Coincidently enough, both this week's featured review and pick of the week
album are borne out of silence. Steven Curtis Chapman, soon after recording
his Declaration album, was told to not use his vocal cords to sing for a
couple months because he had over-strained them. Worship leader Kate Miner,
similarly, had an operation on her vocal chords and had to sign a form
saying she may never be able to sing again. Thanks be to God, who allowed
both of these artists to come back to us and sing about the experiences of
being alone and quiet with God.

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ALL THINGS NEW - STEVEN CURTIS CHAPMAN (2004)
by Bert Gangl

It has often been said that life imitates art. For many songwriters and
musicians, this is particularly true with regard to inspiration, where the
early years of their trade, much like childhood, hold a sort of intrinsic
wonder and excitement by virtue of the fact that most things are being seen
and done for the first time. As the years go by and the novelty begins to
wear off, though, many artists experience a corresponding decline in the
passion and drive that first led them to create.

Given the fact that 41 number one hits, 47 Dove Awards, album sales of nine
million units, television appearances on CNN and The Today Show, and work
with everyone from President Bush to Donnie & Marie have passed under the
proverbial bridge since his First Hand record hit the shelves in 1987, one
could rightly wonder what there is left to motivate a venerable Christian
music veteran like Steven Curtis Chapman. Ironically enough, it was a
three-month bout of paralyzed vocal chords which rendered him unable to sing
that served as inspiration for much of the 42 year-old Kentuckian's latest
offering.

True to the sentiment of that uncertain time, All Things New features an
abundance of somber, reflective material, composed mainly on piano. The
airy, soaring falsetto of "Angels Wish" forms the ideal vehicle for its
magnificently melancholy-tinged contrast between life in heaven and on
earth. The likewise solemn "Last Day on Earth" weds the same breathy
falsetto vocals to an ambient, slightly haunting Brit-pop backing with
equally moving results. And the standout closing song, "Treasure of Jesus,"
which features Chapman backed by an orchestra and lone piano, carries with
it a reverential intimacy and grandness that only a handful of current-day
artists manage to achieve.

This is not to say that the new record is an entirely subdued affair. The
title cut tenders a textbook-perfect slice of modern pop/rock constructed
around gently loping verses and spirited, all-out choruses, a la "Heaven in
the Real World." "Please Only You" couches its yearning plea for unfettered
devotion within an irresistibly sunny, peppy pop package, making it the
perfect soundtrack to a Sunday afternoon drive with the top down. And the
rousing, light-hearted "Only Getting Started" could perhaps best be
described as either a funk-infused take on "Signs of Life" or "Got 2 B Tru"
meets the Grand Ole Opry.

In fairness, "Big Story," with its unabashed Beatles borrowing, is peppy
enough but ultimately undistinguished. "Coming Attractions" and the
orchestrally-backed ballad "Much of You," though certainly rousing, are
similarly forgettable. Elsewhere, just as the "Dive" and "The Walk"
borrowed liberally from Chumbawamba's "Tubthumping" and the Doobies' "Black
Water," respectively, Chapman continues to quote his influences a bit
literally at times. The falsetto vocals of "Angels Wish" instantly call to
mind Five for Fighting's "100 Years." "Last Day on Earth" lands
uncomfortably close to Coldplay's "Clocks." And classic rock aficionados
will be hard-pressed to hear to the Eastern-tinged acoustic guitar runs of
"Believe Me Now" without thinking of Bon Jovi's "Wanted Dead or Alive."

Still, that which would border on plagiarism in other artists' hands,
usually comes across as nothing more than a guilty pleasure with Chapman.
And even his most ordinary compositions are carried across with an endearing
sense of professionalism and charm. Chapman's track record must surely be
something of a two-edged sword. On the one hand, with the success of any
new project being a virtual given, it inarguably affords an increased
latitude for experimentation. On the other hand, it simultaneously offers
an equal enticement to play it safe and simply churn out more of what has
worked thus far. For his twelfth recording of all-new material, Chapman has
managed to navigate the difficult middle ground between the two, turning in
a solid, well-written effort that offers something for fan clubbers and new
listeners alike.

Read more about Steven Curtis Chapman at cMusicWeb.com:
http://cMusicWeb.com/pop/stevencurtischapman


MORE NEW STUFF ON cMUSICWEB.COM

Book Review: The Art of Being - Constance Rhodes
http://cMusicWeb.com/features/artofbeing

Review: Room Noises - Eisley
http://cMusicWeb.com/modernrock/eisley/roomnoises.shtml


AVAILABLE TUESDAY, JUNE 14 (at cMusicWeb.com or your local music store)

PRODIGAL MARTHA - KATE MINER
Kate Miner's earlier worship album, Live From The Strip, was critically
acclaimed and all the hype got me curious of just who this woman is. Thanks
to her studio debut on Floodgate Records, I now know what I'm missing. Miner
delivers a worship album that incorporates rock, ballads, and everything in
between. Like their album title says, though, this is not a worship album
for the faint of heart, for Miner tells life like it is while giving glory
to God. We highly recommend checking out this PICK OF THE WEEK

YOU CAN'T TRUST A LADDER - THE MYRIAD
I'm always amazed at the amount of brand new rock bands in the market. It
seems that every week there's a new artist. However, after listening to The
Myriad's debut, these guys stand out. Produced by Copeland's Aaron Marsh,
this rock album is a debut worthy of a look, thanks to a more moody,
reflective rock sound.


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