Heaven & Earth (album)

Heaven & Earth is the fourth studio album by the American Christian and gospel singer Phil Wickham, released on November 10, 2009. The album debuted on #4 on Billboard's Hot Christian Albums chart after selling nearly 14k albums with more than 40 percent of album sales in digital, making his highest chart debut on Billboard 200 at #55.

The acoustic version of Heaven & Earth is an exclusive to the pre-order of the full length album, contains the unplugged acoustic version of his new record.

The expanded edition of Heaven & Earth is only available for digital download via iTunes on August 31, 2010, the exclusive edition includes four new songs, the new single "In My Love", "Great In My Live", a remix version of "Eden", and "One Who Overcomes" which was also included in the collection album "Catalyst Music Project". On the same day, Phil also released his second live recording "Singalong" album, which includes fourteen his previous hits (incl. "Cannons" and "Divine Romance"), the album is only available for 2 months on iTunes.

Christian Music Review named the album "One of the Top Albums of 2009"

Background
Theme Behind Heaven & Earth On this new one Heaven and Earth, the music is more talking about the story that we are a part of - we were lost even before we were born, but now because of what Jesus did, we have the possibility of being found. I've got heaven on my mind all the time. I love talking about it, I'm reading these books about it and making sure everything I'm singing about on the record is all theologically correct. I'm just really, really excited about the whole theme of eternity." —Phil Wickham

Song Information
Eden It kind of steps in the shoes, if he wore shoes, of Adam - just thinking of how he must have feltwhen he was a couple hundred years outside of the garden and remembering when he used to walk and talk with God, and the longing to be in that place once again. There is still this longing, this searching, for something bigger than what we see. It's this relationship with God - it's who we are made to be: lovers of God, worshipers of God. It's from Adam's perspective, but also from our perspective with the hook saying, " I want it like it was back then, I want to be in Eden. —Phil Wickham

Cielo
The song is kind of story about a man, kind of waking up...kind of entrant to the heaven and seeing God and being overwhelmed, in the light, in the love, in the mystery and beauty of whole place, so I wrote the verses as a story and chorus is kind of sing-a-long responds. —Phil Wickham

Safe
The message relates to many and never gets old. It speaks out to those that are hurting, those that are going through tough things. It’s a reminder that the God who brought sight to the blind and brought the lame to their feet is the same God who holds you in his arms today. It’s my sincere prayer that the simple message of this song would resonate in people’s hearts. I wrote it after a moving conversation I had with a man who told me his story. It was a story of God’s faithfulness during a struggling time. How God can turn things that seem so grim into things that give Him glory. Think of all those that Jesus healed and saved while he was on earth from great tragedy and sickness and even death. It gave people all the more reason to praise Him! —Phil Wickham

Heaven & Earth
The song was inspired by one of my favorite books is called The Last Battle and is written by C. S. Lewis, is one of the Chronicles of Narnia, and it's really amazing how the book ends, cause Aslan gathers like everybody thats in Narnia that believes in still and faithful to himself, they walked through this amazing massive door, and Aslan kinda does the way with the old Narnia, everybody kinda walks in to new place, it's like all the colors come to life for the first time and everybody sees in the way they were never seen before, with the hears and smells more beautifully and louder and bigger, just everythings almost like they were in shadow and they never knew it, and they came out and finally saw the real life, kind of metaphor what it means for us now is when we kind of enter in the presence of God, what that's gonna be like. —Phil Wickham

Reception
Critical Response Heaven & Earth has received positive reviews from most music critics.

Nathaniel Schexnayder from Jesus Freak Hideout: "Throw in Wickham's previous compelling lyrics along with a good sophomore release for INO records (Cannons) and the respected singer/song writer has some momentum built for possibly his best project yet, Heaven & Earth is easily one of the finest worship projects of the year."

Reverend Lee Power from Allmusic: "Heaven & Earth cements Wickham reputation as one of contemporary gospel most original voices, and the perfect tonic for those who feel that modern CCM lacks the artistry of its muse."

Kevin Davis from New Release Tuesday: "Heaven & Earth is not only an encouraging album from a lyrical standpoint, but a delight to listen to with guitar parts that feel like they are literally plucking strings connected to your chest and lonesome yet lush string arrangements, recorded at famed Abbey Road Studios."

“Wickham is moving in a fascinating direction with his sound, and with this album he seems to be testing the waters a bit. It makes the prospect of future material that much more enticing. But until then, we have this fine album—one of 2009’s best—to keep us company.” - ChristianMusicToday.com

"This is definitely Phil Wickham’s best overall album and one of my top 10 albums of 2009. These melodies are off the charts and any test audience will have a hard time not giving these songs 5 star ratings. This is a 5 star album.” - Christian Music Review

Chart Performance
Heaven & Earth debuted on #4 on Billboard's Hot Christian Albums chart and #55 on Billboard 200 after selling nearly 14k copies, with more than 40 percent of album sales in digital, the album also debuted on iTunes Christian chart hitting the #1 spot and #24 on Billboard Digital Albums and made it up to #43 and #45 on Top 300 iTunes Inspirational Album Downloads and Top 300 iTunes Christian & Gospel Album Downloads respectively.

Album Credits

 * Phil Wickham – vocals, guitar, piano
 * London Symphony Orchestra – strings, drums
 * Peter Kipley – bass
 * Brandon Lozano – drums
 * Joel Plotnik – drums
 * Danel Bailey – drums
 * Taylor Johnson – guitar
 * Evan Wickham – guitar, banjo
 * Steve Churchyard – drum engineering
 * Chris Athens – mastering
 * Christian Rios – art direction
 * Noah Gonzales – layout
 * Peter Kipley – producer, engineer, drum engineering, mixing
 * Peter Corbin – engineer
 * David Larring – mixing
 * Alex Curth – audio editor, assistant engineer
 * Christian Rios – photography, art direction
 * Noah Gonzales – design, layout