Are you listening? Well, hey, are you listening?
This is a podcast exploring the past present
and future of Christian music and Christian Musicians,
my name is Joel. I'm here with my good friend
Brandon and we connected over a mutual love of
some particular artists But also have kind of
different tastes when it comes to things And
so we get to experience some new artists from
each other while inviting some friends along
for the ride And today we actually have a friend
with us one of my friends Growing up and he was
for me a guy who we played music together. We
lived in the same neighborhood Went to school
together today. I am happy to welcome to our
podcast my friend dusty golf Dusty, how you doing
my friend? I am so good guys. I'm so happy to
be here. By the way, we're so pumped So pumped
to have you we I remember when we started the
podcast, you were one of the first people that
reached out and were like, dude, I'm loving this.
This is so fun. And it for me just brings up
a lot of memories of the two of us and playing
music together. And it's been a long time since
we've seen each other. So even getting to see
each other over over a computer screen is a pretty
cool thing. Yeah, it's awesome and I'll say this
a hundred times I'll be a broken record but the
fact you guys are doing this podcast about Christian
music and uncovering and covering bands that
I know and some I don't know I think it's like
the best thing ever So if I could encourage you
guys to just keep at it and keep doing it and
keep having me on You got it, man. We'll definitely
make that happen. That's awesome. Well, so today
we were I was talking with Dusty and trying to
figure out what would be a good thing for us
to spend some time covering. And he had a while
back kind of submitted some ideas. And and so
Brandon, you're a guy that loves anniversary
years. And so I was like, I wonder if we can
meet like somewhere along the way. And so Dusty,
one of the bands that you mentioned that was
influential for you was the band Petra. And so
I was going through the discography and noticed
that their 1991 album, Unseen Power, would be
celebrating its... 35th year This year, which
makes me feel so old Because this was an album
that I spent time listening to but and so then
for you, like it's also a record that that that
had some meaning. And so we'll talk about that
and get into it in just a little bit. But we're
going to be looking at that unseen power by Petra.
And I think we're in for a good ride when it
comes to that. But before we get into all those
things, I want to talk a little bit about what's
in the news. So what's in the news is Petra.
I don't know how Well, you guys know this, but
Petra is back. I think we've announced this on
the podcast in a new segment at some point, Brian,
do you remember? But we talked about how they
have a new record coming out. And as of recording
this, that album is out. It's an album called
Hope. It is the first Petra album in 20 years.
And it also hits on what is the 50th anniversary
of Petra this year. Like I don't even have a
concept for my mind And I have not listened to
this yet as it came out today But but are you
guys are you guys gonna add this to your library
and check it out? I Feel like I have to because
it's Petra And I'm really curious like how this
is gonna go like I'm sure it's awesome But, you
know, sometimes time isn't kind to artists we
love. Right. And I'm curious to see how this
album's gonna... John Slitt, awesome. Bob Hartman,
awesome. I just feel like I would enjoy it. But
I, yeah, I'm gonna hold it right there before
I make any real opinions on this album. I think
stuff like this is always interesting because,
I mean, as someone who has spent the last week,
you know, diving into a Petra, I'm curious but
yeah I always think it's interesting because
when you have a band it's like if you if you
just do the same thing you've been doing people
are like okay it's the same stuff but then if
you change it up well now people are upset because
you've changed it up and you know like I know
for me I think the closest thing probably the
the oldest or like longest running artist I know
is Toby Mack like And I tell people all the time
that I'm like, if you want to get into them,
it's like, well, if you like pop, listen to this
one. If you like this, because each album changes
so much. Right. But I don't know, maybe Petra
have some rap or maybe. I don't anticipate that,
although it's probably happened on a Petra album.
I mean, everybody was doing it for a while in
the 90s. It was passed when I was listening to
them, if it did. But. I yeah it's interesting
with these all these bands coming back because
um dusty we were talking before we hit record
about nostalgia and how um for us as we get a
little later on in life um those things like
carry a lot of weight and have a lot of meaning
for us just things that were a part of our past
and so you kind of have to think that with some
of these bands coming out a band like Petra who
hasn't put out an album in 20 years that you've
got to kind of lean really hard into the nostalgia.
And so because it's not like you're trying, I
don't think you're trying really hard to get
like develop a brand new fan base. But you're
trying to like really excite your existing fans
that you haven't done anything for in a long
time. And so I'm super interested to see what
it's like. But if I had to guess, I'm sure that
there are some modern Touches to it, but oh,
yeah, I would guess it's probably a pretty classic
Petra now when you say they haven't been like
releasing music Have they still been like touring
over the past 20 years or like they haven't played
a concert like a show in 20 years as well Or
do you know man they? They they did a reunion
Okay, I think a few reunion shows. I cannot tell
you the date of that, but this was like two thousands
at least But John slit the singer I know has
I feel like he's been non -stop like making music
as either solo or like going back to Like even
previous bands. He was in prior to Petra Like
doing stuff and then just doing like random projects.
I even saw he was singing with the the guy from
White Hart At one time like so he's I think John
slid has been like the constant like at like
Doing it and making the music whereas. I don't
know so much about the other guys I don't know
if they were just kind of like we're gonna take
a little break and just Chill out until 2026
when we do this album, but yeah, you have to
imagine though. I mean these guys I Wonder how
old a Bob Hartman is if he's been doing Petra
for 50 years. So it's pretty cool to see them
stepping into this at this point in their lives.
And I would just think, man, for them, it's probably
pretty exciting. Can I answer your question,
Joel? He is 76 years old. The apartment is 70.
So that brother is out there doing it. I just
hope that at 76, I'm doing something like that.
