Customer Reviews

Deep Enough to Dream

5 star:		(43)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I bought this CD several months after it came out, and my only regret was that I didn't buy it sooner. Chris Rice has such a wonderful way with words and images it's hard not to fall in love with his music. And this CD is loaded with some of his best songs.

The project opens with the title song, a dream about Heaven. It's a fun little song that fills me with warm thoughts about eternity.

"Clumsy" and "Prone to Wander" deal with our human weaknesses while striving to be holy in a way I can relate to.

"Welcome to Our World" is arguably my favorite of Chris's songs from all three of his albums. The images he invokes remind me of the humanity of the Christmas story. I wasn't surprised when Michael W. Smith and Amy Grant covered this song on their most recent Christmas projects, but this original version remains my favorite. I hope when Chris records a Christmas album, he includes it again.

"Sam's Song," the only song Chris didn't write himself, is a wonderful prayer for more faith to trust God to guide us everyday.

The album closes with "I Need a Hero." This slow song is a cry to God to be the hero we need to save us from the bonds of sin.

These are my personal favorites from the disc; the other songs are great as well.

I will say that Chris has a definite style to his music. If you like him, you'll love him, but if the style isn't for you, you'll hate it. While I have to be in the right mood to listen to his CD's, I find that they are some of the best Christian music today.

I highly recommend this great CD.

I first heard Chris's "Deep Enough to Dream" song on the "WOW the 90's" CD. This song came to me at a difficult time in my life. I had just recently lost a very dear and young aunt to cancer. This song touched my soul in a way unlike any other I've ever heard. It helped me to grasp a deeper concept of heaven by knowing that my aunt Brenda was joining those billion people for the wedding feast and that she was at peace! I was able to "let her go." Chris's music helped heal my pain. I am so thankful that God has blessed him with this talent.

I received this CD for Christmas from my husband and I love every song! I am amazed every time I listen because I receive a new message from my Lord through each song. God Bless you Chris!

This is a must have....don't miss out on any blessings God may have for you by passing this one up!

In a world where every male solo Christian contemporary artist sounds like a clone of Michael W. Smith, Chris Rice breaks the mold, not so much in his sound (he actually kinda' sounds like Mr. Rocketown), but his songs on this effort are way better than Mike's have been since way back when he used to call his records "Projects." Peaceful, spiritual, meditative and reverent are how I would peg this cd, even with that one goofy song thrown in there. Chris is great at the piano and his voice is clear and full of worship. "Deep Enough To Dream" will be played on Christian radio stations just short of forever. "Hallelujah" and "Welcome To Our World" are both so sweet, melodic and touching that they are worth the price of admission all by themselves. This is pretty powerful stuff from an industry that tends to be very watered down and thinks good music means a sappy copy of the current secular trend (which is why I never go in for so called "Christian" music).
As an aside from all the praise, once you have heard this (his best) work, you have pretty much heard it all as his later cds tend to sound pretty much the same. Stick to this first effort and you will love Chris Rice. Listen to two or three of his works in a row and you may be calling him just another Christian artist who sounds kinda' like Michael W. Smith.
As an even further aside, he does have a cd not currently listed on Amazon called "The Living Room Sessions" (NOT the Christmas one) which is simply him playing traditional hymns with no lyrics on his piano in his living room. It is REALLY good. Track it down and be blessed!

Knowing that Christians share the same core beliefs and face similar struggles, I look for artists whose lyrics speak honestly about their total dependence upon God for the strength to keep from sin and to fulfil His will. The songs created by these humble artists is both reverent and full of joy, and they lend themselves to worship. One of these artists was Rich Mullins', whose songs will undoubtedly be used in worship services well into the next century. It is no coincidence that Chris Rice's debut release appeared the year Rich died, or that Michael W. Smith, whose perrenial "Great is the Lord" is frequently found is modern hymnals, chose Rice to be the premier artist for his new label. Rice's album opens with the title cut, whose lyrics lay the foundation for the entire worship experience by taking the imagination beyond the limitations of this world and exploring the creative possibilities inherent in God's nature. Rice's honesty about his spiritual "Clumsy"ness is a gentle reminder that God is not discouraged by our imperfections because He's still making us holy. In "Sometimes Love," Rice challenges us to love others with the same Love that drove nails into Christ's hands. Rice's entire musical and lyrical presentation is refreshing because it is so straighforward. With every song, he provides us a new way to worship God. Though none of these songs will become as familiar as Mullin's "Awesome God," they are so enjoyable that their messages remain long after the final refrain. In my estimation, this is the best album to come out of 1997.

Chris Rice's first CD is still my favorite, and they are ALL awesome, so that says something. He has a great, mellow, James Taylor-esque sound, plus some of the deepest and most honest lyrics in Christian music today. In trying to write songs myself and in listening to a lot of Christian music, I have found that it is difficult to write heartfelt Christian songs that are not cheesy...Chris Rice achieves this as well as anyone.

Rice never sugarcoats his faith, but addresses real issues like the frustration of messing up over and over again, feeling weak and helpless, and feeling burdened by pain and shame. Yet a loud note of grace rings throughout all of these struggles that he sings of.

My favorite songs on this album are "Deep Enough to Dream" (great guitar part; a hope-inspiring vision of heaven), "Welcome to Our World" (a beautiful Christmas song that reflects on the wonderful mystery of the incarnation...lines like "Tiny heart whose blood will save us"), "My Tree" (a song that infuenced me a lot as an often lovesick teenager...likens Christ's love for us to being in love as a young boy, yet he avoids cheapening Christ's love in the process), and "Hallelujahs" (which gives words and a melody to the often inexpressible feeling of being overwhelmed by God's majesty as expressed in His works on earth).

This CD gave me strength to get through my first year of college some years back, and I have used it as a gift to friends who are hurting many times. It also makes a good gift for non-Christians, since the message is expressed in such honest language, without being "in your face" or obtuse with the message. This is a fine, fine CD.

My favorite CD of all time. It's like listening to poetry - absolutely beautiful. You will not regret buying this CD!

I had been hearing Chris Rice songs on our local radio station, but did not know who he was until recently(you know how radio stations play lots of songs, but don't tell you who the artists are? ). Anyway, what initially attracted me to his music was his James Taylor-esque voice(yes, I'm a Baby Boomer!*L*)and I have thought many times, I have *got* to get one of his CD's! This past Friday night I did just that and have been playing it steadily through the weekend. His Christian message is soul-full and his delivery is smooth, gentle and just makes me feel hopeful and at peace. Last night I placed an order on Amazon for his other CD "Past The Edges".....I can't wait until it arrives! Give yourself a gift and get some Chris Rice music ASAP!

After hearing Chris Rice's "Cartoons" at my friend's house, I knew I had to check out this artist. I found this CD, and I just have to say that it's great. I know a lot of people have already said that, but it is. Every time I hear "Clumsy," I just have to sing along; it sounds so much like me! "Welcome to our World" and that song with all the Hallelujahs (I can't remember the title!) are so simple and beautiful, and "I need a Hero" is the perfect ending. I can't wait to get his other CDs!

I LOVE Chris Rice! I also LOVE the Lord! For me this CD makes me feel closer to Him.

I found this Cd in a store when I was on vacation in Finland, and I first doubted to buy something from an artist I didn' know of. I took the chanche and never regretted after that!! This is one ot my top 10 cd's ever, and I recomend it to everyone. I thank God for finding this cd, for it was just that kind of music I loved - and searched for. Anyway, my favorite songs on the cd are "Deep enough to dream", "My Tree", and "Sams song" - but I love every song. Very good lyrics that gives you new revelations about god's love.

Recomended!