Phillips, Craig & Dean

Item: Phillips, Craig & Dean
Author: Roger Appelinski

(1992)

Reviewed by Roger Appelinski

Discogs Apple Music TIDAL Amazon Music Spotify YouTube Music

Label Star Song RecordsThe LighthouseJanuary 1993

ccm gospel pop r&b

This is a hard album to classify. Randy Phillips, Shawn Craig, and Dan Dean bring together musical styles that vary with each song. From the upbeat Gospelish pop to tender ballads, this new trio does it all.

"Turn Up the Radio" hits you just like a song NewSong would do, but then this unique trio switches into more different gears than your car (and they don't put it in reverse). You can find Gospel, Pop, Folk, R&B, and several other influences in the music.

Two strengths make this an excellent album--the vocals and the song writing. Songs like "Favorite Song of All," "Midnight Oil," and "Little Bit of Morning" show the skill that these three bring to the songwriting table. Perhaps even more impressive are their vocals. Paul Mills, producer, shaped this trio into an incredibly tight vocal group, and backed it up with decent music, which as good as it is, can't keep up with the vocals.

They describe themselves as Ray Charles meets Wilson Phillips. Probably a decent description. You should like this if you like NewSong or might like an all male R&B influenced Wilson Phillips.