Both Sides
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Both Sides | ||
 |
||
| Studio album by Phil Collins | ||
| Released | November 9, 1993 | |
| Genre | Pop | |
| Length | 67:17 | |
| Label | Atlantic | |
| Professional reviews | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phil Collins chronology | ||
| But Seriously (1989) |
Both Sides (1993) |
Dance into the Light (1996) |
Both Sides is the title of Phil Collins' fifth studio album, released in the autumn of 1993. Widely regarded as his most personal album, Both Sides was notable for the fact that Collins made it entirely on his own, his usual loyal collaborators such as producer Hugh Padgham, guitarist Daryl Stuermer, bassist Leland Sklar and the Phoenix Horn Section all being notable absences. Instead, Collins played and recorded at his home studio all the instruments himself as well as taking care of the production duties. Also for the first time, Collins wrote sleeve notes explaining the meaning of each of the songs on the album.
Collins claims this album to be the one he is most proud of. The sound of the album has not aged too well, though the strength in the dark songwriting and melodies should gain Both Sides more praise than it is generally given. He touches on politics and "the daily cloud of terrorism Britain seems to live under" on "We Wait and We Wonder", but also on a maturing disenchanment with the youth culture on "We're Sons Of Our Fathers". The melancholy style of the majority of the songs – as a return to the style of his early albums Face Value and Hello, I Must Be Going! – was due to the fact that the songs chronicled the widely publicised breakup of his second marriage to Jill Tavelman.
Both Sides was med with a lukewarm reception especially in the Adult Contemporary radio, being criticised for its over reliance on slow, dark and downbeat songs. The album was preceded by the somewhat daringly uncommercial title track as the first single, reaching #7 in the UK and only #25 in the US (in a dissapointing chart performance considering the lead singles from his two previous albums were #1 hits in America). The album itself was released weeks later, reaching #1 in the UK, but surprisingly only going to #13 in the US, though it still went platinum there. Both Sides was a hit in other European countries such as Germany or Switzerland, reaching #1 all over Europe, but with a limited success, due to the lack of hit singles. The ballad Everyday, released in early 1994, was another Top 20 hit in the UK, peaking at #15, and became the biggest hit single from the album in the US, reaching #24 in the Billboard Hot 100 and #2 in the Adult Contemporary chart. The third and last single, We Wait and We Wonder – a political anthem on which Collins plays bagpipes – reached only #45 in the UK.
[edit] Track listing
All songs written, performed and produced by Phil Collins.
- "Both Sides Of The Story" – 6:43
- "Can't Turn Back The Years" – 4:40
- "Everyday" – 5:43
- "I've Forgotten Everything" – 5:15
- "We're Sons Of Our Father" – 6:24
- "Can't Find My Way" – 5:08
- "Survivors" – 6:05
- "We Fly So Close" – 7:33
- "There's A Place For Us" – 6:53
- "We Wait and We Wonder" – 7:01
- "Please Come Out Tonight" – 5:46
| Phil Collins |
|---|
| Bands |
| Genesis| Brand X | Flaming Youth | The Phil Collins Big Band |
| Notable Touring And Studio Artists |
| Phil Collins | Hugh Padgham | Daryl Stuermer | Chester Thompson Other Artists |
| Studio Albums |
| Face Value | Hello I Must Be Going! | No Jacket Required | ...But Seriously | Both Sides | Dance into the Light | Testify | Complete Discography | List of Phil Collins's awards |
| Movie and Broadway Soundtracks |
| Against All Odds | White Nights | Buster | Tarzan | Brother Bear | Tarzan (Broadway) |
| Live Albums |
| Serious Hits... Live! | A Hot Night in Paris |
| Compilations |
| 12"ers | Hits | Love Songs: A Compilation... Old and New |
| Box sets |
| The Platinum Collection |
