In support of the collection Going Back, Phil Collins celebrates the soul music of the 1960s in this three-night stand at New York's Roseland Ballroom. Early on in the 26-song set, he explains that the selections "were the backdrop of my life as a kid." In the liner notes, he goes into more detail, adding that Genesis "were most definitely not a covers band." For this date, the drummer-turned-front man performs with five backup singers and a 13-piece band, including Motown's famed Funk Brothers (Bob Babbitt, Eddie Willis, and Ray Monette) and Genesis players Brad Cole and Darryl Stuermer. As a vocalist, Collins has always had a subtle touch, but he's more of a pop singer than a soul man, which means that his tenor seems too light for a rough-and-tumble Temptations number like "Ain't Too Proud to Beg," though he offers a credible take on "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" (it helps that the musicians do a bang-up job in replicating the latter's slow-burn intro). At key moments, the singers, including three ladies clad in purple-sequin sheathes, join him at the front of the stage. If the ballads aren't bad, they put a bit of a damper on the dance-party vibe, though it's interesting to note that Stevie Wonder's "Blame It on the Sun" sounds a lot like a Genesis track when Collins puts his stamp on it (see "Follow You Follow Me"). Extra features include an interview with the artist and rehearsal footage with commentary. --Kathleen C. Fennessy
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