Barnes and Nobles
August, 2003
Lisa Zhito
As the title implies, Amy Grant's first album of all-new material in six years -- her hymns collection Legacy came out in 2002 -- is a somewhat low-key affair, short on production gloss and long on feel-good, organic simplicity. Grant's last set of originals, 1997's dark and personal Behind the Eyes, addressed the painful side of love, but thankfully, Simple Things carries a refreshingly positive outlook. Healing and forgiveness are the buzzwords here. The new perspective is apparent on such tracks as "Eye to Eye," "Out In the Open," and "Innocence Lost," while a deeper romantic sentiment is shared on such cuts as "Touch" and "Beautiful," the latter a moving duet with husband Vince Gill. Rounding out this project is a dose of lighthearted fare, "Happy" and the sunny title track, "Simple Things," among them. Taken as a whole, Simple Things gives listeners a glimpse of someone stepping out of the shadows into the sunlight for the first time in a long while. All we can say is, welcome back.
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