Arnel on the GH

[STORY_TELLER]

Not when he sings in his natural voice. The new material doesn't sound like Perry. Like A Sunshower does a bit.

Which songs do you think Arnel is singing in his natural voice? Change For The Better maybe?

Pretty much all of them with the exception of Like A Sunshower...where he went for a retro sound and evokes memories of a young Perry. Had they wanted this album to sound like Perry was on it they could have done just that. They opted not to. No one will think Perry is on this album. They distanced themselves from him with this release.

Beg to differ. He was coached to channel Perry in a great deal of areas, but the ones that contain obvious Perry vocal stylings are:
Never Walk Away
Sunshower
Where did I lose your Love
What I needed

Where he's being himself:
What it takes to Win
Turn down the world tonight
After all these years
Let it take you back

[Calbear94]

Arnel and Perry are both tenors and Cain is still writing alot of the melodies, so of course the vocals on some of these songs sound Perry-esque.

What surprised me was that Like a Sunshower sounds almost like it was written by Perry...it is so Sam Cooke. I wonder how this song made it onto the album. It's either a tribute to Steve Perry, or Shirley ran amuck trying to recreate Trial By Fire.

[brywool]

Yeah, hate the re-records! Sorry, they're horrible. I've given the whole CD several listens and it's just insane to choose these versions over anything Perry has done.

I'll never put anything vocally above Perry, and there is not one track on the remakes that is stronger than the originals, vocally.

Only the Young is better than Perry's original version. Sorry, but it just is. The rest are a close second and that's some mighty big friggin' shoes to fill.

You are absolutely insane. Arnel has a great voice, no doubt, but his delivery doesn't touch the depth of Perry. THAT'S what's missing on every track of the rerecords. Only the Young and Who's Crying Now especially so, from the entire band. The performances are cold and lack the heart of the originals, but that's to be expected after 9 plus years of repetitive performance.

"insane"- relax. I don't agree. The rest of them Perry cleans up, but OTY, I don't agree. No big deal. And I was discussing the vocal, not the band. I will say, regarding the band that the sounds on Separate Ways (cains) are not very good. I think it's that they're completely dry and the originals had a ton of reverb on them, but the keyboard parts come off sounding pretty weak.

Listening to these really makes you appreciate the role of the producer. Neal did a helluva job on the Hardline album. Best I EVER heard his guitar sound. Wish he'd have done these instead of Cain.

I knew I should have included an emoticon in that post. There was a smile on my face when I called you insane so don't let the lack of inflection in the words frighten you.

When I said the whole band, I was doing so as not to single out Arnel's vocal, but I'm pointing out the vocal in particular. Arnel is great and I support him 100%, but he doesn't have Perry's emotion or soul. He's the most emotional singer they've had so far, but his voice lacks the R&B roots of Perry. Overall, this is the difference between listening on an analytical/technical level vs. 'hearing' the depth of the performance. OTY and WCN, not even close. Technically clean as hell production wise, but the songs don't soar or contain the cinema of the originals. That's one place where Perry has yet to be duplicated by anyone.

I feel Arnel's got tons of soul. You can hear it all over Revelation. Perry has a ton as well. I just think in Only the Young, Arnel owns. With Perry, MANY songs he did had a lot of soul. OTY, really wasn't one of them to me. That was 'hit' material. Listen to Eyes of a Woman THAT'S SOUL. Listen to I AM. Listen to "Donna Please"- that's a buttload o' soul. That's soul. To me, OTY wasn't a real soulful song. I just like Arnel's approach to it. Oh well.

[STORY_TELLER]

Arnel and Perry are both tenors and Cain is still writing alot of the melodies, so of course the vocals on some of these songs sound Perry-esque.

What surprised me was that Like a Sunshower sounds almost like it was written by Perry...it is so Sam Cooke. I wonder how this song made it onto the album. It's either a tribute to Steve Perry, or Shirley ran amuck trying to recreate Trial By Fire.

Actually, someone (don't know who exactly) ran amuck trying to recreate 'Lights' and ended up with Like a Sunshower.

[STORY_TELLER]

I feel Arnel's got tons of soul. You can hear it all over Revelation. Perry has a ton as well. I just think in Only the Young, Arnel owns. With Perry, MANY songs he did had a lot of soul. OTY, really wasn't one of them to me. That was 'hit' material. Listen to Eyes of a Woman THAT'S SOUL. Listen to I AM. Listen to "Donna Please"- that's a buttload o' soul. That's soul. To me, OTY wasn't a real soulful song. I just like Arnel's approach to it. Oh well.

On the new stuff, I agree with you, he has his own emotional vibe on the ballads. On the rerecorded ballads, I agree with you he is much more emotive than any other singer Journey's had to date, but more imitative and no place near as heartfelt as Perry's.

Give me Perry's soft feathered soulful soaring subtleties on OTY over Arnel's belting on the rerecords any day of the week. My opinion is regardless of the superior recording technology (which doesn't have the warmth of analog) the originals have a deeper execution whereas Arnel's is technically sharp but doesn't soar.

