You Say You Want A “Revelation”?

Sometimes, the most obscure, known-only-to-aficiandos musical works need to be highlighted and rediscovered. So, today I am introducing you to a little gem of an album - from 1969!

“From Genesis To Revelation” was the freshman release of a bunch of school chums from greater London, ultimately known to us as the band Genesis. The evolution of this album - the fact that it exists at all - is pretty fascinating. For deets on how it came to be, check out this Wikipedia page devoted solely to this release. And here’s a YouTube video (minus lyrics and track list) of all the songs on the album. 

I find this album so weirdly relatable for two reasons: one, I love the band Genesis (got to see them live when I lived in Syracuse, NY in the 90’s!); and second, because this album represents to me those first, semi-confident, semi-overwhelmed forays into songwriting and recording that many of us only get to dream about. Imagine being 17 or 18 years old, still in school, writing songs, hanging with your mates, and having a record producer approach you and say, hey, let’s record your stuff! Yeah. That dream.

Is this album the slickest musical production in the world? No. Did it burn up the charts on its initial release? Nope. But it was the necessary launch for this band whose “genesis” coincided with the brief but important sub form of popular music called “art rock”.

Despite its weak production (IMO; others may differ!) and lack of chart success, this compilation is a songwriting showpiece. It combines poetic lyrics with strong melodies, catchy hooks and pretty amazing instrumentation. And Peter Gabriel’s vocals are stunning. It’s almost as if the songs on this album were too advanced for the production capabilities available to them at that time. 

Geesh. Teenagers.

There is something so intangibly charming about this work as a whole. I don’t know if it’s the chest-thumping bravado of youth contrasted with the naiveté of the lyrics, or what. The songs kinda make you just wanna put your shoulders around the singer and say, “oh, honey, you’ve got so much to learn.” For example, here’s a snippet of lyrics from the cut “One Day”:

Birds of the sky, may I borrow your wings?

Very soon I’ll ask my love to travel with me to the world outside

Cherry trees, may I borrow your bloom?

Very soon I’ll ask my love to come inside the nest I’ll build alone

Awww.

This is an album that I go back and listen to from time to time, and it always sounds fresh to me. The lads of Genesis were really on to something in their time. Despite their young age, they were able to create something that was neither derivative nor over-the-top experimental, and we are the luckier for that.

This one’s a keeper.