MR

Listening to Beyond The Thunder again this morning. I do give Neal a lot of shit but seriously, this a great record and he is a great musician. To me, this album is TBF Lite without the vocals. Just exquisite guitar work.

Electric World would by second favorite.
Not a huge fan of Late Nite though it does have its moments.
Voice is what it is; a covers album that is done well but that's about it.

I can take or leave I on U or Piranha Blues though I f I had to I would pick the former over the latter.

It's hard to believe that the same Neal Schon who recorded Beyond The Thunder recorded Eclipse

I want a Piranha Blues II, but with different guest singers. Maybe throw in a couple guest players too.


later~

Arkansas wrote:I want a Piranha Blues II, but with different guest singers. Maybe throw in a couple guest players too.


later~

Neal was a major part of Paul Rodger's Muddy Water Blues tribute years ago. Maybe it is time for Neal to call Paul about doing some guest vocals on a Piranha Blues 2 record. And maybe a guest vocal from Sy Klopps (aka Herbie Herbert) might be cool too.

"i on u" is my #1 favorite of Neal's solo albums.

Archetype wrote:It's hard to believe that the same Neal Schon who recorded Beyond The Thunder recorded Eclipse

Is it hard to believe he recorded TBF?

Monker wrote:

Archetype wrote:It's hard to believe that the same Neal Schon who recorded Beyond The Thunder recorded Eclipse

Is it hard to believe he recorded TBF?

Trial By Fire is excellent. Eclipse is barely average, so yes. It is hard to believe that the same Neal was on both albums. Trial By Fire and Arrival are my two favorite Journey albums

Don wrote:Listening to Beyond The Thunder again this morning. I do give Neal a lot of shit but seriously, this a great record and he is a great musician. To me, this album is TBF Lite without the vocals. Just exquisite guitar work.

Electric World would by second favorite.

+1

Beyond the Thunder is amazing. I've been hoping Neal would go back to more of this kind of stuff. I loved that he pulled some of that approach into Trial by Fire.

Electric world could double as a Movie Soundtrack. It conjures imagery. Incredibly cinematic guitar work. Neal is a really unique guitar player. Love, love, love his work.

Archetype wrote:

Monker wrote:

Archetype wrote:It's hard to believe that the same Neal Schon who recorded Beyond The Thunder recorded Eclipse

Is it hard to believe he recorded TBF?

Trial By Fire is excellent. Eclipse is barely average, so yes. It is hard to believe that the same Neal was on both albums. Trial By Fire and Arrival are my two favorite Journey albums

Much of TBF is BTT with lyrics. BTT is basically an instrumental Journey album.

Monker wrote:

Archetype wrote:

Monker wrote:

Archetype wrote:It's hard to believe that the same Neal Schon who recorded Beyond The Thunder recorded Eclipse

Is it hard to believe he recorded TBF?

Trial By Fire is excellent. Eclipse is barely average, so yes. It is hard to believe that the same Neal was on both albums. Trial By Fire and Arrival are my two favorite Journey albums

Much of TBF is BTT with lyrics. BTT is basically an instrumental Journey album.

Beyond The Thunder is better, musically, than any Journey album. Jonathan Cain's album Piano With a View is better than Beyond The Thunder and any Journey album.

Beyond the Thunder was co-produced by Cain. He helped reign in Schon's excesses, add some nice synth sounds, and overall give direction to his wanking.

As far as TBF vs Eclipse...thanks to Perry, the songwriting is much stronger on TBF, but Eclipse is a more dramatic and interesing album. "Tantra" is really the only track in the mold of TBF. Lyricaly, it's pratically a sequel to "Colors of the Spirit."

The_Noble_Cause wrote:Beyond the Thunder was co-produced by Cain. He helped reign in Schon's excesses, add some nice synth sounds, and overall give direction to his wanking.

As far as TBF vs Eclipse...thanks to Perry, the songwriting is much stronger on TBF, but Eclipse is a more dramatic and interesing album. "Tantra" is really the only track in the mold of TBF. Lyricaly, it's pratically a sequel to "Colors of the Spirit."

I'm not sure I could agree with such a clean apportionment of strengths. Perry's presence on TBF gives the songs better polish and stronger craft, but I actually think the lyrics are deeper on Eclipse.

SF-Dano wrote:

Arkansas wrote:I want a Piranha Blues II, but with different guest singers. Maybe throw in a couple guest players too.


later~

Neal was a major part of Paul Rodger's Muddy Water Blues tribute years ago. Maybe it is time for Neal to call Paul about doing some guest vocals on a Piranha Blues 2 record. And maybe a guest vocal from Sy Klopps (aka Herbie Herbert) might be cool too.

