Come Out Fighting

Description

Come Out Fighting is the sophomore solo album by the American singer and songwriter Greg X. Volz, the former lead singer of Petra, release on Myrrh Records in 1988, a division of Word. Also manufactured and distributed by A&M Records. The album was recorded by Dana Cornock, Jonathan David Brown, and Andy DeGanahl at various studios in Orlando, Florida – Rare Form Studio, Wolf’s Head Studios, Parc Studios, and Starke Lake Studios – with additional recording at OmniSound Studios in Nashville and The Pond in Franklin, Tennessee. Produced by George and Michael Atwell for Rare Form Productions, with Greg X. Volz co-producing. (George Atwell actually also produced Petra’s 1979-album Washes Whiter Than with Andy DeGanahl engineering.) Mixed by Andy DeGanahl at Parc Studios i Orlando and Criteria Recording Studios in Miami, Florida. Track arrangements by George Atwell, Michael Atwell, Mike Schmitz, and Greg X. Volz. Vocal arrangements by Greg X. Volz.

All songs written by Mike Schmitz, except “Backburner” co-written with Greg X. Volz, “Come Out Fighting” written by Bob Halligan, and “Dream On”, the Steven Tyler classic originally recorded by his band, Aerosmith. “Back Burner” features backing vocals by Julia Schram and Pam Mark Hall.

‘The River Is Rising‘ found Greg X. Volz doing everything possible to break any connections and comparisons to the sound of his former band, Petra. While the record did create a respectable niche, it did not give Volz the critical and commercial acclaim that he was used to. ‘Come Out Fighting’, rather than focusing in negating the past, accentuates Volz’s well-known assets – an amazing and exhilerating vocal range and a penchant for pop/rock songs with military metaphors – and delivers a stronger effort.

«I Come Out Fighting», a Bob Halligan Jr. song which also appeared on Geoff Moore’s latest, finds Volz in familiar territory, and it works. This arrangement could have come from ‘More Power to Ya‘, yet the Atwells’ production is current and polished to a fresh tone. Just how confident Volz is, shines through on the rather daring cover of Aerosmith’s «Dream On». That he reinvents this FM radio standard and even paints it in a spiritual dimension that cannot be credited to the originators, gives credence to the talent and gumption that have characterized Volz’s career.

The remainder of the material relies on composer Michael Schmitz, who wrote much of the material for ‘River’, but the arrangements put the focus on the hooky memorability of the chorus and Volz’s unique vocal abilities. While ‘Come Out Fighting’ will not overwhelm Volz’s fans, they’ll be glad to have him back in true form. [Brian Quincy Newcomb, CCM, July 1988]

> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/come-out-fighting/1719189570)

LP tracklist:

Side One
A1. “Come Out Fighting” – 3:34
A2. “I Don’t Know Why” – 4:01
A3. “Take Me To The End” – 4:51
A4. “Let The Mountains Fall” – 4:14
A5. “Dream On” – 5:11

Side Two
B1. “What Will Remain” – 4:16
B2. “Back Burner” – 4:44
B3. “Will You Take Me Back” – 4:11
B4. “I Know You By Heart” – 3:24
B5. “Up To The Mountain” – 3:34

Note: Simultaneously released on cassette, 12-inch vinyl LP, and CD by Myrrh Records.

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