Yeah, that would be the dream, right? But going
back to that nostalgia statement, Joel, I feel
like that maybe is why I'm hesitant. To listen
to the new album. Yeah, because i've got these
What petra was in my head and I don't want anybody
to like mess that up And i'm worried that that's
gonna get messed up if I listen to this album
So, yeah last night as I was spending time listening
to unseen power. Um I just went oh I went to
because I was talking to emily my wife about
petra and um, and she's like play me I was talking
to her about the album and she's like play me
a song And then we just started talking about
Petra for a while and she's like, what's a Petra
song that I would know? And so I went to the
Apple music, like top songs. And the first one
was like off of their Petra praise. I think it
was Lord, I'll lift your name on high. But, um,
but the second one was beyond belief. And so
I played it for her and she was like, yes. And
then I'm like, come on, this song is pretty much
perfect. Um, that's such a good, such a good
album. Which is obviously is not what we're talking
about today, but that's okay so Yeah, it's fun
to see them be stepping back into the world of
making music and so I'm definitely I'll probably
on the way home today pull that record up hope
and And give it a listen and see what's going
on there. So alright. Well, that's fun. Let's
let's move into playing a game today. That's
right we have a new segment song for our games
called Let's Play. So our house band It's great
actually with dusty we probably could have a
house band just make it happen. Yeah All right,
so today guys we're gonna play another round
of CCM 20 questions and I thought the two of
you together were a perfect pair To make this
happen because dusty's got a good he's got a
good like knowledge of some of this stuff from
the past and so I think that you guys will be
able to knock this out, but I have in my mind
an album that was released by a particular artist,
and so you have together 20 questions that you
can ask me, 20 yes or no questions, and I will
give you a yes or a no answer, and your job is
to figure out what album it is that I have in
my mind in 20 questions. Got it? Okay. All right,
Brandon, I want you to go first All right, let's
do this. Um, is it a solo artist? No Not a solo
artist Was this was this I can ask this is the
mmm Nick's that idea Have they released anything
recently? No. Is it a female fronted band? No,
not a female fronted band. You keep trying to
get sixpence to happen. Which would have worked
really well with Dusty too, I think. Were they
big in the 90s they were yes big in the 90s Brandon's
like why? Did any of them go on to have us a
successful solo run? Yes, that's five. Okay Why
are they so hard to think of? But then once you
guess it, it's completely obvious. I don't feel
like an idiot. Does they start out in hip -hop
when they started? Yes. Was it fronted by three
guys? Yes. That's seven questions. I gave you
guys an easy one. Which I thank you for. I think
we know it. Are we guessing an album too or are
we just guessing the artist? Yeah, you're guessing
an album. So once you've got, you can ask me
the artist and we can nail that down and then
you can move on to the album. Is this DC Talk?
Yes, this is DC Talk. Is the album cover brown?
No. No. Was it the album before the album that
was brown? Yes, that's ten. Okay. And I'm blanking
on that album title. I can see it in my head.
Okay. I know it. Let Brandon go. Is it free at
last? It is. Yes. Free at last by DC talk. Good
job. You guys got there in 10 questions. That's
awesome. Rock and roll. For someone who is a
huge DC talk fan, I'm going to be honest and
say I've never, I only know them from Jesus freaking
supernatural and everything else. I just know
from like greatest hits. So sometimes when I
play these games, I'm like, I don't know half
of their like catalog Which is so sad. I think
we've talked about this before but free at last
is a great record and aside from one pretty questionable
song It's uh, it's pretty pretty awesome, so
you should check it out for sure. I think you
would enjoy it All right. Well, I gotta ask this
before we move on. Do you still know the rap
from um, jesus is just all right? The last rap
that was super fast and everybody was like, what?
It started with, I'm down with a one. There's
no one with the sun. Oh yeah. I don't. I have
to know to the never done on the flow on the
note. Dusty still remembers it. If you could
spout that like at any gathering of other youth,
they were like, what? Those were the days those
were the days. Oh my goodness cool. Well, congratulations
guys I'm happy that you were able to to make
it there. Let's talk really quick about what
we've been listening to lately What have you
guys been what's been in the ears lately? What
have you been listening to? I Feel like honestly,
it's I'm like it's a lot of the regular stuff
I've been listening to I feel like the new releases
really don't ramp up till February. So now it's
just kind of, I'm searching for new stuff. And
honestly, I like to begin the year a lot of times
by kind of reaching out and seeing what other
people have been listening to and making a little
playlist of just new... Either new artist or
like like a dc talk where it's like never listened
to free at last So maybe it's different albums
from those artists. Yeah. Um, so yeah, I feel
like right now it's just kind of like leeching
off of everyone else's um current listening so
I love that um, because I agree with you. It
is kind of like a dry spell time of the year
and we're like coming off of December where nobody
in their right mind releases anything because
people are only listening to Christmas music
and it's just not gonna get any play and so Yeah,
the first part of the year stuff. I've struggled
with that, too Dusty, what about you? Yeah, so
not to be a Debbie Downer, but I was somebody
had said something that triggered a memory they
they use the word Johnny cue public They were
they were using that in a phrase for something
and then that hit me of like man There was a
band called Johnny Q public that I used to love
this was like 95. Yeah So I started researching
like whatever happened to Johnny Q public and
realized the lead singer had passed away like
a couple years ago He was only a few years older
than you and I Joe. I don't think I knew that
Dan Fritz was the singer of this band and um,
he had passed away like unexpectedly and man
there's something about learning like people
that you really like gravitated towards you learn
that they pass away or something happens to them
and they're kind of close to your age it does
something to me so i've been listening to that
um johnny q public album it's called extraordinary
yeah um it came out in 95 oh it's on go t records
so it was like the first like rock band on go
t but um man i've just been listening to that
there's so many good songs on that album and
i've just been like paying my respects to dan
fritz it's that's it was a sad thing but that
band rocked man so that's what i've been listening
to last last couple of weeks now that's cool
that album is amazing and we're definitely gonna
have to cover it at some point um but yeah the
guitars um Like I've never forgotten the guitars
like just the tone and the sound and the playing
on that record It was so unique at the time.
I think Orin Thornton was the guitar player Johnny
Kupublic He married Miss Angie for a while. Oh,
wow didn't last but But yeah, I think he played
like a Les Paul which you can hear You can hear
in the guitar tones on that record, but that's
such a good album Um, I actually pulled that
up at some point over the last year for some
reason too and listened to it. Um, yeah, it's
really really really good Um, but yeah, I hate
to hear that. I didn't know that about yeah They
they were one of those bands that you know You
guys have talked about like there's bands that
are not afraid to say things that may be the
church or christians They may be shy away from
like normally but this like johnny q public like
they would They would openly talk about or sing
about these things. They were issues like with
the church and all of that stuff. And I just
really respected that a lot. So yeah, solid band.
Good, good album. That's cool. I don't have anything
super exciting to talk about, but I was riding
in the car yesterday. with my daughter and we
were going to get our flu shots for the year,
which is one of those moments when she's super
anxious and worried. So I actually let her pick
what we listened to in the car. And so she kept
asking me to play all of these songs by the band
The Figs, which most people would probably only
know the band The Figs because they like guested
with Forrest Frank on the song Lemonade. And
so The figs are not at all like forest Frank
or lemonade. It's like I think it's two guys,
but it's it's like kind of Americana folky acoustic
kind of stuff and I was letting her pick it and
we're listening to it and I'm like this isn't
bad and so actually turned it on last night in
my house of my own volition and so They only
have one record and it's called the figs present
the figs And so if you're into kind of that acoustically
kind of folky kind of stuff, it's it's pretty
good. And so, yeah, check it out. I'm going to
listen to it a little more. So. All right. Well,
let's get into the topic at hand for the day
and begin talking about the album Unseen Power
by Petra. And so I'll give us a little bio as
we kind of get into this just as a reminder.
So. Unseen Power is the 13th studio album of
their Christian rock band Petra. It was released
in November 1991. That blew my mind that this
was their 13th album. That's wild. The album
retains a driving edge while veering away from
the more commercial pop metal sound of their
previous efforts. Bob Hartman has stated that
he and the producers intentionally chose to move
in directions they were not instinctively inclined
to go. and so this album Unseen Power won a Grammy
Award for the best rock gospel album in 1992
and won the Dove Award for rock recorded song
Destiny in 1993 and in 97 Brandon Jesus Freak
Hideout I think 97 mm -hmm maybe it's 2000 I
don't remember anyways they reviewed this and
gave them three and a half stars So that gives
us a little background info on unseen power.
