Imagine you're John Schlitt: For years, you've been the voice of the official rock band of youth pastors everywhere, and then one day the band's final founding member stops touring and suddenly, it's not a band anymore, it's a "franchise." The next logical step is to open a Petra in every mall in America. Add the fact that the secular bands Petra has artistically competed against--Styx, Journey, REO Speedwagon--are only touring now on the Vegas circuit, that's brought Petra:Nashville (the home franchise, if you will) such a pristine shine. Unfit for Swine is actually pretty good, with whining, modern rock guitars and dark, angular chord changes. Oddly, the weakest link is Schlitt's voice--there's a lot of baggage to deal with, a lot of arena-rock posturing he needs to unlearn--but Unfit for Swine finds him working hard on that, too. Petra fans will be surprised. Those who'd written him off might want to give Schlitt a chance as well.
Other coverage for this album
The Lighthouse December 1996Reviewed by Brendt W. WatersJohn Schlitt is leaving Petra. OK, maybe I'd better clarify that. Contrary to the rumors that cropped up when Schlitt began his solo career-and this is still true-he is not leaving the band in any way; all his duties with Petra remain the same. And for the most part, his first solo album (Shake) sounded like Petra's recent work, with just enough variation to make it his own. However, with his…Similar sounding releases
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