Asia released Aria

Aria Asia

Released: May 1994 Peak: -- US, -- UK, -- CN, -- AU Sales (in millions): -- US, -- UK, -- world (includes US and UK) Genre: rock

Tracks: (Click for codes to singles charts.) Anytime (5/94, --) Are You Big Enough? Desire Summer (1994, --) Sad Situation Don’t Cut the Wire Feels Like Love (1994, --) Remembrance Day Enough’s Enough Military Man (1994, --) Aria The Players: Geoff Downes (keyboards) John Payne (vocals/ bass) Al Pitrelli (guitar) Michael Sturgis (drums)

Rating: 3.003 out of 5.00 (average of 13 ratings)

About the Album: When Asia released Aqua in 1992, it was a surprise return for a band who’s last studio album had been released seven years prior. Instead of being a one-off attempt to recapture glory days, however, the album actually signaled a more permanent band than anyone would have guessed. “What could easily have been an isolated one-shot experience” AMG turned into a long-term return. The “new Asia” didn’t have the pedigree of the original band – only keyboardist Geoff Downes remains on 1994’s Aria, with the band’s remaining original lineup of rock superstars Steve Howe, Carl Palmer, and John Wetton replaced by far less than household names. Still, the changes weren’t entirely jarring. Vocalist John Payne had already assumed vocal duties on Aqua and Al Pitrelli had already become the primary guitarist on that same album, with Steve Howe serving only in a guest capacity. “The album does start off with a few weaknesses, but as the music flows and you move deeper into the tracks, melodies become richer and more intricate, and the lyrics more interesting. The fourth track, Summer, is a great song; Sad Situation is a marvel; and Don’t Cut the Wire a work of art.” AMG There’s also “the romantic Feels Like Love” AMG and “the symphonic Aria, which makes for a great finale.” AMG Notes: The song “Reality” was added to later editions as a bonus track.

Resources and Related Links: Asia’s DMDB Encyclopedia entry AMG Alex S. Garcia, All Music Guide Other Related DMDB Pages: First posted 4/19/2008; updated 8/6/2021.

Journey “Feeling That Way/Anytime” charted

Feeling That Way/Anytime Journey

Writers (“Feeling That Way”): Steve Perry, Gregg Rolie, Aynsley Dunbar (see lyrics here) Writers (“Anytime”): Gregg Rolie, Roger Silver, Robert Fleischman, Neal Schon, Ross Valory (see lyrics here) First Charted (“Anytime”): June 10, 1978 Peak (“Anytime”): 83 US, 75 HR, 6 CL, 1 DF Peak (“Feeling That Way”): 6 CL, 1 DF (Click for codes to singles charts.) Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, -- streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: Just over 30 seconds into “Feeling That Way,” the baton is passed. Gregg Rolie assumes lead up to that point in the song, but then Steve Perry comes in. The pair then trade vocals throughout the rest of the song, but the transition is clear. Rolie’s days in Journey are numbered. Steve Perry, new to Journey as of the Infinity, album is about to become the face and voice of the band and lead them into the band’s heyday over the next few years, reaching a peak with 1981’s multi-platinum, #1 album Escape. Officially, it was “Anytime” that was released as the second single from the 1978 Infinity. However, the song has so consistently been paired with “Feeling That Way” as its lead-in that the two have become inseparable. In its review of “Anytime,” Cash Box magazine called it a “dynamic, irrestible effort that features exuberant, multi-tracked harmonies and potent lead guitar.” WK Interestingly, “Anytime” includes a songwriting credit for Robert Fleischman who was with the band for just a short time and didn’t actually perform on any of Journey’s albums. The song also included a credit for Roger Silver, a poet from San Francisco who contributed lyrics. The song was written before Perry joined the band. SF Both songs are notable for producer Roy Thomas Baker’s layered sound approach, a technique he’d also employed with Queen. He stacked harmonies by having Perry and Rolie joined by Steve Valory and Neal Schon, sing each harmony part in unison, which created the effect of making three or four voices sound even bigger. WK Resources: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Journey SF Songfacts WK Wikipedia Related Links: First posted 7/7/2022.

