Genre: rock
Rating: *** ( 3 stars)
Title: Journey
Company: Passport
Catalog: PPS-98003
Year: 1974
Country/State: UK
Grade (cover/record): VG/VG
Comments: --
Available: 2
GEMM catalog ID: 4361
Price: $40.00
Cost: $66.00
Credit as 'Arthur Brown's Kingdom Come', anyone expecting to hear something along the lines of 'Fire' was probably disappointed by 1972's "Journey". This time around the Brown and company opted for a surprisingly aggressive set that mixed progressive moves such as the extended opener 'Time Captives' with extended instrumental segments. With the focus on synthesizers (courtesy of keyboardist Victor Peraino), various electronic production enhancement and an irritating Bentley Rhythm Ace drum machine, to my ears heavily orchestrated tracks such as 'Gypsy' and 'Superficial Roadblocks' just never seemed to get going. Luckily, when spotlighted, Brown's eccentric voice and mannerisms remained instantly recognizable. While rather far and few between, the album managed to cough up a couple of redeeming moments. 'Spirit of Joy' and 'Come Alive' boasted fairly conventional rock structures (the latter had some nice guitar from Andy Dalby), while Brown's blood curdling screams on 'Conception' were pretty cool - they certainly upset the family cat. Kind of a curiosity to me, but while the liner notes credit Dennis Taylor as producing the set, Taylor only handled two tracks. Turns out that Dave Edmunds (credited with 'remixing' the album) actually produced the remaining five tracks at his Rockfield Studios. (In case anyone cares, the America cover courtesy of David Powell is far more attractive than the UK version.)
"Journey"
track listing:
(side 1)
1.) Time Captives (Arthur Brown - Andy Dalby - Phil Shutt - Victor Peraino)
- 8:13
2.) Triangles (Arthur Brown - Andy Dalby - Phil Shutt - Victor Peraino) - 3:20
3.) Gypsy (Arthur Brown - Andy Dalby - Phil Shutt - Victor Peraino) - 9:10
(side
2)
1.) Superficial
Roadblocks (Arthur
Brown - Andy Dalby - Phil Shutt - Victor Peraino)
- 6:56
a. Lost Time
b. Superficial Roadblocks
c. Corpora Supercelestia
2.) Conception (instrumental) (Arthur Brown - Andy Dalby - Phil Shutt - Victor Peraino) - 2:06
3.) Spirit of Joy (Arthur Brown - Andy Dalby - Phil Shutt - Victor Peraino) - 3:15
4.) Come Alive (Arthur Brown - Andy Dalby - Phil Shutt - Victor Peraino) - 8:45