Amy Grant:The Christmas Collection
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Amy Grant:The Christmas Collection
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With all of the media controversy which has surrounded this artist’s life, from her 1977 debut as a Christian Artist, to her 1980’s crossover to the Pop Culture, to her announcement of divorce as a Christian Artist in the 90’s, and her questioned marriage nine months later to Country Artist Vince Gill in the New Millennium, it has almost been a challenge to listen to this once delicate voice which brought us “Age to Age” without the cynical skepticism.
Not releasing another full gospel album until year 2002 -Legacy, followed by “Rock of Ages” in 2005, Amy released her live CD “Time Again” in April of 2006. The almost 50 year old Grant, who once worshipped through songs like” “El Shaddai,” has released her fourth Christmas Album titled: “The Christmas Collection.” And I must say, “I wasn’t too impressed!” Having known the level of anointing on “Age To Age,” The Christmas Collection was a huge disappointment. For the first seven of the eighteen tracks, mainly secular Christmas songs, I found vocals which had no life to them; with the exception of “Sleigh Ride” which seem to have the joys of the Holiday season, in as much as possible, considering that there is no mention of Jesus, who is the reason for the season! It wasn’t until the eighth track, “Hark The Herald Angels Sing” that I began to hear a glimmer of the old Amy Grant in which we all had enjoyed and come to love. Followed by a sweet and sincere rendition of “Silent Night,” the album now begins to come alive! “Breath of Heaven (Mary’s Song)” could very well have been Amy’s Song – “Breath of Heaven hold me together, be forever near me, Breath of Heaven, lighten my darkness, pour over me your Holiness, for you are Holy!” This is among one of the sweetest songs I have heard, and this one song alone would be well worth the purchase price of the album. Wow, are the sentiments for the album’s eleventh track: an instrumental “Joy To The World combined with a vocal orchestrated rendition of For Unto Us A Child Is Born.” For the remaining tracks, it is a mixture of again secular Christmas songs and songs like: “Oh Come All Ye Faithful, A Mighty Fortress, and Angels.” Some of the most moving lyrics on the album, comes from the twelfth track: “Grown Up Christmas List” – No more lives torn apart, time will heal all hearts, right would always win and love would never end, this is my grown up Christmas list. Heaven surely knows that packages and bows can never heal a human soul! Words, so true. Ladee’s Album Reviews Criteria Each Category Scale 1 to 5 Divided by # of Categories
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