Board 8 > Rank the Tracks Week 56: Phil Collins - Face Value (+ VAST results)

(+) Yeah! (+)

Previous results can be seen here:
https://board8.fandom.com/wiki/Rank_the_Tracks

The rules:
1. Listen to the album in full
2. Rank every track on the album
3. For the results, there will be a curve at the top of each list; two additional points between #1 and #2, and one additional point for the next two ranks. This way, the songs that really stick out to someone get an edge that is not immediately negated by someone else putting it lower. In the case of Demon Days, someone's 15th track will get 1 point, 14th 2 points, 4th 12 points, 3rd 14 points, 2nd 16 points, and 1st 19 points. For albums with greater than 15 tracks, everything ranked below #15 will be given 0 points and the scale for the top 15 will be the same as a 15-track album. For albums with more than 20 tracks, you only have to list your top 15 (with 16-20, I still like having the average rank listed)
4. If you want to include comments for individual songs, I will compile them in the results
5. The results will be posted at the beginning of the next topic
6. The deadline to vote is Sunday, April 3 at 8:00 AM EST - though if you are for whatever reason listening to the album around that time, just say so in the topic and I can delay a bit
7. You can sign up to be added to the user cycle - the next person on the list will choose 3 albums which the other users will vote on for the next topic.
7a. To ensure people are being given an actual choice, the three nominated albums must be by different artists. You can otherwise stick to a similar sound or era.
7b. The tiebreaker for these polls will be whichever is listed first in the poll options - make sure to deliver the results in order of your own preference (which will hopefully have the added benefit of influencing people toward your first choice if they can't decide).

Phil Collins - Face Value 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

User Cycle:
4/3: MetalmindStats (Peter Gabriel - So)
4/10: HBJDubs (Dream Theater - Images and Words)
4/17: TheArkOfTurus
4/24: Snake5555555555
5/1: Jesse_Custer
5/8: ZaziGuado
5/15: firefdr
5/22: SpikeSetsFire
5/29: Johnbobb
6/5: VeryInsane
6/12: CasanovaZelos
6/19: Seanchan
6/26: Giggsalot
7/3: RyoCaliente
7/10: darkx
7/17: neonreaper
7/24: Great_Paul
7/31: jcgamer107
8/7: ChichiriMuyo
8/14: BlueCrystalTear

VAST - Visual Audio Sensory Theater results

The participants sorted by deviation from final results:
Johnbobb (24)
TheArkOfTurus (26)
HBJDubs (32)
Snake5555555555 (34)
ChichiriMuyo (34)
BlueCrystalTear (38)
Raetsel_Lapin (40)
Seanchan (48)
MetalmindStats (60)

General Album Comments

Snake5555555555: Every track on this album is amazing. Really hard to rank.

BlueCrystalTear: This is precisely why I struggle ranking them as well. I just did my second listen and I'm just as lost as I was the other night. They're all of relatively equal quality; there was no "experimental" track that sounded murderous to my ears. The vocal harmonies and musical style - the right mix of mainstream influences and experimentation pushing the boundaries farther - really make this entire thing a banger.

This is one of those albums that works best as a cohesive whole. It honestly feels like one long, epic track with multiple movements. And for that reason, my rankings would look completely different on different listens. Gonna do a third listen but I likely won't be able to do a fourth.
(...)
Again, I really have no idea how to rank all this. This is not a good choice for this project because I find myself lost in the harmonies and instrumentation and forget to focus on this game. This is that great of an album. I think I'm finally happy with this.

Seanchan: I feel very conflicted about this album. It's fine, it's got some interesting parts, but sometimes I kind of hated it? I can hear the industrial/Nine Inch Nails influence. I also found myself thinking about Mezzanine from Massive Attack, which coincidentally came out the same year. Ultimately I think this one is just not going to stick with me at all.

ChichiriMuyo: This is an album I haven't listened to in a long time. It turns out I don't love it as much as I used to, but it's still an amazing piece of work. I'm always impressed by the prodcution of this album, both in its quality and the fact that Jon Crosby recorded the whole thing himself. To my surprise, the one song I really didn't like in the past, "Three Doors," seemed a good deal better than I remember.

Visual Audio Sensory Theater track ranking

12. Somewhere Else to Be (Track #10)
Score: 40 (Average Rank: 8.67/12)
Biggest Fan(s): MetalmindStats (#3)
Biggest Detractor(s): ChichiriMuyo (#12)

Johnbobb: see Untitled's write-up

11. Temptation (Track #7)
Score: 44 (Average Rank: 8.11/12)
Biggest Fan(s): BlueCrystalTear, ChichiriMuyo (#4)
Biggest Detractor(s): HBJDubs, MetalmindStats (#12)

Johnbobb: even the weaker songs on this album still kill it with their layering and vocal diversity

BlueCrystalTear: I relate to this one a lot tbh

10. Three Doors (Track #8)
Score: 49 (Average Rank: 7.56/12)
Biggest Fan(s): TheArkOfTurus (#5)
Biggest Detractor(s): Snake5555555555 (#12)

Johnbobb: 100% stealing the lyrics of this song for whatever future DnD campaign I end up running.

