Women of Country - The Internet's #1 Guide to Female Country Music

Album Review

Amy Grant
Greatest Hits 1986-2004
A&M Records

I have to admit to being a little out of touch with Amy Grant's work pre-Heart in Motion but when she made the switch to mainstream pop I remember thinking that there was something very special about this talent. Her deep, relaxed vocal styling and light hearted but well-written songs stood out then and they still stand the test of the time today. The songs on Heart in Motion are still a good listen some 13 years after its release. In fact, the only disappointment has been her incredibly low output of new releases since 1991. There have been 4 studio albums and a couple of Christmas albums (which don't really count) in a 13 year period. After reliving some of these great songs here is to hoping that we see a more constant stream of music from this talented artist.

All of the big hits are here including "House of Love" the duet with Grant's husband Vince Gill. You will also find "Baby, Baby", "Every Heartbeat", "Good for Me", "I Will Remember You", "Lucky One", and many more. I was glad to see Amy's funky cover of "Big Yellow Taxi" make an appearance here.

Amy's 1997 release Behind the Eyes is still the one I consider her finest work and it never really got the acclaim it was due. It had a grittier feel to it that really was ear catching. The big radio hit "Takes A Little Time" is still insanely catchy and is found here. You'll also find "Like I Love You" and "I Will Be Your Friend" from that release. After hearing those songs again it made me pull that CD out again and you know, everyone should own a copy.

The typical greatest hits album contains little to make it worthwhile for long time fans. Those fans already own all the albums and a couple of new songs aren't usually convincing enough to get people out there buying the record. Yes, there are two new songs here but there are also remix versions of a couple more songs which might be hard to get a hold of otherwise. On top of that these are very solid remixes that are actually worth owning. It's a cool way to add some addition value to a Greatest Hits for long time fans.

Some will ask why a collection of songs from a pop artist would be reviewed on a country music site and the answer is simple; with country music's constant swing towards pop styling it's worth stopping and taking a look the artists which provided the groundwork for the sound. Amy Grant's music is a lot more modern country than anyone thinks and frankly, she does it a whole heck of a lot better than most.

Greatest Hits 1986-2004 is a rock solid greatest hits collection that will hopefully introduce these songs to another whole group of people who might not be familiar with a lot of Amy Grant's music. This one is worth picking up.

Album Review by Jeff Krasky

The WOC Rating Scale

The album stands above the rest. This is a record that every country music fan needs to have in their collection.

This album is better than the average release. A strong record with some flaws that keep it from reaching that 5 star level.

This album is an average country release. Doesn't posses qualities that make it stand out among all the other albums out there.

A weak record that lacks solid songs or good vocal performances. Sample before you buy.

This record is a bargin-bin reject that just isn't worth the time or the money. Completely misses the mark.