Let's kind of talk about our background Just
maybe with Petra or this album to begin with
what what kind of history do you guys have with
this band? I'm looking at Brandon right now I
can go first. Um, so Beforehand I was saying
the only remit memory We're time Petra and I
have crossed paths was first off I bought one
of their CDs at the flea market and it was the
God fixation album just at the time where I was
like let me grab whatever I can and I think I
might have listened to a few songs of it and
I was just like I'll listen to this later and
I never listened to it later right and then I
think that they're mentioned and I'll do adrenaline
has a album or a song called the houseplant song
and essentially it's the song about this guy
that's like Doing the like the sound test or
whatever where it's like, oh all music is evil
Like if you give a plant that music it's gonna
die or whatever and I think they mention like
Petra in there as one of the like Bands that
the guy is talking about is evil So that's the
only references I have is this satirical audio
adrenaline song in this dollar CD from the flea
market. So not Not as much as you guys, I would
say. So that's it for you going into this. That's
all the exposure that you've had. That's cool.
It'll be interesting to hear your thoughts for
sure on this one. Dusty, what about you? Yeah.
So I was trying to figure out like, how could
I like make this succinct as possible? And I
just, there's no way I could do it. So I got
to start at the beginning. When I was, when I
grew up. My dad's a pastor. So I'm a preacher's
kid. So therefore growing up all I was really
like exposed to Musically was like Southern Gospel
groups that would come to the church and set
up Yeah and that was my like that was the world
of music to me up until I was about 10 or 11
And then I started going there's got to be more
to it than this So I started searching like radio
stations and just listening to whatever I could
hear on the radio being a pastor's kid, like
there were things I could not listen to, right?
So that, that stuff is what I wanted to hear.
So like, you know, Metallica or Guns N' Roses.
That was the big stuff that was going on at the
time. I wanted to know what all that was about.
So I was getting into that weird territory of
like, I'm kind of like trying to find something
that sounds cool, like the secular music. But
I didn't know this world of Christian music existed,
not even like the early stuff. like Michael W
Smith, Amy Grant, like all the early stuff. I
didn't know that existed. I just thought it was
all Southern gospel, like Christian music was
Southern gospel, and that's all I had to go on.
Well, whenever my dad moved to a different church,
which is where we met up finally, this is like
a time of change for me because I was fixing
to be a teenager and I was trying to figure out
life in a new school, and I felt isolated. I
was trying to figure out all this change. Somehow,
someway, at this new church, my older sister
got her hands on a copy of this CD, Unseen Power.
I didn't know Petra, I didn't know what was going
on, but she put it in her CD player, and I was
blown away. To me, there was no way, like...
This existed like a Christian band that sounds
this awesome. So that's what got me hooked. And
also I call this the gateway CD because this
opened the door for me to actually discover.
like more of this Christian rock alternative
scene that was starting to sprout up at that
time, but starting to explore all this and to
get into all these awesome bands that I eventually
got into. So I have to put a lot of credit on
this album for getting me started down this road
of discovering awesome Christian music. And credit
to your sister. She was super cool. Credit to
my sister. I heard it coming through the wall
between our bedrooms. I was like, I walked within
there. I was like, what is this? She's like,
this is Petra. What's a Petra? You're like, how
are you allowed to listen to this? When did mom
and dad say you can listen to this? Um, but yeah,
so it was, it's a great, yeah, great album. Great
way to get introduced to this world. That's cool.
I have like a similar story with it too, because
I was in middle school and went to summer camp
and we went to a camp in Texas called Friends
Forever out in Waco, Texas at Baylor. um which
was interesting that we would make that trip
from Mississippi um for camp but we did and we
went over there and um I might have talked about
this on the show before but one of the one of
the cool things about that camp is that like
you did all the normal camp stuff like camp stuff
during the day at night they had worship and
then they had teaching um but every night after
the teaching stuff was over there was a concert
by different artists that came through. And so
I remember, like, 4Him was there, Steve Camp
was there. But the one that, like, just rocked
my world was Petra played one night. And I'd
never been to a rock concert before, probably
never really listen. I was listening to, like,
4Him at that point in my life, probably. and
Petra came out and played and I remember standing
down front for that show and my mind was just
blown that night and so I went and spent all
my souvenir money on The cassette for Unseen
Power, I still somewhere to this day, man I should
have brought this and found it, but I still to
this day have a bandana that is a Petra Unseen
Power bandana. It's got the little windmill thing
on it. That's awesome. I think it's in my sock
drawer. But yeah, I spent all my merch money
on that and and came back and wore that cassette
out I mean just listen to it forever and like
you dusty it really was like a gateway for me
to a lot of things like A lot of things that
interestingly were like way heavier I think it
led me down a path of listening to some pretty
heavy music beyond that but then kind of like
Ultimately into that world of like alternative
um christian alternative rock which is cool so
yeah this is a big one a big one for me too um
so i'm interested to talk about it i haven't
listened apart from prepping for this i probably
hadn't listened to this album in about 25 years
i would imagine um same for me like i i just
it yeah i don't think about it a lot but when
you we'll get into this but when we listen to
it it's like oh wow This is really good It's
all it all comes back, which is cool. So I'll
mention this too. We talk a lot about like ratings
and how we do ratings and so I I think for me
like I just want to be clear probably going into
this that I'm not very good at I'm not very good
at divorcing like nostalgia from the way that
I feel about things. Um, and so that's going
to be part of it too. But I also think that when
I, when I listened to a record and review it
here, that I'm, I'm not comparing it to, like,
I'm not comparing, um, unseen power by Petra
to disintegration by the cure. And like, if disintegration
is a five, I'm not like, basing my view of Unseen
Power off of that. But I'm saying, all right,
this is a hard rock 1991 Christian album. If
I'm a record reviewer then, and this had just
come out in the world that it was in, what rating
would I give to it at that point in time? And
so maybe that's helpful for our discussion. I
don't know. Yeah, what how do you guys think
through that when it comes to ratings? I feel
like that's a really good way because that's
something I struggle with is that Like I do I
think it's this great. It's this big scale of
every album ever Yeah, so like with an album
like this if I give it a three I feel like I'm
saying oh, so it's just as good as this other
album I love and I think that for me sometimes
that is a struggle. I think too what's funny
is that what's nostalgia for me is not the same
like for y 'all sure so i feel like for me it's
funny thinking about like an album like this
i might like you know let's say i roll my eyes
and i think i don't know 90s music like stinks
but then we go to like family force five and
i'm like man i know like my favorite album of
theirs Could potentially be so cringy to someone
who doesn't know that band they'd be like brandy
you think this is good and so yeah sometimes
I think too for me like Like if I give something
like a 2 .5, I feel like it's not like a 50 %
It still falls into like the good category, but
I think that that comes across as I don't know
to me like a one is like a That's a bad album,
but I guess like a zero out of five would be
an actual bad, but I don't That's why I'm in
when we go over this track by track. I want Brandon
to start first Here from his perspective With
no history with the band or no nostalgia. I want
to hear this is the transparent like completely
like honest review I think it would come from
Brandon because I will have a problem divorcing
the nostalgia aspect from all of this. So that's
going to paint every one of these tracks that
I'm going to speak on. Sometimes I like piggybacking
when one of y 'all goes first because Joel's
reviews will be something like, man, do you know
that this guitar that's never been done, but
they did that with this type of guitar? Whereas
mine will be like, man, you could just like this
could be like in a Kia commercial or it could
be like in a action movie. You know what I mean?
