TONY BANKS (ex-Genesis): 5 (2018). My review on a really wonderful album!

                 

                      TONY BANKS – 5 (2018)

  Starting this piece I should say that I am a big fan of the first period of Genesis; the one with Peter Gabriel. After his departure, Genesis released two good albums (A Trick of a Tale and Wind and Wuthering), but then everything changed and I stopped following their album releases. I always considered Tony Banks to be a very important “piece” in the Genesis puzzle, and together with Steve Hackett and Peter Gabriel the most valuable members of the band’s early years.

  From time to time, I listened to a few solo albums by Genesis members, but I didn’t like almost any of them, with only a few exceptions. So, when I read about Tony Bank’s new release a few weeks ago, I didn’t pay too much attention to be honest. Then, I begun reading one great review after the other, and I thought that maybe it would be a good idea to add ‘Five’ in my collection. So I did! And what an album this is!

  Before anything else, I think I should inform you that ‘Five’ is not a Rock or a Progressive Rock album. It has nothing to do with Rock actually. It is something between Classical music and a soundtrack. (I don’t know how to describe it exactly).

  Five, as the title implies, is a collection of five compositions, recorded with the world-renowned Czech National Symphony Orchestra, lending itself to stunning presentation. Produced by the renowned-orchestrator and collaborator Nick Ingman, the album was recorded at Angel Studio in London, but also in Prague as well. Tony Banks performed all the piano parts, giving to himself the complete creative control.

  The albums opens with the almost 15:00 minute long Prelude To A Million Years where the listeners can experience the progression of a lifetime; followed by the album’s shortest song, Reveille. Reveille is an almost cinematic 9:00 minute long song, starting with piano and strings. As the song progresses, more and more instruments are added, and it’s a real treat for the ears and the mind.

The 3^rd track is Ebb and Flow, a delicate and soft tune, that can be described as ‘inner peace through music’.

  There are 2 more songs in the album, but I will stop here. I think I gave you a first impression about this album.

  Personally speaking, I have the album for almost a week now, and I think I have listened to it for at least 15 times so far! With every new listen, I sink more and more into the beauty and the greatness of this amazing piece of art! Because that’s exactly what it is: A piece of art!

  The album is available as CD and double vinyl, which also includes the music sheets, signed by Tony Banks. The prices are fair enough, so money shouldn’t be an issue.

  I bought the vinyl edition of the album and I love it more and more with each passing day. I have no idea what is going to happen (musically) during 2018, but ‘Five’ already took its place in my annual Top-10 album list.

Thank you Mr. Banks for this amazing album that you offered to us!

              My Rating: 4.5 (out of 5.0) stars.