Last Train to Clarkston...

[brywool]

I listened to the Clarkston boot with JSS this morning. It's over at guitars101 (along with a Perry boot that I'm looking forward to listening to). Sound quality ain't great, but you can tell what's going on and hear everything.

While Jeff's voice is MUCH MUCH better than on the Atlanta or Charlotte boots, it's still apparent that the guy is straining to make the notes. His voice isn't freaking out as it was on the other two boots (No mice suddenly taking over the lead vocals as in "Only the Young" from one of those boots, and the pitches are all pretty-much there) but the guy is totally straining to hit these notes.

JOURNEY- WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM WITH LOWERING THE KEYS A HALF STEP???!!! That'd make all the difference in the world to your singers. Journey's a band of nearly virtuoso players. Changing keys should not be that big of a deal and it'd save your singers.

The beauty of Journey's vocals is the "effortless-ness" of them. With that effortless delivery, these songs really come across. With a strained delivery, all I can hear is the struggle that's going on with the vocalist. Some people might see JSS's interpretation as more powerful. I don't. I see it as more strained and in some points, it sounds like the guy is hurting. Sorry Jeff. Also, when JSS tries to do the Sam Cooke/Perry/Augeri licks (Oh-whoa-whoa stuff), it doesn't come across. They work in the songs where they were originally recorded, but when he tries to throw them in on other parts where they weren't originally recorded, they don't work as well as the other two Journey singers used those runs.

There are some cool things here, but they do not sound like Journey. "Chain Reaction" for example comes off pretty good, but it has a 'cover band' feel to me. I know a lot of people say that about Gowan in Styx or even Augeri in Journey, but with Jeff, it's a completely different sound. I MAY just not be used to him, but in Journey, he brings such a different sound that I can't get into with this band. Having said that, it's apparent that Soto's got a lot of soul in his voice. He reminds me of the Rare Earth singer (I Just Wanna Celebrate, Yeah, Yeah...). I like that feel. I just think it'd work better in a different setting.

I haven't been able to tell yet if JSS is using in-ears (most bands do, some singers do not like them) but if he isn't, that would really help him. Adding a touch of high end to his monitor would also help him to hit those notes a bit easier.

I think if Journey lowered the keys, it'd make all the difference in the world. Definitely would've helped BOTH Steves.


yeah, everybody's got an opinion...

[Rockindeano]

I don't think there will be a need to lower the keys. Yep, I was wrong before. Jeffie can do this, trust me.

[Barb]

What changed your mind?

I don't think there will be a need to lower the keys. Yep, I was wrong before. Jeffie can do this, trust me.

[lights1961]

I thought this was about the Monkees tune.. last train to clarksville......

Rick

[Rockindeano]

A little birdie flew into my room and told me yesterday.

[Barb]

Oh. Ok.

A little birdie flew into my room and told me yesterday.

[brywool]

I don't think there will be a need to lower the keys. Yep, I was wrong before. Jeffie can do this, trust me.

Not from what I'm hearing. I mean, he CAN do it, but it's definitely tough on him and it comes across in his performance. Listen to the difference between him and Castronovo. Deen's got that effortless voice. Jeff just sounds like he's having a hard time. I feel for him. Singing for Journey would be the most bittersweet gig I can think of. It'd be an amazing job, but it'd be the toughest vocal job in the world. I give JSS kudos for stepping in. I just hope that his voice doesn't become another casualty. Sounds like I hate Soto. I don't at all. I envy the hell out of him, BUT I don't think this gig is right for him.

Good question... what changed your mind? You've obviously heard something that I've not. Please share...

[brywool]

I thought this was about the Monkees tune.. last train to clarksville......

Rick

That was the joke!

[brywool]

Listen to Separate Ways on the Clarkston boot. "In Vain...." is sung an octave lower. It just doesn't work for the song.
I need to hear some of JSS's other stuff besides Soul Sirkus to really hear him I think.

Having said all this, the audience doesn't seem to notice or care, so what do I know?
A singer can have the worst vocal night and an audience will love them. A singer can have his best vocal night and the audience will say he sucked.

[Wally_Hatchet]

Once again, as JSS has previously stated here, he has two weeks of MUCH NEEDED vocal rest thru the mid-month.

He has not been singing at 100% and he will not be until then.

[brywool]

Once again, as JSS has previously stated here, he has two weeks of MUCH NEEDED vocal rest thru the mid-month.

He has not been singing at 100% and he will not be until then.

Musta missed that post. I know somebody else posted that about 50 times which got annoying, but you never know unless it comes from the source.
Glad I didn't have tickets for his first shows of the tour or Steve's last dates...