Album Discussion---"Trial By Fire"

[Liquid_Drummer]

would have been my favorite album if a few more songs had held the tone of "One More" That song was dark and brooding, and one of the heaviest songs they ever wrote. The vocals were gritty and strong and the guitar work was vicious.

I wish they had more songs with lyrics that were a little more like this.. The whole relationships lost, heartache, What did I do wrong girl, whos crying now gets a bit tedious. I really love Journey however I wish they would have spread their wings a bit more ala Dream After Dream but even that album isnt all there because too little Perry. Love the damn music though...

[Liquid_Drummer]

For the most part this album is shit. When You Love A Woman and If He Should Break Your Heart are the only 2 really good tracks, leaving it with a few tolerable ones (Forever In Blue and Message Of Love), and the rest being vocal rubbish. This album showcases that Perry's decision to go into a softer direction with ROR was out of necessity and not creativity. His voice was easily its weakest during this album and the album is lackluster at best. While it's their finest hour musically, it's also the complete opposite vocally. The listener is left with a hollow, thin sounding Perry using studio magic to try and compensate for incredible musicianship. And he comes up way short.

Studio magic ? Please elaborate. I have heard these sessions were rough because Perry's voice tired very fast and every song was recorded one verse at a time. Just rumors though. You know something ?

[Ehwmatt]

just not a big fan of this cd
i really hate the production
and think thats what takes away my ability to like this

The production?! Why? TBF sounds incredible to me...

Listen to WYLAW. As I've stated previously, it literally sounds like someone is turning Perry's mic on and off every time he takes a breath. It's horrendous.

That usually happens when you can't sing a full line and they have to be strung together.

Maybe because the version I have on here is from the Essential Greatest is redone or whatever, but I don't hear it. I think TBF is a great-sounding album though, and all my other TBF tracks sans MoL are ripped straight from my CD. The vocals sound great, you can actually hear Ross on this album, key tones are very good, drum sound is good, if not incredibly distinctive, and most importantly, Neal sounds GREAT on this record. He hasn't had a good recorded guitar tone since imo. Maybe Livin' To Do on Arrival... that's about it. His recorded tone in the new millennium has sucked.

I should add I treasure good production. Lots of people don't think anything of production... I'm not an audiophile, but I do like hearing things sound good, and TBF has always sounded great to me.

[Red13JoePa]

Could be, both Essentials and the new TBF have remastered versions of the song.
Dunno about the new GH.

But for me, studio all bets are off, take as many takes as you need to get it the way you want it. Don't mind if Perry (or Augeri on FITH) needed a bunch of takes to get the whole voc strung together.

[Dano]

Gotta weigh in on this too, and agree that it's my favorite Journey album of all-time. Probably due to the variety of material and the emotion that flows throughout. The back-to-back "When I Think of You" and "Easy To Fall" tracks alone just hit me in the heart, even after all these years. Some great rockers on the album, too. Yes, it's ballad-heavy, but every album since then has been, too. I just think this album is a masterpiece.

I do have to agree that I was really unhappy with the production on it, until I purchased the remaster, and that made all the difference to my ears. Heard so many nuances I hadn't picked up on before, and the sound was a lot less muddy. Also liked the extended intro and outro of "Colors of The Spirit" versus the original version, and of course, having "I Can See It In Your Eyes" finally added to the CD was the icing on the cake.

Yes, I love Escape and Frontiers just as much as anyone, but for some reason, this is the one Journey CD that consistently gets played in my collection, even 13 years after its release.

For the record, Arrival is probably my second favorite.

Dan O.

[chad]

I know Easy to Fall doesn't get much attention, but this song to me is by far one of the most well-crafted songs in Journey's arsenal. The maturity of the writing...the way Steve Smith holds back but gives every hit and grove meaning....the vocals and the way they work hand-in-hand with the melody of the song...the bluesy guitar riffs....I can go on and on.

Dig this song...

[Ehwmatt]

I must just have the remaster. I wasn't anywhere near Journey in 1996. Album sounds great to me.

[Dano]

Yeah, the remaster really cleaned some stuff up. I think I was most disappointed with the drum sound, especially the cymbals and percussion. Smitty just seemed to be buried in a sea of echo and down in the mix, and the remaster brought some clarity to it.

Going off topic slightly...I do think that Ross did some nice work on this CD, despite what some other people feel. He and Smitty really drive "One More" and there's some tasty bass lines toward the end of that track. I feel that Ross doesn't get his due as he should. He's an excellent bassist and has a knack for almost being unobtrusive, which is why people tend to think his skills are lacking. In my eyes, the fact that he can lock a groove in the pocket and not be so obvious is a testament to how well he blends in and helps drive the tunes. I mean, this guy has played with three of rock's best drummers in Dunbar, Smith and Castronovo. And he certainly lays down the sexy groove in "Kiss Me Softly" on Arrival.

