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Two Jon Anderson solo albums

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Poll Question: Which Jon solo album do you prefer?
Poll Choice Votes Poll Statistics
14 [53.85%]
3 [11.54%]
1 [3.85%]
7 [26.92%]
1 [3.85%]
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AFlowerKingCrimson View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote AFlowerKingCrimson Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Two Jon Anderson solo albums
    Posted: July 01 2019 at 20:00
I'll have to think about which one I actually like better. I didn't include Olias because I figure that's his most well known and most popular. These two seem to be more or less on equal ground imo.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote patrickq Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 01 2019 at 20:42
I went with So7. Unfortunately most of his albums have around two songs I really like, and another two or so that are OK. Which means that i listen to a ‘best of Jon Anderson’ playlist rather than whole albums (except Olias, which also has strong and weak tracks, imho, but hangs together nicely as a whole work).
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote AFlowerKingCrimson Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 01 2019 at 20:53
I haven't heard all of Jon Anderson's solo albums but for me out of the ones I have heard Olias of Sunhillow is his strongest with no filler. I think side one is better than side two but it works as a whole and is not something I would want to listen to only part of if I had the choice. I also like his "in the city of angels" album but that's a very pop and r&b focused album with bits of new age and world music thrown in. There aren't really any weak tracks on that one in my opinion but the sound is pretty far removed from what we are used to by him and even further away from Yes than his first three solo albums. Apparently some of his later albums go even further out than City of Angels even veering into pure ethnic, new age and hip hop/rap at times. I have to give him credit for taking chances. He's definitely follows his own compass even if the fans or critics don't get what he's up to. He's kind of like Peter Hammill that way(does his own thing).

Edited by AFlowerKingCrimson - July 01 2019 at 21:34
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mormegil Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 02 2019 at 06:38
Can't get into either.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote twosteves Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 02 2019 at 06:49
as a huge classic Yes fan---it was very obvious to me that Jon as a solo artist was not very good---he needed Howe, Rick, Patrick, Chris Allan and Bill to make his bits come alive---his collaboration with the great Vangelis were ok too so voted neither.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote AFlowerKingCrimson Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 02 2019 at 10:36
Well, you can't listen to his solo albums expecting to hear Yes that's for sure. If you do  you will certainly be disappointed. Other than his first solo album I don't think many(if any) are actually bonafide classics but I feel they are good for what they are and like I said I like the fact that he took chances. As for his stuff with Vangelis I mostly only know his "best of Jon and Vangelis" album which I think is good if a bit one dimensional due to the limited instrumentation.

Edited by AFlowerKingCrimson - July 02 2019 at 10:38
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Progosopher Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 02 2019 at 10:57
I am going to cop out and vote both equally. Animation is the more consistent of the two but has nothing approaching the title track of Song of Seven. Ying Yang
The world of sound is certainly capable of infinite variety and, were our sense developed, of infinite extensions. -- George Santayana, "The Sense of Beauty"
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Manuel Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 02 2019 at 15:53
I like Song of Seven a little more than Animation, so it gets my vote.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote verslibre Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 02 2019 at 16:13
SOS
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote AFlowerKingCrimson Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 02 2019 at 17:43
I actually like Animation quite a bit but SoS sounds more organic to me. Animation kind of sounds like Jon trying to fit in with the new wave crowd or something. I really like the title track on that one, all gods children, Olympia and a few others and even though SoS has a few tracks that might be weaker the higher parts, especially Song of Seven, For You for Me and Everybody loves you make up for it in my opinion. My vote goes to Song of Seven.

Edited by AFlowerKingCrimson - July 02 2019 at 17:46
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BaldFriede Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 03 2019 at 02:43
Neither. Of his solo albums I only like the first one, "Olias of Sunhillow". But that one I really love; it is one of my favourites.


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tdfloyd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 03 2019 at 20:31
Minority opinion here; Olias is one of those highly regarded albums that I have tried hard to like but it doesn’t work for me. You can also add Tubular Bells and Third. Big fan of So7. I know there isn’t a ton of prog here but as a pop rock album it works very well.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Man With Hat Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 03 2019 at 21:59
SOS
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Frenetic Zetetic Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 04 2019 at 01:42
Song of Seven

"I am so prog, I listen to concept albums on shuffle." -KMac2021
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote miamiscot Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 04 2019 at 09:06
The only Jon Anderson albums worth owning:

Olias Of Sunhillow
Invention Of Knowledge (with that Swedish dude)
1000 Hands

Most everything else he's released has been either hit and miss or truly awful.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BaldJean Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 05 2019 at 08:39
"Invention of Knowledge" sounds very much like "Olias of Sunhillow". as if the latter was cut up into little bits that were then put together again, only in totally different order. the lyrics appear to have changed, though I am not certain about that. for all I know they may be the same as well since I can't make heads or tails of them anyway WinkConfused

Edited by BaldJean - July 05 2019 at 13:15


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Dopeydoc Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 05 2019 at 15:52
Neither. No very good solo album from any Yes member except Chris Squire's Fish out of water
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