SELLING ENGLAND BY THE POUND

Collins haters might long lament "More Fool Me" for its pop stylings, and many a prog simplicist might decry "The Battle of Epping Forest" for its masturbatory wanderings, but if there's one sticking point for me, it is that, despite this album's few shortcomings, it is a work of art that both defines and transcends the formative decade from which it came. What we have here is a painting in motion -- one that at first blush might appear formless and pretentious but one whose superficial embellishments gradually give way to the strikingly simple brush strokes beneath. There's a reason why this album is still relevant. That's because there is a fundamental beauty here that is almost impossible to ignore. Are there testaments to the 1970s here? Of course. But just as the middle-aged father continues to spin this album because it still reminds him of his youth, the 26 year-old bachelor turns to it because it reminds him of something that he can't quite put his finger on.