Just my .02. I think the band as a whole are a collective of virtuosos. Journey never gets the credit they deserve for being the consummate masters of their craft, much like Toto doesn't as well.

[Ehwmatt]

Yeah, the remaster really cleaned some stuff up. I think I was most disappointed with the drum sound, especially the cymbals and percussion. Smitty just seemed to be buried in a sea of echo and down in the mix, and the remaster brought some clarity to it.

Going off topic slightly...I do think that Ross did some nice work on this CD, despite what some other people feel. He and Smitty really drive "One More" and there's some tasty bass lines toward the end of that track. I feel that Ross doesn't get his due as he should. He's an excellent bassist and has a knack for almost being unobtrusive, which is why people tend to think his skills are lacking. In my eyes, the fact that he can lock a groove in the pocket and not be so obvious is a testament to how well he blends in and helps drive the tunes. I mean, this guy has played with three of rock's best drummers in Dunbar, Smith and Castronovo. And he certainly lays down the sexy groove in "Kiss Me Softly" on Arrival.

Just my .02. I think the band as a whole are a collective of virtuosos. Journey never gets the credit they deserve for being the consummate masters of their craft, much like Toto doesn't as well.

Ross definitely has some nice work over the years. Guys as good as Smitty/Deen/Dunbar, Neal, and Cain wouldn't play with a guy who sucks, it's as simple as that, loyalty or not.

[Saint John]

Yeah, the remaster really cleaned some stuff up. I think I was most disappointed with the drum sound, especially the cymbals and percussion. Smitty just seemed to be buried in a sea of echo and down in the mix, and the remaster brought some clarity to it.

Going off topic slightly...I do think that Ross did some nice work on this CD, despite what some other people feel. He and Smitty really drive "One More" and there's some tasty bass lines toward the end of that track. I feel that Ross doesn't get his due as he should. He's an excellent bassist and has a knack for almost being unobtrusive, which is why people tend to think his skills are lacking. In my eyes, the fact that he can lock a groove in the pocket and not be so obvious is a testament to how well he blends in and helps drive the tunes. I mean, this guy has played with three of rock's best drummers in Dunbar, Smith and Castronovo. And he certainly lays down the sexy groove in "Kiss Me Softly" on Arrival.

Just my .02. I think the band as a whole are a collective of virtuosos. Journey never gets the credit they deserve for being the consummate masters of their craft, much like Toto doesn't as well.

Ross definitely has some nice work over the years. Guys as good as Smitty/Deen/Dunbar, Neal, and Cain wouldn't play with a guy who sucks, it's as simple as that, loyalty or not.

Ross is a great bassist. Period.

[Jana]

Yeah, the remaster really cleaned some stuff up. I think I was most disappointed with the drum sound, especially the cymbals and percussion. Smitty just seemed to be buried in a sea of echo and down in the mix, and the remaster brought some clarity to it.

Going off topic slightly...I do think that Ross did some nice work on this CD, despite what some other people feel. He and Smitty really drive "One More" and there's some tasty bass lines toward the end of that track. I feel that Ross doesn't get his due as he should. He's an excellent bassist and has a knack for almost being unobtrusive, which is why people tend to think his skills are lacking. In my eyes, the fact that he can lock a groove in the pocket and not be so obvious is a testament to how well he blends in and helps drive the tunes. I mean, this guy has played with three of rock's best drummers in Dunbar, Smith and Castronovo. And he certainly lays down the sexy groove in "Kiss Me Softly" on Arrival.

Just my .02. I think the band as a whole are a collective of virtuosos. Journey never gets the credit they deserve for being the consummate masters of their craft, much like Toto doesn't as well.

Amen.

[Liquid_Drummer]

Just got a new bad ass Harmon Kardon receiver and the difference in sound is amazing. You can hear that they had Perrys mic LOUD on this recording and compressed the hell out of it. And yes, the vocals are a patchwork and it is way more obvious on my new system. Jesus Escape sounds good though !!

[Deb]

Yeah, the remaster really cleaned some stuff up. I think I was most disappointed with the drum sound, especially the cymbals and percussion. Smitty just seemed to be buried in a sea of echo and down in the mix, and the remaster brought some clarity to it.

