Steven Curtis Chapman (Reunion Records)
More than 25 years after his debut project released, singer-songwriter Steven Curtis Chapman continues to inspire and entertain listeners with his trademark acoustic pop songs.
The Glorious Unfolding, Chapman’s latest release, places the artist back in familiar territory as he alternates between up-tempo pop rock and heartfelt ballads interlaced with messages of hope and encouragement.
The project opens with the rousing title track, followed by the album’s bouncy first single, “Love Take Me Over,” but mellows with the affirming “Finish What He Started” and “One and Only You,” a companion piece to Chapman’s classic “Fingerprint of God.” “Something Beautiful” ventures into modern pop with a message of grace and redemption.
Years after the tragic passing of his daughter, Maria Sue, the promise of heaven and seeing her again is still felt in “See You in a Little While,” “A Little More Time” and “Michael and Maria.” As is his tradition, Chapman includes a love song to his wife, Mary Beth, with the piano ballad “Together.”
Chapman’s music is consistent if nothing else, even as the landscape of the music industry has changed and his ministry has evolved. The Glorious Unfolding is decidedly not a reinvention but a new collection of songs that fits well in Chapman’s impressive catalog of hits. —DeWayne Hamby
