Twenty years ago, Sandi Patty was the preeminent female vocalist in CCM -- the one most emulated, and the style most vocalists seemingly aspired to. After some well-documented trials in the late '80's and early '90's, she was forced to take a back seat to a new wave of performers. In the last few years, she has forged a comeback of sorts, releasing several new albums, appearing on the WB's Seventh Heaven, and singing before the last four presidents.
With Hymns of Faith...Songs of Inspiration Patty celebrates the church songs most of us grew up with, also adding her spin on a few more recent tunes ("Shout to the Lord"). The results are fairly predictable -- at times her trademark soprano shines, while at others the songs are seemingly overdone and do not lend themselves to singing along, as very few of us would attempt some of the vocal gymnastics at which Patty excels.
Disc one is comprised of standards, with the exception of a new recording of "We Shall Behold Him," perhaps the most celebrated song of Patty's career. This version is slightly more up tempo than its predecessor, while still bringing chills to its listeners. "It is Well With My Soul" rises above most of the other songs, while "A Mighty Fortress is Our God" contains an odd arrangement, rendering it almost as if it were a Christmas song. The disc closes with a three song patriotic run -- "God Bless America," "America the Beautiful," and "The Star-Spangled Banner" -- with Patty never missing a note.
Disc two is highlighted by "The Prayer," a David Foster/Carole Bayer Sager composition. Performed as a duet with operatic tenor Don Peslis, it soars. It is her best duet since the early days with Larnelle Harris. Other standouts include "Great is Thy Faithfulness" and "The Old Rugged Cross" while other tunes such as "Blessed Assurance" and "Holy Ground" do not fare as well.
As with most two disc projects, Hymns of Faith...Songs of Inspiration is uneven, suggesting that it may have been better served if a few songs had been cut. Overall, though, it is clear that Patty's talents are still viable, and that she will continue to make audiences happy as they grow older with her.
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