JON ANDERSON - (1982) Animation

This album belonged strangely to my brother when I was 14-15 and started to play our family's records. There were also some other influential albums including Yes: 90125, Rush: Signals, plus some Saga and Asia, that had something to do with prog - of which I at the time didn't know yet. Of all these albums Animation had the strongest impact on me; more precisely, it was the long title track. It simply blew my young mind and transferred me into new magical spheres of music, the kind I had never heard before. It was PROGRESSIVE instead of normal verse/chorus/verse song structure. So I could say it all started right here (honorary mention goes to 'Telegraph Road' by Dire Straits).

'Animation' is still written in my memory even if I have listened to it very rarely since 80s. It must be the deepest existing expression of emotions about childbirth - by a man who "was there". Some chaos, pain (described by instrumental sections), and after all has settled, love and amazement of life's wonder. "There is nothing like seeing the birth of a child." It is wonderful, but probably only if you totally surrender to it emotionally.

The rest of the album always remained less important. I liked some other songs too, e.g. energic 'Olympia' about sports spectacle, pastroral 'Boundaries' and colourful 'Much Better Reason'. Without title track I might say this is well produced - rather 80-ish - and arranged, but nothing very special, in a same category as 90125 or actually less interesting in compositions. But as it has that 9-minute 'Animation', I say sincerely it's clearly the best Jon solo album I've heard. (3,5* rounded up.)

Studio Album, released in 1983

Track Listings

1. Olympia (4:58)
2. Animation (9:07)
3. Surrender (3:53)
4. All in a Matter of Time (3:06)
5. Unlearning the Dividing Line (4:56)
6. Boundaries (3:20)
7. Pressure Point (3:20)
8. Much Better Reason (4:27)
9. All God's Children (4:25)

Total Time: 41:32
Line-up/Musicians

- Jon Anderson / vocals, producer, engineer
- Jack Bruce / bass
- Henry Lowther / horn
- David Sancious / keyboards
- Simon Phillips / drums
- Chris Rainbow / vocals
- Dave "Clem" Clempson / guitar
- The Delme Quartet / strings
- John Giblin / bass
- Billy Kristian / bass
- Ronnie Leahy / keyboards
- Dick Morrissey / saxophone
- Morris Pert / drums
- Blue Weaver / keyboards
- Ian Wallace / drums