A Bonus Non-Idol Review: Phil Collins

Because of the connections I make in covering Idol-related projects, I occasionally have the opportunity to review non-Idol related projects. Here is one of those…

I admit it. I have missed Phil Collins. So it’s great to have him back with a new album, “Going Back.”

And the fact that it’s a cover album of Motown classics? Well that’s just a great bonus…

Collins recreates the sound of the original songs with the help of three members of the legendary Funk Brothers (the in-house Motown band) in addition to some of his longtime musical collaborators. And the result is pretty amazing as you almost feel like you’re back at the Motown studio.

You can tell by the way Collins attacks these songs just how much they mean to him. You can’t help but tap your toes as he works his way through “Girl (Why You Wanna Make Me Blue),” “(Love Is Like a) Heatwave,” “Uptight (Everything’s Alright),” and “Standing in the Shadows of Love.” Collins also takes on smooth ballads like “Some of Your Lovin’” and “Blame It On the Sun.” Of course, the standout for me is The Temptations’ classic, “Papa Was a Rolling Stone,” which Collins gives his own solo spin.

Collins shows a lot of respect to the original artists by not trying to do anything too crazy with these classics. Instead he just embraces them and gives them all he has.

The biggest problem with the CD is that it’s just too long. Yes, these songs are short, but after the first 14 songs, you’ve pretty much got the point. 18 is just too many. And he saved some of the most well-known classics like “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg” for the deluxe version of the CD, which actually features 25 songs.

If you’re a Phil Collins fan, this is a must-have. If you’re a Motown fan, you’ll enjoy this one too. You may just stop it before it reaches the end…

“Going Back” hits stores tomorrow…

Photo Credit: Atlantic Records