Steve Perry's 'Traces' - Album Review

A lot has happened in the world since Steve Perry last released a solo album. The year in question that this happened was 1994, when Perry's second solo effort For the Love of Strange Medicine was released. That album went Gold, but was certainly met with a more muted reception than his 1984 debut solo album Street Talk received - which went Double Platinum and spawned a couple of successful singles. For the Love of Strange Medicine is a strong album, but was released at a time when the sort of melodic rock that Perry had become known for since the mid-1970s was horribly out of fashion. Grunge was king of the rock world in 1994, and Perry's solo career seemed to falter. He then reunited with Journey, the band that had made him a superstar and released the well-received album Trial by Fire in 1996, but health reasons put the tour that was supposed to promote the album to bed and Journey, understandably frustrated with the lack of activity, eventually continued with a new vocalist Steve Augeri in 1998. After formally leaving Journey in 1998, Perry essentially left music behind. He contributed the odd vocal performance to a couple of film soundtracks and others' albums, but Perry seemed content to, basically, retire - meaning that Trial by Fire was the last album he actively participated in writing. That was indeed the case until last month, when his third solo album Traces was released. Perry had given the occasional interview over the years, and was always asked about new material. He seemed to maintain a 'never say never' attitude, but I never truly believe that he would ever write and record any new music. He seemed to had truly left music behind him, and I think for a while that was exactly what he had done. His attitude changed throughout the 2010s, and it seems the catalyst for this new album was the death of his girlfriend Kellie Nash - who tragically died of cancer in 2012. He himself had a cancer scare not long after, and it seems these experiences made him re-evaluate his decision to stop writing and recording music. In recent interviews he has talked about how he promised Nash that he would not keep himself hid away any more, and that Traces is his way of keeping that promise to her. The whole story surrounding Traces' genesis is extremely touching, and it is there unsurprising that the album's ten songs are extremely heartfelt. A couple of more 'rockier' sounds aside, this is an album of ballads - clearly inspired by Perry's love of classic R 'n' B and soul, something which has always been a big influence on his singing and songwriting style. Those expecting a bombastic AOR album akin to his work with Journey are likely to be disappointed, but those who want to hear Perry's distinctive voice (which is still largely intact if a little rough around the edges) singing some gorgeously heartfelt songs will find a lot to enjoy.

The album opens with No Erasin', an fairly upbeat rocker that kicks things off nicely without truly setting the tone for the majority of what is to follow. Big acoustic guitar chords and a pulsing bassline define the verses, while Perry's instantly-recognisable voice fills the speakers. While he clearly cannot reach some of the high notes that he could in the 1980s, and his voice occasionally cracks, Perry still sounds fantastic. Unlike many of his peers he has aged gracefully, and this type of music perfectly suits his current voice. The chorus of this song is probably the closest to the AOR style of music that Journey helped to pioneer, and it is instantly catchy. Subtle vocal harmonies really bulk out the sound, while retro synths courtesy of Dallas Kruse help to refine that 1980s feel. The album rarely feels this way again, but No Erasin' is sure to put a smile on anybody's face! We're Still Here follows, and this is more akin to the style that dominates the rest of the album. A tight drum groove courtesy of famed session drummer Vinnie Colaiuta gives the song a distinct sound, while Perry croons over a simple guitar and keyboard backing. While he sounded great on No Erasin', it is on these slower songs that showcase his current vocal prowess the greatest. Most of these songs are quite emotionally-heavy, and the mournful melodies allow his voice to shine. The occasional vocal cracks actually help to enhance the mood in my opinion, and they show Perry really pouring his heart into the songs. Most Of All starts off as a piano-based piece, but soon morphs into a great piece of soul that sounds like some of the slower songs that filled Journey's late 1970s albums - before the band really broke into the big time. Despite not being able to to hit some of the real high notes that he could previously, there is still a lot of vocal diversity here and this song in particular features some moments that really roll the clock back to the man's vocal prime. A hypnotic bassline from Nathan East keeps the song sauntering on, and a short but tasteful guitar solo from co-producer Thom Flowers adds some extra emotional weight. No More Cryin' is a real favourite of mine, and features some Hammond organ playing from the legendary Booker T. Jones. Jones' playing really dominates the song, with his melodies adding a little jaunt to the piece. This acts as a nice change of pace from the last two slower pieces, and allows Perry to play with a few different vocal melody ideas atop Jones' R 'n' B flourishes. The chorus is a real winner too, and is one of the album's best in my opinion. The vocal melodies are so infectious, and the gorgeous harmonies really add some warmth to the song. In the Rain slows things down again, with Kruse's piano and Perry's voice dominating the whole song. This is a true ballad, and features no 'rock' instrumentation at all really and just allows Perry to really shine. There are strings, which really help to add some class to the piece. Sometimes simple arrangements really work, and this is a song that is almost stripped back to the bare bones, and is all the better for it.

Sun Shines Gray is another more upbeat song, and it was co-written by current Rob Zombie guitarist John 5. Perry and 5 are not exactly natural bedfellows, but 5 often collaborates with people that you would not expect him to. Sadly however, I do not feel that the song lives up the promises of such a collaboration. The jangly guitar lines sound like something that you would expect to hear on an indie rock album, and the melodies lack any real bite. A slightly strange guitar solo from 5 is probably the most interesting thing about the song, which is shame as I would have thought a collaboration between Perry and 5 would have yielded more memorable results. Chalk this one up as a missed opportunity! You Belong to Me returns to the more typical sounds heard throughout this album, with a mournful piano line and a heartbeat drum pattern acting as the song's backbone. This song also contains one of Perry's best vocal performances on the album in my opinion, and I do not think you can help but be moved by the sentiments and words here. Subtle guitar leads throughout and the occasional wash of Hammond organ really help to bring the piece to life too, and ensure that it becomes one of the album's highlights. Easy to Love is another slower track, but has a more upbeat vibe thanks to Colaiuta's jazzy drumming and dancing bassline from Pino Palladino. The verses are quite minimalist, with the bassline mainly dominating, but when the chorus kicks in the song really comes alive. The melodies flow with ease, and again the use of subtle vocal harmonies really add a lot to the song. A chiming instrumental section only adds to the song further, and shows that a simple melody can do the job of a solo when that particular melody is so tight. I Need You, a cover of The Beatles' song, is up next. Perry has re-arranged the song and made it his own, and it really fits into the chilled out and emotional vibe that the album creates. In fact, it does not sound too dissimilar to anything else here, and it sounds like a song that was written to sound like this. The Palladino/Colaiuta combination makes once again for a tight rhythm section, while Perry's smokey vocal delivery really sits nicely alongside the delicate string arrangement. The album's final number We Fly feels like all of the main ideas explored throughout the album thrown into one and it works nicely. Perry opens the song with some a capella vocals before strings and keyboards slowly join the mix. Delicate electric piano melodies from the song's co-writer Jeff Babko really shine, as the song builds towards a truly emotional climax. Songs like this prove that albums can still end with a bang if the closing a number is a ballad, and this song hits hard. The subtle guitar leads add a lot, but the true star here is of course Perry who's vocals are something to behold. Overall, Traces is a really strong comeback from Perry that shows him making the music that he wants to and that suits his current vocal power. Fans of his will be so happy to hear some new music from him, and the emotional impact of the album makes it a powerful listen.

The album was released on 5th October 2018 via Fantasy Records. Below is Perry's promotional video for No Erasin'.