MR

For me the surprise here is Greatest Hits 2. This release is off the charts sound wise. Just amazing, adds new life sonically to some old cuts. Perry shows that even if he doesn't have anything in the tank any more as a live performer, he is a master at the console.

Number two on my list is TBF, In my mind, a vocal companion piece to Schon's Beyond The Thunder. Shirley really earns his money here. Every note (and warble) comes through crystal clear.

Rounding out the top three for me is Eclipse (an album I consider as the true follow up to TBF). I was a bit worried when word came out that Cain and Neal were dabbling with the production on this record (especially after the horrendous results of Disc 2 from Revelation) but David Kalmusky came in and saved the day big time on this. Great Job, Kingfish!

I give TBF the slight nod over Eclipse sonically.

Yup, TBF has it in Spades in my book. Like you said, every note comes bounding through crystal clear. You can really hear the advancement in technology there. Take any song from any album prior to TBF and listen to it then take any cut from TBF and the difference is startling - kinda like the difference between the image quality on a Sony Trinitron and a HiDef LED flat screen.

Now, as far as the best sounding album based on vocal abilities and overal tonal harmony, it's Escape hands down. Mother Father alone is a vocal masterpiece sounding like there are twice as many voices contributing as there are. For my money, they never sounded tighter than they do on Escape.

Top three, Trial by fire, Raised on radio and Arrival.

TBF was the best produced album Journey ever recorded, but it's not sonically better than Eclipse. It may be a better album, but it's inferior to Eclipse by a long shot where production is concerned.

Rick wrote:TBF was the best produced album Journey ever recorded, but it's not sonically better than Eclipse. It may be a better album, but it's inferior to Eclipse by a long shot where production is concerned.

I agree. If Journey could ever come up with an album as well produced and sonically as excellent Eclipse, but with some killer song writing, they might actually go somewhere again. Why can't they fire on all the cylinders? This Elephant could dance if it could break the chains that bind it. I really think they need someone with some vision and a great songwriter to come in and help them out. Arnel can be taught.

steveo777 wrote:

Rick wrote:TBF was the best produced album Journey ever recorded, but it's not sonically better than Eclipse. It may be a better album, but it's inferior to Eclipse by a long shot where production is concerned.

I agree. If Journey could ever come up with an album as well produced and sonically as excellent Eclipse, but with some killer song writing, they might actually go somewhere again. Why can't they fire on all the cylinders? This Elephant could dance if it could break the chains that bind it. I really think they need someone with some vision and a great songwriter to come in and help them out. Arnel can be taught.

I'd give Trial a slight nod over Eclipse sonically and the most obvious difference is in the backing vocals. Every element of the band was sublime in Trial; Eclipse is better than all the others, IMHO, but doesn't quite measure up to Trial sonically, which managed to achieve equilibrium between the vocals and musicianship.

As far as songwriting goes, Eclipse is superior lyrically. What's missing is an element in the songcrafting which I'd attribute to the lack of Perry. It would be cool if they could hybridize the two albums in their next one: One with Eclipse's balls and Trial's polish.

Gideon wrote:

steveo777 wrote:

Rick wrote:TBF was the best produced album Journey ever recorded, but it's not sonically better than Eclipse. It may be a better album, but it's inferior to Eclipse by a long shot where production is concerned.

I agree. If Journey could ever come up with an album as well produced and sonically as excellent Eclipse, but with some killer song writing, they might actually go somewhere again. Why can't they fire on all the cylinders? This Elephant could dance if it could break the chains that bind it. I really think they need someone with some vision and a great songwriter to come in and help them out. Arnel can be taught.

I'd give Trial a slight nod over Eclipse sonically and the most obvious difference is in the backing vocals. Every element of the band was sublime in Trial; Eclipse is better than all the others, IMHO, but doesn't quite measure up to Trial sonically, which managed to achieve equilibrium between the vocals and musicianship.

As far as songwriting goes, Eclipse is superior lyrically. What's missing is an element in the songcrafting which I'd attribute to the lack of Perry. It would be cool if they could hybridize the two albums in their next one: One with Eclipse's balls and Trial's polish.

This whole thread really surprised me. I don't think anything since TBF has sounded good sonically. TBF was recorded at Skywalker Ranch and it sounds like it. Beautifully produced and mixed. It sounds BIG and layered, but not muddy. I feel like the Augeri and Pineda albums sound like they were recorded in Neal's basement.

FamilyMan wrote:

Gideon wrote:

steveo777 wrote:

Rick wrote:TBF was the best produced album Journey ever recorded, but it's not sonically better than Eclipse. It may be a better album, but it's inferior to Eclipse by a long shot where production is concerned.

