10.000 DAYS

Well . It,s been a very short time since Trust and that is a risk.

But this album is almost as good as its predecessor.

The first song is in the line of Wildest Dreams songs..and then i said "!ow¡,hope not all the album".

Fortunatelly is only a bad start .The next songs are very good.

The instrumental song is awesome.

This guys (with some years...now) mantain their versatility and creative concept in prog.(yes is a little pop prog.but in that style may be they are the best).

Is good that Saga returned to their roots(first albums)some cds before and in this one still.

Congratulations to Saga.

4 stars

Sadly I have to say I 'm a bit disappointed with 10000 days. After the excellent Trust,it seems Saga decided to release a new album very quickly, but maybe they should have work more longer on this. Most of the songs sound unfinished, unconvincing: same intro, same synthesizer sound, same arrangements. It's well played but there is clearly a lack of inspiration. Moreover and what is completely surprising is that Michael sings with poor convinction in his voice, just like he is bored by doing it. Even the excellent "10000 days " song which could have been a killer is sung with distance, during the refrain Michael is hardly heardable (it's Jim we're hearing). However, several songs are very good like "Book of Lies", the brilliant instru "Corkentellis" maybe their best instru ever, "10000 days" which will become a fans favorite for sure and "It never ends" which closes nicely the album. So, only 3 stars for Michael last album with Saga (I hope he will return however) but a must have for Saga fans.

Well you know that - despite of recognizing their excellent sound production as usual (especially talking about the best sound engineering, as well as their typical polished production...) - I don't get crazy for a few songs in the vein of "Wildest Dreams" or some other tunes closer to the previous issue...Instead I prefer the most unusual aspects of their music, such as those ones emerged from their diverse "Generation 13th" and - generally - if you listen to a few albums where the sound is just a little bit hard. Don't get me wrong, the imprinting of the band is always present and also a certain energy inside; nevertheless I can't see a great development of the music plot, anyway concluded by means of their attempt to write the word "end" to their long-date important project with M. Sandler (in the course of thirty years!!), within a sort of music testament. For example the song "More Than I Deserve" is "symptomatic", regarding of a strange situation inside the band...probably it's the lack of inspiration or a certain sense of tiredness, I don't know, anyway that's the result of a long tiring music career. It reminds me of a similar situation within the line-up of Spock's Beard a few yeas ago, when the leader - Mr Morse -decided to split from the band...also in that situation there was a point of no-return and They couldn't find an easy way out from the "stagnation" concerning their composition. "Corkentellis" is the unfailing instrumental number, but it's not a strong break-through, at least if They keep on running all their typical influences and music styles too; it's a fast resumè of their career, all along their almost complete music puzzle (put together in great haste) however concerning (unfortunately) the last chapter of Mr Sandler with Saga.

Even though you're not a long date fan probably you will like it anyway, especially if you appreciate the recent albums by Spock's Beard or the most accessible ensemble of Pallas...make your own choice as usual!!

This still has all the hallmarks of a great Saga album .Quirky guitar / keyboard interplay ,w/ a touch of pop sensibility .This album rounds out nicely the recent resurgence in Saga's discography starting w/the comeback album Full Circle ,& an additonal 5 corkers ,the only weak one in my view Marathon which in itself did have some very good moments .The rest of this sixpack however are nothing short of genius .It's really a shame Michael has to go ,I'm sure the guys will give us some top shelf music as Jim Gilmour has an excellent voice w/ a very haunting quality ,however as we know Mr.Sadler is irreplacable .I honestly have to say since their latest run starting in '98 ,their music was getting more airplay in my car & my home more than any other group in quite some time .Also the live Chapters & Detours were a rewarding trip for us diehards .But if they had to go they certainly went out w/class on 10,000 Days ,a fitting coda .On a more personal note just want to tip the hat & a big thank you from a fan that's been w/you since album number one ! cheers & god bless Dan Nova Scotia

10,000 Days stands out as a refreshing piece of work from a band that ( to me ) has been a bit repetitive as of late. The album overall has a clean , well balanced sound to it with excellent audio clarity and strong vocals . Saga blasts out the gate with Lifeline. A nice start to the album, it has a sound to it that is recognized as Saga right away and gives one a good idea of what to expect as they progress through this album. A great guitar/ synth leadout on the back of the song. 4 stars Book Of Lies is a somewhat quirky but hard hitting song that ,once again, has some great instrumental interplay laced throughout it. Especially nice guitar work. Definitely not a letdown. One of those songs that grows on you. 4 stars Sideways, to me, is the best song on the piece. Starts off with what can only be described as something that reminds one of early Yes, ala Fragile. It then quickly changes to an excellent balanced piece of beautiful vocal harmonics with superb electronic chops thrown in to give it some edge. It just has that sound to it that reaches out and grabs you. Or, at least, me. 5 stars. Can You See Me Now? A great song with some heavy guitar work in it and the Saga trademark vocals and chorus. Not filler by any means. 4 stars Next up is Corkentellis, an instrumental that is fantastic. Nice loud, clear synth work with some good raw gutar interplay. Not instantly recognizable as Saga to me. Reminds me of something from earlier Styx, ala Grand Illusion. Not to take anything away from Saga- this is great stuff. 5 stars. More than I Deserve is the track that lets me down on this album. Slow, mellow and not very catchy. Sound like alot of other Saga that I don't really like too much. Just kind of blaa to me. Sorry, guys. 2 stars Back to form with Sound Advice. A good song that sounds alot like Saga from the previous albums of Trust or Network. Good sraightforward rock. 3 stars 10, 000 days is a track that is good but not great to me. Tells a good story and has good vocal chorus but kind of has too much sameness to it. 3 stars Last track, Never Ends is sweet. Great keyboards again with upfront presence mixed so well with guitar. 4 stars. A good solid bookend to a Saga release that I think is one of their top 3 or 4 attempts. I would welcome more of this anytime. Michael will be missed but, hopefully, the band will continue to move ahead in his absence.

I couldn't wait to get to this album after having let the new release settle in my ears. Despite having a new vocalist, the Human Condition brought back fond memories of LPs like Heads or Tales. So coming back to this one, I feel I should probably have done the opposite and listened to this one first. Not that 10,000 Days suffers in comparison. Rather , 10 000 Days sounds like a group that is secure in its' place in the music world. A group that was consistently delivering the goods during its 3rd decade. And Trust had seen them deliver a fan fave here at PA.

Lifeline & Book Of Lies start things off well, with Lifeline coming across as an updated "Wind Him Up", and the latter song like How Long played sideways. The boys sure haven't lost anything, although Michael Sadler singing is less theatrical, more straightforward rock , than I remembered.

Sideways, Sound Advice & It Never Ends burrowed themselves into my brain, as I am still racking my memory to find where I've heard the chorus' melodies before. So far, all I can say is that it may just be that they are what any great rock or pop song strives to be - the hook that draws you in, that seals the deal on enjoying the song. Is Sideways a Signals Era Rush gone pop tune ? Could Sound Advice be the bastard offspring of Journey & the Police ? Would It Never Ends have kept classic Styx fans happy if the group had stuck to this sound past Grand Illusion ? Or . are we just hearing the ball of musical magic that Saga can be at its' best ?

Corkentellis is an instrumental. Saga does these well. Their Neo side is on display here, with both Ian Crichton & Jim Gilmour showing just what a guitar & keyboard whiz can put together as a team .

Can't You See Me Now is the type of song that had it come out on either Behaviour or Wildest Dreams, it might have kept the proggier Saga fans happy with the poppier direction that the group had headed to.

The centrepiece, for me, is More Than I Deserve. Imagine the best of Freddie Mercury's latter day ballads in Queen. This one matches them .

All in all, a very fine album. Well deserving of a listen by those prog fans with a penchant for pop or Neo. And for those like me, who had given up on the group way back after Heads or Tales . a revelation , and a motivation to delve into their work since 1983.

I can't give it a 4, and a 3 would just diminish the current rating or 3.58. But 3.5 is not an option. AND of course, if you've read the review, you now know what I think of the album. I.E. no disappointment.

