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Three Sides Live (1982): A Heartily Enjoyable Live Album From Genesis' Pop PeriodNov 01 '10 (Updated Jan 02 '11) Write an essay on this topic.
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The Bottom Line I can only recommend this live album to bonafide Genesis fans, but bonafide Genesis fans will probably enjoy the crap out of this.
(Disclaimer: Those looking for an overall description of the album will find what they're looking for in the "Review Body" section. The section titled "Track Reviews" is meant only for those who want to read detailed descriptions of the songs, and they do not constitute the essence of this review. Lastly and most importantly, this review might not be written in the point of view of a Genesis fan.) Overall Score: 11/15 Best song: “It/Watcher of the Skies” Worst song: “One For the Vine” Review Body: It was live album #3 for these guys and the first of them to be released in their pop period. But why am I not jumping-out-of-my-bones excited about this? I shall answer that by expressing my sincerest regrets that they couldn't have saved their next live album until after 1983's Genesis came out. That album has some of the greatest '80s pop songs ever written, and if this live album had more songs from there and fewer songs from Duke (AKA Puke), then it likely would have gone from “hmmmm!” to “whoooahhh!” Nonetheless, we can't rewrite history. And of course I can't blame Genesis, because they might not have been aware that an album like Genesis was cooking in their brains at the time. AND, I can't really complaint too much, because listening to songs from Duke can be quite enjoyable when they're interspersed with other songs from their catalog. They open the album up nicely with a rousing rendition of “Turn it On Again.” They did a nice thing and gave it an Abacab feel by adding in a pulsating synth-bass, which makes the song more fun, because it gives it a greater sense of urgency. Should I say it again? ...Alright. Phil Collins is an excellent singer. I'll never be able to understand people's arguments that he wasn't. He has a nice, soulful texture to his voice, and he's able to reach powerfully an entire range of notes. (Naturally he suffers in comparison to Peter Gabriel who had all that, plus the ability to playact. ...But I think I might have mentioned that before in my Genesis reviews.) Most importantly, Collins sounds like he's having the time of his life singing these songs. I can picture the huge smile he must've had on his face as he was singing boisterously through “Abacab,” which was probably the best pop song they released to that point. Tony Banks and Michael Rutherford also had a chance to shine there, frequently taking a few moments to improvise with their synthesizer and guitar, respectively. They typically solo about melodically and never come across too much like they were showing off. Not surprisingly, they concentrate mainly on songs from Duke and Abacab, but they take a few moments to revisit songs deeper in their past. “Follow You, Follow Me” is easily one of the finer tracks from ...And Then There Were Three, and this rendition is about as pleasant as it gets. “Afterglow” is from Wind & Wuthering, and somehow I enjoy hearing it here more than I did on the studio album. ...On the downside, they did an entire 11-minute rendition of “On the Vine,” and … Yawn. ...But why didn't they do any songs from A Trick of the Tail? I must say: representation from that album is sorely missed. People who went to Genesis concerts in the mid '80s pining for the Peter Gabriel days got everything they could have ever wished for (sans Gabriel himself joining them on stage) in a 12-minute medley that contains elements from “In the Cage,” “Cinema Show,” “Riding the Scree,” and “The Colony of Slippermen.” It's hugely entertaining, and Collins' singing could not have been more fantastically boisterous. I'm also amazed at how well they managed to meld those songs together! I almost don't even notice that they switch to different songs sometimes! They close the album with another medley, this time 11-minutes long and combines “It” with “Watcher of the Skies.” Those songs were the grand finales of The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway and Foxtrot respectively, and hearing them combine their forces to create an even greater epic finish to this live set was a brilliant idea. (Also, according to Wikipedia, that recording was from 1976, which meant that Steve Hackett was still in the band... That's an anomaly since most other songs were recorded sometime in the early '80s.) The original vinyl