THE BEGINNERS GUIDE TO THROWING SHAPES

The last great album with that Saga sound(and 1993's _Security Of Illusion_). Considering this followed the stinker _Wildest Dreams_, this album is a return to form and stands alongside other Saga greats like Heads Or Tales, Behaviour and Worlds Apart. What's most impressive on this is an aggressive Ian Crichton guitar sound. He does his usual arpeggio runs on the frets, but delivers a crunchier sound here...almost like an excited Steve Morse(Dixie Dregs). Production is really crisp comparable to the album Heads Or Tales. Highlights are Shape(excellent vocals), Waiting In The Wings(best Crichton guitar track in Saga history as far as I'm concerned)...and Giant - which is instrumentally similar to Power & The Glory-era Gentle Giant. The only throwaway track here is Nineties...but it's still not that bad a track. I've heard worse. I'd give this album a 3.5...but it gets a 4 on progarchives.com to up the rating. :-)

If you like the early Saga sound, do not overlook this album. It's worthy of any neo-proggers collection. Worthy of note - recommended to guitar players. Ian Crichton really shines here. If I could compare A Beginner's Guide To Throwing Shapes to another band's album known to other prog.rockers, let's just say this is Saga's Stationary Traveller(as per CAMEL).