I ON U
After looking for this disc endlessly in stores across New Jersey, I
finally hopped over to iTunes, and bought the sucker online. I have
been a fan of Neal Schon's work since I learned my first JOURNEY solo
on guitar when I was fifteen, so whenever he puts out a solo disc, I
try to grab it up.
I On U
is Neal's first release for Steve Vai's Favored Nations label, and I
think it's one of his best. Not only does it show off his tasteful
phrasing and virtuoso technique (when Santana recruits you at fifteen,
you know you're good...end of discussion), but it also shows off his
diverse writing skills. For instance, some will argue that JOURNEY was
at their best when Neal and Gregg Rollie were jamming away freely,
while some will say the band was at their best after Steve Perry's
input and vocals helped to launch the band to super-stardom. Regardless
of your opinion, you will see examples of those eras as well as his
earlier solo work on these twelve tracks.
The title track "I On U", sounds like it has a little Steve Vai
influence toward the end, while "It Will Happen" begins with an Eastern
worldly vibe, and the guitar work is unmistakably Neal. No matter how
the underlying song is structured, the guitar work is what makes each
track unforgettable. Schon has a great sense of melody, and what works
over any given song. That's important, because when you're trying to
write music that you want people to remember, you should make sure you
have a good idea of what people identify with.
I would say this is the antithesis of what Neal does with SOUL SIRKUS,
JOURNEY, or HARDLINE. It's the anti-hard rock disc. If anything, it's
very similar to his solo disc,
Beyond the Thunder,
which he released on Higher Octave about ten years ago...that's another
disc I've practically worn out from listening to so much.
I On U
is good driving music; the kind of disc you could throw on and leave in
your disc player while you took a long trip somewhere... so with that
said, I think I'm going to head out and take a ride.
