A beautifully performed album from Stephanie Phillips delivers an array of soft tonality that ranges in intensity and each of the songs on the record seems to serve as a chapter from the artist's life as she lays it all out there in the way that she knows how. Through her songs.
The songs on the Retrospective album are so detailed at times that you can almost picture what she's talking about vividly in your head and at other times, it causes memories of your own to pop into your head and I think that that's such a valuable asset that only genuine music can give you.
Some of these songs feel like they must have been cathartic for the artist to write, and finally release and one of the things that I find myself a little bit in awe of, is the fact that she's able to articulate what she's feeling and this emotional drive that's always existent throughout the record into words and music.
We all have strong feelings and emotions but a lot of us don't know how to express them and that's why artists like Stephanie blow my mind sometimes.
Not only are they expressed but, they are expressed with such detail and full-bodied and at times, vivacious approaches that the songs come through authentic but also memorable and catchy.
These songs are very personal, and she certainly wears her heart on her sleeves half the time and this gives the whole record so much robust character that you find yourself getting attached to that in the first place.
This is a very lush record, especially for one that has a bit more of a stripped-down tonality to it with mainly just acoustic guitar and vocals most of the time and it's that character that gives it that feel.
These are also one-on-one and have a beautiful and very graceful approach to them but what really gets me was the heart because no matter what happens throughout the record and the songs, and never loses that character and it never loses that heart.
This could be the most important aspect of the record as a whole.
You find yourself quickly drawn into the stories and a lot of other times the melodies, progressions, and choruses of the songs because you can relate to them and that makes them all the more beautiful.
There are times when it feels like songs were written just for you even though you know they weren't and that is something that's a rarity these days so for me, a lot of this was incredibly refreshing.
This release feels like it was a long time coming for Stephanie and she had a lot to say throughout its course so if you're someone who likes music that comes from the heart, can be descriptive, and has this certain kind of warmth and energy to it then this is 100% for you.
I feel like this is her masterpiece or opus in certain ways that I'm glad it's out there in the world for people to hear, understand, and relate with.
I find it intriguing to be able to listen to so much of a person's life through their music.
At times it makes you feel like you're less alone in different situations or just in general sometimes.
That to me, is a gift and Stephanie did an amazing job of giving that gift.
My one suggestion for the listener is to go through the album from start to finish because it's the best way to soak it in and get the full story.
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