Is Selling England By The Pound Overrated?

Today, by special request, we take a look at an album that turns 50 this year: Selling England By The Pound. Is the band’s sixth album their best? Or is it overrated? #prog #progrock #progressiverock

[pfmdude]

Absolute masterpiece. Love this album. Top shelf drumming by Phil Collins.

[theGuyfromtheBAG]

I'm so glad you also love The Battle Of Epping Forest. It's big, it's bombastic, it's technical and flaunty. It's all the fun of prog in one zany track.

[MattOLearyMusic]

I discovered this one about 7-8 years ago, before I understood the legendary status, and after 5-6 listens I was obsessed.

[ounce]

I’m 45 and my dad had all the albums when I was a kid and the Genesis live album cover freaked me out. I was always put off diving into Genesis but the last 3 months that’s all I’ve listened to and to discover they really are the greatest British band ever.

[MediumQuality]

I love the energy you've brought to this review. I didn't like Selling England by the Pound when I first heard it, but it has only grown on me over the years. I completely agree with you about "The Battle of Epping Forest" being a great track!

[bbchronicles]

I have a long history with this album. Selling England by the Pound was the first Genesis album I ever heard, back in 1974, and it is one of my all-time favorite albums. I was first getting into Prog when I was in high school, around 1972, discovering Jethro Tull, Yes, and Emerson, Lake and Palmer. At that time (1972-73), I had heard some things about Genesis, but had not yet heard them (Genesis and King Crimson were far less well-known, especially in the US, at that time). In 1974 I went off to college and got to hear a lot of music for the first time, and I distinctly remember the first time I heard SEBTP, in the fall of 1974 (and from a guy on my dorm floor named Lance, who otherwise was a very strait-forward hard rock fan), and was just blown away by this album and this band. It was just unbelievably great music. (Remember back when the only way you could hear new music that they didn't play on the radio was to hear it from a friend or relative that had it, or to take a chance and plunk down money for an album you didn't know would be any good or not? Now that's a topic worthy of further stories and discussion). Anyway, From that day on, I proceeded to get every Genesis album whenever I could, and they've been my favorite band ever since. So, SEBTP has a special place in my heart. Yes, it is a absolutely a Masterpiece. I love everything about it (yes, that includes More Fool Me, which is wonderful, After The Ordeal, the perfect bridge between the side 2 epics, IKWIL, just alot of fun, and of course, the twisted comic epic Battle of Epping Forest). But Cinema Show is my favorite on the album (and 2nd favorite Genesis song, after only Supper's Ready), just magical, with Firth of Fifth (What's this Fifth of Firth you speak of?) and Dancing with the Moonlit Knight not far behind. A Masterpiece yes, but still not my favorite Genesis album, as that would be the Masterpiece that is Foxtrot, the greatest Prog album of all. (BTW Scot, although I also love The Lamb, for me that comes in a little further down (4th, after TOTT) due to the somewhat weaker 2nd disc (1st half is definitely a masterpiece as well, but is diminished a bit by the 2nd half, still fantastic though)). Overrated? Come On, that's an impossibility.

[arnaudb.]

The Tony Banks keyboard solo on Cinema Show is one of the BEST moments of progressive rock.

[BSomme]

SEBTP is my favourite Genesis album! "I do my double-show quick!" said Mick the Prick, fresh out the nick" Haha.. love the battle of Epping forest and the whole album! Awesome review Scot! Peace! ☮️💗📀

[michaelbenz]

The dynamics on this album are great. And they carried it over in their live performances. There's a rare video on YouTube with live footage of Epping Forest that is just amazing.

[JamesKovacic]

Selling England is probably the best introduction for their earlier material because it’s both accessible and complex, with better production and catchier melodies than previous Gabriel era records. Even though I still prefer the darker and heavier albums like Foxtrot and The Lamb, those probably would not be as beloved or well-known if this one wasn’t successful. It builds on the sounds and ideas of its predecessors while also informing where they would go next. Its context and importance cannot be overstated

[jeffschielka]

Was surprised by your comment on Jim's channel. Always liked Talk a lot. Looking forward to parts 2 and 3. Always considered Endless Dream as Awaken 2.0.😎

[Ashthulhu]

Great review as always Scot! 'Epping Forest' has always been my favourite track on the album. It perfectly shows off Gabriel's eccentricity, and I love the over-the-top lyrics. Glad to see that you and others in this comment section agree!

