Phil Keaggy's latest contribution to the Christian music scene is at least his 24th project as a solo artist depending on how you count these things.
The album starts out with a strong acoustic guitar/percussive piece, "A Sign Came Through a Window." It seems to be a call to the listener to take a look at the signs that God has given us to come to faith in Him. "Beneath the Blood-Stained Lintel" has a wonderful melody and instrumentation evocative of the Middle East and Celtic music, with almost sleight-of-hand guitar work. It is a short song, two verses, that powerfully parallels the Passover with death passing over those who stand under what Jesus has done. The words to this and another song, "Quite Suddenly," are from a devotional titled The Continual Burnt Offering by H. A. Ironside.
The song "Above All Things" has a strong Celtic influence. With music by Keaggy and words adopted from the writings of St. John Chrysostom, it includes interesting female vocalizations that add greatly to the "Celtic-ness" of the piece.
"Jesus Loves the Church," written by Sheila Walsh, is a haunting reproach about how Christians deal with one another:
For we crucify each other leaving a battered wounded bride, but Jesus
loves the church...
We fight like selfish children vying for that special prize
We struggle with our gifts, before your face
and I know you look with sorrow at the blindness in our eyes
As we trip each other halfway through the race...
And as you hung in naked grief, bleeding for our crimes
You saw our fickle hearts and cried,
'I love you--you are mine.'
Probably one of the strongest songs, which is a hard thing to determine on a solid project like this, is "Under the Grace," a tender song about the struggle to make some sense of it all:
The hungry in heart seeks for its place and a home
But it may tear you apart when you see what
this grace here has done
Fly, fly all you burdens--go fly away
It's here I remain--under the grace
Another stand-out song, "My Unspoken Words," written by Mr. Keaggy and his sister, Geri Bobeck, speaks of being silent before the Lord:
There's a road I like to walk
When the morning is brand new
And the only sound you hear is the earth beneath your shoe
In silence more is said.
I pray you're listening, Lord,
Reach into my heart and hear
the unspoken word.
Mr. Keaggy's fantastic guitar playing is something his fans expect, but this album offers so much more. The melodies are unique and the lyrics poetical. His vocals are passionate and distinctive. Instrumentally, the craftsmanship is excellent. If this is one's first introduction to Phil Keaggy's work, this album will be a real treat and an encouragement to listen to his past recordings.
4.5 tocks
Other coverage for this album
HM Magazine #73Reviewed by Brian Vincent McGovernFrom the first driving acoustic blues rock "Sign Came Through a Window," Keaggy's relaxed, rhythmic songwriting is all over this disc, and his smooth, always Beatle-like voice comes from around the corner, reminding the listener of the man's past work. Often lauded as one of the greatest guitarists who ever lived, such playing is apparent in songs like the acoustic Celtic-flavored Beneath the…The Lighthouse Unsorted 1998Reviewed by Paul Michael CarhartWhenever word gets out that a new Phil Keaggy project is about to hit the shelves, the first thing that comes to mind is: "What's it gonna be this time, Mr. Keaggy?" Ask that question of this project, and one might be surprised. Indeed, Keaggy, who is renowned within both the Christian and mainstream markets for his guitar playing prowess, has traveled many different musical paths from soft…The Phantom Tollbooth 1998Reviewed by Steven S. BaldwinAfter thirty years of making music, Phil Keaggy still both defines and transcends CCM. His work is certainly contemporary, distinctively Christian to a fault, and just plain great music. If the community of CCM listeners gave out such titles, Phil Keaggy would be the great guitar guru of our particular niche. Unquestionably. Irrefutably. Even arguably the rest of the world as well. Yet his…The Phantom Tollbooth 1998Reviewed by James StewartWhen you've been playing music for as many years as Phil Keaggy, you tend to want to experiment and break beyond genres. It's not surprising then that this latest release moves quickly from a Beatlesque opener to Celtic influences and even pulls in a couple of moments of Eastern sounds. Much has been said of Keaggy's vocal similarities to Paul McCartney, and they are fairly obvious on the first…Similar sounding releases
1995Michael RoeSafe as Milk
1998Bernard ButlerPeople Move On
2001DrugstoreSongs for the Jet Set
2004MarillionMarbles
2011John JanzenThink Again
1998Mike Scott / The WaterboysThe Whole of the Moon: The Music of Mike Scott & The Waterboys