Going off topic slightly...I do think that Ross did some nice work on this CD, despite what some other people feel. He and Smitty really drive "One More" and there's some tasty bass lines toward the end of that track. I feel that Ross doesn't get his due as he should. He's an excellent bassist and has a knack for almost being unobtrusive, which is why people tend to think his skills are lacking. In my eyes, the fact that he can lock a groove in the pocket and not be so obvious is a testament to how well he blends in and helps drive the tunes. I mean, this guy has played with three of rock's best drummers in Dunbar, Smith and Castronovo. And he certainly lays down the sexy groove in "Kiss Me Softly" on Arrival.

Just my .02. I think the band as a whole are a collective of virtuosos. Journey never gets the credit they deserve for being the consummate masters of their craft, much like Toto doesn't as well.

As well as Señor Grande .

[Abitaman]

RAISED ON RADIO is either an ok soft Journey cd, or Steve Perry's greatest solo cd. Either way it is a good cd. ROR has a lot of hits on the cd. And the hits are the strong points of this cd. Be Good To Yourself is a nice little rock song that is in the classic Journey vein. WithI'll Be Alright out You is my favorite song off the cd, and has a more rhythm and blues fell to it, with nice guitar work in it from Neal. Girl Can't Help It has some of Perry's best vocals on the cd, and the song has nice pacing through it. Suzanne is the least liked of the hits for me. Why Can't This Night Go On Forever is my second favorite song off the cd, and has Perry's best vocals on the cd. But it is once you get past the hits that the cd starts to fail. The hits sound more like Journey music, the album cuts sound more like Perry's solo work.
Positive Touch has a nice bouncy beat to it that is helped along Jon's piano, but other than that the song is flat. The title track is gibberish. It Could Have Been You has Neal doing some catchy guitar work, but the song goes nowhere. Rest of the songs are good, but good for Journey is what other groups wish for, but for Journey, it is just not good enough.

[bluejeangirl76]

RAISED ON RADIO is either an ok soft Journey cd, or Steve Perry's greatest solo cd.

Yep, its the best of his 3.

[Abitaman]

RAISED ON RADIO is either an ok soft Journey cd, or Steve Perry's greatest solo cd. Either way it is a good cd. ROR has a lot of hits on the cd. And the hits are the strong points of this cd. Be Good To Yourself is a nice little rock song that is in the classic Journey vein. WithI'll Be Alright out You is my favorite song off the cd, and has a more rhythm and blues fell to it, with nice guitar work in it from Neal. Girl Can't Help It has some of Perry's best vocals on the cd, and the song has nice pacing through it. Suzanne is the least liked of the hits for me. Why Can't This Night Go On Forever is my second favorite song off the cd, and has Perry's best vocals on the cd. But it is once you get past the hits that the cd starts to fail. The hits sound more like Journey music, the album cuts sound more like Perry's solo work.
Positive Touch has a nice bouncy beat to it that is helped along Jon's piano, but other than that the song is flat. The title track is gibberish. It Could Have Been You has Neal doing some catchy guitar work, but the song goes nowhere. Rest of the songs are good, but good for Journey is what other groups wish for, but for Journey, it is just not good enough.

Wrong thread....

[Abitaman]

I listened to this cd a lot. Back then I thought the cd was THE BOMB, now I realise it is just A BOMB.
This cd starts out hard and fast with one of their best rockers in years, Message of love. What is there not to like about this song. It also has one of the coolest intro to any song, Journey or other band.
One More is a more modern day rocker that uses Perry raspier voice to good effect. Neal is just awesome on this one.
When You Love A Woman slows things down, but still keeps the cd very alive. This song ranks up there with some the all time Journey ballads. Perry and the band sound great.
But I see now days that after this 1-2-3 punch the cd just falls apart. Back in '96 I guess I was just ready for a new Journey cd, that Perry singing the phone book would have been good.
Castles Burning tries to recapture the fire of the first two songs, but instead of being a blaze, it is just a lot of smoke with not much heat. Perry sounds good, and Neal's playing is good, but this song is just missing something. Maybe direction, since it really goes nowhere. I guess the same could be said for most of the cd. They never reach the strike of the first 3 songs, or the magic of their former cds.
It's Just The Rain and Still She Cries could have been so much better. But as far as rest of the songs I have not mentioned, really they are not worth mentioning. They are not bad but for Journey, they are not good.

[Red13JoePa]

Castles Burning could be great....just SOUNDS nerdy now 15 years out with the dated mid-song perry on pro tools voiceover "newscast" Jesus Christ, Toto we're not on Frontiers anymore I guess...still a phenomenal gang chorus of "CASTLES BURNEN!!!!" good vox and axe work.

