Folks, this week we're going to the mid-90s of Christian music. Here
we have one of the best albums of the period, which keeps selling at
record paces, even six years after it's release! A must-have disc
for every devoted Christian music listener.

HEAVEN IN THE REAL WORLD - STEVEN CURTIS CHAPMAN (1994)
by Dan Ficker and Josh Shepherd
A defining album in Steven's career, I remember loving Heaven in the
Real World long before I actually got my own copy. On the same level
as his current hit, [SPEECHLESS], this record took Steven to new
levels with rock muscle and hope-filled songs. It begins with some
dramatic soundbite splicing of news reports on terrorism and wars,
hanging on Steven's friend Chuck Colson asking "Where is the hope?"
Steven proceeds with the title track, a pop landmark that turns
around Colson's question to say, "He is the hope ~ He is the peace
that will make this life complete. Mixing an almost African beat
with a hectic pop/rock progression, we are reminded that Christ is
the "King of the Jungle" as Steven chants "K - I - N - G...", a
gospel choir sings "Lord, we praise You," and stellar guitar works
the melody deep into your mind. With the premise that "it seems ~
conscience has gone the way of the dinosaur," Steven plays on a bold
metaphor of "Dancing With the Dinosaur" with a beat that'll get you
dancing. "The Mountain" slows down Heaven for the first time, as the
song remembers God in His glory, bridging a quiet, slower melody with
a breakout up-tempo declaration. Quick guitar riffs and pounding
drums keep "Treasure of You" on track as it tells of God seeing us as
His greatest pearl; at the end, Steven works in an attempt at rap,
sounding well-practiced though not quite dc Talk-level. Written for
his wife Mary Beth, track six commits to Christ's challenge to "Love
and Learn" even through disagreement and conflict. Crashing ocean
surf and atmospheric sea gull calls set the tone as Steven Curtis
sets sail on "Burn the Ships." This story-in-song paralells our
Christian walk to Cortez's 1519 voyage to the New World; pointing to
the explorer's answer ("We've past the point of no return") to his
crew's fears. Undoubtedly born of the his outreach with Prison
Fellowship, "Remember Your Chains" goes beyond the chains of a prison
jail cell to the bondage of a life without God--and the freedom God
gives. "Heartbeat of Heaven" is Steven's cry to have a heart that
beats not for himself, but for God and others. Starting with his
three kids singing "Frere Jacques," Steven quietly rejoices that God
is "Still Listening" to his prayers. Enlivening the latter half of
the album, the youth group favorite "Facts Are Facts" is a loud, bold
proclamation that "Promises are promises and facts and facts,"
refuting relativists with intense rock. 'Backed up by a full
orchestra and his acoustic, Chapman marvels at Jesus making life and
its problems turn out for the good, calling it a "Miracle of Mercy."
As if to sum up the album's focus of the most important thing, a
brief encore of "Heartbeat of Heaven" is sung, reminding that it's a
real-life, rock solid faith that brings more Heaven in the Real World.

For many more reivews of SCC's CDs, check here:
http://cMusicWeb.com/pop/stevencurtischapman

THE LATEST NEWS HEADLINES
• SONICFLOOd calling it quits?
• Burlap to Cashmere loses crucial member.
• And much more!

View the latest stories in full:
http://cMusicWeb.com/


AVAILABLE TO PRE-ORDER (on Christian MusicWeb)

ROCK: http://cMusicWeb.com/rock
Ardent Worship - All Together Separate [9/26]
Ardent Worship - Satellite Soul [9/26]
Ardent Worship - Skillet [9/26]
Learning to Breathe - Switchfoot [9/26]
Loud and Clear - The Supertones [10/10]

ALTERNATIVE: http://cMusicWeb.com/alternative
Third Verse - Smalltown Poets [9/26]
Long Line of Leavers - Caedmon's Call [10/10]

POP: http://cMusicWeb.com/pop
Joy: A Christmas Collection - Avalon [9/26]
Where I Wanna Be - V*Enna [9/26]
Holiday! - Crystal Lewis [10/03]
Left Behind: The Movie Soundtrack - Various [10/03]
Inseparable - Phil Keaggy [10/17]
Lights of Madrid - Phil Keaggy [10/17]

WORSHIP: http://cMusicWeb.com/worship
Live to Worship - Lincoln Brewster [9/19]
Glo - delirious? [10/10]
For This Cause - Hillsongs Australia [10/17]

BOOKS: http://cMusicWeb.com/books
Boy Meets Girl - Joshua and Shannon Harris [10/??]

Click on the album titles on the genre page to order them and recieve
them on the release date.


CHRISTIAN HIT RADIO CHARTS FOR THIS WEEK
> Be scared. Be very scared. Jaci Velasquez, the
> queen of Spanish chesse, has entered the charts.
1. Don't Look at Me - Stacie Orrico
2. Your Love, O Lord - Third Day
3. Into You - Jennifer Knapp
4. Dive - dc Talk
5. God is Watching Over You - Phil Joel
6. Good Stuff - Newsboys
7. Good Life - Audio Adrenaline
8. Where I Wanna Be - V*enna
9. Center of Your Love - Jaci Velasquez
10. Tomorrow - Out of Eden

SOURCE: CCM Update (http://www.ccmupdate.com/)


Are you looking forward to the contests here? Well, if you just hang
on, at the end of the week we will pick a winner for the Switchfoot
CD drawing, and will notify them. Also, at the end of the month,
we'll be giving away three videos by Joshua Harris, author of I
Kissed Dating Goodbye. And finally, we'll also be giving away a copy
of the awesome new album by delirious?, GLO, plus some more items
from the Creation Festival East, including a Creation T-Shirt!

As always, we'd love to hear your comments, so please reply to this e-
mail and give us some. Thanks for reading!

Dan Ficker
http://cMusicWeb.com/
a different approach to music
ICQ - 43224317 AOL IM - dMusicWeb