Tag: journey (Page 2 of 2)

You think that when they have just released their most successful album and tour with Escape, that everything would be fine and dandy in the Journey household. Well, Steve Perry was having problems with his voice and was rumoured to have had surgery between these two records and upon his return for the recording of this album his voice was never the same as he sang in a lower register. The really high notes – that had become his trademark – were used more sparingly.

This was the bands eight studio album released in ’83 and is a worthy follow up to Escape. Even though the ballad count is up there, this was perceived at the time to be quite a heavy sounding album. Separate Ways, Chain Reaction, Edge Of The Blade, and Back Talk are all rockin’ tracks with Schon being the focus – as well as Perry’s vocals. Even though everybody thinks that Faithfully was the big single from this record, but it was the rockin’ Separate Ways that charted higher, reaching number 8.

If I’m pushed, I would say this is my favourite Journey album, although I flip flop between this and Escape. I don’t care if you like them or not, you have to admit they write great songs. With Perry they wrote many, and in Neal Schon they have one of rocks greatest players. Great band and a great album.

10/10 from The Grooveman.

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.