Christian Contemporary music figurehead Steven Curtis Chapman has twenty albums, five Grammys, and a record fifty-eight Dove Awards to his name. As one of the biggest names in the industry with millions of record sales, his music has ministered to countless people over the past thirty years. His newest venture, a recording of his memory-fueled solo tour, manifests most clearly in the new single, “Remember to Remember.”

“Remember to Remember” is the thesis statement of this outing: to exhort reflection on God’s shaping of our lives. Steven presents a miniature autobiography through his past songs and various anecdotes. The world “Solo” in the title of the album is completely literal. Chapman’s entire set is simply him and an acoustic guitar. Rather than sounding empty or hollow, being instrumentally confined in this way creates a setting of intimacy that never feels inadequate for the intended emotional needs of a song. Revisiting these classic songs is much more than just a hit of nostalgia -- they fit the thematic concept of the entire endeavor. Not only do they serve as a storytelling mechanism for Chapman’s life, these tunes are the personal soundtrack of many, evoking individual instances of God’s providential working.

With a catalogue spanning that many albums and years, inevitably some favorite songs may have been left off of the setlist, and that is genuinely disappointing. Also, the album loses some of its relistenability due to certain monologues becoming annoying after multiple listens. However, these blemishes ultimately do not detract from the message of the album or hurt the experience of the initial few playthroughs.

Listening to this album, you get the experience of reliving some of CCM’s classics and hanging out with their author. This participation in history is heartwarming and encouraging in all of the intended ways. Steven Curtis Chapman utilizes his catalog to help the listener do what he has been reflecting on for the past few years -- remembering God in all things.

- Review date: 7/24/18, written by Mike Knipp of Jesusfreakhideout.com