Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Saga
Label: Inside Out Records
Release: 2006
Rating: 5/5
(review no. 2 by: Peter Podbrežnik)
Canadian art rock giants Saga are one of those rare legendary bands that scored their biggest commercial hits back in the early ’80s, yet even in the new century keep dropping excellent albums like it’s nothing (and, luckily, that streak hasn’t been broken since “Full Circle” (1999)). Their latest records are so good that you can’t even say for sure anymore that the artistic peaks, not just the commercial ones, were reached more than two decades ago. With “Trust,” Saga have effortlessly shaken yet another thrilling masterpiece out of their sleeve and more than successfully topped its predecessor “Network” (2004).
Saga have always been a band famous for the incredible working and creative harmony between its members. The indestructible foursome, long represented by brothers Jim (bass) and Ian Crichton (guitar), the ever-phenomenal singer Michael Sadler and keyboardist Jim Gilmour, a prog rocker to the core forever and ever, has this time created yet another heavyweight among their albums, one that can stand shoulder to shoulder, without shame, with relics like “Silent Knight” (1980), “Worlds Apart” (1981) and “House Of Cards” (2001). A smaller but important lineup change, which shaped the album’s overall sound, came with new drummer Brian Doerner (ex-Helix), who replaced the suddenly ailing Christian Simpson. Unlike his hard-hitting predecessor, Doerner clearly comes from the old melodic rock school, favoring finesse and dynamics over raw power.
Sure, with “Trust” Saga are nowhere near reinventing the wheel. Anyone who happens to be hoping for some big prog rock experiment can (once again) forget it. But when it comes to freshness, dynamics and quality, as well as the variety of the individual compositions, they’ve come close to the peak of their artistic abilities this time. As befits Saga, the juicy, supersonically wound-up opener “That’s As Far As I’ll Go” makes sure the album hits the point of eruptive boiling from the very first second and wraps the listener in its hyper-intense atmosphere. The high melodicism, built on the excellent interplay between Ian’s razor-sharp riffing and the playful passages and special effects on Gilmour’s synths, is greased by Sadler’s mighty vocal performance.
First-rate Saga-school art rock carries on with “Back To The Shadows,” which could easily sit on any one of their classic albums. Dynamically flowing keyboard lines are artfully laid over Ian’s recognizably sharpened riffs. Meanwhile Sadler, together with the backing vocals, keeps adding a touch of mystery and drama and constantly shifting the moods. Superb guitar and keyboard solos further add to its status as one of the band’s most ambitious creations in recent years. The melodic rock treat “I’m Ok” deserves a flat-out ten for its outstanding chorus, which sends shivers down your spine every time. The symphonic arrangements, together with the central riff that kick in right before and during the anthemic chorus, are pure balm for the ears, while Michael’s singing radiates so much heart that with modern rock singers you usually have to hunt for it with a magnifying glass.
“Time To Play,” with its central funky riff, is a slightly cheeky, somewhat more playful experiment of the kind Saga have never given up on. Here, too, you’ll find an incredibly catchy chorus that gives you goosebumps, perfectly paired with symphonic keyboard arrangements and inventive riffs. On the emotional, acoustic-tinged ballad “My Friend,” Gilmour gets his chance to shine as lead vocalist as well. As he’s proven so many times before, Jim once again delivers a brief breather after the electrified wrecking balls with his unique, angelic voice and an exceptionally romantic mood. That’s followed by the title bomb, the unabashedly nostalgic “Trust,” without a doubt another Saga classic, where their symphonic progressive rock elements come to the fore, and there’s no shortage of a mighty chorus that sticks in the listener’s head for a long, long time. The streak of great tracks continues with “It’s Your Life,” another outstanding creation that, with its uncompromising chorus, spacey keyboard textures and snarling riffing, once again confirms the band as the true masters of blending the best elements of progressive rock, AOR and hard rock.
“Footsteps In The Hall” is also an interesting art rock appetizer, with plenty of mischievous keyboard passages and other instrumental spices you can recognize from a mile away. Meanwhile, “Ice In The Rain,” with its ultra-melodic, infectious chorus and refined layers of synth textures drifting in the background, is a first-rate dessert for everyone who admires the AOR side of their music most. The excellent “You Were Right” is one more example of Saga’s art rock perfection, where despite the complexity of the individual arrangements and sudden instrumental turns, they keep the melodicism high and the chorus catchy the whole time. The closing, slightly transcendental “On The Other Side” is yet another successful experiment in blending prog rock symphonic subtleties, ambient and hard rock elements, and it proves they’ve far from lost their remarkable knack for playful arrangements. That goes especially for Gilmour’s cheeky keyboard embellishments, which draw their inspiration from the world of Celtic music.
