*** Phil Collins -- ...Hits
I've always considered Phil Collins to be the ultimate sell out. While he can't be solely blamed for turning Genesis into the pop-hit machine it was during the eighties (the influence of Tony Banks can't be discounted there), this album shows that he clearly had a voice in the matter (no pun intended). Going from Selling England By the Pound to "Sussudio" and "True Colors" (yeah, the song originally done by Cyndi Lauper) is quite the leap, and it's all documented here, starting with Phil's finest solo song (which not many would dispute, and whose inclusion here bumps the collection up a star), "In the Air Tonight". You can't say that none of this is catchy, you can't really say that most of this isn't any good, but you've got to wonder about the validity of trading in your position as a creator of complex and valuable music to become a musical hack, turning out whatever sells.
Reviews by A. D. Jensen
