Voyage - Inception

[Aaron]

I've had a minute or two to listen Inception several times. Is it a little soft at points, yes. Does it have some good rock moments, yes. Is the lead guitar as good as it gets, yes. Will I take hate for this post, yes.

This cd is killer, it's foot tapping good message, good music with one of the best singers on the planet. Robby Hoffman on guitar is a great surprise. The dude plays with soul and just a little dick, the right combination the Neil had 40 years ago.

After having a listen for a few weeks, I'm going on record. If you like Journey and don't have this cd you need to get it asap. It has a great groove and tone with some straight forward rock and roll as the meat. Where the hell is Mac on this topic?

Long story short, Inception is the best cd since Journey Escape. It's better than ROR, it's better than TBF, Arrival is close, other than that no. Inception is one any Journey fan should be listening to. I'll be seeing the band in April to see how it goes live.

[The_Noble_Cause]

I've had a minute or two to listen Inception several times. Is it a little soft at points, yes. Does it have some good rock moments, yes. Is the lead guitar as good as it gets, yes. Will I take hate for this post, yes.

This cd is killer, it's foot tapping good message, good music with one of the best singers on the planet. Robby Hoffman on guitar is a great surprise. The dude plays with soul and just a little dick, the right combination the Neil had 40 years ago.

After having a listen for a few weeks, I'm going on record. If you like Journey and don't have this cd you need to get it asap. It has a great groove and tone with some straight forward rock and roll as the meat. Where the hell is Mac on this topic?

Long story short, Inception is the best cd since Journey Escape. It's better than ROR, it's better than TBF, Arrival is close, other than that no. Inception is one any Journey fan should be listening to. I'll be seeing the band in April to see how it goes live.

I enjoyed the album and appreciate your enthusiasm for all-things-Hugo. However, I didn't think it was in the league of anything Journey - including Freedom.

[youkeepmewaiting]

I've had a minute or two to listen Inception several times. Is it a little soft at points, yes. Does it have some good rock moments, yes. Is the lead guitar as good as it gets, yes. Will I take hate for this post, yes.

This cd is killer, it's foot tapping good message, good music with one of the best singers on the planet. Robby Hoffman on guitar is a great surprise. The dude plays with soul and just a little dick, the right combination the Neil had 40 years ago.

After having a listen for a few weeks, I'm going on record. If you like Journey and don't have this cd you need to get it asap. It has a great groove and tone with some straight forward rock and roll as the meat. Where the hell is Mac on this topic?

Long story short, Inception is the best cd since Journey Escape. It's better than ROR, it's better than TBF, Arrival is close, other than that no. Inception is one any Journey fan should be listening to. I'll be seeing the band in April to see how it goes live.

Sorry but bollocks. It's a nice melodic rock record but nothing we haven't heard before a million times

[Aaron]

Damn TNC!

I've had a minute or two to listen Inception several times. Is it a little soft at points, yes. Does it have some good rock moments, yes. Is the lead guitar as good as it gets, yes. Will I take hate for this post, yes.

This cd is killer, it's foot tapping good message, good music with one of the best singers on the planet. Robby Hoffman on guitar is a great surprise. The dude plays with soul and just a little dick, the right combination the Neil had 40 years ago.

After having a listen for a few weeks, I'm going on record. If you like Journey and don't have this cd you need to get it asap. It has a great groove and tone with some straight forward rock and roll as the meat. Where the hell is Mac on this topic?

Long story short, Inception is the best cd since Journey Escape. It's better than ROR, it's better than TBF, Arrival is close, other than that no. Inception is one any Journey fan should be listening to. I'll be seeing the band in April to see how it goes live.

I enjoyed the album and appreciate your enthusiasm for all-things-Hugo. However, I didn't think it was in the league of anything Journey - including Freedom.

[Aaron]

And maybe that's it, it's familiar. I still think it's better than anything Journey in decades. And no bollocks or plonkers.

I've had a minute or two to listen Inception several times. Is it a little soft at points, yes. Does it have some good rock moments, yes. Is the lead guitar as good as it gets, yes. Will I take hate for this post, yes.

This cd is killer, it's foot tapping good message, good music with one of the best singers on the planet. Robby Hoffman on guitar is a great surprise. The dude plays with soul and just a little dick, the right combination the Neil had 40 years ago.

