The Far Country is the sixth album by the American singer-songwriter Andrew Peterson, released in 2005. The title is from a quote by Meister Eckhart, a 16th-century German spiritual teacher that says, "God is at home. We are in the far country."[1]
| The Far Country | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | August 30, 2005 | |||
| Recorded | February–May 2005 | |||
| Studio | The Velvet Eagle, Fireside Studios and Submerge Studios (Nashville, Tennessee) | |||
| Genre | Christian pop, Christian rock, folk rock | |||
| Length | 42:31 | |||
| Label | Fervent | |||
| Producer | Ben Shive | |||
| Andrew Peterson chronology | ||||
| ||||
Background
editPeterson worked with Ben Shive, in the production of this album.[2] Fervent Records released the album on August 30, 2005.[3]
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [3] |
| CCM Magazine | A[2] |
| Christian Broadcasting Network |   [4] |
| Christianity Today | [5] |
| Cross Rhythms |   [6] |
| Jesus Freak Hideout | [7] |
| The Phantom Tollbooth | 4.5/5[8] |
Awarding the album four and a half stars at AllMusic, Jared Johnson states, "The Far Country saw Andrew Peterson going to great lengths to create a thought-provoking acoustic concept album, a sparkling feat indeed considering how dry the CCM-folk well had run by 2005."[3] David Mackle, rating the album an A for CCM Magazine, writes, "The Far Country, exudes a pride swallowing intimacy that begs you to bend your ear its way and then pushes you toward hope...Peterson is writing his own legacy, and you need to hear it."[2] Giving the album four and a half stars from Christianity Today, Russ Breimeier says, "Peterson excels with relatable lyrics grounded in both Scripture and everyday life, thus communicating timeless truths, rather than merely reciting them."[5] Jennifer E. Jones, indicating in a four spins review by Christian Broadcasting Network, replies, "His signature sound of quiet folk has barely changed a note, which works for Peterson because it allows his stellar lyric-writing skills to shine."[4] Signaling in a four and a half star review at Jesus Freak Hideout, Laura Nunnery describes, "Peterson's songs may have a folk sound, but they are anything but boring."[7] Michael Dalton, rating the album a four and a half from The Phantom Tollbooth, responds, "Andrew Peterson directs us toward home in a way that makes it a little easier to live in the far country...This is a look to heaven that alternates between hope, yearning and joy."[8] Giving the album a seven out of ten for Cross Rhythms, Mike Rimmer recognizes, "Elsewhere the acoustic sounds, poppy melodies and sensitive arrangements make this a winner if not a little derivative of Mullins' oeuvre."[6]
Track listing
editAll tracks are written by Andrew Peterson unless otherwise noted
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Far Country" | Peterson, Ben Shive | 4:35 |
| 2. | "Lay Me Down" | 4:07 | |
| 3. | "Queen of Iowa" | 3:58 | |
| 4. | "Little Boy Heart Alive" | 4:36 | |
| 5. | "The Haven's Grey" | Peterson, Shive | 3:58 |
| 6. | "Mystery of Mercy" | Randall Goodgame, Peterson | 3:19 |
| 7. | "Mountains on the Ocean Floor" | 4:54 | |
| 8. | "All Shall Be Well" | 4:33 | |
| 9. | "For the Love of God" | 5:03 | |
| 10. | "More" | Peterson, Pierce Pettis | 3:28 |
| Total length: | 42:31 | ||
Personnel
edit- Andrew Peterson – lead vocals, acoustic guitar, backing vocals (3, 5), bouzouki (4), ocarina (4)
- Ben Shive – acoustic piano, keyboards, ocarina (4), backing vocals (4, 7, 8), accordion (5), hammered dulcimer (6), Rhodes electric piano (7), percussion (7), Hammond B3 organ (8)
- Andrew Osenga – electric guitars, backing vocals, resonator guitar (4), bouzouki (4), ocarina (4), mandolin (5)
- Andy Gullahorn – acoustic guitar (2, 3, 9, 10), backing vocals (10)
- Danny O'Lannerghty – bass (1-9), double bass (10)
- Akil Thompson – drums (1-9)
- Paul Eckberg – percussion (1, 2, 4-6, 8-10)
- Ken Lewis – percussion (2, 3, 6-9)
- Kurt Heinecke – Irish whistle (1, 4)
- Stuart Duncan – fiddle (10)
- Jill Phillips – backing vocals (1, 10)
- Ben Peters – backing vocals (4)
- Jason Fuller – backing vocals (7)
- Anklejelly Jones – backing vocals (8)
- Jimmy Hoyt-Washington – backing vocals (8)
Production
edit- Pedro Garcia – executive producer
- Jamie Peterson – executive producer
- Beth Shive – executive producer
- Ben Shive – producer
- Derri Daugherty – engineer
- Josh Davis – engineer, mixing (3, 5, 8-10)
- Andrew Osenga – engineer
- Ben Wisch – mixing (1, 2, 4, 6, 7)
- Bob Boyd – mastering at Ambient Digital (Houston, Texas)
References
edit- ^ "Andrew Peterson: Going Far". Crosswalk. Retrieved June 27, 2015.
- ^ a b c Mackle, David. "Andrew Peterson: The Far Country" (PDF). CCM Magazine. p. 44. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
- ^ a b c Johnson, Jared (August 30, 2005). "The Far Country – Andrew Peterson". AllMusic. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
- ^ a b Jones, Jennifer E. "Peterson, Andrew: The Far Country". Christian Broadcasting Network. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
- ^ a b Breimeier, Russ (August 30, 2005). "The Far Country". Christianity Today. Archived from the original on September 7, 2009. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
- ^ a b Rimmer, Mike (October 3, 2005). "Review: The Far Country – Andrew Peterson". Cross Rhythms. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
- ^ a b Nunnery, Laura (August 15, 2005). "Andrew Peterson, "The Far Country" Review". Jesus Freak Hideout. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
- ^ a b Dalton, Michael (July 27, 2005). "Peterson, Andrew – The Far Country". The Phantom Tollbooth. Retrieved October 6, 2015.