SAGA

It's always interesting to encounter a band for the first time when they already have two decades of musical experience behind them. It's reminiscent of Pushkin's Oleg meeting a decrepit old sage — grey-haired wisdom bearing down on young, spontaneous intellect. And so SAGA, a venerable representative of the overseas prog scene, burst through the speakers with a firm intention to teach me about life. After my player passed authorization on the new "Network," an oppressive feeling would alternately scratch at my insides with cat claws, then suddenly give way to glimmers of hope. The opening track "On The Air" — very dreamy and atmospheric — left nothing but positive impressions, yet I waited in vain for the same emotional depth to return. Something similar flickered on "Believe" (a truly beautiful song!), but the rest is fairly uniform material — not without pleasant melodies, but hardly suffering from an abundance of them either. Whether the accents are placed wrong or what, PINK FLOYD were always a league more dynamic — an indisputable fact. The brevity of certain compositions is also puzzling, clearly trimmed to radio-friendly dimensions. But otherwise, it's very pleasant, unobtrusive music. The analog whine of vintage synthesizers stirs nostalgia for Diana Ross hits, while the lyrics somehow bring to mind Eduard Uspensky and his "Warranty People." For those who, like me, haven't previously encountered SAGA's work, I recommend picking it up and getting acquainted.