This is the album Andrew Peterson doesn’t want you to hear, warning that, “Vomiting and/or nausea may ensue if album is experienced without proper explanation, ventilation, and eye protection.” Call it a self-deprecating “disclaimer” for Appendix A: Bootlegs & B-Sides, his first collection of rarities, released independently with the help of Square Peg Alliance, a Nashville-based support group of artists that also includes Derek Webb, Andrew Osenga (Caedmon’s Call), and Jill Phillips.
Some of the tracks on this 77-minute album are indeed rough. Generally, the older the live track, the poorer the sound quality. And some of the demos do sound dated, like “Lullaby,” a bittersweet elegy recorded after his wife’s miscarriage during sessions for the 1996 indie album Walk. Or “Miss Jamie,” as Peterson celebrates his wife’s first teaching job after college by speeding up his voice, cutely pretending to be a fifth grader.
However, the album is worth enduring for its many unearthed folk-pop treasures and spoken word interludes. Worthwhile demos include the worshipful “Doxology,” the communion anthem “Flesh and Blood,” and “The Thing About Airplanes,” a touching love song from 1999’s Carried Along sessions. Several live tracks celebrate Peterson’s best songs from the last seven years with excellent performances, particularly “Canaan Bound” (performed with Alison Krauss) and “Holy Is the Lord.” There’s also a hilarious ode to Mexican food (“Alien Conspiracy”), satirical potshots at church protocol (“Mohawks on the Scaffold”), and a poignant tribute to the late great Rich Mullins (“Three Days Before Autumn”).
Appendix A does in fact strongly resemble Mullins’ posthumously released Here in America, showing the many facets of a first-rate songwriter and entertainer connecting with audiences through humor, music, and subjects that range from the everyday to the spiritual. In all fairness, the album is recommended only to fans of Peterson’s previous work, yet it truly speaks well of his artistry when even the outtakes hold up as some of the most insightful and inspired songwriting in Christian music.
From the Proprietor:
This is a rough bunch of tracks. I put this CD together with longtime listeners and supporters in mind. If you don’t have any of my other records, chances are you won’t want them if you hear this one first. The sound quality is average, but the recordings span about ten years of my music career and will provide you with some rare performances and songs.
We printed and sold exactly two thousand of these albums, and that, ladies and germs is all. But after responding to an encouraging number of emails from people who missed the printing, I’m making it available here in downloadable form.
