Customer Reviews

Legacy Hymns & Faith

5 star:		(77)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(11)
1 star:		(10)

 

 

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.

This is a wonderful collection of old time Christian songs of faith from Amy Grant. Magnificently produced by husband Vince Gill, it is at once artistically beautiful yet simply presented so that the words of faith are not overpowered by the productions. Grant made this album to commemorate her roots in Christian music and has lovingly rendered all those songs she sang as a child in church with her grandmother in a manner that would make her proud. It is gentle and soulful and the selections are perfect.

1) "This is My Father's World"-This song has a ferris wheel kind of rhythm that ponders on the happiness of living in God's world in all its beauty.

2) "My Jesus, I Love Thee"-There is a Scottish Highland kind of feeling to this selection as Amy sings of love for Jesus.

3) "Softly and Tenderly"-Amy perfectly captures this haunting call for the weary to "come home" to God.

4) "I Need Thee Every Hour/Nothing But the Blood"-The heartfelt "I Need Thee Every Hour" blends effortlessly into the rollicking tent revival duet of Amy and Vince on "Nothing but the Blood" that will have you feeling as though you should be up on your feet and clapping your hands together.

5) "What You Already Own"-I am not sure if it was intentional or coincidence, but I could not help thinking of how Amy was abandoned by some in the Christian community for not being perfect. This gentle lament of sometimes being unfaithful and doing wrong and looking to God for strength shows his spirit remains with those with faith, which is played out by our lives.

6) "It is Well With My Soul/The River's Gonna Keep on Rolling"-This beautful blending of songs has a flow like a river itself as Amy sings of God's love being like a river that keeps forgiving and makes us realize it is not possesions that are our legacy, but ourselves.

7) "Do You Remember the Time"-This song is a longing for the innocence we all once had and an encouragement to hold on to how we once felt, when we were kids, and heaven seemed real.

8) "Fields of Plenty/Be Still My Soul"-A melancholy guitar solo turns into a haunting admonition to leave things in God's hands, culminating with a voice over by Amy that is heartrending.

9) "Imagine/Sing the Wondrous Love of Jesus"-Amy's imagining what it will be like to see and be in His Glory ends in the brief ode to her love of Jesus.

10) "Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing"-This great church hymn with it's terrific background vocals and country flavor makes you feel like you driving by an old country church during a different era.

11) "Fairest Lord Jesus"-This is a guitar driven song of uplifting praise, and once again, makes you think of being in church.

12) "Holy, Holy, Holy"-This is a beautiful song of love for God that is like looking out over a glorious vista of His creation.

13) "What a Friend We Have in Jesus/Old Rugged Cross/How Great Thou Art"-Traditional church songs are beautifully melded together and offer a nostalgic longing for the faith of simpler times.

14) "Marching to Zion"-The ending of a church service and that Scottish Highland feel return as Amy ends this wonderful album with an uplifting church hymn, choir and all.

This is a truly wonderful collection of songs born of faith that has a special feeling of old churches in the country and gatherings in small towns to sing praises. It is a very special CD that crosses boundaries and can be enjoyed by anyone who loves music.

It is a reminder to those of us who are jaded and world weary, who have stood next to the darkness and in it, who have seen a little too much, that good still does exist, as does hope.

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!

I thought the album was excellent. Not since "Breath of Heaven" have I been so moved by a piece, as I was with "Softly and Tenderly". I found the album to be simple and straightforward, yet with many nice touches, to keep in interesting.

Amy's voice was more mature and fuller than I remember on her past albums.

I have followed Amy since her "Lead Me On" days, when I was literally dragged to her concert by some friends. (I had never heard Amy Grant's music) Well, from the first song, I was hooked.

Interestingly, one of the things that bothered me for years was how overly simplistic her life seemed to be. It seemed unreal by my experience with life. Even some of her lyrics seemd to good-to-true, when speaking about living out the faith of Christianity.

I often wondered if it was a marketing-ploy; or was Amy singing about a life that she was expected to live from a fundamental-Christian upbringing?

While I was sad to hear Amy and Gary divorced, it was the first human experience I had read about her life.

To think, we (Christians) have all the answers to every human conflict because we have accepted Christ, is naive and self-righteous.

Amy's job is making music, and she does it very well. I am glad to hear some new stuff!!

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!

