No Jacket Required

by Geoff Orens

The winner of the 1985 Grammy for Pop Album of the Year, No Jacket Required found Phil Collins fully embracing horn-driven pop music, drum machines, and sentimental ballads over his previous darker and more dramatic solo material. The record established him as a major commercial force, and as one of the most recognizable voices of the 1980s. Although the major hits here, "Sussudio," "One More Night," "Who Said I Would," and "Don't Lose My Number" quickly came to sound dated, the album contains several standout tracks. "Long Long Way to Go," which features a cameo by Sting, is one of Collins' most effective ballads, while the pulsating "Take Me Home" utilizes the drama of "In the Air Tonight" on a more wistful track. "Only You Know and I Know" and "Inside Out," meanwhile, show an effective aggressive side to the singer. It's not a completely satisfying recording, but it is the best example of one of the most dominating and influential styles of the 1980s.