Saga
Trust

Behind the somewhat aggressive moniker, with an epic-metal flavor, and almost always sci-fi covers, there's a substantially AOR (Audience Oriented Rock) group, with traces of progressive, pop, and pomp... I wonder how many people, evaluating their name and CD covers, have discarded them outright by judging them noisy and flashy, and conversely how many others, attracted by the denomination and packaging, have then been disappointed to find them much more refined and mature than expected.

In other terms, Saga is the typical keyboard-based-but-with-a-great-guitar-player group. This little man (Ian Crichton, whose skill is inversely proportional to his height) being mostly freed from rhythmic duties since the pieces are composed and overplayed by the group's keyboardists, is free to roam with his large and saturated VanHalen-esque sound in counterpoints, flourishes, underlines, and very effective solos.

Speaking of the keyboardists: there's the main one named Gilmour (Jim..., not related) with classical studies, authoritative touch... but the singer Michael Sadler also often and willingly places his hands on the black and white keys, and occasionally Jim Crichton, the guitarist's brother and the bass player and producer of the group, does so too.

Saga is Canadian, therefore their sound is neither fully American nor fully European. Saga is quite seasoned now... the group made their recording debut in 1978 and with this, we’re beyond the 20th album. Congratulations! Despite their many albums, in Italy, few of us know them. Even in Great Britain, they are hardly noticed, they do better in Germany, always generous with rock, up there they are more than a cult group... to say, when they tour Europe they have two dates in London, one in Paris, one in Zurich... and fifteen in Germany! It's undeniably a group that knows how to play very well with great taste, looking to keep it light if not for the large guitar I mentioned earlier, hard and resolute. Their specialty is the guitar-keyboard duets, but not in the Dream Theater way, there's no arrogance, there's no exaggeration, only a hint of progressive to a situation that could otherwise become pop...

I find it hard to frame them within well-known parameters... it's just that they are very unique! Listen to believe. Beyond the album in question which I chose because it just came out and I am not here describing piece by piece, I recommend trying with any of theirs that you come across, as they're not that easy to find. Naturally, they have their best albums and the lesser ones, they had their most progressive period (first three albums), the most pop one (late '80s), even a mild-grunge attempt (mid '90s, and of course, everyone went through that).