FEATURE:
Second Spin
Phil Collins - ...But Seriously
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THERE are those who dislike…
PHOTO CREDIT: Bill Marino/Sygma/Getty Images
the material of Phil Collins. He is one of those artists that divide people. One album that I remember from my childhood is ...But Seriously. Released in 1989, it contains a raft of singles. The one that I like the most is Another Day in Paradise. This is a song that critics leapt on, as Collins discusses homelessness and making us all think twice – even though he was very rich and didn’t have experience on the subject. I really like ...But Seriously and think it is an album that warrants new acclaim. One of the issues is that ...But Seriously followed a very successful and big-selling album. This Wikipedia article explains more:
“...But Seriously is the fourth solo studio album by English drummer and singer-songwriter Phil Collins. It was released on 7 November 1989 in the United States by Atlantic Records and on 24 November 1989 in the United Kingdom by Virgin Records. After Collins finished touring commitments with the rock band Genesis in 1987 the group entered a four-year hiatus, during which Collins starred in the feature film Buster (1988). By the spring of 1989 Collins had written material for a new solo album which addressed more serious lyrical themes like socio-economic and political issues as opposed to his previous dance-oriented album, No Jacket Required (1985).
...But Seriously was a huge commercial success worldwide, reaching No. 1 in the UK and the US for 15 and 4 non-consecutive weeks, respectively. It was the best selling album of 1990 in the UK, eventually selling 2.75 million copies there and 4 million in the US. The lead single "Another Day in Paradise" won a Grammy Award for Record of the Year. Collins supported the album with the Seriously, Live! World Tour in 1990. In 2016, the album was remastered with additional studio, live, and demo tracks, and updated artwork”.
Something Happened on the Way to Heaven and I Wish It Would Rain Down are two of Collins’ best tracks. Although there are a few weaker tracks on ...But Seriously, the album as a whole is very solid and memorable. Collins’ vocals are impressive right the way through the record. I am going to bring in a couple of reviews for ...But Seriously. In a slightly negative review, this is what Rolling Stone wrote in their 1990 review:
“Phil Collins is a perfect example of the contemporary English megastar. He’s personable, photogenic, witty, quotable and damn near ubiquitous, thanks to concurrent careers as Genesis frontman, solo singer-songwriter and sometime actor. Better still, he backs up that public image with precisely the sort of light, expressive voice and catchy, upbeat melodies tailor-made for American radio. As a result, Collins would seem to have everything a pop star would want, with one exception: respect. As far as the pop establishment is concerned, Collins is a lightweight, a fluff merchant, a man whose music rarely strays beyond such tried-and-true topics as love, longing and broken hearts.
That’s an image he tries to put behind him with … But Seriously, an album that avoids frivolity at all costs. Sure, there are romantic numbers, the usual tales of love gone wrong, but from “Colours,” an earnest objection to apartheid, to “Heat on the Street,” a muddled warning against political hypocrisy and urban unrest, the album’s greatest energies are focused on social, not personal, problems. Instead of turning each tune into a short sermon, however, Collins puts his pop smarts to work and tries to make his point the same way he’d sell any other song idea — first by folding it into an easily rhymed lyric, then by wrapping it in a catchy but understated melody.
When it works, as it does in the homelessness tune “Another Day in Paradise,” the album can be wonderfully involving. Trouble is, … But Seriously just doesn’t work often enough. What helps “Paradise” make its point is the way Collins personalizes the issue, homing in on that twinge of guilt most of us feel while trying to ignore street people, then grounding it with a naggingly effective hook. But none of the other songs manageès that immediacy. Whether in the “apartheid is bad” message of “Colours” or the “gosh, I still love you” sentiments of “Something Happened on the Way to Heaven,” Collins seems mired in generalities and abstractions; there’s nothing particularly personal about these songs, and that leaves the album annoyingly vague on the issues it raises, as if being concerned were somehow enough.
Worst of all, there’s none of the simple, uncomplicated joy that has marked Collins’s previous efforts. “Hang in Long Enough” may open the album with Collins’s signature swirl of brass and percussion, but apart from the jazzy “Saturday Night and Sunday Morning,” Collins seems to prefer the more somber colors provided by his synths. Maybe that’s a part of the new, socially aware image … But Seriously is meant to introduce. But frankly, Collins was a lot more fun — and effective — when he was frivolous”.
If you are one of those people who turns their nose up at Phil Collins and thinks that he is middle of the road, I would suggest giving some time to ...But Seriously. Even if No Jacket Required is considered his strongest solo work, I don’t think that ...But Seriously is a poorer version or disappointing follow-up. I have a lot of time for Phil Collins’ ...But Seriously. Maybe some of the production sounds dated now, though there are a lot of wonderful songs that make it a very engaging and important listen. I will end with a review from AllMusic that is a little fairer – though it can still be considered mixed:
“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”.
A hugely successful album in its own right, it is a shame critical impressions were not overly-positive. Maybe it is this thing that, as it is a Phil Collins album, it is not that great. People should give it a listen and spend some time with it. Even if you are not a massive Collins fan, there are songs on ...But Seriously that…
WILL stick in your mind.