Chiming in (Chile Concert)
Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 7:16 amBeen gone for a while. Finally have a breather to do some mindless shit and what do I find?:
Journey had their first concert with Arnel.
Followed links to youtube clips (the good ones). Downloaded the mp3's some generous fan posted and took some time to let it soak in.
First reactions:
I saw a lot of nerves. Reminds me of my initial prediction/argument I had with crazy suzy way back when. I said he was going to be shaking like a dog shitting peach pits his first time out and I couldn't have been more right. Arnel screwed the pooch on a number of songs. I mean it was amateur hour. So much so, Cain was blatantly embarrassed in moments. I swear, if I heard him yell "OH! CHILE!" one more time, I was going to freak. His utterances felt so contrived and unnatural it stood out like a sore thumb. He was really struggling to find some comfort level on stage, but overall I figure I gotta cut the guy slack given the situation.
Even still, nerves or not, this guy is not a frontman. The difference between a frontman and a singer is the frontman performs the songs from within. He physically emotes what he's singing. It was like watching an inexperienced American Idol contestant.
What disturbed me the most - Arnel physically does not match this band. He looks very out of place. Felt like I was looking at a teenage fan called out of the audience to sing with the old guys on stage. It was surreal.
I was kind of disgusted. I mean, this is what they dropped JSS for? I killed the browser, ate some breakfast, then noticed the MP3's of the concert downloaded on my desktop. Started running them while I did some more work, still disgusted.
The rockers REALLY didn't sound good. I skipped over open arms, simply because I've grown to hate it, lol...
Then it happened:
I heard "Only the Young"
Wait a minute. What happened? This sounds great to me for some reason. Oh I get it now. I'm not watching Arnel, I'm listening to him. Without having to watch someone who not only looks like a kid, but is shorter than Neal, running around on stage like an excited little boy, I was able to get into the important factor:
The music.
Then it happened again:
I heard "Faithfully"
WOW. He doesn't sound like a Perry imitator. Not at all. But there's a quality to his voice. A sophisticated vibrato. Closest to Perry's I've ever heard. Not Perry's layered vocal character and not as good, not by a long shot, but still, very sophisticated.
Biggest concern I hear is Arnel sounds like he's singing on the top end of his voice a lot. He's not as naturally high a tenor as Perry and it sounds like it will be a problem in the long run. He's breaking up on the high notes. Hope he doesn't fry.
Can't say that I want to go see them in concert, yet. I mean I REALLY don't think Arnel has the frontman gene. It's not something you're taught anymore than singing with soul is something you can acquire. Running around on stage excitedly shaking hands isn't performing. Hopefully he'll improve. Even still, I'm tired of the GH's tour. The only GH's tour I'm interested in is one fronted by Perry and that's just never going to happen. So the new material needs to be front and center, and it better be good, for me to attend future concerts.
Conclusions:
Journey finally found the right vocalist. They no longer sound like they have a weak link in their talent pool. I'm excited about the new album now. Still need to hear what I'm buying before I purchase, but I'm cautiously optimistic bordering on excited. Just hope it lives up to my expectations now.
Shining star in the concert:
Deen Castronovo. He was on fire. Best I've heard him play, ever.
Journey had their first concert with Arnel.
Followed links to youtube clips (the good ones). Downloaded the mp3's some generous fan posted and took some time to let it soak in.
First reactions:
I saw a lot of nerves. Reminds me of my initial prediction/argument I had with crazy suzy way back when. I said he was going to be shaking like a dog shitting peach pits his first time out and I couldn't have been more right. Arnel screwed the pooch on a number of songs. I mean it was amateur hour. So much so, Cain was blatantly embarrassed in moments. I swear, if I heard him yell "OH! CHILE!" one more time, I was going to freak. His utterances felt so contrived and unnatural it stood out like a sore thumb. He was really struggling to find some comfort level on stage, but overall I figure I gotta cut the guy slack given the situation.
Even still, nerves or not, this guy is not a frontman. The difference between a frontman and a singer is the frontman performs the songs from within. He physically emotes what he's singing. It was like watching an inexperienced American Idol contestant.
What disturbed me the most - Arnel physically does not match this band. He looks very out of place. Felt like I was looking at a teenage fan called out of the audience to sing with the old guys on stage. It was surreal.
I was kind of disgusted. I mean, this is what they dropped JSS for? I killed the browser, ate some breakfast, then noticed the MP3's of the concert downloaded on my desktop. Started running them while I did some more work, still disgusted.
The rockers REALLY didn't sound good. I skipped over open arms, simply because I've grown to hate it, lol...
Then it happened:
I heard "Only the Young"
Wait a minute. What happened? This sounds great to me for some reason. Oh I get it now. I'm not watching Arnel, I'm listening to him. Without having to watch someone who not only looks like a kid, but is shorter than Neal, running around on stage like an excited little boy, I was able to get into the important factor:
The music.
Then it happened again:
I heard "Faithfully"
WOW. He doesn't sound like a Perry imitator. Not at all. But there's a quality to his voice. A sophisticated vibrato. Closest to Perry's I've ever heard. Not Perry's layered vocal character and not as good, not by a long shot, but still, very sophisticated.
Biggest concern I hear is Arnel sounds like he's singing on the top end of his voice a lot. He's not as naturally high a tenor as Perry and it sounds like it will be a problem in the long run. He's breaking up on the high notes. Hope he doesn't fry.
Can't say that I want to go see them in concert, yet. I mean I REALLY don't think Arnel has the frontman gene. It's not something you're taught anymore than singing with soul is something you can acquire. Running around on stage excitedly shaking hands isn't performing. Hopefully he'll improve. Even still, I'm tired of the GH's tour. The only GH's tour I'm interested in is one fronted by Perry and that's just never going to happen. So the new material needs to be front and center, and it better be good, for me to attend future concerts.
Conclusions:
Journey finally found the right vocalist. They no longer sound like they have a weak link in their talent pool. I'm excited about the new album now. Still need to hear what I'm buying before I purchase, but I'm cautiously optimistic bordering on excited. Just hope it lives up to my expectations now.
Shining star in the concert:
Deen Castronovo. He was on fire. Best I've heard him play, ever.
