Eclipse Review from RS: Some things never change

[Don]

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/album ... e-20110607

By Caryn Ganz
June 7, 2011

It takes 17 minutes and 39 seconds to hit the first satisfyingly Journey-sounding moment on Eclipse, the band's 14th album: a soaring six-minute-plus power ballad, "Tantra." For a legacy act whose biggest new audience is "Don't Stop Believin' "-loving Glee fans, that's about 17 minutes too long. Journey's second disc with Filipino YouTube discovery Arnel Pineda on vocals is both grand and distractingly proggy. Pineda hits heart-stopping high notes, but guitarist Neal Schon OD's on noodly solos and chugging Nineties-style power chords. Bloat is a problem (check the Buddhist monk chants on "Resonate"), though nothing can stop "Someone," a love anthem where hard-charging guitars shove schmaltz aside.

[SF-Dano]

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/eclipse-20110607

By Caryn Ganz
June 7, 2011

It takes 17 minutes and 39 seconds to hit the first satisfyingly Journey-sounding moment on Eclipse, the band's 14th album: a soaring six-minute-plus power ballad, "Tantra." For a legacy act whose biggest new audience is "Don't Stop Believin' "-loving Glee fans, that's about 17 minutes too long. Journey's second disc with Filipino YouTube discovery Arnel Pineda on vocals is both grand and distractingly proggy. Pineda hits heart-stopping high notes, but guitarist Neal Schon OD's on noodly solos and chugging Nineties-style power chords. Bloat is a problem (check the Buddhist monk chants on "Resonate"), though nothing can stop "Someone," a love anthem where hard-charging guitars shove schmaltz aside.

What a rag. RS never liked the Journey sound. Now this reviewer is waiting 17+min to be satisfied by "the Journey sound". What garbage.

[Don]

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/eclipse-20110607

By Caryn Ganz
June 7, 2011

It takes 17 minutes and 39 seconds to hit the first satisfyingly Journey-sounding moment on Eclipse, the band's 14th album: a soaring six-minute-plus power ballad, "Tantra." For a legacy act whose biggest new audience is "Don't Stop Believin' "-loving Glee fans, that's about 17 minutes too long. Journey's second disc with Filipino YouTube discovery Arnel Pineda on vocals is both grand and distractingly proggy. Pineda hits heart-stopping high notes, but guitarist Neal Schon OD's on noodly solos and chugging Nineties-style power chords. Bloat is a problem (check the Buddhist monk chants on "Resonate"), though nothing can stop "Someone," a love anthem where hard-charging guitars shove schmaltz aside.

What a rag. RS never liked the Journey sound. Now this reviewer is waiting 17+min to be satisfied by "the Journey sound". What garbage.

That was ironic, wasn't it? Now, they need to sound more like Escape (according to RS, the worse #1 album ever) to be considered good?

[Lerxst101]

They can't win with that rag. Had it been more like Revelation, they would have been panned ("Glee fans will be overjoyed, while the rest of America will close their ears to that all-too familiar Journey sound."). The fact that Eclipse turns out to be more progressive, and harder-edged is viewed as a bad thing as well. Give me a break.

I continue to listen to this CD and find new things I love about it. Finally took the advice of someone on the board to listen through high quality headphones -- amazed at what's going on sonically within each song. Brilliant.

[By the way, received my copy of Black Country Communion's latest CD "2" last night -- a great, great effort. Can't wait to see them in 10 days.]

[Toph]

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/eclipse-20110607

By Caryn Ganz
June 7, 2011

It takes 17 minutes and 39 seconds to hit the first satisfyingly Journey-sounding moment on Eclipse, the band's 14th album: a soaring six-minute-plus power ballad, "Tantra." For a legacy act whose biggest new audience is "Don't Stop Believin' "-loving Glee fans, that's about 17 minutes too long. Journey's second disc with Filipino YouTube discovery Arnel Pineda on vocals is both grand and distractingly proggy. Pineda hits heart-stopping high notes, but guitarist Neal Schon OD's on noodly solos and chugging Nineties-style power chords. Bloat is a problem (check the Buddhist monk chants on "Resonate"), though nothing can stop "Someone," a love anthem where hard-charging guitars shove schmaltz aside.

It's actually a pretty accurate review....

[Eric]

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/eclipse-20110607

By Caryn Ganz
June 7, 2011

It takes 17 minutes and 39 seconds to hit the first satisfyingly Journey-sounding moment on Eclipse, the band's 14th album: a soaring six-minute-plus power ballad, "Tantra." For a legacy act whose biggest new audience is "Don't Stop Believin' "-loving Glee fans, that's about 17 minutes too long. Journey's second disc with Filipino YouTube discovery Arnel Pineda on vocals is both grand and distractingly proggy. Pineda hits heart-stopping high notes, but guitarist Neal Schon OD's on noodly solos and chugging Nineties-style power chords. Bloat is a problem (check the Buddhist monk chants on "Resonate"), though nothing can stop "Someone," a love anthem where hard-charging guitars shove schmaltz aside.

