Phil Collins Albums (8)
What The Critics Say
On his first regular studio album in six years (fans having been tided over by a live album of swing standards and the soundtrack to Tarzan), Phil Collins turns in a song cycle with a story to tell. Without commenting on any autobiographical implications, it follows the life of a man who gets up in the morning ("Wake up Call"), expresses his love for his child ("Come With Me") and his companion ("Testify"), then pauses to condemn the drift of world affairs ("Don't Get Me Started"). He has another child ("Swing Low") and begins to realize that there's trouble in paradise ("It's Not Too Late"). Much as he loves his companion, a separation occurs ("This Love This Heart"), and despite his desperate efforts to keep things together ("Driving Me Crazy"), he finds that it will be permanent ("The Least You Can Do"), even though he still cares for her ("Can't Stop Loving You"). He takes comfort in his ability to offer parental advice to an older child ("Thru My Eyes") and in his love for the younger one ("You Touch My Heart"). Collins gives a consistency to the songs, with dense, rhythmic musical beds topped by his expressive, breathy tenor. His lyrics are full of clichés and a bit too involved, usually lacking strong hooks, which may explain why the album's hit single, "Can't Stop Loving You," which is practically all hooks, was written by someone else. Years after being a top album-seller, Collins has continued to score in the adult contemporary market; in fact, "You'll Be in My Heart" from Tarzan became the biggest adult contemporary hit in history. "Can't Stop Loving You" also became a big hit, but it's atypical of an album with mature themes expressed sincerely yet without much wit or insight over repetitious music. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
In the latter half of the '90s, Phil Collins' career hit a bit of a sales slump, and instead of shamelessly chasing after another number one single, he decided to change pace and try something different. Returning to the drums, he assembled the Phil Collins Big Band, reviving the sound of such idols as Buddy Rich and Sonny Payne, but largely sticking with his original material. After a brief European tour in 1996 (which happened to feature Quincy Jones as conductor and Tony Bennett as vocalist), he created a new version of the band featuring several accomplished jazz and studio musicians in support -- notably alto saxophonist Gerald Albright, but also guitarist Daryl Stuermer, tenor saxophonist James Carter, and pianists George Duke and Brad Cole, among many others, in varying roles. That band toured America and Europe in 1998, and it's the one featured on the ten-song, 70-minute live album A Hot Night in Paris. Initially, it may be disarming for long-time fans (and detractors) to hear "Sussudio," "That's All," and "Against All Odds" blaring forth in brash, brassy arrangements, and it is true that the melodies can occasionally sound thin in this context, but once that first reaction passes, A Hot Night in Paris is actually entertaining. Collins doesn't try anything new with the big band form -- he just updates it with his own songs, including the Genesis chestnut "The Los Endos Suite," along with covers of Miles Davis' "Milestones" and the Average White Band's "Pick up the Pieces." As such, it's the sort of record that will inevitably irk purists, since it's targeted right at mainstream jazz audiences, ones that aren't really familiar with big band music but have a vague idea of what it sounds like, but anyone whose standards aren't quite as exacting will likely be pleasantly surprised with A Hot Night in Paris. When the band just plays -- which is quite often, since the themes are stated quickly enough so they're recognized, then they disappear -- this is swinging, accomplished music that's unpretentious and fun. It's never more than simply entertaining, but that's all it needs to be -- it's more enjoyable than any record Collins has put out in over a decade, and it suggests that this is a dignified and charming way for him to mature. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Following the bleak But Seriously and Both Sides, Phil Collins delivered the considerably lighter Dance into the Light, his first upbeat pop album since 1985's No Jacket Required. Not only was it a return to the musical style that brought him to the top of the charts during the '80s, but Dance into the Light was the first record Collins released since leaving Genesis, which made it all the more crucial to his career. For the most part, the album treads familiar territory -- R&B-influenced dance-pop, sensitive ballads, and brooding midtempo ruminations -- but there are several occasions where he stretches out, incorporating worldbeat influences into his style. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Returning to the stark, melancholy sounds of Face Value, Phil Collins delivers a personal album with Both Sides in more than one sense of the word. Collins played all of the instruments on Both Sides, and the songs are troubled, haunting tales of regret, romance, and society. Although Collins has not lost his flair for melody, the songs are edgier than most of his recent work. Some fans might not go along with Collins on this dark ride, but Both Sides is one of his most artistically satisfying albums. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Spawning four hit singles, But Seriously topped the charts on both sides of the Atlantic. While pursuing much of the same formula as on No Jacket Required, there was also a move toward more organic production as Collins abandoned some of the drum machines and prominent keyboards in the up-tempo numbers in favor of live instrumentation. The decision was a good one as there's no doubt that tracks such as "Find a Way to My Heart" and "Hang in Long Enough" have enough bite to outlast his more dated sounding mid-80s material. As usual, there are a bit too many generic ballads here, but when Collins moves out of his formula as on the dramatic gospel-influenced "I Wish it Would Rain Down," featuring Eric Clapton, the results are staggering. ~ Geoff Orens, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
The winner of the 1985 Grammy for Pop Album of the Year, No Jacket Required found Phil Collins fully embracing horn-driven pop music, drum machines, and sentimental ballads over his previous darker and more dramatic solo material. The record established him as a major commercial force, and as one of the most recognizable voices of the 1980s. Although the major hits here, "Sussudio," "One More Night," "Who Said I Would," and "Don't Lose My Number" quickly came to sound dated, the album contains several standout tracks. "Long Long Way to Go," which features a cameo by Sting, is one of Collins' most effective ballads, while the pulsating "Take Me Home" utilizes the drama of "In the Air Tonight" on a more wistful track. "Only You Know and I Know" and "Inside Out," meanwhile, show an effective aggressive side to the singer. It's not a completely satisfying recording, but it is the best example of one of the most dominating and influential styles of the 1980s. ~ Geoff Orens, All Music Guide
'Hello, I Must Be Going!'
Release Date 1/1/1982
Tracks 10
Label Atlantic
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
As his hit cover of "You Can't Hurry Love" demonstrates, Phil Collins began to inject his highly melodic pop songwriting with more soul and R&B influences on his second solo album, Hello, I Must Be Going! While some of the material was successful, much of it showed that he was still coming to grips with how to incorporate R&B techniques into his style; in retrospect, Hello, I Must Be Going! laid the groundwork for his breakthrough album, No Jacket Required. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Collins proves himself a passionate singer (and distinctive drummer) with a gift for both deeply felt ballads and snarling rockers. His debut album transformed him from the frontman of Genesis to a solo star who happened to be in Genesis, too. Contains "In the Air Tonight" and "I Missed Again." ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide
