (NY,NY)
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I won't bore you with a lengthy review as others have done. These remasters sound better than the originals...do not pay attention to those complaining of compression. They probably have a crappy system that they are playing it out of. I definitely own some remasters that have no improvements over the originals, but these are not among them. The CD's sound better and clearer than the previous issues. I compared the previous with these new reissues and there is a significant difference and improvement. The 5.1 DTS DVD's are amazing!!! The bonus features such as the new interviews as well as old concert footage makes it even more of a treat. The bonus disc that includes the b-sides are terrific(and it also includes both cd and dvd versions as well plus interview). All I can say is the Genesis took their fans into major consideration when they release this box set. I hope the other groups that I love will take a lesson from this package...it's really great...totally worth the money.
1 of 3 people found the above review helpful.
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Superb edition even without the SACD layer, July 25, 2007
By Armando Ortega Ramirez (México, DF)
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For a Genesis fan this product is a MUST, even for non-so professional ears like mine, the 5.1 mix is really good. It's a sad that, for price reasons ( I think) RHINO decided to exclude the SACD layer of this records, wich I really like to hear.
Is a great experience to re-discover classic albums as Duke, ...and then there where, etc. Veeery refreshing.
1 of 4 people found the above review helpful.
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Can anybody, July 4, 2007
By Jason Salamone
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write a review that isn't ten million paragraphs long?
PLEASE!!!
I'm looking forward to listening to these remastered version of these songs.
I appreciate and enjoy all eras of Genesis, but I feel that musically they were at the top of their game from the mid 70's to early 80's.
1 of 3 people found the above review helpful.
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Genesis phase 2 (The Collins era), July 16, 2009
By Prognov97 (Chicoutimi,P.Q.,Canada)
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Genesis from 1976 to 1982 was a band in mutation. Peter Gabriel,their front man had just left and the drummer Phil Collins took over. For the singing, Phil was okay,but on stage,he did not match the mystical presence of Gabriel. Musically,the band was still very strong but when the lead guitarist Steve Hackett left in 1977,the chemistry was broken.
From 1978 going to the eighties,the old sound of Genesis disappeared.
The band became a big success commercially but a failure musically. For fans of the Gabriel era like me,Genesis really ceased to exist with the Abacab album. All the LP's they made afterwards could have been titled
"Phil Collins band inc."
1 of 5 people found the above review helpful.
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i love this music, April 21, 2010
By cheesehead (IN)
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Since this is my favorite band, I am totally biased in my love for them.
I love love love this music. I have the other boxed set also.
0 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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The best way to hear Genesis, September 3, 2007
By E. P. Coos (Argentina)
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Altough maybe you already have the CD's in this collection, if you really like them won't let pass this box. The 5.1 mix of the disks are REALLY REALLY AWESOME. The bonus videos also fulfills the expectations. Why 4 stars? The DTS mix sound a lot lot lot much better than the Dolby one. Why is this? I don't know, but I think is something you should be aware of.
0 of 2 people found the above review helpful.
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Husband loves it but was a pain to buy, November 25, 2007
By organ momma (ny)
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My husband requested this for his birthday and loves it but I got really frustrated trying to buy it because there were two things with wildly different pricetags and no way to tell which was which. (different playing formats or something.) I ended up buying the wrong thing and then we had to return it and my husband was extremely disappointed that he had it in his hands and couldn't listen to it. Not to mention that by then the price had jumped up again to close to $300.
0 of 5 people found the above review helpful.
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Reply At All, May 16, 2007
By Michael Kerner (Brooklyn, New York U.S.A.)
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Within the past years, we have seen a great revival of classic rock acts that have returned to the mainstream. Although many of them haven't been able to recapture the feeling of what made them successes years ago. Still, with acts like The Police touring again and R.E.M. reuniting with Bill Berry for their induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, there is a whole lot that is to be desired. That also is the case with Genesis. When word came out that Phil Collins, Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford returning to what them longtime sensations in the 70's and 80's, it has made so many fans eager to hope for a great reunion. Not only that, a new box set also has made its mark in celebrating these three and their invisible touch.
Genesis 1976-1982, is a compilation box set, with all of there late 70's and their early 80's. The collection includes all the re-releases of records like And Then There Were Three, Trick Of The Tail, which was Phil's landmark debut as Genesis' second lead singer, Duke and Abacab. The songs have all been remastered and restored well. The collection also includes great tracks like Follow You Follow Me, Abacab, Misunderstanding, Turn It On Again, and No Reply At All. There also is extras including B-sides, and photos that have still shown that the group has not lost its luster. Sadly though, I just wish that the collection did include their later records, Invisible Touch, the self-titled Genesis and their final record with Phil Collins, We Can't Dance.
All in all, Genesis 1976-1982 is a great sampler for anyone who hasn't heard Genesis or Phil Collins and what made their great music come alive. This is a must buy for die hard Genesis fans of all ages, but if you feel it might be too expensive, you may want to consider the 2005 Platinum Collection instead. Still, this boxed set does have a replay at all; Genesis is back.
Album Cover: B
Songs: B
Remastering: B+
Price: C+
Overall: B-
0 of 9 people found the above review helpful.
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Do you like Phil Collins?, June 27, 2007
By carnage (New York)
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I've been a big Genesis fan ever since the release of their 1980 album, Duke. Before that, I really didn't understand any of their work. Too artsy, too intellectual. It was on Duke where, uh, Phil Collins' presence became more apparent.
I think Invisible Touch was the group's undisputed masterpiece. It's an epic meditation on intangibility. At the same time, it deepens and enriches the meaning of the preceding three albums. Just listen to the brilliant ensemble playing of Banks, Collins and Rutherford. You can practically hear every nuance of every instrument. In terms of lyrical craftsmanship, the sheer songwriting, this album hits a new peak of professionalism. Take the lyrics to Land of Confusion. In this song, Phil Collins addresses the problems of abusive political authority.
In Too Deep is the most moving pop song of the 1980s, about monogamy and commitment. The song is extremely uplifting. Their lyrics are as positive and affirmative as, uh, anything I've heard in rock.
Phil Collins' solo career seems to be more commercial and therefore more satisfying, in a narrower way. Especially songs like In the Air Tonight and, uh, Against All Odds. But I also think Phil Collins works best within the confines of the group, than as a solo artist, and I stress the word artist.
Sussudio, a great, great song, a personal favorite.
0 of 16 people found the above review helpful.
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#2 Genesis Box Set, January 28, 2012
By Barry Martz
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This is a nice Phil Collins version Genesis box set. The mixes are fine for the CD and DVD audio. However the sound quality of interviews are sub-standard. The microphone placement doesn't seem correct. Members of Genesis are either to loud or most of the time you can't hear them. You have to keep adjusting the volume and I have a dialog box on a 2.1 audio/video system. Everything else about the box set is great though.
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