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Excellent value for 80s type o stuff
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
it was suggested to me to have a listen to journey by my friend and i must say they are very good a melodick rock band with an excellent siner - worth the money
As previously noted, critics dismiss Journey as "corporate rock" or as the unimaginative kings of arena rock, but I believe that the critics too easily overlook the band's obvious virtues. For one thing, the band's core trio possessed undeniable talent. Steve Perry's pure, high-pitched voice is a beautiful instrument, Neil Schon has a fluid, melodic guitar tone, and Jonathan Cain is a fine songwriter and able keyboard player. Secondly, the band has written loads of really good songs over the years, encompassing intense rockers ("Any Way You Want It," "Separate Ways"), melodic crowd pleasers (too many to mention), and, of course, dramatic power ballads ("Open Arms," "Faithfully"). Although Journey were album oriented artists (the cream of the crop being 1981's Escape), their albums were generally highlighted by their singles, and as such this 2-cd retrospective should contain all the music that most non-hardcore Journey fans will need. The album is put together much like Paul McCartney's Wingspan compilation, as the first cd contains the band's biggest hits (essentially replacing 1988's Greatest Hits collection except that it includes "When You Love A Woman" instead of "Suzanne"), and the second cd focuses on worthwhile album tracks and fan favorites. "Stone In Love," "The Party's Over (Hopelessly In Love)," "After The Fall," "Still They Ride," "Just The Same Way," and "Escape" are some of the songs that were regretfully omitted from the last hits collection that appear here, and at 32 tracks and a bargain price this album offers fans a good bang for their buck. That said, despite being the best Journey compilation available by a wide margin (the band's 3-cd box set, Time 3, has too much filler), Essential Journey isn't all that it could've been. First of all, there is no material from the band's first three pre-Steve Perry albums (again, the band acts as if they don't even exist). Perry's solo hits such as "Oh Sherrie" and "Foolish Heart" have also been overlooked, and significant songs such as “Too Late,” “When You’re Alone (It Ain’t Easy),” "City Of The Angels," "Suzanne," "Why Can't This Night Go On Forever," "When You're Alone (It Ain't Easy)," and "Walks Like A Lady" have been omitted in favor of more questionable selections such as "Line Of Fire" (from their 1981 live album Captured), "The Eyes Of A Woman" (from Raised On Radio), and "Baby I'm A Leavin' You" (from Trial By Fire, the band's lackluster 1996 reunion album). The most glaring omission, however, is the absence of one of the band's best songs, "Feeling That Way," especially since "Anytime," the song that this segues into and which it is synonymous with, is included (gallingly, the song was also left off both previous hits collections!). Fortunately, most of the bands biggest and best songs are here, and the album flows together well enough despite its seemingly random sequencing. Granted, there are times when their songs are a bit cheesy (in part because their lyrics are sometimes on the sophomoric side), but the band were also more experimental than they're commonly given credit for. Essential Journey, which provides over two hours of consistently enjoyable music, should go a long way towards drowning out the cranky critics who have long underestimated the band, for this is one journey that's well worth taking.Read full review
I bought this because of one song. Yep, that's right, 'Don't Stop Believin'. Big fan of the song but after listening to the 'greatest hits' (in which country by the way? 'Cos it certainly ain't this one) I've come to the conclusion that any band can right one great song. Apart from said masterpiece there is nothing here to distinguish this band from other turgid AOR acts such as REO Speedwagon, Foreigner, Boston or Toto.
Classic 80s big long-haired American big sound rock. Especially great for those long boring drives. Many classics such as Don't Stop Believing, Girl Can't Help It, Who's Crying Now, Open Arms and Send Her My Love. I deeply believe and predict all of this type, along with Springsteen etc will make a big comeback. A future generation of youngsters will revive it and people will make it again, just as with 70s funk/jazz/disco, hence Jamiroquai and The Brand New Heavies circa 92-96. Big anthemic, tuneful, uplifting songs will eventually win out over the sham and ego of hip hop and much of the dance scenes et al- people will soon tire of all that beat and rap-laden tuneless crap.