Description
Sticker on front cover and small bump in lower right corner
German 1981 Alsdorf pressing with gatefold cover
Phil Collins first solo album, 1981s Face Value, was a long time coming, but it proved worth the wait, both for the Genesis drummer/vocalist himself and fans of thoughtful, emotionally charged pop. Collins has stated that he never intended to make a solo record; he was simply attempting to deal with the grief after his wife left him for another man. It wasn’t until he played the demo tapes for then Atlantic owner Ahmet Ertegun that he was told the songs were good enough to be released as an album. The idea behind the cover for the album was born out of the thought that Collins wanted to show what was going on inside his own head at the time. He felt that a close-up shot of his face would convey the emotion he was going for. Many of the songs were inspired by Collins pain and grief caused by his first divorce. Many of the songs ended up on Genesis 1980 album Duke — and Against All Odds was pocketed for later use — but he kept enough to make an album that stands as a classic moment of ’80s pop/rock. Collins produced the album himself and played keyboards and drums, calling in friends and the Earth, Wind & Fire horns to fill out the songs. Kicking off with the bitter anthem In the Air Tonight, rightly considered one of the great heartbreak songs of all time, the album alternates between moody ballads and bouncily soulful tracks that try to put a smile on the pain. The range of sound and emotion is part of what helps the album succeed as much as it does; so does the feeling that Collins felt driven to make this album to help him heal. It’s not a career move or a cash grab; it’s a transmission from a wounded soul delivered with a soft touch and sensitivity. As such, it’s Collins’ most honest, most compelling work. The album topped the UK album chart on its initial release and Collins went on to become an even bigger star as a solo album and he would have loads of more hits, but Face Value stands as his masterpiece and one of the finest moments of the ’80s musical landscape.
Track list:
1. In The Air Tonight
2. This Must Be Love
3. Behind The Lines
4. The Roof Is Leaking
5. Droned
6. Hand In Hand
7. I Missed Again
8. You Know What I Mean
9. Thunder And Lightning
10. I’m Not Moving
11. If Leaving Me Is Easy
12. Tomorrow Never Knows