Journey album covers1/29/2024 Jonathan Cain’s piano adds the perfect accent to a song that is deserving of its title track status. Neal Schon’s grinding and repetitive riffs start you off in one direction but then almost halfway into the song Steve Smith’s drums signal a change in direction. The 6th song is also the title track of the album. His talent and persona encapsulate the Journey they fell in love with. The point is that I know about the devotion some fans have for Steve Perry and it’s completely understandable. I was lucky to have seen Rolie perform when he was with the Storm, but now I am really venturing off topic. Apparently, they had never heard of Greg Rolie. I mentioned this to someone at a recent Journey concert and they looked at me as if I had 2 heads. That’s a whole other argument, but the funny thing is that Steve Perry wasn’t Journey’s original singer. I’ve heard people say that they won’t listen to Journey anymore because Steve Perry is no longer in the band. His voice is so pure and soulful, plus he is able to deliver top-notch vocals almost effortlessly. I know there have been a lot of debates and discussions, but I firmly believe that Steve Perry is one of the top 5 rock vocalists of all time. A big reason for this is Steve Perry’s voice. I haven’t touched that much on Perry’s vocals, but it goes without saying that every track on the record, as with most of their songs, is easily recognizable as a Journey song. One of my favorite tracks on the album is “Still They Ride,” another ballad that is inspired heavily from Steve Perry’s youth. Ross Valory’s booming bass complements Neal Schon’s guitar work perfectly on what is one of the most rockin’ songs on the album. The band kicks things up a notch with the 4th track, “Keep On Runnin’.” This time it’s drummer Steve Smith banging it out along with the tandem of Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain on guitars. What could have been seen as a gamble definitely paid off. The slow yet melodious rhythm of the song is alluring and begs the question “who’s crying now?” It was common for rock bands to include a ballad on their records, but Journey took it a step further and included multiple on this album. Once again, it’s Jonathan Cain on piano starting the song off and he’s quickly joined by Ross Valory on bass. Written by Steve Perry and Jonathan Cain, this was the 1st single that was released from the Escape album and it rocketed all the way up to the 4th spot on the Billboard Hot 100. Ross Valory’s work on bass is phenomenal and the combined vocal choruses are as smooth as silk. Neal Schon continues to show his mastery on guitar and is even joined by Jonathan Cain on rhythm guitar. The song itself is not very complex but it’s relatable. While Neal Schon came up with the riffs for the song, it was Steve Perry that drew on memories of an unattainable girl in his youth that created the “blue jean girl” we all sing about today. The band couldn’t have chosen a better track to start the album off with. When Neal Schon’s searing guitar joins with Cain’s piano at :57 seconds in, it’s like a match made in heaven. The is a feel-good song that you can’t help but sing along to and Jonathan Cain’s opening on the piano has got to be one of the most recognizable intros in recent times. Sometimes you have to dig hard to find the meaning behind a song, but Journey did us a favor by making it the title. Ok, is there anyone on the planet that hasn’t heard this song? This Journey anthem has appeared in many movies and tv shows including Glee and The Sopranos. ![]() ![]() Jonathan Cain: Keyboards, Piano, Rhythm Guitar, Backing Vocals With that being said, let’s spin some vinyl! So, whether you’re a huge Journey fan or only a casual listener, I’m sure this album is for you. Their music is timeless and people from all generations have heard their songs at one time or another. As a freshman in high school, I attended my first concert, Journey‘s Escape Tour and the rest is history.Īs Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Inductees, Journey has cemented their status as one of the greatest rock bands of all time. I decided to go with an album that not only had a profound effect on my love of music, but also my addiction to live music. I only needed to select one to start with and that narrowed my options significantly. I didn’t have to choose just one album as I would be able to eventually review as many as I wanted. Choosing one album was going to be an arduous task. As a kid growing up in the late 70s and early 80s, I always had a turntable in my room along with a bunch of cassettes, and even a few 8-track tapes. When I first learned that our magazine was going to be doing retro record reviews, images of album covers started to flow through my head.
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