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Rating: Before starting to review the album, it's necessary to make some important disclaimers: this is not a band of losers and unknowns that only I know. Between the late '70s and the first half of the '80s, the Journey sold millions of records just in the USA and were among the American groups capable of completely filling arenas.
With that disclaimer made, I'll make another one, which is that not knowing Journey means not knowing a good part of American rock. Naturally, I must justify this statement, and I will do so immediately: Journey are the pioneers, the founders of AOR. This music genre is semi-unknown in Italy, partly due to a musical criticism that has always belittled and opposed this type of genre that in America sold millions of records throughout the '80s and dominated at least half of the American album charts.
What does this genre consist of? A very melodic rock that flirts with the charts, very energetic and often contaminated by metal and pop, with a base that is still hard rock. For those unfamiliar with the genre, I can mention a song that even the walls know, written by one of the most important AOR groups, that is, the Survivor, and the song is the soundtrack of Rocky, namely "Eye of the Tiger" which all of you know. Well, AOR is more or less like this: accessible songs with a classic verse-chorus structure, but very energetic, with anthemic choruses and great technical preparation of the musicians and instrumental sophistication.
Certainly, many lovers of musical intellectualism may wrinkle their noses, but what I enjoy most about music is especially the physical and emotional drive it gives, so these mental gymnastics over whether a group that sells millions of records and might use in some songs syrupy choruses that flirt with pop is garbage, I leave to pimply adolescents, who perhaps forget that in the '70s bands like Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple or a Mike Oldfield capable of creating an instrumental suite longer than 40 minutes were selling millions of records.
Returning to the album, the members of Journey who composed "Infinity" are quite respectable, for example, the two guitarists Gregg Rolie and Neal Schon boast collaborations with Santana but also with Zappa, in short, far from inexperienced; indeed, the first 3 albums of Journey are based on jazz-rock with typically Santana-styled Latin openings. After these initial trials, their style changes completely, thanks also to the inclusion of Steve Perry, one of the greatest vocal talents in the history of rock. When I talk about the ignorance of Italian music criticism, I am also referring to the fact that in the various rankings of singers, a name like Perry does not appear, a genius of the voice! His performance on "Infinity" is legendary, truly moving. The genre they propose is still far from the AOR of which they will be the pioneers. What they propose here is a melodic, classy rock with turns towards hard rock. However, among the Journey albums I've listened to, this is the most melodic, the least energetic so to speak, yet listening to the initial "light" one cannot help but be enchanted by its beautiful melody, made even more magical by the voice of Steve Perry. Indeed, we can say that many of Journey's songs, if sung by any other singer, would not have the same effect and would lose much. Another incredible gem is "Wheel in the Sky": in this song, everything is perfect; the guitar creates fascinating patterns and Perry's voice reaches the stars. I recommend listening to the two songs I've mentioned, just to realize that when I talk about Steve Perry, I am not exaggerating.
The rest of the album is enjoyable, perhaps it’s not the best of Journey, but it's absolutely well done and exciting and contains perhaps one of Steve Perry's best performances. I can only recommend listening to it. Recommended especially for those who want to indulge in a generous dose of pure emotions, conveyed by a band that plays music, which let’s not forget is first and foremost melody!
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Lights (03:10)
When the lights go down in the City
And the sun shines on the bay
I want to be there in my City ooh, ooh
(Ooh, Ooh, Ooh)
So you think you're lonely
Well my friend I'm lonely too
I want to get back to my City by the bay
(Ooh, Ooh, Ooh)
It's sad,
Oh there's been mornings
out on the road without you,
Without your charms,
Ooh, Ooh, my, my, my, my, my, my
(Ooh, Ooh, Ooh)
When the lights go down in the City
And the sun shines on the bay
I want to be there in my City ooh, ooh
(Ooh, Ooh, Ooh)
(Solo)
When the lights go down in the City
And the sun shines on the bay
I want to be there in my City ooh, ooh
(Ooh, Ooh, Ooh)
Mmmmmm
(Ooh, Ooh, Ooh)
02 Feeling That Way (03:26)
Opened my eyes to a new kind of way
All the good times that you saved
Are you feeling,
You feeling that way too
Or am I just,
Am I just a fool
When the summer's gone
She'll be there standing by the light
Once she's been to where she's gone to
She should know wrong from right
Is she feeling
Are you feeling
You feeling that way too?
