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Topic ClosedShameless appreciation for Saga!

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E-Dub View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 01 2009 at 09:54
I remember back in the days when MTV was really cool that they would play "Don't Be Late" quite often. I liked it, but never right bit. When "On The Loose" came out, however, I just fell in love with the song. Bought that album and so agree with KBT: prog masterpiece. "The Interview" is such a great (yet overlooked) song.

What about Heads Or Tales? Nobody ever mentions it, but a great follow up. Sadler's vocals on "The Flyer" are powerful. What a freak of nature that guy is. Singing at such a high level for so long...and it sounds just as good today as it did back in the early 80's.

What do people think of The Human Condition?

E
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 01 2009 at 09:56
Originally posted by rushfan4 rushfan4 wrote:

I'm currently listening to Contact: Live In Munich, which is the farewell show of singer Michael Sadler.  Currently, listening to 10,000 Days, which was the title track of their last album with Sadler.  This songs is just so beautiful with some gorgeous piano work.


I have this disc, but not the DVD yet. Really need to get it, as it's Sadler's farewell.

Do you have the DVD for Worlds Apart Revisited? Awesome DVD!!!

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 01 2009 at 10:15

I don't know how I missed them in the MTV days, but I don't remember ever seeing the videos or hearing the songs for Don't Be Late and On The Loose back then, and I used to watch MTV all of the time.  Sort of the same with Marillion's Kayleigh.  I never heard that song until a few years ago when I first learned about Marillion via the Transatlantic connection.

Heads or Tales is a good album too.  I pretty much like almost all of the Saga albums, although there was a stretch during the late 80's and early 90's which were pretty uninspired. 
 
I don't have the Contact DVD nor the Worlds Apart Revisited DVDs yet.  Maybe one of these days.  I do have a couple of Saga DVDs though.  I have Silhouette and All Areas: Live in Bonn.. 
 
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 01 2009 at 10:57
You're not much younger than me, so not sure how you missed them either. "Don't Be Late" and "On The Loose" were in steady rotation back then.

I had Behaviour on LP when it was released, but that isn't the Saga that I know and love. I did lose track of them for a long time, but got back in touch around 2003. I have Generation 13, Detours, Full Circle, House Of Cards and Marathon from that late 90's early 00's period. Just been apprehensive to get discs like Steel Umbrellas. Not sure what to expect.

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 01 2009 at 11:04
Here is my review on Steel Umbrellas.  http://www.progarchives.com/Review.asp?id=197566  Definitely one of their least inspired releases in my opinion.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 01 2009 at 11:21
^^Don't think I'll be getting it anytime soon. Wink

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 01 2009 at 23:07
I like Heads or Tales, but it fails to capture me like their other works.



Human Equation has its moments...
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 02 2009 at 02:53
Yes, I like quite a bit of their music. I think Trust is my favourite album.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 02 2009 at 04:13
Saga seem to gain their swagger back, starting with Network, continuing with Trust, and ending with 10,000 Days. Really finished the Sadler era off very strong. Out of the three, I still like Network the best. "Don't Make A Sound" could be one of my favorite Saga tracks of all time...and Sadler is what makes it for me. His vocals on the chorus are spine tingling.

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 24 2011 at 12:47

Since the last post:

1. Michael Sadler is back.
2. They are touring Europe with Marillion; and,
3.  News about a new album being released in January from their website http://www.sagaontour.ca/:
 
Oct 20 2011
Okay, let’s see. What can I reveal without being too revealing? Let’s start with the album release being pushed back to January. Both Edel and the band understand how important this album is and we all feel that we have to “get this one right” so to speak. Instead of just finishing the record to meet a deadline, the whole team felt strongly enough about what we have that a January release date was chosen. This allows everyone the chance to give the album all the support it deserves. The team at Edel have been amazing and we are extremely pleased with the partnership. We expect only great things in the weeks/months/years to come.
A little info about the album? We will be announcing the title shortly, meanwhile, it will have 10 tracks, including a new Jim Gilmour lead vocal. These are the track titles (you may notice a familiar name in there!), although some may change by the time we go to copy.
So, in no particular order:
Another Day Out Of Sight
Anywhere You Wanna Go
Ball And Chain
Ellery
Lost For Words
One Of These Days
Show And Tell
It's Not Gone
Spin It Again
‘Till The Well Runs Dry


Edited by rushfan4 - October 24 2011 at 12:48
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 24 2011 at 14:48
I remember Saga on MTV but only On the Loose. They continue to be a favorite band of mine from the 80's. In Transit is one of my fav live albums. I saw them on the Heads or Tails tour in Baton Rouge, La in I think 1984-5, before my wife and I were married I know. She thought he sounded too much like a girl LOL.
 
