No Doubt

May I encourage you to buy the album No Doubt, by Petra? Here, here’s a link to it on half.com. It’s only 2 or 3 bucks, plus $2.50 shipping. And please look beyond the wailing, wavering vocals and the 90’s style rock. It may be stylistically dated, but the lyrics of this album crackle and glow with honesty, clarity, and God-glorification. And it is recorded and mixed beautifully. Great growling bass, kick that socks you, and snare drums that are everything 70’s rock was lacking. And the guitar? Well, if you’ve ever wondered how much you can do with a Stratocaster and a big clean bright crisp Fender amp, listen through this CD to find out!

What makes this so good? Each song works. Each song has great lyrics that match its music, and creatively uses the tools and tones of 90’s rock.

Track 1: “Enter In”

Is in serious contention for the “six stars” list in my iTunes. It is a powerfully rocking song, and the lyrics stir fresh wonder at salvation with words that are startlingly theological:

Now without a second look we forget what all it took

To be seen as innocent by His holy eyes

Never thinking foolishly there is something He won’t see

For our lack of righteousness there is no disguise.

[Melody starts low here and builds up and up to the last line, which breaks into the chorus…]

He won’t look the other way

Someone’s life will have to pay

Once for all it has been done

Taken out upon His Son

He remembers it no more

Now for us He is the Door

Opened up forevermore

[And I’ll let you find out for yourself what that great chorus is :-) ]

Track 2: “Think Twice”

Another great rocker, with sitar-like electric guitar work and a sweet pentatonic melodic cascade at the end of the chorus. The words are pretty much about moments of temptation—“Hey, did you ever think twice / When there’s still time you can go the other way…”

Track 3: “Heart of a Hero”

A bit campy, but still with a rolling, recognizable guitar hook along with sweet tom work. About how “It takes the heart of a hero / To stand for what’s right / […] / To lay down your life.” “Have the faith of a child / And the power of God / […] Will you stand for what’s right? / Would you lay down your life?” The music kinda evokes the severity and boldness of the martyrs. Nice wah pedal solo towards the end :-D

Track 4: “More Than a Thousand Words”

90’s mushy song about how, after seeing a painting of Christ on the cross, looking down in His agony, “Only words are never gonna say / What I feel for You today.” Can you say 8^th-notes on the bass? :-) Nice acknowledgment of the limitations of our earthly worship, though, and the bridge is a appropriate reminder of heaven: “Simple words will never quite express / My gratitude to You / Until I cross the barrier / Mortal words will have to do.” The instrumental part at the end of this would be one of my top picks for influential solos in my electric guitar playing. Listening to it again made me realize I actually recorded an almost identical solo in my song “Will You Wait for Me!” :-P

Track 5: “No Doubt”

Another mushy-ish song musically. Mmm, bass and kick together—what a staple. Nice electric piano, too :-) The peaceful feel of the chorus goes well with the meaning:

No doubt it’ll be alright

With God it’ll all work together for good

No doubt in the end it will be understood […]

No doubt in the power of Jesus

And after all is done we find out

All we really need to have is no doubt

Track 6: “Right Place”

We kick back into gear with frenetic electric guitar work and matching vocals. Pretty much about when everything else is gone, “No visible support – no one there you can lean on,” “You’re in the right place – trusting only Him / […] You’re in the right place – He will come through.” Nice electric guitar work. Music depicts the desperate situations the words talk about.

Track 7: “Two Are Better Than One”

Catchy chorus and a great introduction. Good bass work, for all you bass players out there. Based on the proverbs about two being better than one, iron sharpens iron, etc. Call it “accountability,” to use Christianese :-) “When I start to cross the line / You just seem to read my mind / And then you bust me.” Really cool flowing kinda feel to the song, lotsa open strumming, cool harmonies.

Track 8: “Sincerely Yours”

Don’t get hung up on its use of this clichéd phrase. Listen to their words:

This prodigal is standing here

Now with all my senses clear

For all You gave to me

I spent it foolishly

You’ve been waiting patiently

[Chorus]

Here is all I have to give

I offer up this life I live

I am sincerely Yours

Now in all sincerity

I give You all of me (Jesus)

I am sincerely Yours

And you bass players I was talking about earlier? Find out how much properly-placed low notes can accomplish! The bass totally makes the song’s musical hook, which constitutes the intro and choruses.

Track 9: “Think On These Things”

This track stood out the very first time I listened to this album. It starts out unpretentiously with a Caedmon’s call-sounding drums and electric guitar groove and anticipatory verse. Then all of a sudden the held-back dynamics loosen and out pops this melody that just flits up the scales:

Whatever things are pure and true,

(I want to)

Think on these things

Whatever things are filled with virtue

Think on these things.

When my mind begins to stray

I want to think the other way

Think on these things

Some of the most enjoyable pairing of music with nearly direct scripture I can think of. Nice bridge that builds tension while quoting 3 exact lines from Philippians. Breaks into a soaring little solo at the end. Uplifting song all around, which so fits its words!

Track 10: “For All You’re Worth”

*cough*

Ah, just skip this one. I guess there will never be an album with all perfect tracks. No, it’s not true that “He died for all you’re worth.” Yes He loves me, yes I have value in His sight, somehow, amazingly…but He died to glorify Himself, which is the only goal worthy of the brutal death of the Son of God. So, yeah. Skip this track.

Track 11: “We Hold Our Hearts Out to You”

Song about, basically, the unity Christians find by sharing God’s grace and salvation. Potently 90’s-sounding song :-) Not quite as great as the rest of the album, but not a bad song like track 10. More sitar work, more kick-and-bass unity, more straining, chorused-up 80’s/90’s harmony. Pretty cool that they’re singing about the church, though! The chorus makes a nice picture of the people of a church gathered: “So together we hold all our hearts out to You / […] Heal and forgive us, make us all just like new.”

If this album ended at track 9 it would be perfect. As it is, those 9 songs are well worth your five bucks. This is one of the few albums I can think of that exemplify what I believe “Christian music” should look like. (The others are Nothing is Sound by Switchfoot, In the Company of Angels by Caedmon’s Call, Underdog and Hit Parade by Audio Adrenaline, I Wanna Be Like You by FFH, Who We Are Instead by Jars of Clay, and The Anatomy of Tongue in Cheek by RelientK.)