Description
This self-titled album by the American singer, songwriter, and guitarist Phil Keaggy, was released on Myrrh Records in September 1998, a division of Word. Also manufactured by Epic, a division of Sony Music. The album was recorded by Tom Laune at The Bennett House in Franklin and Omnisound Studios, Sound Emporium, and Kegworth Studio in Nashville, Tennessee; and as well at Marsh Laboratories in Chicago, Illinois; with Phil Keaggy and Laune producing. Mixed by Laune at his Bridgeway Studio in Nashville. Featuring London Session Orchestra, recorded by Peter Cobbin at Abbey Road Studio in London, England.
For an established artist such as Phil Keaggy, a self-titled album should represent not so much a lack of snappy name ideas as an intimate glimpse into the musician’s soul. Indeed, Keaggy’s latest effort is both a touching canvas and revealing mirror. For all his accolades as a crack guitarist, vocalist and songwriter, Keaggy also has a profound gift for encouragement. It infuses every hook, line and segue of this fine 11-song effort.
To be sure, Phil Keaggy also boasts the clean production, lean song structure and brilliant musicianship Keaggy fans expect. But to focus too much on those facets is to miss the foundational strength of this album: the mood and message is spirit-filled, urging the listener – sometimes gently, sometimes with sword-and-shield force – not to give up, to seek God’s love in all things from the soaring of a skylark to the torment of late-night confusion.
For its start-to-finish artistry and energy, this album harkens to Find Me in These Fields, and while not as rowdy, it has the same powerful light coursing through it. Keaggy is also playful. It’s musical alchemy; the blues-meets-Beatles stride of «Sign Came Through a Window» somehow dovetails perfectly with the misty Celtic drone-and-chime of «Beneath the Blood-Stained Lintel». And that’s just the first two cuts.
The third track, «Under the Grace», is the most endearing ballad Keaggy has crafted in years, and Keaggy has never been shy about balladry. It unfolds like a revelation, peaking as Keaggy sweetly sings, “Fly, fly all you burdens/ Go fly away.” On the opposite end, «Chase the Bad Away» smashes and stomps into the listener’s heart, heralding God’s promise to bind up hurt and shame into new life.
Between these sonic bookends, Phil Keaggy leans more towards the tender side. But that does not mean soft. The closing cut, «Jesus Loves the Church», is a passionate appeal for healing among Christians. The chorus, humble, hurting and ultimately hopeful, speaks volumes about Keaggy, the man, the musician, the broken believer made Whole. [Lou Carlozo, CCM, October 1998]
After 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 artistic gifts far surpass his unequaled fret-board facility. He is also a skilled songwriter and composer with a definitive sound all his own. If there were ever doubts, his new self-titled album further refutes them. More like squashes them.
Phil Keaggy functions both as a look back and a look forward, yet always with respect to past accomplishments. On Sunday’s Child, he paid a fond tribute to a Sixties sound. With this new album, Phil Keaggy pays tribute to himself. Some fans favor the full-on jazz-infused rock edge of such albums as Crimson and Blue, while others prefer the gentler, quieter acoustic-oriented offerings of Way Back Home. This self-titled album offers bits of both without fancying either extreme in a collection that smartly summarizes Keaggy’s diverse career. The overall sound, reminiscent of Keaggy’s greatest moments, is also notably traditional in its orchestration and instrument choices. For example, there are real drums and keyboards, not the drum tracks and/or poppy synthesized bits that marked albums like True Believer, Getting Closer, and Underground Volume One. Keaggy also avoids some of his past indulgences, like personal songs such as «Olivia» or «The 50th», in favor of more universal fare with wider appeal. Furthermore, the sentimentality that some listeners have branded as quaint has been substituted here for songs that are appropriately emotive without being sappy. Regardless, Keaggy has always championed both God and family in praiseworthy, heartfelt fashion. Fans have come to expect it, and here he neither disappoints nor draws disapproval.
Best of all, Keaggy has never sounded better vocally. Whether he is merely singing more in his range or benefitting from voice lessons is unclear, but the results are appreciable. Keaggy has always had an amply pleasant voice, yet here he sounds less strained, more relaxed and in complete command of both his range and tone. Admirers of his guitar talent, however, are treated only to fleeting demonstrations of Keaggy’s singular skill. The guitar work is, of course, considerable throughout. Splashy solos are kept to a minimum, however, in a conscious decision to be less flashy in favor of serving the songs. Consequently, for those wishers pining for another Blue, this album could be less fulfilling initially until overall appreciation of the album’s merits is cultivated by repeated listens.
One stand-out cut, «A Sign Came Through a Window», rocks with the kind of enthusiastic energy that Keaggy hasn’t produced since Crimson and Blue — it is this album’s «John the Revelator». Although it bellows “hit,” its presence as the opening track is somewhat deceiving. The rest of the songs don’t equal this jamming intensity, although a few like «My Unspoken Words» and «Chase the Bad Away» come close. The second cut, «Beneath the Blood-Stained Lintel», inspired by H.A. Ironside’s book A Continual Burnt Offering, creates an appropriately old-English folk sound complete with Irish Pipes by Hunter Lee. «Above All Things», adopting some of St. John Chrysosotom’s writing on weddings, also offers musical nods to days gone bye. Keaggy experimented with Celtic sounds on True Believers and 220, and these songs are two current examples where he does the same to an even greater degree of success.
