Phil Wickham

Phil Wickham proved he was a force to be reckoned with his last album, Cannons, and continues to prove it with Heaven and Earth. You’ll find that he hasn’t changed up his formula much…this album still features his signature vibrato inter-mingled with soft techno beats and simple acoustic riffs. Musically, it stretches no boundaries, with lilting melodies and songs that will fall nicely into church repertoires. But lyrically, Wickham shows he is still steadily growing as a songwriter, with solid, vertical writing.

“Because of Your Love” is one of the best tracks on the album, with a chorus that proclaims “Because of your cross my debt is paid /Because of you blood my sins are washed away /Now all of my life, I freely give /Because of your love, Because of your love I live /Innocent and Holy king /You died to set the captive free /All because of your love.” Catchy “Eden” boasts a well-orchestrated menagerie of instrumentation, fronted by excellent range and tone of vocals.

Best of all, woven gently throughout the album is a running theme of hope for heaven. It’s continued with “Heaven Song”, with it’s chorus, “I want to run on greener pastures, I want to dance on higher hills/ I want to drink from sweeter waters in the misty morning chill/My soul is getting restless for the place where I belong/ I can’t wait to join the angels and sing my heaven song.” Title track “Heaven and Earth” showcases beautiful writing as well, with lines like “Whatever it takes to bring me higher, be it rain or be it fire/ I’m climbing the fences, I’m crossing the seas…I’m laying down my life because I know what You’re worth and I’m crossing the great line between heaven and earth.” He weaves more eternal themes through “In Your City” and “Your Arrival”, both well mixed tracks bathed in ethereal synths and a strong vocal offering.

Wickham, while keeping his unique vocal stylings, also pairs the theme with an appropriate yearning tone, which makes this concept album work. It simply bursts forth with joy and delight, making it a powerful and hopeful project, ideal for the veteran Wickham or the listener who just discovered this talented artist.

Tagged as: Heaven & Earth, Phil Wickham

↓ 3 comments

#1 Brian on December 4th, 2009 at 2:56 pm

The snippets I heard of this album did sound pretty good. I might have to check this one out further. Thanks for the review, Grace!

#2 Andrew Greenhalgh on December 4th, 2009 at 4:35 pm

I agree but to a greater extent. I really dug this album. Some of Wickham’s earlier stuff didn’t stick with me but this one really reached out and grabbed me. And I like the concept album so it worked that much more!

#3 John Wofford on December 7th, 2009 at 6:28 pm

This one didn’t do anything for me. The chord structures are predictable, the production still relies too heavily on the ‘Coldplay-isms’ of the last 5 years, and the songs themselves could have been written by anyone. Wickham’s not got a signature, even though he’s hailed with every album for being one of worship music’s greats. I fell out of love with him with Heaven & Earth.

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