Counting Stars

Prime Cuts: Many Roads, Fool with a Fancy Guitar, The Magic Hour

"If you step inside this great glass elevator it will take us up above the city lights" are the first words of invitation Peterson cordially issues at the start of this disc. "Counting Stars" is a ruminative sonic journey whereby Peterson offers us to take us to the top of life's tower and offers us a panoramic view of life. From the top, we are able to make sense of the intricacies of life and the things that matter to us and God. It's also from such height we are able to count the stars of God's blessings as Abraham did all those years ago in the Bible. And what makes this pilgrimage such an endearing one is that Peterson is a writer of the heart. With carefully crafted narratives, well-chosen images and scripturally informed messages, Peterson is never a soporific tour guide. This may also be attributive to the fact that Peterson is more than just a Contemporary Christian artist he's also a Christian writer of children and young adult books. Even the song titles like "The Magic Hour," "Fool with a Fancy Guitar" and "Dancing in the Minefields" are rifle with a C. S. Lewis-esque intrigue that makes you want to listen to them.

Sonically, Peterson holds his very own well. Instead of giving in to the cookie cutter and sounding like the next Steven Curtis Chapman or Caedmon's Call, Peterson has carved out his own niche. Unbounded by convention, Peterson would often experiment with rustic instruments (like the banjo) to the lush arrangements of strings. Yet, most of the time, he keeps things simple with a folk and country slant to most of the songs' execution. And such simplicity in arrangements in no ways dilutes the powerful messages of the songs. Case in point is the piano-led ballad "Many Roads." "Many Roads" is a fine illustration of Romans 8:28 whereby Peterson sings about how the various roads of our lives are not serendipitous but they are God-ordained. Gentle and soothing to the soul is "The Magic Hour" a worship hymn to God's creativity in creation packed with picturesque lyrics that is just adoringly sweet.

While many contemporary Christian artists are reticent to speak boldly about Scriptural truths, Peterson knows no such restraints. "In the Night" strings together the stories of the Bible whereby God interceded in the midst of the most trying times with the song culminating in the Cross. This is a magnificent epic that sums up the consistency of God's sovereignty perfectly. Also, affective is the autobiographical "Fool with a Fancy Guitar"--here Peterson explains that without Christ empowering all he does, he's just a "fool with a fancy guitar." While the guitar-driven anthemic "The Reckoning" (though quite weak in its melody) is heart's cry to Christ's second coming in the face of suffering.

Peterson has not cast his sight so lofty that he does not deal with everyday relationships. The ethereal "Dancing in the Minefields" addresses the need to persevere in the midst of the ups and downs of a marital relationship. On the other hand, the average sounding "Planting Trees" speaks of the need to make a difference by investing in our people's lives. Perhaps, the major weakness of this CD is that Peterson has fallen into the same trap as many singer-songwriters. Some of the songs suffer from a lack of identity melodically, so a few songs tend to flow into each other. Other than this quibble, "Counting Stars" is a worshipful sonic experience that will get us to count the stars of God's blessings with repeated listening.

I can't get past being taken up in the Great Glass Elevator and being left there to enjoy the journey through thought and scene, place and time.
You are brought in closely to Andrew's marriage at the same time made to look at what you hold dear to your heart, to their kids at bedtime, then to a back seat of a van/car with all the young Square Pegs with their dreams and hopes full of expectation, to a ground level view of the woman caught in adultery and then to cry for the Lord Jesus' return. You are comforted by Andrew's admittance of his faults but yet still somehow given the promise of how God views you as one of His children.
This is a very intimate album both from Andrew's point of view and the tone of the music. It is traveling music for the heart, mind and soul.
I CAN'T STOP LISTENING TO IT.

I've only heard this album through twice, and Andrew's music takes many more listens to fully appreciate, but I think this album will replace 'Love and Thunder' as my favorite AP album. It's so full of beauty and truth. Almost every song can move you to tears. The best song is 'Dancing in the Minefield', about the covenant of marriage. For any one that loves music that will speak to your mind, your heart and your soul, please, please buy this album. 5 stars aren't nearly enough.