Review: Resurrection Letters, Volume II
POSTED BY Matt Conner
I had the pleasure of reviewing AP’s latest, Resurrection Letters, Volume II, over at Soul-Audio and I thought it might be of moderate interest here, seeing as how Andrew Peterson is slightly connected here and that some of us are nominal fans.
If you haven’t purchased this album, do so now! It’s really an incredible listen and much more than a simple listening experience. You can read the full review here.
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A.S. Peterson has crafted a work of compelling historical fiction which begs the question, “Can this really be a debut novel?” With dogged fidelity, Peterson captures the spirit, manners, and social conditions present during the American Revolutionary War. We meet colorful, credible characters who navigate the high seas of life and love, dependence and independence, war and peace, truth and consequence, and despite forays into dark places, The Fiddler’s Gun is beautiful, lyrical, and redemptive.
Walt Wangerin, Jr. strikes again.
Janner Igiby lives in Glipwood, a nothing little village in the land of Skree, on the edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness. Manhood is on the horizon, but Janner finds it hard to feel much hope for the future. Skree is ruled by foreign oppressors, snake men called the Fangs of Dang, servants of a shadowy emperor named Gnag the Nameless. The Skreeans are weak and weaponless. They’re even tool-less. Any Skreean who needs to use a hoe has to borrow one from the Fangs (and fill out the requisite paperwork). And from time to time, the Black Carriage arrives in Glipwood to carry young Skreeans toward an unknown fate across the Dark Sea.
I am not a fan of Civil War literature; in fact, I have always thought of it as one of those weird sub-genres for obsessive types. They’re almost like Trekkies with their re-enactments and maniacal devotion to detail. It’s just not my thing (although I’m secretly jealous that they get to dress up and shoot cannons).
A Randall Goodgame song is like a great independent movie. Characters deliver lines like they were lifted from a break room, a truck stop, or a downtown diner. Seemingly incongruent scenes are juxtaposed and plot isn’t obvious; in fact, narrative–a good story–is often more evident than linear plot lines. An indie movie, like a Randall Goodgame song, seems to tell itself. Rather than being rudely yanked by a chain through a sequence of contrived events, with a Randall Goodgame song, I have the sense that I’m being allowed a willing, but vicarious sneak peak into the real lives of his real characters.
Sara Groves irritates me just a little bit. With each album she makes, she moves from strength to strength and is always raising the bar with the quality, depth, and lyrical ambition of her work. And as a fellow artist, that’s just a little irritating since it means the rest of us are going to have to work harder if we hope to keep up.
I am outside on my front porch. The yellowed leaves are methodically falling from the black walnut in the yard, my breath is chalky visible in the recent cold snap, and lately I have been exploring the unpleasant nuances of the dark night of a soul - my own, to be exact. It is a strange passion we live out on this over-glorified orb of rock hurtling through space at some rate that I’m sure would astound me were I to know what it was. It is an odd series of days, I am realizing, when you question your own faith more than you question your own doubt. And, indeed, it is these nagging questions which have prompted me to share my thoughts on Andrew Peterson’s 2003 album, Love and Thunder.
11-year old Reuben Land, a character in the 2001 book Peace Like a River, provides narration that is clear-eyed and insightful, yet retains the magic, wonder, and innocence of youth. I found it easy to entrust my imagination to the author’s clever method of telling the story through the sensibilities of a pre-teen boy. An author with lesser skill would have either made the boy too smart-alecky for his own good or impossibly cute.
I just finished a book that upon closing it, I felt like it finished me in a sense. A quiet meditative book that reached down and stirred the deep waters in me. It’s Marilynne Robinson’s 2005 Pulitzer prize winner Gilead, given to me by my friend Andrew Peterson.
Eric Peters’s body of work addresses a diverse range of topics, but hope is a recurring theme that gently percolates in the midst of it all. And yet, somewhere between the 2001 masterpiece Land of the Living, and Scarce, the flavor of hope that Peters’s work emits has evolved closer to a tone that is more resolute than what came before. And though the complexion of hope has a broad range, the lyrics from Scarce–while intermittently contrite and timorous as in previous efforts, are now strengthened and bolstered by roots that have grown deeper, radiating an underlying grit and security.
