Turn It On Again: The Hits

by Genesis

Overview

Founded in the late '60s, Peter Gabriel's Genesis was one of the first bands of classically minded rockers to emerge in the wake of Sgt. Pepper's. In 1999, the post-Gabriel/post-Phil Collins incarnation of the group is one of the few of that era to escape dino-rock extinction by re-imagining meandering prog as enduring pop. While only a dozen or so of Genesis' 30-plus years were as hit-packed as this collection's title suggests, the emphasis here is on the pop tunes that made them international stars. From 1978's "Follow You Follow Me" through 1992's "Jesus He Knows Me," this is a celebration of Phil Collins's canny pop sense (and perhaps of Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford's knack for persuading the singer to save his goopier tendencies for his solo career). For longtime fans, a recast "Carpet Crawlers," which unites vocalists Collins and Gabriel with producer Trevor Horn, will be a welcome surprise for those hungry for a '90s take on ye auld proggy sound.

Product Details

Release Date:	03/27/2007
Label:	Atlantic
UPC:	0081227999018
catalogNumber:	121276
Rank:	21725

Tracks

1. Turn It on Again
2. Invisible Touch
3. Mama
4. Land of Confusion
5. I Can't Dance
6. Follow You, Follow Me
7. Hold on My Heart
8. Abacab
9. I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)
10. No Son of Mine
11. Tonight, Tonight, Tonight
12. In Too Deep
13. Congo
14. Jesus He Knows Me
15. That's All
16. Misunderstanding
17. Throwing It All Away
18. The Carpet Crawlers 1999

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Genesis   Primary Artist
Phil Collins   Drums
Peter Gabriel   Vocals
Tony Banks   Keyboards
Ray Wilson   Vocals
Nir "Z" Zidkyahu   Drums

Technical Credits

Phil Collins   Composer
Genesis   Audio Production
Tony Banks   Composer,Audio Production
John Burns   Audio Production
Nick Davis   Audio Production
David Hentschel   Audio Production
Trevor Horn   Audio Production
Hugh Padgham   Audio Production
Mike Rutherford   Composer,Audio Production

Editorial Reviews

Originally, there were plans for two Genesis box sets -- one covering the classic Peter Gabriel era, the other chronicling the band's development into hit-makers under the direction of Phil Collins. The Gabriel set was released in 1998, but instead of a second box following it in 1999, the single-disc Turn It on Again: The Hits appeared. Truth be told, it was a wise move, because even if the Collins set appears, there will be a market for a concise collection of hits, which Turn It on Again more or less is. Since Genesis had such a prolific career and had so many hits, it should come as no surprise that the compilation isn't complete, but it's a little disappointing to discover that such latter-day non-entities as "Hold on My Heart" (from the last Collins album, We Can't Dance) and "Congo" (from the post-Collins album, Calling All Stations) are included in favor of such fine singles as "Paperlate" or "Man on the Corner." But that's nitpicking, since all the big hits are here: "Turn It on Again," "Invisible Touch," "Follow You, Follow Me," "Tonight, Tonight, Tonight," "In Too Deep," "That's All," "Misunderstanding," "Throwing It All Away," and the list goes on and on. True, the sublime Gabriel number "I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)" sounds completely out of place sandwiched between "Abacab" and "No Son of Mine," but it's nice to have it here. Similarly, "The Carpet Crawlers 1999," reworked as a duet between Collins and Gabriel, is a surprisingly effective re-recording, and a nice inclusion. It may not be enough to convince hardcore fans that they need Turn It on Again, but this album is really for listeners who've thought of Genesis as a singles act, and they're not going to be disappointed by this.

All Music Guide - Stephen Thomas Erlewine