Reviewed by Ato Erzan-Essien

The Leamington Spa singer/songwriter sounds like he has the confidence of someone who has put his past experience to good use to produce an album that is that has a clarity and simplicity that can only come from someone who has already "been there, done that" musically. The mixture of styles reflect the different moods set by each song with the only constant being Phil's straightforward vocals which add to the stripped-down quality of most of the songs. The highlights on the album include the traditionally-arranged "Oh Father" followed by the upbeat title-track. However, it's the poignant piano-led "Is It Really You" that has to take the plaudits for the standout track here based on the gospel account of Jesus walking on the water from Peter's perspective. The only criticism, and it's really no more than a quibble, is that some of the tracks could have had better production values. But that is so often the case with recorded-on-a-budget independent albums. Nonetheless, this album showcases an excellent songsmith well up to his game.

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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