Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Genesis
Label: Virgin Records
Released: 1986
Rating: 2.5/5
What old fans of the band feared most has happened. On “Invisible Touch,” Genesis finally gave in to Collins’ solo career and became his pop backing band. The transformation from one of the best and most creative prog rock bands of the 70s into a superstar pop rock band of the 80s was complete with “Invisible Touch.” Old fans, who had somehow managed to stay loyal up to this record, all their commercial missteps notwithstanding, threw up their hands and walked away for good when it came out. “Invisible Touch” is Genesis’ most commercially successful record, packed with hits, partly thanks to Collins’ solo career, which was right at its peak at the time, and partly thanks to heavy promotion on radio stations and music TV channels like the then-brand-new MTV. Even though they tried to please new (pop) fans and old (prog) fans alike, they only managed it with the former. It was painfully obvious that the band had become a pale shadow of itself in terms of musical creativity and, with a few songs, were literally making fools of themselves. So when listening to the album, you have to forget everything this band created or stood for before and just take it for what it is: a product of its time or, if that doesn’t help, a Collins solo album.
The album is mostly dominated by songs built on simple, often programmed drum rhythms and new wave synthesizers, structured so obviously for play on commercial radio stations. The opening title track was a monster hit when it came out. It’s a decent pop rock tune, sure, but the average fan of the band gets sick of it after three listens. What especially jumps out at you is the way-too-obvious dance beat. ”Tonight, Tonight, Tonight” is a much better, longer piece with programmed synths and a few sections where they try to be progressive, but it still sounds like a not-so-successful attempt at mixing pop and prog rock. The only pop song, or hit, on the record that the band can be proud of is “Land Of Confusion,” which has a provocative edge and doubles as a great satire of the Cold War social climate of the time. Here we can hear all three musicians perfectly in sync, despite the song’s simple structure. More than the structure, though, it’s the lyrics that win you over: a brilliant parody of the Cold War and the band’s anti-war manifesto. Plenty of people will remember that unforgettable video with the grotesque puppets and Ronald Reagan in the lead role, pressing the red button at the end and sending everything to hell. It’s one of the few flashes on the record proving that not all the brains got drowned in Collins’ sentimental syrup. But they quickly drag us back down to “reality” with “In To Deep,” the textbook sugar-coated Collins ballad, the kind Mariah Carey or some other plastic MTV diva could just as well have joined him on vocals for, and it’s overflowing with glucose. “Anything She Does” isn’t much better, even though it has an interesting drum rhythm . But it’s just another Collins pop “candy” you could dance to. Where did all of the band’s intelligence go? Things suddenly pick up with the more-than-10-minute Cold War prog-pop epic “Domino Pt. 1 – In The Glow Of The Night/Pt. 2 – The Last Domino,” which is clearly an attempt to please the band’s old fans, but they still managed to put together a tasteful composition that is easily the best song on the album. That’s mostly thanks to Banks’ esoteric synths, a good rhythm line and a dramatic middle section where a bit of that magic from the past, so sorely missed on this album, comes back to life. The album’s quality drops again with yet another Collins ballad, “Throwing It All Away,” which is at least halfway bearable and has good backing vocals. Then comes the very solid closing instrumental “The Brazilian,” built on programmed synths and sampled rhythms that even create a slight ethno flavor. Right at the end of the track you can even hear some shy soloing from Rutherford. Far from a prog masterpiece, but at least a decent way to close the album. Still, a sugary lump is left in your stomach after listening, because Collins’ solo influence on it is just too strong.
“Invisible Touch” is a perfect pop rock album with the two prog flashes already mentioned, and a very good 80s pop album at that, but nothing more than that. On the other hand, it’s sad how this legendary band almost completely sold its creative voice for commercial success and bowed to Collins’ solo career. If on their earlier 80s albums they were partly forgiven for commercializing their sound, because they somehow still managed to keep their soul and successfully blend their trademark elements with the new musical challenges of the time, “Invisible Touch” leaves a nasty feeling that the band finally caved in to the pressure of its singer/drummer’s fame. If this were a Collins solo album, it would surely be one of his best. For Genesis, though, even though it’s the most commercially successful, from a creative and artistic standpoint it’s one of the poorest. “Invisible Touch” is therefore interesting only to fans of Collins’ solo career, lovers of 80s pop rock, and those fans of the band who simply have to complete their collection with all of their albums and are ready to forgive them a lot after all these years.
Lineup
Phil Collins – vocals, drums, percussion, backing vocals
Mike Rutherford – guitar, bass guitar, backing vocals
Tony Banks – keyboards, synth bass, backing vocals
Production
Genesis, Hugh Padgham
Track list
1. Invisible Touch (3:27)
2. Tonight, Tonight, Tonight (8:50)
3. Land Of Confusion (4:44)
4. In Too Deep (4:57)
5. Anything She Does (4:06)
6. Domino (10:41)
part 1 – In The Glow Of The Night
part 2 – The Last Domino
7. Throwing It All Away (3:48)
8. The Brazilian (5:04)
Album length: 45:37