It's actually a pretty accurate review....

Do they love Escape then because it sounds like Journey and hate Eclipse because it doesn't immediately......or do they just hate Journey?

[brywool]

Rolling Stone has been used for Toilet Paper in my house since the "REM Greatest Band Ever" issue.
RS SUCKs. Also, I find it really funny how much time they devote to Glee in that magazine. They obviously are a bit challenged on what's art and what's product.

RS has ALWAYS hated Journey. I remember there was one article about the band that was about the BUSINESS of Journey. But as far as their albums, they've always panned them. Must mean they're great albums because most of the stuff they praise is absolute garbage.

[yulog]

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/eclipse-20110607

By Caryn Ganz
June 7, 2011

It takes 17 minutes and 39 seconds to hit the first satisfyingly Journey-sounding moment on Eclipse, the band's 14th album: a soaring six-minute-plus power ballad, "Tantra." For a legacy act whose biggest new audience is "Don't Stop Believin' "-loving Glee fans, that's about 17 minutes too long. Journey's second disc with Filipino YouTube discovery Arnel Pineda on vocals is both grand and distractingly proggy. Pineda hits heart-stopping high notes, but guitarist Neal Schon OD's on noodly solos and chugging Nineties-style power chords. Bloat is a problem (check the Buddhist monk chants on "Resonate"), though nothing can stop "Someone," a love anthem where hard-charging guitars shove schmaltz aside.

It's actually a pretty accurate review....

+1

[jestor92]

2/5 stars

Sounds about right.

[Andrew]

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/eclipse-20110607

By Caryn Ganz
June 7, 2011

It takes 17 minutes and 39 seconds to hit the first satisfyingly Journey-sounding moment on Eclipse, the band's 14th album: a soaring six-minute-plus power ballad, "Tantra." For a legacy act whose biggest new audience is "Don't Stop Believin' "-loving Glee fans, that's about 17 minutes too long. Journey's second disc with Filipino YouTube discovery Arnel Pineda on vocals is both grand and distractingly proggy. Pineda hits heart-stopping high notes, but guitarist Neal Schon OD's on noodly solos and chugging Nineties-style power chords. Bloat is a problem (check the Buddhist monk chants on "Resonate"), though nothing can stop "Someone," a love anthem where hard-charging guitars shove schmaltz aside.

It's actually a pretty accurate review....

Do they love Escape then because it sounds like Journey and hate Eclipse because it doesn't immediately......or do they just hate Journey?

No, they just suck. Period. Rubbish magazine that means little if anything to 99% of music buyers out there. I haven't purchased a copy of the magazine since 1990.

[S2M]

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/eclipse-20110607

By Caryn Ganz
June 7, 2011

It takes 17 minutes and 39 seconds to hit the first satisfyingly Journey-sounding moment on Eclipse, the band's 14th album: a soaring six-minute-plus power ballad, "Tantra." For a legacy act whose biggest new audience is "Don't Stop Believin' "-loving Glee fans, that's about 17 minutes too long. Journey's second disc with Filipino YouTube discovery Arnel Pineda on vocals is both grand and distractingly proggy. Pineda hits heart-stopping high notes, but guitarist Neal Schon OD's on noodly solos and chugging Nineties-style power chords. Bloat is a problem (check the Buddhist monk chants on "Resonate"), though nothing can stop "Someone," a love anthem where hard-charging guitars shove schmaltz aside.

It's actually a pretty accurate review....

Do they love Escape then because it sounds like Journey and hate Eclipse because it doesn't immediately......or do they just hate Journey?

No, they just suck. Period. Rubbish magazine that means little if anything to 99% of music buyers out there. I haven't purchased a copy of the magazine since 1990.

Is that when your subscription to Tiger Beat started?

[Don]

You're in the know Andrew. Who was responsible for how much Eclipse promo there would be at the Wal-mart stores?
Nomota or Wal-mart?

And why was it was on iTunes so quickly when Neal said the day before launch that it wouldn't happen for awhile due to the exclusivity deal with Wal-mart?

That's all I'm interested in knowing.

Thanks

[Andrew]

Is that when your subscription to Tiger Beat started?

Nah...I went on to more intelligent magazines like Mad.

[Andrew]

You're in the know Andrew. Who was responsible for how much Eclipse promo there would be at the Wal-mart stores?
Nomota or Wal-mart?

And why was it was on iTunes so quickly when Neal said the day before launch that it wouldn't happen for awhile due to the exclusivity deal with Wal-mart?

That's all I'm interested in knowing.

Thanks

WalMart one would primarily think. But, as it is a single disc album and not a package, I'll presume that the deal cut was not in the same league as Revelation and therefore the PR push wasn't going to be as strong.

