The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway – Genesis’ Magnum Opus Reborn in Dolby Atmos
If you want to dive in and hear Phil Aston’s review you can watch it here
Some albums are timeless, but few are truly transformative. Genesis’ “The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway”, their 1974 double-album masterpiece, is one of those rare works where everything aligned. Peter Gabriel’s theatrical vision, Steve Hackett’s inventive guitar work, Tony Banks’ lush keys, Mike Rutherford’s driving bass, and Phil Collins’ drumming fused into what many of us consider the pinnacle of progressive rock.
Last week, I had the privilege of hearing the new Dolby Atmos mix of The Lamb at Dolby HQ in Soho Square, in the official Dolby Atmos room, no less. This new mix, part of the 50th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition (out now via Rhino), elevates the record to an entirely new plane. If the original was the Ferrari 250 GTO of prog rock, this Atmos mix is like taking that same GTO, polishing every curve, and letting it rip on an open track, the best made even better.
The Experience
Arriving at Dolby HQ, the atmosphere was electric. Fans, journalists, and Genesis insiders filled the room, and then, to our delight, Tony Banks, Peter Gabriel, Steve Hackett, and Mike Rutherford walked in (Phil Collins, still recovering from surgery, was sadly absent). Alexis Petridis, who wrote the 60-page coffee table book for the box set, led a warm and often funny Q&A with the band.
The conversation ranged from the challenge of creating a double album with no material left over for A Trick of the Tail, to anecdotes about long drum and keyboard solos, to Steve Hackett’s memory of using leftover material for his solo debut, something Mike Rutherford didn’t quite remember. There was also an amusing exchange where Peter Gabriel joked, “maybe I should have stayed,” in response to Steve’s comment that by that point Genesis felt like Gabriel’s backing band.
The Music
Then came the listening. The new mix, created by Tony Banks and Peter Gabriel at Gabriel’s Real-World Studios with engineer Bob Mackenzie, is breath taking. The Atmos version doesn’t just remix the album, it liberates it. Instruments are given space to breathe, and details once buried now shine through with crystalline clarity.
Why It’s Essential
- Original album remastered at Abbey Road from the 1974 tapes
- A Blu-ray with 96kHz/24-bit high-resolution audio + the full Dolby Atmos mix
- The complete Shrine Auditorium live show from 1975 (with encores!)
- Three unreleased Headley Grange demos provided as downloads only
- 60-page coffee table book with rare photos and tour memorabilia
If you’re a Genesis fan, or just a lover of prog rock, this is an essential purchase.
As Phil Aston of Now Spinning Magazine said in his review, “If you have a surround system and a Blu-ray player, this is one of the must-have releases of the year.”
Summary
Genesis’ The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway gets a stunning 50th anniversary Dolby Atmos remix, and it’s nothing short of revelatory.
The mix opens up the soundscape, bringing new life to the band’s most ambitious album.
Combined with the live recordings, rare demos, and lavish packaging, this box set is a definitive celebration of The Lamb, and a must-have for any serious prog fan.
Phil gives his opinion of his first listening to the Dolby Atmox mix here – Plus fast forward to 12:15 and really, really, really hear what Phil Aston has to say and I love how Phil says that the Dolby Atmos mix has more space and lets the music free.
ORDER THE CD / BLURAY BOX SET HERE
ORDER THE VINYL / BLURAY BOX SET HERE
Thank you to Julie Harris for the use of the photo
Timothy Hughes | Now Spinning Magazine
