Search - Phil Keaggy :: Find Me in These Fields

Keaggy's Best Album Ever

A. Calabrese | NJ--United States | 10/21/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This album is now 13 years old. Even though one of Keaggy's earliest efforts, it is his best. There is a little bit of everything on this CD. Rock, blues, folk, and country. One listen to Find Me In These Fields and you will know why he is considered one of America's great guitarists."

Is "Fields" Keaggy's "Layla?"

Mike Johnson | 02/18/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Now, before you say that's too far-fetched (that "Fields" is Keaggy's "Layla"), consider this. "Fields is different from most of the music of the last ten years-either Christian or secular-in that it does not smack of blatant commercialism. There is a more artistic spirit about this recording-not to mention a spirit of "we're having fun/are you actually getting this on tape?" This is more about music that means something to the artist and less about music for the marketing department. And for that, we can all say, "Thank you, Mr Keaggy."Yes, the opening acoustic piece does end with a mistake and a groan. To the commercially minded powers-that-be, a faux pas. To the artist and the audience, a point of contact. Beauty is in the eye-make that the ear-of the beholder.But why would I compare this to Clapton's "Layla?" Surely Phil Keaggy has other works worthy of being considered magnum opus. (Actually, yes, loads of them that go all the way back to the Glass Harp days.) I make the comparison here: the free-wheeling expression of "this is music for music's sake/thank God I'm alive and a musician." If you listen to the Jams CD in "The Layla Sessions Twentieth Anniversary Edition" and compare that to the jams (and oh that we could hear more of them!) on "Fields," you'll see what I mean.Can you contrast these jams? Well, yeah. Clapton probably broke loads of picks; Keaggy, not a one."

Layla? whatever!

THE NORB | Akron, OH USA | 12/05/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Why does everyone kiss Eric Clapton's ass and compare every decent guitar player to him? Phil Keaggy has more talent in his nub than Clapton has in all of his 10 good fingers. Keaggy is not merely a competant guitar player, he knows how to actually write a well crafted song. Something Clapton, in my opinion cannot."