Anyway, I'm back to give my opinion on Generations, which I bought today and have listened to twice now. I know most of you don't give a shit, but I thought it only fair that I impart my thoughts, since most of you were questioning my objectivity given my zealous Perry affinities, and since I said I would give my views on the album once I got it.
The guitars on the album are AMAZING. Neal not only still has it, he's gotten better with age. I think he's ripened into a masterful guitarist. He always was gifted, but I'm truly blown away by the guitar prowess he exhibits on this album. His exploratory flourishes and sometimes near-metal touches are truly sounds to cherish.
The keyboards, when evident, sound crisp as well. I like that they are used more sparingly than on Arrival. They are there, but not too blatantly. They complement the guitars exquisitely.
The drums, too, are smashingly solid. Can't hear much bass yet, but maybe I will with repeated listens.
As for the vocals...well, this is where I wil alienate people once again. But I have to be honest, or else I am betraying myself.
Finally, I just don't like the texture of Augeri's voice. And this time around, it has nothing to do with him sounding like a cheap imitation of Perry - though sometimes he does. It has to do with the fact that I don't think he has a distinctive voice, and seemingly NO range. Now, I haven't seen him live, so maybe he exhibits more range in concert than on record. But his voice sounds flat and forced to me. It's just not impressive, in the end.
Deen's voice, it's true, is better, more "rounded" than Augeri's - and yes, he does sound more like Perry, as some have suggested. Yet, ironically, his voice is also more distinctive than Augeri's. I say, let Deen sing for Journey!
Also, regarding the tracks with Schon, Cain, and Valory singing: I don't like Schon's or Cain's voices very much at all, but amazingly, I LOVE the song with Ross singing!! Sure, he's not a great singer, but there's something disticintive about his voice. Maybe it simply stands out on this album, because it has a harsher tone to it. Honestly, he sounds like a singer from ZZTop.
Gone Crazy also happens to be my favorite song on the album, besides Believe. Sure, it's a bit goofy, but I really like it - maybe because it's in a rawer style than the other songs? Dunno.
Believe is wonderful. Truly. I can even handle the vocals on this one.
The other songs are mostly good or merely solid, but not blow-you-away fabulous, IMO. Maybe with repeated listens, they will grow on me. But I'm not that enthralled with Faith in the Heartland as everyone else seems to be.
In all, I'd say that the album is better - worlds better - than Arrival, which is a piece of dung, frankly.
I'm glad it's a more guitar-focused, edgier effort, because I really think the schlocky ballads need to stay a thing of the past.
One more thing: The lyrics suck - cliche-riddled middle-school poetry, at BEST.
But then, Journey never possessed much of a lyrical forte.