Customer Reviews

True Believer

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I was surprised to see unfavorable reviews on this album by Keaggy fans. I am a long time music aficionado, espicially in guitar and creative composition/production. My view is that Keaggy was exploring the full range of rock music production and doing it as well or better than Rundgren and McCartney. The icing on cake is his unmatched guitar playing, which sounds totally hard-wired into his soul. Perhaps it's this "full throttle" approach that some are not comfortable with. I can listen to these songs over and over and find different and new subtleties to appreciate. My recommendation is "turn it up!"

At the time this recording originally came out I was expecting something different from Phil. Or maybe I was in a different place musically, whatever, it didn't take ahold of me. I could say the same thing for "Invention", the great one-time collaboration with Scott Dente, Wes King, and Phil. And like that revording I have come back for another visit, after years have past.
I am listening as I type, and can't help thinking this REALLY was the CD Phil wanted to make. I believe it must be dear to his heart, for I can hear his passions show through.
His passion for the Lord, his passion for the unborn (note that he credits his son, Ian Keaggy, with "Heartbeat"), his passion to see other believers mature, and his obvious passion for the guitar.

What I see as the CD's weaknesses.
It truly could be longer, maybe a little more intrumental "open land" for Phil to stretch. As far as the production, it's a little more "produced" than some of Phil's other work. (That's not necessarily a bad thing.)

What I see as this CD's strengths.
Phil's voice sounds great. I recall reading Phil's comments about this CD before it was released. He felt that the producer, Alan Shacklock, was helping him to find different vocal treatments for the material. At times I stop and hear what he meant, when I don't totally recognize Phil's voice.

The guitar work is mostly well-showcased within the production, and exceptional, as we've come to expect from one of the greatest living guitarists. (listen to "Wild Heart" and "Salvation Army Band" for trademark, soaring Keaggy)

The songwriting is very good. Interestingly, only two songs claim soul writing credit as Phil. (the beautiful, George Harrison? Beatlesgue "Son of Man" and the earlier "The Survivor") A couple he co-wrote, and the majority seems to be by producer Shacklock. Maybe there is the secret why this CD sounds "different". If so, Phil sounds quite comfortable singing the lyrics of others.

All in all, this CD is worth keeping in my Keaggy collection, and as I said, definitely worth another look.

I have been huge fan of Phil Keaggy's since Sunday's Child, and I think this was one of his best vocal (different catagory than his instrumental albums) albums to date. He stretched out with on the title track and added a spine tingling orchestral background to his powerful guitars and overdubbed lyrics. He reaches into new sounds with "Salvation Army Band" while still maintaining his grungier side with "Have Mercy Lord." The remake of his song "The Survivor" probably my favorite Keaggy song ever. The reviewers that gave this album one star have no idea what they're talking about.

I can't believe no one has commented on this album yet. This was my first introduction to Keaggy, and it is exceptional both musically and vocally. Apparently, Keaggy is more well-loved for his genius on the guitar than for his vocals. His voice is certainly unique. Listen to him once and you will never forget his voice or mistake it for someone else. His voice is appealing because it resounds with joy, confidence, and victory. The best songs on this album are "True Believers," "Be Thou My Vision" (accented by his Irish-esque vocals), "And On That Day" (listen for Susan Ashton's lush, delicate vocals), "Don't Let Go of My Heart," and "Wildheart." Those songs, alone, deserve 5 stars. The message of "Survivor" will stun and move you the first time you hear it. 4 stars is too low a rating, but 4 1/2 was not an option. This is not a perfect album, but it is incredible. Don't miss it!

Though Keaggy is known as a guitarist, in this wonderful album of soaring melodies and driving Celtic rythms,you find yourself drawn into the atmosphere of the music from track to track. Quite satisfying!Oddly enough, tucked away toward the end of the album,right on the heels of the exhilirating"Be thou my Vision"is perhaps Phils' hardest hitting rocker on record:"Have Mercy Lord".BLISTERING!

I am a died in the wool Keaggy fan, owning virtually every known LP and CD and having played and performed many of his songs over the years. But True Believer is not true to the Keaggy cause. The use of very heavy compression gives most of the songs a brittle, hissy sound that has you wanting to turn them down, then off after about 30 seconds. That's a shame because some of the worst sonically offending songs are not bad in themselves, needing only competent remixing. And there are two or three gems tucked in between--all written exclusively by Keaggy and all among the quieter songs whose max volume level doesn't rise high enough to be squashed by a ham fisted compressor. For a collector, you have no choice. You must buy it or fall from the ranks of fanatical. But if you're thinking about buying your first Keaggy album, DON'T START HERE. A friend of mine told me he had a Keaggy album and didn't care for him. Guess which one he purchased! A little guidance and he is now on the path to discovering that one of the worlds greatest guitarists is a true believer.

This album comes off as a half-baked effort at pop credibility.

I was sorely dissapointed when I heard this album for the first time. I have loved every bit of Phil's work but this album really frustrates me. I cannot recommend it for a fan starting out their Keaggy library. He's done far superior work before and since.

Keaggy sweeps the listener of her/his feet with a wonderful variety of old favorites (Be Thou My Vision has never been done like this! ) and new songs (True Believer, of course). He will melt your heart and then get your feet moving with up-tempo, contemporary songs. Beautifully produced, brilliantly arranged, and spiritually annointed.

The main problem with TRUE BELIEVER is that it's dominated by producer Alan Shacklock, whose sympathies are clearly not in line with the kind of artist Keaggy is capable of being.

It is Shacklock, not Keaggy, who has the largest share of performing credits on the disc. Shacklock writes 3 songs, of which 2 (the title track & "Only You") are bland and commercial in the most dumbed-down way. (The 3rd, "Have Mercy Lord," at least manages to be a decent rocker.) He also gives Keaggy's original "Salvation Army Band" (from a fan club cassette, and never released on CD) an "updating" (a word that should be kept far, far away from music like Keaggy's); it's not bad in and of itself, but it's not the great song Keaggy wrote in the first place. Shacklock also seems to have a strange idea of how to record backing vocals, as this track demonstrates clearly.

The version of "Be Thou My Vision" here is interesting, and would work pretty well for Keaggy, except that the producer has let a botched vocal take slip through ("save that THY art"???). "And On That Day," one of the best songs, is a lovely Christmas-related tune. But "Son Of Man" is ultimately the only track here that really feels like True Keaggy.

The remake of "The Survivor" (the original version of which would only see CD release after this album came out) is unnecessary, layering way too much "production" on a song that really doesn't need it. (The song does benefit somewhat, though, from the newly aggressive vocal on the last verse and the cathartic extended jam tacked onto the end.)

Overall, worth exploring for dedicated Keaggy fans, but definitely not the place to see what Keaggy is about.

Every single song on this album is fantastic! True Believer will pick you up when your feeling down, and bring you closer to the Lord :) Keaggy's vocals are better than ever and so are his lyrics! If you liked his 'Sunday's Child' record then you'll love this.