Or am I just
Am I just a fool
A new road's waiting, you touched my life, whoa
Soft and warm on a summer's night
You're the only one, i told you, the only one I love
The lovely one, I'm thinking of
When the summer's gone
She'll be there standing by the light
Once she's been to where she's gone to
She should know wrong from right
Is she feeling
Are you feeling
You feeling that way too?
Whoa, oh yeah, yeah, yeah, you feeling that way too?
03 Anytime (03:28)
Ooh, ooh Anytime that you want me
Ooh, ooh Anytime that you want me
Ooh, ooh Anytime that you want me to
Ooh, ooh Anytime that you need me
I'm standing here with my arms a mile wide
Hoping and praying for you
Listen to me and enlighten me
I hope that you need me too, 'cause,
Ooh, ooh Anytime that you want me
Ooh, ooh Anytime that you want me
Ooh, ooh Anytime that you want me to
Ooh, ooh Anytime that you need me
Give me all of your sunshine
A spark is all I need
To take away, all of the shadows
Well what more can I say.
Anytime at all
Anytime at all
Anytime at all
04 La Do Da (03:00)
Something about you baby
Really knocks me off my feet
Something about you sweetheart
Brings this poor boy to his knees
La, do, da, do, day
La, do, da, do, day
Something about you baby
When you touch me sweet so fine
I feel it, I feel it
When your body's close to mine
La, do, da, do, day
La, do, da, do, day
05 Patiently (03:22)
Here I stand so patiently
For your lights to shine on me
For your song inside of me
This we bring to you
In the shadow of love
Time goes by leaving me helpless
Just to reach and try
To live my life
These are my reasons, so
here we stand so patiently
For your song inside of me
For your lights to shine on me
This we bring to you
One, One, in a million
06 Wheel in the Sky (04:12)
Winter is here again, oh Lord,
Haven't been home in a year or more
I hope she holds on a little longer
Sent a letter on a long summer day
Made of silver, not of clay
Oooh, I've been runnin' down this dusty road
Oooh, the wheel in the sky keeps on turnin'
I don't know where I'll be tomorrow
Wheel in the sky keeps on turnin'
I've been trying to make it home
Got to make it before too long
Oooh, I can't take this very much longer, nooo
I'm standing in a sleet of rain
Don't think I'm ever gonna make it home again
The mornin' sun is risin'
It's kissin' the day
(Chorus)
Woahhhhh....
Na, na ,na, na
For tomorrow
Oh, wheel in the sky keeps on turnin'
Oooh, I don't know where I'll be tomorrow
Wheel in the sky keeps me yearnin'
Oooh, I don't know, I don't know, ohhh
Oh, the wheel in the sky keeps on turnin'
Oooh, I don't know where I'll be tomorrow
Wheel in the sky keeps on turnin'
Oooh, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know...
Wheel in the sky keeps on turnin
Don't know where I'll be tomorrow
Ooooh, the wheel in the sky keeps turnin'
Wheel in the sky keeps on turnin'
07 Somethin' to Hide (03:27)
Please come talk to me
Tell me what's on your mind
You say there's nothin' wrong
I know
It's been a long long time
Since I last saw your face
Traces in my mind, I know
You've got somethin' to hide
That you're not telling me
You got somethin' to hide
And I know
Well there's something about you and I know
That you're not telling me
08 Winds of March (05:04)
I covered you in roses
Like the stars at night
I covered you in love
Like a blanket on a cold winter's night
I covered you with joy
To make your lifetime big and bright
You touched me with your eyes
Soft as an evening breeze
You held me in your arms
As the winds rushed through the trees
You are my child
Make my lifetime big and bright
You are my child
You came like the winds of March
With all the love in your eyes
You are my child
You came like the morning lights
With all your love in your eyes
You are my child
You came like the morning light
With all your love in your eyes
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