SAGA – Heads Or Tales [Remastered reissue 2021] HQ

Over 40 years have passed since the Canadian melodic prog-rock band SAGA released their self-titled debut album. Since then, they have been an exceptional musical phenomenon and toured the globe various times — all the while selling over 10 million albums worldwide.
Their sonic trademarks – synthesizer harmonies, keyboard-guitar riffs, melodic arrangements, and the charismatic vocals of frontman Michael Sadler – have made Saga an influential rock act of the modern era.
In 2021, earMUSIC is celebrating the band’s four-decade legacy launching a reissue series exquisitely remastered and these “must own” releases will be welcome additions to the musical libraries of the Saga faithful.
1983’s “Heads Or Tales” is a milestone in Saga’s discography and one of their most celebrated opus, still retaining their progressive touch but into ‘song format’, accessible melodic tunes with AOR waves and radio potential.

Saga reached here their peak, not for their progressive performance, but rather for the quality of the recording: indeed Rupert Hine produced a SUPERB atmospheric, flashy, echoed and powerful album: I have rarely heard a better recorded album than this one.
Saga has a quite new style here: they substantially reduced their complex & anthemic progressive elements to the profit of accessible, dynamic, colorful, fresh and flashy textures, putting in evidence many powerful lead & backing vocals / harmonies.

Previous studio effort ‘Worlds Apart’ earned the band worldly recognition, and with that kind of recognition came pressure. The pressure to release a good follow up, and one that would not be Worlds Apart part II.
Well, mission accomplished.

Gone are most complex progressive elements, though the musicianship still shines brightly. Most of the songs are more radio friendly, and hits like ‘The Flyer’ and ‘Scratching the Surface’ are good examples of quality melodic prog / rock& pop / AOR for the airwaves.
‘Cat Walk’ has a solid groove and a catchy main riff. ‘The Sound of Strangers’ features an excellent keyboard-guitar interplay, while ‘Social Orphan’ is a rocking number.
Then songs like ‘The Vendetta (Still Helpless)’ takes us back to the Saga of early days

The production was great for its time. Saga managed to take a radio friendly turn with this album and remained original and interesting to listen to, even for prog aficionados.
A terrific album, and this 2021 is superb.
HIGHLY Recommended

01 – The Flyer
02 – Cat Walk
03 – The Sound of Strangers
04 – The Writing
05 – Intermission
06 – Social Orphan
07 – The Vendetta (Still Helpless)
08 – Scratching the Surface
09 – The Pitchman
10 – Cat Walk (Unabridged)

Michael Sadler / lead vocals, keyboards
Ian Crichton / guitar
Jim Gilmour / keyboards, saxophone, vocals (8-lead)
Jim Crichton / bass, keyboards
Steve Negus / drums, percussion, electronic drums

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