I listened to Cannons on my iPod during my walk yesterday, and I have a completely different perspective than I had before. Back some days ago, while relating my Crowder concert experience, I said,
“My take on Phil: fantastic. Again, I was not very familiar with Phil, but I had borrowed his two CDs from the church youth group’s collection to get a little familiar. My verdict, he’s much better live with just his two Taylor acoustics than his studio CDs. In fact, when I listened to Cannons in my car, I couldn’t make out about half of his words, mainly because of the reverb they put on his voice during the final mix. At HoB last night, every single word was crisp and clear, and I was able to thoroughly involve myself with his music.”
As far as my concert experience goes, my opinion hasn’t changed. He was great live, every word WAS crystal clear in concert. He has a fantastic voice that soars, and he’s got chops on his guitar.
What has changed is my opinion of the album. I’ve not had my Volkswagen very long, and now I know not to give a new CD a first listen on its stereo system. The experience was quite different on my iPod, and remains so as I listen to it again now on the home system. Here are my quick reactions to Cannons:
• Must I Wait: Great song with high energy that really showcases Phil’s voice. He sounds a little like Kevin Max (without the tremelo), and to my ears that’s a good thing. No problems understanding words here. It has an abrupt ending which only adds to the song’s momentum (if such a thing is possible).
• True Love: This is more a poetic story set to music than it is a song. I remember this one from the concert. The chorus resonates deep in your soul if you’re a follower of Jesus Christ: “The earth was shaking in the dark / All creation felt the Fathers broken heart / Tears were filling heavens eyes / The day that true love died, / The day that true love died / When blood and water hit the ground / Walls we couldn’t move came crashing down / We were free and made alive / The day that true love died, / The day that true love died”
• Spirit Fall: Plaintive a prayerful, this is a cry from the heart for the moving and presence of the Holy Spirit. I like this song very much, as it is still somewhat unusual to hear direct references to so much of our contemporary music.
• Jesus, Lord of Heaven: An acoustic driven song that shows of some of Phil’s work on the guitar. This song is like a cool, modern version of what the old Sunday School song “Deep and Wide” would have sounded like if written today. Well, not exactly, but thematically. This is one that would make a pretty good appearance in corporate worship.
• After Your Heart: Phil’s channeling Keven Max again on this one. Listen to the drum and bass line on the verses and tell me you’re not hooked. The chorus and bridge both have unique rhythm feels apart from the verses, and the little piano melody connects them all together nicely.
• Home: Metaphor set to music. “Can You take me back to where You are.” This is the story of the prodigal son. “I’m coming home, back where I belong.”
• The Light Will Come: Another acoustic offering, but this one stays light and airy with lots of picking going on. It’s not often you hear humming in the middle of a modern worship album, but Phil makes it work. This song would be great for “special music” in your church if you have a couple of guitarists who can pull off the counterpoint.
• Shining: This is the only song after a second and third going over that I still think Phil is hard to hear. I don’t know if he should have just been “turned up” during the mastering process, or if it’s the reverb. In not only my car but also on the iPod and the home stereo, it’s still hard to understand. Maybe my ears are just getting old. The lyrics are great, but I had to look them up.
• Sailing on a Ship: A little injection of folk rock into Phil’s style. Lyrically, this song would please any “traditionalist,” as the word choices and symbolisms contained in the song are akin to many of the great hymns of the faith (and a lot of not so great ones too).
• Cannons: The lynch pin of the album. Easily the best song to introduce to your church congregation. Phil taught us the chorus in just a few seconds during the concert, and we were singing with relish in no time. This is as great a praise and worship anthem I’ve ever heard.
You are holy, great and mighty, the moon and the stars declare who You are. I’m so unworthy, but still You love me. Forever my heart will sing of how great You are!
• Beautiful: Solid worship song declaring the beauty of the Lord and His works, most especially His work on the cross and our future eternity with Him. This is another song that I could see being used as “special music.” There’s a female voice singing with him, and the duet is nicely done.
• Desire: Driving and proclaiming the heart’s desire for God. “Burning like a million stars.”
All in all, a solid effort just dripping with Phil’s heart for Jesus. There’s not a single song on the album in which the evidence of God’s love in Phil life doesn’t clearly come through. After meeting him after the concert two weeks ago, and seeing how humble he was, I think I can safely say the album is a reflection of his walk with Christ, and not just musical platitudes to tickle your ears and sell CDs. Pick this one up, you’ll be glad you did.
I give it: 
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