In my mind, I'm like, that makes sense. But I
love it, though. I think that's the that's the
great way to look at it. It's a refreshing take
on this stuff. Well, that's what Dusty's here
for. So we better we better give it to him. All
right. Well, let's get into Unseen Power by Petra,
track by track and talk through this. Track number
one, Destiny, Brandon. Talk us through it. I'm
gonna be honest, like we said, going into it,
I didn't know what to expect. I feel like when
we did the Striper Christmas album, some of it
was kind of like, okay, this is kind of like,
cheesy or whatever. So I don't know if that was
gonna help or hurt going into this, but. With
Destiny, I felt like it was a great opener and
I enjoyed everything that was going on with it.
Honestly, I was fully prepared to either love
it or to be like, okay, well, maybe it gets better.
But I found myself being like, oh, this is cool.
I've got hope for this album. I just felt like
everything from the backing vocals to the guitar
to literally what was going on. I think that
anyone's listening to this, I feel like there's
a lot of pressure on the first song to kind of
kick off an album, and I mean, I think they did
a good job of having someone who would never
listen to them be like, okay, I'm fine with sticking
around and listening to the rest of this. That's
cool. So you agree with the Dove Awards and the
fact that this one rocks. Yes, I agree with the
if I was on the Dove panel. That's great. Dusty,
what about you? Yeah, like I always picture when
I'm pressing play on that track one of like if
I were in an arena. Lights went out and this
is what started. How pumped would I be? And when
those wind chimes started, I'm like, Oh, what's
fixing to happen? And then that guitar comes
in. It is so big and it just kicks off and it's
just, it's incredible. I think this is the perfect
way to start the album. Um, and yeah, like you
said, like it's just. like everything just fits
in the song and it's so sonically wide like from
a mixing or engineering perspective that you
hear everything um as large as as it is it's
just a great track and it really amped me up
when i like after 20 years however long it's
been since i've heard this album i was like holy
cow this is awesome so destiny two thumbs up
That's cool. My first note on my paper is Brandon's
going to love this album. Maybe a little sarcastically,
but no. It's funny, as I went through this album,
I did something that I don't ever do. But I felt
like, and we'll get into this more, but I felt
like there was a lot of variety on this record,
probably more than... other Petra albums that
I've listened to musically. And, and I think
that that's mostly good over the course of the
album. And I think it leads into what some of
what we read looking at the bio for the record,
that they tried a lot of different things. And
I think, I think a lot of that worked. This song
reminded me of like a Aerosmith song, um, from
like back in the day is another, what you would
consider like a hard rock band. Um, I, I, um,
I, I really actually like the production on this
record, even though it's not like a modern, modern
kind of produced record. And so part of me wanted
when the guitars kicked in, I wanted them like
a little bit more in my face. But I ended up
just really enjoying the production across it.
And yeah, I think it's a good, it's not my favorite
song on the record, but I think that it's a really
good opening track for this one. They had to
leave space for John Slitt's vocals. That's why
they couldn't put that here. His vocals just
like take up all the rest of the room. That's
good. That's good. All right. Next, we've got
who's on the Lord side. I think it was fun. I
wrote down it felt like it would be the theme
song for like a Christian superhero show. I was
imagining some kind of like 90s. like Captain
Planet on... We're talking about Bible Man. Yeah,
I'm trying to think of what that... I don't know
if he knows Bible Man. I'm trying to think of
what that the channel was back in like the 90s.
It was like all Christian. I'm forgetting what
it was called. TBN or INSP. Yeah, I'm thinking
like some kind of like Power Ranger or something.
But no, I liked it. I felt like it was fun. I
feel like it's stuff like that when I say, oh,
it felt like it could be the theme song for it
in my mind. That's an example of that's a compliment.
You guys know a really cheesy like cartoon. That's
what this would be the theme song. So in a positive
way, it could be the theme song. The Christian
Power Rangers. I wasn't expecting this song again
until I heard it. um and then i'm like man like
i this song really worked for me um and i love
the play with the guitars and the organ together
so this is a cover this is not a petra original
it's a cover of um a guy named timothy wright
um who is a gospel artist um and so he wrote
this song and so i don't know the whole story
if if it's like him and his like gospel group
that's doing like the backing for this um but
um but man i just felt like this worked like
but it's so different um to take like gospel
music and then mix it in with petra and petra
sound um but somehow they pull it off and maybe
that's the elephantes like at work making it
happen um who produced this this record, but
I really dug this song. I thought it was really
strong. I totally agree it is it was off -putting
a little bit at first with that intro and I was
like what what is this again and then when it
really started going with the b3 organ and then
the guitar and especially when that choir comes
in is that gospel rock hybrid that I didn't know
could exist it exists really well and I do feel
like the Elephante brothers had something to
do with that It really especially as the song
progresses it just gets to me it gets better
and I'm like man I just could see myself driving
down the highway. With my top down and just blaring
this for like some reason and just like that's
to me is another like successful If I can picture
myself driving down the highway with a top down
I'm blaring it then it's a good song I think
and I feel like this is one of those songs. It's
super upbeat, which is good And I just yeah,
I really dug all the things about the song. Yeah,
I love the tempo of it and um just it never it
never like lost me or lost my interest like i
could see this i could see putting the song on
like uh one of my like running playlists or something
just because it's got a great tempo for for something
like that so i dug that one all right track three
is ready willing and able i think that this song
made me start realizing how catchy like each
song had been yeah um because i think this one's
just like the done and um i just i felt like
it was it was it was cool because like up to
this point i was like man it each song is like
there's there's nothing about that makes me want
to skip it or there's nothing about it it's like
okay like i've i've gotten the verse and chorus
i can skip like i want to hear out to see what
they're gonna do with it um And I feel like it
was nice because, like you said, I think that
there's certain bands or times or genres where
it's kind of like you do your own thing, like
pop -punk. There's some albums where I feel like
it's good, but also every song is the same template.
