MR

"Classic Rock has heard Journey's hotly anticipated new album, Revelation! Here's our reaction:

When Journey appointed Arnel Pineda as their new singer it sent the normally sedate world of AOR into turmoil. Manila-born Pineda was discovered crooning Journey covers on the worldwide web, mimicking the pure vocals of the band’s legendary ex-frontman Steve Perry with unerring accuracy.

It looked like the Bay Area wimp wizards were intent on turning themselves into a cabaret act – and when the title of this album was revealed many felt it should be called Impersonation instead.

But as guitarist Neal Schon writes in his sleeve-notes: “Thank God for the almighty Internet and YouTube.” Because Pineda has grasped the nettle and risen to the occasion with consummate confidence.

Schon and keyboardist Jonathan Cain have written most of the songs on Revelation. The pair has tapped into the emotional psyche of the Journey fan in a clever, and some might say premeditated, way.

But when the results are this awesome, who really cares?

In fact, it’s a terrific balancing act. Yes, Pineda sounds like Perry but as the album progresses he somehow forges an identity of his own.

Where Did I Lose Your Love might be similar to Journey’s old song Ask The Lonely but it’s more of a tribute than a rip-off.

The beginning of Like A Sunflower is similar to Lights (from 1978’s Infinity album) but then it veers off in a spanking new direction.

What I Needed threatens to develop into a ballad of Mother, Father proportions but never quite does so. It goes on.

There’s over an hour of music here and if you buy the full-on version you’ll get a bonus disc where Journey re-work a slew of their classic songs.

Read our full review in Classic Rock's summer issue, which goes on sale on June 25."


Some of the comments are interesting, (ahem) one reviewer reckons it's the their best work since Escape


Regards,
Randy Fr...er EME

Despite being really disappointed with the production and overall lack of Neal on the disc(and only having 9 out of 11 songs actually be new) i'm really liking the instrumental and the bonus track the best on this cd

EME wrote:" The beginning of Like A Sunflower is similar to Lights (from 1978’s Infinity album) but then it veers off in a spanking new direction.

What I Needed threatens to develop into a ballad of Mother, Father proportions but never quite does so. It goes on.

Agree with both of these points, BOTH tunes begin as described and then go sharp left.
I actually hear a good bit of sequel (as with I'll Be Alright W/Out You being the second "part" of "Once You Love Somebody") to Arrival's Living To Do and Little Girl in Revelation's What I Needed with the bombastic and atmospheric sudden guitar/organ breakdown/interludes.

Not a bad thing

PS: LogJam, I feel you. There's less Neal here than say Red13 or Generations (even Arrival or TBF).
BUT.
Sometimes a more subtle, say barely leashed and restrained Neal (What It Takes To Win, Positive Touch, After The Fall, IBAWY...etc) rules over all.

But then an UNleashed Neal, ala World Gone Wild, Keep On Running ("Neal wanted to rock, so we did"---S.perry '92), Can't Tame The Lion, Out Oof Harm's Way< Gone Crazy...can ALSO shock and awe so what the fuck do I know?

yulog wrote:Despite being really disappointed with the production and overall lack of Neal on the disc(and only having 9 out of 11 songs actually be new) i'm really liking the instrumental and the bonus track the best on this cd

Awesome! The bonus track is an extremely well put together tune in my opinion.

Red13JoePa wrote:

EME wrote:" The beginning of Like A Sunflower is similar to Lights (from 1978’s Infinity album) but then it veers off in a spanking new direction.

What I Needed threatens to develop into a ballad of Mother, Father proportions but never quite does so. It goes on.

Agree with both of these points, BOTH tunes begin as described and then go sharp left.
I actually hear a good bit of sequel (as with I'll Be Alright W/Out You being the second "part" of "Once You Love Somebody") to Arrival's Living To Do and Little Girl in Revelation's What I Needed with the bombastic and atmospheric sudden guitar/organ breakdown/interludes.

Not a bad thing

PS: LogJam, I feel you. There's less Neal here than say Red13 or Generations (even Arrival or TBF).
BUT.
Sometimes a more subtle, say barely leashed and restrained Neal (What It Takes To Win, Positive Touch, After The Fall, IBAWY...etc) rules over all.

But then an UNleashed Neal, ala World Gone Wild, Keep On Running ("Neal wanted to rock, so we did"---S.perry '92), Can't Tame The Lion, Out Oof Harm's Way< Gone Crazy...can ALSO shock and awe so what the fuck do I know?

Yeah its why i stayed with journey when they decided to go less rock more mainstream. The guy turned a fluffy ballad into a monster of a song and even if i wanted to hate songs on escape, frontiers or raised on radio i couldn't because he brought balance to all the songs.

I know he said he gave the reigns to Shirley this time(no arguements) i believe that was a mistake and hope he doesn't allow that on the next cd because if theres one thing Neal knows it's how to bring out the best in a song with his guitar. Shirley washed him out and dropped him low in the mix all over this cd.

"Like a Sunflower"

yulog wrote:I know he said he gave the reigns to Shirley this time(no arguements) i believe that was a mistake and hope he doesn't allow that on the next cd because if theres one thing Neal knows it's how to bring out the best in a song with his guitar. Shirley washed him out and dropped him low in the mix all over this cd.

*that* might be what I'm hearing. I've been overly critical of schon's playing on this record. Technically, I feel he's fallen way short. I suspect, what I might be hearing is cavedrunk reigning him in hard, at times, instead of letting him flow. I dunno....his playing on this record has left me with the biggest question mark regarding him as a player, since some of the stuff he laid down on ROR and TBF...this is clearly his worst playing to date, from my perspective...

..and I never once considered that it wasn't just schon falling off the speed bag...i.e. someone else pissing in the punch bowl. To throw out the suggestion that cavedrunk fucked with schon's mojo on this, is an interesting theory...and one I might want to explore a little more.

Thanks for the opinion yulog...It wasn't one I had considered...

strangegrey wrote:

yulog wrote:I know he said he gave the reigns to Shirley this time(no arguements) i believe that was a mistake and hope he doesn't allow that on the next cd because if theres one thing Neal knows it's how to bring out the best in a song with his guitar. Shirley washed him out and dropped him low in the mix all over this cd.

*that* might be what I'm hearing. I've been overly critical of schon's playing on this record. Technically, I feel he's fallen way short. I suspect, what I might be hearing is cavedrunk reigning him in hard, at times, instead of letting him flow. I dunno....his playing on this record has left me with the biggest question mark regarding him as a player, since some of the stuff he laid down on ROR and TBF...this is clearly his worst playing to date, from my perspective...

..and I never once considered that it wasn't just schon falling off the speed bag...i.e. someone else pissing in the punch bowl. To throw out the suggestion that cavedrunk fucked with schon's mojo on this, is an interesting theory...and one I might want to explore a little more.

Thanks for the opinion yulog...It wasn't one I had considered...

My guess is if we heard the songs live we could hear what really was meant to be, i know on one of the songs theres a piece where Neal is playing all kinds of notes but it just comes out like he's playing a sustained note(muddy sound) frustrating to say the least when the last 3 cds have had some great guitar.