Amy Grant

Item: Behind The Eyes
Author: Lisa Reid

Behind The Eyes

(1997)

Reviewed by Lisa Reid

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Label MyrrhThe Phantom Tollbooth1997

adult contemporary folk rock pop

Since this album came out, I've read and heard many opinions of it, ranging from "this is undoubtedly her best ever!" to "please don't waste your money." Not surprisingly, I fall somewhere in the middle. Though I'm a longtime fan of Ms. Grant's, I'm far less rabid a fan than many others.

Having said that, I will have to say that this album will hold a special place in my collection. You see, Amy is only a scant few years older than I am, and her music has always paralleled what's going on in my life. This album is no different. It's fairly mellow throughout, with one or two songs that up the tempo slightly, which dovetails nicely with my own slowing down a bit. I still like to rock as much as the next "chyk," but frankly, I like to slow it down now and then, and this CD is great for those times. However, I would say that this would be the weakest point of the CD overall; even us old people would like to have a little more variation in tempos here and there.

The first single to be released, "Takes a Little Time," is probably the most up-tempo of the group. Its theme is along the lines of time heals all wounds:

You can't fix this pain with money
You can't rush a weary soul
You can't sweep it under the rug now honey
But it don't take a lot to know
It takes a little time sometimes
To get your feet back on the ground.

As many people know by now, Amy was asked by her record company to show more of herself on this CD than she had previously. She's done an excellent job in that regard, writing about many "real-life" topics, such as grief, relationships, and healing. The overall tone of the CD is sad but hopeful for the future, as shown in the chorus from "Turn this World Around":

Maybe one day
We can turn and face our fears
Maybe one day
We can reach out through our tears
After all it's really not that far
To where hope can be found
Maybe one day
We can turn this world around.

The last song, "Somewhere Down the Road," struck a definite chord with me, as I bought the album just before the spate of deaths of famous people that occurred then (Princess Diana, Mother Teresa, and Rich Mullins). It starts out speaking of "So much pain and no good reason why / You've cried until the tears run dry" and progresses to the hope we know in God:

Somewhere down the road
There'll be answers to the questions
Somewhere down the road
Though we cannot see it now
Somewhere down the road
You will find mighty arms reaching for you
And they will hold the answers at the end of the road.

Musicianship on the CD is top-notch, with many recognizable names in the credits (Phil Madeira on the Hammond B-3 and Wayne Kirkpatrick on acoustic guitar and hammered dulcimer, for example). The harmonies are silky-smooth throughout, no matter who is doing duty on background vocals.

The last, and arguably best, thing about the album is the packaging. The insert has several nice photos of Amy from several angles, and the colors are a tasteful mix of green and brown. My particular favorite is the shot on the back of the CD - it shows Amy from behind to one side, with her hand on her cheek. Amy's a beautiful woman, to be sure, but that hand has seen some real livin', if you know what I mean. It's a lovely reminder that, idolized as she often is, Amy is a real human, just like the rest of us.

3.5 tocks