The Indescribable Wow

The Indescribable Wow is the fifth studio album from American singer and songwriter Sam Phillips. It is her first album for Virgin Records and her first album she released after moving from Christian pop to secular alternative rock and using the name Sam rather than Leslie. The single "Holding On to the Earth" peaked at No. 22 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart in early 1989.

Reception
The Indescribable Wow was well received. In Rolling Stone the reviewer said, "Phillips is a major talent, with great rewards to offer" while AllMusic states that the album's music is "timeless".

Personnel

 * Sam Phillips – vocals, guitars
 * Mike Utley – organ
 * David Miner – harpsichord, harmonium, bass
 * T Bone Burnett – guitars, mandocello, Marxophone, arrangements (5)
 * Jerry Scheff – bass
 * Mickey Curry – drums
 * Steve Jordan – drums
 * Alex Acuña – drums, percussion
 * Ralph Forbes – drum machine
 * Darrell Leonard – trumpet
 * Buell Neidlinger – cello, string bass
 * Van Dyke Parks – arrangements (5)

Production

 * T Bone Burnett – producer
 * Rik Pekkonen – recording
 * Tchad Blake – additional recording
 * Mike Ross – recording assistant
 * Dave Knight – assistant engineer
 * Clif Norrell – assistant engineer
 * Brian Soucy – assistant engineer
 * Kevin Killen – mixing
 * Howie Weinberg – mastering at Masterdisk (New York City, New York)
 * Jeff Ayeroff – art direction
 * Mick Haggerty – art direction, design, cover photography
 * Melanie Nissen – back and inside photography