Follow up (Frontiers - Journey)

Member Name: kevrus

Product:	Frontiers - Journey
Date:	17/01/01 (52 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: 5 superb songs

Disadvantages: 5 dissapointing songs

Hmmmmmm, 'Frontiers', the follow up to the perfection that was 'Escape'. This was the first album of Journey's that I bought on its release date way back in 1983. The only question was, could they do it? Could what was surely to be known as Journey's seminal work, 'Escape' be equalled?

The answer is probably no. 'Frontiers' is not perfect. In my opinion there are a couple of fillers here. But that is not to say that this is not a fine piece of work by anybody's standards. The only trouble is that by this time Journey's standards were so damn high!

'Frontiers' kicks off with the first single 'Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)' which although accompanied by probably the worst music video the world has ever seen, (I cringe to think about it even now-Journey were not a video friendly band) showcases perfectly how Journey could create a song dripping with melody and yet (in this case) still be considered a hard rock song. 'Send her my love' follows and is a fine ballad in the Journey tradition. 'Chain Reaction' follows and is the first (in my opinion) filler, fortunately saved by the utterly superb 'After the fall' immediately after. A song lamenting the break up of a romance it is not quite ballad, more a slow pop song. But if it is a ballad you want then 'Faithfully' closes side one (yes I only have this on vinyl) in fine fashion. A song of commitment between a band member and his partner when tour dates come between them.

Side two just explodes into life with 'Edge of the blade' a rock song that takes my breath away even now. I always hoped that if I was ever fortunate enough to see Journey live, (alas I never did-they last played England in 1979, 3 years before I had ever heard of them) that this would be the song they opened their set with. And to be frank that's it for me, the album peters out into four decidedly dodgy tracks. 'Troub
led Child', the bloody awful 'Back Talk' (what were they thinking?) the average title track 'Frontiers' (compare that to the title track of 'Escape!) and the not as bad as I remembered it 'Rubicon'.

A disappointing end then, to this album, 5 superb songs and 5 average fillers. 50%. Good enough for some?. not Journey

Summary: