Just when you thought it wasn't possible, Terry Barber (http://www.terry-barber.com) has taken the Top-40 fluff of Journey and turned it into a work of art.
It's a frightening concept, nearly worth of "Ripley's Believe It Or Not!" But it's true, lads. Journey's easy-listening staple "Open Arms" is stripped off its original studio gloss and saccharine vocal work and transformed into a beautifully haunting ballad. Unlike Steve Perry, Barber is a real singer; this is a man who sings operas. Thankfully, he doesn't go overboard on "Open Arms" when he certainly has the vocal range to do so. Instead, he pours authentic emotion into it, nearly moving you to tears.
However, Barber doesn't end with Journey. His version of Richard Marx's equally sappy "Right Here Waiting" is given a profound sense of melancholia and longing. Sounding like a more soulful George Michael, Barber gives Marx an emotional depth that he never had. Who would've thought these were honest-to-goodness timeless gems?
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While I don't recognize all of the covers on this disc, it makes me wonder if I should even search for the originals because I doubt they could match the stunning power of Barber's beautiful singing. When you find out that this record is dedicated to his grandmother and mother, both of whom died of cancer within months of each other in 2006, it makes the album even more special.
I'm giving this 10 stars. Very few are this worthy.
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