Anyone who has followed this wonderful band for a long time, a band that at the time of this release was approaching its 30th anniversary, really shouldn’t be surprised anymore that “Trust” is another top-notch achievement, one that will completely enchant all true art rock fans as well as the more demanding fans of melodic rock. “Trust” has firmly established this cheerful Canadian gang as one of the most consistent legendary art rock bands, something you couldn’t say at all about their creative output in the ’90s. Someone might accuse them of sticking a bit too closely to their tried-and-true art rock formula and not risking enough with more complex experiments, but as long as that formula delivers such good results, it would be totally pointless for them to suddenly dive into some radical experiments, especially after the bad experiences of the past. Their fans can thus keep trusting them completely that the string of excellent releases, with masterpieces like “Trust” along the way, will carry on far into the future.
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(review no. 1 by: Aleš Podbrežnik)
Almost 30 years have passed since their self-titled debut. They’re back again, now with their 17th studio album in a row. Recorded in Canada and the first one released on Inside Out Records. The special limited edition of the new studio effort also includes a bonus DVD documenting how it came together. For those of you who haven’t guessed yet, we’re talking about one of the most splendid bands in art rock, the Canadians Saga, and their new album “Trust.” Incredibly pleasing to the ears, and it’s incredible how much less known Saga are than, say, Rush (also Canadians), whose music is a much tougher nut for anyone’s brain to crack.
“Trust” faces two obvious novelties compared with its predecessor “Network” (2004). The first is that the ailing Christian Simpson has been replaced on drums by Brian Doerner, and the revamped rhythm section brings a recognizably refreshing sound to the new album. The other changes are stylistic, which is even more exciting.
Don’t worry. What we have here is a typical Saga album, exactly what the fans wanted and demanded. The band’s recognizable, unique trademarks are all here. From the guitar sound of stylistic oddball Jim Crichton, to the originality of Mike Sadler’s vocals, with their refined sensuality and melancholy, to the eternal genius of Jim Gilmour’s keyboards. Compared with “Network,” “Trust” takes the band back to the eighties in sound and style. The keyboards are more prominent in the band’s new look, and there are more solo spots for them again. Still, the new trend leans toward a general feeling of slightly simplified compositions, or songwriting. The flirting with AOR leanings is stronger again, so don’t be surprised by the more hymn-like choruses and the more frequent use of backing vocal lines layered over Mike Sadler’s main one.
“Trust” is an excellent album. With it, Saga have caught something that’s very hard to catch. It’s that sought-after virtue of every rock album, which we call the ideal balance of everything. Obviously, for a band like Saga that’s no longer anything special. Seasoned old tomcats simply know how it’s done. After the opening burst of gas, they nicely settle the ball down with the mid-tempo, highly atmospheric I’m OK. Gilmour has vividly infused the album with samples of “jingling,” “clattering” and other special sonic adventures, and subtly added them into the foundation of the songs. That’s one of the little stones in the mosaic that helped Saga build a colorful, filled-to-the-brim sound with the exceptionally filigree-precise production that otherwise graces their albums. The album’s unpredictability and its extreme listenability at the same time are an ideally matched pair once again. And that very attribute of the album is the most appealing to explore, because it brings music gourmets and strict fans of the radio waves together under one roof. E.g. the song My Friend once again confirms the band’s innate talent for writing deeply sensual ballads. “Trust” is a highly dynamic album with varied songs, and it’s amazing where, after all these years of activity, the band members draw the energy for all the creativity and freshness the new album delivers in such a flawless display of musical perfectionism. Saga goes on, then.
Line-up
Michael Sadler – vocals
Ian Crichton – guitar
Jim Gilmour – keyboards, backing vocals
Jim Crichton – bass guitar
Brian Doerner – drums
Production
Jim Critchon
Track list
1. That’s As Far As I’ll Go 4:36
2. Back To The Shadows 5:16
3. I’m OK 5:36
4. Time To Play 3:31
5. My Friend 3:19
6. Trust 5:44
7. It’s Your Life 4:10
8. Footsteps In The Hall 3:25
9. Ice In The Rain 5:01
10. You Were Right 4:05
11. On The Other Side 4:56
Album length: 48:19
