Great Overlooked Band

[shadowmac]

I recently (a few months ago) heard a song on the radio that I'd heard a hundred or more times before, but on this occasion I REALLY listened to it. The song was "On the Loose" by the band SAGA. I had dismissed the song as pop-rock so many times before because the keyboards are mixed forward, which is very Euro-pop, and being American, we usually listen for guitars to be up in the mix. This time however, I found myself really getting into it because when I listened to the complex rhythms it became clear that it was so much like the music that my band HEDDA is influenced by; i.e. heavy, intricate rhythms, smooth run-based segues, intelligent lyrics, great vocals and astounding musicianship - a fantastic combination of solid song-writing and progessiveness. Being a big fan of ASIA and QUEEN, I could hear similarities in SAGA's music that appealed to me. I bought the album "Worlds Apart" the next day. I listened to it several times in a row.

A few interesting facts became apparent after hearing the album "Worlds Apart" stimulated doing a little research on the band.
- "On the Loose" was released in 1981 on SAGA's 4th album, "Worlds Apart". I didn't even know that they had more than one album, but as it turns out, they were a one hit wonder (2 hits actually) only in the United States, but SAGA became huge overseas.
- SAGA has released 20 studio albums and 5 live albums over the last 30 years - I now own ten of them and have become a huge fan of SAGA.
- SAGA had the same lead vocalist (Michael Sadler) for all but the last album, The Human Condition, released in in 2009. As an aside, The new singer, Rob Moratti, is also the lead vocalist in the band Final Frontier and has a very pleasing voice. The new album combines traditional SAGA with a harder edge.

Please, do yourself a favor if you like great musicianship and great songwriting; listen to SAGA. They cover the spectrum of rock and progressive rock; one moment they sound like The Cars, the next they sound like Dream Theater (before there was a Dream Theater!) and the next it's Queen or Bowie or Kansas. Honestly, I am hard to impress, and I am VERY impressed with SAGA.

Listen to the interplay and weaving of the instruments in these songs:

"On the Loose" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2glFe0sY_y4

"Step Inside" from The Human Condition 2009 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSkxP-gwO...re=related

"Trust" mid-career SAGA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzcYzoRNfMI

"10,000 Days" My 5 year old twin daughters' fave from SAGA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HV9R1icvlzE Forgive the sound here, this is a live performance and NOT a professional recording - the album version is AWESOME. 10,000 days is a bit over 27 years and that is how many years the band had been together when they recorded it.

This band should not be overlooked!

Enjoy, Mac

[Tiggi]

I know of Saga, but have never knowingly heard anything by them.

I'll check them out, expecting not to like them...

[Music Head]

I listened

Liked Trust the best of the 4. Of course that last one I'm sure doesn't do justice.

Sure hear the influences of Asia and Kansas. Didnt hear the Queen though.

Not a big arena rock fan, but they were ok.

thanks mac

[shadowmac]

Hey Music Head, thanks for taking a listen. Try this one for a little Queen (A night at the Opera era) comparison: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrkVWVgwwfc You may hear a little TOTO in this one as well.

Mac

[Music Head]

Hey Music Head, thanks for taking a listen. Try this one for a little Queen (A night at the Opera era) comparison: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrkVWVgwwfc You may hear a little TOTO in this one as well.

Mac

Spot on, on both tags.

Best of the 5

[Tiggi]

Spotify don't have Worlds Apart available to stream, so I'm currently listening to 10 000 Days from '07:



I realise this is 20+ years later than your recommended album, and guess the two albums differ somewhat.

Don't dislike it, but it's not something I'd be persuaded to buy. Musically reminds me at times of Yes, who I like, but strangely doesn't quite hit the mark...

[shadowmac]

Thanks for giving them a shot. I find 10,000 Days to be an O.K. album with one great track (the title song) that shows off some really nice key / guitar layering and weaving patterns. Try the album "Trust" on for size; it's got more OOOMPH and the writing was better. "Network" is a very good album from earlier in their career and definitely shows off a YES influence.

And YES to the Yes comparison, but even more-so to ASIA. When one disects the parts that make up the whole, the musicianship and writing really is impressive. The subtleties of Yes are present in the SAGA material, but as I mentioned they (SAGA) are much more like early hook-based, momentarily-periodic prog-esque ASIA (i.e. the albums ASIA - Asia, ASIA - Alpha), but again, SAGA employs so many other facets that clearly influenced later bands like Dream Theater and Shadow Gallery.

After giving it more thought, I find SAGA to be comparable in many ways to yet another band; Todd Rundgren's UTOPIA, though SAGA is less quirky and displays better musicianship.

Trust me, I understand that SAGA is not for everyone - heck, it took me 25+ years to decide that I like 'em! And by-the-by, my wife can't stand SAGA; she hates keyboard based music.

Mac

[HOMBRE]

going to have a listen now, cant say iv ever heard of them tbh...... cant say i like yes or utopia tho