pressing in the US of this album had an entire side devoted to new studio songs (hence the album title Three Sides Live). However, the UK version omitted these songs and instead put in some more live recordings. When it came time to release this album on CD in the US, they went ahead and released the UK version, so those five studio songs are no longer available. I'm not complaining so much about that, because those extra live songs are, for my money, the highlights of this album. You can find most of the missing studio songs on Genesis Archive 1976-1992. But because I love you all, I decided to write some track reviews of them so that you can see what they're like. The only one that's really worth its weight in gold is the toe-tapping and horn-ridden “Paperlate,” which sounds very similar to “No Reply At All.” Other than that, they're OK, but nothing to write home about. (Not that I've ever written home about “Paperlate.”) Track Reviews: Turn It On Again A- Uh oh, the good but indistinguishable tunes from Duke are coming back to haunt me! Aggghhhh!! ...Actually, since this is the first time I heard a Duke song, this is OK. It also seems to be a fitting tune to bring back in the live arena and, moreover, to open a set-list with. They also put some Abacab sensibilities to it, which helps. Notably, I hear a pulsating synth-bass, which believe it or not, makes it more fun to hear. Collins gives an excellent vocal performance... and of course the melody is good in its marginal catchiness. Dodo A Surely, it's not difficult to imagine that this great song from Abacab would be given excellent treatment in the live setting. If nothing else, this continues to show that these guys were great in the live setting, and of course Collins singing songs from his era makes him sound more at home compared to where he was on Seconds Out. He also sounds like he's enjoying singing in front of a crowd, which makes me enjoy it as well. ...On the downside, it isn't fundamentally different than the studio cut except of course the lack of studio mixing. Even the crowd noises aren't always very audible here. Abacab A ...Man, I've had this song stuck in my head for over a week now, which was when I reviewed Abacab. Do I hate that? No! I love this song getting stuck in my head. The problem is that I don't remember the lyrics too well, and I start making them up, and now I associate this song with the made-up lyrics. ...Anyway, I was tempted to give this an A+, but then I noticed that I didn't even give the original an A+. Even though this live version is nearly as immaculate as the studio albeit a little longer (to make room for some instrumental solos, which are quite good albeit superfluous), I wouldn't call it better. It's missing the slickness! Behind the Lines B+ Oh listen to how the crowd goes wild for this selection from Duke. Oh my!!!! ...At least hearing these songs done live helps give them an added dimension, which is a stark contrast to the originals that were so plain that they hurt. It also helps that a song from Abacab preceded it, so I don't have that familiar bored outta my mind feeling when I listen to any old song from that album... Anyway, what should I say about this? It's performed very much like I remember it from the album. It's OK. I still get tired of those bombastic synthesizer chords at the beginning, and I also get tired of Collins' singing. Just like old times. Duchess B+ Just like the studio cut, this starts with subdued synthesizers and a bongo drum groove. I seem to like the sound of it slightly better than the studio version, so it has that working in its favor. Phil Collins' overly dramatic vocal melody also comes in on cue, and he sings the crap out of it, of course. The melody is well-written, naturally... Nope, I'm not gonna complain about this at all... other than the fact that it's the second selection from Duke in a row. Me and Sarah Jane B+ ...Well I have a feeling that my track reviews of this album aren't helpful at all. Once again, they do a solid rendition of a solid Genesis song. I already reviewed that song in a previous album review, so should I repeat myself? I guess so. Sigh. I like the reggae-ish groove they get going for the chorus. Really, the textures these guys have been known to create are excellent, and they bring out many of them for this song. Why on earth did they ever become so enamored with such plain adult contemporary music? ...I dunno. Follow You Follow Me A- My my, here is the first song on this album that is from neither Abacab or Duke. ...It's from And Then There Were Three. (And the whole world gasps in fear.) Rest assured, good people, it's one