REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Day: May 10, 2022

STEVE PERRY – Street Talk

This was Perry’s first solo album recorded and released after the Frontiers touring cycle for Journey in ’84. I don’t think there is a male singer of his generation that can put so much feel and emotion into his songs. There is not a hint of anyone Journey near this record, other than his manager Herbie Herbert. You get the best of West coast session musicians here as the album sounds awesome.

I never noticed before, but the intro to lead off track and main single, Oh Sherrie, is very similar to David Lee Roth’s version of California Girls. As you would expect, the album is overloaded with ballads and RnB style songs, and why not when you sing them as good as he does? And let’s face it, with Journey they invented a whole genre. Other than Oh Sherrie, the other track that really stands out is She’s Mine, where Steve really digs into the song with such feel.

A very laid back album where groovers are in short supply, but what a voice!

8/10 from The Grooveman.

SAGA – Steel Umbrellas

It’s very cool to see this album come out on vinyl. It was remastered specifically for this release, as it was only ever released on CD originally. The songs were actually written for a US TV show called Cobra, and I don’t think I have ever seen an episode. As usual with these reissues, the sound is superb and crystal clear.

This is the tenth studio album from Canada’s best kept secret, and I’m not sure when they became Prog, but that’s what this album is listed under. It’s a very slick sounding record as though it has had the kitchen sink thrown at it to make it sound good.  I never realized it, but at times they sound like King Crimson around the Discipline and Beat periods – especially on tracks like Bet On This which has a killer funky groove and beat. Shake That Tree is another superb song, this time with keyboard player Jim Gilmour singing the main vocal.

There aren’t many tunes where Ian Crichton lets rip on this record, as the emphasis seems to be on the songs, but when he does…man what a player he is.  If I’m pushed for a favourite track, it would be Push It, as I really like the way the song swings with a very 90’s pop groove. If you are looking for a record to test out your hi-fi, then this is it.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.