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Phil Keaggy

Phil Keaggy - Phil Keaggy Audio CD

A fair review of the Phil Keaggy "Phil Keaggy" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Phil Keaggy reviews here, or go back to the Phil Keaggy tabs.

Band: Phil Keaggy
Title: Phil Keaggy
Rating:

Release Date: 2001-01-02
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Sign Came Through a Window 2: Beneath the Blood-Stained Lintel 3: Under the Grace 4: Above All Things 5: My Unspoken Words 6: Tender Love 7: Little Bit of Light 8: Chase the Bad Away 9: Quite Suddenly 10: Days Like You 11: Jesus Loves the Church

Good stuff for a Keaggy novice...
So when an audiocassette of this album appeared online for ten cents, I figured that I'd buy it and listen to it in the car on a road trip, to introduce myself to the world of Phil. Phil Keaggy is a name that I've heard for many years, but I've never heard his stuff. I have been greatly pleased by that choice.

I can't speak about this album in contrast to any of his dozens of other recordings. But having now listened to it several times through, this one appears to be two parts Beatles, one part Celtic, one part Michael Card, and one part Air Supply, with a dash of Rush. Thankfully, I like all of that stuff, so the combination is very appealing to me. Like Michael W. Smith, Keaggy's strength is obviously not his rather pedestrian voice. But that voice is unique, and his range is remarkable. And it fits well with the style of these songs.

The song-writing was solid, the musicianship was sharp, and the lyrics were significant. I'm happy to recommend this album and look forward to familiarizing myself with more of Keaggy's work.

Intelligent, Poetic Lyrics
Keaggy is not famous for his singing, despite his Paul McCartney similarity. Keaggy subdues his masterful guitar here to take us to a diversity of paces and styles. However, on so many songs here, he shines.

Phil Keaggy's eponymously named album won't thrill his "Crimson and Blue" or "Sunday's Child" fans, and the fans of his more instrumental work might find this is not the Phil Keaggy they know. A few cuts might grab them, like the opening pop rocker, "A Sing Came Through A Window," which has that "Sunday's Child" beat to it.

On the whole, the album is a mix of neo-celtic tunes, pop and easy listening CCM radio music. There are points at which I wonder if Charlie Peacock or Michael Card were involved, thanks to the unusually solid lyrical stylings presented here.

The title of "Beneath The Blood-Stained Lintel" alone draws poetic imagery. It lyrics are well-sung, as he keeps tempo and rhythm with some difficult to articulate phrasings. Keaggy finds the source of its lyrics in "The Continual Burnt Offerings" by H. A. Ironside.

"Beneath the blood stained lintel I with my children stand.
A messenger of evil Is passing through the land.
There is no other refuge from the destroyer's face.
Beneath the blood stained lintel shall be our hiding place. "

"Tender Love" comes off insipidly. His delivery and material lacks much to be excited about. What sounds like what was to be a triumphant anthem results in yesterday's pop sound. He repeats the chorus past its intrigue.

Worthy of note is the quiet "Quite Suddenly," also from Ironside:

"Quite suddenly, it may be in His house I bend my knee,
When a Kingly voice long hoped for
Comes at last to summon me.
And the fellowship of earthlife
That has seemed so passing sweet,
Proves nothing but the shadow of
Our meeting round His feet. "

I fully recommend "Phil Keaggy" by Phil Keaggy.

Anthony Trendl
editor, HungarianBookstore. com.

Still worth only one star
Price conspired with Amazon to have it removed. This "shocking" review has disappeared from here for some reason; maybe Mr. Nonetheless, it's still accurate - and, for the record, my reference to "True Believers" as being "recent" doesn't place that album's release chronologically either before or after this one came out. It was simply one of his most recent albums at the time, so that's how I referred to it. (Notice I also mention "Inseperable", which was released AFTER "Phil Keaggy". ) Since Jimmy is defending Phil, I thought I'd defend myself.

"For me, a very big Phil Keaggy fan, this album was a massive disappointment; one of a string of mediocre vocal albums that has included the recent "True Believer" and, to a lesser degree, "Inseperable". As with the plethora of instrumental albums that Keaggy has been churning out with alarming regularity, there is little new or interesting here - recycled licks and tired, cliched Irish themes predominate. I hate to say it, but it just seems that Phil has abandoned striving for quality - and, even at his best, he's always been a bit uneven in terms of his singing and songwriting - and settled for sheer quantity, taking advantage of his fiercely loyal fan base and releasing lots of quick, seemingly inexpensively produced stuff. For the neophyte Keaggy listener, seek out "Blue" or "Find Me In These Fields" or "Sunday's Child" for vastly better vocal tunes, and "Beyond Nature" or "Master and the Musician" for beautiful instrumentals - but give "Phil Keaggy" a miss. "

Yup. I'm still right.

.

Lyricaly, vocally, Phil's best!
It's the lyrics and vocals that stand out here. Phil's playing is excellent, but as another reviewer mentioned, tastefully restrained to fit the material. . . as well as the production. This effort is up there with LOVE BROKE THROUGH as my favorite Keaggy vocal CD/album. For his instrumental work try MASTER AND THE MUSICIAN and BEYOND NATURE.

Another Gem in a Canon of Masterpieces
This recording represents every aspect of Phil's personality and talent: stellar guitar playing ("A Sign Came Through the Window," "Beneath the Blood-Stained Lintel"); Beatlesque melodies ("Tender Love"), hard-rocking originals ("Chase the Bad Away"), and, most importantly, lyrics that express Phil's innermost feelings and faith ("Under the Grace"). "Phil Keaggy" is self-titled and with good reason.

The musicianship on every song on this disc is stellar, and the lyrics serve as a witness to how faith in Christ helps a person to face and transcend any problem that may arise.

The recording, as is usual for Phil's newer discs, is clean and well-balanced.

Standout tracks include the piano-based "Under the Grace" with its soaring chorus and message of hope, "A Sign Came through the Window" with closing harmonics lifted from Phil's live performances, and "Quite Suddenly" with its gorgeous acoustic guitar-based melody. But every song has something to recommend it. This is a very consistent recording.

"Phil Keaggy" is Phil's best disc since his classic "Love Broke Thru". And knowing the quality of Phil's recordings, this is really saying something. Enjoy the music AND the message!.

You can see a complete list of all Phil Keaggy discography, or go back to the Phil Keaggy tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.