OLIAS OF SUNHILLOW

Jon Anderson is a British poet, composer, and multi-instrumentalist, but he is better known for his work as the front man and one of the founder members of Yes. He was also one of the main composers of the group. However, he is also known because his very extensive and somehow interesting solo career and also because his collaboration with various bands and musicians. So, despite his solo career and member of Yes, Anderson collaborated with Vangelis on Jon & Vangelis project with several albums, with his colleagues of Yes, Bill Bruford, Rick Wakeman, Steve Howe and Alan White, and also with many other artists and bands, such as King Crimson, Iron Butterfly, Vangelis, Mike Oldfield, Giorgio Moroder, John Paul Jones, Tangerine Dream, Milton Nascimento, Dream Theater and Glass Hammer.

'Olias Of Sunhillow' is the debut studio album of Jon Anderson and was released in 1976. It was one of the five solo albums released by the five members of Yes in 1975 and 1976, during a hiatus after the release of their seventh studio album 'Relayer', in 1974, along with Chris Squire's 'Fish Out Of Water', Steve Howe's 'Beginnings', Patrick Moraz's 'Story Of I' and Alan White's 'Ramshackled'. It became to be the most successful of Yes' solo efforts, reaching # 8 in the UK charts and breaking into the US top 50. It's perhaps the best musical work of all those albums of Yes' members.

'Olias Of Sunhillow' is a conceptual album inspired by the writings of Vera Stanley Alder, an American portrait painter and mystic woman which wrote several books on self-help and spirituality and that also founded the World Guardian Fellowship. So, Jon Anderson has developed the entire story around the idea of the interstellar exodus from the planet Sunhillow, and wrote the album around a narrative based on the character of the spaceship's architect, Olias. 'Olias Of Sunhillow' tells the story of an alien race and their journey to a new world due to a natural catastrophe. Olias is the chosen architect of the glider Moorglade, which will be used to save his people to their new home. Ranyart is the navigator of the glider and Qoquaq is the leader who unites the four tribes of Sunhillow to realise the entire exodus.

The album's concept cover was inspired by the art of Roger Dean of Yes' album 'Fragile'. It depicts a tiny planet breaking apart and a glider escaping into space. 'Olias Of Sunhillow' sleeve features a series artworks by the English artist David Fairbrother Roe, who was also known because the produce of the artwork, posters and tickets for the famous Isle Of Wight music festivals from 1968 to 1970 and also due to the art for books and albums of other bands.

'Olias Of Sunhillow' has eight tracks. The concept, the songs and the lyrics are all by Jon Anderson, and all vocals and instruments are also performed by Jon Anderson (lead and backing vocals, guitars, harp, synthesizer and percussions).

Jon Anderson's solo debut album is an impressive and unique conceptual album with a very mystical and otherworldly atmosphere. All tracks float into each other and make a continuous and very pleasant flow. The music often borders on New Age, but without becoming too boring and too sweet. The arrangements consist of lots of overdubbed vocal harmonies by Anderson, who also plays some harp here, percussion, acoustic guitar and loads of very Vangelis inspired synthesizer work. The compositions vary between acoustic and structured songs, more free floating and almost spacey passages and then to parts with atmospheric themes that build up and are repeated for several minutes to create a very hypnotic effect. Personally, I think the sound of the album is so unique that it's hard to compare it with anything else. The acoustic passages can of course remind of some Yes' songs like the first part of 'I've Seen All Good People' and 'Wonderous Stories' but the sound as a whole, is very original and unique. Some slight eastern influences can also be litened on some parts of the album. The music here is a seamless combination of acoustic instruments, guitar, sitar, harp, many types of percussions and synthesizers. As simplistic as that description is, add many layers of Jon Anderson's voice, in melody and harmony, and you have a timeless treasure. By today's standards this isn't such an amazing accomplishment. However, in 1976 it was a brilliant revelation to achieve such a cohesive final balance.

Conclusion: 'Olias Of Sunhillow' is the album closer to the original sound of Yes of the five solo albums released by the members of the band at the time. Despite its differences, we can say that there are several songs that could easily fit in Yes' own musical catalogue, and also the lyrics continue to mine the mystical musings of the band and that Yes fans had come to enjoy. However, 'Olias Of Sunhillow' isn't the missing Yes' album that some might hope to be. As I said before, 'Olias Of Sunhillow' is the closest album to Yes' sound and is also the most original album, with 'Story Of I' of Patrick Moraz, of the all solo projects of Yes' members. On it, Anderson plays a lot of different musical instruments and the vocals are great as usual, or even better than in Yes. All in all, this is a very exotic, hypnotic, complex and fascinating album, created by one of the most complex and brilliant minds of the progressive rock music in the 70's.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

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