Having read The Great Divorce many times over the years, I’ve found this classic from the great C.S. Lewis to be full of startling clarity and depth on the differences between Heaven and Hell. The only thing both have in common is that both begin in the human will; we can either let Heaven enter us and rule in us to blossom into love and goodness, or allow Hell to infect and reign in our hearts by the daily refusal to submit to Heaven.
Even if you haven’t heard Room to Breathe, its still likely you’ve heard Andy Gullahorn. He’s what I’d call a heavy lifter by trade. He writes lyrics, plays guitar, arranges vocals and adds production help to the work of artists like Jill Phillips and Andrew Peterson.
Allow me to preface this by telling you that I am a great despiser of gushing reviews. I’d much rather write (or read) a scathing dismemberment of the latest Brett Ratner film or Terry Goodkind book than suffer through four hundred words of overblown hyperbole about even the best of things. But when asked to write some thoughts on Frederick Buechner’s Godric, no amount of distaste for high praise was able to intervene. I hope you’ll take what I say with the understanding that I do not say it readily or lightly.
Love and Thunder was like a five gallon bucket of cool clear water over the head after walking down an asphalt road in Georgia in the middle of July.
Resurrection Letters is like a Chateau Elan ‘79 muskidine wine. The after taste stays with you. It was ‘80 when I tasted that wine and I still remember it today.
I met Andrew after a concert in Greenville SC a few years back and I told him that his music had messed me up. It contimues to mess me up. Whether reminding me about the story of Hosea or how a song can change everything in I Believe.
Thanks AP and gang for another great album.
Mike, your wine simile has sold me.
I got my CD’s in the mail yesterday. Great stuff, I look forward to digesting the songs over the next few weeks. not literally…..but you know…
Amen Matt! I too received my CDs yesterday. Having the web link was one thing, but now the full experience is at hand. Like Andy S. and Mike I’ll look forward to savoring this fine wine.
Mike - You are right of the road from us in Suwanee. In fact, I’ll be up at Gainesville Community College for my son’s country meet tomorrow morning. Next time Andrew is nearby we’ll have to caravan over to the show– soon he’ll have Rabbit Roomers like Buffet has Parrotheads. If that turns out to be the case, I guess we’d show up in tweed jackets smoking pipes.
After nearly 2 listens to the CD I can say without a doubt (as if I needed more evidence) that AP can’t make a bad CD. His songs move me like no other artist I’ve ever heard. I can’t count the number of songs that on the first note can make me weep. I thank God for you AP.
Got mine yesterday too! Of course I ended up downloading Heller’s album too, so I was conflicted… but what a great dilemma!
Tony, I’ve got the pipe, I’ll have to buy a tweed jacket. I’m kinda bummed that there won’t be a BTLOG show within driving distance this year. (at least not the last time I checked) I’ve taken someone different every year. Two years, groups from church. Some of my friends love AP’s music but have yet to see a show. I’ve go to church with a guy who says he’ll sponsor on if our church will hold it. We’re working so I’ll be sure to let you know if we can pull it off for next year.
Hope you son does well at the meet. I’m an old track coach myself.
The one flaw with the Rabbitroom is that I can’t stinkin’ edit
I go to church………………
and
he’ll sponsor one……………
The best thing for me about Resurrection Lettersd is that someone finally wrote a good song about the story of Hosea that didn’t come across as melodramatic or trite. Very good work on that one.
An excellent review, Matt. Thank you.
“For the uninitiated (which is criminally possible considering that dime-a-dozen songwriters receive 10x the radio spins that someone like Peterson will), Andrew Peterson is a Godsend of a songwriter, an under-the-radar half poet, half town crier who has released album after album of thematic beauty.”
Gold.
I received my CD’s today and I couldn’t be happier! I’ve been listening to the album online for weeks and I’m thrilled to have my own copy.
