Tag: Greg X. Volz

Greg describes this album as “A loosely-bound concept album beckoning the listener ‘out of Egypt'”. I can hear that the album has a “concept” kind of flow but I struggled to hear the message he is trying to portray. I really have no idea how well this album was received but I’ll be honest, I’m just not feeling this album. I’m not saying it’s a bad album just not one of his best but maybe I’m just being picky. There are a couple really good tracks but I’m missing that Rock & Roll feel of his previous solo albums. But I’m just thinking now that perhaps that’s what Greg was aiming for. Anyway the album definitely does deserve to be listened to and individually there are some real good tracks.

Tracklist
1 – What Then – 5:24
2 – Set Up (To Take A Fall) – 4:08
3 – Man Overboard – 3:23
4 – In The Course Of Time – 5:48
5 – Marching On – 4:35
6 – Freedom Train – 4:41
7 – The Exodus – 4:38
8 – On Bended Knees – 5:07
9 – Come To Me – 4:37
10 – Standin’ – 3:51

Credits
Acoustic Guitar – Chris Rodriguez
Arranged By – Carl Marsh
Backing Vocals – Dan Keen, GXV, John Hodge
Bass – Gary Lunn, Jimmy Lee Sloas
Co-producer – Greg X Volz
Design [Cover Design & Logo] – Jolly Design
Drums – Marvin Steinberg
Guitar – Chris Rodriguez, Jerry McPherson
Guitar [Guitar Solo] – J. R. McNeely
Keyboards – Carl Marsh, Gary Lunn
Layout – Becky Volz
Mastered By – Ken Love
Producer, Recorded By, Mixed By – Jonathan David Brown

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – River Records
Copyright © – River Records
Distributed By – Spectra, Inc.
Distributed By – Christian Marketing
Distributed By – Christian Marketing Limited
Distributed By – Maranatha Record Company
Recorded At – Johnny dB’s Basement
Recorded At – Scrimshaw Sound
Recorded At – Allies Recording Studio
Mixed At – Asaph Recording Studio
Mixed At – Duckworth Studio
Mastered At – Mastermix
Published By – Xavier Music
Published By – Scripture In Song
Published By – Maranatha Music
Published By – Meadowgreen Music
Published By – GIA Publications, Inc.
Published By – Dimension Music

This was Greg’s 3rd solo album and his first on what I suspect is his own label “River Records”. I am actually quite impressed how well he did with a new label release. You can’t argue with an album with 4 top 20 CCM chart hits with “Waitin’ On Someday” doing the best making it to #5. Now we know that CCM chart hits do not translate into sales so I would love to hear some sales numbers for this album as it did struggle with distribution. Anyway let’s get to the album itself. Greg’s excellent vocals dominate as usual. CCM chart numbers mean nothing to me so I think the best track is “Gethsemane”. Unfortunately because it is 7:40 long it will not end up in my regular rotation as quite frankly I get bored with it at about the 5 minute mark. I feel I need to address the “Feelings” track as I can’t decide if it was intentionally quirky or just a bad musical decision. But that’s the end of my criticisms because this is a great album and is a must listen to.

Tracklist
1 – Walk Toward The Light – 4:51
2 – No Room In The Middle – 3:48
3 – Love Moves In A Different Circle – 4:13
4 – The Carpenter – 4:05
5 – I’m Yours – 5:58
6 – Servants And Witnesses – 5:05
7 – Feelings – 5:18
8 – Frontline – 4:19
9 – Gethsemane – 7:38
10 – Waitin’ On Someday – 5:46

Credits
Arranged By – George Atwell, Michael Atwell
Bass – Gary Lunn, Matt Pierson
Co-producer – Greg X. Volz
Design – Camille Engel
Drums – Marvin Steinberg
Guitar – Kirk Henderson, Paul Brannon, Tom Hemby
Keyboards [Additional] – Jonathan David Brown
Keyboards, Arranged By – Carl Marsh
Mastered By – Ken Love
Mixed By, Producer, Recorded By – Jonathan David Brown
Photography By – Russ Harrington
Saxophone – Mark Douthit
Synthesizer – Joe Hogue
Vocals – Greg X. Volz

