Reviewed by Matthew Cordle

Phil is a 25-year-old singer/songwriter from South Wales who has previously released four tapes, two as part of a band, Full Circle, and two solo albums. This is a 'Best Of' eight track cassette to give an overall picture of his music. Frankly, someone should give Phil a publishing deal as he is obviously developing a very good songwriting ability. The up-tempo tracks are mainly guitar based with some really catchy grooves, while the slower ones are more piano/synth based. The style is quite eclectic and, as is obvious from previous reviews of Phil's material, suggests many different influences ranging from Peter Gabriel to Bob Dylan, the vocals often sounding like Michael W Smith. The record really grows on you the more you listen. I have to say that my favourite track is the ballad "So Beautiful", an atmospheric love song sung with real emotion and not a single "I want your body, baby" in sight! The other two songs I really liked were "Fantasy Reality" (read about in CR28) and "Fade Away", which has a funky guitar intro and a bass line which grooves well despite occasional lapses of timing. All in all a good showcase despite the obvious "home studio" sound to some tracks.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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