Legacy...Hymns & Faith

by Robert L. Doerschuk Within Amy Grant's rich catalog of sacred and secular recordings, Legacy...Hymns & Faith stands out for its thematic integrity and superb execution. Never a showy vocalist, she relies here on her familiarity with the material, most of which consists of old-time hymns, to convey the essence of each track. Her performances, bare of any extraneous effect and generally confined to a narrow segment of her range, blend into consistently excellent arrangements by Vince Gill (her husband) and Brown Bannister; these range from a catchy, soft pop treatment of "This Is My Father's World" through several dreamlike tracks, some buffeted by synths or strings (including "Softly and Tenderly," with its strong Daniel Lanois vibe), and one medley of particular beauty, "Fields of Plenty" and "Be Still My Soul," on which Grant sings a cappella and with Richard Bennett's acoustic guitar. Faith, in its gentlest manifestation, permeates the album up to the last track, "Marching to Zion," whose martial pipes and drums either disrupt the vibe or leave the listener exhilarated, depending on your disposition; a prayer, given in the studio by Amy's father, Burton Grant, and recorded by chance, provides an appropriate segue before the Crusaders storm off on their mission.