Neal Schon – The Calling CD

[koberry]

Am a huge Schon fan and have _everything_ ... from the old (Santana auditions, Azteca, many early-Journey boots, etc) to mid-career solo/collaborations (Schon & Hammer, The Hunger, even Just-if-I, etc). Heck, I own and continue to play two Schon guitars from the mid-80's. But I'm not completely loving The Calling. Maybe it's because in many cases it seems like he builds new songs out of old riffs & themes. I'm hearing snips of Schon & Hammer, Electric World, Voice re-composed into things that it sounds to my ears like I've heard before. And maybe the different takes on these well-worn and much loved melodies are dissonant to where my mind expects them to resolve. Over time, I came to really like I on U, so I'll definitely give it enough spins to let it steep a bit. But so far, it's quite a bit less than it was built up to be, imho.

[yulog]

Am a huge Schon fan and have _everything_ ... from the old (Santana auditions, Azteca, many early-Journey boots, etc) to mid-career solo/collaborations (Schon & Hammer, The Hunger, even Just-if-I, etc). Heck, I own and continue to play two Schon guitars from the mid-80's. But I'm not completely loving The Calling. Maybe it's because in many cases it seems like he builds new songs out of old riffs & themes. I'm hearing snips of Schon & Hammer, Electric World, Voice re-composed into things that it sounds to my ears like I've heard before. And maybe the different takes on these well-worn and much loved melodies are dissonant to where my mind expects them to resolve. Over time, I came to really like I on U, so I'll definitely give it enough spins to let it steep a bit. But so far, it's quite a bit less than it was built up to be, imho.

Yeah, this one isn't grabbing me at all, maybe its a grower , but i'm not hearing much that makes me want to listen again

[The_Noble_Cause]

Neal keeps boasting that he winged this solo cd in the studio and that many of the riffs were created on the spot. That's great, but his best solo work, Beyond the Thunder, was produced by Jonathan, were many of the songs were deliberately orchestrated and meticulously thought out.

[brywool]

To me, his best solo work was Late Night. Flawless album. Beyond the Thunder is good, but is way too easy listening for me. Sounds like Art Bell Bumper Music.
And Voice, where he plays other people's songs? No interest in that.

[Journey/Survivor]

My CD just arrived tonight. Listening to it right now.

I'll comment when I'm finished listening to it.

[AJ]

Journey/Survivor- since we're in the same neighborhood...where did you order yours from? I ordered mine directly from ther Frontiers site and I can't get a sniff on the phone or by e-mail. Not a word. My card has been charged though...2 weeks ago.

Can you help Andrew? This is very frustrating!!

[Journey/Survivor]

Journey/Survivor- since we're in the same neighborhood...where did you order yours from? I ordered mine directly from ther Frontiers site and I can't get a sniff on the phone or by e-mail. Not a word. My card has been charged though...2 weeks ago.

Can you help Andrew? This is very frustrating!!

I ordered mine through Amazon. It was $9.99. Free shipping. I ordered it on Tuesday night, and it arrived on Thursday night.

[Journey/Survivor]

I'm liking the album better than I thought that I was going to. I wasn't overly impressed by the samples that were on Neal's website. But hearing the songs all of the way through I like them a lot better. I didn't think that it was going to Rock enough based on the samples. The samples were making me think that it was going to be more similar in style to Neal's Electric World CD. Not exactly the same as that, but kind of similar. But it isn't anything like EW except on maybe one or two songs.

My favorite of Neal's solo albums so far was i on u. But The Calling might be able to equal it eventually on my list?
I like how aggressive some of his playing on The Calling album is.

He does recycle some parts of stuff that he has done in the past. I hear some similarities to stuff from his Late Night album, and the Schon & Hammer albums, and even Electric World on one or two songs.

He throws in a little part in one of the songs that sounds like his guitar intro on the beginning of Journey's LTS.

If you like guitar heavy instrumental albums, it's definitely worth getting.

[The_Noble_Cause]

Sounds like Art Bell Bumper Music.

LOL.

[Journey/Survivor]

I'm giving the album a third listen right now. I also picked up on a recycled bit of the Hardline song "In The Hands Of Time" in one of the songs.

[Majestic]

I have a feeling the "recycled" bits are more likely re-invented on Neal's part. I have a feeling that some of us fans are more familiar with his recorded work than he is because we probably listen to it a lot more. So I don't think it is likely that he is going through his back catelogue and sifting out bits he could use again as much as it is that something he did once and forgot reoccurs to him as if it were new. Then I look at something like Song of the Wind II, and wonder, what was Song of the Wind I? To me this one is reminiscent of the melodic themes in Beyond the Clouds, but they go in different directions.

I think this is a good album. If I were forced to compare it with something he's done before I would say I on U, but they are still pretty different. I think this album is a grower, the same way I on U was for me. I didn't care for I on U much at all until I reached 50 spins or so, and now I think it is among his best work. I don't know if this one can repeat that, because it doesn't seem to have some of the high points that I on U had. Some of the songs are very good and threaten to be great, then don't get there. There are also some songs that are missed opportunities like Tumbleweed. This song has so much potential but Jan's contribution to the song tumbles it to the weeds. No disrepect intended for Jan, he is a great and versatile player of many instruments. But the keytar thing sounds as bad now as it did in the 80s and I wish it weren't on this album. Neal may as well featured Dwight Schrute and his recorder, that's how pitiful it sounds. When Neal picks up Jan's melody on guitar toward the end of the song, it sounds killer, and that's when I know Neal really screwed up on the song by giving Jan so much space on in it. I really dig the second movement of Backsmash and wish the album had some more of this on it.

