Search - Genesis :: 1983-1998 Box Set 5CD/5DVD

The Musical Box, Part II

Alan Caylow | USA | 11/28/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"We now come to the second Genesis box set in the band's box set trilogy, "1983-1998," which covers (mostly) the "commercial peak" period for Genesis: hit singles, MTV, etc. Four albums---"Genesis," "Invisible Touch," "We Can't Dance," and the sorely-overlooked "Calling All Stations"---each one remastered & remixed by Nick Davis, with each album containing a bonus DVD of video goodies such as music videos, interviews, concert footage, etc. And this box set also includes an exclusive bonus disc & DVD of rare tracks and footage, as well as a 48-page book, with liner notes by the band's longtime music video director, Jim Yukich. Regarding the albums themselves, I rate "Genesis" and "We Can't Dance" a perfect five stars, while I give "Invisible Touch" and "Calling All Stations" a solid four stars. As for the sound quality, the albums all sound amazing, but the two that benefit the most in the new & improved sound quality are "Genesis" and "Invisible Touch." Nick Davis' magic mixingboard work especially comes to life on these two albums, the sound quality on both SO strong now, with the band's instruments having more power, and Phil Collins' vocals are more up front. "Invisible Touch" is a WHOLE NEW ALBUM, which is terrific since this is the album that Genesis have been unfairly judged by ever since it was released in 1986. To anyone who hates "Invisible Touch," I say listen to this new version. The sound has been totally opened up on this album in particular, and if you couldn't hear the excellent work that Phil, Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford did on it before, I have a feeling you will definitely hear it now. "We Can't Dance" and "Calling All Stations" both sound great too, but, being the last of the Genesis albums, there really wasn't much Nick Davis could do with them, apart from making them sound a *little bit* sharper than before. The video extras are terrific, including rare tour rehearsal footage of Genesis from 1983, the band's "Unplugged" performance at a private dinner party in 2000 (only on the box set exclusive DVD!), and the classic music videos including "Mama," "Land Of Confusion," and the phenomenal but rarely-seen clip for "Congo," with it's stunning apocalyptic look and water effects (the band are REALLY getting soaked in this clip, but it's powerful stuff). So, what makes me give "1983-1998" four stars instead of five? Well, some missing tracks. There's no *full-length* versions of "Mama" and "It's Gonna Get Better," which run longer than the album versions and were released together way back when on a 12-inch single. In fact, Davis momentarily tricked me into thinking that the full "Mama" was going to be on the new disc, as he re-edited the song to drop in a few seconds of the full-length "Mama," only to stick on the original fade-out at the very end (thanks a lot, Nick.). Also, most of the rare tracks from "Calling All Stations" are missing---"Papa He Said," "Banjo Man," "Phret," "7/8," and the never-commercially released "Nowhere Else To Turn." BIG ommissions, all of them. Also, the concert footage of Genesis at Knebworth (only on the exclusive box set DVD) chops out, and I mean *chops out* the "Second Home By The Sea" segment, which is inexcusable. Finally, as much as I enjoyed most of Jim Yukich's liner notes, he seems to have a problem with the band's "Calling All Stations" lead singer Ray Wilson, whom Yukich says has a "limited range" and whose voice lacks "personality." That's rubbish, Jim. Ray Wilson is an excellent singer! If he wasn't, I don't think Mike & Tony would've chosen him. Still, when all is said and done, "1983-1998" has many more positives than negatives. The albums all sound incredible, the video goodies are awesome, and the packaging is very handsome. For the diehard Genesis fan, "1983-1998," like the 1st box set, "1976-1982," is an absolute must-buy. Now, bring on the Peter Gabriel era with box set #3!"

Great collection, but not truly complete.

You Know My Name (Look Up The Numbe | Audubon, NJ USA | 11/20/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"As usual a complete CD/DVD set pretends to be something it isn't. It isn't complete! I know this because I collected every CD I could find with yet another track not on the album or another single, even of the same name.



In this case, there are at least 2 songs missing, "Phret" and "7/8". They were 2 instrumental tracks found on the Shipwrecked CD No.2 and are both worth having. There are also live acoustic tracks not found on this set as well. No Son of Mine, Lovers Leap (from Suppers Ready), and Turn it on Again were released on Shipwrecked No.1 and are not found here anywhere.



Nowhere here does it mention the longer version of It's Gonna Get Better which includes a whole other verse. That's on the Mama CD which has 3 tracks on the 5 inch CD and 2 tracks on the 3 inch CD. On the 5 inch CD it has a longer version of Mama as well.



Papa He Said and Banjo Man are studio tracks released on Congo CD No.1. The Dividing Line has a live version from Cape Canaveral of Turn it On Again (same recording actually as on Shipwrecked No.1) when they announced the new line-up with Ray Wilson and the new tour to follow, (which never did).



Dancing with the Moonlit Knight (live) can be found on Not About Us No.2 with Ray Wilson singing lead. I think they didn't want to over do Ray Wilson's lead vocals on this set. Personally, I think he sounded very much more like Gabriel than Collins did. This same CD also covers live Follow You Follow Me and Not About Us. You won't find these tracks anywhere near this set or the Genesis Archives set. They do however, place the studio recordings of Anything Now, Sign Your Life Away and Run Out Of Time from the Not About Us CD No.1 on this set.



I am not complaining as they did a great job cleaning up tracks on the first set released. The DVDs are a nice addition as are the corresponding videos (which are already on the Genesis Collection of videos). Having the rare video stuff though is great fun. The 5.1 mixes are oustanding, so I expect this new set to match the first set's exquisite sound quality. My complaint is how they say it's complete but it isn't really complete.



Then again, why am I complaining? I already have these tracks! It's really more of a warning to those who are thinking they are getting everything buying these sets. You virtually are getting everything, but you aren't actually getting everything. Maybe some would say, you are getting everything that matters? I just would like completeness for completeness' sake.



Overall though, this set is a great collection of music and it won't disappoint! Really, it won't. The essential tracks are here anyway and only a couple rare tracks are missing. And they aren't the most amazing things you ever heard or anything, they are just a few more tracks recorded by Genesis in some form or another.



Now, we all can buy this set and get ready for their next set which carries remixes of their first set of albums with lead singer Peter Gabriel. That certainly won't disappoint, unless they forget a few tracks there as well. The disappointment will be limited though just as it is here."

Genesis' later years given a superb makeover

Terrence J. Reardon | Lake Worth (a west Palm Beach suburb), FL | 09/29/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Genesis 10-disc box set entitled Genesis 1983-1998, released in November of 2007 here in the US (and a month earlier in Europe) is a MUST for all Genesis fans.

This 5-CD/5-DVD box set featured the second four titles to be re-released in an exhausting and long Genesis remaster campaign which took place in the last year.

The first inklings that a Genesis catalog overhaul was in the making was the release of the 3-CD Platinum Collection box set in 2005.

The albums in this box set include 1983's self-titled effort a/k/a The Mama Album (see my review of the deluxe edition), 1986's Invisible Touch (see my review of the deluxe edition), 1991's We Can't Dance (see my review of the deluxe edition) and 1997's somewhat weak finale Calling All Stations (see my review of the deluxe edition). Plus a bonus CD/DVD set called Bonus Tracks 1983-1998 which is only available in this box set.

Each album was painstakingly digitally remastered and remixed by longtime Genesis producer Nick Davis. Plus the albums in the set are double disc sets that features a CD (whereas in territories outside the US and Canada have Hybrid SACDs as Warner Music do not support Hybrid SACDs) and a DVD (which has each album in 5.1 plus interviews with Phil Collins, Tony Banks, Ray Wilson and Nir Z, videos and concert footage/TV documentaries). The discs themselves all look like their original US vinyl album counterparts with the labels (the custom picture labels that each album had).

The bonus CD and DVD on this set is called Bonus Tracks 1983-1998. We have all three B-sides from the Invisible Touch album with "Feeding the Fire", "I'd Rather Be You" and the superb instrumental "Do the Neurotic" (which was left off of the original album in favor of "The Brazilian"). Next is the two studio B-sides from 1991's We Can't Dance which are "On the Shoreline" and "Hearts on Fire" which were all left off of the original CD. There is three B-sides from the Calling All Stations sessions (which should have been on the original album in favor of the three tracks that I didn't like (see review) "Anything Now", "Sign Your Life Away" and "Run Out of Time". I haven't heard the other B-sides left off of CAS which were "Papa He Said", "Banjo Man", "Phret" and "7/8".

The bonus DVD has some extra concert footage from Knebworth 1992 and the Genesis Archive 2 (1976-1992) in addition to the 5.1 mixes.

Plus, the box contains a 48 page case-bound book with essays (written by longtime video director Jim Yukich) about each album and rare photos.

RECOMMENDED IMMENSELY!"