So I felt like just, I was like, man, this is
cool that this is going above expectations. Even
this song. I'm like I feel like on paper. It
seems like you would be very like cheesy But
I was like, no, I'm enjoying this like I'm yeah
I was walking through Walmart while I'm listening
to it on my like headphones and I'm just like
yeah I'm I'm enjoying this like my mood is is
enhanced because of the song. Yeah Yeah, it's
cool. Yeah, it works. Like it works really well.
I love I love the guitar that's at the start
and um he's doing something different vocally
like there's low vocals kind of to begin um which
leads to something cool later um the drums come
in it's cool i love the instrumental there's
like a dual guitar solo which i'm a sucker for
um later on in it i wrote down bon jovi for this
one i don't know why it just reminded me of that
at some point so i i think the chorus on this
is is great um it's just a great it's a great
chorus so yeah i totally wrote the words catchy
hook yeah when i was listening to that and very
radio friendly um this too is where brandon you'll
appreciate this the lyrics Like if you read the
petrol lyrics, they're really hard hitting, like
they're really good. Um, so I started really
paying attention to like what they're singing
about. And this is all of these songs are really
like solid as in terms of like their theology
and like that, but this is like a great example
of like this active faith idea of, of, of being
Christians that are doers and then that do the,
you know, do everything. As as God intends or
as God's will is and it's just it's just a reminder
like how much thought I guess went into the writing
of the lyrics of these songs and Bob Hartman
like I got to give it to him. He's just phenomenal
As a songwriter so and that's the thing I'm gonna
keep talking about throughout this album is how
great of a songwriter lyricist Bob Hartman is
in these tracks Yeah, yeah, I think you're so
right Track four, Brandon, I can't wait to hear
your thoughts on track four. Man, I think this
might be the greatest song I've ever heard. And
on my heart. No, I think I think this was the
first miss like for me on there. It just doesn't
it doesn't seem like it like fits the rest I
put on there. This is the dark side of the 90s.
But I and I kind of circle back to this later
that It kind of, I go back and forth on stuff
like this is that it's so different. But I'm
like, on one side, it's like, why not make some
things closer to the rest? Like there's a good
thing going. But also it's like, if you keep
doing the same thing, you just have 10 songs
that are like in that same template. So I mean,
I think that I think that it was nice that there
is this, like, change of pace and there is something
slower. I think that it could have just... I
don't know. I just didn't care for it. I'm thinking
about a word that... I thought that's where that
was going to go. Dusty, what were your thoughts?
Basically the same. It was really hard to get
through the song and I really did try. it's that
90s balladesque thing that gets me and when you
start really listening I listen to the instrumentation
a lot of times to know what's going on and I
think at one time I heard a harp somewhere that
came in randomly there was like weird kind of
whispering vocals happening in the chorus and
it was just like I just I can't get into it I
really did try but this was this was not a good
one for me especially If somebody knew the Petro
was like, Hey, like what's the deal about hand
on my heart? I couldn't give them an answer other
than experimentation or just trying something
new, but I just couldn't. It's not a good one
to me. I'd struggle. I was going to say with,
with stuff like this too. Um, I think it's nice
kind of leaning on people who are more familiar
with like the album or it. Cause like, I'm a,
I'm a I'm really big on knowing kind of like
the story or behind the song so like there's
songs that like I did not care for but then later
on I find out oh well it's it was written about
this thing or it sounds this way because he's
covering you know like a friend that had passed
away or something um So like I always find it
interesting, but it also makes me feel better
whenever I'm like I don't care for this and then
someone else is like I'm in the same boat versus
like this is the song that changed my life. Yeah
So I think I think on this one I mentioned earlier
that this this is a record where they try a lot
of different things and take some risks And I
I agree with you guys that this is probably like
the the miss of that Will say though. I don't
think that the whole song is a mess. I think
that there are certain parts of it I I mentioned
writing down artists. I wrote down Amy Grant
And I just I'm not really sure like Why and now
I wonder again if if this is like the elephantes
like saying let's try something to like capture
this like pop pop stuff That's happening right
now and that's really popular and ironically
like John Schlitt can totally like handle a song
like this vocally and so it in that sense like
it doesn't sound like a miss but it's it's just
like a little too tender i feel like for the
record there are parts of it later though that
i actually um liked um that reminded me like
maybe of like brian adams on the bridge or something
um and so there are parts of it that i liked
but But as a whole, yeah, I think I have to agree
with you guys on that. So maybe I should go back
and not be so critical and try to get through
it. I think it's just that I find those parts.
I think it's just that part when he's singing
hand on my heart, like the chorus that's like
hard for me, like it's just a little too tender.
But I think the other parts of the song are OK.
So, yeah. Track five. Oh, yeah. I need to hear
from you Yeah, are we back? You'll hear from
me. Yeah, are we back? Um, yeah, I felt like
I felt like this one was like different from
the rest But like in a positive way. Yeah, so
I enjoyed having Like variety like even if you
were to take out Hand on my heart. I feel like
it's still like a little bit different without
going too far in it. So yeah, I enjoyed it. I
think, too, at this point, I started thinking
just about the idea. It's not really important
to the review, but I started thinking about how
stuff used to be released on cassette and all.
And I just started thinking about, man, I feel
like it's so different when you have limitations
on what you can put on this cassette. like so
track listing it made me start thinking you know
nowadays it's like if i'm putting something on
spotify i can do whatever i want whereas with
the cassette i've got to think well this this
like it's running along on this side so let me
put this track on that side and i mean it's not
really important to this it's just i started
thinking about just like the difference in producing
like uh physical stuff with limitations versus
today if you're releasing something so yeah Yeah,
I hear that I think I really liked this one a
lot and I Just see I was actually texting you
last night as I was listening to this and And
this is the one that I was listening to and I'm
like I I'm like remembering like why I spent
so much time with this album because these are
good songs Really good songs for the day and
for what they are There wasn't a band um especially
in the late 80s and really early 90s there wasn't
a band doing this as well as petra i mean there
just wasn't and um and so i think this song is
great the chorus the pre -chorus and the chorus
on this are so good um and so catchy and just
pull you in um and and again the variety like
i feel like there's enough of a good change of
pace in here where it's it's not like it feels
like every song is like the song before and I
love that about about this album so yeah I think
going back to the like instrumentation idea of
what was recorded and what you hear I think specifically
on the song you can hear there's less density
in the song which gives more space I was joking
around about it earlier but Slit's vocal like
is is prominent here and it gives it space for
him to sing and when I'm listening to this song
specifically, it is so good. And then I realized
it, it's less, it's less of a proclamation type
song as it is more of a petition song, meaning
like this is a song of uncertainty and praying
for discernment and all of this stuff. And that
just resonates with me just in general as a topic,
like a Christian like walk topic. I think I just
gravitated towards the subject matter and that
made me like the song even more Um, but yeah
the like the recording of it and just the overall
sound of the song is just great And yeah, so
this is a great song Yeah, I love that All right
track six is dance. Mm -hmm. Brandon. What'd
you think? I think this might be my favorite
track off the album. Yeah Um, I thought it was
was pretty fun. Um And I just, I think they did
that well, just making just like a fun track.
