AMG Review of Calling All Stations

Stephen Thomas Erlewine
All Music Guide

Phil Collins left Genesis following the We Can't Dance tour and many observers expected Tony Banks and Michael Rutherford to finally call it a day. They decided to persevere instead, hiring former Stiltskin vocalist Ray Wilson to replace Collins. Given that Stiltskin was a European neo-prog band, it isn't a total surprise that Genesis returned to their art rock roots on Calling All Stations, their first album with Wilson. The music on Calling All Stations is long and dense, but it's given the same immaculate, pristine production that was the hallmark of their adult contemporary work with Collins. It wants to be an art rock album while still appealing to the pop audience, even if the group didn't really write pop songs for Calling All Stations. That may be because Wilson's voice isn't suited for pop, but works well with languid, synthesized prog settings.