A few days ago I saw most of a movie I've wanted to see for years, Belle Du Jour. Belle Du Jour is a movie made in the 60's by director Luis Bunuel and stars Catherine Denuve. Bunuel directed a teriffic movie called Los Olvidados which I only saw once in film class and has remained in my memory as one of the best films ever. Belle Du Jour is perhaps Bunuels best known film. I happened to catch it on cable and found the movie distant but haunting. The movie is about a bored upper class housewife who decides to become a prostitute by day and faithful loving wife at night. I can't quite put my finger on how this film hits me, in that it has jarring transitions between what seems like reality and fantasy. The movie ultimately seems to be about wanting what you can't have and the damaging decisions that can be made in pursuit of it. The wife's dual life eventually catches up with her with dire consequences and yet the film is decidedly unsympathetic towards anyone involved. A haunting movie, I'll have to see it a second time to form stronger opinions on it.
One thing not remotely distant is number 90:
Journey - Evolution (1979)
Never accused of being subtle or hard to read, Journey's second album with Steve Perry is the best of the pre -Jonathan Cain Journey. The band wasn't quite sold on Steve Perry until the first album with him, Infinity, went platinum. Evolution finds Journey backing Steve Perry 100%. The change in the band's focus led to the firing of drummer Aynsley Dunbar, a fantastic drummer with a bombasatic style, to the hiring of Steve Smith, a jazz trained drummer. With the exception of Raised On Radio, no other Journey album sounds as much like a solo album as this one does. Steve Perry responds with first rate songwriting and hands down his best vocal performance ever.
Produced with air tight clarity by Roy Thomas Baker (Queen, the Cars), Perry wails into Mariah Carey style melisma and wrote key tracks such as "Lovin' Touchin' Squeezin'" and "Sweet And Simple". "Squeezin" was Journey's first Top 20 single and remains a staple of classic rock radio. Perry's influence is all over the track, with its bluesy bumping rhythm, soulful vocal and "Na Na Na Na Na" chorus at the end. Even better is the second song written by Perry, "Sweet And Simple." "Simple" is a gospelish track which starts slowly and builds to a huge finish where Perry cuts loose with the best vocal in his career. These two songs alone merit the number 90 slot, but there's more!
Other songs include two rockers with a chugging R&B backbeat, "When You're Alone (It Ain't Easy) and "Lovin' You Is Easy." Keyboardist / original lead vocalist Gregg Rolie makes his presence felt with the radio hit "Just The Same Way." The album ends with 70's style hard rock that's almost Deep Purplish, "Lady Luck". The rest of the band, guitarist Neal Schon in particular, shines but there is no doubt the focus is on Perry. If you're a fan of Journey or Steve Perry but only know their greatest hits, I highly recommend this album.
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