Reviewed by Tom Lennie

She's had 16 solo albums, multiple Grammy and Dove Award nominations, and was voted Female Christian Vocalist for three consecutive years. Back in the late '80s she was associated with the infamous Jimmy Swaggart Ministries. Then came a move to Nashville in 1997. More recently, Ms Paschal has been involved with Bill Gaither's illustrious and wide-appealing Homecoming team. These 16 tracks comprise what her label calls her 'Greatest Hits', although they're picked from a mere five of her recording output, and no song is more recent than 2002. Undoubtedly, with a voice as appealing as her looks, Janet's vocals are strong, clear and versatile - and these selected tracks are largely in the mellow, inspirational category, although there are a few jazzy/pop flourishes, such as the opening "Born Again", and the unappealing track composed by, dare I say it, one of the more nauseous of Christian TV "Go-to-your phone-now" money appealers - although also the most successful - Mike Murdock. Paschal borrows from other writers too - notably Gloria Gaither, but several are her very own; for example the stirring "His Truth Is Marching On". Some of these tunes, however, don't so much march on as plod on, and it's these, too, that test even the most sentimental of musical tastes. I have to confess, though, that "A Strange Way To Save The World" from her 1993 Christmas album, succeeds, for me at least, in tugging on the heart strings. The fact that Janet was diagnosed with cancer in 2005 (though she's in remission at time of writing) tends to give added poignancy to the lyrics of several tracks.

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