Tuesday 5 November 2013

The Cinema Show / Aisle of Plenty (Genesis, 1973)

One of the most known and influential Genesis' tracks, "The Cinema Show" (and its virtual outro "Aisle of Plenty") is a stunning piece of work. The first slow tempo section is an atmospheric ballad based on the 12-string guitar, including two rarefied istrumental interludes and featuring lyrics about masculine and feminine points of view on both life and love. This theme is illustrated with the Greek myth of Tiresias, the blind prophet Zeus changed in a woman for seven years and also with a reference to Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet characters. 

Betty Swanwick's painting "The Dream" on "Selling England" cover.


The second and longer section is an instrumental crescendo with a slight jazz-rock taste and a long, celebrated solo by Tony Banks, including one of the first appearances of synths in the goup's sound. Despite this famous solo, this section allows all the band's members to create an overall exhibition, a stunning example of musical machinery. The last section, "Aisle of Plenty", closes the track and the album coming back to the LP concept of English culture commodification. But all the above is nothing to me compared to the waves of emotion this track inspires me. I really can't describe my pleasure in listening to this, but I'm sure I'm not the only one.

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