Journey’s Infinity released

First posted 10/12/2008; updated 10/17/2020.

Infinity Journey

Released: January 20, 1978 Peak: 21 US, -- UK, 22 CN, -- AU Sales (in millions): 3.0 US, -- UK, 4.0 world (includes US and UK) Genre: classic rock

Tracks: Song Title (date of single release, chart peaks) Click for codes to singles charts. Lights (8/19/78, 68 US, 4 CL, 30 AC, 74 CN, air: 1 million) Feeling That Way (6 CL) Anytime (6/10/78, 83 US, 6 CL) La Do Da Patiently Wheel in the Sky (4/8/78, 57 US, 3 CL, 45 CN) Somethin’ to Hide Winds of March Can Do Opened the Door Total Running Time: 36:28 The Players: Steve Perry (vocals) Neal Schon (guitar, backing vocals) Gregg Rolie (keyboards, co-lead vocals on “Feeling That Way” and “Anytime”) Ross Valory (bass, backing vocals) Aynsley Dunbar (drums)

Rating: 3.807 out of 5.00 (average of 14 ratings) Awards:

About the Album: “By 1977 Journey had reached a creative crossroads, with three underwhelming studio albums under their belt and little to show in the way of commercial success. At the prodding of manager Herbie Herbert, who felt a major shakeup was needed in order to reignite their spark, the band was convinced to audition and eventually recruit the services of former Alien Project vocalist Steve Perry.” FR He “was not a unanimous choice as Journey’s new singer.” CRM “Journey briefly enlisted front man Robert Fleischman and even recorded one track, ‘For You’, which would later appear on the Time 3 collection.” JM “But when Perry presented the bluesy Lights to the band, everyone sensed the possibilities.” CRM “Sure enough, adding him to the band just prior to the sessions for Infinity proved to be a stroke of genius, and a move that undeniably altered the course of history for the fledging Bay Area act. Released in January of 1978, Infinity easily proved to be the band’s most cohesive work to date. Dead and buried were the jazz fusion overtones of previous offerings, and with the new songwriting combo of Perry/ Neal Schon leading the march, the band set out to completely redefine their sound. Traditional pop arrangements were now adopted, cutting out the unnecessary musical fat, and allowing each bandmember to play to his strength: Perry’s soaring, whale of a voice, Schon’s scorching fret work, and Gregg Rolie’s subtle keyboard arrangements.” FR “Enlisting eccentric producer Roy Thomas Baker (already famous for guiding the likes of Queen and Nazareth to giant commercial triumphs of their own) also proved to be a rewarding move for the boys.” FR Baker “produced a layered sound approach, similar to his work with Queen, as demonstrated on tracks such as Winds of March.” JM “The re-focused Journey delivered their first set of accessible mainstream rock songs.” CRM “Tellingly, ‘Lights’ was chosen as Infinity’s opening track – an introduction to the new Journey – and it remains one of the band’s best-loved songs, as does this album’s Wheel in the Sky,” CRM which was actually “written by temporary front man Fleischman.” JM “Even non-singles like Patiently (the first tune Perry ever wrote with Schon) and Somethin’ to Hide were leaps and bounds beyond the band’s previous accomplishments.” FR “And, ultimately, though Infinity merely introduced the band to mainstream radio (it was the never-ending tour on which the band embarked on to support it that drove the disc past the platinum plateau), it effectively cemented their rep as one of America’s most beloved (and sometimes hated) commercial rock/pop bands. With over 170 shows under their belts, Journey had just begun to hit their stride.” FR

Resources and Related Links: Journey’s DMDB Encyclopedia entry CRM ClassicRockMagazine.com FR John Franck & Ed Rivadavia, All Music Guide JM JourneyMusic.com