''Phil Wickham'' is the first commercial album recorded by American Christian and worship music singer

Phil Wickham Philip David Wickham (born April 5, 1984) is a Contemporary Christian musician, singer and songwriter from San Diego, California. Wickham has released nine albums: ''Give You My World'' in 2003, a self-titled album in 2006, ''Cannons'' in 2007, ...

, released on April 25, 2006.

Critical reception

''Phil Wickham'' has received generally positive reviews from most music critics. "The lyrics are vertical in nature, with the majority of the tracks being completely acoustic, stripped and raw with little or no help from BGVs. But perhaps that is what makes this debut so inviting. The ease with which the emotive lyrics drip off Wickham's tongue really draws the listener in." '-Lindsay Williams ''from CCM Magazine'' "...virtually every song builds from humble acoustic beginnings to a cymbal-crashing climax. While this might seem exciting, rather it elicits a "sameness" that brings a somnolent quality to the whole album." -Paul Schultz from ''The Trades'' "His lyrical dexterity is solid throughout the mix of acoustic ballads and sonic rockers; likewise, he manages to inject a deep sense of intimacy in either groove... He uses strings to perfection to add an atmospheric quality to many tracks, and the effect is only magnified with his richly layered arrangements and passionate delivery" ''-Christian Music About'' "I wouldn't be surprised if Phil had just pressed record on a tape recorder, gotten lost in the beauty of prayer, and found in playback God was really leading Him to the lyrics for this record, that's how freeflowing the CD is, the tracks continue each other, building upon thoughts, longing, and maintaining confidence of God's Word by trusting Him with your life. An excellent view of worship from the honesty of a heart flooded with grace." ''-Soul Shine'' "Every song on the record is an adventure, which made making the record an unforgettable experience" Kipley says. "Phil has such an incredible sense of melody, lyrics that read like poetry, and I believe the listener will leave with feelings of the greatness of God, and at the same time the desire for God to have an intimate relationship with us." "With his influences dating back to his parents' tenure as a part of the Jesus Movement in bands The Way and Parable and with tunes reminiscent of

Coldplay Coldplay are a British rock band formed in London in 1997. They consist of vocalist and pianist Chris Martin, guitarist Jonny Buckland, bassist Guy Berryman, drummer Will Champion and creative director Phil Harvey. They met at University Col ...

, there's a beautiful simplicity that makes Wickham's album truly unique." -''CCM Magazine''. "I guess Phil Wickham from San Diego grew up listening to some of the artists I mentioned, he is also inspired by the modern singer/songwriter style where

John Mayer John Clayton Mayer ( ; born October 16, 1977) is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Born and raised in Fairfield County, Connecticut, Mayer attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, but left and moved to Atlanta in 1997 with ...

comes in mind." -''Melodic.net'' "Phil Wickham combines a west coast ethic that channels the pop sensibilities of

with the emotive lyrics of singer songwriters like

." "Shades of

Sixpence None the Richer Sixpence None the Richer (also known as Sixpence) is an American Christian alternative rock band that formed in New Braunfels, Texas, and eventually settled in Nashville, Tennessee. They are best known for their songs " Kiss Me" and " Breathe Yo ...

's genius mixed with

's melancholy charms, Wickham's music is lavishly poetic and compelling." -''Christian Music About'' "His vocal vibratos remind me of

Jeff Buckley Jeffrey Scott Buckley (November 17, 1966 – May 29, 1997), raised as Scott Moorhead, was an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. After a decade as a session guitarist in Los Angeles, Buckley amassed a following in the early 1990s by ...

, but Wickham is more controlled, less improvisational than Buckley." ''-Soul Shine'' "... for its modern-sounding melody woven with Wickham's soaring vocals, which are reminiscent of mainstream acts like

and Travis." -SongTouch.com

Track listing

The lead single, "Grace", received positive reviews from critics.

Personnel

– vocals acoustic guitar, electric guitar,

baritone guitar The baritone guitar is a guitar with a longer scale length, typically a larger body, and heavier internal bracing, so it can be tuned to a lower pitch. Gretsch, Fender, Gibson, Ibanez, ESP Guitars, PRS Guitars, Music Man, Danelectro, Schec ...

banjo The banjo is a stringed instrument with a thin membrane stretched over a frame or cavity to form a resonator. The membrane is typically circular, and usually made of plastic, or occasionally animal skin. Early forms of the instrument were fashi ...

, acoustic piano * Chris Donahue – bass * Elijah Thomson – bass * Brandon Lozano – drums * Roy G. Biv String Vibe – strings * Vlade Flemingovoch – concertmaster Production * Pete Kipley – producer * Mike "X" O'Connor – recording * Steve Lotz – recording assistant *

F. Reid Shippen F. Reid Shippen is a mixer, engineer and producer, currently based in Nashville, Tennessee. He has mixed a wide variety of records including "Cosmic Hallelujah" by Kenny Chesney, " Lights Out" by Ingrid Michaelson, "The Mountain" by Dierks Bent ...

– mixing * Andrew Mendelson – mastering * BrickHouse Entertainment – management * Recorded and Mixed at The Groove Masters (Nashville, Tennessee). * Mastered at Georgetown Masters (Nashville, Tennessee).

References

{{Authority control 2006 debut albums INO Records albums Phil Wickham albums