Album review: NEAL SCHON – Vortex

This is an exclusive edit from an interview with Neal Schon using non-broadcast material.  An extended version will be broadcast on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio in a special edition of ‘Assume The Position’ presented by David Randall on Sunday 5 July at 22:00 GMT. (9:26) Now available via Mixcloud (Listen again below)

Assume The Position – Neal Schon Special (5 July 2015) by Get Ready To Rock! Radio on Mixcloud

Neal Schon - Vortex

Music Theories Recordings/ Mascot Label Group [Release date 22.06.15]

Personal escapades revealed on “celebrity websites” often get in the way of business.  A compromising photo of Neal Schon published before the release of  ‘The Calling’ in 2012 tended to cast a shadow and even some music media inevitably (if misguidedly) focused on the negative.  Last year’s  ‘So U’ was a bit of a stinker and in spite of some really great moments it sounded as if it had been cobbled together between Journey after-show parties.

‘Vortex’ is a different beast.  Stretched to two discs, Schon is nothing if not productive.  The opening, majestic, ‘Miles Beyond’ sets the tone with an eastern/Kashmir vibe and heaviness.  Schon’s modus operandi frequently builds the song to a frenetic crescendo as evidenced here.  It’s all about tension, and release.  And multi-layered guitars.

Maybe Schon’s wedding in December 2013 has given him a new lease of life (the album is dedicated to ‘Lady M’ and inspires at least two tracks) and a chance to be both introspective and progressive.  In many ways the consistency harks back to another great double album although ‘Electric World’ majored on world influences which are still present here but to a much lesser degree.  The main vibe, as you would probably expect, is fusion whether it be jazz or rock and always marked by Schon’s delayed, blues-tinged vibrato.

‘El Matador’ has been pulled as an early “lead track” and it could be an outtake from ‘Santana III’ the classic album Schon cut with the band in 1971 whilst ‘In A Cloud’ is a lovely mid-tempo ensemble piece topped by Schon’s coruscating play out.

On Disc 2 ‘Twilight Spellbound’ is another standout whilst ‘Triumph Of Love’ has a classical theme percolating what is essentially a power ballad, and an impressive one at that.  ‘Talk To Me’ is another great example of a more lyrical approach and – as elsewhere on the album – serves as a great leveller for aspiring guitar heroes as it reaches its typically frenetic resolution.

If there is one criticism of Schon’s work, the jam-tracks by their nature lack structure (indeed, this was a criticism of ‘The Calling’).   ‘Irish Cream’ and  ‘Airliner NS910′ are examples .  On Disc 2′s ‘Schon & Hammer Now’  there is a much needed mid-song breakdown providing welcome respite from the multi-tracked guitar onslaught.  But overall, there is a lack of keyboard solo or interplay.  When it happens – as on ‘NS Vortex’  or ‘Talk To Me’ – it is refreshing.

The album features solid support from Steve Smith (drums)  Igor Len – who gets his own solo piano piece  with ‘Eternal Love’ – and the return of Jan Hammer with whom Schon cut two albums in 1981-2.

‘Vortex’ is very much a Neal Schon guitar-de-force album, there are no musical references to his Journeymen as with ‘So U’ and no vocals.  Schon’s brief tribute to his mum ‘Mom’ and the attractive ‘White Light’ deploys the only solo acoustic (apart from a brief flourish on ‘Talk To Me’), which is frankly a shame as it would have introduced a further tonal palette otherwise lacking.

We should relish the double helping but maybe some judicious editing would have made one humongous album.  For example, ‘Tortured Souls’ on Disc 2 runs out at 10 minutes but rambles a little.  Schon really needs a co-producer like CJ Vanston who seems to work wonders for Steve Lukather.

For the moment, though, maybe we should be thankful that this album is both unbridled and honest.  A great player unconstrained and limited only by his own creativity.  ****

Review by David Randall

David Randall presents ‘Assume The Position’ on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio every Sunday at 22:00 GMT.


Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.

In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.

Next session: Sunday 1 December

Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio


David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 3 November 2024.


UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 29 October 2024.

How to Listen Live?

Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)

Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”

Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.

More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com


Power Plays w/c 11 November 2024

ARCANE MOON Hello Sun (indie)
S8NT ELEKTRIC XTC (Long Branch Records)
ARCANA KINGS Here We Go (Curtain Call Records)
KLOGR face The Unknown (Zeta Factory)
BEYOND UNBROKEN Dance With The Dead (FiXT)
REVENGIN Decadent Feeling (Wormholedeath)

Featured Albums w/c 11 November 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)



Popular (last 10 days)


This entry was posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Leave a Reply