Ray Wilson's short stint as lead singer of
Genesis propelled him to stardom, but the fact that the group's last lineup failed to catch on (prompting a disbanding that seems to be definitive) will remain attached to his resumé.
Live and Acoustic documents a series of solo concerts in 2001. For
Genesis fans, it partly fills the gap left by the lack of a proper live album documenting the group's final tour. Accompanied only by his brother
Steve Wilson (guitar, vocals) and
Amanda Lyon (vocals), he presents a selection of songs from his various projects, plus a few covers. The acoustic setting establishes an intimate atmosphere, but it can bite back if you don't choose the repertoire accordingly. When stripped of their full instrumental buildups,
Phil Collins' "In the Air Tonight" and
Genesis' "Mama" are left highly repetitive and empty. The versions of "Inside" and "Rest in Peace" (off the only CD by his group Stiltskin) work a lot better. From his
Genesis album, Calling All Stations, he picked "Shipwrecked" and "Not About Us," both elegantly performed. There are also three tracks from the Cut project, and two of the
Peter Gabriel-era
Genesis tracks performed during the 1997 tour. The
Dylan,
Eagles, and
Springsteen covers feel like the obligatory fillers in the set list of an artist who has been pushed under the spotlight quicker than he could write songs. For fans only. ~ François Couture