Band members:
Steve Perry – Lead Vocals
Neil Schon – Lead Guitar, backing vocals
Ross Valory – Bass Guitar, backing vocals
Jonathan Cain - Keyboard, backing vocals
Steve Smith - Drums
When most classic rock bands release new albums, people generally agree that they aren’t up to par with their older material. This is true and untrue for this album. There are some real gems on this CD, but many songs that I consider to be filler, and I will address all of that in this review.
1. Message of Love 5/5
This song is a very typical Journey song (Story of trying to reclaim lost love), but still is in my opinion, the best song on the album. This starts off with a bang with a very nice intro solo by Neil Schon (lead guitar), followed by backing vocals and eventually Steve Parry coming in. This song has a nice sound to it. Perry’s vocals are great as always. Schon does an amazing job on guitar for this song, one of his best in my opinion.
2. One More 4/5
Let me start out by saying that I don’t get this song. It is not something that I would expect coming from a band like Journey. It starts off with a haunting violin intro, followed by “Wicked prophets killed, smitten in his name…” The song seems as if it were ripped straight from the Bible. “In the glory of an innocent age, a king is born to a house filled with rage…” Regardless, like Message of Love, this song has a very nice, crisp feel to it. Perry does a great job on this. Schon rips out another great solo at the end of this song.
3. When You Love a Woman 3.5/5
I have to wonder why the producers put this track where they did on the album. It’s a soft, slow song, which reminds me somewhat of “Open Arms”. I do enjoy this song, but I must say that it is somewhat of a let down to go from two fast paced songs immediately into a slower song. The piano plays a larger role in this song than in the past two, which is a welcome change. Over all, if you like Journey’s slower songs, you’ll probably love this song.
4. If He Should Break Your Heart 4.5/5
This song is probably my second favorite song off this album. It starts off slow, but gradually increases in tempo, though never reaching the speed of the first two songs.
Schon has a somewhat smaller role than the previous three songs, but it’s still enjoyable. I can hardly help but sing along whenever I listen to it. Perry does another amazing job on this song.
5. Forever in Blue 3/5
This is one of the last good songs on this album, the rest being mostly filler. Whenever I listen to this song I am somewhat reminded of “Ask the Lonely”, by the sound and just the overall feel of it. This song is definitely a more upbeat song, compared to the previous two, which (at least for me) was a welcome change.
6. Castles Burning 2/5
This song starts off with Schon jamming on a Hendrix style riff, which is totally out of place for Journey; and does not fit with their style at all. I have nothing wrong with bands experimenting with new styles, but this song just screams “filler!” to me. Perry does a mediocre job (compared to his other stuff), but Schon does really try, though it sounds out of place for a Journey song, as I mentioned earlier.
7. 4/5
This song starts off really slow and boring, and the first time I listened to it I almost skipped it, but it picks up a lot after the first minute or so. This features probably some of Perry’s best vocals on the album, as well as a short but good guitar solo. It appears that Journey has finished experimenting, at least for now; which is (in my opinion) a good thing.
8. Still She Cries 5/5
This is another one of my favorites from this album. As with the previous song, it is a slower paced song. Perry and Cain are the highlights of this song, with a hauntingly beautiful keyboard solo. This is a song I could imagine being on one of Journey’s classic albums, and I’m frankly surprised they didn’t write it earlier, as I think it rivals much of their classic stuff.
9. Colors of the Spirit 4/5
This is another song that I don’t think really fits Journey, however I do enjoy it. It starts with a short flute/recorder intro. Unlike most of their stuff, it’s not about love or love lost. I could easily see this song in a movie like Disney’s “Pocahontas”, which I’ll leave to you to decide if that’s good or bad.
10. When I Think Of You 2/5
I can’t say I really enjoy this song, it’s a pretty song, it sounds just like something Journey would make, but I can’t keep from wanting this song to finish whenever I listen to it. The keyboard plays another large role in this song, but it’s nothing great or mentionable. I’m guessing Journey just needed another song, so they quickly wrote this up.
11. Easy to Fall -/5
I’m not sure I understand this song much. Instrumental wise, it sounds like Journey. However, I don’t get the lyrics. “You say you believe in love, and still you run, you only believe in God when you come undone, so here you are, you brought everything on yourself, so easy to fall..” I’ll leave it to you to judge this one.
12. Can’t Tame The Lion 3/5
This song starts out with a guitar riff that I could never imagine in a guitar riff. It reminds me almost of AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck”. Another good song instrumental wise, but like the previous song I don’t get the lyrics. “In the midst of a dream, yes I swear I saw you, standing there, they can’t tame the lion.” I’m giving this song an average rating because I think Schon’s playing is very good; even though out of place for Journey.
13. It’s Just the Rain 4/5
I like this song. It’s a slower paced song, much like “Still She Cries” and “When You Love a Woman”. There isn’t much in this song instrumental wise, apart from one keyboard solo. The main feature of this song is definitely Perry’s singing.
14. Trial by Fire 4/5
This is a very pretty song, not very slow but not upbeat either. As with “One More”, it seems like it has a biblical influence. It is obvious that the lyrics in many of the songs on this album have a lot of thought put into them, and there are definitely many deeper meanings to many of the songs, but I’ll leave it to you to research them.
15. Baby I’m A Leaving You [Hidden Track] 1/5
I can personally not stand this song. It has a Jamaican feel to it, with the singing style and the chords. It is very obvious that this is filler, and I hope this track remains hidden.
All in all, I think this is a great album. It’s no masterpiece, but I think it is a must have for any Journey fans out there.
PS Please don’t be too harsh critiquing my review, as this is my first review. :-)