I remember it was a good show, I wish I still had the concert shirt Cry.
 
I would like to see them again for sure!!! Would bring back some good memories.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 27 2011 at 01:27
big fan of Ian, probably the best of the lesser-known prog guitarists








Edited by Atavachron - October 27 2011 at 01:30
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 27 2011 at 02:19
Jim Gilmour aint to sloppy on they keys ethe, quite good actualy on those polyfoly synths

that is my Humble Stance Tongue


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Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 27 2011 at 02:27
If there is to be a Saga appreciation society at ProgArchives, please send me the application forms. I want to join.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 27 2011 at 02:48
I know some of their earlier albums. Images at Twilight is OK (3.5/5), Worlds Apart is superb (4.5/5) and in my top three of 1981.
On the other hand, In Transit, with its poor renditions of some songs from that album (1.5/5), proves that they are not a live band.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 27 2011 at 04:59
Man the debut is just so good, an extraordinary record
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 27 2011 at 05:06
Originally posted by someone_else someone_else wrote:

Images at Twilight is OK (3.5/5)
let's not kid ourselves, it mostly stinks

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 27 2011 at 05:10
I've enjoyed this band ever since "Don't Be Late" and "On The Loose" were in steady rotation back in the good ol' days of MTV. Admittedly, I fell away towards the latter part of the 90's when they were reduced down to a trio and took the band into a different direction. Got back into them about 10 or 11 years ago and starting getting their stuff from about Generation 13 on. I hesitated getting The Human Condition when it came out because I identified this band by Michael Sadler, but I got it and suffice it to say I'm glad Sadler is back. In my opinion, he's the only one who should be fronting this band.

And I still consider Worlds Apart to be a bloody masterpiece.

E


Edited by E-Dub - October 27 2011 at 05:11
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 27 2011 at 07:32
I have as much trouble describing Saga as I had 18 years ago when I was obsessed with them. Today I could try to describe them, but it would be a very long text. I still have the highest admiration for them, love everything from the first album until and including Behaviour. They haven't been afraid to try different sounds, that's why their albums sound different. Compare Behaviour with Security of Illusion, it's two different sounds. And the fans haven't always responded positively to their changes in sound. Pleasure and the Pain (-97) wasn't well receieved as I remember, the sound was a bit more rough and there was a different drummer. But I think there is some good stuff in it.
 
Maybe the bad response of that album led the band in a direction were they wanted to please the fans more. I think from 1999 there was a retrospective presentation of their music, beginning with Full Circle in 1999 that had an album cover in the same theme as the first three albums, the alien theme. That album was great though, but House Of Cards (2001 ) was in my opinion weak and the music had parts that was similar to classic Saga songs. The albums of 2000-2007 was a bit up and down in my opinion, I haven't been very positive about the retrospective touch, with the alien featured on some of the albums. But I really liked Network.
 
I thought The Human Condition was impressive in many ways and well executed. And it felt like something new. However it is slightly mechanic, which is in part due to the vocal style and also because the songs were probably recorded to a metronome click, which I don't think is a good thing. But there are moments were I appreciate the perfect tightness,  for example in parts of Crown of Thorns which is a very cool song. There are many awesome instrumental passages on the album.
 
I've in the latest 2 years been feeling very enthusiastic about Saga , a sort of resurgence. As long as their up to something that feels new , I'm excited. They should always try new sounds and ideas.
 
I'm seeing them live in 9 november!


Edited by wilmon91 - October 27 2011 at 07:46
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 27 2011 at 08:26
Originally posted by E-Dub E-Dub wrote:

I remember back in the days when MTV was really cool that they would play "Don't Be Late" quite often. I liked it, but never right bit. When "On The Loose" came out, however, I just fell in love with the song. Bought that album and so agree with KBT: prog masterpiece. "The Interview" is such a great (yet overlooked) song.

What about Heads Or Tales? Nobody ever mentions it, but a great follow up. Sadler's vocals on "The Flyer" are powerful. What a freak of nature that guy is. Singing at such a high level for so long...and it sounds just as good today as it did back in the early 80's.

What do people think of The Human Condition?

E

I like the song Avalon from the Human Condition.
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