Genesis - Firelight (1970)

 Genesis started their prog era basicially immidiately as 1970 came 'round, laying down several tracks for what would end up being a never-finished documentary about a painter that nobody cares or knows about, if the internet is anything to go off of. They landed some gigs with the BBC, as many bands have done, and performend / recorded some tracks which wouldn't turn up elsewhere. Throw in a few left-over tracks that didn't really fit with the '69 collection, and there's an album. The main issue comes about when considering whether or not one minds repeats, since several of the songs contain ideas of songs that turn up elsewhere. "F#" turns up as the beginning of "The Musical Box", "Anyway" reappears on The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway With different lyrics (though this version features a bridge that comes from the earlier song "Hair on the Arms and Legs"), "Dusk" shows up on Trespass in a truncated form, "Switch On" features elements that would be in both "The Fountain of Salmacis" and in "Looking For Someone".

This album, then serves as a good snapshot of early Genesis and their work ethic. I took the cover from a bootleg called Angels Out, since it's cool. Tracks on this album are sourced from Archive 1 as well as the Genesis 1970-1975 box.

Side One (19:36)

1. Shepherd 4:00
   
2. Pacidy 5:41
   
3. Let Us Now Make Love 6:13
   
4. Anyway (Frustration) 3:42
   

Side Two (22:06)

1. Family (Dusk) 6:13
   
2. F# (Manipulation) 3:48
   
3. Going Out to Get You 4:54
   
4. Peace (Resignation) 3:01
   
5. Switch On (Provocation) 4:10
   

Genesis - Exodus (1969)

 Genesis released their debut in 1969 to little fanfair. Indeed, the album sold less than 1,000 units on release, and any singles therein failed to chart. Still, the album saw the birth of one of progressive rock's golden greats, as it were, who would begin their career in ernest the next year. However, in the lead-up to their debut, the group of schoolboys calling themselves Genesis had recorded several demos leading up to the release of the ill-fated From Genesis to Revelations. As a result, there was a wealth of material that remained unissued until Genesis Archive: 1967-75. Enough material, in fact, for a half-way decent follow-up to their psychedelic folk-pop-strangeness of their debut. I feel like the title Exodus fits well, since the band was escaping from the production of producer and pedophile Jonathan King, and the Decca label.

Exodus (1969) would play as follows (All Songs from either Genesis Archive or bonus tracks for From Genesis to Revelations)

Side One (19:27)

1. Hidden in the World of Dawn (3:10)
   
2. Try A Little Sadness (3:19)
   
3. She Is Beautiful (3:47)
   
4. Hair on the Arms and Legs (2:24)
   
5. The Mystery of the Flannan Isle Lighthouse (2:35)
   
6. One-Eyed Hound (2:31)
   
7. Build Me A Mountain (4:12)
   

Side Two (15:50)

1. Hey! (2:27)
   
2. Sea Bee (3:04)
   
3. That's Me (2:38)
   
4. The Magic of Time (2:01)
   
5. Image Blown Out (2:11)
6. A Winter's Tale (3:29)

If you wanna even up the sides you'll probably wanna get rid of She Is Beautiful, since it's an early version of "The Serpent".