Companies, etc.
Distributed By – GMI Records
Recorded At – Johnny dB’s Basement
Mixed At – Johnny dB’s Basement
Mastered At – Mastermix
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – River Records
Copyright © – River Records

This was Greg’s second solo album and was well received but it wasn’t as strong as his first. I think Myrrh thought the same as he was dropped by the label after this album. The album did have 2 singles on the ACC charts. “Take Me To The End” and “Will You Take Me Back?”. Both only made it to #29 on the charts. That said I will make the point again that an albums representation on this chart has nothing to do with whether it was a good album or not but usually was closer connected to home many easy listening tracks the album had. All that aside I think this is a pretty good album. I like the Pop leaning Rock tracks but the slow tracks are probably the stronger part of the album.

Tracklist
1 – I Come Out Fighting – 3:34
2 – I Don’t Know Why – 4:01
3 – Take Me To The End – 4:51
4 – Let The Mountains Fall – 4:14
5 – Dream On – 5:11
6 – What Will Remain – 4:16
7 – Back Burner – 4:44
8 – Will You Take Me Back? – 4:11
9 – I Know You By Heart – 3:24
10 – Up To The Mountain – 3:34

Credits
Arranged By [Track Arrangements] – George Atwell, Greg X. Volz, Michael Atwell, Mike Schmitz
Arranged By [Vocal Arrangements] – Greg X. Volz
Art Direction – Camille Engle
Booking [Concert] – Jeff Roberts
Design – Barbara Keller, Camille Engle
Drums, Drum Programming – Michael Atwell
Engineer – Andy de Ganhal, Dana W. Cornock, Jonathan David Brown
Guitar – Kirk Henderson
Keyboards – George Atwell, Michael Atwell
Management [Personal] – Ron C. Volz
Mastered By – Chris Bellman
Other [Hair And Grooming] – Michelle Kebre
Photography By, Illustration – Empire Studio
Producer – George Atwell, Greg X. Volz, Michael Atwell
Programmed By [Fairlight And Bass Programming] – Michael Atwell
Programmed By [Synclavier Programming] – Michael Atwell, Rich Head
Tape Op [Tape Transfers] – Gary Platt, Robert Knox
Typography [Typesetting] – D&T Typesetting
Vocals, Backing Vocals – Greg X. Volz

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Word, Inc.
Copyright (c) – Word, Inc.
Manufactured By – Word, Inc.
Recorded At – Rare Form Studio
Recorded At – Wolf’s Head Studios
Recorded At – Parc Studios
Recorded At – Starke Lake Studios
Overdubbed At – OmniSound Studios
Overdubbed At – The Pond
Mixed At – Parc Studios
Mixed At – Criteria Recording Studios
Mastered At – Bernie Grundman Mastering

Greg X. Volz was the lead singer of Petra from 1979 to 1985 and was part of the Classic Petra project Back to the Rock.

This was his first solo effort and it was well received. It is a very heavily produced keyboards and guitar rifts affair that fit relatively well in 1986.

Lyrics were good but not outstanding but quality instrument tracks make up for it. This playlist includes “Break Out Of The Trance” which was a bonus release on the CD reissue.

Track Listing:
1 – Barrier – 4:34
2 – Joyous Grave – 4:26
3 – Livin’ For The Bell – 3:51
4 – Still Waters – 5:04
5 – All I Can Do – 4:40
6 – Heaven Is Within You – 4:38
7 – The River Is Rising – 5:17
8 – Hold On To The Fire – 5:07
9 – Man Like You – 5:32
CD Bonus Track
10 – Break Out Of The Trance – 3:38

Credits:
Bass – Jimmy Lee Sloas
Engineer, Mixed By, Cymbal [Overdubs] – Jonathan David Brown
Guitar – Kirk Henderson
Piano, Synthesizer, Keyboards [Fairlight], Drum Programming [Fairlite Drums] – Carl Marsh
Producer – Greg X. Volz, Jonathan David Brown
Vocals, Backing Vocals, Cymbal [Overdubs] – Greg X. Volz