There are some artists who seem to have all the luck. They score hit single after hit single, sell out stadiums, get their own TV specials, and strike platinum. Often all this is done with little or no talent.
Then there are some artists who are doomed to obscurity. They play second fiddle for their whole career, virtually unknown to the masses. Much of the time, these artists are the ones with real gifts.
And then there are some artists who just plain don't care. They have what Over the Rhine calls "healthy apathy." They pour their very soul into their art, content with nothing short of perfection, throwing sharp lyrics, musical ingenuity, and dedication to their specific vision all into one big blender, in hopes of creating something of a fine art smoothie, if you will. They care nothing about chart position or sales records. Sam Phillips is one such artist.
If that name doesn't ring a bell, how about Leslie Phillips? That's the name under which Sam got her start. After becoming a princess of contemporary Christian pop in the 80's, Leslie raised quite a few eyebrows and made a few enemies within CCM-Land when she severed all ties with the industry, accusing the church of making her write propaganda. With a new name and a new record label, the artist formerly known as Leslie Phillips bravely ventured into the cruel world of mainstream music, passionately dedicated to making fine art, which is exactly what we find her doing over a decade later.
Produced by Phillips' husband, the acclaimed T-Bone Burnett (O Brother Where Art Thou? soundtrack), Fan Dance finds the artist in fine form, abandoning the cheesy pop and experimental pyrotechnics of her past to craft an unconventionally intimate and sparse sound, an anomaly in and of itself in the increasingly gimmicky world of pop music. Rather than focus on bringing a broad array of sounds together to create a diverse, cinematic sound, like Over the Rhine did on their most recent release, or focus on elaborate solos and intricate music composition, like Iona or Dave Matthews Band, Burnett kept the focus of Fan Dance where it should be- on Sam's voice, her lyrics, and, occasionally, her guitar.
The minimalist production on the title cut sets the stage for the rest of the record. Opening Fan Dance with solemn, almost hymn-like guitar picking and singing from Sam, the song eventually finds a banjo and meager percussion picking up the pace of the chorus, but that's it. No electric guitars. No synthesizers. No drum solos. Just a girl, her guitar, and a few assorted background noises. And "Fan Dance" isn't the only song that utilizes this formula- "Edge of the World" is little more than Sam singing over a piano, while "Say What You Mean," is brought to life only by the vocals and a pair of acoustic guitars.
The media has frequently lauded Phillips in the past as "the fifth Beatle," and Newsweek even went as far as to say that her body must be inhabited by the spirit of John Lennon. Despite the lack of studio wizardry and innovation on Fan Dance, Phillips retains these formidable honors, as few singer/songwriters can match her keen sense of melody and her powerful pen. Not even the esteemed Sir Paul could help but hum along to "Five Colors," while "Love is Everywhere I Go" is so simple and lovely that it would likely make Billy Shears turn green with envy.
Above all, though, Sam Phillips' charm and intrigue are products of the unflinching honesty and dignified intelligence of her words. So intelligent are they, in fact, that most of the songs will likely leave the listener fumbling for an interpretation. Phillips' poetry is not marked by the cynical wit that characterized much of John Lennon's work, nor does she possess Thom Yorke's dark obscurity. Instead, her lyrics are seductive riddles, enigmas that may leave you wondering just what the heck "all the red in China" is supposed to mean.
Once you crack her codes, however, Phillips' lyrics reveal some of the same questions and concerns that have always been present in her music. Many moons ago, she sang that "answers don't come easy," and she retains that stance even today, opting to search for the truth at all costs, and refusing to accept the sterile, pre-packaged answers that some of her former peers from the CCM industry try to hand her. Phillips' quest for meaning takes her to "the edge of the world," and she doesn't mind admitting that her "longing may kill" her. Sam has no fear of being "desperate" or "lonely," but she "won't be ashamed" of her thirst for the truth. Along the way, she even gets a few subtle jabs in at the money-driven music industry and, ultimately, she unabashedly sings that she "tried but can't find refuge in the angle," so she will "walk the mystery of the curve." Throughout Fan Dance, easy answers and propaganda spell trouble, but the spiritual wanderer, the one who desires the truth above all else (and often finds it through art creation and appreciation) is viewed as admirable, even heroic.
Fittingly, it is the title cut of the record that gives the listener the clearest viewpoint into Sam's passion for art and her disdain for the Nazi-like propaganda that so many Christians embrace these days. Describing her life on the stage, Phillips declares that she is "broken open, waiting for inventions of light that see through to love." This, then, is the answer. Her music, her art, her entire life- all in hopes of getting closer to the love that so often seems to elude her. Phillips obviously knows the basics of the Gospel, but that isn't good enough- she will settle for nothing short of the deepest, darkest truths about life, no matter how frightful or grotesque they may be. Her attitude towards music and art is one well worth mimicking- pop music as entertainment is great, but pop music as a means of growth and enlightenment...that, my friends, is worth far more than a gold record or a chart-topping single.
Review Summary:
1. What does the album sound like?
It's mostly acoustic folk/pop, brilliantly understated by a mature studio band, which includes country songstress Gillian Welch and producer/Sam's husband T-Bone Burnett.
2. Is the album well made?
Very. The sparse production keeps the focus on Phillips' strong points- namely, her potent pen and her knack for hooky melodies.
3. Will you enjoy this album?
Unfortunately, many listeners will find Fan Dance to be a bit too inaccessible. What a shame. For the mature listener, this stuff is brilliant- fans of groups like Over the Rhine or Sixpence None the Richer should be moved by this music. And, unlike typical pop radio fare, Phillips' music moves the intellect and the heart, not the emotions or the hormones.
4. Final Score: 4.5 out of 5
4.5/5
Other coverage for this album
The Phantom Tollbooth 2001Reviewed by Ken MuellerThere has been a lot of press surrounding the new offering from Sam Phillips, as she returns from a brief attempt at semi-retirement (this is her first album of new material since 1996's Omnipop). Most of the talk has been about the change in direction from an electronic sound and to a more organic, acoustic approach. To be honest, the first listen through this disc was a bit disappointing. With…The Phantom Tollbooth 2001Reviewed by Jeffrey OverstreetIn "Say What You Mean," the scorching closer to Sam Phillips' new album Fan Dance, Phillips sings: I'll be desperate I'll be lonely but I won't be ashamed No isolation no terror unnamed... She's talking about the price, and the reward, of telling the truth. She might be addressing her younger self, who struggled for the freedom to do just that. Trapped in the Christian music industry of the…Similar sounding releases
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