THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Day: July 20, 2021

JOURNEY – Captured

July 20, 2021 /

When people talk about great live albums, no one ever mentions this, which blows my mind. This is a great live record that was recorded on the Departure tour. They were huge all over North America at this point, and world domination would elude them. It would be their next album, Escape, that would make them huge all over the world. At this point, Greg Rolie was still in the band and still got to sing the opening on Just The Same Way. It’s hard to believe that a few years earlier they were basically a jazz fusion/jam band. The addition of Steve Perry changed them for ever over night.

This live album is all about Steve Perry and Neal Schon. Perry’s vocals are incredible, and there is no denying that no matter how much people hate the band, Schon’s guitar playing is stunning. His tone has changed over the years and has got a lot more distorted, whereas here he is on fire and a lot clearer. There are some killer tracks and performances here, Line Of Fire, Dixie Highway, Walks Like A Lady, Loving Touching Squeezing, Wheel In The Sky…I mean the list goes on, great tune after great tune. This is a must have album for me.

9.5/10 from The Grooveman.

SAHB (without Alex) – Fourplay

July 20, 2021 /

I’m amazed that this album was ever recorded as there was so much turmoil behind the scenes at the time, with Alex’s health and money troubles. Alex was amazed to find out that the band were still in debt after raking in a lot of money from live performances. Alex had basically quit the band at this point, and this album was made as a contractual obligation. Alex would return to record the Rock Drill album. This album is a much more polished radio friendly record, that if released properly in the US with the right backing, it would have done well. Emphasis is on the songs and melodies, the lyrics are a bit cheesy and naïve, but the music is top drawer.

Opening track, Smouldering, has a great riff from Zal, and the chorus and hook are really fantastic – this is one of my favourite tracks. Chase It Into The Night is slightly different, with a great groove and rhythm and some great guitar from Zal. Shake Your Way To Heaven is almost a boogie, but has a monster riff and guitar tone – plus a superb melody and hook. The vocals are mostly by keyboardist Hugh McKenna, but next track, Outer Boogie, has vocals by drummer Ted McKenna. The start has a very Celtic feel, and then we have an almost fusion vibe to the rest of the track.

Side 2 starts with Big Boy with vocals by Zal – this is the one track that has the SAHB vibe to it – complete with big riff and short snappy solo from Zal. The groovy funk of Pick It Up And Kick It is up next, and was released as a single and I remember seeing this on the Whistle Test. Love You For A Lifetime is a big power ballad before they became fashionable. Close out track, Too Much American Pie, is the production number and a monster way to go out on.

This would be the only thing they would record as this line up, which is such a shame as this is such a great record and they were such a great band. Alex would be dead a few years later, and the band all went their separate ways. They would get back together in the early toonies with Max Maxwell as front man to play as SAHB, but with no new material.

9.5/10 from The Grooveman.

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