SAGA - "PLEASURE & THE PAIN" (2016; remastered Rerelease)

SAGA - "PLEASURE & THE PAIN"
(Running time: 54:36 minutes; 12 songs)
("Edel Germany GmbH"; 2016; CD):
(Note: This is the 2016 remastered Rerelease of this album that originally was released in 1997 via "Polydor" and that features two live-bonus-songs in this rereleased version.)

And here's the next one coming right for you, so no long introduction words, right and direct into the action: SAGA, this grandmasters of proggressive Rock/Hard Rock (/Heavy Rock), were a band with which I grew up, thanks to my beloved mother, and especially their 1980's works had a huge influence on me, and "WORLD'S APART" in particular will be forever high placed on my all time favorite list. Their 1990's phase then was so far relatively to completly unknown to me (I guess I was too busy listening to Death Metal, Crustcore, and Hardcore back then... ;-) ...), but that's something that I (at least slightly) started to change over the last two years, finally. "PLEASURE & THE PAIN" in this remastered Rerelease edition from 2016 was sort of their first 1990's releases that made its way into my record-collection and... damn it, did I have had a hard time finding my access to it. The linerotes and looking back at their old works helped me finally out in doing so, because "PLEASURE & THE PAIN" is studded with "even-quotes", and also the undeniable quality of this album. I mean, it starts pretty "blocky" and sort of sinister/dark with "HEAVEN CAN WAIT", "HOW DO YOU FEEL?", and "WELCOME TO THE ZOO" and this songs breath definitely a strong, alternative/"grungy" 1990's spirit. And then there's the Techno/Dancefloor song "WHERE'S MY MONEY?" and I really asked myself what the hell SAGA wanted to say with that back then... until I realized that it's sort of a self-ironic funny statement-track playing with their very own biography/discography/history as a band, all also sort of explained in/with/through the very interesting and informative linernotes. But, despise all that, it's still a crappy song, hahaha. So, yes, I can easily understand why "PLEASURE & THE PAIN" is a very controversial album that don't seem to have that many fans outta there... anyhow. But after this "difficult start" we get more and more of the original greatness of SAGA delivered through strong songs like for example the very emotional "YOU'RE NOT ALONE '97" (another biographical/discographical "even-quote"), the very strong "TAXMAN", and basically the whole following songs ("YOU WERE MADE FOR ME", "GONNA GIVE IT TO YA", "FANTASTICALLY WRONG", and "PLEASURE & THE PAIN" itself) really convince; and the two bonus live songs, "TIME TO GO" and "YOU'RE NOT ALONE"/and that one I simply love, are just fantastic. So, yes, give this album a fair chance and best skip the first four songs and you will damn fucking like it pretty much. Great guitars with that special SAGA tone, diverse rhythm-arrangements and first class melodic lead work and of course "proggy" and bright shining solos; fantastic Keyboards, also very stand-alone and unique in tone and the style of playing and just brilliant "duels" between the Guitars and the Keyboards that heavily mark the songs; first class and charismatic sung lead vocals; and then a diverse, airy played, multi-layered rhythm section; it's all there, you just have to dig a bit to get it. The songwriting is pretty intense and comes in several layers that wait to be (finally) discovered by you and that offer really a lot; and that this gentlemen are musicians of the highest class should be clear and should definitely need no any further explanations. Even, honestly admitting it, by far all is not that strong like on their masterpieces and a real hymnal/anthemic über-hit like for example "ON THE LOOSE" you definitely won't find on "PLEASURE & THE PAIN" but you'll definitely find anyhow a good album that is truly worth to be (finally) checked out by you if you are into or interested in proggy Rock/Hard Rock (/Heavy Rock) or, to say it more precise, Prog Rock; pretty cool lyrics, interesting linernotes, a beautiful artwork, and a first class production sound round it all up. Yes, "PLEASURE & THE PAIN" is definitely no masterpiece or a milestone, but it's anyhow a good album, a really good album, that you can calmly check out if you are into or at least interested in Prog Rock, especially when you find it in this gorgeous rereleased version, so give it a fair try. Okay, that's it and then now have a nice evening and later then good night.

(7 of 10 points)

http://sagaontour.ca/ (-the link to the hompegae of the band)

Note: Yes, I know, I tricked you all a bit with this two today's reviews after they were on 2015 and 2016 releases, but I promise you that the next one coming up here some other day later this week will finally be on another 2017 release again, so calm down and trust me upon tis, I won't disappoint you. ;-)

SAGA - "YOU'RE NOT ALONE" (the original from 1979, taken from "IMAGES AT TWILIGHT")