JOURNEY-the Augeri Years

Steve Augeri steeped into some very big shoes when he replaced Journey's lead singer Steve Perry. Perry has been called the Voice of Rock, and I would have to agree with that. When the word was out that Perry was out of the band, and the band was looking for a new lead singer, I really didn't know what to expect. Part of me thought the band should call it quits. But then all those years that Journey was inactive, their music was missed in concert, and it was time for something new from the band other than live cds, hits cds, and unreleased songs. My first thought was Kevin Chalfant. Kevin would have been the perfect fit, having song in the Storm, a group composed of Journey members. But that did not come about. Next I here a dude named Steve Augeri had been chosen to replace the voice. I had yet to hear of anything from him, and did not know of his work in Tall Stories or Tyketto.

Remember Me was the first song with Augeri on vocals. I was stunned! I liked this song and the guy singing it. I wanted more. But I had to wait since this was a soundtrack song for the movie Armageddon. Steve would stay with the band for 8 years before leaving due to vocal problems.

Although Journey did not get the sales of the Perry cds, journey released some good cds.

Remember Me was a great song on a great cd. A great way to introduce the new lead singer.

Arrival-2001 (A-)

A lot of good things about this cd. From the awesome axe work of Neal Schon, to the vocals of new comer Steve Augeri. The cd harkens back to the glory days of the band. The music is tight and production is stellar. And on top of that, the band has written some of their best songs.

Stand outs are Higher Place (one of the bands best rockers), Loved By You, World Gone Wild(Neal is awesome on this), To Be Alive Again (Augeri is vocally stunning on this track), We Will Meet Again (great way to close the cd), and Kiss Me Softly (a updated feel to a journey love song).

All The Way (a good song) sounds kind of boy bandish, and one or two other songs don't stand up to rest of the material or have the Journey fit to them (could be the outside writers on them), the songs are still good.

A welcome surprise to the bands catalog.

The Japanese version of this cd was released about 6 months earlier, but once it was leaked to Napster and fans complained about all the ballads, the band went in a recorded some more rockers which was an improvement, and did away with the weaker songs.

Arrival {Japan} -2000 (B)

Live 2001 (A-)

A great dvd to showcase the new singer Augeri. He takes on two new songs from the Arrival songs, plus the Journey catalog. Augeri holds his own with Perry songs, although there are a couple signs of struggle on a vocal or two. But you can not fault the man, Perry couldn't do any better today. But from the opening of Separate Ways to the singalong of Faithfully, this is a journey well worth the ride.

Red 13 -2002 (C+)

A few things you find different about this cd. The songs are longer, one over 7 minutes two over 6 minutes and the last a little over 4. Another is that this is an EP, only 4 songs. The songs vary from the typical love songs, to a more personal level. But I really can't say this is a good cd since the last thing you will notice about the cd is the production, or lack of. This is in my opinion the worst sounding Journey cd out there. A shame because the songs are good.

Generations-2005 (B+)

After the dismal Red 13, Journey has returned with a cd worthy of the Journey name. Generations ROCKS from the get go.Faith In The Heartland is one of my top 10 Journey songs, as is the bass driven Out Of Harms Way, a song about our soldiers overseas. Augeri is in true form here. Not sounding so much like Perry as he did on Arrival, but more his own singer. True there are some Perrism there (this is Journey of course), but Augeri is more natural here and more rocking. Beyond the Clouds is another awesome song on this cd, with its almost gospel feel to it.

Surprising about this cd is how every member of the band has a turn on lead vocals. Schon choose to bring a solo song he performed with Perry year ago called Self Defense. The song has been changed some for this cd, with Dean singing Perry part and the song now called In Self Defense.

Keyboardist Jonathan Cain sings on two songs with the best being Every Generation.

Bassist Ross Valory does a great ZZ Top on Gone Crazy, which is a good song, a really good song, but comes off sounding out of place on this cd. Which really hurts the grade of this cd, because it really hurts the flow of the cd. But I do really like this song, and would buy a solo cd from Ross.

