MR

An old review but it looks like Jeff may now have found his band in Journey. Ya think?



TAKARA- "Blind in Paradise" (Zero Corporation XRCN-2029, 1998)
Californians Takara have been around for a while and "Blind in Paradise" is already their third release. I won’t bore you with the stories about how Jeff Scott Soto took Takara under his wing, but he’s back singing on this release and in a production/mixing capacity too.

Music then: "Take U Down" has me writing down just one word - "wow"! Great keyboards to open, then it rocks down harder: melodic hard rock with insistent guitars and heaped-up keyboards. "Your love 2 Night" continues the feel of hard LA AOR at its finest, sort of like the classiness of Legs Diamond with modern attitude and bravado. Suddenly you find yourself already at track three - "Fly 2 your Arms"- which is a slow burner and could easily be classed as a fire hazard and hosed down by a passing fire engine every hour.

The production is more impassioned rather than precise, and new member Eric Ragno’s keyboards really lift the whole band sound. And, it is real band integrated sound, rather than guitars and keyboards fighting to support each other..., no where is this more evident than on the title track which is essentially standard hard rock that’s twisted into something much more interesting by some almost progressive sounding keyboards. Jeff Scott Soto’s performance is excellent too. Strangely, he’s always struck me as a bit of a squandered talent. Sure he’s got a great voice, but he seems to have flitted about from band to band too much, and never hung around in one place long enough to be associated with a landmark album than matches his notoriety.

Many of the tracks have the same warm feel that you get from all time favourite album. Takara also seem to have a universal quality to their sound on tracks like "Time Waits 4 No One" and "What do U Want from Me" as they seem able to combine both European and US styles with gritty, restrained power, melody and adrenaline displayed in equal proportions. Additionally on this Japanese version, you get a cover (don’t the Japanese just love cover versions !?!) of Van Halen’s "Dance the Night Away". The cover works really well and effectively gives away one of the starting points to the Takara sound - it’s the guitar sass and attitude of Van Halen spiced up with keyboards and held on a more clear, stun-gun direction, without the meanderings of Van Halen’s whim and fancy.

If you’re looking for hook-laden melodic rockers with clever structures, then this is absolutely the place for you. Takara could be the standard-bearers of modern heavy AOR!

I dont think the point in the review and the post is really clear as my bud Carl pointed out.
Also , I think 15 years with Talisman , 7 studio albums/2 live albums/3 'best of albums" and a 2disc dvd set, shows that Jeff didnt just go from band to band. His main band was Talisman, while he tried to do tons of side projects. Thats what makes him as good as he is.(well that and the fact that Yngwie talked him into using his full name, instead of Jeff Soto. He thought "Jeff Scott Soto" had a certain 'ring' to it)

I of course knew about Jeff being in Soul Sirkus and Talisman Band, but I didn't know about this band Takara. Very interesting

I wonder if Jeff has been in any other bands besides the ones mentioned here.

I'm just happy to read that review again, it was always one of my favorites.

Eric Ragno, Takara

Sorry!
I simply meant that Jeff finally has the chanch to get more of the exposure he deserves with a big name band like Journey, after all the years he has worked so hard with other bands. Especially more recognition here in the U.S.

Cool review, I had never heard of them before, I will have to look them up. Thanks again.

chynablue wrote:I'm just happy to read that review again, it was always one of my favorites.

Eric Ragno, Takara

and fabulous music I must say to AssisstAGirl in doing the car wash, vacuum, ArmorAll window wash thing today. TAKARA blasting, vacuum humming, GirlSinging, guy in the next stall staring.

"bite me, LOSER!" sez she.

well, I said it in my mind anyway.


great stuff, Eric. I'm so glad I finally got these.


oh topic-(sorta)----Jeff just soars on RESTLESS HEART, a power ballad kicked up a notch as only a voice like his could do. (pre- Eric...dang). --Takara "Eternal". YOUR LOVE is a pop anthem ( with Eric-----YAY!) that could rival DSB. --Takara "Blind in Paradise.

GirlLikeYou wrote:great stuff, Eric. I'm so glad I finally got these.


oh topic-(sorta)----Jeff just soars on RESTLESS HEART, a power ballad kicked up a notch as only a voice like his could do. (pre- Eric...dang). --Takara "Eternal". YOUR LOVE is a pop anthem ( with Eric-----YAY!) that could rival DSB. --Takara "Blind in Paradise.

