Escape (2022 Remaster) Journey

• 1 Don't Stop Believin' (2022 Remaster) 04:09
• 2 Stone in Love (2022 Remaster) 04:25
• 3 Who's Crying Now (2022 Remaster) 05:00
• 4 Keep on Runnin' (2022 Remaster) 03:40
• 5 Still They Ride (2022 Remaster) 03:49
• 6 Escape (2022 Remaster) 05:17
• 7 Lay It Down (2022 Remaster) 04:13
• 8 Dead or Alive (2022 Remaster) 03:19
• 9 Mother, Father (2022 Remaster) 05:28
• 10 Open Arms (2022 Remaster) 03:19
• Total Runtime 42:39

Info for Escape (2022 Remaster)

Whether you love them or hate them, the members of Journey continue to make music that is right in the groove of AOR and mass-appeal playlists. With each album, the San Francisco group gains more momentum and Escape continues that trend. The initial single, "Who's Crying Now," is arguably the best thing they've done both artistically and commercially. Not only is it one of the classiest love songs in some time, it shows there is more to the band than recycled guitar and keyboard riffs. The overall tone of the album is one of creamy layered textures, poignant writing and well-constructed songs, both rockers and ballads. Steve Perry's vocals are at their best while Jonathan Cain on keyboards, Ross Valory on bass, Steve Smith on drums and Neal Schon on guitar supply the sock. Best cuts: "Who's Crying Now," "Still They Ride," "Escape," "Don't Stop Believin'," "Stone In Love."

History has been kind to Escape. As far back as 1988 the readers of Kerrang! voted it AOR’s greatest album, and there it remains, probably in perpetuity. But beyond the confines of genre it has enjoyed an afterlife bathed in nostalgia for the version of American youth that it captured, a time long gone except in the memory.

"Escape was a groundbreaking album for San Francisco's Journey, charting three singles inside Billboard's Top Ten, with "Don't Stop Believing" reaching number nine, "Who's Crying Now" number four, and "Open Arms" peaking at number two and holding there for six weeks. Escape flung Journey steadfastly into the AOR arena, combining Neal Schon's grand yet palatable guitar playing with Jonathan Cain's blatant keyboards. All this was topped off by the passionate, wide-ranged vocals of Steve Perry, who is the true lifeblood of this album, and this band. The songs on Escape are more rock-flavored, with more hooks and a harder cadence compared to their former sound. "Who's Crying Now" spotlights the sweeping fervor of Perry's voice, whose theme about the ups and downs of a relationship was plentiful in Journey's repertoire. With "Don't Stop Believing," the whisper of Perry's ardor is crept up to with Schon's searing electric guitar work, making for a perfect rock song. One of rock's most beautiful ballads, "Open Arms," gleams with an honesty and feel only Steve Perry could muster. Outside of the singles, there is a certain electricity that circulates through the rest of the album. The songs are timeless, and as a whole, they have a way of rekindling the innocence of youthful romance and the rebelliousness of growing up, built from heartfelt songwriting and sturdy musicianship." (Mike DeGagne, AMG)

Steve Perry, lead vocals, producer (tracks 12–14)
Neal Schon, lead guitar, backing vocals
Jonathan Cain, keyboards, rhythm guitar, backing vocals
Ross Valory, bass, backing vocals
Steve Smith, drums, percussion

Recorded April–June 1981 at Fantasy, Berkeley, USA
Produced by Mike Stone, Kevin Elson

Digitally remastered

Journey
Formed in 1973 by former members of Santana, Gregg Rolie and Neal Schon, Journey is a rock band based in San Francisco, California. After years of struggling as a prog rock backing band, they decided to hire a more mainstream vocalist to increase their chances of success. When Steve Perry came on as frontman, the band started producing hits: best known for soaring arena rock anthems like "Don’t Stop Believin’" and power ballads like "Open Arms," Journey had over a decade of victories before acrimony within the band broke them up. Today, Journey continues to tour and record with Perry sound-alike vocalist Arnel Pineda. In honor of the release of their "Frontiers" album on February 22nd, 1983, WatchMojo.com takes a look at the history of Journey.

How many bands grow even more iconic with each passing year? It's a short list, and on it is Journey. Through all its phases and eras, twists and turns the band sees its music become more popular as the years go on. The roadie who suggested the band name "Journey" truly had a vision.

In a career spanning five decades, Journey is blazing hotter than ever with the lineup of Neal Schon (guitars, backing vocals), Jonathan Cain (keyboards, backing vocals), Ross Valory (bass, backing vocals), Deen Castronovo (drums, percussion, backing vocals) and Arnel Pineda (lead vocals).

The band has reached heights that likely no other artist can hit these days, with its Greatest Hits album hitting 15-million-plus in sales. It's not luck; it's persistent, hard work over the years. When TV shows like Glee and The Sopranos made the song "Don't Stop Believin'" a sensation decades after its release, it's because that music endured. Since the group's formation in 1973, the band has earned 19 Top 40 singles and 25 Gold and Platinum albums.

"Don't Stop Believin'," Schon said, "has become this national anthem, world anthem. It's really wild. If somebody plays it, no matter where, everybody sings it."

As their San Francisco Bay Area cohorts The Grateful Dead once sang, what a long strange trip it's been.

With survivors of Santana and Frumious Bandersnatch in the fold, Journey released three albums starting in 1975 before teaming up with singer Steve Perry to define the classic rock of the late '70s and '80s. The triple-platinum Infinity in 1978 started the run that few bands would match. Evolution and Departure would follow with more hits, all leading up to 1981's iconic Escape. Not only did it contain inescapable hits like "Don't Stop Believin," "Who's Crying Now" and "Open Arms," but it was the first music album turned into a videogame - a truly visionary move at a time when most people didn't know what that meant. Fans worldwide snapped up 12 million copies, and FM radio had programming for life. The follow-up, Frontiers, was only kept out of the #1 spot by a little album called Thriller.

It's a run that continues to this day. Through the years, Journey has kept the music alive with classic-rock airplay and a touring schedule most bands can't or won't match. With the changes and upheavals in the music industry, nothing can replace the live concert experience.

"The one thing that remains the same is live performances," Schon said. "So that's why we're still here doing this. It's the one thing that can't be hacked and one thing that you absolutely have to show up live to be able to do. And so I still love it."

A short string of lead singers followed Perry's departure, but nothing quite worked until Schon found Pineda. It's one of the most unlikely success stories in rock 'n' roll history: Schon discovered the singer in a Filipino cover band via YouTube. He quickly reached out to the incredulous singer and a new era of Journey was born.

The hits came coming, with the new album Revelation debuting at #5 in 2008 and continuing their streak of platinum albums. A two-year world tour sealed Pineda's place as the voice of Journey. A new album came with Eclipse - this time with Pineda's full participation as a band member and songwriter. And the TV exposure of "Don't Stop Believin'" made the song is the #1 digital catalog song in history, with sales of more than 5.4 million in the U.S.

While touring is still Journey's #1 passion, it doesn't mean there isn't time for a world view. The band recently recorded a cover of The Police's "Synchronicity II" for a charity CD that fights child slavery in Third World countries, along with Stevie Wonder, Steven Tyler and more.

What has the band learned over the years?

"I think we just got it right, you know? We wrote a lot of really great songs, the three of us; myself, Steve Perry, and Jonathan Cain. And it was like we just got some things right and I think that's why it's etched in stone," Schon said. As for the future, "I'm still an aspiring guitarist, you know. I never feel like I've learned everything on the instrument. You have to love what you do. I certainly do."

This album contains no booklet.