The world is a sick, sickening place right now. Granted, this has been the case most every day since the Fall. That duly noted, disaster presently runs even more rampant than usual. Inflation. War. Scriptural misappropriation. Internecine warfare. It can and ofttimes does rapidly become overwhelming. We need genuine relief.

Enter Phil Keaggy.

In a career now spanning six decades, Keaggy’s liquid fire guitar mastery on both acoustic and electric, plus his tuneful McCartney-esque rock/pop songwriting skill, has firmly placed him among the greats, not only in contemporary Christian music but in popular music period. While his massive recorded catalog can, at first glance, appear too much to start digging through, the recent rerelease of his 1980 Ph’lip Side and 1981 Town to Town albums provide a perfect point to become acquainted, or reacquainted, with this Master’s musician.

Keaggy first came to widespread attention with Glass Harp, recently highlighted here on RedState, in the early 1970s. He left the band after three albums to pursue a solo career. Ph’lip Side and Town to Town are vital parts of Keaggy’s early discography, and their renewed availability after decades of invisibility is most welcome.

When first released, Ph’lip Side had both primarily acoustic and electric sides. The acoustic portion featured achingly beautiful moments such as the anti-abortion “Little Ones.”

Also included was the warm, breezy “Spend My Life With You.”

The electric side wasn’t a face-melting rock’n’roll assault, but it still possessed appropriate snarl, as witnessed by “Sunday School,” presented here in a 1980 live setting.

1981’s Town to Town was more musically adventuresome than Ph’lip Side, with Keaggy stretching out on songs such as the title track which seamlessly flowed from gentle musings to rock anthem guitar riffs and back again.

The album’s highlight is “Let Everything Else Go,” with its pastoral, soaring beauty in music and words.

Chasing down hot air balloons on Sunday morning
In pace with a familiar tune I reach for nothing less but something more
All the day and the wind is at my back most of the way

Holding conversation with a friend I know is near
Great anticipation fills my soul, it fills my heart, it fills the air
All the day and the wind is at my back

Oh, I can’t wait to see you, Jesus, face to face
Nothing in this world can take Your place
All the pride of man laid low and all his works of gold
Nothing can compare with what You are
Let everything else go

And the wind is at my back

Oh, I can’t wait to see you Jesus, face to face
Nothing in this world can take Your place
All the pride of man laid low and all his works of gold
Nothing can compare with what You are
Let everything else go

Let it all go
Let everything else go

The most recent Cephas Hour podcast features these songs and more from each album.

Both albums, plus other studio work, and numerous live recordings from throughout Keaggy’s career, are available on his Bandcamp page. Do yourself a favor by picking up on the rich goodness of unimpeachable musicianship and stellar songwriting that is Phil Keaggy. With today’s hideous headlines screaming in our faces, we need his masterful healing muse more than ever.