Music Review: Time...Again - Amy Grant Live

Stars: 5 out of 5
Pros: Great songs

Cons: Too little talking; too few oldies

The Bottom Line:

Complaints are minor

Amy's many fans will love

And that's what matters




"Oh How the Years Go By" Indeed

Amy Grant has enjoyed a 28 year career and was among the first artists to cross over from Christian music to enjoy some pop success. In all that time, her only live recordings were from earlier in the career. So, to correct that, she released Time...Again: Amy Grant Live.

While she does some of her earlier hits, the focus is on the second half of her catalog. Frankly, this makes sense since this is most likely what she does in concert these days. Still, I was disappointed not to see such classics as "El Shaddai" and "My Father's Eyes" not make the CD, although I do understand they are on the companion DVD release.

What is here is great. She has a band backing her, and they do an incredible job. The focus in on guitar with several of the members playing electric guitar at some point. There is piano and keyboard evident in some songs and a drummer, or course. They even sneak in harmonica and mandolin on a couple of the songs.

The songs mostly sound like they did when first recorded. And most of them stand up well all these years later. There is an occasional tweak here or there to make them sound modern, but if you aren't paying attention, you'd forget that this isn't what you've been listening to for years. And considering the average song is 15 years old, that's saying something.

The biggest change is to "In a Little While," which she gives a modern pop sound. It's tweaked every so slightly, mostly with a new syncopated rhythm, but the slight changes certainly make you take notice. I like the new version just as much as the 24 year old classic version. But I don't think we needed to have the live version and a studio version on the disc.

Another highlight is "Believe," the theme from her short lived TV show "Three Wishes," which hasn't been released anywhere else to my knowledge.

Naturally, she includes several songs from her biggest hit, "Heart in Motion." "Baby Baby" makes an appearance and is still fun pop candy. "Every Heartbeat" and "Good for Me" are two of my favorite of her love songs, and I enjoyed hearing them again.

But she doesn't stick to her radio hits. She includes "Ask Me," a more serious song from "Heart in Motion" that talks about sexual abuse. It's sobering yet encouraging at the same time.

While we're talking sobering, the CD opens with "Lead Me On," which includes images of the holocaust. It's still as powerful as it was 18 years ago when first released.

Toward the middle of the CD she slows things down with a couple acoustic songs. "After the Fire" wasn't a favorite of mine from her latest release, but I must admit I'm giving it another chance after hearing it here. "Thy Word" is still a favorite 23 years later, and I like the slow, simple version of this praise classic.

Long talking breaks can make or break a concert CD. While Amy talks occasionally, it's only for a few seconds at a time. There are no long stories that give additional insight into these songs, and I wish there were. At the same time, there are no jokes that were funny the first few times but fall flat on repeated listens.

The CD comes with a bonus DVD that includes five songs from the DVD release of this concert. Basically an ad, it really adds nothing to the disc.

This is a great collection of songs from a long pop career. I was reminded just how much I love some of these songs. By no means perfect, Time...Again: Amy Grant Live will certainly please her many fans.

CD Length: 1:15:04

Tracks:

1. Lead Me On

2. Good for Me

3. Stay for Awhile

4. Takes a Little Time

5. Simple Things

6. Saved by Love

7. Out in the Open

8. Ask Me

9. After the Fire

10. In a Little While

11. Thy Word

12. Oh How the Years Go By

13. Baby Baby

14. Eye to Eye

15. Every Heartbeat

16. Believe (Theme from "Three Wishes")

17. I Will Remember You

18. In a Little While (studio version)