Next

Album Notes & Community Reviews

Standing as the final album before the recruitment of vocalist Steve Perry completely altered their trajectory, 'Next' showcases the San Francisco group at their most aggressively progressive. The record is dominated by heavy, complex guitar interplay from Neal Schon and prominent synthesizer textures from Gregg Rolie. Despite its impressive musicianship, the continued lack of a massive radio hit forced the label to mandate a radical shift toward commercial arena rock.