Amy Grant - Lead Me On (20th Anniversary Edition)

Reviewed by Niall Dunne

For some the name Amy Grant might bring to mind cheesy pop and bad Joni Mitchell covers. Well for this reviewer it did, but change is on the horizon. Listening to 'Lead Me On' and realising it's 20 years old is shocking. The high production stands the test of time. Sure, there is the odd dodgy guitar lick and cheesy lyric - but it was the '80s! What really shines through is the quality of the songwriting. Tracks like "Lead Me On" and "Faithless Heart" create an atmosphere that can only be achieved by a good melody. "What About The Love" brings a message that we need today, talking about the things we do in church life or in other aspects of life needing to be done with love. This is a reminder of the power of music. A theme seems to have a different kind of power when it's backed by good music. In amongst the stadium sized sound are some powerful and intimate songs such as "If These Walls Could Speak" and "Say Once More". It's particularly noticeable on these tracks what a great voice Amy Grant has. It's an impressive album, even by today's standards, and well worth a listen.