Revelation - MelodicRock Review

[Big J]

I finally got to finish reading your review. I agreed with most of it, but as a girl, I love the sappy lyrics on Like a Sunshower. I think it's beautiful.

As a wuss, I don't mind the lyrics either.

It wasn't what I and many thought it was gonna be though, something sounding like it fell right off the Evolution album, so it disappointed me.

Certainly not the worst song on the album (COUGHINSTRUMENTALCOUGHCOUGHWILDESTDREAMCOUGH) though

[bru87tr]

I am suprised sunshower is getting ripped. I think its an excellent song and sang prefectly!!!

[marco17]

I am suprised sunshower is getting ripped. I think its an excellent song and sang prefectly!!!

Not sure anyone really has a horrible view of the song, I think it's getting ripped because it has a super-gay title like Butterfly from Generations. Journey ballads are full of sap

[bru87tr]

what about open arms ? doesnt get more sappy than that.

[kgdjpubs]

Not sure anyone really has a horrible view of the song, I think it's getting ripped because it has a super-gay title like Butterfly from Generations. Journey ballads are full of sap

not disagreeing, but what exactly would you call the thing? Without going for a title that isn't in the lyrics, there aren't many options. After the Storm? Sunshower (minus the "like a")?

[AlteredDNA]

what about open arms ? doesnt get more sappy than that.

Agreed - One of the all time sappiest...

I have no problem with Sunshower - title, lyrics, or music...

[JrnySuxBalls]

If they used AlteredDNA's avatar as the cover, this CD would fly off the friggin' shelves. Good Lord!

[AlteredDNA]

If they used AlteredDNA's avatar as the cover, this CD would fly off the friggin' shelves. Good Lord!

You should see the PMs I got when I decided to change it for a while...

[JrnySuxBalls]

If they used AlteredDNA's avatar as the cover, this CD would fly off the friggin' shelves. Good Lord!

You should see the PMs I got when I decided to change it for a while...

[RedWingFan]

Ok folks. Enjoy...I think I covered everything

http://www.melodicrock.com/reviews/reviews.html

Just gave this a couple of listens and my only comment is....Andrew you know you're my boy, but you rank this with "Hysteria"??????
I think you've taken one too many kangaroo kicks to the dome!!!!

[Andrew]

I am suprised sunshower is getting ripped. I think its an excellent song and sang prefectly!!!

That it is.

[Andrew]

I am suprised sunshower is getting ripped. I think its an excellent song and sang prefectly!!!

Not sure anyone really has a horrible view of the song, I think it's getting ripped because it has a super-gay title like Butterfly from Generations. Journey ballads are full of sap

That's about right
I prefer the darker ballads...I can't relate to a song about Sunshowers

[brywool]

Sunshower's killer. Journey Gospel. I love it.

I'm hearing a lot of different, non-standard Jourey stuff with the new album. Neal's doing some guitar stuff I've never heard him do, as is Deen drumming. By the way, Very cool of Deen to reach out to Augeri in the liner notes. Cain on one of the tunes uses a really vintage keyboard sound, almost Styxish. Not sure if I dig that, but it'll grow on me.

People that were worried about no 3rd writer... to my ears, this is one of the most non-fragmented albums they've ever done. If Jon and Neal write like this in the future, I'll be fine. The album feels a lot more ballsy to me than the last two and definitely more like one cohesive collection of songs.

Nice package on the CD too. Generations was a terrible package. You could barely read the back of it. Awful. Revelations looks like it was done right.

[Liam]

Well...my mom bought it for me today to Make me feel better (I lost YET ANOTHER friend this past week due to her shooting herself) and it was a VERY sweet thing to do. Obviously she doesn't know the Journey back-story. ANYWAY...Sunshower is a REALLY gay song. Faith In The Heartland is awful and I still can't comprehend why they redid it.

Never Walk Away - Great track. I just wish they would've put this as a bonus track or something and have Jeremey take the lead on just this one as a special guest singer. AP's accent is VERY prevalent on this one.

Like A Sunshower - Like I said...GAY

Change For The Better - Decent song, but I hear a LOT of Van Halen's 5150 influence on the guitar tone (not that it's a bad thing). The one thing I really don't like on this one is the Halting one word pre-chorus. And I hear AP's accent on this one too which kills the song.

Wildest Dream - Cool song. Rockin', but too many keys. Should've stuck with 2 guitars.

Faith In The Heartland - AWFUL. The only thing redeeming about it is the "Live" ending.

After All These Years - A VERY good ballad, but I wouldn't rank it up there with Faithfully or even With Your Love, even though it does have the same feel as WYL.

Where Did I Lose Your Love - The BEST track on the album. Urgent and almost all in minor keys which I LOVE on almost any song. Only complaint is that the accent is still there in places.

What I Needed - Good lyrics, decent song structure...I'd give this one a 8/10.

What It Takes To Win - This one reminds me of The Police just for Neal's guitar reverb and tone. Not a bad song at all...just REALLY Police-ish.

Turn Down The World Tonight - Good ballad. I like it...but again, not in the same league with Faithfully or Open Arms. Reminds me of a mix between Loved by You and Knowing That You Love Me.

The Journey - I could take it or leave it. Doesn't even come close to equalling Neal's "Urban Angel" off I on U or anything off Electric World.

Let It Take You Back (Euro bonus track) - Not a bad song at ALL. The main guitar riff reminds me of some other song...but I can't seem to spit out the name OR band right this second. This should've been on this album worldwide in place of Faith In The Heartland.

All in all...I'll give this one an 85%. Don't ask how I calculated that...just work with me.

[Red13JoePa]

My immediate impression above all is "Cain Showpiece" at least KIND of.

