Simple things | Amy Grant

Beating Time

SIMPLE THINGS (CD)
By Amy Grant
£14.99
Product code 8862482

Before I heard this CD I wouldn't have counted myself an Amy Grant fan. I still wouldn't.

I have listened to it a lot trying to find something memorable but only one track (one-and-a-half on a good day!) stands out. Not that I don't like female vocalists - my collection is full of the likes of Eva Cassidy, Natalie Merchant, the odd bit of Annie Lennox, Carole King, Carly Simon and, going back further, Ella Ftitzgerald. I'd be happy to have this album humming away in the background, it certainly doesn't grate ... it just doesn't really do anything!. It might have helped me to have copies of the lyrics to try to connect with the songs but they were not available and it all just seemed to merge. I would have no idea which track was playing without sneaking a look at the display.

What I did like about Simple Things was the mix of more overtly spiritual songs in the same album alongside those about shared human experiences. Life for Christians is, after all, a combination of both, isn't it? The album is well balanced and slickly produced as you would expect from such a talented and experienced musician.

It was an easy listen but, for me, alas, not much more. PS - If any of you Amy fans would like to tell what I have missed please email me at ianadine@ntlworld.com

Ian Parker,
part-time church musician in Hartlepool who has ruined many a good hymn, and really shouldn't comment on musicians who are infinitely more capable than he is