Customer Reviews

Heads or Tales

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This 1983 release displays Saga as an incredible outfit capable of dishing out a stunning combination of progressive and new wave;great intensity,emotion and thoghtful lyrics make this album an instant classic.Warning:it can be addictive!

THANKS AMAZON!!!!! I have been looking for this on CD forever, and it is very difficult to find.

I have read other reviews stating that "Saga becomes headless", etc. Believe me, this is among their best. Of all the Saga recordings I have heard (which is most of them) this one ranks just below Generation 13 as their best, and just above the popular World's Apart recording.

The Saga camp appears to be evenly divided between those who like the poppier sound of World's Apart, and the more progressive sound of Generation 13. Heads or Tails, to me, is the perfect balance between the two. Excellent guitar and keyboard work propel this CD through songs like Catwalk and Flyer, while songs like The Sound Of Strangers and Scratching The Surface show the band's broadening pop songwriting. Pitchman is an incredible display of musicianship by all of the members.

My only problem with this recording is the mix itself. It sounds a little sterile and dated (80's sounding). There is just not a lot of depth to the mix.

I would recommend this to Saga fans, but first-timers may wish to look toward one of the above mentioned CDs, or a compilation.

The Flyer is the best song on this CD! A great band in concert, too. Check them out, and play it loud! You will not be disappointed!

This is probably the best cross of musical creativity and sonic texture that Saga had created in the 80's time frame. This is one of the last works of theirs to heavily use the analog synthesis technology of the time with a hint of the new digital sounds that were just coming out. This provided sound that was very warm, yet also bright and clear. Producer Rupert Hine (the producer used on Worlds Apart) added his magic again to create a complete package that is enjoyable from start to finish. In case you couldn't tell, I highly recommend it!

This album is the follow up to Worlds Apart. The best song for me is "the flyer". A must recording for all SAGA fans and lovers of Progressive music.

This is one of the best Saga releases from this time period, great songs/excellent performances/great sound quality.

I've bought about 5 CDs. This was the only really good one. The other 4 were weak and ordinary. This one has an edge and a story to tell.

A great follow up to the CD Worlds Apart. Contains many great songs like Social Orphan and The Flyer. A true gem.

As one of my best friends said; when something has reached the top, there's only one way to go: all the way down. That is precisely what "Head or Tales" represents for one of the finest rock bands ever. Probably the hardest thing to achieve was to simply follow up their debut album "SAGA" (1978). Only "Silent Knight" (1980) do the honors, both musically and lyrically speaking. The band is already showing signs of trouble in "Worlds Apart", which is basically a 2-super hits album ("On the Loose", "Wind Him Up") and a bunch of songs to fill the empty space. "Head or Tales" follows this downhill fall as only one song stands at barely the same level of Saga's prior work: "The Flyer". But by now the band has lost a lot of its personality; the complexity in the arrangements has virtually disappeared with linear redundant structures (just as most late 80's pop bands), disposable lyrics, and above all the musical virtuosity of each band member also went straight to oblivion. If you really want to hear how good these guys were as musicians then "Saga" and "Silent Knight" are the albums you want to check out. No song from "Head or Tales" is even close to a "Wind Him Up", "Don't be late", "On the Loose", or "Humble Stance" (among others). With maybe only "Scratching the Surface", and "The Pitchman" as complements to "The Flyer", the album is simply too mediocre for a band the size of Saga. It is very frustrating for hard core Saga fans, especially when we know how good they are in concert. Only then you can really have an idea of the great musicians these guys are. My last advise... don't go beyond "Head or Tales". Just get the "1978-1993 ALL THE BEST" compilation and you'll have everything you need until 1993. Any Saga album from 1994 and beyond is simply a waste of money...and time.