Music Review: Beauty Will Rise by Steven Curtis Chapman

Stars: 5 out of 5
Pros: Raw, honest, emotional lyrics of doubt, struggle, and faith

Cons: "February 20th," might not have the replay of a normal Steven Curtis Chapman release

The Bottom Line:

Struggling through his grief

Steven presents the journey

Honestly for us

Steven Curtis Chapman Offers Songs from the Valley

In May of 2008, the Chapman family was rocked when their pre-school aged daughter was killed in a tragic accident.  As the family worked through the pain and grief, Steven Curtis Chapman dealt with it in the way he does best, by writing songs.  The result is the twelve songs we have on Beauty Will Rise.  It's a personal journey that will ultimately leave you encouraged.

If you get these songs in a digital format, you are only getting half the picture.  While the disc assumes you know the overall story, the linear notes really paint a picture of what was happening as each song was written.  By reading them, you can truly see the pain, doubt, and hope that the family has been through in the last year and a half.  I had a hard time getting through them due to the tears running down my face.  But it was worth it.

The music here is more subdued than you will normally find from Steven.  The majority of the songs feature acoustic guitar or piano plus strings with a little bit of percussion or something else thrown in.  But considering the personal nature of the lyrics, the stripped down instrumentation works.

The disc opens with one of the more upbeat songs.  "Heaven is the Face" starts out mid-tempo and builds as it goes along.  Here, Steven is trying to reconcile his ideas of Heaven involving his daughter with the bigger picture of what Heaven will really be like.

The disc has one good classic Steven Curtis Chapman anthem, and it's the title track.  Easily the fastest track here, "Beauty Will Rise" incorporates a full compliment of guitars, piano, and strings as it proclaims faith in God to make something good out of this tragedy.  But even this song features the honesty of the pain with lines like "I screamed 'til my voice was gone" or "Let the tears come washing down."

Faith in spite of pain is, obviously, one of the biggest themes of the disc.  What I love, however, is the mix of the pain and faith.  Really, these songs mirror so many of the Psalms of Lament from the Bible in their style.  Take, for example, "Questions."  This quiet, guitar song asks God "why?" and "where are you?"  It doesn't offer any answers.  Instead, it comes back to trusting God through the pain.

Along similar lines is "I Will Trust You."  The verses describe someone who is truly hurting.  The chorus can be simplified as "But I will trust You."  What really drives this song is the music.  It's piano based.  The verses are quiet and slow, but as the chorus comes, it speeds up and gets louder, driving home the trust.

"Faithful" is along similar lines, but a tad more upbeat and guitar based.  This one is more a cry of faith despite every feeling to the contrary.  In the notes, Steven writes this song came from a day where all he could do it yell at God "You are faithful."

Steven shows a simple faith in "God is it True (Trust Me)."  This is my favorite song on the disc, and it's the simplest.  It's mainly guitar with a touch of piano in there.  Steven even does the background vocals himself.  He pulls from God's promises of love in the Bible like hearing our prayers or counting the hairs on our head and then concludes that God must be saying to him "Trust Me."

But there are songs that do offer more hope.  "Just Have to Wait" focuses on the joys of the family reunion in Heaven.  "Jesus Will Meet You There" reminds those who are going through other trials that God will help them through it as well.  It's a very beautiful violin based song.  "Spring is Coming" holds on to the promise that good times will return.  It really turns into an anthem with the Children of the World Choir joining him for the last chorus, making for a moving finale.

About the only song here I don't love is "February 20th."  The song is about the day that Maria became a Christian and the hope the Chapmans have pulled from that.  It's beautiful with guitar and violin, but I just don't connect with the lyrics.

I was a little concerned that this disc would be too specific to Steven's situation or even for those in pain, but wouldn't speak to the rest of us.  We'll have to see how often I pull this one out on a regular basis.  However, the raw lyrics are so compelling I can't knock any stars off.  Steven is vulnerable, and it makes this disc something truly special.  And I am sure it will be the first disc pulled out when trials come.

What I truly love is that the disc doesn't offer pat answers or false encouragement.  I feel like Steven is still struggling with so much of this himself.  While there are plenty of songs that offer statements of trust in God, they are wrapped in verses of doubt, pain, and struggle.  These are more statements of will than true feelings.  It's the war between the heart and the head that makes what is offered here much richer and deeper than most other Christian discs released.

Beauty Will Rise is certainly a more somber release from Steven Curtis Chapman.  But it is his willingness to share his struggles honestly that makes it a must buy.  Whether I pull it out regularly or just in the hard times, I will be very glad I have it in my collection.

CD Length: 49:49

Tracks:

1. Heaven is the Face

2. Beauty Will Rise

3. SEE

4. Just Have to Wait

5. Faithful

6. Questions

7. Our God is in Control

8. February 20th

9. God is it True (Trust Me)

10. I Will Trust You

11. Jesus Will Meet You There

12. Spring is Coming