Customer Reviews

Unveiled Hope

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Unveiled Hope is a mixture of music styles from Celtic to Black Gospel to Classical. Mr. Card captures the main themes of the Revelations in his lyrics by setting scripture to compelling music as he has so many times before. This listener especially enjoys "The New Jerusalem." I find the music inspiring and the passage of scripture as part of the joy I find in my faith in Jesus Christ as I look to my future with Him. I strongly recommend that every believer who is touched by music try "Unveiled Hope."

"Unveiled Hope" is an impressive musical project that spurs those who love Him onto faith and hope and does not seek to gratify the vain curiousity of days and times, so rampant in today's Christian sub-culture (and overflowing to American culture at large). Card sticks extremely close to the text of the book, organizing the album after the book's own structure and hugging close to the actual words at every turn.

The result is an album that is not only an excellent antidote to the current apocalyptic fortune-telling and vain imaginings, but a booster to those who hate the world but see its overweening greed, lusts, and pride striving and winning against Truth and Light. Because this is the point of Revelation -- our Hope will be unveiled and He will win; in the meantime, as John says, "this calls for patient endurance and perseverance on the part of the saints".

Card crafts his songs with skill and care; there's nothing here that's blazingly original musically, nevertheless, the tunes are high quality fare, notably the gospelish "You are Worthy", the tender "New Jerusalem", and "Fallen is Babylon" which strikes exactly the right tone of tragedy and justice.

Highly recommended - one of my top 20 favorite albums - a blessing to me and hopefully to you too.

If you like Michael Card, you will also like this album. I loved it from the first listening. The songs are biblically based and also musically insteresting. With the start of each song, I think, "Oh, this is my favorite on the album," but then find I was wrong: the next one is! It is great listening and meditating or reflecting music. I especially like listening on headphones; somehow it makes it more special. And, hey, if you EVER get the chance to see Micheal Card in person/in concert, don't miss it. Your life will be changed because of him.

I have been a fan of Michael Card for several years now, and this alblum is typical of why I enjoy his music so much. All too often, people who comment on revelation (primarily in writing or speeches, but also in musical form) tend to espouse their own prophetic interpretation of the text (premillinal, post tribulation, or whatever), instead of just examining the symbolism as it is given. Mr. Card shows great wisdom in not trying to interpret the symbolism presented in the book, and yet manages convey its deep meaning and signifigance in his relation of its content. Thus, the listener is able to worship through Relelation without being forced to take any particular man-made doctrinal standpoint on what is, in truth, a mysterious event: the time and events surrounding Christ's return.

Thanks, Michael.

Unveiled Hope (the album and the book) has had such a profound impact on my life, I find it difficult to say anything at all. I was never one to become engulfed in theological debate over the prevailing eschatological viewpoints, but I've always had a desire to know and understand what this noisy book of prophesy was so passionately trying to "reveal". Michael's album leads the listener to a quick and humbling realization that the Book of Revelation itself declares its true meaning with profound simplicity. The deep simple truths of this book are so easily obscured by the search for literal explainations that most people have no chance to see the forest because they're so caught up with the trees. Thanks Michael for your somewhat "veiled" declarations and warnings regarding the Dragon and the dreaded Babylon. Praise God for the timeless victory awarded to the "overcomers". Thank you also for reminding us of the Blessed Hope believers can cling to through all that is to come.

This is perhaps my favorite CD of all time. Card captures the absolutely unearthly vissions of Revelation and the New Earth. A marvelous marvelous preformance.

Most of Michael Card's music revolves around a certain area of the Bible. For instance, the two trilogies THE LIFE and THE ANCIENT FAITH deal with the life of Christ on earth and Old Testament stories, respectively. PRESENT REALITY deals with the epistles. SOUL ANCHOR is all about the book of Hebrews.

UNVEILED HOPE is about the book of Revelation, and would therefore present unique challenges in terms of writing the music. Nevertheless, on this one, Michael Card seems to just barely keep his head above water in terms of musical creativity.

Track 1, "Prelude", is one of the best instrumental pieces I've ever heard. It has the sound of James Horner's BRAVEHEART score, but this piece has a much more fervent feel to it.

"To the Overcomers", "You Are Worthy", "Song of the Lamb", and "New Jerusalem" (which is sung to the tune of "Prelude") seem to be the only songs on the CD that have a great deal of lyrics combined musical excellence.

"Holy, Holy, Holy" (not the traditional hymn -- although that would not have been a bad idea either) is a wonderful piece to listen to, consisting mostly of chorus.

"You Are Worthy" is also an enjoyable song as well as a great praise & worship song. A good friend of mine has (tactfully) criticized this song for its combination of Michael Card's voice with a professional Gospel singer's. But personally, I thought they sounded great together.

"Hallelujah" is a joyous and festive chorus (not too unlike Handel's famous chorus), and the mere thought of it brings to mind a vast Christmas choir.

"New Jerusalem" is the "unveiled hope" of the CD.

And now our God will dwell with us
In the New Jerusalem...

"City of Doom" is one of the two worst Michael Card songs I've ever heard (the other being "Livin' We Die" only available on LEGACY). This one along with "Dragon" are almost totally void of any feeling in the tune, and the lyrics are very redundant. If I had seen the lyrics without having heard the songs, I would not have believed they were written by Michael Card.

Michael Card is my all-time favorite (still living) singer. He brings hard-core theology down to the layman's level through beautiful music (like C. S. Lewis did using literature). This is not a bad CD, but it is simply not as interesting and dynamic as so many of his other works. It's still worth the buy though.

I hope Michael Card checks these reviews for his album "The Unveiling" was heard during our wedding in 1998.
"Prelude" from that same album has lifted my spirit and I normally dance in the Spirit of God by way of this highly anointed song - thank you Michael it has been a tremendous blessing.
Brian

This is beautiful and powerful music, rooted in Scripture, and full of the longing of all Christians for that ultimate moment when we will see our Savior face to face, when we "will know fully, as we are fully known." Thank you, brother Michael--I look forward to singing His praises in heaven with you!

Me and my family love this albem. It is a odviously hard-worked on albem. It surely captures the hope and the beauty of the book of Revelation. It provides a message of hope for God's children. Let everyone who thinks that Michael is a great man of God say "Alrightokuhhuhamen!" :-)