by ANDREW WEBB

If my house caught fire and I could only take one CD before I jumped out of the burning wreckage, it may very well be Andrew Peterson’s Resurrection Letters, Vol. II. Peterson, member of The Square Peg Alliance, (along with Derek Webb, Jill Phillips, Andrew Osenga, and many more) and author of a fantasy book entitled, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness, has long been one of my favorite singer-songwriters. Needless to say, Andrew Peterson is a storyteller at heart, everything else simply falls into place.

You might be thinking to yourself, “Volume II? How did I miss Volume I?” Peterson decided to release Resurrection Letters, Volume II first, followed by Volume I (which will be an eight song record for the eight days from Palm Sunday to Resurrection Sunday). This idea bloomed out of some writings Peterson posted on his blog during Holy Week (Palm Sunday to Resurrection Sunday) when someone commented on enjoying his “resurrection letters.” Volume I will be focused on Christ’s Passion and Resurrection, while Volume II is focused on “what that resurrection means for me and for us two thousand years later” (Andrew Peterson, andrew-peterson.blogspot.com).

Peterson is the kind of musician other musicians tend to love and hate at the same time. His music seems to come as naturally as breathing, and you start to wonder if people like him are given this kind of talent for a reason. Resurrection Letters, Vol. II is a reason, if you want it. From the first note to the last breath, this record will bring you from wherever you are, to the point of tears, yet will strengthen you beyond all belief. If you are a person of faith, words like, “I need it, I need it / the closer that I grow / the more I come to know / that I need it” to the simple praise in lines such as, “I give you praise oh Great Invisible God” will be inspiring.

And if you are not a person of faith, then you can still be impressed with Peterson’s ability to weave melodies and themes throughout his music that give it a very natural feel. RL has a very folksy, finger pickin’ kind of style, but incorporates orchestral sections and backgrounds that blend so beautifully I don’t quite know which genre in which to place it. The richness of the melodies combine with the creative incorporation of the instruments make for an extremely unique experience.

Another aspect of Andrew Peterson’s songwriting that I can’t get away from is his honesty. He knows what he wants to say, and he says it.

“So you think I’m something special
Like I know a thing or two
Like my eyes don’t ever wander
Like my aim is always true
So you think I’m not a dirty rotten scoundrel through and through
Well lady I’ve got news for you”

Lyrics like this are not typical, especially in contemporary “Christian” music. Peterson addresses real issues that everyone deals with while remaining true to the focus throughout. He is not afraid to talk about pain, struggles, doubt – things that we all know.

That is what I love about Andrew Peterson. He doesn’t act like he is a better person because he is a popular musician, or a Christian for that matter. He is honest, and I think anyone can find comfort in that. If you are new to his music, or an age old fan, you will not be disappointed. It is unique, but still distinctly Andrew Peterson.

“When my body’s weak and the day is long, when I feel my Faith is all but gone, I’ll remember when I sing this song, that I believe.”
~ “The Good Confession”, Andrew Peterson

Artist: Andrew Peterson
Album: Resurrection Letters Vol. II
Release Date: October 21
Our Rating: 9.5

Andrew Webb is a contributing writer for Into the Hill. He lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado. You can agree, or disagree, with his review by emailing him at nallbaka@yahoo.com.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 1st, 2008 at 12:04 am and is filed under Album Reviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.