After having a listen for a few weeks, I'm going on record. If you like Journey and don't have this cd you need to get it asap. It has a great groove and tone with some straight forward rock and roll as the meat. Where the hell is Mac on this topic?

Long story short, Inception is the best cd since Journey Escape. It's better than ROR, it's better than TBF, Arrival is close, other than that no. Inception is one any Journey fan should be listening to. I'll be seeing the band in April to see how it goes live.

Sorry but bollocks. It's a nice melodic rock record but nothing we haven't heard before a million times

[Monker]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGkappG ... T&index=12

Inception - An instrumental piece that seems to try to be like "Majestic". The difference is that Neal is much more on fire and the song as a whole is much more upbeat. Inception tends to sound like it is too mellow. They should have just let loose but instead it sounds like everybody held back.

Crazy What Love Can Do - Generic 80's pop sounding drums...straight from Street Talk or ROR. The stacked vocal harmonies are good. The lyrics are generic "love song" lyrics. It's an OK song over all.

Don't Wanna Live Without Your Love - Intro is a complete rip-off of DSB. The bassline throughout is a rip-off of DSB. I'd rather listen to Daughtry and Lzzy Hale's version of DSB. For me, this song is very, very forgettable...it is Voyage trying to be Journey lite.

Sound of a Broken Heart - I'd rather hear Chalfant sing this...he has more "soul" in his voice and that is what this song needs. Hugo sounds good on the chorus but the versus just drag in almost one note boredom. This song could be a great duet. As is, it's very mediocre.

Going Away - An attempt at an upbeat song....much needed at this point. Sounds like it could have been an ROR song. Probably the best song up to this point. It has great harmonies and vocals. The same generic drums and bass.

A Friend Like You - A slow ballad. They added a bit of sax. Reminds me a bit Tommy Shaw's "Count On You"...it's that same type of slow droning on and on lyrics. It's an OK song, if you are in the mood for this kind of thing.

How Many Times - The intro tricks you into thinking it will be an upbeat song...but it is another ballad that drones on and on. Again, it's an OK song, if you are into that. Love the piano led refrain and exit.

I'll Be Around - Starts with a jazzy keyboard into with electric guitar entering later...sounding a bit more up tempo. They keep the up tempo jazzy sound through out. Reminds me of the modern version of "If You Need Me, Call Me". A good song over all.

In My Heart - The start sounds like an Air Supply song. Turns into a typical ballad. It makes me feel like they went for a "When You Love a Woman" vibe and didn't quite get there. I mean, It's a decently good song. But, man, this album is ballad heavy.

September Love - Sounds like a continuation of the previous song. Same vibe. Same type of song. Same type of harmonies. Etc...yawn.

The Voyage - A decent mid-tempo song that has some unique sounds. Not just another "love song" as all the previous are. A pretty good song.

When Heaven Makes an Angel - Wow, this is a very captivating song. Definitely the best "ballad" on the album. Nothing else like it on here. If Hugo wants to do Perry, he should do more stuff like this where he imitates Perry voice but on songs that sound nothing like Perry's solo songs or Journey. Great song.


Overall, if you are someone who longs for an album that sounds like a 1985 follow up to Street Talk and only wants to hear Perry's high note head voice, then this is a must have album. If you are past all of that, then this is a give or take album that may entertain you for a while and then be shelved. If you never were there or just want something more modern than 1985 Journey, then you can pass on this.

I don't think Hugo is one of the best vocalists out there. I think he is one note...he can sing Perry's head voice, but nothing else. Hugo's chest voice sounds nothing like Perry...and he seems to avoid using it.

The guitar, I don't know...nothing stood out to me. I mean the guy is a good guitar player, but he is no better than someone like Josh Ramos, who had the same praises of sounding so much like Neal. I think the best guitarist out there right now is Nuno...he can sound like Neal when he wants to and then play like EVH...the guy can do anything. Can this guy?

There are some nice piano bits in here. Some I didn't point out. I found the keyboards made some songs stand out. The bass and drums were pretty generic and very little impressive moments.

Overall, maybe a 7/10...a C+ or B- depending if you want to listen to all the ballads.

Definitely NOT the best album since Escape...I would put in on par with TBF, which may be a compliment to some...and many of them may really like this. Definitely not better than Arrival, or the two Storm albums, IMO.

[Aaron]

Nice play by play Monker. I'm not sure I long for an 80's deal but I do like this cd. I think you under estimate Hugo's vocal prowess. Robby Hoffman's playing hit is for me, soulful playing without the later years wankfest from Schon. There's enough technical playing to keep you thinking, I like it.

