Third Classic Petra Album - All New Songs

[executioner]

I actually like them renaming the old songs. It brings them update and new freshness to them. My 15 yr old stepson likes it a lot, but wouldn't ever give the old ones the time of day.

[adpetrafan]

So how many best ofs do we have already from PETRA? How many more do we want? BTTR ist nothing more than a best of new recorded with some modifications.

I could not dissagree with this more. Each song is either new, or re-recorded and changed. I can't wait to hear more new versions. I have skipped best-of packages in the past because I already had the music. This is different.

[Mountain Man]

Two albums of reworked classics seems a bit much to me, but three would be overkill so I welcome the third album being new. I really hope the songs have some zing.

I'm actually really enjoying the remakes -- in some cases I actually like them better than the originals -- so I think Back to the Rock has plenty of zing. Plus, that's Louie actually playing the drums, which is something we've heard so rarely over the years.

Maybe they can bring the Elefantes in to produce.

No thanks. I really like the straightforward simplicity of Back to the Rock. It has that quality of real musicians playing real instruments that the Elefante albums always lacked.

[executioner]

I think rerecording the classics has breathe new life into them and we really don't even listen too much to the 2 new songs. I hope they keep doing some more of the classics along the way, but will also be eagerly waiting any new songs they push our way.

[BriGuyPEI]

Plus, that's Louie actually playing the drums, which is something we've heard so rarely over the years.

I just got the CD for Christmas. My heart sank a little when I was reading the liner notes and saw "Percussion Brett Vargason". So does that mean Louie didn't play everything? He must have played some, since there's a picture of him in the studio at the drum kit. But now I have to question once again, how much?

[randy_rc]

Hmmm, That's a little odd... Brett Vargason was drummer for SonicFlood a while back... I wonder what he's doing on the liner notes...

[p-freak]

Maybe Brett Vargason did some additional percussion? He worked with Greg X. Volz and John Lawry on God Only Knows.

[executioner]

I asure you Louie played about 95% of the percussion in the studio. It's very common for a second percussionist to come in and put some finishing touches on the album.

[BriGuyPEI]

Maybe Brett played the triangle in RCSGW?

[BTRPETRAGeorge]

I just found out that a second and then third album will be made sometime this coming January, WOW!!!! Im so excited, it is great to here this, as I really like Petra with GXV. It just takes me back to the early years of a Nostalgic sound of Rock. And I have to agree with some of you, who have said that at first the album didnt catch on too well but now it has grown on me a lot and the remade classics are sounding better than the originals every time I listen to them!!!!

Go CLASSIC PETRA!!!!!

[BriGuyPEI]

Anybody else find that Too Big To Fail sounds a lot like 1990s Yes? I can totally hear Jon Anderson singing this song. It has quickly become one of my favourite Petra songs. It falls into the Must Be Cranked category.

[executioner]

Back in the late 80's when I found out that Louie was not actually playing on the albums it came as a total surprise for me, and in some ways it seemed to be dishonest on Petra's part. Now I go back and look at the notes and I see that there is always additional musicians in the drumming area and I think ok Petra was not dishonest about it, but the way they word it really seems they purposely mislead the average fan that really doesn't know much about the business that Louie actually plays on the album.
Too be honest I think an artist should make it clear in the notes who did and did not play on the album.

[Drumolator]

I really like the new CD, and I am glad more are coming out. But I do not think too much in a short time period is a good idea. I am VERY glad that Louie is doing the drumming. One more CD of remakes and then a CD of new songs is cool. Peace and goodwill.

[Mountain Man]

Back in the late 80's when I found out that Louie was not actually playing on the albums it came as a total surprise for me, and in some ways it seemed to be dishonest on Petra's part. Now I go back and look at the notes and I see that there is always additional musicians in the drumming area and I think ok Petra was not dishonest about it, but the way they word it really seems they purposely mislead the average fan that really doesn't know much about the business that Louie actually plays on the album.
Too be honest I think an artist should make it clear in the notes who did and did not play on the album.

Then you must really hate the Beat the System liner notes since that album was basically Bob Hartman, Greg Volz, and some guy who's name I forget who did all the synth and drum machine work (not Lawry; he apparently came in late in the project and only added a few finishing touches). Louie Weaver and Mark Kelly didn't play at all.

[Mountain Man]

Anybody else find that Too Big To Fail sounds a lot like 1990s Yes? I can totally hear Jon Anderson singing this song. It has quickly become one of my favourite Petra songs. It falls into the Must Be Cranked category.

Jon Anderson? Every time I listen I keep thinking it could have been a John Schlitt song. I have a feeling that it's one of the songs that Hartman had in his pocket ready to go for the follow-up to Jekyll and Hyde. No matter because Volz totally rocks it. At the very least it doesn't sound like he's singing, "God is stupid."