On this day (May 15) in 1985, Amy Grant's "Unguarded" album was released

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by BradOlson, May 15, 2020.

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  1. BradOlson

    BradOlson Country/Christian Music Maven Thread Starter

    Amy Grant discography - Wikipedia
     
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  2. JamieC

    JamieC Senior Member

    Location:
    Detroit Mi USA
    Actually I was thinking of Hearts In Motion. got my order messed up. She was just aiming elsewhere than me.
     
  3. BradOlson

    BradOlson Country/Christian Music Maven Thread Starter

  4. BradOlson

    BradOlson Country/Christian Music Maven Thread Starter

    But with the hymns albums and How Mercy Looks From Here, she may have returned to form for you. Simple Things is clearly a commercial pop album from the period of the hymns albums and How Mercy Looks From Here.
     
  5. JamieC

    JamieC Senior Member

    Location:
    Detroit Mi USA
    Oh I was still in there. Just that one, which I thought pushed the envelope on that phase too far.
     
  6. Trash Panda

    Trash Panda Forum Resident

    Location:
    Atlanta, GA
    I remember when this was released, it was kind of a big deal. A lot of good players on this album. I think it was one of the last albums recorded at Caribou Studios in Colorado before the terrible fire that destroyed it.

    While I liked the follow-up "Lead Me On" more, this was still a pretty good LP. (When you can get both Bill Champlin and Tommy Funderburk on BGVs, you've got a *strong* vocal presence.)

    I wish Russ Taff's '80s albums had gotten the same marketing push.
     
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  7. BradOlson

    BradOlson Country/Christian Music Maven Thread Starter

    It was the last album recorded at Caribou Ranch studios before the fire that destroyed it.
     
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  8. BradOlson

    BradOlson Country/Christian Music Maven Thread Starter

  9. BradOlson

    BradOlson Country/Christian Music Maven Thread Starter

    Russ Taff's 80s albums were still huge hits with the CCM fan base at the time. Great music on these albums as well.
     
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  10. S. P. Honeybunch

    S. P. Honeybunch Presidente de Kokomo, Endless Mikelovemoney

    Unguarded: five star album. The production and writing are miles above her next album. Tons of soulful singing here; never heard Amy more on fire than she is here. The only weak link is Bannister's mix, which skews bright, which is his tendency and the tendency of house mixes at Caribou.
     
  11. BradOlson

    BradOlson Country/Christian Music Maven Thread Starter

    So far, Find a Way, a #1 CCM/#7 AC and #29 Hot 100 hit is in the lead by far.
     
  12. BradOlson

    BradOlson Country/Christian Music Maven Thread Starter

    Her next album being the critically acclaimed Lead Me On album.
     
  13. BradOlson

    BradOlson Country/Christian Music Maven Thread Starter

    Actually it was Jack Joseph Puig who did the mixing and Jack's mixes are bright.
     
    Last edited: May 15, 2020
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  14. Trash Panda

    Trash Panda Forum Resident

    Location:
    Atlanta, GA
    Odd memory: I recall watching an episode of "Miami Vice" one night (when it was still in prime time on NBC), probably in '85 or '86, and the featured background track that night was Amy's "Who To Listen To" from this album. I remember the minor-key song fit well with the nighttime Crockett & Tubbs scene. (Getting a song on MV back then was a *big* deal, e.g. In the Air Tonight, Smuggler's Blues, You Belong To the City, etc.)
     
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  15. JakeKlas

    JakeKlas Impatiently waiting for an 8-track revival

    Location:
    United States
    Working at a Christian radio station back then, it was interesting to watch Amy’s progression and especially the explosion that happened with Age to Age.

    I know sometimes people here talk about an artist's best run of albums and for me, Never Alone to Lead Me On is a solid run of albums I really like top to bottom.

    With Unguarded, my votes went to Love of Another Kind, Find A Way, and Sharayah... but there’s really not any song I don’t like on that one.
     
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  16. VH3FAN

    VH3FAN Forum Resident

    Location:
    Galt, Ca, USA
    Unguarded is one of my favorite albums of the 80's. So many great songs on it with Every Where I Go being my absolute favorite. The Prodigal is a great closer for a great album!



    I was introduced to it by one of old best friends from middle school. He recommended that I listen to his two new tapes he got which were Unguarded and Peace Sells by Megadeth. Two great albums that have stuck with me for years.
     
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  17. davers

    davers Forum Resident

    Just for fun I went on trawl through the used bins several years ago to obtain a full set of the four cover variations on both A&M and Word. My favorite is the second one shown in your OP; unfortunately it wasn't selected for the CD cover.
     
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  18. BradOlson

    BradOlson Country/Christian Music Maven Thread Starter

    The R & D covers were what are used on CD covers with more copies of the D cover out there.
     
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  19. ralph7109

    ralph7109 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Franklin, TN
    Unguarded was my least favorite of her 80’s albums - mostly due to the production. And I love her follow-up Lead Me On.

    Find A Way and Everywhere I Go are decent.

    Sharayah, though, that is an awesome song.
    Easily her best on the album and one of her all-time standouts for me.
     
    Last edited: May 16, 2020
  20. BradOlson

    BradOlson Country/Christian Music Maven Thread Starter

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  21. BradOlson

    BradOlson Country/Christian Music Maven Thread Starter

    You are right that even on albums that are overall least favorites, there is often stuff you do like.
     
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  22. BradOlson

    BradOlson Country/Christian Music Maven Thread Starter

    The Top 5 results of this poll so far
    #1. Find a Way
    #2. Love of Another Kind
    #3. Sharayah
    #4. Everywhere I Go / The Prodigal (I'll Be Waiting) - tie
    #5. Wise Up

    The songs in the lead of this poll so far ended up nearly mirroring with what happened on the CCM radio charts at the time. In fact, Find a Way was a #1 CCM radio hit at the time and was the first single released to radio from the album. Wise Up was also a success on CCM radio at #2 on the CCM CHR charts/#19 Christian AC, Sharayah peaked at #6 on the Christian AC charts/#2 Christian CHR, Everywhere I Go was a #2 Christian AC radio hit/#4 Christian CHR hit, The Prodigal (I'll Be Waiting) was a #31 Christian AC hit.
     
    Last edited: May 16, 2020
  23. S. P. Honeybunch

    S. P. Honeybunch Presidente de Kokomo, Endless Mikelovemoney

    Well, the acclaim should go to Unguarded. The quality of songs and energy went into decline between the two albums. Amy is much more laid back on Lead Me On, which doesn't really float my boat. On Unguarded, rather, she's like the second coming of Elvis.
     
  24. BradOlson

    BradOlson Country/Christian Music Maven Thread Starter

  25. PaulKTF

    PaulKTF Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    Great album, and I like the different versions of the cover (they would make for really cool posters).
     
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