MARATHON

Like many prolific artists, SAGA let go a few musical farts in their time. And after hearing "Marathon" only once, I thought it all sounded way too familiar - the guys are cruising on automatic pilot once more, thought I. After hearing it a couple of more times, however, something unexpected happened: none of the tunes sounded the same anymore. I finally got on with my life but found myself humming some weird musical tidbits in the oddest places - at work, in a crowded restaurant, in my sleep. Huhh??? As if some chords or catchy passages were constantly/subconsciously simmering in the back of my mind. It was maddening, driving me nuts. So I went and picked up the album once more...

I've concluded that alongwith the inimitable "Generation 13", "Marathon" is one of the better SAGA albums I own. It does not contain any 'hit' songs per se (if you exclude the opener "Marathon" and the ballad "Blind Side of Your Heart"); but its depth and the solid penmanship that went into its making is obvious and the results highly pleasurable. The production is impeccable, the guys have perfected their drum and guitar licks to a 'T', and Michael Sadler is as charismatic as ever. As is the case with most SAGA material, however, the material on "Marathon" is non too complicated (it does not feature many themes or tempo changes). But what IS there is professionally done and sounds crisp and pleasant enough to my ears. A nice piece of light entertainment if you're in the mood for some solid Art Rocking (or polished pop, if you prefer).