Phil Collins

But Seriously

Phil Collins Means Business On This "Serious" LP

Review Score:

(6/10)
"You never thought you'd ever get the taste/You never thought it could be this good." Phil Collins sings these lines during the "Sussudio" knock-off that starts this album. The film/ TV/pop star, out of Genesis' sphere, was enjoying and building on his success. This album shows that conservatism, recalling his previous #1 album "No Jacket Required" in many respects.

"Hang In Long Enough" yet again crosses Earth, Wind, & Fire horns with a "1999" synth riff and Phil's congratulatory lyrics. "Find A Way To My Heart" slows the tempo and arrangement of "Take Me Home," while "Father & Son" adapts Phil's Genesis ballad style.

All this would be acceptable if Phil had new lyric ideas to present. And true, Collins' empathy for society's victims in "Another Day In Paradise" and "Colors" is genuine. But he presents it in a near-laughable collection of colloquial cliches. We listen and learn that "you can't take it with you when you go," "you don't know what you got until you lose it," and "that was then and this is now" (all in one song!) And don't forget that you can take a horse to water, put a gun to his head, but you can't make him drink.

Collins gets stellar vocal help from David Crosby and Stephen Bishop (on "Paradise" and the low-key, somber "Do You Remember?") and from Eric Clapton, whose stinging guitar highlights the LP's final and best track, the anthemic "I Wish It Would Rain Down." But overall, the failure of this Phil Collins set lies (seriously) with the artist whose face fills the cover.

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