by STORY_TELLER » Sat Dec 29, 2012 8:17 pm
My 2 cents:
The problem I have with Arnel as lead singer is that his vocals, while technically fantastic, are just that: Technical. Some people can tell the difference. Others can't, because the only connection they get from the music is at the technical level. They only hear what's on the surface. So to them, there's no difference between Perry, Augeri or Pineda as long as the voice is an in-tune tenor with power and vibratto.
When Arnel sings the Perry-era catalog he covers all the notes very well. Great range, great vibrato, great power -- but no soul, no feeling, no style (other than what he mimics from Perry's take on the songs) and to me, the character of his voice sounds like a teenage broadway singer. Very American Idol. Technically proficient, but no rock character, no style, very bland. There's simply no art there. That's what I personally hear from Arnel, and I'm turned off by it.
Perry was a vocal stylist. When he sings rock, he sounds like a rock singer. When he sings ballads he sounds like a soul singer. Whatever song he sings, he delivers it in a way that is unique to Steve Perry. He creates sounds that are VERY unique to him and him alone. That's the mark of an artist. Go listen to Clannad's "White Fool" for an example of this. Listen to the sounds and melody choices Perry makes there. The character of his voice and his artistic choices blow my mind. There's a lot of thought and effort in those choices. He connects the audience to the music. That's where the mystical "it" factor is, and I think it's why Journey became as big as they did. It's also what's missing in Journey on all their new music.
Having said that, for the purpose of the endless greatest hits tour, they've got the right guy to do the job. Arnel sings that very difficult catalog and he sings it well. I'm not really interested in seeing them live anymore. Whatever tingle I used to get from the concert disappeared at the end of the first concert I saw with Arnel. I don't have words for it, it's just gone. But I'm glad they're still out there and I'm glad people are enjoying them. It's just not for me.
Neal is my guitar hero. I'm always willing to slap down some bucks for new music from him and I admire his work ethic. He doesn't stop, he doesn't give up. He lives to play and is always looking for reasons to make new music. That's admirable in an artist and he should be applauded for it. But the magic in Journey was the chemistry between Neal and Perry and you can't recreate that. It's elusive, and it's simply not there with Arnel.
Wish the band all the best though, and I'm looking forward to Neal's next solo release.
ST
