Freedom out now - thoughts

[Gideon]

Outside You Got the Best of Me, the singles are shit in comparison to the rest of the album.

Together We Run
Come Away With Me
Don’t Go
Holdin On
All Day and All Night
Life Rolls On

…Are all pretty damn good. Haven’t listened to the ballads yet.

[DK23]

Thoughts after the first run through of the album:
1. Together We Run -- Great
2. Don't Give Up On Us -- Great
3. Still Believe In Love -- Great
4. You Got The Best Of Me -- Great
5. Live To Love Again -- Great
6. The Way We Used To Be -- Good
7. Come Away With Me -- Good (too long though; Andrew nailed it in his review of this song)
8. After Glow -- Great
9. Let It Rain -- Good
10. Holdin On -- Okay
11. All Day And All Night -- Great (reminded me of Mysterious Ways by U2)
12. Don't Go -- Good (melody reminded me of Dreams by VH)
13. United We Stand -- Good
14. Life Rolls On -- Okay
15. Beautiful As You Are -- Okay (kinda disappointed in this one)

[Moose]

Definitely better then I thought it would be!

[schonfan]

I think the entire album except TWWUTB is hot dog shit. Neal has lost that dynamic playing that I love. Now I know what he is going to play before he plays it. And the worst part about the album is that I can feel Arnel reading the music as he sings. Like when you go to church and read the song while trying to keep up with the music. A few of the songs have great potential but the mix is just so bad. Can’t believe this is a two year effort from hall of famers and Grammy winners

[schonfan]

I wish they had a strong willed producer who could call them out on rehashed lyrics and chord progressions. Neal is playing the same little parts in almost every other song and it’s distracting and lazy.

[Monker]

I think the entire album except TWWUTB is hot dog shit. Neal has lost that dynamic playing that I love. Now I know what he is going to play before he plays it. And the worst part about the album is that I can feel Arnel reading the music as he sings. Like when you go to church and read the song while trying to keep up with the music. A few of the songs have great potential but the mix is just so bad. Can’t believe this is a two year effort from hall of famers and Grammy winners

I only browsed through the songs, but I'm landing the same way. I like most of the songs but they just feel off...I don't know why. Maybe it's the production, maybe it is Arnel's singing...but, it just feels like these are outtakes or unreleased songs. I really, really wish this had been released instead of Eclipse...if they could have done the same recording and production, etc, as Eclipse, I think it would be a stellar album. As it is, I'm more excited about Augeri's album...both of his singles are very, very good.

[19td73]

"Still Believe In Love" is my fave right now. Got to listen to first couple songs on my lunch break at 3am. (Yeah nightshift worker here). So far I Love what I hear. Can't wait to delve in later today

[Journey/Survivor]

For those of you who are listening to the album on YouTube, does YT also have the Japanese bonus track on it?

If so, how do any of you like it?

I ordered the CD through CD Japan so I will have the bonus track. I probably won't get my copy until early next week I would guess?

[ADALBL]

Overall I enjoyed the album though the mix is not good at all. I put on Traces after listening to Freedom and its not even close. Traces is sonically beautiful, well crafted and a sounds amazing with every instrument clear and distinct in the mix and well balanced and the vocals sound clear and well arranged and very well produced. There is also way more emotional depth in Traces - especially in the vocals. Arnel sings great and has an amazing voice, but man when you compare it Perry, you understand why Perry is so freaking good and a once in a generation singer. I also found the lyrics to be a cliche in many places, not up to par with past efforts overall. I think Perry often influenced the lyrics in ways that took them to different places and higher levels.

Again, I did enjoy Freedom and will listen to it more and would love to see them perform more of these songs live. It does, though, show how important Perry was to taking the music to higher levels and adding the soul that has made Journey so special. I get it, Perry has been gone a long time and is not coming back and I am glad Journey has continued without him, it just shows sometimes.

[youkeepmewaiting]

I like it overall. Some songs are great. I need a few more listens to talk about it properly. I'm looking forward to putting together a playlist of the best Pineda era songs- that will be an amazing album

Songs like Togwther We Run, Still Believe In Love ... no way of not enjoying those tracks

And yes Perry's album has the mix, the emotional depth of the vocals, well crafted songs but it boring as fuck as overall album. This new Journey album is at least fun with some great sing along songs

[Eric]

I like it overall. Some songs are great. I need a few more listens to talk about it properly. I'm looking forward to putting together a playlist of the best Pineda era songs- that will be an amazing album

Songs like Togwther We Run, Still Believe In Love ... no way of not enjoying those tracks

And yes Perry's album has the mix, the emotional depth of the vocals, well crafted songs but it boring as fuck as overall album. This new Journey album is at least fun with some great sing along songs

You're in my brain! My thoughts exactly! Even that I need a few more listens before I review. Traces SOUNDS great and Freedom has great SONGS.