9. Untitled (Track #11)
Score: 50 (Average Rank: 7.44/12)
Biggest Fan(s): Snake5555555555, MetalmindStats (#4)
Biggest Detractor(s): Raetsel_Lapin, TheArkOfTurus, ChichiriMuyo (#10)

Johnbobb: Honestly I kind of wish this and Somewhere Else to Be were combined on the album, because it's basically an extension of the song, and it works best when you listen to the two together as the album's winding down to a sort of psychedelic end

8. The Niles Edge (Track #9)
Score: 62 (Average Rank: 6.67/12)
Biggest Fan(s): HBJDubs, MetalmindStats (#2)
Biggest Detractor(s): Johnbobb (#12)

Johnbobb: take me in, I want out, that's all I neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeed

BlueCrystalTear: I love the instrumentation, but it's kind of a sleeper hymnal (even though it's still awesome).

7. Pretty When You Cry (Track #4)
Score: 65 (Average Rank: 6.33/12)
Biggest Fan(s): MetalmindStats (#1)
Biggest Detractor(s): TheArkOfTurus (#12)

Johnbobb: my opinion on this song has changed more between listens than probably any other on the album, and I'm still not sure where to rank it. It would probably be better if it didn't come right after the two best songs on the album?

BlueCrystalTear: I think this one just falls flat given how it's surrounded by the really, really awesome stuff.

6. Flames (Track #6)
Score: 68 (Average Rank: 6.33/12)
Biggest Fan(s): Snake5555555555, BlueCrystalTear (#1)
Biggest Detractor(s): Johnbobb, Seanchan (#11)

Johnbobb: a little forgettable but still solid

BlueCrystalTear: I like this one more and more with each listen. The violin gets me.

5. Touched (Track #2)
Score: 72 (Average Rank: 5.78/12)
Biggest Fan(s): ChichiriMuyo (#1)
Biggest Detractor(s): Raetsel_Lapin (#12)

Johnbobb: Touched introduced me to this album! It was on that facebook SongPop game years back, and I was immediately hooked on it

4. Here (Track #1)
Score: 73 (Average Rank: 6/12)
Biggest Fan(s): HBJDubs, Seanchan (#1)
Biggest Detractor(s): Raetsel_Lapin, Snake5555555555 (#11)

Johnbobb: That sudden change at 1:04 pretty much immediately shows you what you need to know about this album

3. You (Track #12)
Score: 73 (Average Rank: 5.67/12)
Biggest Fan(s): Raetsel_Lapin, Snake5555555555, ChichiriMuyo (#2)
Biggest Detractor(s): BlueCrystalTear, Seanchan (#12)

Johnbobb: I wasn't sure what to think of this track at first, as it's slow and subtler sound is so much different than the first excellent handful of songs, but it has a sort of sci-fi vibe, like a hospital in space. Listening with headphones is essential for this album given all it does with layering and spacial sound but possibly nowhere is it more necessary than here.

BlueCrystalTear: There's this brief instrumentation part that I really love in here, but the redundant bassline is just overwhelming everything else. Still a good song, but something had to be last.

2. I'm Dying (Track #5)
Score: 81 (Average Rank: 4.67/12)
Biggest Fan(s): Seanchan (#2)
Biggest Detractor(s): MetalmindStats (#11)

Johnbobb: Sometimes this album gets overemotional to the point of almost being cheesy. This is absolutely one of those times but I still love it

1. Dirty Hole (Track #3)
Score: 88 (Average Rank: 4.78/12)
Biggest Fan(s): Raetsel_Lapin, Johnbobb, TheArkOfTurus (#1)
Biggest Detractor(s): Seanchan (#10)

Johnbobb: The beat alone of this song is a 10/10, and as weird as the lyrics are, the whole thing comes together in a powerful goddamn song

BlueCrystalTear: The "banger" that screams first single.

Snake5555555555 posted...

Metallica was my first thought, also Led Zeppelin, Tool, or Eminem.

Thanks for the list idea!

I knew when I saw the poll my first thought was like "They must've got this from my post right?"

As a reminder: The 2016 remaster is the one you should listen to. The sound difference is astronomical.

I'll have my final ranking up tomorrow probably.