I also, I started noticing at this point that
like, each lyric, or at least, if I can remember,
each one had some kind of tie to like Bible verses.
And I just felt that was... that was pretty interesting.
I remember years ago, I think the first band
I noticed to do that, funny enough, was Neon
Horse, because they came out with all these crazy
songs, but it was like, oh no, there's a Bible
verse attached to it, and you're like, wait,
that's in the Bible? So I just thought that was
pretty cool that even on a track like this, you
can have this like, oh, well, here's where we're
getting this idea of celebration or this thing
I'm basing it off of. um yeah i i really enjoyed
um this track that's cool dusty yeah this is
another great one now i'm a broken record i'm
saying that about most this is another great
one as a guitar player myself the first thing
my ear goes to is those heavy um guitars pre
-verses um and just just how big this song sounds
I love Slitz vocals in this one particularly
because he hits these super high notes And I'm
like man that brother like he's just killing
it but overall, it's just a good listen and it's
just it's yeah, it's Great song. Mm -hmm. Yeah,
I like this. Um, I wrote down the Aerosmith again
for this check and I honestly like as it was
starting I wanted to like I wanted to be like,
all right, this is a song that I don't like,
just because I felt like I sort of needed a little
more of that on this record. But then it just
kept going and I'm like, no, no, I'm into it.
I like it. It just kept winning me over. The
chorus is good. There's a great turnaround that
happens. There's a lot of thought that went into
putting these songs together and a lot more than
you would think on a record like this. yeah this
I mean again like the album just keeps surprising
me like with with not having listened to it in
25 years like how much I can still enjoy it so
it's kind of interesting I think is interesting
that you know like you throw around oh it sounds
repetitive or it's the same or whatever but it's
it's funny that you'll say that but then there's
three of them that won't connect but then one
of them does connect and then you start realizing
okay well there is a difference even though i
think on the surface there's like it it is the
same it's like no there's little differences
and maybe it's just like the the way it's singing
or like a small instrument change or something
like that yeah yeah that's a good point all right
seven secret weapon I was trying to figure out
what the sound was because I don't think it's
a guitar But I'm thinking it might be is it like
an organ in the background? But I like the beat.
Yeah, I really liked it. Yeah, and so I was trying
to figure out what it was and I was this is one
of the tracks where I'm like I'll let them go
first that way they can say isn't that nice they
use this and I go You're right. Yeah, I also
enjoyed that But yeah, it was I just I was like,
that's cool that there's still this little twist
that, you know, if it has been happening, I haven't
like picked up on it. But on this one, I'm picking
up on it. So I'm enjoying that. You know, it
just goes back to trying a band like this. It's
I always have this thought that this could be
an album where I'm at this point. I'm like, come
on, can there be something good on this? Because
I want to say something positive. And I feel
like it up to this point. there's been one track
that I'm like I haven't cared for everything
else I'm like yeah I I've enjoyed this like I
don't find it annoying or anything like that
yeah that's cool yeah I I do think that this
this one's not one of my favorites on the record
um but I do think that the thing that stands
out for me on this one that I did enjoy was just
the the production of it that there are a lot
of flourishes and different different things
like the organ and different stuff that just
stand out that that work um but maybe with some
of that like it feels the song feels like a little
disjointed to me and not as cohesive as some
of the some of the earlier ones um but yeah i
don't know let's see what you think Yeah, I got
to call out John slid again. He hits another
like like these high notes on the song He hits
them and it's incredible. But the solo guitar
solo I thought Hartman nailed it I love the way
it ends because it does that sustain like it
stays on the one chord and it slowly fades out
and you just hear it go go go go and I just dig
that it wasn't my favorite song by any means
but um, like I like I got into it once it had
been going for a little bit, but Just Hartman
man. I got so much respect for that guy and how
great he is as a guitarist and a writer So this
is a it's the message of the song I think is
like what I cared about the most of Having like
you care about somebody so you're you praying
for them all that and that that makes me like
the song more Than I originally would but you
know, it wasn't my favorite, but it was a good
track Yeah I haven't brought this up yet, but
something that I noticed listening to it is how
often they use the classic fade out at the end
of a track on this album. I know it probably
wasn't every song, but it almost felt like every
song to me as like the fade out at the end. And
I'm like, man, nobody does that anymore. But
it makes me sad. I love it. I love it. But yeah,
it is it is kind of fun. All right. Track eight,
Sight Unseen. Let's see. I enjoyed the guitar
solos and I wrote down again that songs are just
so catchy. Like I found another one that I think
there's a fine line of being annoying. Like when
you get a song stuck in your head, it's either
one that's just really catchy and fun or just
the most annoying song. and so I enjoyed that
when I walked away like singing along to like
the songs that like were catchy so it made me
thankful that I didn't spend my whole day just
replaying something I didn't care for in my head
but yeah I just I really catchy and like I said
I think the guitar solos for whatever reason
stood out like on this track to me Yeah, I thought
about that too. That I like that. And I like
the lyrics on this one. Just the idea about faith
and what it involves. And so I feel like for
whatever reason, that's what stood out to me
the most about this song, just because I enjoyed
it. I thought that the lyrics were really well
done. and um that just kind of shined more than
anything so most of my notes were about that
but yeah what about you? I will say Brandon on
that note like I literally wrote the chorus gets
stuck in the head because it yeah it was something
like it would get I would listen to it and then
I would keep hearing it after I listen to the
song I'm like okay it's gonna be one of these
songs but um mid -tempo like it was it it was
big like I get it but I think Bob Hartman pulled
the wah pedal out and started using that on the
song and I think that's what stood out to me
It's like oh, he's using the wah pedal here.
Mm -hmm. Nothing else really I kind of I didn't
really feel a lot for this song. It was good,
but I Was like yeah. Yeah, I'm with you. I kind
of felt like all right We're getting towards
the end of the record here. Mm -hmm, and it just
kind of felt like it a little bit with that one.
