Customer Reviews

All Things New

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I've been a Steven Curtis Chapman fan since I first discovered his music in the early 90's with "For the Sake of the Call." Since then, I have eagerly awaited each new release, and I continue to be rewarded. This CD is no exception.

The first few notes of this CD made me stop. They were piano! And that isn't the only time we get treated to piano on this disc. It's most obvious in "Angels Wish" and "Treasure of Jesus." We also get more ballads and some wonderful melodies. Not that there aren't some fun upbeat songs like "Only Getting Started" and "Coming Attractions." Through it all, the words are still wonderful.

Honestly, if I were going to list favorite songs, it would probably be easiest to list least favorite songs. "Big Story" is really the only one I haven't connected with yet. He tackles quite a range of subject here, from praise in "All Things New" and "Much of You" to the very serious subject of living for eternity in "Last Day on Earth," finding Jesus in the least of these in "What Now," and surrendering to Him in "Coming Attractions" and "Please Only You." While some of these are familiar themes for Mr. Chapman, he manages to breathe new life and provide a new challenge with them.

My favorite song on here is "Believe Me Now." This song is written from God's point of view and is a reminder that the God we worship, serve, and believe in is the same God that spoke the world into being and performed all the miracles we read about in the Bible. Seems to me no matter how often I think of this and say I know it, I still need reminders constantly of where my faith should be.

This is a disc that will appeal to the adult contemporary crowd. Fans will love it and be begging for more. If you wonder why Steven Curtis Chapman has such a big following after all these years, you need look no further then this CD to find your answer.

Steven Curtis Chapman has been at this for a long time (since 1987) so naming this "All Things New" takes a lot of nerve. In this case, though, it's more than fair.

For the first time, Chapman wrote a lot of songs on piano first rather than his acoustic guitar (He actually plays piano on 5 of these numbers). That, and using top notch mixers Jack Joseph Puig and Chris Lord Alge, have made this an SCC CD that sounds like no others.

Vocally, he's taking more chances, swooping into falsetto and doing arpeggios at times, and the production's using his voice in new ways: filtering it, making it alternately breathy and full-throated. Electronics (drums, scratching) are incorporated as never before to give him another angle to his sound.

I'm going to take issue with those as referring to this as "adult contemporary". That's music with all the edges sanded off to make it "inoffensive"...this is just the opposite. This is Chapman striving to make ART...if you come along, fine...if not, he's not going to dumb it down for you.

HIGHLIGHTS:
The title track begins quietly, just Chapman's piano, before slowly building in intensity and finally bursting into a swirling guitar encased chorus. It's fitting that Chapman's anthem to God's creativity and restorative impulses is married to a tune that speaks of his own willingness to take risks. "Last Day on Earth" is a nudge to "seize the day" from a Christian perspective. ("If this should be my last day on Earth/How then shall I live?") "What Now" reminds us of Jesus' call for us to "do unto the least of these" as He's embodied in first a foreign orphan then a homeless man. ("I know I may not look like what you expected/But if you'll remember/This is right where I said I would be/You found me....what now?") "Coming Attractions" anticipates Christ's coming kingdom, but asks to be a representative until then. ("Let your kingdom come in me/Let your will be done in me/Here on Earth as it is and as it will be in Heaven") A Greek bazouki adds some spice to the sound and a stuttering guitar in the mix recalls Evanescence. "Angels Wish" is a tender ballad that reminds me a bit of Five for Fighting. Here, SCC tries to explain the wonder of God's grace in terms of His kingdom at large by pointing out that despite angels' proximity to God, we as humans have a better experience: that of those who have felt what it's like to be chained and then set free inside by Christ. ("The grace of God has raised me up/To show me things the angels long to look into/And I know things the angels/only wish they knew...")

LOWS:
The lyric to "Please Only You" is fairly gimmicky and a coming of age song to his daughter ("I Believe in You") keep this out of 5 star territory. They're not bad, but they are somewhat cliched.

BOTTOM LINE:
He's created other fine efforts but I really feel this is raising the bar. The more I hear it, the more I want to hear it. I have the feeling in 3 or 4 years this will be acknowledged critically as his masterpiece. Highly recommended.

4 1/2 stars

As a fan of SCC from the beginning, I must say that anytime this guy releases a new disc, he has my full attention. "All Things New" is a solid release that shows Chapman musically, lyrically and vocally in fine form. In fact, his voice sounds better than ever. Over the years, I've particularly enjoyed the evolution of this songwriting and the sublte ways he's attempted to mix things up. This time around, he continues the use of more open sounding chord voicings and melodic detours that, in my opinion, have only made his stock as a songwriter go up. If you're a fan of his patented pop leanings then you won't be disappointed in tracks like "All Things New", "Much Of You" and "What Now". But I was particularly impressed with the ambitious arrangements of tunes like "Last Day on Earth" and the Beatle-esque "Big Story". Sometimes they work, and sometimes they don't, but big points for being willing to experiment with a tried and true formula for success. Did I mention we get a Jonny Lang solo on "Only Getting Started"?

