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Evolution (Journey album)

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Evolution
Cover art by Alton Kelley and Stanley Mouse
Studio album by
Journey
ReleasedMarch 23, 1979[1]
RecordedOctober–November 1978
StudioCherokee, Los Angeles
GenreArena rock[2]
Length37:10
LabelColumbia
ProducerRoy Thomas Baker
Journey chronology
Infinity
(1978) 		Evolution
(1979) 		In the Beginning
(1979)
Singles from Evolution
  1. "Just the Same Way"
    Released: March 1979[3]
  2. "Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'"
    Released: June 1979[4]
  3. "Too Late"
    Released: December 1979[5]

Evolution is the fifth studio album by American rock band Journey, released in March 1979 by Columbia Records. It is the band's first album to feature drummer Steve Smith.

It was the band's most successful album at the time, reaching No. 20 on the US Billboard 200 chart, and has sold three million copies in the US. They retained Roy Thomas Baker (best known for his work with Queen) as producer, but drummer Aynsley Dunbar was replaced with Smith, formerly with Ronnie Montrose's band.

Evolution features their first top 20 hit, "Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'", which was inspired by the classic Sam Cooke top 20 hit "Nothin' Can Change This Love" and reached No. 16 in the US.[6] "Just the Same Way" featured original lead vocalist Gregg Rolie along with Steve Perry.

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal7/10[7]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[8]

Record World said that the single "Too Late" "takes the rock ballad to new limits with a call & response hookline and Neal Schon's dashing guitar break."[9] The magazine called "Just the Same Way" a "hard but slick rocker."[10]

The Globe and Mail concluded that "all the songs here could well have originated at the same session as the numbers on the previous album, and that suggests stagnation."[11]

Track listing

[edit]
Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Majestic" (instrumental)Steve Perry, Neal Schon1:16
2."Too Late"Perry, Schon2:58
3."Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'"Perry3:55
4."City of the Angels"Perry, Gregg Rolie, Schon3:12
5."When You're Alone (It Ain't Easy)"Perry, Schon3:10
6."Sweet and Simple"Perry4:13
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
7."Lovin' You Is Easy"Perry, Schon, Greg Errico3:38
8."Just the Same Way"Rolie, Schon, Ross Valory3:18
9."Do You Recall"Perry, Rolie3:13
10."Daydream"Perry, Rolie, Schon, Valory4:42
11."Lady Luck"Perry, Schon, Valory3:35

Personnel

[edit]
Journey

Production

[edit]
  • Roy Thomas Baker – producer, mixing
  • Geoff Workman – engineer
  • George Tutko – second engineer
  • Greg Schafer – production manager
  • Larry Noggle, Jim Welch – package design
  • Alton Kelley, Stanley Mouse – cover art
  • Sam Emerson – back cover photography, liner photography
  • Hiro Ito – liner photography
  • Pat Morrow – liner notes

Charts

[edit]
Chart (1979) Peak
position
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[12] 35
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[13] 70
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[14] 36
US Billboard 200[15] 20
Chart (1983) Peak
position
UK Albums (OCC)[16] 100

Certifications

[edit]
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[17] Gold 50,000^
United States (RIAA)[18] 3× Platinum 3,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "RIAA certifications".
  2. ^ a b Franck, John. "Journey Evolution review". AllMusic. Retrieved July 1, 2013.
  3. ^ "Journey – Just the Same Way" (in Dutch). Dutch Charts. Retrieved July 28, 2021.
  4. ^ "Journey – Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'" (in Dutch). Dutch Charts. Retrieved July 28, 2021.
  5. ^ Strong, Martin Charles (1995). The Great Rock Discography. p. 445. ISBN 9780862415419.
  6. ^ "Evolution Billboard Singles". AllMusic. Archived from the original on June 18, 2015. Retrieved July 5, 2013.
  7. ^ Popoff, Martin (October 2003). The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 1: The Seventies. Collector's Guide Publishing. p. 154. ISBN 978-1-894959-02-5.
  8. ^ The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 383.
  9. ^ "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. December 15, 1979. p. 1. Retrieved February 11, 2023.
  10. ^ "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. March 10, 1979. p. 1. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
  11. ^ Niester, Alan (April 28, 1979). "Evolution Journey". The Globe and Mail. p. F10.
  12. ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 6829a". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  13. ^ Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005 (in Japanese). Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
  14. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Journey – Evolution". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  15. ^ "Journey Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  16. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  17. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Journey – Evolution". Music Canada. Retrieved July 25, 2022.
  18. ^ "American album certifications – Journey – Evolution". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved July 25, 2022.
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