Here in America

Disc 1
1	Here in America Songwriting Demo 3:01
2	Teaching Awesome God 2:30
3	Verge of a Miracle 4:36
4	Be With You 5:20
5	O Come All Ye Faithful Songwriting Demo 4:33
6	What Trouble Are Giants 3:04
7	Praise Ye the Lord 4:15
8	Hello Old Friends 2:31
9	It Don't Do 4:40
10	Screen Door 3:04
11	Never Heard the Music Songwriting Demo 3:38
12	None Are Stronger 5:17
13	The Lord's Prayer Songwriting Demo 19:33
Disc 2
1	I Will Sing Bonus Track / DVD
2	Sing Your Praise to the Lord Bonus Track / DVD
3	If I Stand Bonus Track / DVD
4	Calling Out Your Name Bonus Track / DVD
5	Elijah Bonus Track / DVD
6	Awesome God Bonus Track / DVD
7	We Are Not as Strong as We Think We Are Bonus Track / DVD
8	Let Mercy Lead Bonus Track / DVD
9	Boy Like Me/Man Like You Bonus Track / DVD
10	F Major Invention Bonus Track / DVD
11	Screen Door Bonus Track / DVD
12	Hold Me Jesus Bonus Track / DVD
13	Sometimes By Step Bonus Track / DVD
14	Creed Bonus Track / DVD
15	Sex and Self-Confidence Bonus Track / DVD
16	Perfection Is Boring Bonus Track / DVD
17	Be Assertive Bonus Track / DVD
18	Killing Philistines Bonus Track / DVD
19	Sensationalism Bonus Track / DVD
20	Worship Buzz Bonus Track / DVD
21	A Reason to Party Bonus Track / DVD
22	Life Is Good Bonus Track / DVD
23	Women & Tragedy Bonus Track / DVD
24	I Never Intended Bonus Track / DVD
25	Temptation in Germany Bonus Track / DVD
26	Driving Without Headlights Bonus Track / DVD

Barnes & Noble

Rich Mullins's death in a 1997 car accident shook the CCM community to its core, and as this collection of previously unreleased material shows, there is good reason to mourn. Few artists are so esteemed in their genre as Mullins, who was beloved for his insightful, folk-pop compositions and also the spiritual convictions that led him to eschew recording success and spend his last years teaching Native American children. Now, nearly five years after his death, Mullins's name and his songs lend instant credibility to a variety of projects (Mullins would no doubt be amused at how many leading CCM lights today claim to have been friends with the artist, who went to great pains to separate himself from the Christian music industry). So it's only natural to approach the arrival of Here in America with some skepticism. True, the producers have worked hard to dispel the notion that they are capitalizing on Mullins's legacy. But there's a bit of discomfort in listening to the material here and on the bonus DVD, all of which are culled from a variety of sources: song demos, recordings of concerts, appearances at spiritual retreats, and so forth. Much of this material will only be interesting to the Mullins aficionado; two passages in which Mullins instructs a youth group in a sing-along are overly long and uninteresting as an audio passage. Better are those in which Mullins tells the stories behind some of his best-loved songs or offers his own perspective on the Christian faith. Many of the CD's live recordings suffer from extremely poor audio quality (Mullins recorded shows on cassette in order to critique his performance). All of which makes this type of audio voyeurism feel a little creepy -- would Mullins himself have wanted to release these cassette tracks, many of which sound like he was performing inside a fruit jar? On the other hand, one does emerge from Here in America with a better notion of who Rich Mullins was and what he believed in, and surely the artist himself would have applauded that. Lisa Zhito

All Music Guide

Throughout his career, Rich Mullins contributed recordings that rank among the best in CCM, and although he left a legacy of studio recordings, what was missing from his catalog was a proper live album. His talent as a songwriter and musician is well documented on disc, yet his true gift would shine through at his live performances, where his engaging spirit spilled out over a captivated audience through music and stories. Here in America is a collection of studio demos and various live performances that provide a small sampling of Mullins' natural ability to perform, entertain, and relate to his audience. Performances on the CD are from 1987, at a time when his career was blossoming and he brimmed with energy, while the DVD features a more reflective and reserved Mullins in a 1997 television concert taped mere months before his tragic auto accident. Without healing any of the bumps and bruises through studio trickery, the live tracks on the CD are presented in their original recorded state from different sources such as a handheld tape recorder, which makes certain songs sound like a recording made by proud parents of their child's band concert. Permeating the hiss with his frenetic personality, Mullins teaches an audience to sing, shares humorous asides, and recklessly accompanies himself on the piano through songs like "Verge of a Miracle," which almost careens out of control. With his guitar and a little accompaniment he rips through a rockin' version of "It Don't Do," surpassing the tepid album version, while the a cappella song "Screen Door" blows away the audience as Mullins and his group create beats with a choreographed cup routine on a tabletop (as seen on the DVD). Scattered throughout the disc are piano/vocal studio demos that include the title track and the jubilant original "O Come All Ye Faithful," a majestic yet obscure song recorded by Debby Boone in 1983 that somehow failed to find its way onto a Mullins album. Sounding more like a bootleg than a formal release, this disc, along with the DVD, is a genuine treat for fans and a nice supplement for followers who want to learn more about Mullins; however, those who are just beginning to discover this talented singer/songwriter would be better served by listening to 1996's Songs, the best-of package. Here in America is not the definitive missing live album, but it does lovingly document the gifts of an artist whose voice, music, and message have been missed. Aaron Latham