Search - David Phelps :: The Voice

A beautiful, under-appreciated voice:

jc | 10/24/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have been listening to David for years, as a gospel singer, and have always been amazed by the beauty of his voice, the tremendous extent of his range, and the purity of his tone. He has a truly superior instrument. He is also a very skilled arranger, and a gifted writer/composer. I am very pleased to see him release an album that will expose him to a wider audience.



To the person who complained about his rendition of Nessum Dorma, Puccini's Turandot is a much beloved opera, and this particular aria is arguably one of the most beautiful tenor arias every written. As such, expect that as has happened in the past, vocalists, both male and female, will continue to aspire to the heights of singing this piece of music. You may not have liked the style in which David Phelps performed it, but you don't have to listen to it. He is free to sing it, and you are free to ignore it. In my opinion, every time an operatic aria is performed by a non-opera singer, there is the chance that someone who is ignorant of that fabulous genre that is opera will discover it, and that is a good thing. I am a classically trained vocalist, and musician and I was able to enjoy it. Snobbery in music is unattractive just as it is in all other areas."

Una voce??

Michael Thompson | Elkhart, IN USA | 10/29/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Let me begin by placing a few statements on the table. To begin, I like David Phelps - he has an incredible voice and a strong musical talent along with a very likable personality. Second, I am not accustomed to reviewing musical albums, so I probably won't have the necessary insight which better qualifies others for this job.



Having said that, ever since I received the much-anticipated new release from David Phelps I knew that something had to be said. David is probably the best musician who's never found a great album. Aside from projects with the Gaither Vocal Band, he has struggled along trying to find some musical focus to what he's released. And The Voice is a monumental step backwards on his journey. I am really struggling to figure out just how these 11 tracks fit together (they really don't, but I have a particular theory).



Perhaps it is the American Idol season that can never be: You have (1) the updated cover of an old song; (2) the updated cover of a kinda old song; (3) the sappy championship song; (4) the blow 'em out of the water with something unique yet amazing song; (5) the shouldn't have done it, I'm in the bottom three this week song; (7) the Unchained Melody cover because it's Simon's favorite song; (8) something for Simon to refer to as 'indulgent'; (11) a beautiful ballad to quiet the noise of a hectic competition.



Again, the voce migliore (best voice) which hasn't found its place in the world. At the end of the day, David Phelps should be taking lightweights (by comparison) like Josh Groban to task on these. He has a much superior instrument but has yet to produce an album which will cause the world to take notice. Ultimately, there are only 3-4 songs worth purchase (depending on your taste), so go digital and pick your favs from the buffet. . .but leave the album on the shelf.



PS - No sin on Nessun Dorma, complete vocal beauty and amazement, despite your taste for the arrangement."

Russell Watson, Move Over

A. Ferguson | Albuquerque, NM | 09/22/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Gaither Band alumnus and contemporary Christian singer David Phelp's new CD is a take on the world of secular music, albeit a very inspirational one. This album's arrangements are reminiscent of what other "classical crossover" and tenor-pop singers have produced in recent years (e.g., Russell Watson, Josh Groban, Clay Aiken), only, as David steps into the arena, it is arguable that his talent eclipses the aforementioned vocalists. Regardless of whether you care for this genre or not (and frankly, there are a lot of songs I don't care for - more on that in a sec), what this guy does with his voice will amaze you from beginning to end.



There are several covers. "Angel" is a soothing and well-interpreted number. "Nessun Dorma" provides a new interpretation of the song that just about every classical crossover artist has beaten into the ground at some point, but here David covers it with a very different approach that gives it life again. "Angel Band", toward the end of the album, is one of my favorites as well. In all honesty, there are several songs I'm not crazy about. The tunes or the hooks just don't grab me, or perhaps they seem too much like the original versions and don't add anything new. However, Phelp's voice is a powerhouse on each one regardless, so the album still feels strong the whole way through. There were a couple original numbers on this disc; I'm hoping David's next secular offering will showcase more of them. To gain a wider following in the secular world, it would seem that less covers and more originals would be needed in the future. It will be interesting to see where David chooses to go with his vocal abilities.



Both sacred and secular listeners will be uplifted by this new disc. Definitely an inspiration to all."