CD Reviews

Dec

2007

David Phelps: One Wintry Night

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RATING:

Producer: David Phelps & Monroe Jones
Record Label: Word/Curb/WB
Website: http://www.davidphelps.com

Ever since David Phelps left the Gaither Vocal Band a few years ago to further develop his solo career - his music has taken unusual turns. Whenever one would expect him to make a left turn, he’d sharply turn right - thus the mixed appeal of his last few records with Word Records - Revelation and Life Is a Church. Phelps is now releasing his second Christmas recording but first with Word Records. One Wintry Night: A David Phelps Christmas is exactly as the title suggests. Christmas music is generally portrayed well by big-voiced singers like Phelps, and his debut Christmas album, Joy, Joy, did just that with its amazing arrangements and bright horn accompaniments. However, One Wintry Night pretty much abandons that formula, and finds Phelps at the helm as primary producer, vocalist, arranger, songwriter, and more. Everything you hear on One Wintry Night, for the most part is all Phelps, as he provided all of the vocals and did all the arranging this time around. The outcome? More mixed feelings. There are definitely times when once can hear the passion and pure beauty of Phelps’ voice - such as his quieted arrangement of “Away In a Manger” and understated vocal performance of “Blue Christmas.” Also, the inclusion of Sonya Isaacs (The Isaacs) on “One King” remains an album highlight. However, the hodgepodge of styles makes for uneasy listening. Phelps jumps around from the classical stylings of Josh Groban ("O Holy Night") to the inspirational sounds of early Larnelle Harris or Selah ("O Come O Come Emmanuel”, “Hallelujah") to the rock-opera sounds of Queen ("The Singer") all in one setting. It is all just a bit too over the top and outlandish to really seem enjoyable. In addition, Phelps’ propensity to over-sing much of the time distracts from the recording as well. Overall, if you’re looking for a great holiday recording from Phelps, I would recommend picking up Joy, Joy released through Spring Hill Music Group a few years ago. It will stand the test of time better and won’t leave the listener frustrated for the Phelps of days gone by.

Track Listing:

Prelude: O Come O Come Emmanuel
The Singer (Let There Be Light)
Hallelujah!
Blue Christmas
Interlude: Lully, Lullay / What Child Is This?
Away In a Manger / Sleep Little Baby
One Wintry Night
If Everyone Believed
If Christmas Never Came
Interlude: Silent Night
O Holy Night
Hark the Herald!
One King (with Sonya Isaacs)
Interlude: Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
Santa Claus Tonight

Reader Comments

I tend to agree w/ you Chris... What is it w/ David's seeming affection for Queen? He can SING HIS HEAD OFF and does a number of styles very well. I just wish he would choose to represent one or two of those styles on the same recording to give the project a bit of uniformity. Don't get me wrong, I'm ALL for creativity, taking chances and being true to the artist in your heart. I think David might do better to take chances on an indie project or two...See how MySpace audiences receive it while doing what his listeners want to hear for his record company. Then, plug some of that creative stuff into his live show to see how it flys. Take a look at his iTunes download history... You'll see what people want to hear from him. On One Wintry Night, by far, the most downloaded song is O' Holy Night. I'm sure David considers what he accomplished w/ the GVB a blessing but it seems the reputation that he garnered then is frustrating him now. His listeners seem to be confused by his broadening horizons.

Commented by ** On 12/03/2007

I guess I don't understand why those in the SG community always criticize David for being creative. Just because an album has different styles on it doesn't make it bad. That shows one thing - Diversity. Which to me is what SG music lacks, thus why it has and will continue to drop off the map.
As far as taking chances and doing indie albums then giving his listeners what they want on the albums from the record company...Guess I am confused. He is selling albums so they must want to hear him.
Sure O Holy Night is the most downloaded he has been doing it for years and it is the best arrangement of it ever.
I don't think he is frustrated at all with his reputation. Why would you think that Aaron? Because he is doing different styles on his cds?
Oh and one more comment about the different styles. Not only does it show that he can pull them all off and pull them off well. But, I would challenge anyone to name someone else in gospel music (not just SG either) that can go from inspirational, to pop, to rock, to ballad, to up beat, to SG, to traditional and back again and do it as well. Dare I say...nobody.
I enjoy this album. I guess it's the A.D.D. in me

Commented by ** On 12/04/2007

Hey Andy...
No criticism here! I am just looking for a bit of uniformity in David's projects. I thought I made it clear that I am all for creative effort and expanding musical horizons. I just want the project as a whole to take me somewhere. The songs are good...Vocals great... David's vocal dexterity is wonderful and that makes him capable to perform different styles of music well... That's not a bad thing. But don't think he's the only one out there that can do that. I'm not into dropping names so I'm not going there. Besides that is all subjective anyway...

