Phil Collins
...But Seriously

THE REVIEW

Phil Collins is a drummer and singer known both as a solo artist and as a member of Genesis. His musical ‘calling’ began at the age of 5 when he was given a toy drum set. At 12, he formed his first band.

Phil Collins is an exceptional and extremely versatile drummer, capable of exploring both rock and pop genres as well as the more sophisticated realm of jazz. After a long tenure with Genesis, Phil decided to embark on a solo career, achieving truly flattering success. His style is simple, direct, and far from Genesis' elaborate suites, but he has the good sense to never fall into bad taste.

In 1989, he released "…But Seriously," which shook the mainstream pop world, which was not really accustomed to albums of such musical depth. It's a simple album but contains delightful surprises and classy solutions. Certainly, it's a pop album, no doubt, but it stands out from the kind of rubbish that's around nowadays… But Seriously relies heavily on the enchanting melodies that Phil manages to create, also benefiting from an exceptional collaboration with Eric Clapton.

The album starts with '‘Hang In Long Enough‘' a track characterized by the sax which is present throughout the song. Right from the first track, there's a noticeable depth in the composed music and a Phil very much at ease as both drummer and singer. '‘That's Just The Way It Is‘' has a very slow pace with a great keyboard work. The first hit from the album is '‘Do You Remember‘', a beautiful and poignant song. Another single is '‘Something Happened On The Way To Heaven‘'. '‘Colours‘' is a semi-suite composed of two rather distinct parts, one slow and one a bit more upbeat. '‘I Wish It Would Rain Down‘', where Eric Clapton's involvement makes the piece magical with his compositional talent. The beautiful choruses at the end of the song converse with Phil. Another stunning track is '‘Another Day In Paradise‘', the most beautiful on the album. It always stirs emotions and has now become a classic in Phil Collins' repertoire. '‘Heat On The Street‘' is a very beautiful and inspired piece. '‘All Of My Life‘' is introduced by a fantastic saxophone solo, and overall this is one of the most beautiful melodies Phil Collins has ever written. In '‘Saturday Night And Sunday Morning‘' Phil Collins' great singing is evident, and the song flows very well. '‘Father To Son‘' is a dream-like track. The album concludes with '‘Find A Way To My Heart‘' which, as the title suggests, encourages finding the way into each of our hearts.

This album has definitively cemented the solo career of one of the world's best drummers. It's fundamental in Phil Collins' discography and in that of British pop in general. Meticulously crafted, emotional and played magnificently. An album with apparent simplicity but with sounds and music of great depth. Beautiful.