The Christmas Collection - Amy Grant

If you like Christmas songs that are jazzed up with weird slow/fast tempo, key changes, odd medleys woven in, then "Jingle Bells," the first song on Amy Grant's The Christmas Collection is for you. It was not for me, however, and I found it just flat out annoying, thinking if this was a foretaste of the rest of the album, I was in for a BIG disappointment. Fortunately, the next song, "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" was melodic with lovely orchestration, causing me to sigh with relief. I really liked "I Need a Silent Night" which was a new song for me. Amy's voice lent itself well to this pretty tune, but I was even happier with the next song, "Winter Wonderland," which was such a nice, catchy sing-along song... and I DO like to sing along!

"Baby, It's Christmas," was another new song, and I liked it's slow, waltzing, tempo as well as Amy's elegant vocals. It was followed by by "Sleigh Ride," which is a nice, up-tempo song, with pretty vocals and instrumentation. While "Count Your Blessings" is not not a traditional Christmas song, it fit in beautifully on a Christmas project, and I especially liked this lovely, soothing rendition and the orchestra's accompaniment made this a rich and lush addition.

"Hark the Herald" and "Silent Night" couldn't have been prettier, leading into an Amy Grant classic, "Breath of Heaven" which was almost haunting with its ethereal vocals and piano accompaniment. And I LOVED "Joy to the World/For Unto Us a Child Is Born" with its richly orchestrated introduction, followed by a choir. I don't know if Amy even sang on it, but it was beautiful, nonetheless. "Grown Up Christmas List" another Amy Christmas classic, was gorgeous, slow and melodic, in contrast to the rockabilly "Rockin Around the Christmas Tree."

The remaining songs, "Tennessee Christmas," "A Christmas to Remember," "O Come All Ye Faithful," "A Mighty Fortress/Angels We Have Heard on High," and "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" round the project in a delightfully festive fashion. I especially liked the "Mighty Fortress" intro to "Angels." The Christmas Collection by Amy Grant features 18 songs, and I enjoyed 17 of them, so this is a Christmas project I highly recommend.

For more on Amy Grant, check out:
Music 101: Who is Amy Grant?
Profile: Amy Grant - Singer, Actress, Author, Philanthropist, Life-Changer
Amy Grant's 'Somewhere Down the Road' to release March 30
What gospel artists were born in November? Amy Grant, Steven Curtis Chapman and more
Second annual Amy Grant Yard Sale - Amy Grant sells everything including a kitchen sink (slideshow)