Counting Stars by Andrew Peterson
Reviewed by Bert Gang
"...offering
newcomers and dyed-in-the-wool devotees alike an impressive array of
intriguing, sturdily-crafted pieces from one of Christian pop’s
most talented practitioners."
James Lipton,
host of the Bravo cable television series, Inside the Actors Studio,
once quipped during an interview with John Cusack that, “When
you go to see a John Cusack movie, you know exactly what you’re going
to get.” Far from intimating that Cusack was one-dimensional or less
than thoroughly engaging, Lipton’s remark was actually meant as an
acknowledgement of the consistency and distinctiveness of Cusack’s
imposing body of work. Those most familiar with Andrew Peterson’s career
trajectory up to this point might well be tempted to apply that same sort
of remark to the critically-heralded performer’s back catalog. Indeed,
from the time of his 1996 debut indie debut, Walk, all the way up
to 2008’s
Resurrection Letters, Volume II, the man who many have dubbed the
heir apparent to Rich Mullins has been faithfully surveying the intersection
where the
folk and pop roads meet, with equally winning results.
Fortunately for those in the fan
base, Peterson’s latest work serves
up yet another welcome slice of that which his truest devotees are hankering
for. The winning album opener, “Many Roads,” marries an absolutely
engrossing melody line to a consummately-woven instrumental texture that
is, at once, both lilting and haunting. Likewise, the buoyant cadence of “Dancing
in the Minefields” ought to be at absolute odds with its distinctly
sober-minded thesis on the inherent challenges of married life – and
yet, somehow, its disparate halves fit together flawlessly. The sparseness
of the beautiful piano-based “Isle of Skye” works perfectly to
heighten its inspiring sense of majesty. And the country-inflected minor-keyed
tones of “In The Night My Hope Lives On” run in reverse time
through essential ‘80s-era Mellencamp releases like Scarecrow and The
Lonesome Jubilee all the way back to the enthralling traditional folk well
from which Peterson seems to draw from so effortlessly.
His sparkling
musical acumen notwithstanding, it is Peterson’s lyrical
skills that truly set him apart from the majority of his peers. Like
each of the projects that have come before it, Stars shows him to be a songwriter
of near-unparalleled literacy and insight. “The Magic Hour” (“Come
walk the cedar stand/ Over the broken dam/ Sit on the bench at the bend in
the trail again”) paints a picture of razor-sharp clarity and heart-warming
poignancy. “Many Roads” highlights his uncanny ability to bounce
between self-effacing humor (“If you traveled all this way/ Then I
will do my best to play/ My biggest hits/ That don't exist”) and gut-level
honesty (“I cast out all these lines/ So afraid that I will find/ That
I am all alone”) in virtually the same breath. And “In the Night
My Hope Lives On” manages the seemingly impossible feat of recounting
the old, familiar, stories of the Red Sea, Elisha’s battle and the
prodigal son in such a way that most listeners will feel as if they’re
hearing them for the very first time.
On the rarest of occasions, Peterson’s lyrics teeter on the verge of becoming overly precious or self-referential. And just as a fair portion of efforts like The Far Country and Behold The Lamb Of God tended to be somewhat musically undistinguished, cuts such as “Fool with a Fancy Guitar” and “Planting Trees” from Stars lack the near-instant memorability that informs his most well-constructed compositions. In Peterson’s defense, the tracks on the new record are never less than impeccably performed. And his aforementioned way with words goes a great distance toward compensating for the occasional musical misstep. Those who’ve heard Peterson’s previous releases and found that they could take them or leave them aren’t likely to be brought into the fold by what they hear on the latest outing. And his 2000 major-label debut, Carried Along, still remains the most ideal jumping-in point for the uninitiated. Taken on its own merit, however, Counting Stars fares quite nicely, indeed – offering newcomers and dyed-in-the-wool devotees alike an impressive array of intriguing, sturdily-crafted pieces from one of Christian pop’s most talented practitioners.
On the rarest of occasions, Peterson’s lyrics teeter on the verge of becoming overly precious or self-referential. And just as a fair portion of efforts like The Far Country and Behold The Lamb Of God tended to be somewhat musically undistinguished, cuts such as “Fool with a Fancy Guitar” and “Planting Trees” from Stars lack the near-instant memorability that informs his most well-constructed compositions. In Peterson’s defense, the tracks on the new record are never less than impeccably performed. And his aforementioned way with words goes a great distance toward compensating for the occasional musical misstep. Those who’ve heard Peterson’s previous releases and found that they could take them or leave them aren’t likely to be brought into the fold by what they hear on the latest outing. And his 2000 major-label debut, Carried Along, still remains the most ideal jumping-in point for the uninitiated. Taken on its own merit, however, Counting Stars fares quite nicely, indeed – offering newcomers and dyed-in-the-wool devotees alike an impressive array of intriguing, sturdily-crafted pieces from one of Christian pop’s most talented practitioners.
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