Description
Mystery Highway is the first full-length collaborative studio project by the American veteran singer/songwriters Phil Keaggy and Randy Stonehill, independently released on Oddbody Music in June 2009. The album was recorded at Phil Keaggy’s own Kegworth Studio in Nashville, Tennessee; with Keaggy and Randy Stonehill co-producing. Mixed by Mike Pachelli at Fullblast Recordings in Los Angeles, California.
Phil Keaggy and Randy Stonehill are long-time friends. They first met in 1971 at a concert featuring both Keaggy’s Decca-signed power rock trio Glass Harp and singer/songwriter Larry Norman, the latter being Stonehill’s mentor back in the day. And this album actually sounds like a project that could have been recorded at any point during the late ’60s / early ’70s. It’s a blissfully non-contemporary blast of soulfully fun and mature rock ‘n’ roll/Britpop in the vein of Beatles, Badfinger, Kinks and Cream. Covers of the late singer-songwriter Mark Heard’s «Love Is Not the Only Thing» and the title track of Keaggy’s classic 1988 album Sunday’s Child (a recording that actually featured a duet by Keaggy and Stonehill) provide a loving wink to the past as well.
Darn Digipak CD packaging! You can blame the slimness of that kind of eco-friendly compact disc container (and, OK, the sometimes shambolic condition of my living space) on my tardiness with this review of the latest by these troopers of cCm who have been around long enough to recall first-hand when what they were doing was called Jesus music.
‘Mystery Highway’ was worth finding amid my apartment clutter. Randy Stonehill already has one 2009 triumph in his cap with his re-recordings of his own oldies for the soundtrack of Fallen Angel, the documentary about his late spiritual mentor (among other things), Larry Norman. Co-featured Phil Keaggy continues to keep releasing vocal and instrumental albums over a decade after Christian music radio programmers decided – as they did even longer ago with Stonehill – that they no longer have use for his artistic services.
Despite such indifference on the part of the religio-musical subculture they helped nurture in the early ’70s, these guys are still rocking. And often well. And, as proven here, with plenty variety. «Picture Perfect Postcard Perfect Day» recalls the brand of rockabilly Johnny Cash perfected with his Tennessee Two, while a remake of Mark Heard’s «Love Is Not The Only Thing» reflects the same pleading earnestness the late singer-songwriter built up to in his final years.
Elsewhere, plenty of Beatles’y jangly joyfulness and generally Anglophile poppiness with slightly psychedelic tints predominates. Considering Keaggy’s vocal resemblance to Fab Four bassist Paul McCartney and Stonehill’s oft-expressed admiration for the band, that might come as no surprise. More pleasantly surprising, however, is that they can keep those vibes so fresh.
Not everything succeeds so beautifully, though. Stonehill’s stab at rapping, «Rockman», might jib with his reputation as a comedian, but this isn’t so much fun. Even funkier, in a Gordon Lightfoot/Bruce Cockburn folky funkiness, is the bi-autobiographical titular track.
In a pop music environment where elder statesman craftsmanship isn’t nearly so highly valued as youth and novelty (and yes, that mindset extends to CCM), Keaggy and Stonehill sound to be long past creating for “the kids.” The humble sincerity and good humor they bring to ‘Highway’ is primarily directed to fellow saints approaching their eligibility for Denny’s senior discounts, including compatriot Jesus movement acolytes who continue to persevere. And if the young’uns want to listen in, they’ll get an earful of gentle wisdom and a rocky-ness radio doesn’t much deliver nowadays. [Jamie Lee Rake, The Phantom Tollbooth, 2010]
If you take two Jesus music legends with a combined recording career in excess of 80 years then it doesn’t sound like the recipe for a ground breaking release, destined to bend the musical boundaries. And indeed, there are few musical surprises here. But as a warm and nostalgic celebration of largely uptempo rock and roll with a decidedly retro feel and which gives vent to Keaggy’s well known Beatles obsession, this works well. Keaggy and Stonehill worked together on Keaggy’s 1988 release ‘Sunday’s Child‘ a recording which used 1960s mono recording techniques. The link is made here as the title track of that album – a Phil and Randy composition – is encored here. The album certainly showcases Keaggy’s unmistakeable guitar prowess on tracks like «Rockin’ In A Hard Place» and the Cream-like «Dreamspeak» (Strange Brew anyone?) where Phil does an Eric. There’s humour as well – as you would expect from our Randy. Stonehill raps his way through «Rockman» over Keaggy’s funky guitar backbeat in a song which is bound to divide opinion (nonsense or genius?). To be fair the rap is pretty effectively executed! Add the catchy quirkiness of «Backwards On Her Bike» and you have a recipe for success. Where there is a spiritual message in the lyrics, it is not in any way heavy, and throughout the words are well crafted with a light touch. If you want to hear two quality veterans who still have plenty of creative fire left in their tanks then get your bank card out and order a copy. [Anthony Longville, Cross Rhythms, January 2010]
> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/mystery-highway/319171579)
CD tracklist:
01. Who’s Your Driver? – 3:44
02. Backwards On Her Bike – 3:27
03. Rockin’ In A Hard Place – 3:54
04. Sunday’s Child – 3:13
05. Rockman – 3:06
06. Picture Postcard Perfect Day – 3:40
07. We’ll Meet Again – 3:41
08. Mystery Highway – 3:24
09. Soul Girl – 2:50
10. Love Is Not The Only Thing – 4:30
11. Irrisistible Future – 4:21
12. Dreamspeak – 4:10
Note: Available at Bandcamp: https://philkeaggy.bandcamp.com/album/mystery-highway
“Rockman” (VIDEO)
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