Sounds like … an occasionally rough collection of demos and live outtakes in the same folk-pop spirit as Rich Mullins, Caedmon's Call, Derek Webb, and James Taylor.
At a glance … though the album is only recommended to fans because of its scope, style, and quality, there's much to appreciate in this enjoyable album of lost treasures from one of Christian music's most underrated songwriters.
| Track Listing |
1. Land of the Free
2. Bigfoot's Weapons
3. Little Boy Heart Alive
4. Flesh and Blood
5. The Thing About Airplanes
6. Disobeying Orders
7. Alaska or Bust
8. Canaan Bound
9. My Weakness
10. Alien Conspiracy (or, The Cheese Song)
11. Miss Jamie (or, Deerwood Love Song)
12. Eric Peters=My Inspiration
13. Loose Change Live (No Yeah-Yeahs!)
14. Three Days Before Autumn
15. Carolina
16. Doxology (Romans 11)
17. Lullaby
18. Isn't It Love
19. Teaching Serve Hymn
20. Holy Is the Lord
21. Mohawks on the Scaffold
22. My Brother Pete
23. Catch 22
24. The Ballad of Hansberry Brown
|
This is the album Andrew Peterson doesn't want you to hear, warning that, "Vomiting and/or nausea may ensue if album is experienced without proper explanation, ventilation, and eye protection." Call it a self-deprecating "disclaimer" for Appendix A: Bootlegs & B-Sides, his first collection of rarities, released independently with the help of Square Peg Alliance, a Nashville-based support group of artists that also includes Derek Webb, Andrew Osenga (Caedmon's Call), and Jill Phillips.
Some of the tracks on this 77-minute album are indeed rough. Generally, the older the live track, the poorer the sound quality. And some of the demos do sound dated, like "Lullaby," a bittersweet elegy recorded after his wife's miscarriage during sessions for the 1996 indie album Walk. Or "Miss Jamie," as Peterson celebrates his wife's first teaching job after college by speeding up his voice, cutely pretending to be a fifth grader.
However, the album is worth enduring for its many unearthed folk-pop treasures and spoken word interludes. Worthwhile demos include the worshipful "Doxology," the communion anthem "Flesh and Blood," and "The Thing About Airplanes," a touching love song from 1999's Carried Along sessions. Several live tracks celebrate Peterson's best songs from the last seven years with excellent performances, particularly "Canaan Bound" (performed with Alison Krauss) and "Holy Is the Lord." There's also a hilarious ode to Mexican food ("Alien Conspiracy"), satirical potshots at church protocol ("Mohawks on the Scaffold"), and a poignant tribute to the late great Rich Mullins ("Three Days Before Autumn").
Appendix A does in fact strongly resemble Mullins' posthumously released Here in America, showing the many facets of a first-rate songwriter and entertainer connecting with audiences through humor, music, and subjects that range from the everyday to the spiritual. In all fairness, the album is recommended only to fans of Peterson's previous work, yet it truly speaks well of his artistry when even the outtakes hold up as some of the most insightful and inspired songwriting in Christian music.
Andrew Peterson
Appendix A: Bootlegs & B-Sides (Square Peg Alliance)
Released April 2006
Reviewed by Russ Breimeier
Copyright © Christian Music Today. Click for reprint information.
Click here to view our music review archives.
Visit the artist pages for related interviews and reviews.
 |
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
Try an Issue of Today's Christian
RISK-FREE!
|
 |
|
No credit card required. Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery. Offer valid in U.S. only. Click here for International orders.
If you decide you want to keep Today's Christian coming, honor your invoice for just $17.95 and receive five more issues, a full year in all. If not, simply write "cancel" across the invoice and return it. The trial issues are yours to keep, regardless.
Give Today's Christian as a gift
Buy 1 gift subscription, get 1 FREE!
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