Resurrection Letters Volume II is everything I expected: artistic, weighty and beautiful.
Mike,
Bummer about BTLOG. My wife tried to work it out with AP’s folks to bring it to our church (Perimeter in Duluth). Alas, it just didn’t work out. I had heard another church in the Atlanta area was still trying to host. So, maybe it will make it here yet! The next time you have a group going to a show in the area let me know.
Have a great week-end!
I got mine today!!!!!
Thanks Andrew and everyone involved!!!
AHHHHHHHHHHHHH. AP is in Conyers tonight and I just found out.
My friend and I ordered copies together, and she gave me mine today. WOO HOO! I’ve listened online, but it’s so much better “in person”.
I got my CDs last week and have listened about 18 times. My husband wanted to listen yesterday when we were working in our den. After about the first 3 songs I looked at him and said,”Do you hear it?” And he said “Hear what?” And I said, “THE EXCELLENCE THAT IS IN EVERY SONG, EVERY WORD, EVERY NOTE!!!” He said that he did, but looked at me as if I were a freak. Well, what else can I say? He’s an engineer, I’m a musician! Besides all that, WOW! God is in every nook and cranny of that CD. I ordered several in the 2-for-1 pre-sale. I’ve already given them away…one to Houston, and 2 here in Tulsa. I need more!!!!!! I have soooo many people to enlighten. Thanks AP and crew for being excellent for Christ.
I got mine just in time for a 3hr (each way) road trip this weekend. 80% of the trip was spend listening to this (Steelers prevented 100%).
Great stuff that you can dig deeper and uncover more with each listen. I’m a lyric guy, so I’m awestruck at how every word is intentional and not just a filler to tie a few points together.
Well crafted; well done.
Have listened to the CD continuously since receiving it last week. Songs are now so much deeper since we saw AP in concert in Conyers on Friday night and heard the stories and scripture behind each song. I am puzzled that AP is not more popular. He is truly a talented songwriter and no one gives him credit for his guitar playing ability. On several of his new songs I caught myself comparing him to James Taylor, both vocally and instrumentally.
I pray that this CD, along with his others, will reach the masses and allow AP to financially continue to share his gift of songs and storytelling to us.
By the way, AP made reference to the Far Country not being heard by many due to lack of record label. My son informed me that on Allmusic.com, a music review website, that Far Country was the highest rated CD on the site! AP, be encourage!
Can’t wait for the Ryman and BTLOG - already have tickets.
Mike/Tony,
We were going to go to the Conyers show, but the week-end was packed with other events. I’m glad to hear you guys made it out to support AP. The next time any of the Rabbit Room artists are in town, let’s see if we can gather together and cheer them on.
My wife wants to go to Nashville for BTLOG just don’t think we can pull it off as it is a busy time of year for me work-wise. I hope other folks who enjoy this site make it there though. That would be a good connecting point for this collective of artists, writers and those us who support them.
Have a great week!
From the birth of “Rise and Shine” to “The Good Confession”…you Rock. Thank-ful are the fans who are glued to lyrics of a well orchestrated story that draws us back to the inside cover in hopes of gleaning a better insite to the orgin of composure. And there it is. Without even sliding it from its hardened plastic cover (that will make a great ice scraper in the near future because the cd is forever stuck in the player). On that cover AP completes the beginning of the next project… “He came back.” Thanks… I needed that.
This is an amazing work. Thanks Andrew.
… all I’ve listened to since it came in the mail, like so many other Rabbit Roomers, and it really does speak hope into my life like nothing I’ve heard in awhile.
Thanks, AP, for your faithfulness to His gift in your life.
MK
Thank you for this CD, AP. I have been a follower of Christ for many years, but I really needed the reminder right now that He truly does make All Things New. Thank you.
My husband and I went to the free Resurrection Letters concert in E-town, Ky on Weds. of this week and felt our souls described and encouraged. Thank you to all of you who worked so tirelessly to put this CD in our hands. I praise God for his care of our hearts through you alls careful/prayerful work. Thank you for pointing me to Christ!