of the good songs from that album. Collins sweetly delivers its likable melody, and they faithfully recreate its bubbly texture from the original album. … “Me and Sarah Jane” struck me as a bit long, so it's nice to hear them follow up with this relatively briefer and simpler song. Misunderstanding B+ Is it just me, or are you sick and tired of all these Duke songs?!?!?! (Alright, it's probably just me, since everybody else in the world is in love with Duke.) I guess it shouldn't be such a surprise to hear that I'm not particularly thrilled to be hearing these songs again. Of course they're well-performed and the melody is OK. ...It's like I have to force myself to appreciate it whereas I should be gushing over them. Medley: In the Cage/Cinema Show/Riding the Scree/Cinema Show/The Colony of the Slippermen A The album's very first excursion into their Peter Gabriel years, and it's surprisingly a very well done interweaving of many of their previous songs! And thank God for that, because as decent as the Phil Collins stuff was, they were no match for the songs they churned out when Peter Gabriel was leader of the pack. ...I know how many times I said this, but these guys really kick butt live, creating textures almost as well as they did in the studio. Collins of course wasn't as good at playacting as Gabriel was, but he nonetheless gives off an excited and dramatic performance over it. This song is nearly 12 minutes long, and no matter what song they're playing, it's consistently fun the whole way. And, oh yes, the soloing is good too, usually staying melodic and never getting too show-offey. Afterglow B+ Aggggg!!!! They've gone and done it now!!! It's a song from Wind & Wuthering! ...Well, you know, that previous track had me on such a nerd-high that I don't really mind this. I also love the way they sort of bled this song in with the end of the previous. ...Man, that nerd-high is making me give this track rating two notches higher than I did the original studio version. ...I guess this works much nicer as a calmer coda to a prog-epic than it did on that album. The melody is quite good, and Collins gives it a dramatic and believable vocal performance. ...Very good! One For the Vine B- OH NO ANOTHER SONG FROM WIND & WUTHERING! And it's an 11-minute one, so … we're gonna have to sit through this one for awhile. ...Er, is it possible that Wind & Wuthering is growing on me? This is the second time in a row I felt compelled to give the live version a higher rating than the studio. ...I suppose a reason for that is that these guys sound more appropriately lively here. Hearing the audience cheer through the boring bits also help. ...If I were in the audience and they weren't cheering, I'd sit back on my chair and probably take a bit of a snooze. Fountain of Salmacis A Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww... Now isn't this lovely? They went all the way back to Nursery Cryme to pull out this wonderful song, and it reminds me of how these guys' music used to make me so starry-eyed. ...Yeah, much of the Phil Collins stuff is great, but it rarely goes anywhere more than “fun.” This is the stuff that turned me into a Genesis nut. ...Naturally of course, Collins is singing it instead of Gabriel, which is unfortunate, but I don't care! He does a good performance, and it's an excellent song! These guys manage to pull out all those tight solos that they did in the studio version, and listening to this eight-and-a-half-minute song is like an adventure. ...I will say the studio version was a bit more delicate, but the heightened excitement I get from this version is entertaining in its own way. It/Watcher of the Skies A Man... Even though these live songs weren't on the original U.S. version of this album, I almost wonder if they were missing out. (OK, maybe I would have been slightly peeved at not getting to hear the five studio songs that were supposed to be on this album.) But anyway, this is great. Also according to Wikipedia, it was recorded in 1976, which means that this is the only song on this live album to be recorded when Steve Hackett was still in the band. In the “It” portion of the song, Collins gives a wonderfully dramatic performance, as he always does. I suppose that was one of the Gabriel-era songs he was most suited to covering! Also, I really love their excursion into Foxtrot territory. To me, it goes to show how exciting and tight their instrumental passages were back then and how weak similar things were in Wind & Wuthering. (Yes, I'm looking at you “One For the Vine.) It's tense, exciting, Collins delivers a boisterous vocal performance... This song is 100 percent