Clear to Venus

After the release of his debut project, Carried Along, in 2000, singer/songwriter Andrew Peterson and family were given the challenge of adapting to life on the road. It was while traveling from city to city in a Winnebago that he dubbed the Millennium Falcon that Peterson gave birth to the 11 songs on the 2001 sophomore album, Clear to Venus. The project, which is true to the acoustic guitar/folk sound of Carried Along, features Peterson's honest and well-crafted lyrics. More so than his last project, the songs on Clear to Venus give greater reason to compare the songwriter to beloved CCM artist Rich Mullins. Songs such as "No More Faith" and "Loose Change" offer self-revealing glimpses penned in true story-like fashion. While the album is composed primarily of tracks written solely by Peterson or by him and friend Gabe Scott, also included is "Mary Picked the Roses." The song's lyrics were written by Mullins before his death and offered to Peterson by a Mullins family friend. While Andrew Peterson — a group who also includes Peterson's wife, Jamie, and best friend, Gabe Scott — has been compared to Caedmon's Call and Bebo Norman, the artist is creating a musical legacy all his own. Clear to Venus clearly testifies to Peterson's ability to relate to audiences in an honest and personal manner.