Mm -hmm Okay, Brandon you want to talk us through
track 9 hey world I think it's it's an it was
another mess like I just I think it's just I
Don't I don't know. I think it's just hard when
you have a band that is Kind of like known is
this like energy and all to like translate that
into something slower or I mean, I mean I don't
know y 'all's opinion on this but for me, it's
just sometimes like hard for that because I mean
like I like Family Force 5 like it's it's a band
that I grew up when and I kind of felt the same
way where sometimes there was a struggle for
them to like hit the brakes because they were
so good at just this like crazy all over the
place that it was hard for them to like hit the
brakes and it be smooth it felt more like they
were slamming on brakes and like I don't know
like it just didn't I know the track which wasn't
working for me but you know those family force
five songs on that album were my favorite songs
on that album so I don't know um yeah I like
um again not my favorite song on the record but
I I'm a sucker for like the 80s 90s keys, electric
piano. And so I'm here for it. And I felt I think
knowing Petra enough that, yes, they are generally
known for like the hard rock thing, but there's
always moments on the records where they pull
back. And this felt more like Petra pulling back
to me than Handled My Heart did. It felt like
it was more cohesive and it fit the record. I
also like I mean, this is a song about abortion
and adoption and and choosing that and And so
I just it felt personal to me like with my kids
being adopted and so I feel like Yeah, like I
don't know. I thought the guitar solos were great
Again, not my favorite song, but I think like
the message of it and the way that the message
was portrayed I thought was was like pretty well
pretty well done And yeah, I mean I was I was
here for the change of pace. I don't know and
this is where Brandon and I Diverge power man
Where because I want to say this is the song
that I love the most on this album And they did
pull back and that the industry is not as heavy
and all that there's something about Just the
chord progressions and of course the lyric and
the way all of this song is put together I love
this song and I listen to this song even so this
was the song that I would listen to outside of
listening to the album whatever I had it on a
playlist my Christian music 90s playlist yeah
I put this song on that play and I will hear
it occasionally through the rotation and man
I love it I think it is so good and the message
is great Yeah, just I love this song so I can't
say it enough. I love this. This is my favorite
song So I'm sorry Brandon you we don't see eye
to eye on that. Well, it is like incredible I'm
really glad that I could put a damper on the
song that changed us his life and his adoption
and life dusty got what he wanted though like
this is the moment that he's been waiting for
is to hear your unfiltered thoughts first all
i wanted was transparency and then he gave it
to me i'm learning my lesson so next time i'll
be like no go ahead you should go first Oh, I
love it. I love it. And I mean, honestly, I thought
we were going to get here way before Track 9
for you guys to be disagreeing on this. So I'm
impressed. I'm impressed that we made it this
far. I think that's good. All right. Closing
track, In the Likeness of You. What do you guys
think? Another slow song Brandon said. I know.
I'll roll the dice again and say. I don't know,
just wasn't one of my favorites. I feel like
I kept waiting for it to kind of like pick up.
And I think this is when I went back to like
putting together a, I guess the, I don't know
what the word is, the psychology maybe behind
like putting out track lists, like track listing
is I'm thinking... If I was putting this together,
maybe I throw one of these like slower songs
more in the mix, like mix them up and on like
a higher note, but it's me thinking, well, if
it's 91, is this something that typically in
their minds they're thinking, no, we have, there's
a reason why we have these slower tracks. Cause
I feel like, I mean, I don't know y 'all's thoughts,
but I think the second side of this, is a little
slower than the first one or feels like it. So
it made me start thinking, well, is that a choice
they're making because there's a reason? Or is
it just, yeah, we're going to throw these at
the end? Because I was thinking, even in a concert,
I could see it ending with either picking back
up and ending on a party song, or maybe having
like a more more energetic song than ending with
a slower one but it made me just think like even
on a live show if i had both of these tracks
back to back like am i like am i enjoying it
or could it maybe just i don't know maybe just
changing up the track listing improves it a little
yeah new for you that Because you do have this
idea in your head if you want an album to go
like a concert And so I knew man this this isn't
gonna work for you at the end Either one of these
songs really and so I kind of knew going into
that that that you're gonna struggle with it
and dusty What were your thoughts on this one?
So I do agree somewhat with what Brandon said
about Closing it felt weird being this much quieter
song I think that was done on purpose. And if
I'm remembering this correctly, the keyboard
player, John Lowry, I think his name, um, he
had written this song, um, just on piano or whatever.
And as they were mixing it in the studio, the
engineer at that time who was mixing said it
kind of took a life of its own. And there was
a decision made that instead of going with the
powerful, big ending of the album, they wanted
something a little more reflective and humbling
I guess to an extent of where it's it's more
like an introspective quieter moment so they
did that intentionally I believe I think somewhat
that maybe a 90s thing too like a christian 90s
thing of where they'll tack on that last track
to be something like that of where oh we're gonna
be introspective and we're gonna just reflect
on things and like that's how albums would end
uh it felt more common back then but um yeah
like it's a good song i don't My tastes are not
such that I would listen to this a lot But I
appreciate it and I respect it for what it is.
It has a great message So for that alone, yeah,
it's a good track, but it's not It's not one
of my favorites. I Really do you love the heart
behind the song? and I think I think that comes
out this felt like a John and Dino elefante song
to me more than a Petra song Like if you ever
listen the guys who produce this if you ever
listen to any of their on music like it feels
like this Yeah But I think I think the melody
is good And it does build but it doesn't build
to where you wanted it to build I remember like
think I was thinking the same thing being so
long since I listen to it I'm like, oh, yeah,
this one is gonna build to something. That's
pretty cool and It, it just stepped up, um, and
never really built anywhere. Um, but, um, yeah,
I mean, I liked it. I, I understand where you
guys are coming from with it as, as the last
song. Um, but, um, but, but I think it works.
And then of course. What happens is where the
album begins with the Lord's prayer, like it
ends with the Lord's the ending of the Lord's
prayer. And then that quote that leads into the
unseen power, which I kind of felt was kind of
a nice little rap. Mm -hmm. What'd you what'd
you think about that? Yeah, I I think I I don't
know why I know it's like a 90s kind of thing
to yeah on an album, but yeah Yeah, I I think
it's something that if you Maybe if you like
know know them more like you're because I mean
that's kind of the vibe I'm getting is that the
last two tracks. It's like I think if I if I
heard Like, after talking to y 'all, if I went
back, maybe I appreciate them more, and it doesn't
feel as abrupt. Yeah. But I mean, I enjoy when
bands do the little things like that. Yeah. Gotcha.
Joel, help me remember this. Wasn't that last
Lord's Prayer, that was like the secret track?
So if you let Lightness of You continue to play...
Yep. for like two or three minutes. Eventually
that faded back in. So you didn't know it was
there necessarily, unless you just let it play.
And that was a big deal in the nineties on CDs.
You get a secret track. That was a big deal,
but I had this album on cassette, so I can't
really remember. Okay. I just, I think it was,
I think you were not expecting it until you just
happen to forget to turn the cd off and then
you heard it again you're like oh wow they they
ended the way they started it's definitely not
its own like track but um i don't know how much
space was in between like the end of in the likeness
of you and that i know in my apple music listen
it was pretty quick yeah yeah after the end of
the song when it came in so i don't Well, I appreciated
it. I think it's cool to book in the album in
that way. I think it's just a it may be like
a reflection of that time period, but I just
think it's really neat to open and close with
that. Yeah. Yeah. I like the tune. All right.
Well, let's kind of talk about just our overall.
thoughts on this and our ratings, which again,
Brandon, we just can't wait to hear from you
on this one. Yeah, I think, um, I think going,
you know, like I've said, I going into it, you
don't know what to expect. Um, and I feel as
though, like there, I thought there was gonna
be a lot more moments of Me not enjoying it.