Drummer Dean Castronovo sounds more like Perry than Augeri on this cd, which is fine with me, since Augeri has done a stunning job this time around. But Dean shines on his two songs Never Too Late and A Better Life.

This cd would be a little better if production would have been better. It is way better than Red 13, but not quite on parr with Arrival. Plus track layout could have been better if a couple of songs had been omitted, not because they were bad songs, but do to the fact they either didn't fit in or took away from the vibe the cd had going.

AUGERI / Tall Stories

Besides being in Journey, Augeri fronted Tall Stories, it was their debut cd that got him noticed by Neal Schon.

Tall Stories-1991 (A-)

A great debut cd from the band. Back in 91 the band made their only cd (until 2009), a great example of melodic rock. The music had a soul fullness about it and the singer, Augeri, had a eagerness and since of desperation to his voice. All the songs connected to the listener. I found this record in 2001 after reading about Augeri online.

Wild On The Run, Sister Of Mercy, Chain Of Love, Never Enough are stand out tracks.

Skyscraper-2009 (A)

Back after some rest of being out Journey Augeri returned with Tall Stories second cd, which most of it was recorded back in the early to mid 90's. The cd is awesome. This cd is also one of my favorites of 2009.

Tomorrow, Stay, and You Shall BE Free are my favorites, and come the closest to sounding like Journey, and while rest of the cd ranges from Zepplin to Whitesnake, Augeri and company deliver a strong, very strong cd.

AUGERI / Tyketto

Tyketto had already released two strong cds with Don't Come Easy (B) and Strength In Numbers (B+) when Danny Vaughn lead singer, left the band, to care for sick wife. He was replaced by Steve Augeri for the next cd.

Shine-1995 (B)

Alot of people I have talked to say this Augeri's best cd. I disagree. The main reason is the production of the cd. It comes across as very cheap 70's sounding at times. But at other times the music does shine thru. Jamie, Rawthigh, High, and I won't Cry are the stand outs. Rest of the songs are good, but muddled in the production.

Journey-The Perry Years

Infinity-1978 (B)



Steve Perry has arrived!! The Voice Of Rock makes his debut on Journey's 4th cd Infinity. And from the first note of the first song you can tell that this is a different band. A band focused and with a mission. Finally Neal Schon had someone who could match his high soaring guitar. And they were a match that no other band could top.
Infinity starts with a slow number about there hometown San Francisco, Lights. Songs like this would be the future of the band on the radio. Lights was the best way to start off the new direction. Lights showcases both Perry and Schon, and shows what makes this band click now.
Perry shines on other songs to, the classic Wheel In The Sky, love his sky high vocal over Schon solo in the song.
La Do Da, Patiently, and Winds Of March again is a showcase for Perry. But Can Do and Opened The Door are the low part of the cd, and almost bring back the feel of the first three cds.
Perry isn't the only Singer in the band. Rolie is still around, and shares leads with Perry on Feeling That Way and Anytime. Shame Rolie is reduced to this, because he is a good singer, it was just the direction the band was going in was not going to get them fame.
Production at times is a little heavy, and the new remasters only bring theses shortcomings more to the forefront.




Evolution-1979 (B-)

Journey's cd saw yet another member change, this time Dunbar is gone on drums and Steve Smith comes in. Smith makes a big improvement in the sound and direction of the band. The music becomes tighter, giving the music more focus and direction. So the two Steve's have made a big impact on the music.
Evolution starts of with the regal instrumental Majestic. A great opening for the cd, just wish this song could have been longer. Then moves quickly into Too Late, a song about getting a new start before you can't. Reminds me a little of the Lights mood, and kinda of weird the cd first full song is in the same mood and tone. But it is a good song, and the new drummer is very apparent.
Lovin, Touchin, Squeezin is a staple Journey song. The song has a great beat, Neal has good lick, and Perry pours the emotion into the song. The na na na...chorus ending usually has a room full people singing with, even now almost 30 years later. The live version I must say is even better, so catch the band in concert when you can.
Now the cd slips for me with the rocker City Of The Angels. It just never goes anywhere, to me just a noisy mess of a song. The same When Your Alone (It Ain't Easy). Again loud, but for what reason. I do not like Neal's guitar in this song. And Perry too seems to be loud just to be loud.
But thankfully, the next song brings the cd back in line. Sweet and Simple is just that, and Neal and Perry seems to be at a perfect match. Lovin You Is Easy, is an ok song, but the cd brings next a Rollie and Perry duet (for lack of a better word), that rocks. And is better than the two they did together on the last cd, INFINITY.
But again the cd fails to keep up the pace, and the closing last 3 songs are mediocre and best, Do You Recall, is the better of the last three. Daydream and Lady Luck are just poor songwriting.
Production is better on this cd. If the songwriting had been a little bet better, it would have put it on the same level as INFINITY. I guess the main difference between the two are, INFINITY had more songs that were better, and EVOLUTION had some that were very good, but also had so that were very weak. So I give the advantage to INFINITY.


