It’s not always easy for well-known players from popular bands to get fully recognized for their solo efforts. The players in Yes seem to have surfed this conundrum better than most though, from Rick Wakeman’s very popular early solo albums to Steve Howe’s well-received instrumental forays to, Chris Squire’s brilliant 1975 solo album Fish Out Of Water. Jon Anderson, the band’s original lead vocalist and one of its principal songwriters has released several solo albums; listening to the 2020 reissue of Song Of Seven, his second originally issued in 1980, one can’t help be tickled all over again with these nine tunes.
Featuring such stunning players as Jack Bruce on bass, guitarist Ian Bairnson of the Alan Parsons Project, drummers Morris Pert and Simon Phillips, and horn work from Johnny Dankworth and Dick Morrissey, Anderson served up a rather accessible brew — unlike anything his fans had heard from him at that point. Contrasting Anderson’s 1976’s progressive solo debut Olias Of Sunhillow, here was a set of shorter songs with catchy choruses, foot-stomping beats, and lots of horn.
Supposedly some of the material on Song Of Seven didn’t make it past the demo stages for the Yes album Tormato, released two years prior. “For You, For Me” starts off with bright key strikes and a bubbling beat as Anderson builds the verses and pushes the chorus. “Some Are Born,” features a genuinely light touch to the lyric and a funky sax that kick this one into radio-friendly land (though it likely got little airplay back in the day).
“Everybody Loves You” features a Beach-Boy vocal layering, splashes of piano where it matters, an infectious bass line (and solo), and a floating electric guitar to create one of the album’s more resilient tracks that flows easily into an equally compelling “Take Your Time.”
The title track may be the album’s most progressive rock song, clocking in at an epic 11 minutes. Opening with children’s voices and a wash of keys, the song lazes forth with layered keys and synth voices as Anderson sings over the bass. The piano, percussion, keys and harp bring the listener into the proggy meat of things. It’s a nice reminder of the style of music the singer is best known for.
As a sophomore solo effort, Song of Seven might fall through the cracks for many fans of Jon Anderson and Yes. The expanded reissue, with two previously unreleased edited versions of “Some Are Born” and “Heart Of The Matter” — quite possibly the most upbeat song Anderson has ever recorded — could revive interest. However which way you look at it, Song of Seven is a worthy lost gem to wrap your ears around.
~ Ralph Greco, Jr.
