Calling All Stations (studio album) by Genesis

I still somewhat prefer this album to We Can't Dance, if only for The Dividing Line.

I'm not a big fan of this record... hard to call it Genesis without Phil Collins or Peter Gabriel! There a couple decent songs though like The Dividing Line. But this one just isn't for classic prog enjoyers!

From Squonk007 08/13/2021 17:39

It's a shame they didn't carry on with Ray. There's some good moments particularly when they sound heavier and darker. On that I think Mike should have been higher up in the mix and let the guitar come more to the fore. I think Ray has a decent voice for the harder edged material.

From AJSki2fly 04/26/2021 11:20

Added to the collection to complete it in terms of studio albums, this one, originally released 1997, is much maligned IMO, not hearing it before I approached it with and open mind. Phil Collins having left the band, leaving Banks and Rutherford, was replaced on vocals by Ray Wilson(ex Stiltskin), drumming mainly done by Nir Zidkyahu(ex Stiltskin).

To the album, the songs are actually pretty good, "Calling All Stations" is reminiscent of having a later Pink Floyd feel to it, with soaring guitar solo. Some have a 'Mike and the Mechanics' feel, which you might expect, "If that's what you need" has a 'Wind and Whispering feel, with sweeping keyboards from Banks with an underlying muted rhythm guitar. Ray Wilson does a very good job vocally, with a great range and distinctive voice on the whole album. I would say all the tracks are expertly crafted, recorded and produced, I presume Genesis and the recording company may think so as well having gone to the trouble to re-release with 1/2 speed mastering at Abbey Road. 'The Dividing Line" has a very tight instrumental instrumental, the vocal is well up there, a very strong track, more typical of a driving Genesis number that could have become a mainstay. "Uncertain Weather" has a "Watcher in the Skies" aspect to it, in a very good way, it has some very low pounding bass pedal lines from Mr Banks.

So IMHO if you like Genesis and can accept it without Gabriel or Collins crooning then it is actually pretty good, it was a shame that some of the fanbase left them at the time, maybe because Mr Collins had become such a powerful force in the act and on his own he overshadowed the group.

It's a shame that this album's reputation precedes it, because it's really not a bad record at all. It's a little generic and uninspired in moments, but there are some genuinely pretty good songs in here (The Dividing Line, Calling All Stations, One Man's Fool, Uncertain Weather, etc.) and by my count, only one truly below average cut (Small Talk). It's not the same Genesis of Peter Gabriel or even Phil Collins, landing more on elements of hard rock and alt-rock than prog or true pop, but there are still elements of old Genesis in here. That said, you're probably more likely to enjoy this record if you take it for what it is without trying to compare it to old Genesis. I think that's where this album's 57/100 rating comes from, when the average track is rated a full 17 ranks higher. Give it a listen and decide for yourself, but I really don't think it's a bad record. Just don't go in expecting Selling England by the Pound or A Trick of the Tail.

Not a bad album, a pleasant listen. Just not particularly exciting, interesting, different, attention grabbing. A few quite good tracks and in my view no complete duds or anything annoying, so I will happily play this album, but mostly as background sounds

From jeremy9 11/12/2019 16:51

Very good prog rock album

Poor old Genesis, oh how the mighty have fallen.

From Eastwood 04/09/2015 21:08

Good album. Best 10 songs average is 85,0/100 and the album can get good 85/100. Best songs are "Congo" and "Shipwrecked" both 90/100, followed by "Calling all stations" and "Not about us" both 85/100. All other songs only just good 80/100, except "Small talk" is average only.
Genre: Pop Rock

From bojolpif71 01/31/2015 12:59

Ne reste plus que 2 membres de la période 70-77 . Et un album sympa sous-estimé à mon avis.