Get Rolie and cover "The Prophet" as a tribute to Gary Moore.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_D4SsU9 ... re=related


later~

Gideon wrote:

The_Noble_Cause wrote:Beyond the Thunder was co-produced by Cain. He helped reign in Schon's excesses, add some nice synth sounds, and overall give direction to his wanking.

As far as TBF vs Eclipse...thanks to Perry, the songwriting is much stronger on TBF, but Eclipse is a more dramatic and interesing album. "Tantra" is really the only track in the mold of TBF. Lyricaly, it's pratically a sequel to "Colors of the Spirit."

I'm not sure I could agree with such a clean apportionment of strengths. Perry's presence on TBF gives the songs better polish and stronger craft, but I actually think the lyrics are deeper on Eclipse.

Eclipse is their best lyrical album ever.

No "Jellyroll sweeties" in Tantra.

I'd like to say "Late Nite"...and at one time that's true. But "Voice" is definitely a guilty pleasure and if I'm honest I have to say that.

The_Noble_Cause wrote: but Eclipse is a more dramatic and interesting album.

A year later I have more "likes" on Eclipse than any Journey other than Frontiers and Escape. However, I might "love" less than any album since TBF.

I'm not sure what that means honestly...but thats how I feel. I like 8 songs on Eclipse...and thats a lot for something that isn't a GH. But there is no "Remember Me", "Higher Place", "Faith in the Heartland" or "Change for the Better" either.

1.Beyond the Thunder - As perfect an album as I've heard.

2.Electric World - One and Only might be one of the best songs I have ever heard. The wide range of the other songs is amazing too.
3.I On U - This one is awesome. The song I on U has one of the best moments for Neal ever... and that is about the last minute of the song.

4.Late Nite - Late Nite is the standout track here and I even though I have it ranked relatively low I agree with Don that it has its moments for sure and it is a strong album.
5.Voice - Neal has his moments here. Especially in Why, I Can't Make You Love Me, Everything I Do, and My Heart Will Go On. *AND even though I listen to this album far more than I listen to Late Nite, I can't put it higher because these are essentially other artists melodies, etc.

6.Piranha Blues - This one would be extremely enjoyable and interesting (and still kinda is as Neal's work is amazing here) if it weren't for this crappy vocals. Every time I hear the vocals there I literally cringe. Admittedly however, after you get past that initial feeling and continue throughout the song the vocals become less and less unpleasant.

As far as my hopes for these two new albums, I expect the one with Smitty to slide into my #4 spot, and the one with Dean to go into #5.

Gideon wrote:

The_Noble_Cause wrote:Beyond the Thunder was co-produced by Cain. He helped reign in Schon's excesses, add some nice synth sounds, and overall give direction to his wanking.

As far as TBF vs Eclipse...thanks to Perry, the songwriting is much stronger on TBF, but Eclipse is a more dramatic and interesing album. "Tantra" is really the only track in the mold of TBF. Lyricaly, it's pratically a sequel to "Colors of the Spirit."

I'm not sure I could agree with such a clean apportionment of strengths. Perry's presence on TBF gives the songs better polish and stronger craft, but I actually think the lyrics are deeper on Eclipse.

In my humble opinion, Eclipse lyrics are more abstract to me, causing me to not be able to relate to those songs as much. I don't really find anymore depth in them than the lyrics on TBF. Maybe it's the Buddhist meaning behind them, I dunno? I've always found that lyrics don't have to be abstract or "riddled" in order for them to qualify as being deep. Sometimes the most simple song with the most simple lyrics can have a very deep meaning to it. I think that depth is often times felt more when one is able to relate to that music via the lyrics. Most everyone can relate to a song about love, betrayal, sadness, and happiness. Not everybody can relate to lyrics that are based on a certain religion.

Late Night.

Without a doubt his most fulfilling solo album. The one he did of covers, I hated. Beyond the Thunder was good too, but a bit too mellow. Late Night had heavier and smoother stuff. Always been a favorite.

Beyond the Thunder. So smooth and just shows Neal at his most versatile.

brywool wrote:Late Night.

Without a doubt his most fulfilling solo album. The one he did of covers, I hated. Beyond the Thunder was good too, but a bit too mellow. Late Night had heavier and smoother stuff. Always been a favorite.

I agree,
Late nite is Neal at his best,soaring high gain leads,great guitar harmonies,mellow clean stuff..it`s the whole package.
Beyond the Thunder carries some great tunes... great to listen to with your girlfriend beside you on the couch and drinking a glass of wine.
Late Nite has BALLS ..Beyond the Thunder is Neal on prozac.

Late Nite. Good stuff.