Genesis (1978) Follow Me Follow You - LOST70sGEMS

 A hollow echoplex guitar is muted and the strings are picked up and down near the bridge picking out a circular pattern; the flanger on full distortion creating a warbling effect around the mix like the reflections of a water gong. A depressed, 'down in the doldrums' deadened organ lays down a dreary set of keys as Phil Collins launches into one of his most intimate love songs; a precursor to In Too Deep with it's watery keyboard 'slow jam' vibes. His tender voice intentionally restraining his gruffness, the cascading chorus where the phased guitars and Oberheimer synth play high pitched notes in harmony with the band members in their backing group 'lalalas' vocals.


The desolate instrumentation, such as the subtle kalimba colouring, which along with the opening guitar pattern sound almost pre-programmed in their endless looping. Phil Collins's hissed tones are expertly set in the middle of this sprawling rain forest of sound; the echo and phaser drenched guitars and African poly-rthymic percussion beat around restlessly around the solemn organ and vocal combo. Then comes the most extraordinary synth solo I have ever heard, Tony Banks hits a dazzling, tumbling flurry of descending, floral synthesizer notes in a bright, sweet Japanese whine, oscillating back and forth in a wishy washy manner. The way the line trickle down like a jungle stream interpreted by electronic circuitry and transcribed as digitised
notes whizzing away into the depths of the night; it's all too 'wanderful'.
The drums take on a barrelling growl like a gorilla grunt, a contrasting backdrop to the tone of the synthesizer, which soars in a sweet lilting way, Oriental like a female Japanese singing voice as it trails off into the virtual jungle. Collins' hi-hat rattles along and Mike Rutherford's original guitar part still bares its own gorilla-esque panting, Tony Banks' wonderful solo part returns for one more run; seesawing and zigzagging away like the
run off of rainwater as it leaks down a huge banana tree leaf, trapped in the midst of a Madagascan everglade. This isn't a gem,its an emerald!