OLIAS OF SUNHILLOW

Strata of vocals impart a sound unique to Jon Anderson. Gentle acoustic guitars pass on pastoral flavors. Spacious synthesizers, with the general lack of bass and drums, allow the music to breathe. And the lyrics are just as enigmatic as many of his words for Yes were; they are clearly close siblings to those of Tales from Topographic Oceans. The concept of album involves the exodus of an alien race of people from one world to the next, led by the architect Olias, the navigator Ranyart, and the leader Qoquac. This album should please most Yes fans.

"Ocean Song" It is not surprising that the opening track begins very similarly to that of Yes's "The Revealing Science of God." In lieu of guitar swells and chanting are delicate strings and exotic instrumentation.

"Meeting (Garden of Geda) / Sound Out the Galleon" My favorite part of the album has the distinctive vocalizing of Anderson over some symphonic textures. The second part begins abruptly, with Anderson singing a whimsical melody over acoustic guitar.

"Dance of Ranyart / Olias (To Build the Moorglade)" Pleasing guitar and synthesizer, with washes of harp, make for a delightful instrumental journey. The second half employs a more electronic approach, as Anderson sings about Olias's constructive efforts. The music is as fanciful as the previous pieces, but involves an element of noise.

"Qoquac Ën Transic / Naon / Transic Tö" Airy synthesizer and electronic sounds dominate the first third of the track, with Anderson's angelic voice hovering in the background. Ushered in by colorful percussion, the second part consists of Anderson singing complex layers of vocals. After that fades out, a brief, spacey piece enters, with Anderson's lovely vocalizing over some tasteful synthesizer.

"Flight of the Moorglade" This is closer to a Yes song in the vein of "Wonderous Stories." It relies heavily on acoustic guitar and, naturally, coat after coat of vocals.

"Solid Space" For a hundred seconds, this piece builds gradually from sparse instrumentation to a spectacular synthesizer theme over which Anderson sounds more like he is rejoicing than singing. That main song suddenly gives way to the only dark moment on the album, full of quirky synthesizer and minor chords.

"Moon Ra / Chords / Song of Search" The first third of this lengthy track begins with a marching beat accompanying an army of Jon Andersons, all chanting in a mysterious language. Eventually, the lead vocal sings the English lyrics over an unchanged instrumentation. After four-and-a-half minutes, the repetition is over, and long chords provide the basis for more excellently crafted, albeit uncomplicated, synthesizer melodies. The thick, harmonic singing exists over unobtrusive acoustic guitar and keyboards. At certain points, Anderson sounds very much like he did on the first two Yes albums, which is to say not quite as developed as a singer, but not without charm nonetheless. The second part ends with a lovely acoustic guitar duet before a moment of silence ensues. The final third is a tranquil instrumental of many synthesizers and some harp.

"To the Runner" Acoustic guitar, exotic percussion, and sprightly synthesizers dance under Anderson's voice for the final song. Like much of the album, it benefits from a memorable vocal melody and frolicsome instrumentation. The final moment of the album is a grandiose synthesizer conclusion.