Frontiers was somewhat harmed as an album by the band/label (not sure which) opting to leave off Only the Young and Ask the Lonely so they could appear on movie soundtracks. A case of marketing trumping art, as that album is much much stronger if you swap those two in for, say, Chain Reaction and Backtalk (one of the worst Journey songs probably).
I didn't know the background of those songs. However, I really like Chain Reaction and don't think Back Talk is nearly that bad. Only the Young is only ok, and Ask the Lonely is a little better, but not much.
I pretty much agree. I like Chain Reaction A LOT. It's been a long time since I listened to the album, and as a result, I don't really recall Back Talk. I just don't remember it. But there isn't really a song on the album that I disliked either. To me, Escape and Frontiers captured the band at a time when their output was right up my alley, and there isn't really a song I dislike on either album.
As for the other two songs mentioned, I'm not sure I would have thought any more highly of Frontiers if they were included. As I said, I already think very highly of that album. But I didn't have either of those two soundtracks, and those songs didn't even register on my radar. I really only became aware of them later because of their inclusion in live sets and on compilations, and I can't say that I am even very familiar with the studio versions. Live, they are great, fun songs. But to me, they both feel more in line with the overly pop sound of a lot of Raised on Radio that I didn't much care for, so even if I had heard the studio versions at the time, which would not have had the live energy, I doubt they would have moved the needle for me.
So I was literally talking with someone and Journey came up. We were talking music, and he mentions that Steve Smith was a great drummer, and that he was really underrated. I told him that my theory is that he is underrated because of his work with Journey.
That's an interesting theory. I'm not sure how I feel about it. I think there is probably a perception that, because Journey was a pop band, that the drummer is simple and straightforward, and so Smith didn't get to fully utilize his capabilities while in the band. And while there might be a grain of truth in that, I think it misses the mark. Yeah, it may be true that he couldn't go bananas in Open Arms. But that's kinda the point--the songs themselves don't call for that, and he was a master at playing for the song and doing what the song called for. But more than that, there is a LOT of nuance and complexity in his drumming for Journey. Smith was just one of those guys that could take complicated, and make it sound simple and straightforward. And I think THAT, more than anything, is the primary reason he may not get his due.