Phil Collins "No Jacket Required"

On episode 13 of Past Prime, Steve and Matty return to 1985, when
a thirty four year old, mullet-curious drummer, who loved
Hawaiian shirts and Motown, ruled the airwaves. We know what
you're saying -- this album is not "Past Prime" -- it's the very
definition of "prime!" Maybe so. It produced number one hits. It
won Grammys. It sold tens of millions of copies. It landed
Collins on the mountaintop, alongside more telegenic Pop stars
like MJ, Prince, Madonna and Sting. But critics did not abide. In
fact, Phil Collins, himself, doesn't even think it's his best
work. Moreover, in spite of its popularity, the album has
basically been erased from the airwaves. When was the last time
you heard "Sussudio," "Take Me Home" or "Don't Lose My Number?"
Steve theorizes that Phil's mixture of horns, drums and synth
programming literally went beyond Pop -- beyond prime. And, in
that way, it went to Past Prime. Matty, is less convinced. While
he loves several of the songs and was enamored of Phil's
"talented Dad" vibe, he's less enchanted by the relentless
"Jazzercise Rock" on the album's deep cuts. 


After a frisky battle, our co-hosts move on to unite in their
assessment of Collins' 1993 one man show, "Both Sides." Whereas
"No Jacket" pushed into the stratosphere, beyond Prime, "Both
Sides" is the sad, lonely diary entry of a middle-aged man. It
features eleven, glacially slow, sad-sack tracks -- most of them
over six minutes in length. And while none of those songs are
entitled "Can I Smell Your Hair," they all could be. It's Phil's
own favorite solo album. It's also perhaps the very definition of
Past Prime. 


Get your white linen pants, your bold, short-sleeved collared
shirts and your Casios ready. It goes without saying, however --
jackets are optional for this one. To read more about Phil
Collins "No Jacket Required," check out the full essay at Past
Prime.