Review:

Beauty Will Rise

He’s one of the most popular of all Christian singer/ songwriters, having released more than 20 successful albums in as many years. Yet Beauty Will Rise is among Steve Curtis Chapman’s finest to date. It’s certainly the rawest and most vulnerable – a heart-wrenching attempt at coming to terms with the tragic death of his daughter Maria in May 2008 – these personal psalms being aired mostly in semi-acoustic manner with emotive strings and keys as accompaniment. In sharing his grief and anger with God, Chapman comes to a place where, despite unresolved questions, he chooses to declare that God is faithful. Thus, while drawing his listeners to the depths in his anguish, he brings them up with him to a determined trust in God and his goodness, and a steadfast hope that beauty will indeed rise from the ashes of life’s traumas. A beautiful, creative and profoundly moving recording.

HIGH: The remarkable intertwining of hope, pain, worship and doubt.

LOW: Sleeve notes to each song, while highly informative, are in tryingly small print.

Published by: Sparrow Records