My only gripe in not so much with Chapman himself, but rather the continued use of Brown Bannister as co-producer. I think SCC is much better served on the more organic sounding songs that showcase his ample musicianship and vocal prowess, but Bannister's pop slick production tends to water down and date some otherwise awesome tunes. My advice? Please leave off the DJ scratches and tired loops and get back to basics. I'd love to see Steven take the reins all to himself next time around.

Still, all this is minor. This is a great disc and definitely worth the price of admission. Welcome back, SCC!

Steven Curtis Chapman is an extremely talented singer and song writer, and on the CD he has with him a group of superb musicians. The musical quality is excellent. For those of us who believe in the Risen Christ, though, even more superb is the content. These songs all carry a marvelous spiritual message soundly grounded in scripture. It is a great blessing to be able to enjoy good music with such content. One often finds that Christian music is not really very good music. This CD is completely the opposite.

I just love this Cd!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am 10 years old and I say every song is great! In fact, I went to one of his concerts and he sang some of these songs there. I also got his autograph! Anyways, my favorite songs are:Much of you and Only Getting started. I think this CD is worth the money.

Steven Curtis Chapman has been my favorite artist since, More To This Life, was released in 1989. His lyrics have always been a blessing, but his music seems to get better with every album. Just when I think he has reached his peak, his next album brakes new ground. My favorite song on this album really depends on what mood I am in.(Just like most his other albums). Most albums on the market today, whether they are Christian or not, have that one "super hit" that I play on repeat until I play it out. Then, I never play the album again. I can honestly say I play most Steven Curtis Chapman albums all the way through. This one is no exception. I think this is my favorite album to date, so far. Steven Curtis Chapman's music has played such a major role in my Christian life, I can't even begin to explain it. Keep "blazin the trail". God bless you SC2.

"Believe me now" is my absolute favorite on this cd. I think it ranks up there with Mercyme's "I Can Only Imagine". At first, I thought I wouldn't like this cd, yet like all christian music, if you share the faith, you'll find yourself warming up to it. For me, it's mainly the words, especially when they are biblically based, that inspire me. Steven Curtis Chapman was one of my favorite christian artists when I first began to listen to christian radio. I only have one of his recordings from almost a decade ago, so I was very surprised at the sounds coming from my car's dash with this one. I do like it; the first two songs express praise and just wonder at what G-d has created, the miracle of life, the miracle of just a new day given to His created. My favorite is "Believe Me Now" because it's easy to forget G-d's promises to us which this song expresses: 'And the G-d that I have always been, I will forever be'. In Exodus 3:14, Moses sees a shrub on fire that is not consumed by it and winds up talking to G-d whose presence was in the midst of it. It is here that G-d defines Himself for the first time in scripture: And G-d said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM." And He said, "Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, "I AM has sent me to you."' In this song there are a lot of I AM's: 'I AM the One who waved my hand and split the ocean, I AM the One who spoke the words and raised the dead'. The chorus goes: 'Believe me now, believe me here, remember all the times I told you loud and clear: I AM with you and I AM for you, so believe me now'. I just LOVE that song!

I could not have been more pleased with this album. SCC has definitely matured spiritually as well as musically. I believe "Much of You" is the epitome of his musical career. Why? Because this song proclaims the goal of the whole of human history: the name and renown of Jesus Christ. Interestingly, the lyrics of this song were inspired by the words of pastor John Piper:

"We were rescued from sin in order that we might see and savor the glory of God. This is the ultimately loving aim of Christ's death. He did not die to make much of us, but to free us to enjoy making much of God forever."

(...)

I could go on comparing the different musical nuances on this album to other albums like so many other reviewers are doing. But that would miss the point of the album. "All Things New" (the album title) is meant to point us to King Jesus, the One who makes all things new in our lives. The One who gives us new affections -- affections for His glory and not for sin. He is the one who enables us to lay down our lives in love for the sake of His matchless Name. He makes ALL things new! Worship Him as you listen to this album (often with your hands raised)!

Chapman has really kept his music relevant in whatever decade he's writing music in. I have to say, some of the older stuff I still enjoy--not all of it--but the lyrics are still solid and compelling. All things new is a really refreshing CD, glad it's a bit calmer than the last few CD's that have been a bit loud--but that's where the culture has been lately: LOUD. Chapman is contextualizing well I believe, being true to Scripture, but remaining relevant in the context of culture. Good stuff.
Ben B.

This CD is Awesome! I love it! Whenever I get the chance I'm listening to it! My favorite song on this CD is "What Now". Its about a little orphan girl from china and i really like it because my family is in the process of adopting a little girl from china kinda like Steven Curtis Chapman because he has adopted 3 little girls from china. But i would definetley recommend this CD!