It never ends?

1999 to 2009 was a really prolific and consistent period for Saga with no less than seven good studio albums in a row, starting with the backward-looking Full Circle and ending with the non- Michael Sadler-led The Human Condition (and who knows what will be next?). I have been familiar with most of these albums for several years, but I have not reviewed them until now as on the first few listens some of these albums admittedly sounded much the same to me. The sheer wealth of recent Saga releases probably hindered me from fully appreciating all of these albums individually in their own rights. I did however like 10.000 Days from the very start and it has since grown into one of my favourites out of the 00's Saga albums. What makes it stand out from the rest is admittedly rather subtle and it was not immediately obvious to me just how good this album actually is. But compared to the previous albums from the same period, 10.000 Days is perhaps slightly more refined and intelligent overall. The songs feature slightly more quirks and subtle twists and turns than your average Saga album; there is a little bit less focus on catchy choruses than usual and there are no cheesy lyrics; the sound is slightly heavier and harder-edged than many others and the album is slightly darker in both tone and subject matter. And with only nine tracks on the album, the compositions are slightly longer than usual and more room is thus left for instrumental workouts. The album's longest track - the weirdly titled, seven minute plus, Corkentellis - is actually an instrumental!

The album's first four tracks are among the strongest recent Saga material and the aforementioned instrumental adds diversity and excitement to the whole. More Than I Deserve is a nice ballad and the title-track is a real anthem. Some of these songs immediately sound like "classics" to me. There are a couple of less strong tracks towards the end, including the closer It Never Ends, but there are thankfully no embarrassments this time around and the album remains consistently enjoyable over many listens.

10.000 Days does not (like Generation 13) stand head and shoulders above other Saga albums, but constituting the culmination of a long string of good Saga albums of the new millennium, made me push it up to four stars. A very fitting swansong of Micheal Sadler.

Saga is for me one of my absolutly fav bands ever for more then 20 years. I've enjoy lots of their albums, even those who are less spectacular and less inventive. In 2007 Saga released 10.000 days, a very solid and quite on same level with what they've done in the glory days. In fact 10.000 days is the best Saga album since Full circle , another Saga album that is my fav and probably in top 5 best Saga albums ever. Crystal sound, polished production, catchy choruses, top notch guitar parts and some fantastic keybords here. The vocal parts sounds great and with fresh aproach, Sadler voice is unique. Crichton guitar never sounded better since Heads or tales and in combination with Gilmour keybords, this album is really a must not only for Saga fans but in general. From the opening Lifeline, Saga means bussines , all is perfect, follows another top tune Book of lies and so on , not a boring moment here only highlights, Sideways is one of the best Saga tunes in last 2 decades for sure, catchy as hell from vocal lines, choruses and guitar/keybords arrangements. We have an instrumental little treasure here, the longest track Corkentellis clocking around 8 min, and is a real gem,, brillian musicinship here. The album end in great manner with It never ends, indeed it never ends with great Saga albums. All in all 10.000 days kick ass big time, all musicians show that they still got great ideas to bring after 30 years career. For me easy 4 stars, recommended, solid release and one of they absolutly best albums. Nice package aswell, digipak with great artwork.

After a run of poorly-received albums over the prior decade or so, Saga released 'Trust' in 2006 to favorable reviews, which helped the band start to reestablish themselves and prove their relevance. And so it comes to the follow-up and to see if the band could capitalize on this newfound momentum and sense of revival, or if they'd fall back into the "has-beens" category, where they'd spent the best part of the last few years.

The answer lies somewhere in the middle.

'10,000 Days' is a solid album, no doubt. The songwriting and creativity doesn't quite match up to previous release 'Trust', but the band do still maintain a renewed vigor, with some energetic performances and instrumental acrobatics, especially between guitarist Ian Crichton and keyboardist Jim Gilmour. The music is keyboard-driven progressive rock at its finest, and the group show that, in a day and age full of virtuoso musicians everywhere, these guys still have the chops when it counts.

