Phil Wickham “Song of the Saints” Album Review

Prime Cuts: What An Awesome God, So, So Good, Flowers

Overall Grade: 4/5

With Song of the Saints, Phil Wickham turns worship into widescreen cinema-sweeping, luminous, and impossible to ignore. The 16-track album continues Wickham's trajectory as one of contemporary worship's most influential voices, blending soaring melodies with lyrics that wear their theology proudly. From the anthem-like title track, co-written with Steven Furtick, to intimate moments like "Flowers" and "Homesick for Heaven," the record balances grandeur with reflection, offering songs built for both congregational worship and personal devotion. Each track is meticulously crafted to deliver clarity of faith, emotional resonance, and melodic accessibility, hallmarks that have defined Wickham's career.

The album thrives on its sense of scale: "What an Awesome God," a reimagining of Rich Mullins' classic, is as bombastic and glorious as worship anthems come, with soaring choruses and cinematic builds that make it feel both celebratory and reverent. "So, So Good" carries the listener from intimate reflection to triumphant unity, envisioning a global church lifted in praise. Recalling Hillsong's "This I Believe (The Creed)," the title cut "Song of the Saints" sets the central beliefs of the Christian faith to worshipful music, combining doctrinal clarity with a melody that invites communal participation. While the album soars in its larger moments, not every track hits the same heights. "Running to Runaway" and "Miracle Maker" feel a touch repetitive, occasionally blending into the background amid more dynamic arrangements. Yet even here, Wickham's heartfelt delivery and the album's meticulous production keep the listener engaged.

Beyond the grand anthems, Wickham balances the album with tender, introspective moments. Tracks like "Flowers" and "Homesick for Heaven" provide reflective spaces for personal devotion, creating a rhythm that alternates between exuberant praise and intimate confession. The arrangements highlight both the emotional resonance of the lyrics and the expansiveness of the instrumentation, allowing the listener to experience the music as both a personal encounter and a corporate celebration of faith. "Wondrous Cross," however, comes across as a flat retelling of the beloved hymn, failing to bring fresh life or perspective to the source material.

Other than a brief snippet of Billy Graham's sermon on "What If I Told You," the song's most striking feature is Wickham's talk-singing and semi-rap delivery of the Gospel, blending conversational storytelling with musical flair. Overall, "Song of the Saints" succeeds in its ambition to be both a cinematic worship experience and a deeply personal collection of songs. While a few tracks stumble or feel familiar, the album's soaring anthems, reflective moments, and creative risks-like the talk-singing-underscore Wickham's continued growth as a songwriter and worship leader, reaffirming his place at the forefront of modern worship music.

 

 

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