CD Reviews

Dec

2007

David Phelps: No More Night: David Phelps Live In Birmingham

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RATING:

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

David Phelps is one of the truly great pure singers left in the Christian music marketplace. He got his start by singing tenor for the most successful Southern Gospel act out right now - the Gaither Vocal Band - before branching off on his own just a couple years ago. He’s released several solo albums in the much under-appreciated inspirational market before releasing his last album - Legacy of Love: David Phelps Live! No More Night: David Phelps Live In Birmingham is the follow-up and companion release to that highly publicized recording. No More Night features more live music from that recording session in Birmingham, Alabama. The album showcases more of what we love from David Phelps - soaring vocals and impressive stage technique. Several of Phelps’ most popular songs are included here - including “Break Free”, “Revelation”, “Life Is a Church”, and “Second Fiddle” (which he originally recorded with the Gaither Vocal Band on their best-of collection from a few years ago). A main gripe with this live recording is that Phelps has a tendency to over-sing his songs - moving around the melody and filling the song with too many runs and vocal acrobatics. While impressive, too much of that can take away from an otherwise phenomenal performance. The more stripped down songs on the CD provide some truly great musical moments - such as his take on classics like “He Looked Beyond My Fault” and “My Jesus, I Love Thee.” It’s in these moments that one can see why Phelps has earned such a large following. He truly is a master at interpreting songs in a live setting. Overall, this album is truly going to only appeal to fans of Phelps or perhaps fans of the likes of Steve Green, Gaither Vocal Band, or old-school Michael English. Phelps’ proclivity to over-sing can be a bit distracting at times, but he’s a fantastic singer no matter how you look at it.

Track listing:

No Place
Long Time Coming
My Jesus, I Love Thee
Life Is A Church
Break Free
He Looked Beyond My Fault
Revelation
Second Fiddle
Something's Gotta Change
Visions Of God

Reader Comments

OK so in two reviews of David the reviewer has made the comment that he oversings and that it is distracting at times. I would like to know their defintion of oversinging. If they are talking about the runs and the other small little things he does with his vocals I have to disagree that he is oversinging. I have heard many a SG singer oversing very badly. To me oversing is when a singer is forcing his sound out of his/her mouth and singing loud. David Phelps does not oversing by that defintion. He has power and it is not overbearing. He is smooth and it's not scooping into every note. He is top notch vocally. Again, would like to have the reviewer define it more.

Commented by ** On 12/01/2007

All I can say is, "this guy knows how to sing". This is a wonderful project worthy of listening to over and over again.

Commented by Rick Alan King On 12/01/2007

Is this a review of the CD only or of the companion DVD as well...?

I think everyone agrees that David Phelps is a top notch vocalist. Perhaps all the reviewer was saying is that David's stylization was a bit displaced on some songs... Not that it was technically bad but just seemed slightly out of place or awkward. I think David's strongest strength is his tone production. He communicates so well w/ his choice of tone he doesn't need to do a whole lot of extra vocal calisthenics. Not to mention his diction is so bright that it carries an enormous amount of energy as well. Sometimes vocal "licks" can interrupt all of that and seem like an intrusion. Not always but sometimes. David is not a singer like Smokie Norful or someone that relies heavily on style. Smokie is a great artist but David is a master of vocal technique... IMO, that is where he shines.

Commented by ** On 12/03/2007

Yeah, what Aaron said. That's why he's the vocal instructor and I'm not.

BTW - this was just a review of the recording.

Commented by ** On 12/03/2007

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