"Any Way You Want It" kicks off the album with a bang. With no instrumental intro, Steve Perry starts belting out one of Journey's most famous rockers. Then comes the light, catchy "Walk Like a Lady", a bluesy number that nicely offsets the opening rocker. "Someday Soon" is melodic rock bliss, and it includes some of the last of the great vocals we get to hear from Greg Rolie. Following is a very uniquely moody tune in "People and Places". I don't know what it is about that song, but with the way the different members each sing a word one after the other combined with the haunting (in spots) sound of the keyboard, this one still can send shivers up my spine. Very unique track.

Then after more fine melodies on "Precious Time", a few definite rockers kick in. "Where Were You" has an amazingly melodic chorus, "I'm Cryin'" contains some of the most amazingly emotive Perry vocals ever, and "Line Of Fire" absolutely smokes. From there the tempo and mood slows up with the short but very nice title track instrumental, which leads into the very pretty, pleasant "Good Morning Girl". "Stay Awhile" further continues the pretty slowdown in tempo, before "Homemade Love" ends the album by again rocking the house.

I could rave at length about every one of these tracks and how listening to them makes me feel. As much as I love the more popular Journey albums that are to follow this one, there is something about that classic sound that is special. This effort was the third straight winning effort with Steve Perry at the vocal helm in three years for the band at the time. Once again, the band struck gold in the classic and melodic rock arena.


Journey Enters The 80's With A Bang!   June 26, 2002
3 out of 3 found this review helpful

Even though I enjoy "Infinity" and "Evolution" better than "Departure," I still love this album dearly. Journey once again exhibits their unique classic rock flavor that fans love so much. They showed the world that they would keep "journeying" on into the 80's, and they kicked off the new decade with more fun, jamming tunes to satisfy one's thirst for classic rock perfection. "Departure," which came out in 1980, provides a unique variety of work from talented muscians, Steve Perry, Neal Schon, Gregg Rolie, Ross Valory, and Steve Smith. The album is kicked off with their hard-rockin' hit, "Anyway You Want It," and afterward comes a bluesy shuffle in "Walks Like A Lady." The third song, my favorite on the album, is "Someday Soon." The harmonizing of Perry and Rolie on the song is magnificant, and Schon does such a great job on guitar; virtually flawless as usual. I like the vocal arrangement in the song as well. Both Perry and Rolie exhange being in the vocal spotlight, which makes the song even better. "People And Places" shows a great, rare, vocal performance from Schon. Of all of Journey's songs, that one is one of the most unique ones I've ever heard. Perry, Schon, and maybe Rolie, all sing out words one at a time, in an echoing kind of way, and then later, the song takes rockin' action with Smith's drums, and Schon's guitar. Rolie's Keyboards are so flawless, freeflowing, and somewhat mellow and dreamy at times. Rolie does a great job. "Precious Time," "Where Were You," "Line Of Fire," more of a fast-paced, kickin' song, and "Homemade Love" are perfect works of pure, feel-good, get-down-and-jam, songs. Gregg Rolie adds a neat twist to "Precious Time" with his harmonica, and the band sets off a gun-shot sound on "Line Of Fire." Steve Perry sings on each song with so much heartfelt power and energy like there's no tomorrow. "I'm Cryin'" and "Homemade Love" are two other songs that pour out heartfelt power and energy to us as well. Perry sings like his heart is being ripped to shreads while Schon screeches melodic chords on his guitar on the slower moving, bluesy-rockin' "I'm Cryin," and Perry puts forth such intensity on "Homemade Love." One of my other favorite songs, "Stay Awhile," is a smooth flowing song with a very catchy beat, and heartfelt, soulful lyrics from Perry. Perry pulls on our heart strings with the lyrics on "Good Morning Girl," one of the more mellower songs on the album. The title song, "Departure," is an interesting instrumental that doesn't last long at all, but it kind of has a way of making one's mind wonder. It's a mellower, softer little number. Schon does an excellent job. I kind of wanted a little more from the song, though. Overall, "Departure" a fabulous Journey album and is definitely worth a listen. It is a classic piece of Journey perfection. Don't pass it up!


An early GEM of an album often overlooked by people.   December 21, 2000
3 out of 3 found this review helpful

This is a stellar Journey album featuring Perry's voice at his most flawless. This was the vocal peak of his career...with a range that would make an opera singer jealous. Im Cryin' is an amazing showcase for his voice. Good Morning Girl is a wonderfully intimate song. With only a solo guitar backing him up, his sweet voice soars. Dont miss out on this Gem.


Journey's Best Album   February 18, 2004
2 out of 2 found this review helpful

If you want a great journey album, this is it. Every song is great, and the best thing is, most of them did not make it onto their greatest hits cd. This may sound like a bad thing, but we all know how greatest hits work; they take a few hits from each album so as to promote all of their albums. But this album is all hits. So if you want a great journey album that aren't the same old songs you are used to (though those never get old), this is the one to buy!


A sleek departure into new frontiers...   October 19, 1998
FreeWyngz@aol.com (Cleveland, Ohio)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful

Gregg Rolie, one of JOURNEY's founding members and longtime keyboardist/vocalist, unfortunately left the band shortly after DEPARTURE was recorded. Now leaning towards new musical frontiers: is JOURNEY a rock and roll or a jazz fusion or an R&B band...? It's hard to define such musical expression that is JOURNEY and DEPARTURE! On pieces like WALKS LIKE A LADY and STAY AWHILE: two smooth and cool tunes laden with Schon riffs and Perry's soaring vocals; Valory lays down a mellow groove on bass and Smith drives the beat with astonishing ease. Another outstanding moment includes the hit ANY WAY YOU WANT IT. The heavy WHERE WERE YOU and LINE OF FIRE provide some guitar punch. The driving blues on I'M CRYIN' pushes the envelope of emotive expression. GOOD MORNING GIRL brightly sounds, "I sing it girl from the heart." SOMEDAY SOON and HOMEMADE LOVE lay down some musically challenging time signatures. And the majestic PEOPLE AND PLACES and PRECIOUS TIME help to round out what is a rather sleek album. So how might one exactly define such an extensive album? One need only say that it is indeed JOURNEY!