And it sounds like the shithouse packaging has hurt somewhat also. The Euro version is a full regular jewelcase for those interested.

[Tito]

[quote="Andrew"And it sounds like the shithouse packaging has hurt somewhat also. The Euro version is a full regular jewelcase for those interested.[/quote]

The Americans got the full regular jewcase. Sorry, it was too easy. Delete if you must, but I think we can all laugh at ourselves.

[Majestic]

You're in the know Andrew. Who was responsible for how much Eclipse promo there would be at the Wal-mart stores?
Nomota or Wal-mart?

And why was it was on iTunes so quickly when Neal said the day before launch that it wouldn't happen for awhile due to the exclusivity deal with Wal-mart?

That's all I'm interested in knowing.

Thanks

WalMart one would primarily think. But, as it is a single disc album and not a package, I'll presume that the deal cut was not in the same league as Revelation and therefore the PR push wasn't going to be as strong.

And it sounds like the shithouse packaging has hurt somewhat also. The Euro version is a full regular jewelcase for those interested.

Andrew, if by Euro version, you mean the Frontiers release, it's not a jewel case. I bought one from Frontiers and have it. It is definitely not the thin cardboard I guess they have at wall mart, and looks nice. It's manufactured a bit like those small "Golden book" glossy hard cover children's books. It doesn't have one of the snap in place disk holders like a jewel case, but the disk slips inside a slit in the cover. Over all I think it's a nice product, even though a snap in place disk holder would be nice.

[Don]

Scarecrow Records, the official distributor of Eclipse in Mexico has the jewel case. Their version can be bought on ebay for $9 plus $3 shipping (to U.S.).

[Majestic]

For over a decade they sucked for sounding like Journey, now they suck for not sounding enough like Journey. Seems reasonable.

[Andrew]

You're in the know Andrew. Who was responsible for how much Eclipse promo there would be at the Wal-mart stores?
Nomota or Wal-mart?

And why was it was on iTunes so quickly when Neal said the day before launch that it wouldn't happen for awhile due to the exclusivity deal with Wal-mart?

That's all I'm interested in knowing.

Thanks

WalMart one would primarily think. But, as it is a single disc album and not a package, I'll presume that the deal cut was not in the same league as Revelation and therefore the PR push wasn't going to be as strong.

And it sounds like the shithouse packaging has hurt somewhat also. The Euro version is a full regular jewelcase for those interested.

Andrew, if by Euro version, you mean the Frontiers release, it's not a jewel case. I bought one from Frontiers and have it. It is definitely not the thin cardboard I guess they have at wall mart, and looks nice. It's manufactured a bit like those small "Golden book" glossy hard cover children's books. It doesn't have one of the snap in place disk holders like a jewel case, but the disk slips inside a slit in the cover. Over all I think it's a nice product, even though a snap in place disk holder would be nice.

There's 2 versions. I'm holding the regular jewel case version.

[Rockindeano]

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/eclipse-20110607

By Caryn Ganz
June 7, 2011

It takes 17 minutes and 39 seconds to hit the first satisfyingly Journey-sounding moment on Eclipse, the band's 14th album: a soaring six-minute-plus power ballad, "Tantra." For a legacy act whose biggest new audience is "Don't Stop Believin' "-loving Glee fans, that's about 17 minutes too long. Journey's second disc with Filipino YouTube discovery Arnel Pineda on vocals is both grand and distractingly proggy. Pineda hits heart-stopping high notes, but guitarist Neal Schon OD's on noodly solos and chugging Nineties-style power chords. Bloat is a problem (check the Buddhist monk chants on "Resonate"), though nothing can stop "Someone," a love anthem where hard-charging guitars shove schmaltz aside.

It's actually a pretty accurate review....

Do they love Escape then because it sounds like Journey and hate Eclipse because it doesn't immediately......or do they just hate Journey?

No, they just suck. Period. Rubbish magazine that means little if anything to 99% of music buyers out there. I haven't purchased a copy of the magazine since 1990.

Oh really? Rolling Stone, the BIGGEST selling music magazine sucks? Why? Because they don't happen to think Eclipse is a 100/100?

Come on man?!! Just because a music genre that isn't melodic rock, ie, Night Ranger and Journey doesn't get heaping praise in RS, does not meanit sucks. Tell you what, YOU start up a rag and see if you can outsell RS. Call me when you do.

Not to be harsh to you, because I truly love you, but friends have to call friends out on the carpet when they shit their pants. You need a diaper tonight dude.