Departure-1980 (B)



DEPARTURE is keyboardists Greg Rollie's last recording with the band. And the band turns in a tighter performance than on any previous cd. The cd starts off with a bang, Any Way You Want It is a very driven song. Driven by high powerful vocals, hard riffs that drive the music home, a pounding bass line, and mixed into this is some great keys by Rollie.
The next song Walks Like A Lady changes pace to an almost R & B feel, and Ross' bass and Smith's drums bring out the best of the song, and again some good keyboard work by Rollie. And speaking of Rollie, this is probably his best work to date. But that doesn't save the next to songs, which fall flat.
Someday Soon even with the great vocal work, is a no show. And People And Places is just boring.
Thankfully the cd picks up again and Precious Time kicks it back into gear, and Where Were You slaps it into overdrive. DEPARTURE is Journeys hardest rocking cd to this point. They have gotten away from the jazz rock of the early cds. And each cd sells more and more. One of the things that has helped the band to this point is the one two combination of Schon and Perry combo, with a little Rollie thrown in. And a good example of this is I'm Crying.
I'm Crying is big, bad, loud, overexerted, and awesome!!!! The song is just Perry at his best, with rest of the band following along. Neal axe work is menacing and haunting at the same time. Best song on the cd.
In The Line Of Fire is another good fast paced rocker. This song is a ball of energy that is set to explode.
But the cd slows with the instrumental Departure, and goes into the vocal showcase Good Morning Girl, another example of why Perry is "The Voice of Rock". This is followed by the ballads Stay Awhile, which is a very nice laid back song, showing the possibility of future songs like Faithfully and Open Arms.
But the cd ends on a sour note with Homemade Love. A sort of boogie woogie song that goes nowhere.
This cd is on the level of INFINITY, but the production at times seems hollow and shallow, taking away at times from the music. But musically, this was there best to this point.


Captured-1980 (B+)


Journey's live cd CAPTURED is a great name for the cd. They have captured a true Journey concert, they show the band how they really are, fun and rocking. They take you on a ride that is easy to get into. Not only is Journey hyped on this cd, but the fans are too.
When I listen to a live recording there are things I listen for. 1) how does the band sound, does it sound like the band on the studio cds. 2) What new things do they bring to the songs. 3) Are the songs at least as good as the original. 4) How do they interact with the crowd. 5) And how raw or polished the sound is.
CAPTURED succeeds on just about every level. Just about every song on this cd is as good as the original. With a few surpassing the original. Line Of Fire, Lights/Stay Awhile, Walks Like A Lady, Lovin Touchin Squeezin, and Wheel In The Sky all surpass the original. Any Way You Want on this cd is one of the few live versions of the song that come off good, they nail it here.
Do You Recall and Dixie Highway are the downers on the cd. Rest of the songs are good and tight. Perry is in true form vocally, and he knows how to work a crowd. Neal a good short solo, and on the record and tape there is a good Ross/Smith instrumental.
The whole concert has a very live feel to it, and makes for a great listen.
The new song, The Part's over (Hopelessly In Love) starts out one way then about midway thru changes beat and direction, as the songs lyrics slides to another take on the song. This works good too. Rollie plays on the concert part, but a studio musician feels the keys on the new studio song. Over all the best cd of the Rollie era.


