Now that I have bought Eclipse...
Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2011 12:39 amFirstly, the performances of the musicians are fantastic. Neal's solos amazing, Arnel sounds brilliant and much more comfortable in his position.
City Of Hope - Too long. The parts of the song are good, but they needed a producer to hammer it into shape, IMO. Sounds like what would be a live version of an Augeri-era track with the extended jamming, etc.
Edge Of The Moment - Too long again, but if any of the longer numbers come close to warranting the length, it'd be this one, IMO. Not bad...the parts of the song are cool, again. A little more serious, like "Edge Of The Blade" or "Separate Ways". It tries a little too hard to be intense and doesn't quite get there, but it's not bad.
Chain Of Love - Too long (seeing a pattern?). Not only is it too long, it's not as good as the 2 songs before it. This sounds more like a B-side or a song that would have benefitted from a little more tooling. The chorus is anti-climactic, IMO. Bits of it are cool, but the first truly weak moment for me.
Tantra - sounds like a Disney movie epic ballad. I can see some cartoon princess seeing her reflection in a rippling pool singing to herself as little butterflies float around her head. Not quite as cring-inducing as "After All These Years", but damn. When the band kicks in, it's not too bad...but still sounds like it belongs in a musical. Even though it's executed well, I don't like it. Like Dennis DeYoung, Elton John and Andrew Lloyd Weber in a Disney love-fest.
Anything Is Possible - Way too long for this kind of song, but this should have been the first lite moment on the album...it works better than Tantra. A nice tempo and the chorus is decent, but not quite there, IMO. While I like it better than Tantra, it's still a little by-the-numbers and generic.
Resonate - Too long and unexciting. Like Edge Of The Moment, it's trying to come off passionate and intense, but this time just comes off pedestrian. The chorus is better than Chain Of Love, but as a whole it kind of comes off weak again.
She's A Mystery - This I like. I like the vibe, the strumming acoustic groove, Arnel's melodies...but it should have ended at 4:50 before that heavy part at the end kicks in. That part was just unnecessary and smacks of Neal wanting to just solo some more.
Human Feel - Once again, way too long. There's no need for this kind of song to be nearly 7 minutes long. "What's missing is true emotion" seems to be the theme of this album. No real chorus, but lots of guitar solos. This song should have faded out at 3:35. Everything after this mark is redundant, IMO...which might have been a cool live moment as a jam ending or something, but on record to listen to over and over it's a skipper.
Ritual - Should have been the opening song, IMO. Nice up-tempo rocker with an energetic melody. Probably the closes to what your average person expects from a Journey record. I like the piano touches and the vibe...still could have been trimmed down....start a fade out around 3:55.
To Whom It May Concern - Musically, this is the best ballad on the album. Why it's buried at track 10 is a mystery. I like the chorus. I am not sure how I like the lyrics. I get what they're trying to do, but it seems a little forced (much of the lyrical content seems forced, actually...it just sticks out more here). Good song, though...again, fade out around 3:45...it's too long.
Someone - the last song on the CD*, and it finally sounds like Journey. This should have been near the front of the album, not the closing track (TWIMC should have closed). The chorus is good, the vibe is good...great Summertime track. Probably my favorite song on the album.
* - >> I need to check my iTunes at home. For some reason, Venus didn't make it on my iPod and only after 3 full spins am I now noticing it. But if I had to guess, it's a rocking instrumental with a lot od Neal shredding on it...am I right? <<
OK, there's my review/opinion. Take it for what it's worth (which isn't much). I think the songs would have benefitted from having a producer trim them down a little (or a lot) and reeling Neal in a bit. The playing and performances are very strong. Neal is obviously abundantly gifted as a guitarist (like we didn't know that already) and everyone (except the producer) did their jobs well. The songs are just too damn long.
Honestly IMO, at this point, Neal needs to just accept the fact that the public has a certain perception of Journey. While I certainly don't want to put the band in a box, there has to be some realization of what Cain called "the legacy sound". The band has always experimented a little here and there...which I get. But to pack a whole album with 5-6-almost 7-minute "epic" rockers blended with some half-cocked, cosmic, pseudo-spiritual theme and then tack on a couple of catchy tunes near the end , IMO, is sort of a not-so-subtle thumbing of the nose at the Journey audience.
So, if I may, a message to the owners of the band:
Neal: We get it dude. It's your band. You never wanted to be in a ballad or pop band. You wanted to be a guitar hero. You wanted to Rock. Fine...whatever. But if you're going to continue making Journey albums, please understand that while a little experimentation is necessary and even expected by the fans (Troubled Child, Can't Tame The Lion, People & Places, In Self Defense,, etc), a whole album of "solos, solos everywhere" and "look at me" licks are better served by your solo albums. Protect the legacy because, whether you wanted it or not, it's yours.
Jonathan: you don't write for Disney. Ease up on the "epicness" of the ballads a little. I get it, you're an artist and have to create. But, while you are currently co-owner of the band, take your own advice and protect the legacy sound...save the Broadway stuff for your own albums.
