Next (1977)
1. Spaceman
2. People
3. I Would Find You
4. Here We Are
5. Hustler
6. Next
7. Nickel and Dime
8. Karma
The third installment of the "pre
Steve Perry era" is, without a doubt, the weakest. This album sounds
like they're simply trying too hard. Although the music business was a
lot more flexible in the seventies then it would become decades later,
it was still a business - and businesses want a return on their
investment. Journey's music simply wasn't giving their record label a
well enough return. For the most part, the band does what it
does well - play good, quality music with a foursome of stellar
musicians.
"Quality Music" however, doesn't necessarily translate into "popular
music" or, in this case specifically, "good songs". On their last
album, the guys were trying to write more radio friendly songs, and they
basically failed to do so. It would have been more appealing on this,
their third, effort to have gone back to the basics of their earlier
sound. The problem was that no one was really buying (literally) that
sound either.
Not surprisingly, it's when the guys are just being themselves, as on
the lead off cut Spaceman or the killer instrumental Nickel
and Dime that they sound the best. They just sound like, as
musicians, these guys just belong together. The rest of the
album is mostly a huge embarrassment, though, as they're dragged kicking
and screaming to try to perform something that might appeal to a greater
mass of people. Sadly, it didn't really appeal to anyone (other than
their hometown following) and it wasn't really a surprise that they
would soon be forced to change direction quickly, or be dropped from
their label like a ton of bricks. Enter Steve Perry. But that's getting
ahead of the story....
Go back to the main page
Go To Next Review