Journey released a new album last month called Generations. I saw it while browsing through CDs at Best Buy. Here’s something that would be cool to have, and maybe it’s already out there (?) and I just don’t know where: an RSS feed that could be subscribed to for new album releases by selected artists. I don’t want band news or other information mixed in with the music release, just new album releases via RSS which can be customized by user.

Here’s one more free idea: if something like LAUNCHcast could tool up this function and provide me the feature to receive new album information for any artist I have labeled with 4 or 5 stars that would be a sweet feature. Users could get notified (RSS alerts) of new music by the artists they like.

As for Journey’s new album? Check out the lyrics here. BTW, the navigation menu is hosed in Firefox and Opera so don’t even don’t even think of visiting their website without IE, or you’ll miss a bunch. Bad webmaster, baaaad.

I didn’t buy the CD, instead I tracked it down through my son’s Napster account and have been listening there while he’s at school. A couple songs after the first songs are bubbling to the top: Beyond The Clouds (ballad) and The Place In Your Heart. I would put this album on par with Trial By Fire and perhaps not as good as Arrival. Their last album was an EP called Red 13. Nothing on a few listens really jumps out and compares to the best from to their Infinity to Frontiers era though it’s worth mentioning that each member of the band gets a chance to sing lead on Generations which makes the album sound a bit different.

Steve Augeri doesn’t sound as much like Perry on this album. Is he trying to get out of Perry’s shadow? Whatever the case, Augeri has a great voice and deserves a chance to explore some new musical journeys. Can’t help thinking though that Journey won’t be making any real inroads commercially until they get Steve Perry back. And for some, Journey was never that significant even with Journey. One of the last times I mentioned Journey, it was in reference to Journey bashing.

They had some of the best love songs and anthems in the 80’s with albums like Escape (note title tie-in), Frontiers and the less impressive but commercially successful Raised on Radio era where American Idol judge Randy Jackson played bass.

Journey isn’t with Sony any more, perhaps after the commercial dissapointment of their Arrival album with Augeri, but they are in good hands with Sanctuary which has been showing the love to many 80’s bands. God bless ya, Sanctuary. Journey has been rocking for 30 years now and while they are certainly showing their age, Generations does show they still have something left to say musically. Grade: C+

Did this post make you go hmm?

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