Amy Grant Album: “20th Century Masters - The Christmas Collection: The Best of Amy Grant”

1992 was indeed a great year for Amy Grant. After experiencing five top 20 singles on the pop chart over the previous two years (a genre she had been flirting with for at least six years), a visit back to the idea of a holiday album brought out some of her career's most mature and lasting recordings.

Eleven years after its release, this collection still resonates as Amy Grant's most compelling holiday release. The arrangements are classy and sophisticated, yet they're also accessible to all listeners. The music has a timeless feel to it that extends beyond the tinny, synthesized arrangements of "A Christmas Album." Also, the overall CD flows more successfully as a complete album than 1999's "A Christmas To Remember."

Grant's voice seamlessly transitions from the full orchestra to the solo guitars supporting her. The highlights include the plaintive tones of the opening track, "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," her subtle and honest version of "O Come All Ye Faithful," and one of her own songs, "Emmanuel, God With Us." Finally, I would challenge you to find someone to dispute the power of the upbeat arrangement of "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring."

I am impressed with the reissue and do not find it distasteful in any way, simply because the track listing remains intact. Last year, after I bought my fifth copy of "Home For Christmas" at full price, I began to wonder if the price would ever fall. Now, as with most catalog CDs, Universal will be able to reach new listeners without gouging customers. Reintroducing the buying public to what I consider to be Amy Grant's finest work at a LOWER PRICE sounds like a good idea to me -- how could this be seen as a bad thing?

This is a reissue of 1992's "Home for Christmas", her second holiday release. Why this had to be done like this is beyond me. Then again, Universal have a reputation of endlessly recycling their catalogue, and they do it because they can. I have the original release and 1983's "A Christmas Album", as well as 1999's "A Christmas to Remember". This puts her in the same league as Bing Crosby, Elvis, Barbara Striesand, Johnny Mathis, and Mannheim Steamroller. I have the Myrrh CD and A&M Canada cassette. If Amy does another Christmas CD, it should be an official (bootlegging is a sin) recording and DVD of a concert of her annual "Tennessee Christmas" tour.

Reissued 2007 by Sparrow/EMI CMG under its original title.

Bought this as a Xmas gift for my daughter. She has enjoyed listening to it! We've made it a tradition to listen to this CD while we're decorating our Xmas tree.

Great CD but the service was even better. The jacket was cracked and I was sent an extra one. I thought that was great!!

I bought this CD a month before the birth of my first child, who was born on December 22. He is now almost 13, but I remember listening to "Breath of Heaven" and crying tears of joy and gratitude for all that song means. This CD is still a favorite of ours at Christmastime, despite the many trials that have come our way since that beginning...

Thank you, Amy.