Description

The Picture Changes is a vocal album by the American singer, songwriter, and trumpeter Phil Driscoll, released on Word Records in 1992. The album was produced by Bill Maxwell.

Longtime Driscoll fans may be scratching their heads a couple of songs into this album muttering things like, “Where’s the trumpet?” and “How come he doesn’t sound like Joe Cocker anymore?” They’re valid questions too, ’cause ‘The Picture Changes’ is a pretty accurate title for this very different release from Phil Driscoll.

To begin with, it is a vocal album, with the emphasis on the songs (many of them written or co-written by Driscoll) and the singing. Lyrically, the album has a clearly different intent; evangelism, in contrast to the praise and worship focus common to most of his past releases. The songs are written and arranged in an order that could entreat unbelievers to listen in and consider the great love God has for humanity. It’s an impressive example of a well-conceived idea that could truly plant seeds of thought in a mainstream adult contemporary audience (providing they get a chance to hear it).

As for the vocals themselves, Phil phans had better prepare for a shock. The Cockerisms are as good as gone, and though the new secular reference point may be a bit of the Bolton, it’s evident that Driscoll has been working to establish a new vocal style he can call his own. It’s quite effective too, as he shows his skill interpreting a ballad like «I Believe in You» with delicate phrasing more befitting the song than his previous style.

Phil does blow the horn a bit, but it’s more understated playing, and arguably more tasteful than some of the histrionics he’s displayed in the past. And speaking of playing, the music on the album is first-rate, featuring players like Harlan Rogers, John Patitucci, Alex Acuna, Don Potter, Joe Sample, Dean Parks, Bill Maxwell (who also produced), and Leon Russell, playing piano on his own classic «A Song for You».

With this album, ‘The Picture Changes’ indeed, and though time will tell how Phil Driscoll’s old fans respond to the new direction, this evangelistic approach has made at least one new believer in the process. [Thom Granger, CCM, March 1993]

The sleeve picture shows that veteran Phil’s done something peculiar with his hair (He should be so lucky. Ed) but presumably this is not to which the title refers. It refers to the radical change of musical direction that has finally and thankfully overtaken Phil. In the past his albums have been a peculiar mixture of musical elements, lush, everything-but-the-kitchen-sink orchestrations wrapped around endless trumpet solos which despite being technically superb were the musical equivalent of conjuring tricks – all flashy trickery almost totally lacking the sensitivity that his praise and worship dominated material demanded. Now another veteran, producer and drumming maestro Bill Maxwell has sorted Phil out and put the musical focus not on flashy trumpet overkill but on Phil’s jagged, guttural blue eyed soul voice. Cynics might say this album for all its funky musical craft is just another example of Christendom unimaginatively finding a Christian equivalent of whatever’s hot in the secular market. And certainly there are occasions here when the shadow of a certain Michael Bolton is cast a little TOO emphatically over the proceedings. But the songs, achingly soulful ballads and funky mid tempo bubblers (his revival of Koinonia’s «Talk About It» is a gem) are of the highest quality, the playing (yep, most of Koinonia) is superb and this is an album which rewards repeated listening. If Phil is still unknown to you or if you’d written him off years ago, investigate this soulful, spirit-lifting album. The picture changes indeed. [Tony Cummings, Cross Rhythms, June 1993]

> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-picture-changes/1701445249)

CD tracklist:

01. Talk About It – 5:06
02. The Power of Love – 4:40
03. The Greatest Love – 4:02
04. Stand By Me – 5:15
05. Is It Too Late? – 5:00
06. Walkin’ On the Dark Side – 4:24
07. Julie – 4:24
08. Love Is Gonna Getcha – 4:13
09. A Song for You – 5:18
10. I Believe In You – 3:45

Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and CD by Word Records.