jeff@dciem.UUCP (Jeff Richardson) (02/26/85)
Phil Collins' first solo album, "Face Value", was full of exciting
new music, combining different influences in a way that had never been done
before, and doing it very effectively, resulting in an excellent and diverse
album. His second album, "Hello I Must Be Going", was not nearly as
interesting and diverse, but contained a lot of excellent pop songs that
sort of reached out and grabbed the listener. "Easy Lover", his recent
duet with Philip Bailey, could also be described that way; it's everything
a great pop song should be.
(Aside: Most people who like the type of music I like best hate pop in general.
In my opinion, most of it is useless, but the top 5% of it is at least as good
as any other kind of music, and most of Phil Collins' pop is in that top 5%.)
In that light, his latest album, "No Jacket Required", is a big
disappointment. It contains nothing new, experimental, or innovative, and
very little excitement. It's pretty well all pop, and it isn't
even good pop. It's very ignorable and forgettable, unlike his earlier
pop songs. The Phenix Horns, who sounded fresh and new on "Face Value",
now seem excessive and annoying, and even Phil's loud and powerful drumming,
which I have always loved, cannot save these songs.
It's not a total loss though; there are some worthwhile songs.
Unlike the rest of the album, "Sussudio" IS an exciting pop song, but to me
it sounds like a rip-off of Prince's "1999". This is disappointing not because
I don't like "1999" (I do), but because Collins has always been an innovator
rather than an imitator. "Long Long Way To Go", with Sting helping out very
effectively on vocals, is very good, and the last three songs aren't bad either,
but the rest of the album should have been left on the shelf.
--
Jeff Richardson, DCIEM, Toronto (416) 635-2073
{linus,ihnp4,uw-beaver,floyd}!utcsrgv!dciem!jeff
{allegra,ihnp4,linus,decvax}!utzoo!dciem!jefffreak@ihu1n.UUCP (c e malloy) (03/05/85)
As A side point... Does anyone know where the album got it's name? Phil Collins went to the Pump Room here in Chicago. Being known for always wearing a jacket, he didn't wear one. The Pump Room requires all male persons to wear jackets. Therefore Mr. Collins could not get in. Clancy Malloy AT&T Bell Labs Indian Hill Naperville, IL (..!ihnp4!ihu1n!freak)