Invisible Touch

Untitled

Invisible Touch is the thirteenth studio album by the British rock band Genesis and was released in 1986. As their most commercially successful pop album, Invisible Touch received generally favorable reviews from critics and achieved five US Top 5 singles, including the title track, which reached the pole position.

A SACD / DVD double disc set (including new 5.1 and Stereo mixes) is planned for release in June/July 2007.

A Detailed Description

The album begins with the instantly recognizable title track, replete with highly-intricate synthesizer sequencing and the trademark electronic toms that dominate the album. It was a #1 hit.

Following is the full album version of the popular "Tonight, Tonight, Tonight," which differs both in length and arrangement from the radio edit that is often heard. In particular, the dark instrumental solo is hailed by fans of progressive Genesis as a musical masterpiece and as proof that the band still retained its progressive roots. The song's working title was "Monkey/Zulu," referring to the line "I'm coming down like a monkey," and the central instrumental section, which has a Zulu tribal beat.

Next is the oft-played "Land Of Confusion," which attempts dark political commentary concerning the Cold War. Musically this track is akin to "Invisible Touch," particularly in its arrangement. Mike Rutherford wrote it as a protest song, akin to the 1960s hippie songs.

Following is the softer, pensive "In Too Deep," another radio staple pop ballad in the vein of Collins' solo work. It's a very simple song with an instrumental interlude similar to their late 70s songs.

"Anything She Does" recalls "No Reply At All" from Abacab (1981) with its horn section and highly animated structure. "Anything She Does" was never popular, but it was the first song to hint at Collins' future (and more acoustic) drum sound, with it's sharp snare and long sustaining cymbals.

"Domino" is often cited as a masterpiece, along with "Tonight, Tonight, Tonight," by proponents of progressive rock. "Domino" is by far the longest Genesis song from the 1980s era, clocking at 10:46 and coming in two parts, linked by a soft bridge. Though most people see a nuclear nightmare, the words allow for myriad interpretations. Musically this song mimics "Tonight, Tonight, Tonight," but lyrically it follows "Land Of Confusion" (assuming the popular interpretation is what Genesis intended).

After "Domino" is another radio staple pop ballad, "Throwing It All Away." Driven by a strong rhythm guitar line, this song is still heard on the radio today.

The album closes with a very unique track (even for Genesis standards) with the highly energetic and percussive instrumental "The Brazilian." The song contains very heavy drums, and a long roll on the toms occours every measure. The song contains 3 "verse" sections, the first and second are synth solos, the 3rd is sound effects. The song reaches its climax, and a guitar enters, playing a very melodic solo. This guitar solo is one of Mike Rutherford's finest guitar solos. It uses very large bends and leaps and has a distinct "weeping" sound to it. "The Brazilian" was not well received, but remains a sort of cult classic among Genesis fans.

Analysis and Conclusion

The album, much like the previous two releases, is structured to appeal to both newer and older Genesis fans, with radio-friendly pop singles like "Land of Confusion" and the title track appealing to pop fans, and longer tracks like "Tonight, Tonight, Tonight" and "Domino" aimed more toward fans of the band's progressive rock style of the 1970s. The idiosyncratic instrumental "The Brazilian" shows the band had not lost its willingness to experiment, and this song, along with the two-part "Domino" suite, continues many of the band's experiments with layers of electronic sounds. The genesis of such experimentation was also seen on "Second Home By the Sea," from the preceding Genesis (1983) release (also known as the "Shapes" album), which some older fans consider an artistic triumph, yet others deem the dawning of a new, electronic era for Genesis.

The lyrics on this album are among Genesis's rare attempts at social and political commentary, with "Domino" evoking nightmarish nuclear war scenarios and "Land of Confusion" commenting satirically on the political turmoil of the Reagan/Thatcher/Gorbachev era. A widely acclaimed video for "Land of Confusion", featuring the Spitting Image puppets, was nominated for an MTV Video of the Year award, though it lost to former Genesis frontman Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer."

Catching Genesis at their commercial peak, Invisible Touch was an instant UK #1, while it reached #3 in the US and went six times platinum there. With some of Genesis' creative experimentation still visible in the more instrumental portions, the album is dominated by pop songs which are often much more layered and musically complex than might be apparent to the casual listener. Still, despite the sheer catchiness of the album as a whole, and solid pop craftsmanship, older fans often see this as the point when Genesis had ceased to be the creative artistic force it once was, and instead became more interested in selling albums. Others, generally newer fans, consider Invisible Touch the maturation of an art form long in development: prog-pop.

Track listing

All songs by Tony Banks/Phil Collins/Mike Rutherford.

1. "Invisible Touch" (lyrics: Phil Collins) (#1 US) – 3:27
2. "Tonight, Tonight, Tonight" (lyrics: Phil Collins) (#3 US) – 8:49
3. "Land Of Confusion" (lyrics: Mike Rutherford) (#4 US) – 4:45
4. "In Too Deep" (lyrics: Phil Collins) (#3 US) – 4:59
5. "Anything She Does" (lyrics: Tony Banks) – 4:07
6. "Domino" (lyrics: Tony Banks)
   • "Part One: In The Glow Of The Night" – 4:27
   • "Part Two: The Last Domino" – 6:15
7. "Throwing It All Away" (lyrics: Mike Rutherford) (#4 US) – (3:50, time is incorrectly listed as 4:41 on CD back cover)
8. "The Brazilian" (instrumental) – 4:49

Personnel

• Phil Collins - drums, percussion, vocals
• Tony Banks - keyboards
• Mike Rutherford - guitars, bass guitar