Search - Amy Grant :: Legacy Hymns & Faith (Bonus Dvd)

More than music

H. Rex Hammock | Nashville, TN USA | 06/06/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If I had written this review when first listening to Legacy, my comments likely would have been limited the production: what I like and don't about the song selection, arrangements, and performance. Yet now, after a couple of weeks of listening to the CD several times, I've come to appreciate it on a much different and deeper level.Some background. While I've no doubt heard some of Amy's earlier songs (who hasn't heard Baby, Baby on muzak?), my primary consumption of her music comes each year during the holidays when my family enjoys her two Christmas CDs. She is for my family what Perry Como or Bing Crosby must have been when I was little: the background music of the holidays. Despite their slick and sweet production, they possess a sincerity and conviction that have helped them rise far above the typically awful celebrity holiday compilation.When I heard about Legacy, I was curious to discover for myself if it has the warmth and spirit of the holiday CDs. (I had sampled an earlier CD, Behind the Eyes, and found it, well, depressing.) I also was curious if Amy Grant could interpret the hymns I heard during my childhood as convincingly as she has done the carols I enjoyed.I hope this CD touches others as it has me. Sure, I have little gripes about some of the songs. (For instance, I'm not typically a fan of "speaking" during a song.) But those complaints are minor when compared to the overall impact of the CD. At least for me, Legacy provides comfort during not so comfortable times. It does my soul well to turn off the radio news regarding war in the Middle East and hear her sing, "It is well with my soul."As for the complaints I've read in some other reviews, specifically about the "country" influence: Bunk. One of the enjoyable things about this CD is to hear such a wide array of influences, from at least two Celtic traditions to bluegrass to old-time and black gospel. Fans of Vince Gill will no-doubt recognize his guitar virtuosity and remarkable harmonizings, but this CD is Twang-Free.Indeed, after listening to it, my wish is that she would actually do a gospel album in collaboration with some of her contemporary bluegrass music neighbors in Nashville. I suggest she do a CD like Legacy (but all acoustic) and in the tradition of a "Let the Circle be Unbroken" by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. Dolly Parton, Nickel Creek, Patty Lovelace, Vince Gill, Ricky Skaggs, etc. each doing a song with Amy Grant would make a great Legacy II.One other suggestion. For me, one of the most moving 20 seconds of this CD come at the end of a new song "Imagine" (no, not THE Imagine), track nine, when Amy sings the first verse (no chorus) of "When We all Get to Heaven" (or at least that's what I call the song she titles Sing The Wondrous Love Of Jesus). On Legacy II, please, more.One last comment on what has to be the longest review I've ever written. I go to one of those fancy in-town churches that doesn't sing the hymns I grew up with. While I love this church (and its music), I have regretted that my children will not know those hymns. Remarkably, this CD has appealed not only to my ears and heart, but to those of my 11 and 14-year-old. They now know what real hymns are."

Inspired! Best yet!

Glenn Trueman | Alton, IL | 07/29/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"From inception to final mastering this album took just 29 days...but it wasn't rushed, it was inspired. And while her husband co-produced and played on the tracks, this is not a Vince Gill record, and it's not "country" music. It's Amy Grant through and through. These are songs and hymns of faith and love with beautiful, thoughtful arrangements and instrumentation. This music is the natural, wonderful unfoldment of Amy's life. Of her love of God, of church, of Jesus. Of her dedication to her Christian faith. Amy doesn't need to prove anything to anyone. She doesn't need fan approval or adoration. She doesn't need to write "pop" songs or to appease the Christian music world. We should be grateful that this wonderful person-this woman, mother, sister, singer-continues to write and record great music, and to share it with us through records and concert tours. And this album demonstrates Amy's commitment to her music and her faith in solid fashion. Her vocals are sweet and sincere. I can feel her hope, her wonder, her trust. My favorite tracks: This Is My Father's World, Softly And Tenderly, The River's Gonna Keep On Rolling, Do You Remember The Time, and Imagine (not the John Lennon song).This is the work of a mature woman who has really come into her own. Strictly Christian music is behind her. Mere pop tunes are a thing of the past. With her previous album (Behind the Eyes) Amy has proven that she is her own person, sharing her journey with us through her music. And I'm so glad to be along for the ride. It may take more than a few listens to get into this album, but the reward is great for those who make the effort. Have faith!"

Bonus DVD has fun features

E. Borah | 07/10/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Get the version with the bonus DVD if you can (and have a DVD player). I won't go into the music reviews too much, except to say that Amy does a great job of "jazzing" some wonderful classic hymns, without being disrespectful or losing sight of what makes them so memorable and I haven't seen many reviews that touch on the DVD, so here;s what you can expect: a 30 minute "Legacy...the story" video (with chapter stops and menu), brief (3-4 minute) clips with Vince Gill and Brown Bannister, a "press kit" (5 and a half minute promo), all the songs from the CD with the lyrics on the screen (more on that later), career notes of the contributors to the album, and some credits.I haven't seen the entire video yet, but it looks good -- decent picture quality, and some nice variety (with "talking head" sequences with Amy, as well as working and recording session clips). It seems similar to the recent Biography special on Amy, but appears to focus entirely on this album.The "lyrics" section is interesting -- pick a song, and you can listen to it (standard stereo, no Dolby 5.1 mix or anything like that) while the lyrics appear on the screen, and change from verse to verse. Frustratingly, you can only select one song at a time -- there doesn't appear to be an option to play the entire album. Once the song you chose is over, you're back at the menu, and your cursor returns to the first song (it doesn't remember where you were). Still, this is a nice feature, that lets you leave the CD one place (the car?) and the DVD elsewhere (home?). The feature called "The Players" is similar to the career notes on movie discs, but has an interesting twist on them: instead of static pages you switch between, each is a short video clip with text (listing who they've played with and notable accomplishments), a picture of the artist, and the sound of the artist's instrument (presumably as played by the artist). Once again, as you finish a clip you're returned to the top entry on the menu, making this slightly annoying to navigate. It's a nice touch, though, if you're interested in the mostly-unknown artists that contribute to such projects -- or if you've ever wanted to compare the sounds of a bass, electric guitar, and acoustic guitar.Most of what's here is straightforward and interesting, with good clean video and only a few navigation annoyances. Since the limited edition has the same CD *PLUS* this DVD at the same price (or cheaper, here on amazon) as the regular version, grab the limited edition if it's available. You'll enjoy the little extras, and the price is right!"