I too consider myself lucky as I have the advace promo also...

Excellent review of a "fantastic" album!!!

I second your comments and this from someone who's favorite album ever is Perry's FTLOSM! My second would be the new Two Fires debut (3rd - TBF, 4th - Storm EOTS, 5th Hugo s/t...then fill in the blank with any JRNY album).

Anyway...Arrival is power ballad heaven! Feel is much different than
TBF...TBF had a mood / a lot of emotion about it (sad / romantic).

This disc is great but not a real theme throughout. This would have been a Perry album... And his vocals are missed. With that in mind, Arrival is a 9.5 / 10, as it is missing something....Perry's signature!

Music, songwriting are top notch. Augeri is great! He sounds great!!! The
ballades are excellent!

Verdict: I miss and wish it were Perry as the songs are A++, but accepting
reality, and had there never been a Perry in the first place...Arrival with
Augeri at the helm is a perfect 10!

The more I hear it, the more I love
it...and I have heard it a lot over the past month (at least once a day).

BTW: Kiss Me Softly is my favorite ballad too!

Nice review!