Never everyone’s cup of tea, Canadian progsters Saga were too catchy and commercial for some prog fans, and too long-winded and conceptual for the average teenybopper. Nevertheless, their 1981 album Worlds Apart brought them commercial success in both Europe and the USA, placing them in the big arenas where their glossy sound seemed most at home.
This double-disc (also available in deluxe and DVD formats) captures a recent live show in Switzerland, during which, as the title suggests, they performed Worlds Apart in its entirety, as the centrepiece of a greatest hitsoriented set. As always, Saga’s musicianship is beyond question, and they flawlessly recreate the intricate and complex Asia-esque music of their albums, with Michael Sadler’s vocals equally impeccable throughout. Indeed, it’s all so perfect that it’s only during the fan singalongs (not normally a highlight) that the sense of live occasion really comes across. For the casual listener the keyboard-heavy sound can become a little saccharine after two hours, but for diehard fans this shows the band in formidable shape.
