Album Review of
Song of Seven

Written by Robert Silverstein
January 8, 2021 - 12:37am EST
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Esoteric keeps unearthing lost artifacts of music history and case in point is an Esoteric CD remaster of Song Of Seven, the album that was first released in 1980 on Atlantic Records by YES founder Jon Anderson. The fact that Song Of Seven sounds like it was just made last year speaks volumes about the timelessness of what remains a valuable rediscovery from a turning point year and perhaps a year that some would say was a disastrous year. Looking back 40 years ago, the album shows how much the music business had changed. Supporting the first rate CD sound and the superb packaging of Esoteric’s Song Of Seven, further harrowing tales of Yes disasters circa 1980 can be relived in the SOS liner notes which spotlights Jon in 2020 remembering the YES in-fighting in 1980 and, which looking back was perhaps a harbinger of more to come from Steve and Chris who let him go for the last time in 2005. Jon's band of choice for his 1980 album is excellent, especially as the drumming and percussion sounds were performed by Morris Pert, who was around the same time recording the historic QE2 album for Mike Oldfield, which was released in early '81 and they both kind of have a kind of similar sound. Well, in the aftermath of 1980 some will say Lennon’s well-timed murder forced one time Lennon drummer Alan White and Chris Squire, minus Steve Howe, into a new land of YES, and the 90125 reunion with Jon Anderson. As expected, Esoteric does a great job with their Song Of Seven CD remaster. It really feels like going back to 1980 again, even though I never heard the album till this CD in 2020! Looking back in 2020 hindsight, Song Of Seven as a stellar retro-rock moment showcases Jon Anderson in peak form on an album that has taken on a new status as something of a rediscoverd classic from the heyday of YES-terday.