Thanks! Interesting side note, I recorded Blind in Paradise during the time that Journey's Trial By Fire came out. The guys kept giving me crap in the studio for indulging in too many Journey-esque keyboard riffs on this album. : )

This record was a snapshot of a special time, I'm glad I've got a souvenir from it.

Takara was never one of my bands, unfortunately for reviewers or even record buyers, this was never made clear enough to avoid confusion. I did 3 Takara records all during tenures with 'commited' bands by invitation.

The 1st was done primarily as I was producer/co-writer on most of it & demo-ed the songs that garnered the interest from the labels who went on to release them. When the band got a permanent singer, we redid all the songs with him but the labels were not interested in releasing the album with his voice, only mine. Not to leave the band with an 'oh well, sorry guys', we mixed it with my voice & put a disclaimer on it saying 'Guest Vocal Appearance - JSS', as well avoided a 'band' photo the disc to further assist the confusion factor....it didn't seem to work.

The next albums were a bit of the same situation, there simply was no interest to release further albums without my involvement so I did them to help my friends in the band out but only dug that hole deeper into others striking Takara as one of my bands, ah well, what can u do?

The Takara sound was not my 1st choice in career direction, i was more into what Talisman was churning out but listening back, there were some charmers on those 3 records, especially the 3rd & last I did with them (kudos ER)!.

Behshad wrote:I dont think the point in the review and the post is really clear as my bud Carl pointed out.
Also , I think 15 years with Talisman , 7 studio albums/2 live albums/3 'best of albums" and a 2disc dvd set, shows that Jeff didnt just go from band to band. His main band was Talisman, while he tried to do tons of side projects. Thats what makes him as good as he is.(well that and the fact that Yngwie talked him into using his full name, instead of Jeff Soto. He thought "Jeff Scott Soto" had a certain 'ring' to it)

Small correction, I was going to use the name 'Jeff Scott', Yngwie convinced me my full name sounded cool & being the naive 18 year old, I took his advice....funny that, I took advice from someone with a name like 'Yngwie Malmsteen', go figure!

JSS wrote:

Behshad wrote:I dont think the point in the review and the post is really clear as my bud Carl pointed out.
Also , I think 15 years with Talisman , 7 studio albums/2 live albums/3 'best of albums" and a 2disc dvd set, shows that Jeff didnt just go from band to band. His main band was Talisman, while he tried to do tons of side projects. Thats what makes him as good as he is.(well that and the fact that Yngwie talked him into using his full name, instead of Jeff Soto. He thought "Jeff Scott Soto" had a certain 'ring' to it)

Small correction, I was going to use the name 'Jeff Scott', Yngwie convinced me my full name sounded cool & being the naive 18 year old, I took his advice....funny that, I took advice from someone with a name like 'Yngwie Malmsteen', go figure!

he was right, though. Your full name has more impact.

JSS wrote:...but listening back, there were some charmers on those 3 records, especially the 3rd & last I did with them (kudos ER)!.

Aww, thanks J! You just made my day.

I'm travelling north this weekend to hang with some mutual friends...will you be up there? Hope all is well, E

JSS wrote:Small correction, I was going to use the name 'Jeff Scott', Yngwie convinced me my full name sounded cool & being the naive 18 year old, I took his advice....funny that, I took advice from someone with a name like 'Yngwie Malmsteen', go figure!

Well, in Swedish, his name probably sounds cools like yours does in English. Swedes everywhere at that time were probably thinking something like "Jeff Scott Soto? What kinda stupid name is that???".

JSS wrote:

Behshad wrote:I dont think the point in the review and the post is really clear as my bud Carl pointed out.
Also , I think 15 years with Talisman , 7 studio albums/2 live albums/3 'best of albums" and a 2disc dvd set, shows that Jeff didnt just go from band to band. His main band was Talisman, while he tried to do tons of side projects. Thats what makes him as good as he is.(well that and the fact that Yngwie talked him into using his full name, instead of Jeff Soto. He thought "Jeff Scott Soto" had a certain 'ring' to it)

Small correction, I was going to use the name 'Jeff Scott', Yngwie convinced me my full name sounded cool & being the naive 18 year old, I took his advice....funny that, I took advice from someone with a name like 'Yngwie Malmsteen', go figure!

That's Yngwie J. Malmsteen!! (To distinguish him from all the 'other' Yngwie Malmsteen's.)

Jeff Scott Soto works, your name would get lost just as 'Jeff Scott'.