Amy Grant, Vince Gill - Rock of Ages: Hymns & Faith
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Free Music Notes for Rock of Ages: Hymns & Faith
Free Music Review: Beautiful, moving album
Hit: 4 Stars
This is an album of Christian music, primarily but not entirely focused on older hymns. The music is fairly mainstream country-rock. Grant's voice is very beautiful. All of the songs are very good. For me, the stand-outs are "Joyful, Joyful" a Christian hymn set to Beethoven's secular-pagan-messianic classic "Ode to Joy" from the 9th Symphony and "El Shaddai," an extremely simple and moving hymn to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.Free Music Review: Soothing sweet sound
Hit: 4 Stars
I purchased this CD for my husband but Amy Grant's voice is soft and at a level he has trouble hearing, so I put it in my car player and enjoy it thoroughly while driving. It is a soothing, sweet sound to listen to while driving.Free Music Review: A good Listen
Hit: 4 Stars
If you like old school gospel, then this is a must listen. I enjoyed the songs, especially El Shaddai. That song will have you worshipping if you are not already in the spirit realm yet. Enjoy.Free Music Review: Probably only for Amy diehards
Hit: 3 Stars
I first "discovered" Amy Grant with her COLLECTION album, loved it, and promptly began to collect everything she'd made before it. I was a big enough fan to spend $2-3 extra bucks to get HEART IN MOTION when it released in mainstream bookstores instead of waiting for the Christian bookstore to get it, because I knew it was releasing to the mainstream shops first. Then HOUSE OF LOVE hit, a disturbingly bland album that forced me to realize that buying her future albums would no longer be a "no-brainer". Since then, I've liked select tracks here and there, but there's been no album I've felt compelled to add to my collection. This one is not going to change that assessment.
This disc is another collection of hymns, much like LEGACY, and this one again has a fair amount of country influence to it, no doubt thanks to co-producer Vince Gill. Fans of "pop" Amy won't find much that fits that mold here really.
HIGHLIGHTS:
"Carry You" is a remake of a track first heard on the "1998 WOW" compilation. Having not heard that, I can't compare the two renditions, but the song is a nice love letter from the Saviour who promises "I've seen those sleepless nights/And count every tear you cry" and stands with us in those trials. "Abide with Me" is a nicely shuffling pop country number. "God moves in a Mysterious Way" has an eerie beauty, but it's over almost as soon as it starts. "Turn your Eyes Upon Jesus" is probably the most "traditional" sounding of these hymns and it works very well that way. Amy's father adds a nice (brief) recitation and numerous relatives sing in the "choir" behind Amy, making it a real family affair. "I Surrender All" turns the late 19th century hymn nearly into pop.
LOWS:
The odd "tape excerpt" intro to "Sweet Will of God" makes for a jarring transition and the song itself isn't that interesting in the rendition here. The faster pace used on a remake of "El Shaddai" saps it of its power, despite a nice harmony vocal from Vince Gill. It just doesn't work as well at this tempo. As much as I love the Al Green horn arrangement, Amy's voice just wasn't up to the task for "O Love that Will Not Let me Go". The starkness and raw need of the song demands an impassioned vocal.
BOTTOM LINE:
There are some good tracks here and it's not awful. But there's little of the type of the standout tracks here that first made her a Christian (and then pop) sensation. Amy's biggest fans will probably buy it because "it's Amy" but her more casual listeners won't be pulled in. Those who hopped on the Amy train with HEART IN MOTION won't find anything for them here. I continue to find her religious material written out of her PERSONAL experience more compelling than these recent sets of covers.
I continue to hope that Amy has at least one more great album in her, but I'll have to keep waiting for it.
Free Music Review: Grammy Award for this Album....
Hit: 3 Stars
Although this is NOT my favorite Amy Grant album BY FAR...I have to respond to 'Christian Mom's' review....which I think was way out of line and quite misleading. Just to note, 'Rock of Ages....Hymns and Faith' just won the Grammy Award for Best Gospel (Southern, Country) Album this year...so, obviously it can't be that bad....this record doesn't appeal to me musically, but many (including the Grammy committee) seem to really like it and see the talent and soul pt into this.