Frontiers (1983)
1. Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)
2. Send Her My Love
3. Chain Reaction
4. After the Fall
5. Faithfully
6. Edge of the Blade
7. Troubled Child
8. Back Talk
9. Frontiers
10.Rubicon
 
Although no one knew it at the time,
the band's last release Escape would prove to
be the band's best album in its history. Like all bands coming off such
a high, this always posed problems. First, how do you top it? Or at
least match it? Second, the band was burning out quickly due to the new
demands of being superstars (there was even a video game out of
the band for crying out loud). Then, you had the timing - specifically 1983 was a lot
different than 1981, and many of the arena rockers that ruled the world
found themselves displaced by a "new wave" of superstars.
Fortunately, Journey didn't really try to change anything on this album,
they simply made, in many ways, an "Escape Part 2". You may not know
that from the album cover. The traditional Scarab Beetle was gone, and
in its place was some strange looking robot (and look what robots did to
the career and reputation of Styx at this point in history). Yet as
soon as everyone heard the first single, Separate Ways (Worlds
Apart), people breathed a huge sigh of relief. I would argue that
this was their best song ever. It has a lot more energy than anything
off of Escape, yet, just like everything else
in Journey's catalog, it's not so overbearing that it pushes people
away.
There are a few instances where the band tries to replicate the hit song
Open Arms from the last album. Send Her My Love and
Faithfully both get an "A", even if they couldn't quite match the
euphoria of what many would argue was the best power ballad in the
history of rock and roll. Where the band does outdo its last
album is in the area of hard rock songs. This was never
Journey's strong point - at least in the hit single department. Yet
Chain Reaction, Rubicon and, especially Edge of the
Blade show that this band did in fact have a huge pair of balls, and
could swagger them when they desired. Also in the awesome department is the
heavy-drum influenced Back Talk that lets drummer Steve Smith
show off his talents quite well. It was easy for a guy like Smith to get
buried in this band, yet he was one of the best in the business, and,
not surprisingly, we see that he has a writing credit for the song.
Despite the fact that the album does rock heavier than anything they had
ever done, they also sound more commercial and radio friendly then they
ever had, and Jonathan Cain was quickly establishing himself as a "key
writer" as opposed to "the new guy". The direction was welcomed by
most, but there were others who didn't like the fact that this band
seemed to be everywhere all of the sudden. The success would get to the
band members in a not-so positive way, as well, and sadly, but
predictably, the band would begin to crumble shortly afterwards.
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