SONG REVIEWED: "Anyone in Love"
SOMEONE GREW UP LISTENING TO JOURNEY, THAT'S FOR DAMN SURE. IF STEVE AUGIERI HADN'T GOTTEN THE GIG AS JOURNEY'S NEW SINGER, HUGO WOULD HAVE DEFINITELY BEEN IN THE RUNNING FOR THE JOB... EVEN AFTER GETTING DICKED AROUND BY SEVERAL MAJOR LABELS, HUGO HAS SURVIVED AND HAS BEEN PLUGGING AWAY IN MELODIC ROCK ACTS SINCE THE 80s (ANYONE REMEMBER VALENTINE? ....NO? ...DIDN'T THINK SO)
BALLADS DON'T USUALLY GET REVIEWED HERE, BUT "TIME ON EARTH" IS RIPE WITH 'EM. ANYONE THIRSTY FOR STEVE PERRY-ERA JOURNEY WILL REALLY DIG "ANYONE IN LOVE", AS WELL AS THE REST OF THE DISC. ONE GRIPE I HAVE IS WITH THE WAY-TOO-SYNTHETIC SOUNDING KEYBOARDS IN THE INTRO (YES, I KNOW THAT'S WHY IT'S CALLED A 'SYNTHESIZER', BUT A NICE SET OF SAMPLED STRINGS WOULD HAVE WORKED SO MUCH BETTER). AS A VOCALIST, HUGO REALLY SHINES. HE'S GOT A VERY SMOOTH VOICE, AND HIS HARMONIES ADD SOME NICE TEXTURE TO A VERY HUMMABLE SONG. LYRICALLY, IT'S ON THE SAME TRACK AS JOURNEY AND STEVE PERRY'S SOLO MATERIAL.. NOTHING TERRIBLY TRAUMATIC GOING ON OTHER THAN A STORY OF A GUY IN LOVE (HOPEFULLY WITH A WOMAN, BUT ONE NEVER KNOWS THESE DAYS). MUCH OF JOEY SYKES' GUITAR WORK SOUNDS A LOT LIKE NEAL SCHON-INSPIRED RIFFAGE. (JESUS, HOW MANY TIMES AM I GOING TO REFER TO JOURNEY?)
AFTER LISTENING TO THIS ENTIRE DISC, YOU CAN TELL WHY HUGO IS SIGNED TO AN ITALIAN LABEL; NO ONE IN THIS COUNTRY (UNDER 35 YEARS OF AGE) IS LISTENING TO THIS MUSIC...AND IF THEY ARE, THEY'RE GOING TO BE LISTENING TO JOURNEY WHEN THE NEW DISC IS RELEASED LATER THIS YEAR. THIS IS A GOOD DISC TO ADD TO THE COLLECTION BECAUSE IT'S NOT ASKING THAT MUCH OF YOU... THE MELODIES ARE HUMMABLE, THE INSTRUMENTATION IS SMOOTH, AND YOU CAN SIT BACK, CHILL OUT, AND POP THIS IN... AND IF SOME GIRL WITH BIG HAIR SHOWS UP, MAYBE YOU'LL GET SOME...
