2. King Of The Jews
5. Rejoice
6. What A Day
7. Now I Can See
8. Behold, All Things Become New
9. Hallelujah
10. I Will Sing
We're starting with the guy who in many ways is the Beatles of Christian music. Okay, that's going a bit overboard. Because even the Beatles couldn't sustain a forty-year career. Heck, they barely made it ten years. But what makes the comparison really awkward is that words like revolutionary and history-making are used (rightly or wrongly) to describe the Beatles all the time in pop culture and media. I consider myself a fairly dedicated PK fan, and I would never use those words to describe Philip Keaggy. He's just not revolutionary or history-making or any other overblown accolade you can tack onto the Fab Four. And the truth is, that's probably why I dig him so much.
The fact is, Phil is probably the most celebrated guitarist in Christian music, which is a pretty small fraternity to begin with. He's also highly regarded in mainstream circles, but has never sought nor been given the title of Guitar God. Here's the way I would describe Phil's body of work: Spiritual. Virtuosic. Winsome. Humbly dynamic (or dynamically humble). In other words, he didn't really invent a style of playing or songwriting, he didn't change the face of music, he didn't speak for a generation, he just played his best for his King, and his best just happens to be THE best there is. Hence, my interest in his music.
So, if I were to make an analogy to a "classic" rock icon, I would feel comfortable saying, "Here's the Paul McCartney of Christian Music." He's a venerable elder statesman of popular music, he has a long career over many decades (we're talking McCartney's solo career), he's a good songwriter, and he's a master musician. But even this comparison does both men an injustice, because really, Phil is his own animal. So, I'll shut up and get on with the album review.
With all of that hype, you would think Phil's solo debut, back in the early days of Contemporary Christian Music (when it was still called "Jesus Music") would be some earth-shattering, trail-blazing exposition. Of course, you would be disappointed, because What A Day is about as un-epic as you can get. First of all, it's a real one-man show; He plays all of the guitars, bass, and various light percussion on the album, in a little studio in Cleveland, no less. Then there's the spirit of the music, which is embodied by the smiling young man on the record jacket: Happy, gleeful, light, and almost child-like. In other words, this ain't no rock and roll, kids.
The closest thing to rock might be "Rejoice" which has a pretty spirited coda, a faster tempo and more passionate singing than most of the songs on the album. Like everything else, it's basically a song of praise built on an acoustic framework with multiple layers and overdubs. It's clear Phil is going for a contemplative campfire vibe, and in that vein it works quite well. His melodic gifts are front and center, and really carry the deceptively simplistic arrangements and mellow tone of the album.
The obvious highlight is the title track, and for good reason: it's the bounciest song on the record, has a big singalong chorus, and probably the only full-fledged guitar solo in its coda. It has a definite 1920's swing feel, and you can almost hear some old big band playing the peppy intro and verses. It's the one track that Phil plays in concert to this day, and "when I get home," I wouldn't be surprised to hear it in the Heavenly Band's repertoire.
Other standouts include "A Time and a Place", which has a nice bridge featuring a conversation between a Robin and a Sparrow; "Hallelujah", in which the title is the song's only lyric and features the patented Keaggy volume swells; and "Walking with Our Lord" which has a stop-and-start tempo and a fun little chorus with lots of "bop-ba-ba" backing vocals.
That light, poppy spirit imbues Phil's singing on this record, and really sets the tone for most of his career. He's not a wailer, growler, or screamer; his vocals are some the est you'll hear, because he doesn't over-sing or try to sound "tough" or "bluesy". He is what he is: just a believer with a guitar full of magic and a heart full of love for his Lord.
We're starting with the guy who in many ways is the Beatles of Christian music. Okay, that's going a bit overboard. Because even the Beatles couldn't sustain a forty-year career. Heck, they barely made it ten years. But what makes the comparison really awkward is that words like revolutionary and history-making are used (rightly or wrongly) to describe the Beatles all the time in pop culture and media. I consider myself a fairly dedicated PK fan, and I would never use those words to describe Philip Keaggy. He's just not revolutionary or history-making or any other overblown accolade you can tack onto the Fab Four. And the truth is, that's probably why I dig him so much.
The fact is, Phil is probably the most celebrated guitarist in Christian music, which is a pretty small fraternity to begin with. He's also highly regarded in mainstream circles, but has never sought nor been given the title of Guitar God. Here's the way I would describe Phil's body of work: Spiritual. Virtuosic. Winsome. Humbly dynamic (or dynamically humble). In other words, he didn't really invent a style of playing or songwriting, he didn't change the face of music, he didn't speak for a generation, he just played his best for his King, and his best just happens to be THE best there is. Hence, my interest in his music.
So, if I were to make an analogy to a "classic" rock icon, I would feel comfortable saying, "Here's the Paul McCartney of Christian Music." He's a venerable elder statesman of popular music, he has a long career over many decades (we're talking McCartney's solo career), he's a good songwriter, and he's a master musician. But even this comparison does both men an injustice, because really, Phil is his own animal. So, I'll shut up and get on with the album review.
With all of that hype, you would think Phil's solo debut, back in the early days of Contemporary Christian Music (when it was still called "Jesus Music") would be some earth-shattering, trail-blazing exposition. Of course, you would be disappointed, because What A Day is about as un-epic as you can get. First of all, it's a real one-man show; He plays all of the guitars, bass, and various light percussion on the album, in a little studio in Cleveland, no less. Then there's the spirit of the music, which is embodied by the smiling young man on the record jacket: Happy, gleeful, light, and almost child-like. In other words, this ain't no rock and roll, kids.
The closest thing to rock might be "Rejoice" which has a pretty spirited coda, a faster tempo and more passionate singing than most of the songs on the album. Like everything else, it's basically a song of praise built on an acoustic framework with multiple layers and overdubs. It's clear Phil is going for a contemplative campfire vibe, and in that vein it works quite well. His melodic gifts are front and center, and really carry the deceptively simplistic arrangements and mellow tone of the album.
The obvious highlight is the title track, and for good reason: it's the bounciest song on the record, has a big singalong chorus, and probably the only full-fledged guitar solo in its coda. It has a definite 1920's swing feel, and you can almost hear some old big band playing the peppy intro and verses. It's the one track that Phil plays in concert to this day, and "when I get home," I wouldn't be surprised to hear it in the Heavenly Band's repertoire.
Other standouts include "A Time and a Place", which has a nice bridge featuring a conversation between a Robin and a Sparrow; "Hallelujah", in which the title is the song's only lyric and features the patented Keaggy volume swells; and "Walking with Our Lord" which has a stop-and-start tempo and a fun little chorus with lots of "bop-ba-ba" backing vocals.
That light, poppy spirit imbues Phil's singing on this record, and really sets the tone for most of his career. He's not a wailer, growler, or screamer; his vocals are some the est you'll hear, because he doesn't over-sing or try to sound "tough" or "bluesy". He is what he is: just a believer with a guitar full of magic and a heart full of love for his Lord.
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