Understand what I meant when I said David was frustrated. I didn't mean personally. I meant stylistically/musically. He can't seem to find a niche. No one knows what to do w/ him. He doesn't get a whole lot of radio play b/c he is waaaaay to progressive for SG and he is not Rock enough for CHR. He gets a bit of AC time but apparently not enough. I mean, David is 10X the singer that a Chris Tomiln is but Chris gets a whole lot more airplay and recognition. People know what to expect from Chris Tomlin (like him or not) not so much w/ David. I don't understand all of that. Perhaps if David did a "worship" album....????? I don't exactly agree w/ the way the music biz does what they do but this I do know. Record companies are at a loss when it comes to elecronic media phenomenon. That's why I suggested David think about an Indie project and let it loose on MySpace, Shoutlife and iTunes... If he has an affection for Queen style retro-pop then do a whole album of it and see how it does. Take the chance and see what comes of it... Ya know?

I could go on and on but I won't. Suffice to say that I very much enjoy listening to David Phelps and think he is a fantastic vocalist. I'm just unsure what to expect when he does a project...Queen or O Holy Night...?????

Commented by ** On 12/04/2007

Aaron, I wasn't calling you out alone. I was wanting you to explain your comment about the frustration. My comments were more toward the tradtional SG fans who for some reason criticize David. I would be interested in knowing who else can go from one style to the other. OK, let me say this, yes there are others that do it, but not very well.
As far as the radio airplay goes, that may be true but David has said he is doing what he truly loves now and I guess I can't fault him for that. I also agree with how radio airplay is done and how the biz can swallow people alive.
I think not knowing what to expect is what one of the things that makes David so good. You don't know what to expect sometimes. He goes a direction you don't always expect.
Thus, I go back to my comment about SG for example. You hear the same thing over and over again from the same artist it becomes boring and the artist loses his/her freshness (see SSQ)
Look at the Isaacs new album. Very different from the previous one. But very good.
So again, not calling you out alone...just think that people have the GVB David still stuck in their heads and want that David all the time. The beauty of it all is that he is that and so much more.

Commented by ** On 12/05/2007

I love this CD!!!! Bring It on David!

Commented by ** On 12/05/2007

My wife bought this CD, just because of our respect for David's talents and contribution to the Gaither Vocal Band.

Unfortunately, this style is a total abanden of the type of music that many of us enjoyed.

We felt cheated.

Commented by On 12/08/2007

I guess Donnie proves my point again. People in the SG world base what David is doing as a solo artist from his time spent with GVB. As much as I enjoyed David in GVB that part of his career is over and everyone must realize that David is a CCM singer with a very broad range of ability.
To feel cheated because he is doing CCM doesn't make sense to me.

Commented by ** On 12/10/2007

I, too, am a fan of David Phelps. I have seen him perform live as a solo artist and as a part of the Gaither Vocal Band. His "Revelation" album captured his genre well. It was, in my opinion, CCM in all its glory. The "Joy, Joy" Christmas album is by far in my top 3 all-time favorite Christmas albums.

Upon purchasing and listening to "One Wintry Night" I found that there is too much of David's vocals and there is not a good flow between the song selections. The beauty of Phelps is that he is a stronger singer when backed-up by equally strong singers. When his voice is the only one you hear on all tracks, it gets old after the 2nd track.

There is a fine line between creativity and lack of design, theme, and flow on an album. Especially when there are secular songs on the cd. For example, the powerful ballad duet, ONE KING is followed by Santa Claus is Coming to Town.

Yes, creativity is good. Phelps should be allowed to go out on a limb, but I think this project will quickly be overlooked by the next release with a couple good arrangements with additional vocalists.

Commented by On 12/11/2007

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