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(Being a Retrospective Look at a Dubious Career in Storytelling and Singing Off-Key)
Artist: Andrew Peterson
Label: Square Peg Alliance
Time: 25 tracks/79:49 minutes
Back in the late sixties or early seventies, I longed to own a bootleg recording of the Beatles. Bootlegs had a special allure, and the Beatles were my favorite band. The thought of owning some obscure but otherwise unavailable recording was tantalizing. Sound quality doesn’t matter as much when you have rare tracks.
I never did find a bootleg. The streets of Eureka are much less conducive to that sort of thing than the streets of Berkeley. Today, however, you can get the equivalent of a bootleg in seconds by downloading those rare tracks on iTunes.
Lately, I’ve noticed a new phenomenon. Perhaps it’s the modern day cousin to bootlegs. It often comes labeled with the word "remix." Artists change their songs by remixing them. Somewhat related are the releases that contain a collection of demo tracks, and live and obscure recordings, like the ones that came out after the death of Rich Mullins.
I must admit to being a little suspicious of the remix variety. I don’t know the motives behind them, but sometimes they seem like filler as fans wait for the next full-blown release. One can wonder if some are motivated by a desire to capitalize on recent success or for financial reasons.
But I am thankful for the recordings that came out after Rich died. The sound quality of some of the material was poor, but for fans like me, they were worth the price of admission.
Adding to the list of rarities, demos and unpolished live cuts comes _Appendix A_ by Andrew Peterson. Here I find ample evidence for the value of this type of recording, especially for fans.
Unlike his polished studio efforts, this captures the raw and unvarnished side of Peterson. With all the electronic wizardry today, it’s not hard to create a Milli Vanilli, but what do you have when you strip away the gloss and sheen. As Appendix A shows, with Andrew Peterson, you have a lot.
What drew me to Rich is what I find in Andrew: poetic and profound lyrics, storytelling, a little quirkiness, a sense of humor and a great mixture of folk, pop and rock. Every skilled person must master the basics of their craft, but some people seemed blessed with a peculiar ability that goes beyond mastery of one’s craft. Peterson’s songs have that magical quality that translates into above average appeal.
Appendix A is not a throwaway recording or a wasted effort. The raw quality provides an opportunity to get to know the person behind the music. Several tracks consist of introductions—often humorous—to some of the songs found on other recordings. The stripped-down nature of most songs lets the artist and lyrics shine. There are several gems not found on any of his other recordings.
"Flesh and Blood" is a beautiful communion song that combines a shimmering lead guitar with acoustic guitar accompaniment. It features lovely harmonizing on the chorus. "The Thing About Airplanes," a storytelling song, is one of a few love songs written for Peterson’s wife, Jamie. Another of those, "Jamie Lynn," is a quiet ode to what his wife means to him. "Carolina" is a simple song with acoustic strumming and harmonizing reminiscent in sound to the folk of the late sixties or early seventies. It recalls simpler times.
"Doxology (Romans 11)" is taken from the last part of Romans 11, where the apostle Paul gets rapturous in a series of immensities that are only fitting in light of all that God has done for us. Guitar and keyboard combine to make this a beautiful song of worship.
As the liner notes indicate—thoughts on each song are provided—the lyrics of the original "Isn’t It Love" tended to get lost in the wonderful bounce and rhythm. This slowed-down, stripped-back version puts the emphasis back on the words.
If one song can make a recording worthwhile, "Three Days Before Autumn" is one among several that could do that for Appendix A. I still remember the tearful phone message that my sister left telling me that Rich Mullins had died. This song chronicles Peterson’s reaction to that news, a man he never knew personally, but eulogizes so beautifully and elegantly here. Mullins fans will want to hear this.
"Lullaby" is a bittersweet song that conveys comfort for the pain of miscarriage. In stark contrast, "Mohawks on the Scaffold" pokes fun at the many traditions, trappings and baggage that Christians unwittingly adopt. Prepare to have your theological toes stepped on. Andrew tries not to leave anyone out in this humorous but pointed romp. "My Brother Pete" is a funny tale of how Andrew’s brother often has a harder time than most. What should be easy often turns into a series of mishaps and complicated circumstances.
This recording of Bootlegs and B-sides is better than many A-sides. It’s a must for Andrew Peterson fans, but the songs are strong enough to have a wider appeal. On average, the sound quality is a little less than normal, but it easily beats those old bootleg recordings. As it stands today, I gladly take this over a poor-sounding Beatles bootleg.
This is a limited edition release available only through Andrew Peterson’s website.
Michael Dalton
July 21, 2006
