IN TRANSIT

I'd like to talk about SAGA (which I listened in my early teens) in general because, even if the band has been active to these days, I feel them belonging tightly to the early eighties rock scene. I'm advicing that if you are an 80's hater, forget about SAGA. Would I sound ridiculous if I described SAGA as a cross between SCORPIONS and ULTRAVOX of the time? I mean a mix of 80's hard rock and synth pop, plus some sophisticated side to it, say TWELFTH NIGHT meets SUPERTRAMP. But on this live album the material has emphasis on catchy synth-driven hard rock numbers like 'Wind Him Up' and 'You're Not Alone' and therefor a slightly narrower pallette than on Saga's studio albums. Yes, there is the peaceful 'No Regrets', but not e.g. 'Images' or 'Time to Go'.

'Don't Be Late', one of my favourite Saga songs, is a perfect example of the 80's feel, deliciously dramatic with whispered lines and all. The same about the ending of 'Humble Stance': slow synth pulse; "aa-aah, there's no one going to help you... aa- aah, there's no one going to [whispered again] HELP YOU...." Yeah! Maybe corny but sorta lovely. On the whole... (while others praise this to be technically superior to studio material, and in a way they're right I guess), borrowing this live album maybe wasn't as fond a nostalgic rendez-vous as SAGA's studio albums might have been. A couple more listens and goodbye again.