Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)Steve Perry has been behind the Reissues this past year with the Journey CDs and his solo material. Most included bonus tracks, and For The Love Of Strange Medicine is no different. The CD itself sounds incredible. The static that was in the background mildly on the original 1994 release is gone, and the original tracks have been remixed with today's technology. This remixing gives them an absolutely brilliant sound. There are even a few added parts to a couple numbers that sound great as well. Since this CD has never been previously remastered, it gets a new face lift with this release and shines. It truly is a testament, though, to the perfectionism of Steve Perry. He knows the sound he's looking for and finds the way to get it.
The most obvious thing about this release, though, is the bonus tracks; two of which have never before been released. "If You Need Me (Call Me) and "One More Time" were released with the singles that came out with the original Strange Medicine release, along with several other songs that reappeared with the Greatest Hits release. The first unreleased track is "Can't Stop." It is an interesting track, to say the least, and gives you a look at a side of Perry that hasn't been heard often. It's a bluesy track with some scat from The Voice, and some lyrics that are unusual for Perry in that they don't deal with the ordinary subject matter of his songs. His traditional vocal patterns aren't on this track either, making it even more unique. It's a song you almost have to develop a liking for. The second unreleased track is "Friends of Mine," which any Perry fan will like. It's a fun song that is classic Perry at his best, including the long, soaring high notes and the vocal patterns that made the man famous. This track sounds as if it belongs on this CD, and is one of my personal new favorites. These two songs, as the CD's booklet will tell you, were originally recorded for Perry's yet-to-be-released album "Against the Wall" from a 1988 recording session. The final track is a live recording of "Missing You" from his tour of Strange Medicine that has been floating around on download forums and programs for years. It's a rare glimpse of his last outing as a performer.
Finally, one of the last reasons to get this album, even if you already have it, is the accompanying booklet. Not only does it contain the usual (acknowledgments, song list with musicians and writers) but also many photos, some unreleased, from the photo shoot for the album and the tour. It also contains all the tour dates, where and when they were performed. Lastly, to open up the booklet, a note from Steve Perry himself re-introducing the album to you.
I would highly recommend this album reissue. I know there are many who don't like the reissues of the Journey albums, and that I can understand, but this album has never been re-released and sounds great. The bonus tracks and booklet alone should be enough to get the die-hard fans to buy this, but I would also recommend it to anyone who likes Steve Perry in general, the casual fan, or lovers of great music. This is one singer that has had a spectacular career in music, has been on the top, and is now living the life he has earned. The one thing that puzzles me about this release, though, is the timing. Lately, Perry has been reissuing a lot of things from his past. The Journey Music Video DVD, the Houston Concert Collector's Set, and now the reissuing of his entire recorded catalog. He's also made a couple appearances on other musicians' CDs (Jeff Golub and David Pack). What confuses me is the title question: Is Steve Perry wrapping up his career? Tying up the loose ends and saying good-bye to his fans? Or is he staying behind the scenes, waiting...slowly working his way into the public eye again in preparation for one more outing? Only time will tell. If you are a fan of this man, though, I would recommend picking this one up if you are able to. You won't be disappointed.
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