Sounds like … a handful of the veteran's best-loved songs rearranged in an acoustic, almost bluesy framework, supplemented by a documentary DVD.At a glance … those that enjoyed the two selections from Abbey Road studios are likely to love the other three of that motif, while fondly recalling his influential legacy on a beefed up version of The Walk.Track Listing- Lord of the Dance
- The Walk
- More To This Life
- For the Sake of the Call
- Treasure of You
When Steven Curtis Chapman released Greatest Hits in 1997, it included two stripped down, acoustic versions of "The Walk" and "Lord of the Dance," recorded at The Beatles' Abbey Road studios. Around that same time, a documentary video called The Walk hit stores, taking a VH1 "Behind the Music" look at the veteran's career.
Now for the first time, the complete Abbey Road Sessions EP is available, packaged together with an expanded version of The Walk on DVD. Considering Chapman's All Things New tour is in full swing, the timing couldn't have been better and it's likely to be swooped up by diehards who've waited eight patient years for this. Though the two tracks from Greatest Hits are once again repeated, listeners will hear revamped versions of "More To This Life," "For the Sake of the Call" and "Treasure of You" for the first time. The former two lose any of the '80s tint they originally had in favor of acoustic earthiness, while the latter pleasantly transforms into a riled-up country romp.
The accompanying DVD is equally enjoyable, tracing Chapman's early years through his late '90s reinvention. Like the original VHS, it includes an hour's worth of exclusive interview snippets, music videos, and song clips. But several updated perks take the project into the present, including Chapman's commentary on various selections, a "Faith and Fame" profile from the Gospel Music Channel, and a "New Song Café" episode from WorshipTogether.com. That last item is especially exciting as the tunesmith unveils stories behind the All Things New album, followed by a trailer for his family's Shaohannah's Hope ministry. Combined into one appealing package, the two-disc combo makes for a fun-filled time capsule of Chapman's past that is likely to uphold well into the future.
