Neal Schon

Did you weep to "Faithfully"? Did you hold your girl/boyfriend tightly during the refrain of "Open Arms"? And did you instinctively reach for your Bic lighter when someone merely mentioned "Stone in Love"? Well, who cares, because the solo work offered by ex-Journey guitarist Neal Schon doesn't sound anything like those songs. These pieces rely more on new age mysticism and Pop-Jazz friendliness as they highlight Schon's ability to serve up lovely, clean guitar melodies. He's an excellent guitarist, regardless of whether some of his musical ideas seem trite -- or even a bit on the dull side. Occasionally he experiments with effects, going as far as emulating the cry of wolves on one song. If you're a fan of mellow, introspective guitar music, then diving into Schon's world isn't a bad idea. And there's no Steve Perry to steal the spotlight this time.