Jon Anderson (& Vangelis) - NMR

Released in 1980, their first album 'Short Stories' marks the start of the successful collaboration between Jon Anderson and Vangelis. Already recorded in 1979 in only three weeks time, both Vangelis are Jon are prompt to admit that the album actually consists of a series spontaneous recording sessions. Performing as 'Jon and Vangelis' the duo quickly makes it into the European charts with their instant hit-single 'I hear you now'.

This album is the first in a series of four Jon & Vangelis albums after Jon Anderson sang the one song on the 1975 album 'Heaven and Hell'. It's also the freshest of the lot, the two friends evidently relishing the chance to finally work together on a full album with Jon temporarily having left Yes.
Improvisation is the word here, with Vangelis wandering through many short musical ideas and Jon Anderson making up lyrics, or short stories, along the way it seems. He is one of those lyricists who hardly ever make any sense (read no further than 'Thunder') but do manage to make their lyrics sound good. Anyway, it's his voice that counts, an easy high-pitched voice that works wonderfully well with Vangelis' electronics, which on this album retains some of that nature-inspired 'China' feel. The album gives the impression of having been made in just a few sessions without any messing about with it afterwards, an impression which is confirmed in a number of interviews they gave at the time about their work together.
The pair scored a minor hit with 'I Hear You Now' and other highlights include 'Love Is', 'One More Time' and 'A Play Within A Play' (with its surprising outburst in the middle) but the overall quality of the music is consistently good. Maybe the only dud is the limp 'The Road', a failed attempt at a sing-along campfire-song.
Some will find it all overly sweet and lovely and it must have presented a complete opposite to the punk and new wave movements of those days. But it makes for some nice easy listening, there is a lot of genuine inspiration to be found and anyway the 'positive vibes' are clearly meant sincerely.

A collection of songs recorded in 1990, intended for the second ABWH album. Some of which went on to become well known, such as 'Take the Water to the Mountain' which appeared YES Union album. These songs have been illegally sold on Ebay under the name 'Dialogue/We Make Believe' in much lower sound quality.

Jon Anderson has loads upon loads of charm. He is an arresting performer that can command an audience with his unique and flawless vocal skills. He is also an excellent songwriter and this CD, with 1990 demos for the proposed second Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman, and Howe record, shows this with impeccable certainty. If the rest of the guys in ABWH would have moved forward with several of these tunes, I feel it could have surpassed their debut in quality.

Songs like “We Make Believe,” “Axis of Love,” “To the Stars,” and others of course would not sound out of place on a Yes record. In fact “Take the Water to the Mountain” was later used on Yes’ Union. I actually prefer Jon’s version, as the bubbly sequenced keyboard and rhythmic guitar sits better with me than the moody atmospherics of the Yes version.

Some different paths for Jon are taken with “After the Storm,” where Jon sets a Sade or easy Kate Bush-like groove going and then lays a Burt Bacharach-style melody over it. Ultra cool. He takes a couple of missteps on “Santa Barbara,” coming off a little cheesy and “Tall Buildings,” where Jon does a little spoken interlude that seems a little over the top.

I’m especially impressed with the two instrumental works on this CD. I would have expected Jon to write good lyrics and melodies, but would not have thought this a strong suit for him. Nice job, Jon. Best song on CD? “We Make Believe.” Jon could have unleashed this rocking little number on the Rabin-era Yes and knocked that ball out of the park.

I’m sorry it took so long for Jon to release these songs in some form. Strong melodies, good grooves, interesting lyrics; almost all of these pieces are valid in some way. It’s regrettable that he could not further explore the studio perhaps on a solo record with some of these tunes, but here they are warts and all. This is just one disc in a box set proposing 20 CDs. I look forward to hearing other gems in the series.

Notes: (****) Originally released as part of The Lost Tapes box set and due to be released separately; see The Lost Tapes for more details. The liner notes give no performer details. Anderson describes how these demos were recorded in the south of France when he was getting ready for the planned second ABWH album. (which never happened and eventually formed the basis of Union). (Anderson also writes how he was still working on "Chagall" in this period.) Anderson describes how he found a farmhouse and had created two studios and started to write material, but the rest of the band wanted to record in London instead and never came. He also describes how he "even recorded with the roadies", which would explain why some of the playing sounds beyond what Anderson could do on his own, although who these roadies were remains a mystery.

On the ABWH tour, the band members' technicians were Chris Ranson (drums), PJ Deacy (guitar), Chris Macleod (keys) and Stuart Sawney (keys). The tour finished in March 1990, so it's plausible that the same team were assmembled in France. Ranson, Deacy and Sawney were doing the same job on the Union tour, with Macleod switching to be a drum tech. At present, they're my best guess for the performers here.

The material was bootlegged on We Make Believe, along with some contemporary Howe demos and some "bonus" tracks from the Tormato sessions. The sound quality is improved here and the songs are in a different order. "Untitled" on the boot is now (14) and "Intro" now (15).

There is a demo by Steve Howe also on We Make Believe and supposedly from the same period called "God with a Southern Accent" (Howe later recorded an instrumental version for Quantum Guitars). Oddly, Anderson sings the line "God with a Southern Accent" at the end of (6). The line doesn't seem like a natural part of the song, suggesting that Anderson was inserting a reference to a song title he knew Howe was working on.

For what is a strong set of songs, it is surprising how little of this material ever re-surfaced. (3) has reportedly appeared on trading circles in a version with Howe on guitar. (2), of course, made it to Union. (9) was used on Jon & Vangelis' Page of Life. (10) was reportedly being developed by Anderson and Wakeman for Keys to Ascension 2, but never appeared. (HP, 25 Dec 06)