Leslie Phillips - The Definitive Collection (2007)

These recordings by Leslie Phillips, (now known as the alt pop songwriter Sam Phillips) were done when she began her career as a an artist in the contemporary Christian music market, and she has since disowned all but the last one, The Turning. They offer few clues as to the talent that was buried under the slick production, utterly inane and unimaginative lyrics, and hopelessly boring music. The truth of the matter is that it's obvious that none of it was her fault. This is evidence of the CCM machine, which grinds its artists under with alarming regularity. Even if you are a fan of Sam's today, these recordings are best left in the bin, since there is nothing remotely "definitive" about them. They have very little to nothing to do with the artist who emerged later in the same way that Y Kant Tori Read does with Tori Amos.~ Review by Thom Jurek