City Of Hope - Too long. The parts of the song are good, but they needed a producer to hammer it into shape, IMO. Sounds like what would be a live version of an Augeri-era track with the extended jamming, etc.
Edge Of The Moment - Too long again, but if any of the longer numbers come close to warranting the length, it'd be this one, IMO. Not bad...the parts of the song are cool, again. A little more serious, like "Edge Of The Blade" or "Separate Ways". It tries a little too hard to be intense and doesn't quite get there, but it's not bad.
Chain Of Love - Too long (seeing a pattern?). Not only is it too long, it's not as good as the 2 songs before it. This sounds more like a B-side or a song that would have benefitted from a little more tooling. The chorus is anti-climactic, IMO. Bits of it are cool, but the first truly weak moment for me.
Tantra - sounds like a Disney movie epic ballad. I can see some cartoon princess seeing her reflection in a rippling pool singing to herself as little butterflies float around her head. Not quite as cring-inducing as "After All These Years", but damn. When the band kicks in, it's not too bad...but still sounds like it belongs in a musical. Even though it's executed well, I don't like it. Like Dennis DeYoung, Elton John and Andrew Lloyd Weber in a Disney love-fest.
Anything Is Possible - Way too long for this kind of song, but this should have been the first lite moment on the album...it works better than Tantra. A nice tempo and the chorus is decent, but not quite there, IMO. While I like it better than Tantra, it's still a little by-the-numbers and generic.
Resonate - Too long and unexciting. Like Edge Of The Moment, it's trying to come off passionate and intense, but this time just comes off pedestrian. The chorus is better than Chain Of Love, but as a whole it kind of comes off weak again.
She's A Mystery - This I like. I like the vibe, the strumming acoustic groove, Arnel's melodies...but it should have ended at 4:50 before that heavy part at the end kicks in. That part was just unnecessary and smacks of Neal wanting to just solo some more.
Human Feel - Once again, way too long. There's no need for this kind of song to be nearly 7 minutes long. "What's missing is true emotion" seems to be the theme of this album. No real chorus, but lots of guitar solos. This song should have faded out at 3:35. Everything after this mark is redundant, IMO...which might have been a cool live moment as a jam ending or something, but on record to listen to over and over it's a skipper.
Ritual - Should have been the opening song, IMO. Nice up-tempo rocker with an energetic melody. Probably the closes to what your average person expects from a Journey record. I like the piano touches and the vibe...still could have been trimmed down....start a fade out around 3:55.
To Whom It May Concern - Musically, this is the best ballad on the album. Why it's buried at track 10 is a mystery. I like the chorus. I am not sure how I like the lyrics. I get what they're trying to do, but it seems a little forced (much of the lyrical content seems forced, actually...it just sticks out more here). Good song, though...again, fade out around 3:45...it's too long.
Someone - the last song on the CD*, and it finally sounds like Journey. This should have been near the front of the album, not the closing track (TWIMC should have closed). The chorus is good, the vibe is good...great Summertime track. Probably my favorite song on the album.
* - >> I need to check my iTunes at home. For some reason, Venus didn't make it on my iPod and only after 3 full spins am I now noticing it. But if I had to guess, it's a rocking instrumental with a lot od Neal shredding on it...am I right? <<
OK, there's my review/opinion. Take it for what it's worth (which isn't much). I think the songs would have benefitted from having a producer trim them down a little (or a lot) and reeling Neal in a bit. The playing and performances are very strong. Neal is obviously abundantly gifted as a guitarist (like we didn't know that already) and everyone (except the producer) did their jobs well. The songs are just too damn long.
Honestly IMO, at this point, Neal needs to just accept the fact that the public has a certain perception of Journey. While I certainly don't want to put the band in a box, there has to be some realization of what Cain called "the legacy sound". The band has always experimented a little here and there...which I get. But to pack a whole album with 5-6-almost 7-minute "epic" rockers blended with some half-cocked, cosmic, pseudo-spiritual theme and then tack on a couple of catchy tunes near the end , IMO, is sort of a not-so-subtle thumbing of the nose at the Journey audience.
So, if I may, a message to the owners of the band:
Neal: We get it dude. It's your band. You never wanted to be in a ballad or pop band. You wanted to be a guitar hero. You wanted to Rock. Fine...whatever. But if you're going to continue making Journey albums, please understand that while a little experimentation is necessary and even expected by the fans (Troubled Child, Can't Tame The Lion, People & Places, In Self Defense,, etc), a whole album of "solos, solos everywhere" and "look at me" licks are better served by your solo albums. Protect the legacy because, whether you wanted it or not, it's yours.
Jonathan: you don't write for Disney. Ease up on the "epicness" of the ballads a little. I get it, you're an artist and have to create. But, while you are currently co-owner of the band, take your own advice and protect the legacy sound...save the Broadway stuff for your own albums.
It'll never be my favorite Journey record, but I can actually say I kinda like it now