Evolution (Journey album)

Evolution is the fifth studio album by American rock band Journey, released in March 1979 by Columbia Records. It is the band's first album to feature drummer Steve Smith.

It was the band's most successful album at the time, reaching No. 20 on the US Billboard 200 chart, and has sold three million copies in the US. They retained Roy Thomas Baker (best known for his work with Queen) as producer, but drummer Aynsley Dunbar was replaced with Smith, formerly with Ronnie Montrose's band.

Evolution features their first top 20 hit, "Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'", which was inspired by the classic Sam Cooke top 20 hit "Nothin' Can Change This Love" and reached No. 16 in the US. "Just the Same Way" featured original lead vocalist Gregg Rolie along with Steve Perry.

Critical reception
Record World said that the single "Too Late" "takes the rock ballad to new limits with a call & response hookline and Neal Schon's dashing guitar break." The magazine called "Just the Same Way" a "hard but slick rocker."

The Globe and Mail concluded that "all the songs here could well have originated at the same session as the numbers on the previous album, and that suggests stagnation."

Personnel

 * Journey
 * Steve Perry – lead vocals
 * Gregg Rolie – keyboards, piano, backing vocals, co-lead vocals (8)
 * Neal Schon – guitars, Roland GR-500 guitar synthesizer, backing vocals
 * Ross Valory – bass guitar, Moog bass, backing vocals
 * Steve Smith – drums, percussion

Production

 * Roy Thomas Baker – producer, mixing
 * Geoff Workman – engineer
 * George Tutko – second engineer
 * Greg Schafer – production manager
 * Larry Noggle, Jim Welch – package design
 * Alton Kelley, Stanley Mouse – cover art
 * Sam Emerson – back cover photography, liner photography
 * Hiro Ito – liner photography
 * Pat Morrow – liner notes