While this record does suffer from a fair amount of filler material, there are some strong compositions that make this a worthy purchase. 'Lifeline', 'Book of Lies', 'Sideways', 'It Never Ends' and instrumental track 'Corkentellis' may not rank among any of Saga's greatest hits, but they're still damn good songs none-the-less.

While '10,000 Days' isn't perfect, it's still a good album by a newly-revitalized band. It's unlikely to convert any new fans, but people who enjoyed 'Trust' might still see potential in this group to continue releasing solid music. "Good, but non-essential" sums it up perfectly.

Studio album number 18 for Saga was supposed to be the last album that vocalist Michael Sadler would sing for the band. As such, it was treated as an important album. It also followed up one of their best albums in a long time, "Trust", which was one of their best "comeback" albums. This one would also turn out to not disappoint, and would have been a great career ending album for the band, one that would have been a respected epilogue.

Lifeline - A return to the form of "Worlds Apart" and "Heads or Tails" with the plucky guitar runs and running keyboard riff. The instrumental break stops the beat for several seconds before it returns to a nice guitar/synth play-off. It's a great, upbeat starter for the album.

Book of Lies - The beat is solider and the guitar is hard and heavy, the vocal melody sound a bit more progressive switching back and forth between tempo/meters. It's another solid track. This one treats you to a longer and blistering guitar solo during the instrumental break.

Sideways - Starts with only a guitar and piano playing a joyful riff before the band kicks in with a somewhat smoother song than the previous two. The staccato playing gives in to obvious over-phrasing, and it makes for a nice dynamic change up. Guitar and marimba mirror each other playing the same riff at one point.

Can't You See Me Now - This is the first of several songs that break the 6 minute mark. The intro almost sounds like an electronic track, but the guitar cuts in quickly and a steady beat begins. Again, the phrasing is important in this one like on the last track. But that clanky electronic/guitar riff contradicts the smoothness of everything else. This one kind of cools off the excitement of the first 3 tracks and it brings the album down a notch. But, in the instrumental break, the guitar picks up the crazy synth riff and runs away with it turning it into a complex passage. The vocal sections take the steam out of the track though. I remember Tapfret mentioning that a badly placed track can end up ruining an entire album, and this track (at least the vocal sections) runs the risk of doing that here. Except for the fact that the next track more than makes up for any ground lost.

Corkentellis - A 7 minute instrumental. By this time in the Saga timeline, it is something I never thought I would say in regards to one of the more recent Saga albums. And it could very well be the best thing Saga has done for a very long time. This one soars through moods and styles effortlessly and is definitely a much needed homage to the instrumentalists of the band. This one is on fire!

More Than I Deserve - After that wild track, this is the ballad of the album, and it is an effective cooling off song after such a showcase of instrumental prowess. This is now Sadler's time to show off his tender side. It's a nice ballad, not the band's best, but good enough.

Sound Advice - This one is a pretty typical Saga track, a good track that is enjoyable, but doesn't stand out among their best tracks. It could be a good single as it is a bit more accessible, but is also catchy enough to not be completely forgotten. However, it would easily fit on one of their lesser albums.

10,000 Days - A song that sees Sadler reflecting on his tenure (at the time) with Saga. It's a nice nostalgic song with a flowing melody and is appropriate for the album considering what it was originally supposed to represent (Sadler's retirement from the band). 10,000 days is representative of the time Sadler spent with the band. Pretty nice for a ballad-style track.

It Never Ends - Probably the best track to end on. It gives the main players a chance to shine in vocals and instrumental sections. A nice way to end any album and musical career on.

As we all know, Sadler did retire for only one album. Saga immediately started looking for a vocalist to take Sadler's place, and they found a suitable replacement in Rob Moratti, who had his own style, yet could also belt out the Sadler songs respectfully enough. However, by the time the album "20/20" was released, Sadler had announced his return to the band, making the album that would follow up this one, "The Human Condition", the only album that Sadler was not a part of. So, it was a false retirement, but that still doesn't take away from the fact that "10,000 Days" is one of Saga's better latter-day albums.