Lenten Prayers
Posted March 22, 2018
By MaddyAgers_NRT, Staff Reviewer
Andrew Peterson has a history of bringing truthfully sweet acoustic stories to the table with albums like Counting Stars and The Burning Edge of Dawn. He brings the timely EP Resurrection Letters: Prologue to us before the Easter holiday. Listen in for breathtaking Biblical reminders carrying you through the death of Jesus. It is a precursor to his upcoming album, Resurrection Letters: Volume 1, which comes out on Good Friday and will celebrate life and Spring. Both are years-later prequels to his album Resurrection Letters: Volume 2 which released in 2008.
What it Sounds Like:
Peterson takes the gloomy moment of Jesus' death and dwells on the beauty found in the sacrifice. The project starts with "Last Words (Tenebrae)," a song with beautiful piano melody as a backdrop with crescendos and decrescendos to pull attention to the message. "Well Done, Good and Faithful" and "God Rested" show off the classic Andrew Peterson style: lovely vocals and acoustic undertones. "The Ninth Hour" draws you in as the dramatic strings and soft piano speak for themselves. In the bittersweet "Always Good," Peterson lays out a prayer recognizing God's goodness in a tough moment where goodness seems far away.
Spiritual Highlights:
Written as a Lenten prayer, this EP is essentially a study guide accompaniment to the death of Jesus. The intention of Prologue is clear: to bring us a timely reminder. "Last Words (Tenebrae)" repeats the phrase, "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do." The more you listen to those words, the more you will be brought down to your knees in awe. "Well Done, Good and Faithful" brings more light to humanity's affliction in the story and Jesus' prayer on the cross: "You are he who formed his flesh, by your almighty word / And since he hung upon the breast, his hope was in the Lord."
Best Song on the Record:
Last June, I remember reading about a mother who had just given birth and died shortly after. My heart broke for the new family, and I watched as a community rallied together to offer whatever they could. Andrew Peterson knew the family and wrote "Always Good" after hearing the husband, lying on the floor, say "He is always good" over and over again. After learning about that, "Always Good" has become my favorite song on this EP. Mandolin undertones bring this beautiful anthem to life as Peterson looks past the immediate sorrow to find goodness.
For Fans Of:
JJ Heller, Ginny Owens, Rich Mullins, Sara Groves
Final Word:
Peterson writes a story in music of the death and resurrection of Jesus. Prologue is an amazing EP, packed with reminders about the true meaning of Easter. The perfect soundtrack to your Lent Bible study, I cannot wait to hear Resurrection Letters: Volume 1 on Easter morning.
Listen on Spotify or iTunes.
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