Two Jon Anderson solo albums |
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AFlowerKingCrimson
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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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patrickq
Prog Reviewer Joined: June 18 2015 Location: the New England Status: Offline Points: 508 |
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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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AFlowerKingCrimson
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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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Mormegil
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Can't get into either.
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Welcome to the middle of the film.
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twosteves
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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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AFlowerKingCrimson
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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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Progosopher
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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.
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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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Manuel
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I like Song of Seven a little more than Animation, so it gets my vote.
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verslibre
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SOS
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AFlowerKingCrimson
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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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BaldFriede
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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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BaldJean and I; I am the one in blue. |
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tdfloyd
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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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Man With Hat
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SOS
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Dig me...But don't...Bury me
I'm running still, I shall until, one day, I hope that I'll arrive Warning: Listening to jazz excessively can cause a laxative effect. |
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Frenetic Zetetic
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Song of Seven
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"I am so prog, I listen to concept albums on shuffle." -KMac2021 |
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miamiscot
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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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BaldJean
Prog Reviewer Joined: May 28 2005 Location: Germany Status: Offline Points: 10377 |
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"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
Edited by BaldJean - July 05 2019 at 13:15 |
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A shot of me as High Priestess of Gaia during our fall festival. Ceterum censeo principiis obsta |
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Dopeydoc
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Neither. No very good solo album from any Yes member except Chris Squire's Fish out of water
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