During the health crisis in 2020, many groups unplugged their electric instruments to release acoustic albums and this time, it was the turn of the Canadians of 'Saga' who recorded 'Symmetry' with the contribution of strings. We therefore find titles from all of their careers revisited with interpretations that give us a whole different reading and this from the start with 'Pitchman' from the album 'Heads Or Tales' from 1983 which is unrecognizable and the modern rewrite gives a second youth to this already 40 years old track with violins and acoustic guitars that twirl, then we carry on with a very successful patchwork of compositions with 'The Perfect Time to Feel Better' which brings together in a beautiful way 'Time to Go', 'The Perfectionist' and 'We Hope You're Feeling Better', all the three titles being conducive to this acoustic reinterpretation. The sequel takes us back in time to the end of the 70s with a melancholy 'Images - Chapter One' then scrolls 'Always There' from 2001 (album 'House of Cards') with its very original banjo accompaniment, the two small instrumental commas 'Prelude' of 'Ian Crichton', an endearing 'Say Goodbye to Hollywood' of 'Steel Umbrellas' from 1994, a new medley 'The Right Side of the Other Hall' bringing together the compositions 'Footsteps in the Hall' and a mix between 'You Were Right' and 'On the Other Side' by 'Trust' released in 2006 and which they have completely revised with additions here and there like this magnificent folk break in the middle of the title. New instrumental break with 'La Foret Harmonieuse' which is a piano study of 'Jim Crichton' on which 'Michael Sadler' comes to put a few words, then the album ends with three essentials of 'Saga', first with 'Worlds Apart' which offers us a whole different face from the original impetuous (released in the live 'In Transit' from 1982) and which becomes almost melancholy for the occasion, then' No Regrets' which suffers the same fate and which is certainly my favorite of the album with the beautiful instrumental arrangements to finish with Equally addictive 'Tired World' with a 'Michael Sadler' at its peak, the accompanying acoustic instruments bringing that festive side that 'Saga' has conveyed for so many years.
In summary, the Canadians of 'Saga' release much more than pale acoustic covers of their compositions but simply give new life to these songs which have become staples of progressive rock for the past 40 years and we are even frustrated to arrive so quickly at the end of the album because, for my part, I would have taken a small dose with the same treatment made for 'On The Loose', 'Humble Stance', 'You' re Not Alone' or even 'Don't Be Late' but we console ourselves with the last live released in 2018, 'So Good So Far' from their last tour of 2017... | |
