Finally....My Take On Generations....

[Greg]

I'll keep this brief, because I know you guys have heard plenty of reviews on Generations already..but here is my summary.


First of all, I wished I could have listened to the concert cd version, because I would like to know the difference with the mixes. I think the production is A+ however. Like most everyone else, my least favorites are Butterfly and Believe. I just can't get into the Butterfly song. I've listened to it about three times today, and nope...just doesn't do much for me.

However, the rest of the songs are top notch Journey tunes that could be big hits if MTV would get off the teenage crap and go back to playing real music! I thought I wouldn't like Ross' song, simply because it's not a "Journey" type song, but the song absolutely ROCKS! I never thought Ross had it in him to be a lead guy - I was proven wrong!

As Deano stated in another thread, it appears that TPIYH has finally aired to radio....as it should! It's straight up Frontiers stuff - the album that first turned me on to Journey! When I first heard the song, I thought it needed a better intro to the Chorus. I almost could hear it in my mind...but after listening to it several times (I did have the pleasure of hearing this song before buying the CD today) it grew on me and I absolutely love the song! Better together is a rockin' song that blew me away! This one could easily be played on rock stations!

As stated from the likes of Andrew, "Knowing That You Loved Me" is Open Arms all over again. It's a no-brainer ballad hit that could be big if given a chance. The Deen songs are absolutely fantastic! I would LOVE for "Never Too Late" to make it to radio. This is another song that I had the opportunity to listen to prior to today, and I suppose the remix is different, but not as different as what I had expected. Still, the song rocks and deserves respect!

Overall, I think I'd rank Generations at 90%. The two Augeri songs in the middle just didn't do much for me...and wouldn't have minded a couple remixed versions of Red 13 in place of those two. Still, it's Journey doing what they want to as they should! I think at this point, it's Journey having fun!

And yes...you can get the album at Walmart for under $10! At least here in Southside Virginia!

[The_Noble_Cause]

Great review, man.
You echoed my thoughts completely!
It'd be an even better album without tracks 5 or 6.
Better Together is fairly balls-to-wall hard rockin stuff....has a great bluesy rock edge to it which is redolent of the terrain first pioneered on Red 13 with the bluesy, "The Time".
I, too, am glad that "Gone Crazy" remained on this record. It's one of the more upbeat catchy tunes and provides a nice deviation from the solid (almost wearing) ceaseless rock chunk of tracks 8-10.
Again, great review.

[NoMoreTails]

Anyone have thoughts on whether the Soul Sirkus songs Soul Goes On and Coming Home would have improved Generations if Neal had kept them for Journey? Of course they would have turned out different without JSS's input but the music seems. Someone agreed with me previously that the Schon/JSS tune Believe In Me would have been a great Journey song as well.

[jrnyjetster]

Anyone have thoughts on whether the Soul Sirkus songs Soul Goes On and Coming Home would have improved Generations if Neal had kept them for Journey? Of course they would have turned out different without JSS's input but the music seems. Someone agreed with me previously that the Schon/JSS tune Believe In Me would have been a great Journey song as well.

YUP, instead of rehashing In Self Defense and Gone Crazy should have been saved for a Ross Valory solo project....I like the song, just not on a Journey album.

[NealIsGod]

At first, I was wondering about the inclusion of those two songs (GC and ISD) on Generations, too. But after having the CD for months, I find myself listening to those two more than any others, since I kind of burned myself out on TPIYH, OOHW and FITH.

[The_Noble_Cause]

Someone agreed with me previously that the Schon/JSS tune Believe In Me would have been a great Journey song as well.

That would be me. Neal lamented the fact that upon giving Sammy the music for 'Believe in Me' Sammy deemed it too poppy.
So what is Neal's first impulse?
Hand it straight over to JSS.
The tune was through-and-through classic Journey, his inexplicable decision to give it to JSS highlights just how very little motivation there was to do anything withinside Journey.

A similarly flagrant bad call by the band was the decision to sell Arrival left overs to various artists. A few Arrival numbers found their way onto Jon's solo works, one went onto Blades' solo album, another went on Mickey Thomas's record, another went onto some other guys record (his name escapes me at the present time).
It's ridiculous. I thought they were selling the material off because they had such a surplus of new material written. The inclusion of a cover song on their latest album, proves that is not the case.

