Audio CD review:
Genesis - Three Sides Live

Genesis - Three Sides Live

Band: Genesis Title: Three Sides Live Rating: Release Date: 31 October, 1994 Media: Audio CD Tracks: 1: Turn It on Again [Live] 2: Dodo [Live] 3: Abacab [Live] 4: Behind the Lines [Live] 5: Duchess [Live] 6: Me and Sarah Jane [Live] 7: Follow You, Follow Me [Live] 8: AfterGlow 9: Misunderstanding [Live] 10: In the Cage Medley: Cinema Show/Slipperman [Live] 11: Afterglow [Live] 12: Paperlate 13: You Might Recall 14: Me and Virgil 15: Evidence of Autumn 16: Open Door

Customer Reviews Genesis' second double live disc still resonates 25 years on for US version The album comprises of songs from the band's 1981 Abacab tour and one from 1980's Duke tour. Genesis' 14th album Three Sides Live was released in June of 1982. On this album, singer/drummer Phil Collins, guitarist Mike Rutherford and keyboard player Tony Banks were augmented by guitarist/bass player Daryl Stuermer and the returning Chester Thompson on drums for the live material here. In fact, there were two versions of Three Sides Live released (one for the US, Canada and Germany which this review pertains to and the other for the UK, Japan, Europe which is in the next review). The first disc kicks off with technically seven songs from the 1981 Abacab tour including a spirited "Turn it On Again" (which was played before the Dance on a Volcano/Los Endos medley at the end on the Abacab tour itself), an excellent medley of "Dodo/Lurker" (which followed "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway" on the 1981 tour's setlist) and an excellent reading of Abacab's title cut (the later live versions trumped this but played with more passion than the classic studio version). The second side of the album begins with the tour's actual opening tracks "Behind the Lines" and "Duchess" which are performed with more fire than the studio version ("Duchess" was faded as the song segued into "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway" during the performances on the Abacab tour). Next is another Abacab track "Me and Sarah Jane" which trumps the studio version. We close disc one with "Follow You Follow Me" which was actually recorded on the 1980 Duke Tour at the Lyceum Ballroom in London (it was not played on the US dates of the 1981 tour). The 1981 tracks were from Nassau Coliseum, The Savoy Club and Wembley Arena respectively. Side three kicks off with a superb version of "Misunderstanding" (which trumps the studio version and when played live segued into "No Reply at All" (not included on TSL). Next is the reason to own TSL which is "In the Cage" which is arguably the best live version with Phil on vocals then it segues into "The Cinema Show"/"Slippermen" medley with superb drumming by Collins and Thompson and Banks' keyboards on fire here. We close the third side with "Afterglow" which trumps the studio version and arguably the Seconds Out versions by a longshot. Now the studio side (for us Yanks and Canadians and Germans) was why this live album was given its title. The studio side contained three outtakes from Abacab and two from Duke and were released as the 3X3 EP and UK b-sides respectively. First is the 3X3 EP which began with the US Top 40 hit "Paperlate" which featured The Earth Wind and Fire Horns and a great number. Next is the track "You Might recall" which was a great song but left off of Abacab in favor of the bizarre "Who Dunnit". "Me and Virgil" follows and sounds like something that the group called The Band would have done but a great six minute track nonetheless. Then we go to the flip side of the UK single of "Misuderstanding" with Banks' superb "Evidence of Autumn" which is a great song". We close with "Duchess"' flip side, the Rutherford penned ballad "Open Door" (both of these tracks were recorded for 1980's Duke but left off due to time constraints). The US version of Three Sides Live reached #10 on the Billboard album chart and today remains their highest selling live album Stateside. RECOMMENDED! . Showing Its Age First, compared to "Live" and "Seconds Out", the vocal performances sound stiff and staged. Conceivably, in another ten years or so, "Three Sides Live" will acquire some allure as a representative of early 80's live pop, but today -- to my ears -- it sounds like it hasn't aged well. It doesn't sound like the band is having fun, and Phil Collins' attempts at spontaneity sound, well, rehearsed. Having recently listened to the recording, though, some six or eight years after last playing it, what really struck me was how synthesizer-heavy it is. Synth is by far the dominant instrument in nearly all the songs. That might have been the style at the time the album was recorded, but today it simply sounds overly electronic and artificial. That's not to say that this is a bad recording. It definitely has its moments. "In The Cage" rocks. "Behind the Lines" and "Duchess" are powerfully done. But you may find yourself wishing at times that the keyboards had been played with a lighter touch, that the guitar work had been given more opportunity to shine through, and that Phil hadn't simply phoned it in. Buy if you must, but do yourself a favor and give the band's earlier live recordings a try before writing yet another 5-star review for this one. Get the British version! I had that version on cassette (I borrowed it from a girlfriend and forgot to return it after we broke up - how SHE got the import is still a mystery to me) and wore the thing out! I had to track down the CD and it was easier than I thought: Go to http://www. The UK releases is still in print and if you only plan to get one of the two, that is the one to get. amazon. co. uk and enter your normal login that you use for the US Amazon site. Then search on "three sides live" and presto! They take your regular credit card, and although free shipping is not an option to the US, the conversion rate brings the total to about $26 - still a bargain, since you can't even GET the US release anymore and you are getting FOUR sides live with this one anyway ;-). . You can see a complete list of all Genesis discography, or go back to the Genesis tabs