Tag: Phil Collins

audio review : Testify ( album ) … Phil Collins

audio review : Testify ( album ) ... Phil Collins

This release marks a step-by-step degression in the quality of Phil Collins albums. Dance Into The Light, while fun, isn’t on par with Both Sides. Testify; the title track of which suggests a romantic, not religious, undertone; is even lower on the scale.

You might not realize that by listening to the first song; Wake Up Call; with its boosty bassline and inspirational message. It’s one of two notable cuts on an album of mostly spiritless sleepers. It seems Phil Collins has simply lost his knack for melody.

my rating : 3 of 5

2002

audio review : Dance Into The Light ( album ) … Phil Collins

audio review : Dance Into The Light ( album ) ... Phil Collins

“No drum machine on this one,” Phil Collins announces in the liner notes as if that’s something to be excited about. For those who scoffed at the thought of an acclaimed drummer using computer drums for much of his music, it may be, but I generally prefer drum machines over live drums if only because they don’t succumb to human imperfection.

Percussion is a side note here though. The most obvious change is the sound of the songs themselves. Upbeat world music sways rhythmically in bright contrast to the dark melodic tones of the previous album, Both Sides, which is arguably his best solo set thus far. This new one isn’t quite as good. There are, however, plenty of good songs on it.

There’s a delightful fan dedication entitled Wear My Hat, which, thanks to its Mbaqanga-inspired polyrhythms, will be compared to Paul Simon’s Graceland. It’s In Your Eyes captures the sweet sound of 1960s romance while a remake of Bob Dylan’s Times Are A-Changin shows that both remakes and bagpipes can work well thing if done right.

my rating : 4 of 5

1996

audio review : We Can’t Dance ( album ) … Genesis

audio review : We Can't Dance ( album ) ... Genesis

It’s quite alright that Phil Collins and his unsung band members Can’t Dance. They make music and they do it well. They also do it without relying on the conceptual comforts of traditional romance, which can’t be said for most artists of the pop-rock genre. There is one such song on this set; a tranquil ballad entitled Hold On My Heart; and there are hints of allure splattered about, but the compassion of Genesis goes deeper than that.

No Son Of Mine is about a broken father and son relationship. Dreaming While You Sleep deals with the psychological woes of hit-and-run road accidents. Way Of The World anthems global peace. By the time you reach the beauty of Fading Lights, you’ve realized you’ve been taken on an epic journey. If there’s an epic flaw, it’s that the majestic melodies of Phil’s verses often outshine his choruses when it should be the other way around.

my rating : 4 of 5

1991