W.E.T. - the album Journey should have made but couldn't

Listening to this really brings it home just how wrong it was to let go of JSS. He knows Perry inside out, even putting in some For the Love of Strange Medicine-isms here and there on the W.E.T record. In short, he was the right man for the band. W.E.T. beats Revelation all across the board really. The production, the songs, everything. And still, imagine the difference in budgets.
Revelation sounds like Journey trying to sound like the band they once were, but failing. It just sounds too watered down. The cardboard sounding drums, Neal's shredding and sound totally out of control... it just becomes very empty on feeling. Add the fact that Arnel's singing lyrics he has no connection with and it becomes very soulless. Very Walmart and a far cry from the band they were with Perry, where the soul was key.
With JSS they could have moved into a new direction. They would have had a singer with a (soulful) voice of his own and could have created something brand new. Also, let's not forget JSS's stage presence. He looks like a star onstage, whereas Arnel looks like someone who jumped up onstage from the audience. Big difference.
Journey is not so much a band anymore, as a business account and it's a great shame.
And although they got a singer they could control 100%, we lost Journey in the process.
"And when you lose a guy like Steve (Augeri), who was a tremendous team player, and y'know, Jeff Scott steps up and kinda helps us out there. But, y'know, his sound wasn't for us and then later on, I think his personality wasn't for us."
- Jonathan Cain
http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbe ... mID=149513
Revelation sounds like Journey trying to sound like the band they once were, but failing. It just sounds too watered down. The cardboard sounding drums, Neal's shredding and sound totally out of control... it just becomes very empty on feeling. Add the fact that Arnel's singing lyrics he has no connection with and it becomes very soulless. Very Walmart and a far cry from the band they were with Perry, where the soul was key.
With JSS they could have moved into a new direction. They would have had a singer with a (soulful) voice of his own and could have created something brand new. Also, let's not forget JSS's stage presence. He looks like a star onstage, whereas Arnel looks like someone who jumped up onstage from the audience. Big difference.
Journey is not so much a band anymore, as a business account and it's a great shame.
And although they got a singer they could control 100%, we lost Journey in the process.
"And when you lose a guy like Steve (Augeri), who was a tremendous team player, and y'know, Jeff Scott steps up and kinda helps us out there. But, y'know, his sound wasn't for us and then later on, I think his personality wasn't for us."
- Jonathan Cain
http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbe ... mID=149513