1984

This work is quite unusual for Anthony Phillips. Instead of the usual acoustic guitar mixed with loops, we have a keyboard driven suite. Many people remarked the fact that this album and Rick Wakeman's 1984 have been published the same year. The difference is that Wakeman's work is effectively a concept album while this one could have had any other title. More than Wakeman, I see simiarities with the instrumental parts of Mike Rutherford's Smallcreep's Day, at least in the Prologue.

All the album has a typical old fashioned Genesis sound and is very lighter than the novel it's supposed to be inspired from. Not properly an easy listening, but everything but challenging for who is used with Genesis.

The problem with this album is that hard fans of Anthony Phillips may be disappointed by an electronic album. Electronic music fans won't find anything new.

The 1984 suite (tracks 2 and 3) has some discontinuities that make it similar to some Mike Oldfield's suites (that's of course not a bad thing). The suite is split into two parts probably because of the vinyl release. I don't see any other reason to have a part 1 and a part 2.

Part 2 is more close to Mike Oldfield than Part 1. Platinum or Crisis may be a reference.

The Anthem is just a closing track with an "orchestral string" arrangement which reminds to some romantic classical music e.g. Mahler.

Non-essential but not bad. Better than some more traditional Phillips' acoustic efforts.