ST out!

[ttango1]

I mean, I get what you're saying. You're saying that you feel this is there or that is missing but everything one does is subject to PERSONAL BIAS and PERCEPTION.

What one truly loves, someone else may hate...as this forum can attest. However, I think I was talking to the ladies at the Heart Bar after the show at Planet Hollywood and someone said that Arnel's singing made them cry. Now...I'd call that emoting. But again, that's a personal thing.

[STORY_TELLER]

I mean, I get what you're saying. You're saying that you feel this is there or that is missing but everything one does is subject to PERSONAL BIAS and PERCEPTION.

What one truly loves, someone else may hate...as this forum can attest. However, I think I was talking to the ladies at the Heart Bar after the show at Planet Hollywood and someone said that Arnel's singing made them cry. Now...I'd call that emoting. But again, that's a personal thing.

Everything artistic is subjective and that's what we discuss, our subjective opinions. As to the latter part of your post, re-read my own post. I didn't say Arnel has 'no' emotion. I said he doesn't have Perry's emotion and this was in reference to the rerecords not a show.

[Matthew]

He nailed Who's Crying Now.

I agree with that sentiment. Out of all the classics, he really nailed that mother.

He copies it almost exactly. But why is this to be applauded?

Dude, I just happen to like it is all. Go buy yourself some Huggies.

Well...that was a real conversation killer...I'm glad I'm not stuck in an elevator with you, Scarygirl.

[Matthew]

I feel Arnel's got tons of soul. You can hear it all over Revelation. Perry has a ton as well. I just think in Only the Young, Arnel owns. With Perry, MANY songs he did had a lot of soul. OTY, really wasn't one of them to me.

I think Perry was going for power above all else on that song...

[The Sushi Hunter]

Reading all this about the new album, damn I can`t wait to get back so I can get my hands on a copy and check out what everyone`s talking about.

Oh and Ttango1, that chicky you got at the bottom of your post above is so hot, I`d drink her bathwater like a fine wine!

[scarygirl]

He nailed Who's Crying Now.

I agree with that sentiment. Out of all the classics, he really nailed that mother.

He copies it almost exactly. But why is this to be applauded?

Dude, I just happen to like it is all. Go buy yourself some Huggies.

Well...that was a real conversation killer...I'm glad I'm not stuck in an elevator with you, Scarygirl.

I was kidding.

[STORY_TELLER]

I feel Arnel's got tons of soul. You can hear it all over Revelation. Perry has a ton as well. I just think in Only the Young, Arnel owns. With Perry, MANY songs he did had a lot of soul. OTY, really wasn't one of them to me.

I think Perry was going for power above all else on that song...

Listen to his version again. If he was just powering, like in AWYWI for example, his voice wouldn't start soft then feather and ramp into power, then ramp back down to soft. That's subtlety and he was going for the emotional soaring vocal in doing so IMO.

[brywool]

I feel Arnel's got tons of soul. You can hear it all over Revelation. Perry has a ton as well. I just think in Only the Young, Arnel owns. With Perry, MANY songs he did had a lot of soul. OTY, really wasn't one of them to me. That was 'hit' material. Listen to Eyes of a Woman THAT'S SOUL. Listen to I AM. Listen to "Donna Please"- that's a buttload o' soul. That's soul. To me, OTY wasn't a real soulful song. I just like Arnel's approach to it. Oh well.

On the new stuff, I agree with you, he has his own emotional vibe on the ballads. On the rerecorded ballads, I agree with you he is much more emotive than any other singer Journey's had to date, but more imitative and no place near as heartfelt as Perry's.

Give me Perry's soft feathered soulful soaring subtleties on OTY over Arnel's belting on the rerecords any day of the week. My opinion is regardless of the superior recording technology (which doesn't have the warmth of analog) the originals have a deeper execution whereas Arnel's is technically sharp but doesn't soar.

ST out!

Think a certain amount of imitation is required for these. It's not like a guitarist where he can just plug in Neal's effects and immitate Neal's attack... I don't agree on that song. And on Sunshower, So both songs are in D and both start off with a bit of arpeggio. Not THAT close to Lights really. Sunshower's a great tune. Lights is too, just tired of it.

[Matthew]

I feel Arnel's got tons of soul. You can hear it all over Revelation. Perry has a ton as well. I just think in Only the Young, Arnel owns. With Perry, MANY songs he did had a lot of soul. OTY, really wasn't one of them to me.

I think Perry was going for power above all else on that song...

Listen to his version again. If he was just powering, like in AWYWI for example, his voice wouldn't start soft then feather and ramp into power, then ramp back down to soft. That's subtlety and he was going for the emotional soaring vocal in doing so IMO.

Storyteller...that studio version is my favourite Journey recording of all-time....so believe me I hear plenty of soul and subtlety too. I just meant that Perry wasn't trying to be moody and melancholy like he was in the downtempo songs Brywool cites as soulful. It was more of a rock performance...