1: I Missed Again
2: In the Air Tonight
3: This Must Be Love
4: Droned
5: You Know What I Mean
6: Thunder and Lightning
7: If Leaving Me Is Easy
8: Behind the Lines
9: The Roof is Leaking
10: I'm Not Moving
11: Tomorrow Never Knows
12: Hand in Hand

Did a first listen. Going in, I would say I'd be hard pressed to point to a Phil Collin's song other than In the Air Tonight. With that song in mind, and it being the first track, my expectations were set. But a lot of the rest of the album kind of goes in some different directions. This was way more instrumental than I expected. And then it ends on a Beatles track!

up

bump

In The Air Tonight
Droned
Hand In Hand
Thunder and Lightning
Tomorrow Never Knows
This Must Be Love
I Missed Again
You Know What I Mean
The Roof Is Leaking
Behind The Lines
If Leaving Me Is Easy
I'm Not Moving

The thing with this album is that it's reflective of Phil's first marriage falling apart. You can just tell in his voice that he's a broken man trying to piece together his life again and creating music as a coping mechnaism. He's also experimenting with pop after the success of Genesis cuts "Follow You, Follow Me" and "Misunderstanding" and drifting away from the avant-garde style that made the mid-70s Genesis cuts so epic (Hackett's departure really changed everything). However, those musical tendencies are still present here, and that's one of the reasons why it's so fantastic: It doesn't go to one extreme or another and blends Phils worlds brilliantly. I like the contrast between the art-rock Genesis with the mainstream pop Phil eventually did, and this album is at those crossroads. Its particularly visible on the two instrumentals (which are for some reason back-to-back), which feel nothing like some of Phils later solo work. Really, the first 11 tracks are all great, hitting both horn-driven highs and emotional abyss lows, and the fact that there are that many good songs is precisely why I nominated it.

1. In the Air Tonight - The drum climax is iconic for a reason.
2. If Leaving Me Is Easy - A very sad, yet beautiful song. I get why some people wouldnt like it, though.
3. You Know What I Mean - A "hidden gem" that, when I saw Phil in concert in 2018, his son then-17 y/o son Nic (also his drumming apprentice) joked about saying it was the only song of his dad's that he liked, proceeding to troll that there was another (there wasnt, apparently). It was on the setlist at Nic's request. And it was a good choice. This disappeared so Against All Odds could fly, so its good that this one is getting attention again.
4. I Missed Again The groundwork for No Jacket Required, and its every bit as good as that albums highs.
5. Thunder and Lightning
6. This Must Be Love
7. Droned
8. Hand in Hand
9. The Roof is Leaking
10. Behind the Lines
11. I'm Not Moving
12. Tomorrow Never Knows - An odd Beatles cover that never made sense to me. And having a bit of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" as an outro adds some hope, but you really have to listen closely for it. This one just doesn't work for me and I think the album would be better off without it.

Midday bump

(though I think people are gonna do it on Saturday again)

I know this is a heretical statement but Phil really reminds me of Adam Levine (Maroon 5) on some of these songs, especially when he gets into that falsetto range.

bump

My rank:
In the Air Tonight
I Missed Again
You Know What I Mean
Droned
This Must Be Love
Thunder and Lightning
If Leaving Me Is Easy
Hand in Hand
Tomorrow Never Knows
Behind the Lines
The Roof is Leaking
I'm Not Moving

Bump

Is the low participation from the albums ranking being due this week, you think?

That said, I had no time to do something like that lol

In the Air Tonight
If Leaving Me Is Easy
This Must Be Love
Droned
Hand in Hand
Thunder and Lightning
I Missed Again
Tomorrow Never Knows
You Know What I Mean
I'm Not Moving
Behind the Lines
The Roof is Leaking

1. This Must Be Love
2. In the Air Tonight
3. Droned
4. If Leaving Me Is Easy
5. Hand in Hand
6. Behind the Lines
7. Tomorrow Never Knows
8. The Roof is Leaking
9. Thunder and Lightning
10. I Missed Again
11. You Know What I Mean
12. I'm Not Moving

Solid crossroads between progressive, rock, and pop. The instrumental tracks are always an excellent surprise to break things up. The album is so dreary and melancholic, but Phil always manages to find the hooks in each track without leaving you wanting for more.

1. I'm Not Moving
2. I Missed Again
3. Behind the Lines
4. In the Air Tonight
5. The Roof is Leaking
6. This Must Be Love
7. Droned
8. Thunder and Lightning
9. Hand in Hand
10. You Know What I Mean
11. If Leaving Me Is Easy
12. Tomorrow Never Knows

This is a solid album that doesn't really have a bad song. Tomorrow Never Knows will always be a Beatles song first though. With that said, I'm not sure this will necessarily be one I come back to very often.

1. In the Air Tonight
2. Droned
3. I Missed Again
4. You Know What I Mean
5. This Must Be Love
6. If Leaving Me Is Easy
7. Hand in Hand
8. Im Not Moving
9. Behind the Lines
10. Thunder and Lightning
11. Tomorrow Never Knows
12. The Roof Is Leaking

I only managed to listen through twice, but that's not a full referendum on this album.