Tony Banks – A Chord Too Far 
Esoteric Recordings
http://esotericrecordings.com/

Rating: B

Tony Banks has quite a musical vocabulary with the band Genesis.  He has to, as that band had gone through many changes and crossed a few genres over the decades.  One could not succeed in such a diverse musical setting without having more than one or two tricks (not Tails) up his sleeve. 

While everyone is aware what Banks has done with Genesis, not everyone is aware of his extensive solo career, which sees him playing even more outside the box than he does with his day-gig. Check out 1979’s A Curious Feeling... an excellent album.  Tony Banks, the solo artist, creates rock music, pop music and even classical music.  Now, a gorgeous 4-CD box set has been released, with a hardcover book stuffed with amazing interviews with the musician. 

Okay, so maybe you have to be a Genesis uber-fan to have known Banks had this much stuff laying around outside of the band, but that doesn’t mean you can’t discover it now!  These 48 tracks were handpicked by Tony and include four previously unreleased recordings.  The aforementioned hardcover book is 60 pages long and beautiful.  Many of the tracks were remixed as well. 

The nine albums—see I told you Banks has been busy outside of his ‘other band’—these songs are culled from are A Curious Feeling, The Fugitive, The Wicked Lady, Soundtracks, Bankstatement, Still, Strictly Inc, Seven-A Suite for Orchestra and Six Pieces for Orchestra.

The rock side of Banks has seen him collaborate with the world’s most respected musicians including singers Toyah Wilcox, Fish and Nick Kershaw, bassist Pino Pallodino, and drummers Steve Gadd and Vinnie Colaiuta, as well as long-time Genesis collaborators Daryl Stuermer and Chester Thompson.  The music is not so much Genesis, but if you love that ensemble you will dig this collection.  The icing on the cake is the orchestrated music Tony has composed.  This really shows his deep connection with his instrument and both his knowledge and love of the music.

As good as the music is -and it is good- the package with the 60 page book is amazing!  Tony Banks deserves this kind of respect from the music industry.  Much time and effort went into every aspect of this release. 

TRACK LISTING:
DISC ONE:
1.REBIRTH
2.AT THE EDGE OF NIGHT
3.WALLS OF SOUND
4.LION OF SYMMETRY
5.THE MORE I HIDE IT
6.SHORTCUT TO SOMEWHERE
7.THE WATERS OF LETHE
8.I WANNA CHANGE THE SCORE
9.WATER OUT OF WINE
10.SOMETHING TO LIVE FOR
11.BY YOU
12.NEVER LET ME KNOW
13.THIRTY THREE’S

DISC TWO:
1.CHARITY BALLS
2.AN ISLAND IN THE DARKNESS
3.THE BORDER
4.LUCKY ME
5.ANOTHER MURDER OF A DAY
6.MOVING UNDER
7.STILL IT TAKES ME BY SURPRISE
8.RED DAY ON BLUE STREET
9.AFTER THE LIE
10.REDWING

DISC THREE:
1.QUEEN OF DARKNESS
2.A PIECE OF YOU
3.BIG MAN
4.ANGEL FACE
5.THIS IS LOVE
6.I’LL BE WAITING
7.BACK TO BACK
8.FOR A WHILE
9.THROWBACK
10.YOU CALL THIS VICTORY
11.AND THE WHEELS KEEP TURNING
12.YOU
13.THE FINAL CURTAIN

DISC FOUR:
1.BLADE
2.BLACK DOWN
3.SIREN
4.EARTHLIGHT
5.FROM THE UNDERTOW
6.SPRING TIDE (DEMO – PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
7.NEAP TIDE (DEMO – PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
8.CITY OF GOLD (DEMO – PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
9.THE CHASE
10.KIT
11.POPPET (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
12.THE WICKED LADY

By Jeb Wright