David Phelps - Revelation, CD Review

Feb

2004

David Phelps - Revelation

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Phelps isn’t as new as some think he is. He’s been with the Gaither Vocal Band for over six years now, cranking out five albums with the critically acclaimed Southern Gospel quartet, and he has released two solo albums previous to this album on Spring Hill Music Group. For fans of the Gaither Vocal Band, Revelation probably isn’t going to be your cup of tea. However, fans of his two Spring Hill albums will probably more than enjoy his latest effort. Phelps shows signs of growth as a pop artist on this album, yet not enough to convince us that he is a full-fledged pop star. His debut album (not his Christmas album) was a strong record that showcased mainly Phelps’ unmatched vocals, yet musically felt very outdated. Revelation, while still showcasing David’s amazing vocal ability, raises the bar for big balladry, yet doesn’t do anything new in the pop market. The album boasts a myriad of talented songwriters helping Phelps create a solid effort. Names such as Steve Siler, Cindy Morgan, Nee-C Walls, Dave Clark, Chris Harris, and Regie Hamm show up in the liner notes, proving that the songwriting will be top notch this time around. The album kicks off with the first single, “Arms Open Wide”, a rousing pop number that sets the tone for the rest of the record. Unfortunately, the rest of the album never really lives up to the tone of the first song. “Break Free” sees Phelps trying out R&B and jazz influenced sounds, and while his vocals come off perfect, his tone and sound doesn’t quite fit the genre. “Satisfaction” is a big misstep, with Phelps going into funk-infused pop, and just falls short of truly being a great pop song and sounds as dated as his first record. “Virtuoso” is a catchy dance influenced track, yet doesn’t set Phelps apart from likes of Jonathan Pierce or Avalon, two big voiced artists who are known for dance-flavored pop tunes. “Revelation” is the biggest mistake on the album. While I’m sure it’s a great concert number, it doesn’t quite show the emotion or attitude on CD that it needs to really pull it off. It’s a little too “rock-opera"-ish. Phelps truly shines on the big ballads, as seen in tunes like “Just As I Am”, “God Will Take Care of You” and “Heart of Hearts”. “Perdome Dios (Pardon Me God)” is the highlight of the album, mixing emotion filled lyrics with an amazingly beautiful melody line. It shows the direction that Phelps should be going as a solo artist. Forget the pop. Forget the dance. Forget the R&B. Go with your classical roots, and you could be the next Josh Groban.

Reader Comments

A friend of mine says "Revelation" sounds like something rock legend Queen would have done, had they been saved! LOL!

I love that song. I listen to it sometimes 3-4 times in a row.

Commented by On 03/01/2004

I agree that this album is better than his first solo album, but like I said, I just think Phelps is trying too hard to be something he's not.

Commented by On 03/01/2004

James, your friend is right. "Revelation" is a serious song, but it has a developing song structure like Queen used on "Bohemian Rhapsody" (without all the overdone silliness).

Chris thinks Phelps is trying to be something he isn't. I think Phelps is having a blast making music while implementing a great deal of craft in the recording process.

Andy disagrees with our reviews. How could our reviews be more different? I'm confused! :shocked:

Commented by On 03/01/2004

David,
I just think that for Chris to say David is trying to hard to be something he's not...I guess I really enjoy David. He is one of the finest voices I have ever heard. And as a fellow vocal performance major - I can appreciate what he does vocally.
David I would agree with you on your 4 1/2 stars. I do think his previous albums are just as good though. It's called creative genius.

Commented by On 03/01/2004

Well, I don't base my judgement on vocal ability alone. I think too many times fans ignore the quality of the musicianship and songwriting when the voice is big and gorgeous. I can't seperate the two. To me, an album is exceptional when both the vocal delivery and the writing is strong. Unfortunately, the writing doesn't captivate me this time around.

Commented by On 03/01/2004

If you'd like to see more of David, check out "60 Shameless Seconds" on http://www.christianbook.com
Just scroll down and it's on the right side of the page.

TJ

Commented by On 03/02/2004

Is this a "christian" music recording or a rock music recording...from all the comments, I can't figure out which it is....

Commented by On 03/04/2004

Dwayne,

On one hand you're asking about lyrics and on the other hand you're asking about musical style.

This is a Christian recording in a pop music style. One song is in a "rock opera" style, as has been stated, while another is in a dance style. The remaining music tracks are in a more or less typical Inspirational/Pop vein.

All of the song lyrics have a clear gospel focus.

Commented by On 03/04/2004

So it isn't Southern Gospel style?

Commented by On 03/05/2004

Not by a long shot!

Commented by On 03/05/2004

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