There’s a very low key piano led opening to Journey’s first new album in 11 long Journey-less years, and only their third release with vocalist Arnel Pineda who has now been with the band for a decade and a half. ‘Together We Run’ that builds beautifully to a chorus that’s as smooth as satin pants in the rain. The ‘parp’ of keyboards that opens ‘Don’t Give Up on Us’ can only be Journey and the mid-tempo rocker is shot through wit the anticipated ‘summer sky’.
It’s hard with a band like Journey not to reflect on their shining past but if I’m perfectly honest as someone who as a kid thought them a little bit lightweight for my taste, but the older I grow the more I like them; though strangely it’s the newer albums that I seem to be playing more and more. Maybe it’s the production, maybe it’s Pineda’s warmer voice, maybe it’s never really having lived through the Perry years.
Sadly ‘Still Believe in Love’ the third track in is a little too lush and languid for my tastes and despite some electric emotive guitar at the midway point it didn’t grab me despite a few visits. The fizzing ‘You Got the Best of Me’ however delivers the Journey-stamped goods. Nice vocal, nice guitar, great groove and not an ounce of fat. It’s a highlight for sure righting the ship perfectly.
‘Live to Love Again’ is another piano led ballad that really suits Arnel and is simply luscious, it’s interesting in that it’s also not typical Journey stylistically so may get a few raised eyebrows, to these ears it’s just a great song. ‘The Way We Used To Be’ is back on track on the other hand, a nice clunky rocker with some crunchy Schon guitar threaded through the vocal and it’s actually one of my top tracks here and kind of reminds me of modern day Dan Reed Network.
‘Come Away With Me’ is meatier fare to get those feet moving and more than a little funky, it’s definitely a favourite; and the spacier ‘After Glow’ has a wonderful vibe about it that’s punctuated by Arnel’s vocals – it’s a rather Toto moment for Journey and kind cool. ‘Let It Rain’ is another great moment led by Schon’s guitar into a heavy grind and killer groove.
If you were looking for a return to the slick AOR of the 80’s or maybe a follow up to the relatively immediate ‘Revelation’ or ‘Escape’ then you really get neither here, it still sounds like Journey but there’s a certain amount of auto-pilot in the mix, though saying that you get plenty of gems so maybe it’s merely a case of being overlong? I love ‘Holding On’ for example because it has a noisy urgency that sets it apart but the song that really kicks me in the pants is ‘All Day And All Night’ which is simply wonderful, bass-driven and funky with a restrained vocal to die for and a real shot of passion.
Twelve songs in ‘Don’t Go’ dispels all doubts that these guys are the masters of the genre, we may have lost a few members since the last release but the song writing axis that has produced so much over the years still delivers. In ‘United We Stand’ we might get a little tired tough despite the trappings feeling right there’s a real feel of maybe a bonus about this one.
And then all of a sudden we’re down to the final two: ‘Life Rolls On’ is great, pushing the boat out a little it’s expansive a wonderfully shot with hope and a guitar that just makes you beam from ear to ear. Closing track ‘Beautiful As You Are’ ends subtly and slowly orchestrated built around the voice it drips emotion before it finds its wings and soars to life. 11 years is too long without Journey in your life.
If you already loved Journey I can see no reason why you won’t love this, if you’re a Perry ‘die hard’ then please move on. Sure there’s no ‘Open Arms’ here and no ‘Separate Ways’ and no ‘Don’t Stop Believing’ but name a band of this vintage still making music this good. There’s only one – Journey.
8.5 /10