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MAY 17, 1988
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Source: Progrography
http://www.connollyco.com/discography/jon_anderson/city.html
Review: In The City of Angels
By Dave Connolly
In the City of Angels
Produced by Stewart Levine,
Jon Anderson, Rhett Lawrence, David Paich
Released on May 17, 1988
Jon Anderson recorded this album in Los Angeles and Hollywood, thus the
title and the presence of familiar L.A. session musicians. Much of the
material is cowritten with others (Don Freeman, David Paich), including two
tracks cowritten with Motown legend Lamont Dozier. The music, which matches
immaculate production and trite arrangements with Jon’s spiritual
sensibilities, feels like a lost Disney soundtrack much of the time. There
are a few likeable tracks on here, such as the charming “If It Wasn’t for
Love” and the energetic “New Civilization,” but for every step forward the
album takes a step back. A couple of these songs did get better treatment
on the orchestral Change We Must, notably “Hurry Home (Song from the
Pleiades)” and “It’s on Fire.” The better moments are those that sound most
like Jon, whether the wordy but intelligent “Sundancing (for the
Hopi/Navajo Energy)” or the simple “For You.” The problem with In the City
of Angels is the perceived portability of Jon Anderson’s voice; he’s more
than a vocalist in search of a setting. It’s true that he catered to a more
commercial audience on Big Generator, and tracks like “Top of the World
(The Glass Bead Game)” are in line with that album’s offerings, but there’s
a world of difference between what you’ll tolerate from Alan White versus a
Jeff Porcaro. Jon rises above his surroundings half of the time, but In the
City of Angels still raises the question of what he was doing there in the
first place.
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