Back in 1974, Genesis was cookin’ up something weird, wild, and wonderful—The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway. But with Peter Gabriel writing an entire surreal story about a New York street kid named Rael, tensions were high, especially between him and Tony Banks. Add a stressful pregnancy at home and a side flirtation with a Hollywood director, and Gabriel was basically one foot out the door. Fast forward 50 years, and surprise: the big, fancy anniversary box set got delayed—but not from band drama this time (maybe), just some technical hiccups. All good now, and both Gabriel and Banks are credited as “supervisors” on the new Dolby Atmos and hi-res audio mixes. What could possibly go wrong this time, right?
So, what do you get? Basically, a sonic overhaul that makes the original album sound like it just came back from a luxury spa. This thing breathes. You’ve got swirling keyboards, raw emotion, insane guitar licks, and vocals that shift from tender to totally unhinged in seconds. The whole double album feels like a fever dream scored by a prog-rock orchestra. Plus, they've thrown in a remastered live show from '75, unreleased demos, a chunky photo book, and even a replica tour program and ticket for the full fan experience. It’s part museum piece, part space opera, part “What the heck is going on?”—and that’s exactly why fans love it.
Critics called it “pretentious” back in the day (which, to be fair, it kind of is), but it still climbed the UK charts and went gold in the US. Now, with all five classic members finally on the same page—miracle!—the 50th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition is here to blow new minds and rewire old ones. Whether you’re a long-time fan or just discovering the magic of talking lamias and supernatural anesthetists, this is Genesis at their most gloriously weird. And yeah… it was totally worth the 50-year wait.
