Chris Rice

Item: Run the Earth, Watch the Sky
Author: Brian A. Smith

Run the Earth, Watch the Sky

(2003)

Reviewed by Brian A. Smith

Discogs Apple Music Amazon Music Spotify YouTube Music

Label Rocketown RecordsThe Phantom Tollbooth2003

ccm singer-songwriter

Chris Rice is a rarity in the CCM world for me in that he is one of those ubiquitous artists (no matter when I turn on the station, I'll hear one of his songs within twenty minutes), yet his music never annoys me, or becomes tiresome. He is not my favorite artist, but I find some truth in his lyrics, and am never irritated by his style, or his imitation of today's trends - he simply doesn't do that. He just sings his songs, doesn't try to overdo it, and does well what he does well. And it works.

Run the Earth, Watch the Sky is no exception. "The Other Side of the Radio," the single, shows a self-awareness absent in a lot of singers. Rice minimizes his own importance in the scheme of things, understanding that his mission is to point others to God. It is no coincidence that artists who have actually worked in the church before becoming performers (Steve Taylor, Rich Mullins, Michael Card, among others) seem to get this.

"8th Grade" is an amusing tale of life in junior high school, an accurate portrayal of youth and hormones and academic anxieties, wistfully looking back at the simpler days when things that seem trivial were major issues. It reminds us that God was in control then, and remains so today. "Nonny Nonny," the track that contains the title lyric, is another childhood reminiscence, of playing outside, and appreciating nature, then realizing Who authored such things.

"Wonder" is Job's "conversation with the stars," and contains the best harmonies (Ran and Ricky Jackson) on the CD. It expresses his awe for the heavens, and the One who created them:

Shall we dance, in opposite sides of the universe?
And we'll shine the Glory behind all our spins and turns
As we orbit our way through the sky
Is it true you sang with the angels when earth was made?
And now I sing your song while the music plays...

"Me and Becky" is a fun song about a friend who looks like a Christian, but may or may not feel it in her heart. It encourages risks, and reminds us that life is to be lived adventurously - in short, a challenge to get out of the rut (pew), and live the life that God has called us to, with joy. "Untitled Hymn (Come to Jesus)" is a worshipful song, as is the stripped down "Circle Up." "My Cathedral" is a song to God, acknowledging Him in nature.

Run the Earth, Watch the Sky feels like a Rich Mullins title, and the similarity is apparent in the music. The appreciation for nature, the piano-driven songs, the occasional James Taylor influence, and the self-deprecating quality to Rice may be an off-handed homage to Mullins, but it is consistent stylistically with Rice's previous albums as well. The only flaw here is when Rice stretches for high notes, which simply aren't within his normal range - this lends a falsetto quality that sometimes detracts from otherwise decent material.

4 tocks