What The Critics Say
Featuring both progressive and pop leanings, this solo album from Genesis keysman Tony Banks is a strong effort. There are some wonderful moments here, and no real throwaway tracks. Musically, it runs the gamut from a new wave sort of pop sound to more prog-ish textures of Genesis and Marillion and even a take on a Pat Benatar sort of sound. Banks is joined on the album by Jayney Kilmek (Alphaville, Tangerine Dream), Daryl Struermer, Pino Palladino, Luis Jardim (Frankie Goes to Hollywood, ABC), Nik Kershaw, James Eller, Graham Broad, Vinnie Colaiuta (Frank Zappa, Allan Holdsworth), Martin Robertson, Andy Taylor, and Fish. ~ Gary Hill, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Tony Banks' soundtrack to the film The Wicked Lady is divided up into two halves. The first section consists of demos for the score recorded by Banks on his home eight-track. The second features the symphonic versions used for the film orchestrated by Christopher Palmer. The Banks half bares a close resemblance to the instrumentals he recorded for A Curious Feeling, consisting of dense layers of keyboards and the rare drum machine. There is also a similarity to that album in the bittersweet yet grand nature of several of the songs such as "Barbara" and "Caroline." Often switching between minor and major keys within songs, Banks has always shown a proclivity to classical stylings which helps the transitions of his pieces here to their orchestral versions. While the music on the symphonic half of the album is more complex and dramatic, it also sounds like classic film music and will probably not be of interest to the casual Genesis or progressive rock fan. ~ Geoff Orens, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
As it comes from Tony Banks, known for his complex and dense keyboard work with Genesis, the sparse instrumentation on The Fugitive is quite a surprise. Even the instrumental "Thirty Three's" is given a light touch. Moreover, The Fugitive is far more rhythmically centered than previous Banks material and contains very little of the difficult wordplay often associated with the composer. Part of the reason for the change in direction was that Banks was writing songs to be sung by himself. While it can't be said that Banks has a great voice, it is certainly an interesting one, and works far better with his music than many of the other more bombastic vocalists he has recorded with as a solo artist. Although not successful as singles, the reggae-like "This Is Love" and the rockier "And the Wheels Keep on Turning" are stronger than most early-'80s pop material. "By You" another highlight of the record also shows some reggae influences and finds Banks in an uncharacteristically romantic mood. While some parts of the album, such as the Atari-like rhythm track to "Charm," have not aged well, overall this might be Banks' most consistent offering. [Note: The original LP of The Fugitive did not include the last two tracks on the CD reissue for space reasons.] ~ Geoff Orens, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Tony Banks' first solo album borrowed faint elements of Genesis' early progressive sound, making his debut release the strongest in his catalog. Solid keyboard movements lend themselves to mystic, fantasy-like excursions found in tracks such as "From the Undertow," "Somebody Else's Dream," and "The Waters of Lethe," one of the album's strongest cuts. Banks manages to capture the wonderment and allure that enveloped Genesis' Peter Gabriel days in a number of his tracks, yet he filters out the instrumental intricacies, unorthodox time signatures, and complex poetry which enveloped these works to create a milder but equally effective progressive realm, thus generating a fair amount of musical distinction across the album. Banks has refreshingly disposed of any coagulated instrumental pretentiousness that one might have thought would be present, as cuts like "For a While," "In the Dark," and the title track verge on a new age sort of keyboard/guitar beguilement. Vocalist Kim Beacon, who has worked with the Walkie Talkies, String Driven Thing, and Thin Lizzy, is quite significant throughout, as is the atmospheric percussion work of Chester Thompson. Later efforts from Banks began to show a drift toward commercial pop, much like Genesis' material, making A Curious Feeling and, to a lesser extent, 1983's The Fugitive his most compelling work. ~ Mike DeGagne, All Music Guide