First, let me say I am not a Christian. The vast majority of Christian music makes me gag, it insults and overstates. That having been said, I am in love with this cd! That alone is testament to Amy's amazing gift for reaching her audience, while not hitting them over the head with a 2 X 4.

It doesn't matter to me what faith she is, I admire her dedication and devotion that comes across in every song. Nobody could sing these songs like she does were they not coming straight from the heart. I've always found Amy Grant to be so refreshingly HUMAN, so unprocessed, unlike someone like, say, Celine Dion (thank God).

Every song moves me, sounding immediate and fresh, not overly refined like so much music today. She is singing about love, and with such gentleness that it blows me out of the water. Within that gentleness is a very solid strength, which I've every reason to believe is her Christian faith. I respect, and admire, this love that she sings so beautifully.

I've a feeling she knows these songs will not go "top 10," irrelevant when the calling is higher than producing trash. Far from it, she has created gems.

In sum, whether you are Christian or not, this cd is a treasure to listen to time and time again. It delivers peace, peace and inspiration, even to me. Thanks, Amy, for singing the songs of your muse, and I hope you grace us with many, many more songs in the future. I never tire of how you give souls to the songs you sing.

As Amy Grant fan, I pretty much love everything she does. However, this album did a good job of bringing new life to some old favorite hymns. While I enjoy listening to this at home, I find that I will often use it for background music at church (gathering, communion or after the service). It is a great album for pastors to have in their collections as well as Amy Grant fans.

This CD is awesome. I grew up playing electric bass in youth "praise bands" and was fortunate to combine my love of music and my love of God. One of my enduring memories of that time was the "chills" I would get as we played the music and praised Him. I get the same chills listening to this CD. The arrangements are just enough to showcase the hymns, and the combination of acoustic guitar and mandolin just sparkles. It's some of the best Christian music out there, and is just plain great music.

I'm quite saddened to read some of the reviews here that are critical of Amy Grant and her life. Clearly these reviewers are missing many of His greatest teachings. If you aren't in her shoes, I can't imagine how you could, or should, judge her life. I'm a little dubious that she "needs" to be back in anyone's graces, particularly "CCM" whatever / whoever that may be..... I suspect she's really only concerned about one "fan" and I can't imagine Him not smiling as he listens....

At the end of the day, my 10 year old daughter and 14 year old son listen to the CD and beyond enjoying the music, I believe it has moved them forward in their faith.

Enjoy your faith. Enjoy this music. Let Him be the only judge of others' lives...

This album is great. The old hymns are done is such a new and exciting way. The new material is especially moving. Amy Grant has a depth of wisdom about life that is rarely seen. She brings much of that wisdom to this album. The purchase price is paid for with a listen to one dynamic, heartfelt song: "What You Already Own." Bravo.

Amy Grant has put out what is probably one of the most powerful CD's she's ever done. Grant's music always has sterling integrity and a great deal of depth. This CD is no different, and this time she lovingly presents the time-tested hymns of the church in a way that makes them fresh and alive, especially for those of us who know every one by heart already. Produced by Brown Bannister and Grant's husband, Vince Gill, the music has depth and yet remains accessible as always. Each cut is a treat -- especially if you're into singing along. I have never appreciated "This Is My Father's World" as it is done in its customary way in the church, but Grant's rendition flows and evokes the breezy images of nature that the lyric depicts. Great stuff! And that's only the beginning.

Of the 4 new songs, my favorite is Grant's own "What You Already Own," a powerful song that comes from a place of brokenness familiar to many. The song ends with a clear affirmation of God's sovereignty over the events of our lives.

"Softly and Tenderly" is perhaps the most dramatic cut, musically -- moody and intense, but the arrangement is very appropriate for the lyric. "Marching to Zion" ends the CD on an enthusiastic note as sung by an assembled choir of Grant, her family and friends. The bagpipes and drums heighten the sense of marching and give strength to a hymn that, done wrong, can become annoyingly sing-song in its rhythm. This version is terrific! Be sure to sing along!

Vince Gill duets with Amy on a jazzy-gospel rendition of "Nothing But the Blood." His subtle and creative harmonies on many of the other songs, and his incredible musicianship throughout the CD, give a richness to the music that is just right.

I'll be buying multiple copies of this one to give to my friends and family -- spanning the generations from my parents down to my kids. They all will love it, and that multi-generational attraction is definitely one of this CD's strengths.

All in all, a fabulous CD you won't want to miss!