Steve Perry - Street Talk (1984) (2024) (Remastered / Reissue) (FLAC)

Digitally remastered and expanded edition features 16-page full color booklet. We could argue all day long about who the best rock singer is/was... and there are a few great contenders when it comes to melodic rock or AOR, but at the top of most people's list is Steve Perry.
The former Journey frontman shot to fame when he fronted the band on their 1978 album 'Infinity'.
Eventually they changed from jazz rock curios to a multi-platinum selling band with the albums 'Escape' and 'Frontiers'.
That included such smash hit singles as 'Don't Stop Believin', 'Who's Crying Now', 'Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)', 'Faithfully' and 'Send Her My Love'.
Of course, the icing on the cake was undoubtedly the vocal performance of Steve Perry, whose incredible range and tone set the band apart from the competition.
It was hardly surprising then to see him launch a solo career with this album 'Street Talk', released in 1984.
A record that very much followed the Journey blueprint and was actually named in recognition of his first band Alien Project, who were nearly called Street Talk.
The album sold in excess of 2 million copies, spawning the #3 hit single 'Oh Sherrie' and setting the path for a solo career alongside Journey.

Because of the strength of the number three single "Oh Sherrie," the rest of Steve Perry - Street Talk was somewhat overlooked, even though it managed to put three other songs into the Top 40. Even with Journey's power ballad formula draping every runny lyric and mawkish keyboard stretch, Perry was able to make the album sound relatively steadfast and sincere all the while.
"Oh Sherrie" deserves it's chart placing, accentuating Perry's vocal power, especially throughout the explosive chorus.
Both "Foolish Heart" and "She's Mine" aren't as strong, but they do provide the same type of romantically florid appeal that made "Open Arms" and "Faithfully" hits for Journey, minus the sturdiness of his former band.
"I Believe" is pulled along by a catchy melody and highlighted by Steve Douglas' sax playing, but songs like "Strung Out" and "Running Alone" begin to drown in sugary currents of insipid fluff.

Steve Perry does a respectable job in producing the album though, and the overall package comes off rather clean and bright.
Street Talk proves that Perry's song writing and vocal prowess is worthy of its acclaim, but the musicianship that accompanies him throughout the album is noticeably weaker than what he is used to.

Tracklist
1. Oh Sherrie
2. I Believe
3. Go Away
4. Foolish Heart
5. It's Only Love
6. She's Mine
7. You Should Be Happy
8. Running Alone
9. Captured By The Moment
10. Strung Out

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