Phil Collins – No Jacket Required

By the time of 1985’s No Jacket Required, Phil Collins was truly on the rise. On the back of two hit albums, he had scored his first US number one with ‘Against All Odds’, and had become an in-demand producer. This set the stage for what became a Grammy-winner and the biggest commercial success of his career.

Collins knew his audience by this stage, and hence retains his trademarks of heartfelt lyrical tales and horn-laden uptempo tracks while updating his sound. While the songs certainly are radio-friendly, it still takes a tune to truly grab a listener’s attention, and that is where this album truly delivers. Along with Face Value, it is the most consistent album of Phil’s solo career songwriting-wise, with many of the album tracks being just as memorable as the singles. After Hello, I Must Be Going had mostly been a second ‘divorce’ album, it is nice to have more lyrical diversity here with songs like ‘Don’t Lose My Number’, ‘Long Long Way To Go’ and ‘Take Me Home’. It may not feature a ‘standout’ composition on the level of ‘Against All Odds’ or ‘In The Air Tonight’, but I am honestly struggling to choose an obvious dud on the album.

No Jacket Required’s production probably sounded perfect for mainstream radio back then, however this quality ends up being both a blessing and a curse. At times, the slick, textured arrangements work like a treat, making songs like ‘Sussudio’, ‘Who Said I Would’ and ‘Only You Know And I Know’ more accessible and hook-laden. But on the other hand, many songs also feature an overuse of jittering synths and programmed drum machines, giving the album a very dated sound overall.

While it doesn’t quite equal the standard of Face Value and lacks the timeless feel of some of his other work, No Jacket Required undoubtedly remains an infectious, consistent helping of 1980s pop. Its reputation has suffered a little in recent years, but take nothing away from what it achieves.
9/10