Product Description

All four of Phil Collins' '80s albums were enormous commercial successes, with a plethora of hit singles and videos. However, by 1993, when his first post-Genesis solo album, BOTHSIDES, was released, there had been a few major shifts in popular music, and it was the first of Collins' solo records not to see much in the way of chart action.
This was not unexpected, but it's rather a shame, since the album continues the more mature, low-key sound first developed on 1993's BUT SERIOUSLY. Less somber than that album but still maintaining its quiet grace, BOTH SIDES is filled with solidly composed, well-played (Collins plays all the instruments, for the first time since 1981's FACE VALUE), and melodically rich songs. Collins' lyrics delve further into the social commentary arena than even those on BUT SERIOUSLY, and perhaps it'sthe relative lack of characteristic love songs that accounted for the album's lack of commercial success, but this is an album which deserved better than it got.

Track Listing

1. Both Sides Of The Story
2. Can't Turn Back The Years
3. Everyday
4. I've Forgotten Everythin'
5. We're Sons Of Our Fathers
6. Can't Find My Way
7. Survivors
8. We Fly So Close
9. There's A Place For Us
10. We Want And We Wonder
11. Please Come Out Tonight

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #16627 in Music
• Released on: 1993-11-08
• Number of discs: 1

Customer Reviews

One of his finest moments.
This is probably Phil's best solo album - he conceives it that way himself, and I agree with him. Most of the songs are completely unknown - Both Sides Of The Story, Everyday and We Wait And We Wonder were all semi-hits, and are all great songs, but the real power comes with songs like Can't Find My Way, Can't Turn Back The Years, Please Come Out Tonight, and We Fly So Close - the latter is probably Phil's best tune bar none 1981/2006. It's not very radio-friendly, it may be a bit stagnant at times (I've Forgotten Everything), and superior songs from the same era were mysteriously left off the album (For A Friend - another of his finest moments! - and several interesting instrumental cuts only made it out as B-sides). Even so, this remains as a very strong and coherent album, that grows on you through repeated listenings for a long time.

Buy it today
I was never the world's biggest Collins fan, indeed by the end of the 80's I felt he was over-exposed and something had to give. What's remarkable about this album is that he more or less did everything himself. It contains some of his saddest songs, but they are also among his best. It's a proper album in every sense of the world. Rather like Kirsty MacColl's "Titanic Days", it's a "sad, divorce album" with a genuine beginning, middle and end. Standout tracks are "Everyday" and the wonderful concluding song "Please come out tonight". It lacks the commercial clout of his biggest hits, and I'm sure his record company were horrified, but it's the perfect autumnal record. Give me this over "Sussudio" any day.

Oh Dear.
Although there are some good tracks on here,title track,Everyday,the rest all seem to lack something,maybe it`s Collins use of drum machine that let`s this CD down(why are Collins, Don Henley even using them in the first place?)
Sorry but the songs nearly all sound the same i.e bland.