THE SECURITY OF ILLUSION

Now this is a very fine Saga album, maybe one of their best in history. There are only good and great songs on this one and there is variation and a pretty heavy mood about it too which I like. The entrance is a group of chatting people without music flowing over nicely in the great track Mind over matter. After this track we know what we're dealing with. This is Saga kicking ass if I may say so. The next song Once is never enough has the same nice swing about it before we go into one of the two ballad like songs on the album. Alone again tonight is an emotional track superbly sung by the magnificent Michael Sadler. I'll leave it in your hands is more like the first two and then the title track and second ballad, another beautiful track. Stand up is a much rougher one again followed by Days like this, something special with a very nice atmosphere and a different vocalist (?) for once ! Voila is (too) short but extremely fine instrumental (piano) material. No mans land starts with catchy drumming, one of those original inventions by Saga then nice vocal work before the drumming ends the song as well. Last but not least Without you to end this very enjoyable listen for almost 50 minutes ending also with the chatting crowd.

You can say a lot of things about Saga but I believe it's an original and innovating band having made quite a lot of musical switches through the years. And that deserves some credit I think. At least 4 stars for this effort.