[ChicagoSTYX]

After Glow sounds like it could have been on Steve's Traces album.

[Onestepper]

After Glow sounds like it could have been on Steve's Traces album.

Agree. It's probably my favorite track from the album so far. Dean just kills it.

Very Perry-esk.

[danielb]

Did Cain write all of the lyrics on this album? They're so cheesy.

[Gideon]

Been listening to the album off and on throughout the day while I'm doing other shit.

"Life Rolls On" is a really good tune. Reminds me a lot of Boston with the harmonies, crunchy guitars, and organ work.

[DK23]

Been listening to the album off and on throughout the day while I'm doing other shit.

"Life Rolls On" is a really good tune. Reminds me a lot of Boston with the harmonies, crunchy guitars, and organ work.

Yeah, I'm liking Life Rolls On the more I listen to it.

Arnel really does an amazing job on this album. He might not be Steve Perry but he definitely elevated a lot of the melodies on the album to the next level and gave life to some bland, recycled lyrics.

[Eric]

Still need a few more listens for a full review, but this album is pretty diverse.

And I do NOT think Beautiful as you are is too long!

[Journey/Survivor]

And yes Perry's album has the mix, the emotional depth of the vocals, well crafted songs but it boring as fuck as overall album. This new Journey album is at least fun with some great sing along songs

Sadly, you're totally right about Traces!

[schonfan]

Listening to the album again on Tidal music service at master quality and it sounds worlds better. Mix is still muddy but way clearer. YouTube compression is doing them no favors

[yulog]

And yes Perry's album has the mix, the emotional depth of the vocals, well crafted songs but it boring as fuck as overall album. This new Journey album is at least fun with some great sing along songs

Sadly, you're totally right about Traces!

I agree, a totally forgettable album. To me it felt like I was listening to some lounge act. Perry waited too long.

[Gideon]

Yeah, comparing a SP solo effort to any full-fledged Journey effort involving Neal and Jon will never be flattering for SP imo.

He might've been the single most important ingredient for Journey's success, but not to the extent that he was worth more than the other two creatively, and his single greatest asset (his voice) is seriously degraded.

Traces is unquestionably better mixed, but SP was always a better producer than NS or JC. In terms of creativity, excitement, energy, and powerful vocals... Freedom, as shit as the mix often is, is a much better effort.

I haven't paid much attention to the ballads, but the rockers on this album are pretty good:

I really like "Don't Go" even though it's cheesy as fuck. The synths, the chugging rhythm guitar, the fast tempo are all great.

"Together We Run" was a curious choice of an album opener, but it's a solid mid-tempo rocker with some vaguely "Forever In Blue" vibes.

I absolutely love the swagger of "All Day and All Night," it's the shit that Neal was talking about with Randy on bass. Reminds me of "Man Enough" from Def Leppard's 2015 effort.

"Holdin' On" is also great; musically it reminds me of something off Neal's 2014 solo album, So U, with Marco Mendoza.

Same with "Come Away With Me," it musically reminds me of "What You Want" off So U. Funky, nasty, treated vocals.

"Life Rolls On" is still giving me serious Boston vibes, but I like it a lot, with the harmonies, organ, and crunchy rhythm guitar.

My gut still says ECL1P53 is the superior effort overall, musically and production-wise, but I'm pleasantly surprised by Freedom.

[Andrew]

Did Cain write all of the lyrics on this album? They're so cheesy.

That's my impression and understanding.

[danielb]

Are you able to make out what Arnel is singing?

I don't know if it's the lightweight and recycled lyrics or English being a foreign language to him, or a combination of both, but to me it sounds like he's basically ad libbing his way through many of these songs for the first time, the way singers do in rehearsals in order to get a feel for the song. Before there are proper lyrics in place.

Basically, there is no weight behind the lyrics/delivery and it makes the band sound shallow.

"You got best! You got best of me..."

