12"Ers (Phil Collins)

Okay folks, lets have a little chat. I've read a lot of your reviews of Phil Collins albums, and why some of you would take the time to write such mean spirited trash about this icon is beyond me. His solo career alone is impressive enough, but when you factor in Genesis, his other bands like Brand X and Flaming Youth, as well as the soundtracks and collaberations with other artists, Phil has sold 300 million albums world wide. Apparently someone likes him, or was EVERYONE let down by EVERY single album? I just bought 12" after years of resisting it. I didn't see the point in buying a CD full of songs I already owned. Listening to it I see how wrong I was. These are Phil songs you could play in any club and get people dancing (assuming they didn't know they were listening to the wrongly hated Phil Collins, of course). Take me Home, Sussudio, Who Said I Would, Don't Lose My Number, One More Night and Only You Know and I know have never sounded better. I'll admit, Testify wa... Read more

It's interesting to hear this trailer to No Jacket Required. The production value is phenomenal and Phil won producer of the year and album of the year in 1985 for this album. I like when good musicians release extras for the true fans to analyze and enjoy. By this time in his career, phil has confirmed that he is the among the most well rounded musicians and producers in the business. By this time he had worked with clapton, gabriel, plant, bailey, eno, frida, sting, and of course genesis.

In 1988, only three years after the release of his third solo album entitled NO JACKET REQUIRED, Phil Collins released his fourth album entitled 12"ERS (pronounced 12 Inchers). This album contains only six songs from his album NO JACKET REQUIRED. Here's the catch: these six songs are remixed into 12" Remixes. I was shocked to have found this out, but after hearing the album, I realized that I loved it. TAKE ME HOME Well, "Take Me Home" was my absolute favorite song from NO JACKET REQUIRED, and this here 12" Remix is just enough proof of that. Excellent 12". SUSSUDIO Another great track remixed just perfectly. WHO SAID I WOULD The heavy, enegertic, fun-filled sound to this song is what had blown me away the first time around, but a 12" Remix three years later still gives me that blown away feeling. Nothing but a longer feel to this excellent song. ONLY YOU KNOW AND I KNOW Another energetic & heavy song that caught my attention, with this 12" Remix to go along wit... Read more

Basically what this is 6 perfectly good songs from No Jacket Required and remixed. The end result is horrible. Only You and I Know is the only song that came out half-decent. They all sound like they were recorded in a one-room st-st-studio.(Sorry couldn't resist.) Die hard fans will probably like it, but regular fans probably wouldn't like it...at all.

To call this album "No Jacket Required" with echos is simplistic but just about on the mark. These extended versions are busier (and sometimes better) versions of the pure pop gold of No Jacket Required. This man, Phil Collins is a gun, covering everything from ballads (One More Night) to world music-lite (Take Me home) to rock (Don't Lose my Number) to pop (Sussudio) to horny-funky jams (Only You Know and I know) and that's just about the whole album! I can't stop playing these songs, many of which are better (and certainly "busier") than their original No Jacklet Required versions.