WORLDS APART

Just like Rush with 2112, Saga's fourth album, Worlds Apart, would be their breakthrough album, and with good reason. They striked the perfect balance between intelligent, complex music and melodic, radio-friendly vibe, and, in the process, came up with their biggest hits and some of their most memorable songs, while still remaining true to their sound and identity. And all of this earned the band much needed (and deserved) radio airplay. How many bands managed THAT ?

Songs like 'On The Loose' and 'Wind Him Up' are timeless Saga classics, melodically superb and rythmically catchy, and instrumentally challenging and demanding. Needless to say, Sadler's vocal performances are, as always, close to perfection.

Every song here is a winner. We even get a surprise in 'No Regrets (Chapter V)' when keyboardist Jim Gilmour takes lead vocal duties and performs a beautiful clarinet melody. 'No Stranger (Chapter VIII)' is a prog moment worthy of 'The Chapters', 'Time's Up' is a quirky semi-ballad, 'Amnesia' and 'The Interview' are also great memorable songs.

This album is a perfect exemple of where prog was at this time, and is just as essential to a collection as other prog masterpieces of the 80's as 'Moving Pictures' or 'Signals' by Rush.

A must-have, deserving five solid stars.