[Memorex]

I'm finding I can't really listen straight through, but when a song comes on at random, it's a good listen.

[Centaure]

Yes, The Calling is definitely a grower!

I think it has some of Schon's best work of his entire career in terms of musicianship. The two songs co-written by Smitty are so awesome (56, Primal Surge). Great hardrock rock song (The Calling), prog-jazz (Carnival Jazz, Back Smash), with some great powerful ballads (Six Strings Waltz, True Emotion, Blue Rainbow Sky).

Neal did it again.

And to hear him playing with Steve Smith again, is a dream come true for any fans of them (as I am).

I would love if Journey's new sound was a bit more like that.

[Journey/Survivor]

Has there been anything said about when to expect Neal's new album with Deen and Marco? I hope we don't have to wait a full year or more.

[maverick218]

Not feeling this cd yet- not up to the standards of Beyond the Thunder or Voice, but I'm going to listen to it some more.

[Majestic]

Not feeling this cd yet- not up to the standards of Beyond the Thunder or Voice, but I'm going to listen to it some more.

That's kind of a strange standard to have for The Calling. Are you sure you mean it?. If you said Electric World or I on U was the standard you are measuring to it would make more sense because The Calling is not even the same kind of animal as Beyond the Thunder or Voice.

I am liking the Calling more and more, but I also liked a lot of Electric World and loved I on U. The Calling does have it's softer moments which are really good, but even these are nothing like Beyond the Thunder or Voice. They softer blues like tracks remind a little of vibe on Abraxas Pool, Pirhana Blues and I on U.

[maverick218]

Not feeling this cd yet- not up to the standards of Beyond the Thunder or Voice, but I'm going to listen to it some more.

That's kind of a strange standard to have for The Calling. Are you sure you mean it?. If you said Electric World or I on U was the standard you are measuring to it would make more sense because The Calling is not even the same kind of animal as Beyond the Thunder or Voice.

I am liking the Calling more and more, but I also liked a lot of Electric World and loved I on U. The Calling does have it's softer moments which are really good, but even these are nothing like Beyond the Thunder or Voice. They softer blues like tracks remind a little of vibe on Abraxas Pool, Pirhana Blues and I on U.

IMO, Beyond and Voice are his best, most consistent CD's- that's the standard that I go by. It's cool if you don't feel that way. You mentioned Abraxas (which I absolutely LOVE), but I don't consider Abraxas a solo album by Neal.

[Majestic]

Not feeling this cd yet- not up to the standards of Beyond the Thunder or Voice, but I'm going to listen to it some more.

That's kind of a strange standard to have for The Calling. Are you sure you mean it?. If you said Electric World or I on U was the standard you are measuring to it would make more sense because The Calling is not even the same kind of animal as Beyond the Thunder or Voice.

I am liking the Calling more and more, but I also liked a lot of Electric World and loved I on U. The Calling does have it's softer moments which are really good, but even these are nothing like Beyond the Thunder or Voice. They softer blues like tracks remind a little of vibe on Abraxas Pool, Pirhana Blues and I on U.

IMO, Beyond and Voice are his best, most consistent CD's- that's the standard that I go by. It's cool if you don't feel that way. You mentioned Abraxas (which I absolutely LOVE), but I don't consider Abraxas a solo album by Neal.

I love Beyond and Voice too, but I can't hold those as standards for music in rap or country, right? So if Neal "fell short" of those albums on the Calling, part of the reason is he was shooting at a completely different target, right? He was never heading that direction so it is impossible to fall short that way. You just don't like the direction he chose to go.

[Journey/Survivor]

Voice is my least favorite of his solo albums. But that's partially because he's covering other peoples songs. And they're not big guitar songs originally. If he ever does another covers album, I hope he does stuff like Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Cream, Yard Birds and other classic guitar driven songs.

My favorite of Neal's solo albums so far is "i on u," but The Calling might have a chance to tie it on my list eventually. I don't really like to rank a new album right away.

[Majestic]

Voice is my least favorite of his solo albums. But that's partially because he's covering other peoples songs. And they're not big guitar songs originally. If he ever does another covers album, I hope he does stuff like Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Cream, Yard Birds and other classic guitar driven songs.

My favorite of Neal's solo albums so far is "i on u," but The Calling might have a chance to tie it on my list eventually. I don't really like to rank a new album right away.

I think if Neal ever goes the route of covers he ought to have guest vocalists kind of like Santana did for Supernatural.

I actually like Voice. I thought the production could be better and some of the backgrounds seemed canned, but I loved Neal's interpretation of those songs, many of which I didn't like at all before Neal did them.

[Arkansas]

I think if Neal ever goes the route of covers he ought to have guest vocalists kind of like Santana did for Supernatural.

Long wanted a Piranha Blues II in this very format...guest singers and maybe a few guest players too.


later~

[Majestic]

I think if Neal ever goes the route of covers he ought to have guest vocalists kind of like Santana did for Supernatural.

Long wanted a Piranha Blues II in this very format...guest singers and maybe a few guest players too.


later~

Yeah, that would be awesome. Piranha Blues would have been great but for the singer he got. But I do miss Schon's bluesy playing. I'd love him to strip down and play some really nasty blues with a great singer (or several) maybe something like The Black Keys.

[tater1977]

AXSLive chats with Journey

http://youtu.be/PNog1pQMu8g


(Mr Spock & Schon)

[Majestic]

A Piranha Blues II where Schon did most of the singing would be cool, too. Neal has a very cool, gritty, Hendrixy type voice that would sound great on a Blues type record.