We live in a world of instant entertainment gratification, one where everything is demanded to be available on-demand for consumption at our preferred pace and leisure. Television shows are to be binge-watched; music comes and goes at the flick of a streaming service switch. The notion of genuine personal investment beyond a begrudgingly paid monthly fee, assuming one does not opt to put up with ads to get everything “free,” is becoming increasingly rare in modern society.
The mature artist is at least in part free from such considerations. Their fan base grew up understanding and expecting to pay for the art they enjoyed, cheerfully doing so to support those giving them joy and light. This is especially true in music, where veteran artists routinely successfully pursue crowdfunding to pay up front for their latest endeavors. Free from industry, i.e., commercial considerations, the masters of their craft regularly reward the faithful with superb new works proving there remains plenty of life in the lions of autumn. Such is the case with master guitarist Phil Keaggy, whose latest album, “Things of Heaven,” presently available solely as a download purchasable through his Bandcamp page (https://pk-deluxestudiovocalalbums.bandcamp.com/album/things-of-heaven), is a pure instant classic; Keaggy at his absolute best.
Using lyrics penned by Christian scholar and author Kevin Belmonte, “Things of Heaven” is a brilliant mix of polished professionalism and rough-hewn honesty. While anything but lo-fi in nature, Keaggy’s handling of all instrumentation save drums and one track’s worth of keyboards, with Keaggy supplying all vocals, gives the album an intimate sound and feel much like his first solo album "What a Day," recorded over 50 years ago. Featuring presence over processed slick compression, the album is a sonic delight in parallel with its musical riches.
Did I mention musical riches? The album abounds with rewards for its listeners. Keaggy has long possessed a McCartneyesque gift for pop melodies that rock, and “Things of Heaven” showcases it in droves. Upbeat tracks such as “Across the Years” and “Here It Is” recall the pure power pop delight of Keaggy’s 1988 masterpiece “Phil Keaggy and Sunday’s Child,” while the quieter acoustic numbers bring a familiar glow to longtime listeners’ ears. Keaggy’s voice retains its high, clear warmth, made all the more remarkable by his turning 75 this year. His signature guitar playing is restrained this time through, opting for taste over haste while still offering moments of the liquid fire that has become Keaggy’s hallmark.
The album’s signature is peaceful joy, or joyful peace if you prefer. Its quieter moments invite the listener to contemplation, time spent meditating on the things of God without modern distractions. “Things of Heaven” calls us to put down our phones, log off for a while, and listen without distractions to sweet, not saccharine, music far removed from the driving crash of modern popular sounds. We all have painfully endured favorite artists trying to hold on long after their sell-by date had passed, their fingers reduced to bloated stumblers and their voices a strained croak. Phil Keaggy does not have these problems. “Things of Heaven” proves beyond doubt that the Master’s musician remains, as he has been throughout the years, a true master.