As icons come and go, there's probably no better metaphorical image for the spiritual and literal terra firma that is Orange County, Southern California--the conservative Christian stronghold and creative hotbed for most Christian rock and alternative music--than that of John Wayne, the gun-toting movie star, pilgrim in a strange land and model for self-reliant individualism gone awry. On John Wayne, Terry S. Taylor--arguably the father of modern Christian rock--continues exploring the meaning of life and faith, the purpose of music and art, and the struggle to live meaningfully in a world overly impressed with commercial success and driven by self-centered need. It's hard to live in a "Boom Town" when you've got "Writer's Block." It's difficult to tell the truth in love, when "You Told Them Exactly What I Didn't Say." Musically, Taylor touches all the important bases. There's some country shtick in "Ten Gallon Hat," right down to the yodel and whistle. Lush vocal harmonies recall the Beach Boys (Taylor was the mastermind behind Surfonic Water Revival, after all), while smart Beatlesque melodies and edgy guitar sounds duel for dominance. Putting the exultation of youth to shame, Taylor rocks, but he does it in a tuneful, intelligent way. Experience and craft, depth, insight and heart should not be undervalued. As is Taylor's way, these tunes flow from difficulty to resolution, from life in pieces to peace of mind, although it is not strictly a concept album. The hero is distracted and underpaid in "Writer's Block" and "Mr. Flutter," misunderstood in "Too Many Angels" and "What I Didn't Say," and the evil ones prosper in "Big Shot" and "Miniature Girl." The hero faces his shortcomings in "Ten Gallon Hat," debunks false gods in "Hey, John Wayne," and finds that God's love is a sustaining presence in "Chicken Crosses the Road" and "You Lay Down." I'll be surprised if Christian music releases a smarter, more fun album this year--and certainly not one that bridges rock's greatest influences with a sound that's so right and of the moment. But that's just my opinion. It hasn't changed about Terry Taylor since Alarma.
Other coverage for this album
The Phantom Tollbooth 1998Reviewed by Steven S. BaldwinVirtually every so-called "Christian alternative modern rock" band owes a hearty debt to the granddaddy of ACM, Terry Taylor. After all, when he and his band, Daniel Amos, traded in their cowboy hats and cowpoke tunes for 3-D glasses and smart New Wave pop ditties back in the late seventies, "Christian Music" embarked on a curious, much needed path, raising the creative bar for all to follow.…The Phantom Tollbooth 1998Reviewed by James StewartCountry, New Wave, alternative rock, computer game soundtracks, satirical punk... Terry Taylor has been around several musical blocks over the past two decades. Now seemingly more settled with his position at KMG Records, this recording provides the listener with a sound which shows influences from all his previous work. The album opens darkly. The string-section backing for "Writer's Block" has…Similar sounding releases
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