Description
The River is Rising is the first major label solo album by the American singer and songwriter Greg X. Volz, former lead singer of Petra, released on Myrrh Records in 1986, a division of Word. Also manufactured and distributed by A&M Records. The album was produced and recorded by Jonathan David Brown at OmniSound Studios in Nashville and at The Bennett House in Franklin, Tennessee; with Greg X. Volz co-producing. Mixed by Brown at Mama Jo’s Recording Studio in North Hollywood, California.
The previous year Greg X. Volz had announced that he intended to leave his post as lead singer for Petra to pursue a solo career upon completion of the band’s 1985 Beat the System tour (which was followed by the release of a double live album, Captured in Time & Space). Volz’ solo album The River Is Rising was co-produced by Volz and Petra producer Jonathan David Brown. “Hold On To The Fire” features backing vocals by Matthew Ward (2nd Chapter of Acts) and Mark Farner (Grand Funk Railroad), with Phil Keaggy (Glass Harp) on lead guitar. “Joyous Grave” features a keyboard solo by John Lawry of Petra.
I suppose that if you wanted to stretch a point, you could compare the departure of Greg Volz from Petra to that of Diamond Dave from Van Halen or Peter Cetera from Chicago. You know – “recognizable voice leaves hitmaking machine.” Though not in the league of Van Halen or Chicago sales-wise, Petra is, arguably, the best-known Christian rock band around, and Volz’ pipes have, more or less, defined the Petra sound for several years.
Greg’s voice seems less strained than it has on the past few Petra efforts. He breaks into his trademark wail less often – which makes it that much more effective when he does. Production-wise, Jonathan David Brown is to be congratulated for making the keyboards and rhythm boxes sound “warm.” ‘The River is Rising’ is less mechanically precise than ‘Beat the System‘, and the title tune characterizes this more “human” approach. Lush, orchestrated synths swell around a mid-tempo track that exploits the inherent soulfulness of Volz’ voice. The songs are, for the most part, well-arranged and tightly executed, but, with four cuts over five minutes and four over four minutes, they could have done with some editing.
Then there’s the matter of sequencing. Of side one’s four tracks, only the title tune and «Heaven Is within You» distinguish themselves. Flip the disc, and brother, you have another record altogether! «Barrier» begins the side with a scorching guitar riff that rivals the best Petra hooks. The commercial bent of southern rockers .38 Special is recalled on the crunching, guitar-driven «Joyous Grave».
«Living for the Bell» takes a lament for the working man (a la Springsteen or Mellencamp) one step further by placing the protagonist in church. After singing about trying to escape work and school, Greg deals with the idea of racing to get out of church. The pop vocal mix of «Still Waters» is especially slick, and the “woo-hoo, yeah-yeah, no-no” lick on the chorus is a great hook. The corporate rock leaning of Starship are embraced on the LP closer, «All I Can Do». The beat plods a little, but layered vocals and brief, biting solos keep things moving. Like Starship’s Mickey Thomas, Greg Volz shares an affinity for stratospheric vocal riffing, and, also like Mickey, Greg has excellent command of his voice. While not departing totally from the Petra sound, Volz makes ‘The River Is Rising’ different enough to claim his own territory in the increasingly crowded Christian rock marketplace. [Bruce A. Brown, CCM, October 1986]
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LP tracklist:
Side One
A1. “Barrier” – 4:32
A2. “Joyous Grave” – 4:22
A3. “Livin’ For The Bell” – 3:51
A4. “Still Waters” – 5:03
A5. “All I Can Do” – 4:36
Side Two
B1. “Heaven Is Within You” – 4:35
B2. “The River Is Rising” – 5:15
B3. “Hold On To The Fire” – 5:05
B4. “Man Like You” – 5:20
Note: Simultaneously released on cassette, 12-inch vinyl LP, and CD by Myrrh Records. Both the cassette and the CD editions of the album feature a bonus track, “Break Out Of The Trance”. Three singles were released: A 7-inch two-sided vinyl single featuring “The River Is Rising”, b/w “Livin’ For The Bell”; a 12-inch two-sided vinyl single featuring “Man Like You”, b/w “Hold On To The Fire”; as well as a 12-inch two-sided vinyl single featuring two tracks on side A – “Still Waters” (AC Single, 3:45) and “All I Can Do” (CHR/ROCK Single, 4:36), and Greg X. Volz Radio Special on side B, an interview with Greg X. Volz hosted by Jon Rivers – Segment One (13:50) and Segment Two (10:45).
Greg X. Volz Radio Special, 1987
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