[StoneCold]

It's Just The Rain and Still She Cries could have been so much better. But as far as rest of the songs I have not mentioned, really they are not worth mentioning. They are not bad but for Journey, they are not good.

"Still She Cries" is a masterpiece.

Smitty and Perry interplaying. One of Neal's most beautiful leads and Cain closing it out with possibly his best piano work.

How could have it been better?

STC
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfeZ8wSvuj0

"All in a memory, where our love used to be."

[Red13JoePa]

"Still She Cries" is a masterpiece.

Eh?

[StoneCold]

"Still She Cries" is a masterpiece.

Eh?

Don't believe it? A poll should vet it.

[stevew2]

It's Just The Rain and Still She Cries could have been so much better. But as far as rest of the songs I have not mentioned, really they are not worth mentioning. They are not bad but for Journey, they are not good.

"Still She Cries" is a masterpiece.

Smitty and Perry interplaying. One of Neal's most beautiful leads and Cain closing it out with possibly his best piano work.

How could have it been better?

STC
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfeZ8wSvuj0

"All in a memory, where our love used to be."

i do like that song, and fagas piano work is very good

[StoneCold]

I biased I guess. With Smitty back in the game, TBF surpasses ROR, Arrival, Gens and Revs for me. Couple clunkers to be sure (BILY, DBDOMB).

On the plus side, their third album to have two songs that should always be played back to back, track 4 & 5.

IHSBYH and FIB

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksyxc9frPI8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZHEMhE0GXA

[hoagiepete]

Best listened to in a quiet, pitch dark room, naked, in bed with loved one.

[stevew2]

Best listened to in a quiet, pitch dark room, naked, in bed with loved one.

Hopefully oneof the opposite sex

[Gordon from Edinburgh]

Gotta weigh in on this too, and agree that it's my favorite Journey album of all-time. Probably due to the variety of material and the emotion that flows throughout. The back-to-back "When I Think of You" and "Easy To Fall" tracks alone just hit me in the heart, even after all these years. Some great rockers on the album, too. Yes, it's ballad-heavy, but every album since then has been, too. I just think this album is a masterpiece.

I do have to agree that I was really unhappy with the production on it, until I purchased the remaster, and that made all the difference to my ears. Heard so many nuances I hadn't picked up on before, and the sound was a lot less muddy. Also liked the extended intro and outro of "Colors of The Spirit" versus the original version, and of course, having "I Can See It In Your Eyes" finally added to the CD was the icing on the cake.

Yes, I love Escape and Frontiers just as much as anyone, but for some reason, this is the one Journey CD that consistently gets played in my collection, even 13 years after its release.

For the record, Arrival is probably my second favorite.

Dan O.

Your comments about TBF are spot on my friend, its an amazing album - it has depth and emotion in abundance...........

[StoneCold]

Gotta weigh in on this too, and agree that it's my favorite Journey album of all-time. Probably due to the variety of material and the emotion that flows throughout. The back-to-back "When I Think of You" and "Easy To Fall" tracks alone just hit me in the heart, even after all these years. Some great rockers on the album, too. Yes, it's ballad-heavy, but every album since then has been, too. I just think this album is a masterpiece.

I do have to agree that I was really unhappy with the production on it, until I purchased the remaster, and that made all the difference to my ears. Heard so many nuances I hadn't picked up on before, and the sound was a lot less muddy. Also liked the extended intro and outro of "Colors of The Spirit" versus the original version, and of course, having "I Can See It In Your Eyes" finally added to the CD was the icing on the cake.

Yes, I love Escape and Frontiers just as much as anyone, but for some reason, this is the one Journey CD that consistently gets played in my collection, even 13 years after its release.

For the record, Arrival is probably my second favorite.

Dan O.

Your comments about TBF are spot on my friend, its an amazing album - it has depth and emotion in abundance...........

Agreed, works well as a complete album although I can do without the hidden track.

[The Sushi Hunter]

I don't think I've heard a single song from that album. After 90' or 91', I didn't listen to Journey that much anymore. For the few years leading up to that time, I just listened to the early 80's Journey.

[Jana]

RAISED ON RADIO is either an ok soft Journey cd, or Steve Perry's greatest solo cd.

Yep, its the best of his 3.

Which just goes to show he needs Neal and Jon to do his best solo work.

[Don]

RAISED ON RADIO is either an ok soft Journey cd, or Steve Perry's greatest solo cd.

Yep, its the best of his 3.

Which just goes to show he needs Neal and Jon to do his best solo work.

Wrong, he needed Herbie Herbert more.