In This Hour

Christian singer/songwriter Jill Phillips has built a loyal following thanks to her ability to find spiritual truths in the small but telling details of everyday existence. Her seventh album, In This Hour, is no exception; this time she zeroes in on themes that are both rooted in her life as a wife and mother and universal in resonance. Her vocals are wistful yet strong, well suited to conveying the mix of joy, melancholy, and resolve in her lyrics. As on her previous releases, Phillips doesn’t deliver neatly wrapped homilies or bludgeon nonbelievers with Scripture. Such tunes as “Show Up,” “That’s Not Who You Are,” and “I Can See How It Happened” accept human weakness while striving to understand the ways of grace. A number of the songs have the unguarded honesty of journal entries. “Next Big Thing” takes a clear-eyed look at the price of showbiz success, while “If You Were Here” reflects on the world her late father left behind. Cason Cooley’s acoustic-centered production keeps In This Hour uncluttered, letting the gentle wisdom of Phillips’ songs shine through with clarity.