win. EXTRA SONG REVIEWS: These aren't bonus tracks. No CD pressing I'm aware of of this album has bonus tracks. However, there is and alternate pressing of this album, and many Americans who bought this album originally on vinyl probably want to know what happened to the five studio songs that they remembered. Indeed, the original U.S. vinyl release had an entire side devoted to five brand new studio songs. (Hence Three Sides Live... and one side studio.) However the British version of the album didn't have these studio songs, but rather they filled that side with some more live performances. (And yet it was still called Three Sides Live!) Well, here they are, anyway... Paperlate A This is an excellent '80s pop song from Genesis, and if you haven't heard it before, then you might want to. It's similar to the style of “No Reply At All” from Abacab, even using the same horn section from Earth, Wind & Fire. ...Maybe I would say that song was slightly better, but they're both so fun that I can't help but give them both the same rating. Collins' vocal melody is catchy, and the horn section interacts brilliantly with it. There's even a nice jangle guitar in the background, which makes it even better to me! (Jangle guitar in a Genesis song!!) You Might Recall B+ ...I might recall Phil Collins albums. Oh yes, there are two extremes to pop-era Genesis: the songs that rock my sock off and the songs that bore the crap out of me, because they sound like Phil Collins solo songs. Although truth be told, this isn't terrible. There are certain vocal twists Collins engages in that piques my interest particularly as it slowly reaches a climax. Other than that, it's a fairly ordinary mid-tempo song. I'm glad at least Banks is playing a real-sounding piano instead of those cheesy synthesizers, which were rampant in pop music at the time. Me and Virgil B- This is alright, but … er … it's kind of boring. It's done at a plodding pace, and its melody is forgettable. It's performed well, but it just never catches fire. The chord progression is complicated at least, but of course Genesis were always good for that. The instrumentation is very bare, sometimes just relying on a tiny cymbal tap, Collins singing, and some simple chord patterns from Banks. ...Yawn. Evidence of Autumn B+ Not bad. Sort of like songs from Duke. It's respect-worthy, and I sort of like the feeling it gives me of being drenched with synthesizers. But the melody never really takes off. They change the texture into something more bubbly in the middle, but I have a feeling they were just going through the motions, trying to “change things up,” because they were “creative” and they put bubbly bits in the middle of their power ballads because they're “creative.” ...In other words, this song is OK, but it's not terribly inspired. Open Door B Oh... up until the minute and a half mark, I feel ready to give this thing a C+, but then Phil Collins does his Phil Collins thing and picks up steam for the chorus. I also sort of like one of Banks' synthesizers that sounds like a woodwind I hear faintly in the background. ...But seriously, everything except for the chorus is an ordinarily boring piano ballad. Tori Amos writes songs like these, except she's not as good of a singer as Collins. Concluding Remarks: This was Genesis' third live album and they, once again, prove that they are excellent in the live setting. ...But of course, most of these songs don't come close to matching the excellence of their super-polished studio counterparts, so I can only recommend this to established Genesis fans who think they'd like a live album of their post-Abacab material. ---- Why doesn't epinions have this on their database? It's a very common album to find in stores. I guess I'll have to submit this to the “general music” reviews and provide you with a link to Amazon... http://www.amazon.com/Three-Sides-Live/dp/B0018ARNX8/ref=ntt_mus_ep_dpi_17 Read More Genesis Reviews by Starcollector! From Genesis to Revelation (1969) | Trespass (1970) | Nursery Cryme (1971) | Foxtrot (1972) | Genesis Live (1973) | Selling England By the Pound (1973) | The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (1974) | A Trick of the Tail (1976) | Wind & Wuthering (1977) | Seconds Out (1977) | And Then There Were Three (1978) | Duke (1980) | Abacab (1981) | Three Sides Live (1982) | Genesis (1983) | Invisible Touch (1986) | We Can't Dance (1991) | The Way We Walk, Volume 1: The Shorts (1992) | The Way We Walk, Volume 2: The Longs (1993) | Calling All Stations (1997) | Genesis Archive 1967-75 (1998) | Genesis Archive 2: 1976-92 (2000)  |
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