Review Summary: The album is not so sood, but no so bad, i think is worthy if you are fan of this Genesis version. Buy either the self-titled or Invisible touch, which are the only worthy albums in the last years of Genesis.
While i found Abacab the start of probably the worst era of genesis, there's no question why Phil Collins was so popular. Back then in the early 80's when Phil released his first album "Face Value" and his success with the single "In the Air Tonight" there was no doubt that phil collins was not actually a fan of the progressive rock genre so Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford helped him to go deeper and transform genesis in another band, another band that probably Peter Gabriel or Steve Hackett couldn't recognise.
When this album still sounds as boring as Abacab the album is along with Invisible Touch the most balanced records in the last period of the band with Collins.
The first track of the album "Mama", doesn't tell me anything, even if it is one of the last progressive rock songs that became a hit in the mid 80's. The only thing i enjoyed from the song is the sinister laugh of Phil in the track, the rest is pretty much the same
The other single of the album "That's All" is exactly the same formula of "No Reply at All", funny as hell but it didn't sound like Genesis is more like Genesis trying to sound like Phil Collins.
The main dish of this album are 4 or if you want 3 particular songs in the album home by the sea/second home by the sea, just a job to do and taking it all too hard.
Home by the sea/second home by the sea, is considered by me the last worth progressive rock song of genesis along with !Me and Sarah Jane! on Abacab, "Tonight, Tonight, Tonigh"! and "The Brazilian" on Invisible Touch, the others songs that genesis made in a progressive style (Mama, Domino, Driving the Last Spike and Fading Lights) were failed attempts of genesis trying to return to their signature old sound of the 70's.
Just a job to do is along keep it dark one of the most funniest songs that Phil collins ever composed on Genesis, and probably one of the last songs of Genesis that the subject wasn't about love.
And finally Taking it all too hard is one of the best pop songs that Genesis ever recorded as a band, forget "I know What I Like", this is probably better than the pop song in Peter's era
