Wind & Wuthering
On this 1976 album, the group's second after Phil Collins took over lead vocal duties from Peter Gabriel, Genesis continues to make art-rock that's both accessible and emotional, if less overly quirky than with the Gabriel-fronted lineup. The extended epics "Eleventh Earl of Mar" and "One for the Vine" showcase the group's still-sharp progressive instincts, while "Wot Gorilla?" and "All in a Mouse's Night" demonstrate a gently eccentric sense of humor. Meanwhile, the lilting love song "Your Own Special Way" presages the string of romantic ballads that would soon make Genesis a world-class hit machine.--Scott Schinder