Haunted by Gene
Brian Swatek | 10/07/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Amid the BritPop resurgence of the mid-1990s (Morrissey, Radiohead, Oasis, &c.) Gene delivered solid songs with haunting melodies & lyrics that still stand up, as evidenced by this collection. Listening to these songs, I can still remember where I was, who I was with, & what I was feeling. The songs resonate with a time & place, but they are also (for the most part) timeless works.
In addition to these "greatest hits," I would highly recommend picking up Gene's first two albums. Their first album, _Olympian_, was an elegy to lost love, & an incredible cycle of songs that took the listener on a journey through pubs & down city streets haunted by memories. The title track is a catharsis of intense pain, yearning, & hope not to be forgotten. Their follow-up, _Drawn to the Deep End_, dealt with emotional breakdown & recovery. It is more musically cohesive than the first album, with repeated themes, motifs, & structures throughout.
Personally, I like a lot of the later work Gene has put out as well, & there are lots of stand-out tracks on their subsequent albums. However, I would highly recommend the 1st 2 albums as essential listening."