Escape-1981 (A+)


Escape is my favorite Journey cd, and my second favorite cd of all time. Only Styx' The Grand Illusion stands in front of it. Journey is also keyboardist Jonathan Cain's first cd with the band. This cd is a harder rock album of all the previous cds by the band. The cd also has 3 top ten hits and 2 other songs make the top 40. The cd was also the bands first #1 cd. Even to this day, the cd still makes the top 10 on the catalog charts.
There is not a bad song on this cd. There is no filler on this cd. There is nothing but great music on this cd. Neal Schon and Steve Perry have never sounded better together, and haven't sounded this good since then. This whole cd was magic.
Open Arms is the power ballads of all power ballads. Some say it was the song that started power ballads, I would put that up for debate. But one thing you can't debate is the power of this simple love song. No wonder it sat at the #2 spot for 6 weeks. Steve's vocals soar on this song.
Still They Ride is another prime example of Steve's vocals. They bring this song to life, and Neal's guitar work on this is stunning. Still They Ride is one of my all time favorite songs by the band.
Don't Stop Believin' is my all time favorite Journey song, and at one time probably half of the free worlds. This song still charts today. It is hard to ignore, with it piano intro, Steve's tenor, and Neal's fiery guitar hook, all of this within about a minute into the song. And the song just keeps getting better.
One of Neal's best solos is one Who's Crying Now, fantastic. But I must say this is one of the very few "hit" Journey song's I'm tired of nowadays. It is still a great song, always will be, but it has grown old to me. I can only listen to it maybe once or twice a month now.
Rest of the cd is just awesome, to the opening riffs of Stone In Love to it's angelic guitar ending. Every song has something special about it. Lay It Down has Perry vocals soaring higher and higher and Neal throws down. I could just keep going on about the songs on this cd.
Cain present is quickly felt, the keys are now more of a lead instrument and less of a background instrument. More piano is present too. Rest of the band has never sounded better. And Rock has never sounded better.

Frontiers-1983 (A-)


Journey's 1983 cd is a another rocker from the band. The hit their stride with their last cd ESCAPE, and keep it going here. There are plenty of well known songs on this cd, Faithfully, Separate Ways, Send Her My Love, and After The Fall. The first two are songs that are recognized within the first two seconds of the song. The first is a strong uptempo rocker, with some of Jonathan's best keyboard work. And Faithfully is another Cain showcase.
What is also a nice surprise is the no charting songs. Edge Of The Blade has a good guitar lick running in it, and this song jams. Trouble Child has some of drummer's Steve Smiths best work, and does Trouble Child.
Rubicon is an ok song, and I really don't care for the title track. But over all this is a great cd.
Also a very nice surprise is on the re release of this cd, they included the two songs that were suppose to original be on it, Only The Young and Ask The Lonely. This cd could have been on the same level with Escape, if the record companies had played there cards right.


Raised On Radio-1986 (B)

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.

Greatest Hits-1988 (A+)

Of all the Greatest hits cds out there from this group and all the other groups in the world, this is my favorite hits package! Period, THE END. Anything that has been been to top 40 radio for the group, has just about made it. From start to finish, this cd stays cranked up. All of the Perry ear hits are here. Plus the then no album hits by the band Ask The lonely and Only The Young.

his cd was released again after Trail By Fire to include the top 10 hit When You Love A Woman.

Time 3-1992 (A-)

Great cd! All the top 40 plus a lot of rock radio and fan favorites not on the Greatest Hits cd are here. Plus about 11 or so unreleased (at least at the time this came out) songs. Most are pretty good. Stand outs from those songs are Good Times, Natural Thing, La Raza Del Sol, and Liberity. Plus a few that should have stayed unreleased With A Tear, Only Solutions, and Into Your Arms. Everything from the beginning to the end in the late 80's is here.



Trail By Fire-1996 (C-)

In 1996 Journey came roaring back onto the scene. The cd went to #3 and they had a hit single with When You Love A Woman. 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.


