John Schlitt

Item: Unfit for Swine
Author: Brendt W. Waters

Unfit for Swine

(1996)

Reviewed by Brendt W. Waters

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Label Word RecordsThe LighthouseDecember 1996

alternative rock hard rock modern rock pop rock

John 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 sophomore effort, Unfit For Swine, Schlitt leaves Petra's musical territory for an edgier, modern rock sound, varying muddy and distorted electric guitars with their acoustic counterparts. If with Shake, he took one step toward defining his own sound, then with this new album, John Schlitt has taken at least a dozen more.

The first two cuts of the album are a good indication and summary of what the listener can expect. First comes "Save Me," a hard-driving rocker that gets a great deal of its punch from a bass line that follows the distorted electric guitar riff. The lyrics explore the futility of trying to live the Christian life under our own power, drawing on the story of Peter walking on (and then sinking in) water. Next up is an acoustic rock tune, featuring bright, layered guitars, that looks at the fact that "God Is Too Big," both for our petty rules and differences and for us to understand the big picture of His plan.

Muddy, distorted guitars are featured in the very dark (musically) verses of the next cut, which parallel the verses describing the depravity of man's heart:

In the closets of my mind I have thoughts unfit for swine Secrets that I dare not tell You know them well

and the desperation of trying to conquer this problem on our own:

Knowing I deserve to burn Eternal life I try to earn Motivated by my guilt I slave away

The chorus brightens musically and lyrically, as Schlitt comes to the realization that despite all this, he "Can't Get Away" from God's love.

"We Worship You" is a fairly traditional praise and worship ballad that builds to an anthemic sound. It minimizes traditional synth sounds and employs enough acoustic work that the continuity of the album isn't broken by a good song that, given different instrumentation, would have been completely out of place. "Need I Remind You" is a medium rocker that reminds us of Christ's sacrifice and presence. It walks a fine line between encouragement and rebuke, perhaps inviting the listener to wear whichever shoe fits.

Schlitt has stated that part of his motivation to sing Christian rock is to exact a little vengeance on Satan for all that he put him through before Schlitt came to Christ. "Take You On," a driving rock song with funk underpinnings, takes a look at this adversarial relationship as Schlitt declares independence from his former master, while avoiding becoming overly simplistic about the issue. In a sparse medium rocker, the listener is encouraged not to turn away a "Helping Hand," whether it's from a fellow believer or Christ Himself. "There Is Someone," an acoustic ballad with a steel guitar twang (ala the Eagles), reminds the listener that "There is Someone Who loves you just the way you are." This is followed by "I Killed A Man," a funk/rock tune that acknowledges that our sins are the reason for Christ's death.

The final cut, "Don't Have To Take It," declares for the listener his or her independence from the world's definitions of success and value. As a part of this album, it's a familiar theme, but the music is what will turn more than a few heads. The opening instrumentation leads one to believe that it's going to be a light rocker, then shifts the sound to a driving rock song. But by the time the vocals come in, the song is completely turned on its ear with a droning, single-note, one-syllable-per-beat verse. It's just strange enough to work and-while initially surprising-seems to fit as a final reminder that this is not your father's John Schlitt. But, just in case we didn't get the point, as the guitars fade out at the end of the song, we can hear Schlitt laugh and say, "Incidentally, I'm not over the hill."

I would have to concur. With Unfit For Swine, Schlitt takes his music to a whole new level, employing various modern rock sounds without sounding derivative. Most of this disc was recorded live in the studio in a few days, and the musical tightness this renders simply adds to the album's quality. The exhorting and encouraging lyrics, hallmarks of Schlitt's and Petra's work, are strong and clear without being overly didactic. To say that Schlitt beat the "sophomore jinx" with this project would be the understatement of the year. Current fans of Schlitt and fans of modern rock would do well to check this one out.