Notwithstanding the amount of lyrical collaboration he has done on this album, every song sounds like vintage Keaggy. The lush pop track, «Tender Love», is another of his notable homages to The Beatles — one of the best ones he has performed to date and an easy highlight. Geri Bobeck, Keaggy’s sister, co-wrote this one as well as «My Unspoken Words», and both songs focus on God’s loving kindness and illumination. Keith Moore helped with «A Little Bit of Light» which is a poetic pop song about a struggling soul. The references to Van Gogh and Faulkner, as well as plenty of picturesque imagery, contribute to a catchy song that also recalls James Taylor’s finer works. «Under the Grace» and «Days Like You» are just plain pure Keaggy and offer glimpses of God’s unending mercy. The album closes with «Jesus Loves the Church», with lyrics that Sheila Walsh wrote for her friend nearly a decade ago. Although not quite as powerful an album-closer as Keaggy’s remake of «The Survivor» was on True Believers, «Jesus Loves the Church» accurately captures his heart for encouragement and proclaims the much needed message that, despite our great foibles, our Lord and Groom loves us all completely. It is a hymn worth hearing.
Following over thirty albums in as many years, this is the one Keaggy has chosen to carry his name as the title. Most artists self-title their first albums, or maybe a mid-stream album that marks a change or restructuring of their previous sound. In this case, he uses his name to signify this album represents what he has always been about; Phil Keaggy is as close to a coda to the legendary guitarist’s thus far substantial career as you can find. Not only a welcome album for his fans, new and old alike, but one of the best albums of his career. After all, it is good enough to bear his name.[Steven Stuart Baldwin, The Phantom Tollbooth, 8/20/98]
> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/phil-keaggy/1165974687)
CD tracklist:
01. A Sign Came Through A Window – 4:13
02. Beneath The Blood-Stained Lintel – 3:30
03. Under The Grace – 5:01
04. Above All Things – 4:24
05. My Unspoken Words – 4:23
06. Tender Love – 4:39
07. A Little Bit Of Light – 5:48
08. Chase The Bad Away – 4:49
09. Quite Suddenly – 3:35
10. Days Like You – 3:50
11. Jesus Loves The Church – 6:31
Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and CD by Myrrh Records. Available at Bandcamp, along with a demo version bonus disc: https://philkeaggy.bandcamp.com/album/unspoken-words
https://philkeaggy.bandcamp.com/album/unspoken-words-bonus-disc
CREDITS. Produced by Phil Keaggy and Tom Laune. Recorded at Bennett House, Omnisound, Sound Emporium, Kegworth Studio and Marsh Labratories. Orchestra recorded at Abbey Road Studio. Mixed at Bridgeway Studio. Recorded and Mixed by Tom Laune, assisted by James Bauer, Matt Anders, and Shawn McLean. Pro Tools Assistance: Brad Vosburg and Kent Hooper. Fairlight String on track 5 programmed by Carl Marsh. Orchestra recorded by Peter Cobbin. Orchestra on track 3 and 6 arranged and conducted by Tom Howard. String Quartet on track 9 arranged and conducted by Tom Howard. Horns on track 6 arranged by Tom Howard. Mastered by Hank Williams. Art Direction and Artwork by Beth Lee. Photography by Ben Pearson and Jimmy Abegg. Executive-Producer: Judith Volz. A & R Direction by Judith Volz. A & R Coordination by Jamie Kiner. All songs written by Phil Keaggy, except track 2 and 9 featuring lyrics by Harry A. Ironside, track 4 featuring lyrics by St. John Crystostom, track 5 and 6 featuring lyrics by Geri Bobeck, track 7 featuring lyrics by Keith Moore, and track 11 featuring lyrics by Sheila Walsh.
Musicians: Phil Keaggy (Lead and Backing Vocals, Acoustic and Electric Guitars; 12-string Electric Guitar on track 5 and 10; Bass – tracks 5, 9, 11; Keyboards on track 5; Roland Gr 30 on track 11), Bernadette Keaggy (Backing Vocals on track 2), Alicia Keaggy (Backing Vocals on track 4), Gianna Jessen (Backing Vocals on track 4), Keith Moore (Backing Vocals on tracks 6 and 7), Geri Bobeck (Backing Vocals on track 6), Gene Miller (Backing Vocals on track 8), Gianna Jessen (Backing Vocals on track 11), Tom Howard (Piano on track 3 and 6), Hunter Lee (Irish Flute on tracks 2 and 4, Pennywhistle on track 2, Ulliean Pipes on track 4), Jerry McPherson (Electric Guitar – tracks: 5, 7, 8, 10), Jackie Street (Bass – tracks: 1, 3, 6), Wade Jaynes (Bass – tracks: 4, 7, 8, 10), John Hammond (Drums – tracks: 1, 3, 6), Steve Brewster (Drums – tracks: 5 7, 8, 10; Percussion on track 4), Eric Darken (Percussion on all tracks except track 7), Michael Aukofer (Marimba on track 2).
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