[youkeepmewaiting]

I've now even come around to like TWWUWB when listening to it in context of the whole album

Yeah sure overall the albums lyrics are cheesy and I sometimes can't make out what Arnel is singing but there's plenty of Perry songs where I don't know what he's singing at times either.

Really fun album

[Journey/Survivor]

And yes Perry's album has the mix, the emotional depth of the vocals, well crafted songs but it boring as fuck as overall album. This new Journey album is at least fun with some great sing along songs

Sadly, you're totally right about Traces!

I agree, a totally forgettable album. To me it felt like I was listening to some lounge act. Perry waited too long.

Yeah, I was thinking about it earlier today. I think that after about the time that Perry did the song "I Stand Alone" for the Quest For Camelot soundtrack that he knew that his voice was declining quite a bit and he lost confidence and basically quit singing.

Even though his voice was already in serious decline at that point, he still was worth listening to, and he should have continued to release the occasional solo album.

But he waited way too long. He finally recorded his Traces album after he had almost nothing left vocally speaking.

Traces is also probably the most boring album that I posses in any form.

It would be great for Perry to continue on in the music business as a writer for other bands and maybe as a producer. But I don't see any need for anymore new albums of him singing.

If Perry was going to record anything worth listening to, his best bet would be to get Schon and Cain to record a new album with him, but obviously NOT a Journey album. I know that that's NOT going to happen, though.

[Eric]

Reading album sleeve and here are some things I find interesting:

- Arnel lead writing credit on “Don’t Go”. His only credit.
- Randy Jackson has 3 writing credits.
- Randy Jackson did not write his Thanks but Narda did… and he thanked “Deeno Beeno”.
- Castronovo was misspelled in Schon’s Thanks.
- Even though Deeno sang “Afterglow” it was still Narda on drums.
- Bob Clearmountain mixed the album.
- A Rachel Efron has a writing credit on “Together we run”
https://www.rachelefron.com/
https://www.instagram.com/p/CfwSj6gLRdv ... MyMTA2M2Y=

Any of youse see anything?

[Onestepper]

Pretty much agree with most of the comments that have been made in this thread. Good and bad. I think it's a fair assessment of the album in general. Ultimately it's a good release that I think could have been epic if it had some more discipline around it.

Ultimate Classic Rock's review stated that they needed an outside producer not Schon, Cain and Walden that would have potentially tightened things up and kept its focus. I can't really disagree with that. I do think some of the individual performances really shine. Arnel in my opinion showed his versatility on the album. But I also think he was a victim of some terrible mixing decisions, and some of the lyrics just weren't up to par with what was going on musically.

I hope the album grows on me. There are some great performances on it.

Also, whomever noted that the album sounds 100% better on Tidal's HiFi Plus service is absolutely correct. I stream most of my music and Freedom is just far superior on that platform.

[ebake02]

I’m liking the album so far. They should’ve released Live to Love Again as single instead of one a couple of the other songs they did release.

[JourneyHard]

Still Believe In Love could be a number one song if it was by any of these singers today. The verses are just as great as the chorus. It has a good groove to it.

Overall, it sounds like Arnel is having fun. I think these songs will be great in concert, and since that is where all the money is made nowadays, it makes sense to write songs that come alive during a concert. This album has everything. Rockers, ballads, and everything in between.

Funny thing is the booklet with the lyrics. There are more lyrics to some of the songs than room in the booklet so they said, "Screw it!" And left the lyrics out. Even the last song, there is plenty of room for all the lyrics and some are missing. It is NOT like they were rushed. They had a year to put the booklet together. They could have printed the chorus once, and included all the lyrics.

In the videos of the songs from the album, it was hard to hear Arnel, but on the CD, Arnel is clear as day. So, I am happy about that. I think Journey should do a concert in Vegas or somewhere and play only songs from Arnel's era. Four songs from Revelations, Four songs from Eclipse and then Seven songs from Freedom. And record it. And include a brand new song. That would be cool.

[19td73]

For those of you who are listening to the album on YouTube, does YT also have the Japanese bonus track on it?

If so, how do any of you like it?

I ordered the CD through CD Japan so I will have the bonus track. I probably won't get my copy until early next week I would guess?

Cant find the bonus track on youtube yet. Let us know what you think when you get it. Heck I may order that version also. Cant find the cd around here to pick up. I want the physical copy for my collection. Been able to hear the whole thing from my youtube music trial that runs till August. Sounds good on my bose speaker music system in my truck. To each thier own I guess. Cheers buddy, hope you enjoy it!