[Red13JoePa]

Greggie, post this in 'Drew's reviews area too.

I can't get over the # of people who don't like BELIEVE yet.

Neal's sick, crazy (with some cool feedback or distortion) playing on the solo (said before it reminds me of Tom Morello sounding like Neal Schon) Augeri's scorching, "hhhoooooooooo I BELIEVE THE TTTRRRROOOOOOOO-oooooooth WILL SET YOU FAARRRREEEEEEEeeeee!!!!!!!!!"

[NealIsGod]

Greggie, post this in 'Drew's reviews area too.

I can't get over the # of people who don't like BELIEVE yet.

Neal's sick, crazy (with some cool feedback or distortion) playing on the solo (said before it reminds me of Tom Morello sounding like Neal Schon) Augeri's scorching, "hhhoooooooooo I BELIEVE THE TTTRRRROOOOOOOO-oooooooth WILL SET YOU FAARRRREEEEEEEeeeee!!!!!!!!!"

I'm with you, Red.

[Red13JoePa]

Man, the reigns are OFF of Steve Augeri's vox on this record and I dig the ever loveing shit out of it.

[NoMoreTails]

Greggie, post this in 'Drew's reviews area too.

I can't get over the # of people who don't like BELIEVE yet.

Neal's sick, crazy (with some cool feedback or distortion) playing on the solo (said before it reminds me of Tom Morello sounding like Neal Schon) Augeri's scorching, "hhhoooooooooo I BELIEVE THE TTTRRRROOOOOOOO-oooooooth WILL SET YOU FAARRRREEEEEEEeeeee!!!!!!!!!"

I agree! And to the reigns being off Steve as well.

[NoMoreTails]

Someone agreed with me previously that the Schon/JSS tune Believe In Me would have been a great Journey song as well.

That would be me. Neal lamented the fact that upon giving Sammy the music for 'Believe in Me' Sammy deemed it too poppy.
So what is Neal's first impulse?
Hand it straight over to JSS.
The tune was through-and-through classic Journey, his inexplicable decision to give it to JSS highlights just how very little motivation there was to do anything withinside Journey.

A similarly flagrant bad call by the band was the decision to sell Arrival left overs to various artists. A few Arrival numbers found their way onto Jon's solo works, one went onto Blades' solo album, another went on Mickey Thomas's record, another went onto some other guys record (his name escapes me at the present time).
It's ridiculous. I thought they were selling the material off because they had such a surplus of new material written. The inclusion of a cover song on their latest album, proves that is not the case.

I agree these were bad decisions, and seem to support there having been no plans for a new album. But I wonder if the inclusion of ISD was because there wasn't a new song that suited Neal's voice (other than GC which was intended for him per Ross) rather than not having any other songs written. I think Ross in one interview mentioned a couple that were not recorded or maybe recorded but not mixed. ??

[The_Noble_Cause]

Greggie, post this in 'Drew's reviews area too.

I can't get over the # of people who don't like BELIEVE yet.

Neal's sick, crazy (with some cool feedback or distortion) playing on the solo (said before it reminds me of Tom Morello sounding like Neal Schon) Augeri's scorching, "hhhoooooooooo I BELIEVE THE TTTRRRROOOOOOOO-oooooooth WILL SET YOU FAARRRREEEEEEEeeeee!!!!!!!!!"

How can u be so sure it is Neal?
Augeri contributed guitar on this track.
Regardless who's playing guitar, the song is crap.
That much I'm sure of
Where's the chorus?
Horrible endeavor by Augeri.
After Tall Stories and Shine I expected waaaay better.

[The_Noble_Cause]

I think Ross in one interview mentioned a couple that were not recorded or maybe recorded but not mixed. ??

I've heard conflicting interviews. One said they had material left over from this album and then in another interview it was stated that they came into the studio with exactly 13 tracks.
No more, no less.
So I don't know who to believe.

[The_Noble_Cause]

But I wonder if the inclusion of ISD was because there wasn't a new song that suited Neal's voice (other than GC which was intended for him per Ross)

You're right. That is why ISD was used. Neal has said that he was gonna sing GC initially. Still, I can't justify the inclusion of a cover when superior Blades/Schon collaborations sit on the shelf collecting dust or worse, get sold to lesser artists. That's unacceptable.

[Red13JoePa]

Greggie, post this in 'Drew's reviews area too.

