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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An underrapreciated gem, October 26, 2001
Phil Collins took a daring new turn in his music with this excellent but sadly underrated masterpiece. The music on here is less ambient, more optimistic and generally more upbeat than the dark depressing masterpiece Both Sides. There is some African sound on a few songs here. Dance Into The Light is a fun, upbeat, almost tropical song with lots of trumpets. It's like a backlash at I Cant Dance from several years before. It's a great song that you should give a listen to. That's What You Said is a cool with a more acoustic sound. Lorenzo is a beatiful song with some African drums combined with African flutes and phat beats. It's one of my favorites on this CD. Just Another Story is a laid back song with a light beat and a high pitched trumpet like the kind that Miles Davis played. It's kind of a song that I would play when walking down a city street approaching downtown. Love Police is a great simple song. It's a little hard to describe exaclty how it sounds like but it's a must hear. Wear My Hat is the fastest song on this CD. It's very tropical sounding with some Jamaican drums and some Big Band horns. It's In Your Eyes is an OK song. I'm not very moved by this one. Probably one of the most boring tracks Phil has ever written. It's not bad but average. Oughta Know by now brings back the Phil that we know from the But Seriously days with the thundering beats and the great guitar playing. It sounds kinda like I Wish It Would Rain Down but not quite as 'BIG' sounding. Take Me Down is a very groovy song with a strong big band sound. I play this one alot. It's one of my favorites on this CD. The Same is a haunting song with a dark sound kind of like Father To Son from But Seriously. I love how the last five seconds fades out into the next song. River So Wide is the winner on this CD. It a very intense song with thundering drums and heavy guitars that make the perfect song for a jungle action movie. No Matter is acoustic song similar to It's In Your Eyes but better. Not my favorite but good. The Times They Are A Changing is a great closer to this CD. Its a very well done cover version of the 1963 version done by Bob Dylan. The beats are phat. This CD will have to grow on you but in the end you'll love it. I do. I listen to this one a lot. While it may be his weakest solo album to date that does not make this CD less than five stars. Go out and buy it. I recommend this one.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A few missers, but otherwise excellent., November 13, 2002
Well, I must say that I completely disagrees with the reviewer below! This is to me one of Phil's best albums, and though a few of the songs ought to have been left off, that is no problem - I do have a programable CD-player, and the rest is just nice stuff!Best track is the title track - fantastic rhythm and horn arrangement, and wonderful happy lyrics. I can't sit still while hearing this one, it's such a happy tune. Lorenzo is fantastic as well - great lyrics and wonderful african inspired music. The Bob Dylan remake The Times They Are A-Changin' is terrific! I would never haver believed this to be a succes, but here it is, complete featuring Phil on bag-pipe and all! Wow. The Same Moon is the only more silent song of the album, featuring a fantastic guitar sounding quite different from anything I've herd elsewhere - deffinitely another favorite! Add to this wonderful african inspired sound on River So Wide, Phil's first venture into blues (Oughtaa Know By Now, Just Another Story) a couple of plain but lovely pop-rockers (It's In Your Eyes, No Matter Who) and a couple of funny uptempo songs (Wear My Hat and Take Me Down) - well, what more can one ask for? I only really dislike That's What You Said, which is plain and boring, and Love Police, which has some awful lyrics (but a wonderful melody) - but as I said, a CD-player may be programmed. That several of the songs were done much better live (especially Wear My Hat) makes this album slightly less enjoyable, but oh well.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Dance Into Phil's Light!, March 14, 2001
"Dance Into The Light" is one of Phil Collins' most overlooked albums. It was released in 1996, during a time when Phil wasn't as popular as he was all throughout the 80's, and still three years off from his comeback with the "Tarzan" movie soundtrack. It's really too bad that not too many people checked out this disc upon it's release, because "Dance Into The Light" is one of Phil's best albums, and his finest solo work since 1981's "Face Value." Highlights include "Lorenzo," a brilliant tune with lyrics from a poem by Michaela Odone, the young boy who inspired the film "Lorenzo's Oil." Phil supplies a powerful music bed for this piece, complete with slammin' African drum beats & instrumentation, and heartful vocal delivery. "Just Another Story" is another work of genius, with it's atmospheric, late night stroll-down-the-street vibe, as Phil tells a gripping tale about some people's lives in the big city. It's a very memorable song. "Oughta Know By Now" SHOULD have been this album's secret weapon. With a great guitar hook, tight brass arrangement and powerful drumming and singing from Phil, this song has all the makings of a smash hit, and could've been the song that saved the album from commercial disappointment. And "No Matter Who" is a wonderfully light, breezy number that also could've been a surefire hit. "Dance Into The Light" is a terrific hidden gem from one of the hardest working men in the music biz, Phil Collins. Check it out!
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by Phil Collins 
