The Petra Zone

I realize I am way behind the times, but I just started listening to Greg X Volz's solo albums. He released some fantastic stuff! I am personally more of a John fan, but Greg has an amazing voice as well. What are your favorite Volz solo songs? I like I Come Out Fighting, Man Like You, and Livin' For The Bell.

The stuff straight after Petra is pretty cool, a little corny... Living for the Bell, I come out Fighting are good my number #1: Joyous Grave

Dan wrote:The stuff straight after Petra is pretty cool, a little corny... Living for the Bell, I come out Fighting are good my number #1: Joyous Grave

I'm with you Dan on the early stuff right after Petra; but after that he really fell off. I thought those first 2 albums put Greg in his realm which is mostly pop with a little medium tempo rock mixed in.

This is a great song, imagine it re-done with new guitars etc... this is rocking!

I always liked "Break Out of the Trance". "I Want To Be A Man Like You" is a great song with a great message. I still think his version of "Dream On" is definitive.

"Break Out of The Trance" and "Livin' For the Bell" are both about the #1 for me; I really love that album! The only song on The River Is Rising that I don't really care for is the title track... "Joyous grave" didn't rank very high with me, either, though.

There are two different kinds of Volz songs that I like; the "rockers" (Heaven Is Within You, Come Out Fighting, Set Up, etc.) and the "Inspirational" ones (Man Like You, Waiting on Someday, etc.).

As far as albums go, The River Is Rising is still at the top, but The Exodus is very high in the list... I like the album better than the songs! God Only Knows is next for me; It's the only newer album that I was actually impressed with. Come Out Fighting is decent, but not half as good as his first. No Room In the Middle was rather disappointing; Way too many soft songs, not a whole lot going for it.

Any other albums aren't really worth mentioning; he tried working by himself too much, without any producer, (or anyone else) and made some REALLY WEIRD stuff! (e.g. "There aint no high like the most high!") So if that's your thing, then Volz certainly did a lot of it. His Christmas album is okay, but not exceptional.

The River Is Rising and Exodus are both excellent albums. Greg singing Dream On...Wow.

I just recently discovered GXV's Xavier (1982) album, and I can't help but wonder how it can sound SO different from Washes Whiter Than considering that both albums used the same studio musicians. I find it much more likable than WWT. Also it sounds very similar to Never Say Die especially on the intro to "Don't Look Back" where he utilizes the same note bend as on "Praise Ye the Lord."