I can't get over the # of people who don't like BELIEVE yet.

Neal's sick, crazy (with some cool feedback or distortion) playing on the solo (said before it reminds me of Tom Morello sounding like Neal Schon) Augeri's scorching, "hhhoooooooooo I BELIEVE THE TTTRRRROOOOOOOO-oooooooth WILL SET YOU FAARRRREEEEEEEeeeee!!!!!!!!!"

How can u be so sure it is Neal?
Augeri contributed guitar on this track.
Regardless who's playing guitar, the song is crap.
That much I'm sure of
Where's the chorus?


I think it's a safe assumption Neal played that solo and that Augie and Cain's guitar contributions were limited to rythm playing.

[Guest]

Bought the CD at Border's Bookstore and gave it a listen!
Place In Your Heart sounds like an instant hit if it gets enough airplay and I lover Butterfly.
I liked Self Defense when I heard it a few years back and think it still kicks!
Ross sounds pretty cool singing lead.
The one constant, as usual, is Neal's sensational guitar playing. I saw Steve Vai live once and thought he was the best I'd ever heard or seen. As great as Vai was/is, Neal is even better.
Augeri's vocals sound great as does Jon and Deen. Deen sang a bit at the Rhode Island show and everyone was floored by just how great a voice he has.

[Red13JoePa]

Hey, don't be so sure it's Neal's playing all the time

[Greg]

Greggie, post this in 'Drew's reviews area too.

I can't get over the # of people who don't like BELIEVE yet.

Neal's sick, crazy (with some cool feedback or distortion) playing on the solo (said before it reminds me of Tom Morello sounding like Neal Schon) Augeri's scorching, "hhhoooooooooo I BELIEVE THE TTTRRRROOOOOOOO-oooooooth WILL SET YOU FAARRRREEEEEEEeeeee!!!!!!!!!"

Okay....I'll do that this evening when I get to the college! Hopefully I won't have to tutor anybody and I can have some time to a computer!

[Guest]

Hey, don't be so sure it's Neal's playing all the time

It's pretty easy to pick out Neal Red13JoePa. There is no one who can do what he can on a guitar!

[Red13JoePa]

I agree. I think it's Neal, too.

[Greg]

Well, I posted my concert review...I'll have to wait for Andrew to approve it. It's quite longer than the one I put here..but hopefully it gets the point across. I can't believe some are giving this album a bad grade. One person put a 5%! Sure, nothing will ever beat the earlier albums, but I certainly don't believe this is a bad album at all!

[Guest]

I've listened to the cd through about 5 or 6 times today and to be honest, it hasn't grabbed me and taken hold the way Escape, Frontiers and Raised on Radio did. It sounds very uneven. don't get me wrong, it's solid stuff...just not great, overall.

[jwsw_jeff]

I really liked "Never Too Late (Remix)" that was added for the release. Makes me feel like I am back in high school, just a really great rock track. Plus it also is a great Deen cut. He is really an awesome vocalist in my book as well.

I listened to most of the cuts on iTunes to see if I could notice a mix difference. Granted, I only got to hear about 20 seconds of each, but I didn't notice any difference, and I usally have a pretty good ear for such things.

Hope it does well for them... glat to see it on itms!

[jwsw_jeff]

It sounds very uneven. don't get me wrong, it's solid stuff...just not great, overall.

I agree with this comment to a degree.

I think Generations can be interpreted as uneven or inconsistent just because there are so many lead singers. Because each artist tends to bring their own style to those tracks, it does not have the flow it otherwise should.

But I give it a solid 4 stars, some of the music is VERY good. The rest of it is still better than 99% of the shit on radio today.

[Greg]

I'm not sure exactly how the album is uneven. I felt the album was mixed up quite well. I love the idea of more rockers on this album. This multiple lead singer thing is going to turn alot of the casual fans away....but that's okay. Journey isn't Journey from 1982 anymore, but it's good to know that the current version rocks!

[jwsw_jeff]

I don't disagree with you, Greggie. I just said I understand why someone might feel that way. However, the last thing Jorney needs to do is turn a lot of the casual fans away... they need every one they can find.

[Greg]

True! I don't believe losing any fans does Journey any favors. I think they're looking at it from a stand point of gaining new fans who will become familar with the band according to the current lineup.