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Saga - Full Circle

Artist:	Saga
Title:	Full Circle
Label:	Steamhammer/SPV SPVD 21462
Length(s):	50 minutes
Year(s) of release:	1999
Month of review:	08/1999

Line up

Michael Sadler - vocals
Jim Crichton - bass, bass keyboards
Ian Crichton - guitars
Jim Gilmour - keyboards, vocals
Steve Negus - drums

Tracks

1)	Remember When (chapter 9)	5.20
2)	The One	4.21
3)	Follow Me	5.07
4)	Uncle Albert's Eyes (chapter 13)	5.22
5)	Home	5.06
6)	Don't Say Goodbye	5.33
7)	Time Bomb	4.05
8)	Not This Way (chapter 13?)	5.04
9)	Night To Remember	5.44
10)	Goodbye	3.59

Summary

Supposed to signify a return to the older sound of Saga (Worlds Apart era). A number of remarks: the bio also gives Uncle Albertross Eyes but I have chosen for this title on the basis of what I could understand of the lyrics. Not This Way is probably another chapter, but this is what was written. Everybody should be familiar with this band so let's skip to the music. The release is planned for the 20th of September.

The music

Opening with the rather poppy Remember When this song is more or less what I tend to expect from Saga: a rather up-tempo sound based mostly on guitar. This also holds for the new single The One which features some typical Saga guitarwork (a la Don't Be Late). The chorus sounds very sparse for Saga (almost only vocals), but afterwards the rock bursts loose again. Follow Me opens with clear acoustic guitar, and turns out to be a somewhat willowy waltz with a children choir. The melody is quite good and the songs is a departure from the standard Saga sound. Uncle Albert's Eyes has rather bouncy verses and features some rather quirky parts, but also a nicely melodious chorus. Home is a two pronged song: there are the quiet acoustics verses, but also the powerful chords of the chorus. Don't Say Goodbye is a slow moving song, a bit hazy, but offset against a good melodic chorus with soaring guitar work. Time Bomb is a rather weird track with poppy vocals, but also quite a lot of effects and a strong keyboard presence based on a playful melody. Occasionally the guitar lets go a bit introducing a chaotic note into the whole. A varied track. Not This Way (chapter ??) is a ballad Night To Remember is a tense pumping track with epic qualities. I'm sometimes reminded of You're Not Alone here (in the chorus). After a rather weird intermezzo (after a ragtime? part shredding guitar is combined with a quirky keyboard riff). One of the more interesting tracks recalling early Saga. The name of the closer is Goodbye, and it opens with a high ethereal guitar. This first part is a very anthemic. This is really an impressive song, with emotional guitar playing and singing. The band does not give in to having a bombastic closing, but ends on a rather sad note.

Conclusion

After weak albums such Beginners Guide and such the band came back terrifically with Generation 13, in my opinion their only completely good album (although admittedly they made some terrific songs such as Don't Be Late and Wind Him Up). The other recent albums I do not consider to be bad, but because of the quite accessible music not veyr interesting either. At first glance this is another one of those, but on the other hand the band does introduce some more variety: the first songs are more typical of Saga than later songs. While the earlier songs are more "songs" the later tracks also contain a few more epic tracks such as Don't Say Goodbye and Night To Remember in which atmosphere plays also a role. The most impressive track I think is Goodbye, a track with a strong emotional content.