I agree. If Journey could ever come up with an album as well produced and sonically as excellent Eclipse, but with some killer song writing, they might actually go somewhere again. Why can't they fire on all the cylinders? This Elephant could dance if it could break the chains that bind it. I really think they need someone with some vision and a great songwriter to come in and help them out. Arnel can be taught.

I'd give Trial a slight nod over Eclipse sonically and the most obvious difference is in the backing vocals. Every element of the band was sublime in Trial; Eclipse is better than all the others, IMHO, but doesn't quite measure up to Trial sonically, which managed to achieve equilibrium between the vocals and musicianship.

As far as songwriting goes, Eclipse is superior lyrically. What's missing is an element in the songcrafting which I'd attribute to the lack of Perry. It would be cool if they could hybridize the two albums in their next one: One with Eclipse's balls and Trial's polish.

This whole thread really surprised me. I don't think anything since TBF has sounded good sonically. TBF was recorded at Skywalker Ranch and it sounds like it. Beautifully produced and mixed. It sounds BIG and layered, but not muddy. I feel like the Augeri and Pineda albums sound like they were recorded in Neal's basement.

I agree with most of this. Arrival was decent but I wasn't a fan of Neal's guitar tone on the album (or on the 2001 dvd for that matter). Generations and Red 13 were bad at best. Revelation disk one was good but not as well blended and organic as Trial.

Disk two absolutely sounds like it was recorded in Neal's basement with Fisher Price toy instruments.

Eclipse is great, though.

Gideon wrote:

FamilyMan wrote:

Gideon wrote:

steveo777 wrote:

Rick wrote:TBF was the best produced album Journey ever recorded, but it's not sonically better than Eclipse. It may be a better album, but it's inferior to Eclipse by a long shot where production is concerned.

I agree. If Journey could ever come up with an album as well produced and sonically as excellent Eclipse, but with some killer song writing, they might actually go somewhere again. Why can't they fire on all the cylinders? This Elephant could dance if it could break the chains that bind it. I really think they need someone with some vision and a great songwriter to come in and help them out. Arnel can be taught.

I'd give Trial a slight nod over Eclipse sonically and the most obvious difference is in the backing vocals. Every element of the band was sublime in Trial; Eclipse is better than all the others, IMHO, but doesn't quite measure up to Trial sonically, which managed to achieve equilibrium between the vocals and musicianship.

As far as songwriting goes, Eclipse is superior lyrically. What's missing is an element in the songcrafting which I'd attribute to the lack of Perry. It would be cool if they could hybridize the two albums in their next one: One with Eclipse's balls and Trial's polish.

This whole thread really surprised me. I don't think anything since TBF has sounded good sonically. TBF was recorded at Skywalker Ranch and it sounds like it. Beautifully produced and mixed. It sounds BIG and layered, but not muddy. I feel like the Augeri and Pineda albums sound like they were recorded in Neal's basement.

I agree with most of this. Arrival was decent but I wasn't a fan of Neal's guitar tone on the album (or on the 2001 dvd for that matter). Generations and Red 13 were bad at best. Revelation disk one was good but not as well blended and organic as Trial.

Disk two absolutely sounds like it was recorded in Neal's basement with Fisher Price toy instruments.

Eclipse is great, though.

I think the way they experimented on Eclipse - especially with tracks like "She's a Mystery." But overall, I still didn't think the album was mixed well. Its like all mid-range -- no highs and no lows.

Sorry mean to say "I like" the way they experimented...

TBF and ROR

On TBF you can literally hear them bringing the mic up and down during WYLAW for Perry's vocals. It's annoying as hell. How anyone can think that's the best is beyond me. It's muddy in some areas, and over modulated in others. If I had to say one and only one album, it would be ROR. Just from a consistency standpoint.

Gideon wrote:

steveo777 wrote:

Rick wrote:TBF was the best produced album Journey ever recorded, but it's not sonically better than Eclipse. It may be a better album, but it's inferior to Eclipse by a long shot where production is concerned.

I agree. If Journey could ever come up with an album as well produced and sonically as excellent Eclipse, but with some killer song writing, they might actually go somewhere again. Why can't they fire on all the cylinders? This Elephant could dance if it could break the chains that bind it. I really think they need someone with some vision and a great songwriter to come in and help them out. Arnel can be taught.

I'd give Trial a slight nod over Eclipse sonically and the most obvious difference is in the backing vocals. Every element of the band was sublime in Trial; Eclipse is better than all the others, IMHO, but doesn't quite measure up to Trial sonically, which managed to achieve equilibrium between the vocals and musicianship.

As far as songwriting goes, Eclipse is superior lyrically. What's missing is an element in the songcrafting which I'd attribute to the lack of Perry. It would be cool if they could hybridize the two albums in their next one: One with Eclipse's balls and Trial's polish.

While Jon was the writer the band needed to take that next step back then, Perry was pretty much the melody maker that the band seems to lack now.