Lost/Forgotten Album #353

[Jon]

Considering that the last (or first) Schon & Hammer post went over so badly, we're going to feature another Schon & Hammer album this week which makes it the 13th album in the series or even the second album in the series. So, it's a two-fer in many different ways, but not really since this is from Neal Schon & Jan Hammer.

Untold Passion is the first album from Neal Schon & Jan Hammer (or Schon & Hammer) and was released in 1981.  With my VERY limited research, I didn't spot any chart activity but I'm sure it landed somewhere. No mention of any singles, but there might have been one, maybe?????

Yeah, I'm phoning this one in even though this is a really good album. However, sometimes you just gotta phone it in.

No songs about lightning bolts in hearts or blood so the cover is a bit misleading.

Allmusic.com review time:

Before Journey became one of the top pop/rock acts of the early '80s with a string of arena rock anthems and power ballads, the group had a more detectable prog and fusion edge -- while guitarist Neal Schon's earliest work was with the very un-Journey-like Carlos Santana. So at the height of Journey's popularity, it appeared as though Schon wanted to get back to his fusion roots by uniting with keyboard wizard Jan Hammer. However, the resulting album, 1981's Untold Passion, wasn't going to be confused with Mahavishnu Orchestra anytime soon -- tracks such as "I'm Talking to You" wasn't much different from Journey's melodic rock style, while "Hooked on Love" saw Schon (who also doubled as vocalist) replicate Paul Rodgers' singing style. That said, the funky keyboard/guitar duel "The Ride" gave both Schon and Hammer a chance to show off their chops. Untold Passion seems to lean toward the more melodic rock side of things, rather than finger-spraining chops.

Untold Passion

1. Wasting Time
2. I'm Talking to You
3. The Ride
4. I'm Down
5. Arc
6. It's Alright
7. Hooked on Love
8. On the Beach
9. Untold Passion

Availability: The Wounded Bird reissue is about $10, if you have Amazon Prime. It also includes a bonus track (not included here).

[RJhog (Admin)]

Well, I just sat back and listened to this on a Friday evening.  Not bad, not great.  Pretty much ranking about even with the other release that you posted.

It started off really good, especially I'm Talking To You.  I really liked that one.  The instrumentals pretty much kill any momentum built by the songs with vocals.  Again, Schon isn't a great singer, but he sounds okay here.

You'd think the production would be really good, but I'm not impressed.

It's Alright is also very good.  I sense The Cars when I listen to this.  I also like Hooked On Love.  That's a good Friday night song.

Doesn't Tom Petty have an album cover that this reminds me of?  I think so.

Untold Passion is the only instrumental I like.  It feels like it is telling a story, like it should be in a movie.  I'm sensing the wilderness, cold, someone alone, wandering, trying to stay alive.  I'm getting this complete journey.  I like this track, very good closer.

Maybe I'll give this one the nod over the other one...

[Yngve J. Chapleen]

When I saw this post I went to check my vinyl's and to my shock I couldn't find this album. I found their second release, but not the Untold Passion. For a while, I thought someone stole it. Then I went to check my CD collection and there it was. This should tell you how long it's been since I listened to Untold Passion.

And now that I did it again, I'm happy to say, it holds up pretty good. I like it more than I thought I did. The songs on the CD gave the musicians a bit more room to present their virtuosity. The vocal tracks have a nice extended solos and the instrumental tracks are all meaningful.

That title track is one of those Instrumentals you play to people who don't like Instrumentals. It works every time.