Watching Over You seems to be influenced by the musical direction Newsboys was heading on 1998’s Step Up to the Microphone, back before they took a trip to retro-ville with Love Liberty Disco. Joel’s Watching Over You is so similar to some of the band’s past material, at times it may as well be a new Newsboys album—something that may make fans happy.

This record is full of big songs, both in production value and hit song value. The only hiccup on an otherwise enjoyable album is the painfully cheesy "Be Number One." Throughout the project, though, Joel’s vocals are overwhelmingly convincing and fluid, an apparent indication of his comfort with being a lead singer and songwriter. Consequently, on Watching Over You, Phil Joel has succeeded in creating an album with hooky songwriting and solid vocals.