If I had to choose, I'd back down the number of ballads and turn up the upbeat song numbers (I think you'd agree). The Storm cd's are great, no argument. Is it better than Frontiers, maybe. Is it better than ROR, absolutely. I'd give it the nod to Arrival but I love Augeri.

The bottom line, opinions vary . It's the best cd my ears have heard in decades so I'll take it.

Good post Monker.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGkappG6wGY&list=PL-hm93E2_LovcCa2VNobZBvHJBuG9BXqT&index=12

Inception - An instrumental piece that seems to try to be like "Majestic". The difference is that Neal is much more on fire and the song as a whole is much more upbeat. Inception tends to sound like it is too mellow. They should have just let loose but instead it sounds like everybody held back.

Crazy What Love Can Do - Generic 80's pop sounding drums...straight from Street Talk or ROR. The stacked vocal harmonies are good. The lyrics are generic "love song" lyrics. It's an OK song over all.

Don't Wanna Live Without Your Love - Intro is a complete rip-off of DSB. The bassline throughout is a rip-off of DSB. I'd rather listen to Daughtry and Lzzy Hale's version of DSB. For me, this song is very, very forgettable...it is Voyage trying to be Journey lite.

Sound of a Broken Heart - I'd rather hear Chalfant sing this...he has more "soul" in his voice and that is what this song needs. Hugo sounds good on the chorus but the versus just drag in almost one note boredom. This song could be a great duet. As is, it's very mediocre.

Going Away - An attempt at an upbeat song....much needed at this point. Sounds like it could have been an ROR song. Probably the best song up to this point. It has great harmonies and vocals. The same generic drums and bass.

A Friend Like You - A slow ballad. They added a bit of sax. Reminds me a bit Tommy Shaw's "Count On You"...it's that same type of slow droning on and on lyrics. It's an OK song, if you are in the mood for this kind of thing.

How Many Times - The intro tricks you into thinking it will be an upbeat song...but it is another ballad that drones on and on. Again, it's an OK song, if you are into that. Love the piano led refrain and exit.

I'll Be Around - Starts with a jazzy keyboard into with electric guitar entering later...sounding a bit more up tempo. They keep the up tempo jazzy sound through out. Reminds me of the modern version of "If You Need Me, Call Me". A good song over all.

In My Heart - The start sounds like an Air Supply song. Turns into a typical ballad. It makes me feel like they went for a "When You Love a Woman" vibe and didn't quite get there. I mean, It's a decently good song. But, man, this album is ballad heavy.

September Love - Sounds like a continuation of the previous song. Same vibe. Same type of song. Same type of harmonies. Etc...yawn.

The Voyage - A decent mid-tempo song that has some unique sounds. Not just another "love song" as all the previous are. A pretty good song.

When Heaven Makes an Angel - Wow, this is a very captivating song. Definitely the best "ballad" on the album. Nothing else like it on here. If Hugo wants to do Perry, he should do more stuff like this where he imitates Perry voice but on songs that sound nothing like Perry's solo songs or Journey. Great song.


Overall, if you are someone who longs for an album that sounds like a 1985 follow up to Street Talk and only wants to hear Perry's high note head voice, then this is a must have album. If you are past all of that, then this is a give or take album that may entertain you for a while and then be shelved. If you never were there or just want something more modern than 1985 Journey, then you can pass on this.

I don't think Hugo is one of the best vocalists out there. I think he is one note...he can sing Perry's head voice, but nothing else. Hugo's chest voice sounds nothing like Perry...and he seems to avoid using it.

The guitar, I don't know...nothing stood out to me. I mean the guy is a good guitar player, but he is no better than someone like Josh Ramos, who had the same praises of sounding so much like Neal. I think the best guitarist out there right now is Nuno...he can sound like Neal when he wants to and then play like EVH...the guy can do anything. Can this guy?

There are some nice piano bits in here. Some I didn't point out. I found the keyboards made some songs stand out. The bass and drums were pretty generic and very little impressive moments.

Overall, maybe a 7/10...a C+ or B- depending if you want to listen to all the ballads.

Definitely NOT the best album since Escape...I would put in on par with TBF, which may be a compliment to some...and many of them may really like this. Definitely not better than Arrival, or the two Storm albums, IMO.