Greatest Hits Live-1998 (B-)

When this cd first came out I loved it. But now after listening to boots (there are alot better out there than this) and a lot of other concert shows, I find this rather a BIG dissapointment. The notes say recorded from two different shows. You can tell too, by the audience noise. The sticker also said (at the time I bought it) Journey's biggest hits recorded live on their comback tour. The problem with that was Trail By Fire was their comeback cd and they did not tour off of it. And the songs are from the Frontiers tour.
Band and Perry both sound good, but this is not Journey at their best.


Live in Houston 1981: The Escape Tour-2006 (A)




A 2 disk speical, 1 cd and 1 dvd. A lot better set that the above Graetest Hits Live cd. The band is hot and Perry has never sounded better. Whether they are playing the slow songs or the fast ones, the band is hot!! A very good snap shot in time of the band at the top of their game.




The Essential Journey [Limited Edition 3.0]-2008 (A-)





Nothing new here just cover everyhting that Perry was invloved in. Th orginal version of this cd was 2 disks, but after the live Houston cd, they went with 3 cds. It all good and worth picking up.

NEAL SCHON SOLO CDS

Neal Schon, is the greatest guitarist on the planet, at least in my opinion. The man can play anything, and any style of music. But no matter what he plays or what he does, he will always be best know for his work in Journey. Plus he did awesome work in Bad English, Hardline, and Soul Sirkus. Journey of course is his most popular work and most main stream. His solo cds that I have range from awesome to poor, but even the bad cds have something good on them.




UNTOLD PASSION (C-) is my least favorite solo work by Schon. For the most part the music is his furthest from Journey, and times seems like he trying too hard to be different, while being the same. I do like the songs "Wasting Time" and "Hooked On Love". Plus "I'm Talking To You" ain't that bad either. The singing on the cd is not great at all. The one Thing that made Perry so good in Journey, is that he had Schon to push him and back him up. Plus he teams up with Jan Hammer on this cd, and I have to be honest, I really don't care for Hammer's playing or writing.



LATE NITE (A) This is my favorite Schon solo cd. The man plays with such passion on this cd. I criticized his singing on the above, and I liked the follow up even less, HERE TO STAY (which I no longer own). But on this cd, Schon hits the notes, and the music and singing are a good fit. The songs on this cd posses a soul of their own at times, and you find yourself wanting more, even on 9 plus minute "The Theme". At times you can almost hear were Perry could have lifted these up even higher, if he was singing, but he is not, and really I don't care that he's not. This cd is all about Schon and his music. Schon brings different writers and that seems to have helped too. If I had to give something bad, it is not long enough. Late Nite 2 anyone?


BEYOND THE THUNDER (A) is my second favorite cd by Schon. This time it is strictly instrumental. Plus he has help from former Journeyman J. Cain. The music is very laid back and mostly acoustic. A very relaxing cd, that keeps you focused on the music. "Big Moon", "Cool Breeze" and "Call Of The Wild" are my favorites on the cd. This is my favorite acoustical cd, and leads me to wonder, why hasn't Journey done something like this, backed with a tour?



ELECTRIC WORLD (C+) 2 cds and 21 songs are just too much. Cut this cd down to one and it would have been a lot better. When I listen to, I take one of the cds and go with it. There are some good songs on this, but for the most part it seems like Schon is trying to update his post Perry Journey sound, or even do a Carlos Santana sound. Also at times the songs seem unfocused.



VOICE (A-) I like what Schon did here. Took other people's songs (Twain, Bryan Adams, Mariah Carey, Anne Lennox) and slightly redid them as instrumentals. It works!! Granted there are a handful of songs I don't know, but they come off good too. Some amazing work, that really needs to be listened to.





I ON YOU (B+) Another great cd. All instrumental, and very well played. Schon always plays with a fire that burns with him, and this cd is no different. The first 3 songs on the cd are a true showcase to that, "Blue Passion", " I On U", and "Timeless Motion" and the cd ends on the same note with the last 3 songs being very strong also. There are a couple songs in the middle that are a little weaker than rest of the cd. But still a great cd.