Journey: Journey - 1975

 

This is the debut album by Journey, erstwhile stadium rockers-to-be. This is nothing like the output of the later, famous incarnation of the group. 

The group here contains Santana refugees Neal Schon and Gregg Rolie and respected session drummer Aynsley Dunbar of David Bowie's Pin Ups, Lou Reed's Berlin and Ian Hunter's All American Alien Boy fame. He also drummed with The Jeff Beck Group. It is a sort of prog rock meets jazzy experimentation sort of thing, with some heavy rock bits here and there. 

It is not bad in places, but it ultimately suffers for not really knowing what it really is, or where it is going. It is not proggy enough for the hippies, not heavy enough for the rockers and not jazzy enough for the jazz rockers either. The cover's sub-Yes style is awful too. 

A track like Of A Lifetime has its good parts, mind - its guitar passages (particularly the mid-song solo), the drums, the vocals. In fact, all of it is pretty good, but memorable it sort of isn't. It is listenable, though. 

In The Morning Day begins as if it's an Elton John song, with some nice piano and a general, laid-back AOR feel to it. The vocals from Gregg Rolie are somewhat dull and muffled on this and throughout the album, though. Steve Perry he sure ain't. The song breaks out into some madcap drum, guitar and organ rocking out half way through, something that gives it a new oomph. It ends in supremely lively fashion. 

Kohoutek is a six minute-plus proggy instrumental that makes you think ELP have muscled in on the session. Actually, I prefer it to them. The drumming from Aynsley Dunbar carries the track, though - it's great. Do I want to listen to the track over and over, though? Sadly, the answer has to be no.

The album's second side began with an upbeat song in To Play Some Music, albeit still very proggy in its whole vibe. Once more, Rolie's vocal leaves something to be desired. 

The instrumental Topaz has the group returning to their Santana instincts with some distinctly Carlos-like guitar. I like this one quite a lot, its whole jazz-rock fusion sound is an inviting one. In My Lonely Feeling/Conversations mixes relaxing instrumental meandering with occasional vocals, quite well, actually. 

The album finishes with its heaviest piece of rock in the chunky Mystery Mountain. The track's muffled sound stands as an example of much in need of a remastering this is. It doesn't appear to have ever had one, as far as I can see.

Look, this is an ok way to spend half an hour and, while for some reason I am not quite sure of, I own the album - I have no memory of buying it! I don't think I will be hurrying to play it on a regular basis. Maybe I should...