Lot's of keys, lots of Schon/Cain keys/guitars parts and the return of abundant synths ( ) which I have not heard this prevalent since 1992's Into Your Arms.

He conjures up many cool, Journeyesque effects on the keys and synths on Revelation. It's like it's safe to use them again after grunge and modern rock made them taboo.

[MarcelJordan]

I'm with Andrew on basically his pov's on the album. Soundcraft and production, factors on the re-records- 97% is right on the money.

[Matthew]

I'm with Andrew on basically his pov's on the album. Soundcraft and production, factors on the re-records- 97% is right on the money.

97%? Even if you gave Escape and Frontiers 100% that would mean that Revelation was only 3% less impressive...which is clearly ridiculous. Or does the 97% just apply in the context of the current music scene?

[finalfight]

I'm with Andrew on basically his pov's on the album. Soundcraft and production, factors on the re-records- 97% is right on the money.

97%? Even if you gave Escape and Frontiers 100% that would mean that Revelation was only 3% less impressive...which is clearly ridiculous. Or does the 97% just apply in the context of the current music scene?

Songs from Escape and Frontiers formed part of the second disc and were actually factored into Andrew's initial review bringing the overall score down from 99% for disc 1 to 97% overall.

[Matthew]

I'm with Andrew on basically his pov's on the album. Soundcraft and production, factors on the re-records- 97% is right on the money.

97%? Even if you gave Escape and Frontiers 100% that would mean that Revelation was only 3% less impressive...which is clearly ridiculous. Or does the 97% just apply in the context of the current music scene?

Songs from Escape and Frontiers formed part of the second disc and were actually factored into Andrew's initial review bringing the overall score down from 99 to 97%.

It was the unimaginative arrangements which brought the mark down - and not the quality of the songs themselves.

[finalfight]

I'm with Andrew on basically his pov's on the album. Soundcraft and production, factors on the re-records- 97% is right on the money.

97%? Even if you gave Escape and Frontiers 100% that would mean that Revelation was only 3% less impressive...which is clearly ridiculous. Or does the 97% just apply in the context of the current music scene?

Songs from Escape and Frontiers formed part of the second disc and were actually factored into Andrew's initial review bringing the overall score down from 99 to 97%.

It was the unimaginative arrangements which brought the mark down - and not the quality of the songs themselves.

Absolutely. Nothing to do with quality of the source material. My point was the original score was set to be 99% a single % off pure perfection.

Personally I also thought that the re-records let the total package down as the sound/production quality was noticeably poorer than that off the new material and of the original recordings. It all seemed a bit hollow and sharp. The vocals also seemed to be very processed at times with a lot of flanger effect. I wnated to like them a whole lot more than I actually did.

[Matthew]

Absolutely nothing to do with quality. My point was the original score was set to be 99% a single % off pure perfection.
.

Andrew must have planned to give it 99% in comparison to this month's melodic rock releases. Surely.

[Andrew]

I'm with Andrew on basically his pov's on the album. Soundcraft and production, factors on the re-records- 97% is right on the money.

97%? Even if you gave Escape and Frontiers 100% that would mean that Revelation was only 3% less impressive...which is clearly ridiculous. Or does the 97% just apply in the context of the current music scene?

Generally speaking...a little of both. I started reviewing in 1997 and base all reviews around what's current and comparative to when I started these reviews.

That said...anything above 90 is going to be strong enough to stand alongside most classics.

[Andrew]

I'm with Andrew on basically his pov's on the album. Soundcraft and production, factors on the re-records- 97% is right on the money.

97%? Even if you gave Escape and Frontiers 100% that would mean that Revelation was only 3% less impressive...which is clearly ridiculous. Or does the 97% just apply in the context of the current music scene?

Songs from Escape and Frontiers formed part of the second disc and were actually factored into Andrew's initial review bringing the overall score down from 99 to 97%.

It was the unimaginative arrangements which brought the mark down - and not the quality of the songs themselves.

Correct.

[Monstrock]

Excellent review Andrew. Thanks a lot.

[STORY_TELLER]

I am suprised sunshower is getting ripped. I think its an excellent song and sang prefectly!!!

Not sure anyone really has a horrible view of the song, I think it's getting ripped because it has a super-gay title like Butterfly from Generations. Journey ballads are full of sap

That's about right
I prefer the darker ballads...I can't relate to a song about Sunshowers

Ummm... Wombat? You know Sunshower is used as a metaphor in this song, right? That the songs' not about Sunshowers?

[Andrew]

I am suprised sunshower is getting ripped. I think its an excellent song and sang prefectly!!!

Not sure anyone really has a horrible view of the song, I think it's getting ripped because it has a super-gay title like Butterfly from Generations. Journey ballads are full of sap

That's about right
I prefer the darker ballads...I can't relate to a song about Sunshowers

Ummm... Wombat? You know Sunshower is used as a metaphor in this song, right? That the songs' not about Sunshowers?

Not into those lyrics. Period.

[conversationpc]

Ummm... Wombat? You know Sunshower is used as a metaphor in this song, right? That the songs' not about Sunshowers?

"Eventually me and a friend
Sorta drifted along into s&m
I can take about an hour on the tower of power
long as I gets a little golden shower" - Frank Zappa ~ "Bobby Brown"

[Red13JoePa]

I like S Shower, hearing a little hybrid of Lights and Stay Awhile.


Favorite small part of Wildest Dream: Right after the Talkbox/protools breakdown bridgepart you go back to the chorus, right before the "tell me" Pineda seems to adlib a loud, resonant, extremely cool spoken (as opposed to sung) word "OOOHHH!!!"