We hadn't heard from Journey since his beautiful album "Eclipse". Eleven years have passed since then, and fans had never waited so long to discover a new production from this legendary band. One year before their fiftieth anniversary, the perseverance is finally rewarded with the arrival of the fifteenth opus of the Americans, a "Freedom" whose title is the original name of "Raised On Radio".
Recorded from the place of residence of each of the members, this album spread between Manila, Nashville, San Francisco and Los Angeles sounds as if the five companions had locked themselves up for weeks in the same studio, so much their unity is obvious. The long absence of the combo had the merit to have probably pushed Neal Schon's band to compose a consequent number of tracks with more than 80 minutes and fifteen tracks.
"We wanted to go where we have never gone before" said Neal Schon. And indeed, within this production largely in conformity with what the combo used to produce since the 80's, some tracks surprise... and are the least interesting of the opus. 'Let It Rain' doesn't seem to have been composed by the band, its slow, dark and heavy groove is a pain to listen to. Pineda's pushed and doctored voice on the chaotic 'Holdin On' and on 'Come Away With Me', which is closer to Hardline than Journey, will make fans grind their teeth.
In spite of a production that is not up to the mark (it sounds like a live album), these mistakes do not prevent "Freedom" from being the best album proposed by the Americans since "Frontiers". Impetuous and stimulating, it is marked by a phenomenal rhythm section and the talent of a guitarist who has never been so present and inspired. The songs with larger than life melodies are legion here. Some of them will certainly join the band's unavoidable hits. In energetic mode ('You Got The Best Of Me') or mid-tempo ('The Way We Used To Be' and 'United We Stand'), the combo intoxicates the listener with enticing tracks. Under the influence of breathtaking guitars, the listener is left flabbergasted by so much melodiousness. 'After Glow' is truly bewitching in this respect. This moving ballad sung by Deen Castronovo doesn't look like much on its first bars, but it turns into an absolutely dreamy (almost) instrumental.
After waiting more than a decade for this new offering from Journey, patience has been rewarded. The 2022 vintage of the Americans is a true happiness. Praise be to them for showing, after so many years and successes, such a desire to satisfy their fans who will be fulfilled here.