Back To The Street (Star Song, 1986) SIDE 1 Back To The Street [buy WMA] You Are I Am [buy WMA] Shakin' The House [buy WMA] King's Ransom [buy WMA] Whole World [buy WMA] SIDE 2 Another Crossroad [buy WMA] Run For Cover [buy WMA] Fool's Gold [buy WMA] Altar Ego [buy WMA] Thankful Heart [buy WMA] all songs written by Bob Hartman unless otherwise indicated Bob Hartman - Guitars Mark Kelly - Bass John Lawry - Keyboards John Schlitt - Lead Vocals Louie Weaver - Drums Fairlight programming: John Lawry additional keyboards: John Elefante background vocals: Mark Kelly, John Schlitt, John Lawry and John Elefante produced by Dino and John Elefante cover design/concept/art direction: Randy Rogers and Dave Rogers- ROGERS DESIGN illustration: Randy Rogers

Previous Album: Captured in Time & Space Next Album: This Means War! Back to album list Other Guides to Back To The Street: Alex P BigD bruce Dave Ferrari Harry Ebbeson III Lee Modlin S. J. McBride Stephen Scott Xorn Other Reviews: CCM Magazine Petra Archives Petra Rocks My World Petrafied.net PetraMeansRock.com The Rock Cries Out WWW Music Database Add your own review! Click here to buy it! More ways to buy...

cover art:
This is the final "flying guitar" album. The spaceship guitar on this cover is nothing but an outline, like a contour grid. It is flying through a very colorful city setting; the neck extends toward our left between a traffic light and a "Walk/Don't Walk" sign, and there are assorted buildings and other city objects in the background. The word "PETRA" is in the top right written on a graph, as though made with drafting tools, and as though the corner of the picture was torn off so it would show through. "Back To The Street" is written at the bottom of the picture in a space that is apparently torn out in the same way. The back cover features the same city setting minus guitar with pictures of the band members superimposed.

Michael's review:
This was the first album after Petra hired John Schlitt for lead vocals, and it is also the first Elefante-produced album, so it is difficult to compare to the earlier albums for sound. It is a little less guitar-dominated than the older music, more keyboard and bass oriented, though the guitar is still somewhere back there all the time. The lyrical content wasn't hurt by the switchovers, of course. "You Are I Am" has got to be one of the most interesting Hartman titles ever... until you know what it's about (worship of God, Who is "I Am") it's almost mind-blowing. One standout on this album is "Whole World", which is sort of a "sequel" to the old gospel song, "He's Got The Whole World In His Hands": "...He's still got the whole world in His hands tonight, and only He knows where the sparrow lands tonight, and nothing in this world can stop his plans tonight, 'cause He's still got the whole world in his hands." "Altar Ego", about the hypocrisy of playing the religious game just to look good, is another of the famous Hartman plays on words: "I can tell by the look on your face it's another day of fasting; I can tell by the length of the shadow your face is casting; and you look both ways before you pray, just to see who's watching you today!" "Thankful Heart" is a beautiful prayer/ballad that in my opinion far outshines the more recent "Prayer": "There is no way to begin to tell You how I feel; there are no words to express how You've become so real; Jesus, you've given me so much I can't repay; I have no offering... I have a thankful heart that You have given me, and it can only come from You." This album has its share of rockers, notably "You Are I Am" and "Another Crossroad". This is a really good album, especially if you enjoy the very pop-influenced rock sound.
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