[annie89509]

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/eclipse-20110607

By Caryn Ganz
June 7, 2011

It takes 17 minutes and 39 seconds to hit the first satisfyingly Journey-sounding moment on Eclipse, the band's 14th album: a soaring six-minute-plus power ballad, "Tantra." For a legacy act whose biggest new audience is "Don't Stop Believin' "-loving Glee fans, that's about 17 minutes too long. Journey's second disc with Filipino YouTube discovery Arnel Pineda on vocals is both grand and distractingly proggy. Pineda hits heart-stopping high notes, but guitarist Neal Schon OD's on noodly solos and chugging Nineties-style power chords. Bloat is a problem (check the Buddhist monk chants on "Resonate"), though nothing can stop "Someone," a love anthem where hard-charging guitars shove schmaltz aside.

What a rag. RS never liked the Journey sound. Now this reviewer is waiting 17+min to be satisfied by "the Journey sound". What garbage.

That was ironic, wasn't it? Now, they need to sound more like Escape (according to RS, the worse #1 album ever) to be considered good?

But guys, don’t you think this current group of RS music critics might be different than that group in the 80s? For all we know, this Caryn Ganz really likes the old sound. Any “Glee-loving fans”, to which she quoted, would.

Rev got good reviews from RS, didn’t it? I recall it was posted here and everyone said they were shocked reading that from RS, since they have a history of bad reviews for Journey. Back in the day, they slammed Escape …how can anyone not like Escape?

[Eric]

Oh really? Rolling Stone, the BIGGEST selling music magazine sucks? Why? Because they don't happen to think Eclipse is a 100/100?

Come on man?!! Just because a music genre that isn't melodic rock, ie, Night Ranger and Journey doesn't get heaping praise in RS, does not meanit sucks. Tell you what, YOU start up a rag and see if you can outsell RS. Call me when you do.

Not to be harsh to you, because I truly love you, but friends have to call friends out on the carpet when they shit their pants. You need a diaper tonight dude.

But popular doesn't mean good.

[Lerxst101]

You're in the know Andrew. Who was responsible for how much Eclipse promo there would be at the Wal-mart stores?
Nomota or Wal-mart?

And why was it was on iTunes so quickly when Neal said the day before launch that it wouldn't happen for awhile due to the exclusivity deal with Wal-mart?

That's all I'm interested in knowing.

Thanks

I cannot believe that it's now on iTunes. When did it show up there? I've always been disappointed with the PR machine's treatment of Journey post-Perry, but this goes beyond idiotic. Can they not get Herbie back, at least on some level? Would he even want to help them at this point? Would it matter?

[The_Noble_Cause]

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/eclipse-20110607

By Caryn Ganz
June 7, 2011

It takes 17 minutes and 39 seconds to hit the first satisfyingly Journey-sounding moment on Eclipse, the band's 14th album: a soaring six-minute-plus power ballad, "Tantra." For a legacy act whose biggest new audience is "Don't Stop Believin' "-loving Glee fans, that's about 17 minutes too long. Journey's second disc with Filipino YouTube discovery Arnel Pineda on vocals is both grand and distractingly proggy. Pineda hits heart-stopping high notes, but guitarist Neal Schon OD's on noodly solos and chugging Nineties-style power chords. Bloat is a problem (check the Buddhist monk chants on "Resonate"), though nothing can stop "Someone," a love anthem where hard-charging guitars shove schmaltz aside.

I dunno...I think the lead track, COH, sounds plenty Journeyish. Maybe it tries too hard to be Journeyish. Odd that the reviewer would choose Tantra as the song that most represents the Journey sound. I think that's one for hardcore fans only.

[jrnyjetster]

RS is a fucking joke...like I said, they lost all credibility with me when they featured Britney Spears on one of their covers.

[Red13JoePa]

[quote="Andrew"And it sounds like the shithouse packaging has hurt somewhat also. The Euro version is a full regular jewelcase for those interested.

The Americans got the full regular jewcase. Sorry, it was too easy. Delete if you must, but I think we can all laugh at ourselves.[/quote]


LMFAO!!!

[The_Noble_Cause]

Gotta agree with the critic that "Someone" is indeed a great track. Surprised more fans aren't raving about it. Easily in the top ten of post-Perry tunes.

[Tito]

Gotta agree with the critic that "Someone" is indeed a great track. Surprised more fans aren't raving about it. Easily in the top ten of post-Perry tunes.

Really? I think that's the worst song on the album. Sounds like an Arrival reject.

[Rockindeano]

RS is a fucking joke...like I said, they lost all credibility with me when they featured Britney Spears on one of their covers.

Why is that wrong? Was not Britney Spears perhaps the most successful artist a few years running lately? What you want RS to do, Throw Journey on the cover, without the singer that made them popular? How about Foreigner, without their lead singer? Come on dude, your posts reeks of jealousy. The populace doesn't want a washed up band....an older band fine, as long as it is relevant.

[Don]

I like Someone and Anything Is Possible. They're the type of fun songs that can be played at a BBQ or while drinking some beers in the yard, reminds me of The Party's Over from Captured.