Andrew Peterson has made no bones about the fact that he was inspired by Rich Mullins in his musical career. This has produced a tendency for a hammered dulcimer to show up on his recordings, lyrics about nature, and Biblically-based observations about life, sometimes in an off-kilter way.
Love & Thunder is no different in that regard. But one thing should be noted: If you are going to emulate someone in Christian music, it would be difficult to choose better than Rich Mullins. This album is superior to Peterson's previous works and shows a developing maturity as a writer.
"Canaan Bound" leads off, sung from the viewpoint of Abraham leading his family in the direction of God's promise. The backup vocals here are donated by the always wonderful Alison Krauss. "Family Man," which owes a debt to a Ragamuffin Band musically, concerns itself with losing your own desires in order to replace them with something better:
I am a family man
I traded in my Mustang for a mini-van
That is not what I was headed for when I began
This was not my plan
I am a family man...
"Tools," with Randall Goodgame on backup, is a tribute to Peterson's late grandfather, and draws the metaphor between a workman's tools and those of the Christian faith. "Serve Hymn" works as a song, and as a worship tune, very much in the style of Michael Card. "Let There Be Light" is a celebration of music, and the power it contains, name-checking Bill Monroe and Chet Atkins along the way. "After The Last Tear Falls" lyrically and musically resembles "Bound to Come Some Trouble" (Rich Mullins again). "High Noon" features the aforementioned dulcimer, and "Just As I Am" thanks Christ for His love despite our failings (it's not the old hymn).
Love & Thunder is by far my favorite Peterson recording thus far. His songwriting has depth to it, and the musicians here (Chris Donahue, Steve Hindalong, Derri Daugherty, Matthew Perryman Jones, Ben Shive, Phil Madeira, Andrew Osenga, among others) create an earthy, relaxed tone that is very easy to listen to. Now, if Peterson's voice was just a little better...
4 tocks
Other coverage for this album
The Rebel Base 2003Reviewed by David MartinTo experiment or not to experiment? This is the question that most recording artists face around the time they set to work on their second or third album. Once you've established a "signature sound" that audiences have grown to love over the years, it's a lot harder to get away from it in your later years while still keeping your audience. As much as I may love it when some of my favorite bands…The Phantom Tollbooth 2003Reviewed by Matt Kilgore"Sarah take me by my arm, tomorrow we are Canaan bound," starts Andrew Peterson's new album Love and Thunder. On this particular offering, this isn't so much track one, as it is the first movement of a whole symphony. Andy along with producers Steve Hindalong and Derri Daugherty have crafted a most impressive feat in the area of cohesiveness. It sounds like Peterson sat down in the studio and…Similar sounding releases
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