[mikepearse]

Great episode, Scot! For those who count SEBTP as Genesis' number one achievement, it was nice to hear your take on each track. You're so right about the production: every instrument, every note crystal clear (like Crime of Century, too - it simply sounds...hmm...elevated). Phil's drumming on the opening track is among the best in his Genesis career IMO...and you're absolutely right about the ending. It sounds lovely but goes on a bit...

When I was younger I found myself zeroing in on Tony's keyboards and Phil's drums more than Hackett's guitars (I even did a mixed tape of Banks' best bits from over the years 🙄). Once I saw Hackett live 5-6 years ago, it gave me a WHOLE new appreciation for Genesis and their compositions...and I went back and listened to them all marvelling at Hackett's contributions and virtuosity. So - Firth of Fifth went from a Banks masterpiece to a Hackett and Banks masterpiece for me! They're both at their best in that song, I believe.

Scot - you say, where is Hackett in Cinema Show: his fills at 2:02 and 4:40 are unlike anything I've ever heard - beautiful, mood-setting, melodic...and elevate that song to its place in the prog pantheon.

Finally - the Battle of Epping Forest. I struggled with this one long ago. It was almost too much, a little over indulgent...but now - I recognize it as a masterpiece, with the kind of mood and musical changes that are reminicent of the Musical Box and Supper's Ready! What's not to love about that?!? I remember listening to an interview with Rutherford when they were rehearsing for the Six of the Best show. He admitted to forgetting four full minutes of his bass work in the middle of Battle...

[Samotbackwards]

Well, this is the album that really got me into Genesis. I listened to We Can't Dance first, and that is still one of the worst albums I've ever heard. I forgot about them for months, but when I started getting into prog a few months ago, I was hooked. Now I'm a big Genesis fan. I still think this is their best album. A great introduction to the Gabriel era of Genesis. It was actually you who got me into a bunch of prog. Thank you Scot, nice to see your channel grow.

By the way, you wrote 59 years instead of 50 in the description.

[TheReaperMan]

For me "The Cinema Show" is my favorite track on the album and one of my favorite Genesis songs of all time, but it's a real close call between "Firth of Fifth", "Dancing with the Moonlit Knight" and "The Battle of Epping Forest". Most of the songs on _Selling England_ I first heard on _Seconds Out_ and went back to get the studio versions of all those great tracks. So my first exposure to Genesis was listening to Phil performing all the Gabriel era songs. That's why I still have a soft spot for Phil Collins.

[chrissorsby]

The first prog album I ever bought. Before that it was just Bowie, T Rex and Roxy Music. I was knocked out by it. Liked it straight away. I’d never heard anything like it before. Was 17 year old, and Selling England By the Pound had been out about 18 months.

[DKMediaMusic]

I relistened to a handful of Genesis albums a few days ago, Im not crazy about this entire album but Firth of Fifth might actually be the greatest song I ever heard

[deaconofbeacon]

This was the last of the classic Genesis albums that I got into, having listened to and loved Foxtrot, the Lamb, Nursery Crime and Trespass before hand. It was hard for me to warm up to this album at first and took me more than several listening sessions in my room, late at night, to finally start to get this album. Odd, but the first track that I actually liked the most was Epping Forest. Now, after listening to this LP more than a hundred times, I believe it belongs on the Mt Rushmore of Prog. With the exception of More Fool Me, I believe each song on this album is an achievement of the highest magnitude. Hard to believe that Tony and Peter had it out over whether to include After the Ordeal, which I think is a beautiful song and am glad it was included.

[Czyszy]

Right off the bat: I hate the term "overrated", because in reality, by saying overrated people usually mean: "I don't like thing even though it's generally praised". It's like they can't take the fact that a lot of people can enjoy something they don't.

[tomsimmons]

I wouldn't say it's overrated, it is very much an English record for sure, it's sound is amazing! I owe it to you (and Pete Pardo) for pushing me into buying all the Gabriel LPs. Boy am I glad you did!!! All those wasted years of not knowing anything but the "Lamb" material. There are days when "Selling" is my favorite, other days it's "Nursery Cryme" other days it the great "Foxtrot" and on and on I go from one to another. Thanks to you for always turning me on to new music, even when it's just new to me.