Steve Perry

[Susie Q]

Steve Perry is back with a solo album after several years. Anyone have a listen to it? Is that magical voice back, or does it have some wear and tear to it?

[Nickdfresh]

IDK, I would think there are some Youtube vids. I dunno if he ever completely lost his magical pipes, I think maybe the issue is doing it weekly on a grueling concert schedule...

[Nickdfresh]

Sounds good to me, maybe a bit more raspy and less projection than in his heyday but still sounds very good...

Fuck he's like Steve Perry Tony Bennett up there...

[Terry]

Sounds good to me, maybe a bit more raspy and less projection than in his heyday but still sounds very good...

Fuck he's like Steve Perry Tony Bennett up there...

Yeah. His voice sounds a bit more...weathered, or whatever, but appropriate enough for a guy his age. As to how many takes/edits it took for him to get that track down, who knows? At least it doesn't sound autotuned to fuck.

He had such a great voice. If one wants to call what Journey with him fronting did as pop with a rock edge, or rock pop or what have you.

With Steve Perry, for me what has always come to mind is what Joan Baez once said when asked about Whitney Houston, which was along the lines of her having this extraordinary vocal ability juxtaposed with using that ability to service fairly mediocre/mundane/average pop romance sentiments lyrically. All of it sort of overemoted vocally, making it seem like there's a there there.

Put another way: I listened to the clip before I typed my response, and now I've already forgotten the tune. Sort of like most of what Journey did for me, in that I never actively think "man, I'm in the mood to hear a Journey tune." And it's not some anti-Journey stance...it's just that stuff has never felt...particularly essential to me. As well-crafted and well-performed as that stuff was on a pop level - and I can recognize it as being such - very, very little of it actually moved me.

[Kristy]

I'm no fan of Perry but from what I've heard on Traces he's doing his best to shed off the over commercialized skin of his Journey era although he'll never be free of it. Perry is nearly 70 now and I think he is done with the whole rock star lifestyle which is why he left one of the most successful bands in the first place. Also, his choice is production is odd working with Thom Flowers of Lagwagon fame who somehow manages to keep Perry on an even keel. The songs are sappy, which is to be expected but Perry is backed by a great band who work with him rather than against him as it sounded on his Journey recordings. Overall, it's a pleasant listen but nothing really to invest in.

[High Life Man]

I've listened to the new album twice. There's some undeniable studio magic done to his voice. And the music is pretty boring.

[Kristy]

Keep in mind the dude in nearly 70. Why that's a whole year older than most of you cretins.

[FORD]

Ironically Perry's voice now sounds a lot like Les Carlsen from the Christian "metal" band Bloodgood..... whom everybody thought was Journey when this cheese ballad was on the radio in the 80s....

[Kristy]

Perry's rendition of Harrison's 'I Need You' has some interesting arrangements. And I'm surprised Von isn't here to blow him, appears his weirdo guitar Nazi John 5 plays on that record.

[Susie Q]

I'm stuck in a time warp of some kind. Holy SHIT...almost 70. We all cant be the same 40 years ago. Going to have some wear and tear on the voice. I wouldnt mind seeing Greg Rolie either offer up something.