Yeah, but I think walking out of it like overwhelmingly
I found myself being like this is catchy or enjoying
or appreciating And I mean, I think that like
even the tracks I didn't I think that What was
that? Hand on my heart. Yeah, I think hand on
my heart was the only one that was like Okay,
if I could just delete a track from this, right
Because I think even the last two it's like Even
though like I didn't care for them like as much
like it was anything that I didn't like So I
I think all things considered I'm Probably going
with the three for the album. Cool. That's a
good step up from a striper Which I think is
deserved so that's awesome dusty what about you
man i think if you were to ask the non -nostalgic
dusty for a rating i would say like a three no
three and a half um just because the musicality
of it is really good um but when you ask nostalgic
dusty what his rating is he's going to give it
like a four and a half okay um like pretty close
because of Like I said like it opening this this
doorway of all of the things that dusty at that
time didn't know was coming down the road of
all the great music so Yeah, so let's say four
if we combine the two. We'll say a four and call
it good I'm curious dusty. What what do you think
would be like that one change? That takes it
from like a four point five to a five like up
top of your head. Can you think of? like is there
a track or just one thing they were doing, or?
To get there they need to remove Hand on My Heart.
They need to add like a like a really up tempo
fast big thing. I don't know what that would
be, but they need to do that. Yeah, like that
would be the first thing. Like Hand on My Heart
just really like bummed me out, man. So I think
that would be... But I have to give it props
to because this is a total side note, but the
background vocals on this album somewhere on
this album, Jamie Rowe and Tony Palacios, who
are the two members of Guardian. Brandon, we're
going to have to learn about guardians soon,
by the way. We'll have to have an episode about
guardian. Um, but they are seeing background
vocals somewhere on this album. So I have to
give them props for those two beings singing
on this album as well. So that plays into some
of this rating as well. Cause the El Fantes were
cool enough to put those guys on the album. Yeah.
I'm looking forward to a guardian discussion.
Um, and because I, Dusty, I don't know for you,
but I know specifically for me as Guardian moved
more into the alternative world. That's where
I kind of enjoyed them more and got into them.
But Buzz and Bottle Rocket are just two records
that, man, they're just kiss. There is not a
bad song on either one of those records. They're
just so good. So yeah, that'll be a fun discussion.
Yeah, for me. So probably land somewhere. between
you guys on this I feel like I'm getting a bad
in a bad habit of Like falling somewhere around
three and a half, which is where I think I fall
with us, but I honestly like I We've talked about
this before I rate every track uh -huh and then
And then get that like average and that's that's
just where I keep coming out Oh, and so I'm sorry
that I feel generic and fill in the middle. Um,
but I think I'm at like a three and a half. Um,
I think I, this album, um, maybe I would go higher
than that. Maybe a 3 .7 or so, cause this album
really surprised me. I did not expect to enjoy
it as much as I did again, listening to it. And
I'll probably listen to it some more and jam
it some more out of this because while I think
that the album could have used a ready, willing
and able or who's on the Lord side on the backside,
a song like that on the backside to really just
kind of bring some energy back to it again. I
do think there's so much that they do here that
was stepping out of the wheelhouse for them that
works and maybe some of it that doesn't for sure.
But I think for the most part the risks that
they were taking were were well earned and they
did a good job with those. So I think it's just
it's a testament to whenever you have a record
that it holds up like for someone like Dusty
that like is like man this album like changed
my life and he can go back and be like man this
brings back so many memories and then you have
someone like myself who like I've been I feel
like honestly like Whatever genre or sound you're
putting this in like that's that's the genre
that I just don't like there's so much of the
90s that I'm like I don't care for But when you
have something that you have someone like me
walking away and enjoying it, I think it's just
a testament It should be like appreciated because
there's a lot of albums that do One or the other
like someone like me loves and someone looks
back and goes this was not as good or vice versa
Like dusty is like this was incredible And the
whole time I'm like, oh, how can I put this in
a nice way? Well, I'm really happy. I really
was as I was listening to it, I was thinking,
I think Brandon's going to like this more than
Striper. And and yeah, so it proved itself to
be true, which is fun. So this is Striper. Now,
that's the Striper Christmas album, which I feel
like is pretty. Have you listened to that yet,
Dusty? I listened to bits and pieces, yeah. There's
some good on there, but it's pretty under -produced
for the most part. Just saying something when
Joel's saying it. Yeah, I know. I actually love
under -production, but it doesn't work for that
kind of music very well. Anyways, I thought,
again, the production on this record was great,
just kind of across the board. let's move into
our lyric of the week and the lyric of the week
this week comes from the song sight unseen um
for so long i was depending upon my senses and
fences i tried to ride on and trusting in things
that can never be seen was always a crutch on
which others must lean Thinking if I could see
I would believe then somebody said believe and
you will see I love that turn I think that's
cool. So it's good stuff Well, I want to announce
one thing before we kind of move Towards closing
out the episode, but we are starting a new segment
on Hey, are you listening? And it's gonna be
a male segment And so we are opening up a mailbag
for you to reach out to us and ask us questions
that we can bring onto the podcast and talk about
and answer and have conversations about. And
so we would love it if you want to submit a question
for us to talk about and to answer. You can send
those questions to our email address, which is,
Hey, are you listening? Pod. I'm gonna not get
this right. Let me just make sure check my notes
really quick Which is again, hey, are you listening
pod at gmail .com? Hey, are you listening pod
at gmail .com? So reach out to us ask your questions
We'd love to start talking about those in future
episodes as we get into things, but dusty man
It's been so fun catching up and having you on
here It's just good to see your face and talk
We need to make more of a habit of it. So where
can people find you and maybe things that you
have done musically or Yeah, how can people connect
with with what what you have done out there?
Yeah, so I'm not super active on social media,
but if anybody wants to find me somewhere I will
be on Instagram D guitar the letter D The word
guitar all one word you can find me on Instagram.
I will randomly post once every six months And
if I'm back on the show down the road Maybe I'll
have more to give as far as musical projects
that I'm working on because I am starting a thing
But it's not ready to be talked about just yet.
So maybe down the road We will discuss that a
little bit more. But yeah, thank you so much
guys for having me. This is a blast And thank
you for doing this every week. This is incredible
Yeah, it's been really fun for us to do and it's
been fun for me to have moments like this You
know John Paul obviously and like we were able
to have John Paul on and so just have him on
and then you on and Ty like for me to get to
catch up with with some of my friends that I
don't get to see very often is a really fun thing
but to get to do it while we talk about Music
and stuff that we all love together is just a
great joy. So we really appreciate you coming
on and having these conversations with us. And
definitely, I can't think of anybody else that
I would want to have on to talk about Guardian.
So we will, we'll make that happen in the future.
Definitely. Which will be a lot of fun. So dude,
thanks for joining us. You guys, thanks again
for listening. And we hope that you will continue
to listen, find us on social media. Hey, are
you listening on Facebook? We'd love for you
to come and interact with us there. Subscribe
to the show, leave us a review. We're just grateful
that you're sticking with us and are looking
forward to seeing you again next week