Phil Collins

Face Value

Phil's First & Still The Best

Review Score:

(10/10)
1981's "Face Value" was Phil Collins' very first solo album, and it still remains his best. Any detractors that Phil has who only know him from his huge "No Jacket Required" period in the mid-80's have obviously---and shamefully---overlooked this outstanding album. "Face Value" came about due to the painful divorce from his first wife that Phil was going through at the time. Although Phil had chipped in here & there in co-writing some of the material with his band Genesis, it was his divorce that opened up his songwriting floodgates, as he found himself writing more & more material on his own than ever before. But the bulk of Phil's new songs were extremely personal, mostly directed towards his ex-wife, and Genesis only recorded two of them: "Misunderstanding" and "Please Don't Ask," both of which were featured on the band's 1980 release, "Duke." Phil kept the rest of his songs for his first solo album, and "Face Value" was born, launching Phil's very-successful solo career (though he would continue to record and tour with Genesis through 1992).Considering the personal nature of the album, "Face Value" contains some of Phil's strongest material ever. The spooky Top 20 hit, "In The Air Tonight," is without a doubt Phil's signature song, with it's slow, quiet build-up, atmospheric air, obscure lyrics (even Phil says he doesn't know what they mean), Phil's haunting vocals, and finally, that legendary, slamming drum fill towards the end as only Phil can do it. I dare you NOT to reach over and turn up the volume upon hearing it! But there are many other great songs on the album: the warm, laid-back pop of "This Must Be Love" (featuring Stephen Bishop on backing vocals), Phil's jazzy re-arrangement of the Genesis song, "Behind The Lines" (complete with horn section), the lovely, simple but effective "The Roof Is Leaking" (a very underrated Phil gem, and much different from his other stuff), and a powerful pair of back-to-back instrumentals, the dark, atmospheric "Droned," and, in contrast, the exuberantly happy "Hand In Hand," a Phil concert staple to this day. Other highlights include "I Missed Again," another Top 20 hit for Phil and a terrific toe-tapping tune, the emotional, heartfelt ballads "You Know What I Mean" and "If Leaving Me Is Easy," and finally, a thunderous remake of the Beatles classic, "Tomorrow Never Knows," slowed down a bit in tempo but no less powerful. But even then Phil isn't quite finished yet, because, as "Tomorrow Never Knows" finally fades away, Phil quietly sings the first few words of "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" (a statement about his emotional feelings at the time, perhaps?), ending the album on a very memorable note. With "Face Value," Phil Collins bravely wore his heart on his sleeve and recorded one of the very best debut solo albums by any artist. His heartfelt singing and songwriting on the album, plus his superb playing and production work, easily make "Face Value" his solo masterpiece. Although I enjoy all of Phil's great solo work, including his latest release, "Testify," "Face Value" captures Phil at the peak of his powers as a solo artist, both creatively and emotionally. "No Jacket Required" is certainly a fun album, but "Face Value" is a fantastic one.

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