Journey

They're back!

Journey is set to release a brand new album and begin a world tour featuring a new front man.

Here is the press release that we received here at Paul's World of Funky Stuff

Frontiers Records is presenting the new chapter in the legendary career of multi-platinum US rockers JOURNEY - Neal Schon (guitar), Jonathan Cain (keyboards), Ross Valory (bass), Deen Castronovo (drums) and Arnel Pineda (vocals) – entitled Revelation.

The brand new record will come in a beautifully packaged two CD set which will include 11 new songs and 11 re-recorded classics and will be released in Europe on Frontiers Records on June 6th 2008.

(NOTE - The U.S. release is June 3rd exclusively through Wal-Mart.)

Revelation is the first Journey album to feature the angelic voice of Filipino singer Arnel Pineda. Guitarist Neal Schon says about him “We feel reborn. I think there’s a lot of chemistry between the five of us. The new stuff sounds tremendous. Everyone’s so stoked about it. We feel very fortunate to have found Arnel”.

“Arnel brings a soulful and passionate voice to Journey”, continues keyboardist Jonathan Cain. “His personality is very well-suited to our music. He’s a sincere, authentic person with a great smile and a big heart. I think fans are really going to love him. With Arnel’s soaring tenor, Journey returns to our heritage sound.”

The first album with lead vocalist Arnel Pineda, Revelation is Journey running on no less than twelve cylinders, a fine-tuned offering that sounds every bit like a band hitting their stride. Schon and Cain penned all 11 of the new tracks on “Revelation”. There is no lack of chemistry in Journey, beginning with the songwriting core of Schon and Cain. “I felt strongly about moving forward and writing new material. It was time,” Schon states. Schon then put the call into Cain and started the song writing process which has now become the album, “Revelation”. “There’s an innate trust and respect for what we each do as we weave our way through this music,” says Cain. Schon adds, “In the alphabet, I might be a Z and Jonathan the A, that’s just how opposite we are musically sometimes. I write mostly rock and Jonathan writes most of the ballads, but when you combine the chemistry of us together, you’ll find that it is the nucleus and sound of what is and has been Journey. And now, with the right voice in place, we have all the right ingredients.”

‘Never Walk Away’ kicks Revelation off with the resilient air and upbeat optimism fans have come to expect from Journey, a melody-soaked and guitar-driven anthem sure to ignite the live circuit just as it lights up the new release. The heartwarming sentiment offered by “Like a Sunshower” gives a more poetic and reflective look at relationships. It’s an uncharacteristic ballad from the more hard rock-inclined Schon. There’s even an instrumental, The Journey (Revelation), at the request of producer Kevin Shirley, who returns to the fold after working with the band on Trial By Fire (1996) and Arrival (2000), the band’s first instrumental since Departure (1980) and Evolution (1979). “This is a special song for me”, Schon says of the sprawling track, “it was extremely gratifying to express myself on my instrument in this way”. This is a great performance from everyone in the band and truly a majestic track.

But every member of Journey shines on the whole of Revelation. Lead singer Arnel Pineda does plenty of head turning of his own throughout the new recordings, as well as the 11 classic hits that the band re-recorded. Jonathan Cain’s keyboards elevate ‘After All These Years’ to new emotional heights. ‘What I Needed’ is a power ballad, driven by heavy guitars, reminiscent of the early Journey that so many bands have modeled themselves after. Deen Castronovo drums up a frenzy during the hard-driving rock song, ‘Wildest Dream’. The talented Castronovo also sings most of the high harmonies heard throughout the album, proving that not only is he an amazing drummer, but he’s a dynamic vocalist as well. Schon’s smoking guitars rip through this track with a cool, eastern flavor. Bassist Ross Valory is steady throughout, a stabilizing force through the albums more driven highs and heartfelt lows.

Revelation tracklisting will include the following songs:CD1: ‘Never Walk Away’, ‘Like A Sunshower’, ‘Change For The Better’, ‘Wildest Dream’, ‘Faith In The Heartland’, ‘After All These Years’, ‘Where Did I Lose Your Love’, ‘What I Needed’, ‘What It Takes To Win’, ‘Turn Down The World Tonight’, ‘The Journey (Revelation)’.

CD2: ‘Only The Young’, ‘Don’t Stop Believin”, ‘Wheel In The Sky’, ‘Faithfully’, ‘Any Way You Want It’, ‘Who’s Crying Now’, ‘Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)’, ‘Lights’, ‘Open Arms’, ‘Be Good To Yourself’, ‘Stone In Love’.

Paul's Notes

1.I am excited about this news. Journey was THE influence for me musically growing up. I learned all of Jonathan Cain's keyboard riffs backwards and forwards and would play them whenever and wherever I could. Craig and I still do a fabulous version of Faithfully (he plays the high notes) which we performed for a small audience in the lobby of the Vendue Inn in Charleston, SC last summer. It received rave reviews.

2. Steve Perry purists may not like Arnel Pineda but there's nothing we can do about it. According to recent interviews I have read, Perry and his uber inflated ego tried to destroy the band going back to the mid 1980's. Do a google search on the Journey interview with the band's former manager Herbie Herbert and you will get the scoop.

3. Speaking of Arnel, this kid can BLOW. Wow. From what I can tell from the intial concert in Chile, they have keyed the classic Journey tunes back in the original keys (they had keyed them down for the aging Perry). These guys wrote these songs to be right on the edge of Perry's highest vocal ranges and Arnel is right there with him. He's not Steve Perry but I think he will be fun to watch.

4. Neil Schon is an underappreciated guitar legend. He was on stage with Carlos Santana when he was 15 years old. He still rocks and I hear there is an instrumental from him on the new project.

Check out this youtube of "Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)" from the concert in Chile featuring Arnel Pineda



Look for the new Journey in a city near you this summer.