Animation (album)
Encyclopedia
Animation is a 1982 album by progressive rock
singer Jon Anderson
(of Yes
fame). It is the third release in Anderson's solo discography.
Animation was recorded during a busy time for Anderson. At the time, he was collaborating with Vangelis
and Mike Oldfield
and exploring new age
and electronic pop. As with the previous album, Song of Seven
, several well-known musicians were involved in Animation, including Simon Phillips
, David Sancious
and Jack Bruce
. The single "All in a Matter of Time" is the most well known track, having been released as a single, although to limited success. The album was promoted with a successful world tour where Anderson would perform Animation songs as well as several Yes classics, mostly in medley form. A follow-up album Chagall was recorded but never released.
Animation was released on vinyl
, but no CD
version was published until 2006, when a limited edition CD re-release of the album (with two bonus tracks) was issued by Opio Media.
One of the tracks of the album, "Boundaries", would later appear on other works by Anderson (entitled "O'er", on The Promise Ring), and Yes (entitled '"Somehow, Someday", on Open Your Eyes
).
Additional performers: Jack Bruce
, Dave Lawson
, Ronnie Leahy
, Brother James, Billy Kristian, Bret Morgan, Blue Weaver
, Ian Wallace
, Delmay String Quartet, John Giblin
, Morris Pert
, Brazil Idiots.
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
singer Jon Anderson
Jon Anderson
Jon Anderson is an English singer-songwriter and musician best known as the former lead vocalist in the progressive rock band Yes...
(of Yes
Yes (band)
Yes are an English rock band who achieved worldwide success with their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. Regarded as one of the pioneers of the progressive genre, Yes are known for their lengthy songs, mystical lyrics, elaborate album art, and live stage sets...
fame). It is the third release in Anderson's solo discography.
Animation was recorded during a busy time for Anderson. At the time, he was collaborating with Vangelis
Vangelis
Evangelos Odysseas Papathanassiou is a Greek composer of electronic, progressive, ambient, jazz, pop rock and orchestral music, under the artist name Vangelis...
and Mike Oldfield
Mike Oldfield
Michael Gordon Oldfield is an English multi-instrumentalist musician and composer, working a style that blends progressive rock, folk, ethnic or world music, classical music, electronic music, New Age, and more recently, dance. His music is often elaborate and complex in nature...
and exploring new age
New Age music
New Age music is music of various styles intended to create artistic inspiration, relaxation, and optimism. It is used by listeners for yoga, massage, meditation, and reading as a method of stress management or to create a peaceful atmosphere in their home or other environments, and is often...
and electronic pop. As with the previous album, Song of Seven
Song of Seven
Song of Seven is the second solo album from Yes singer Jon Anderson, and his first to utilize an actual band . It was released during his first hiatus from Yes and supported by his first solo tour...
, several well-known musicians were involved in Animation, including Simon Phillips
Simon Phillips
Simon Phillips is an English jazz, pop and rock drummer.-Career:Phillips began to play professionally at the age of twelve in his father's Dixieland band for four years. He was then offered the chance to play in the musical Jesus Christ Superstar...
, David Sancious
David Sancious
David Sancious is an American musician. He was an early member of Bruce Springsteen's backing group, the E Street Band, and contributed to the first three Springsteen albums, and again on the 1992 album Human Touch. Sancious is a multi-instrumentalist but is best known as a keyboard player and...
and Jack Bruce
Jack Bruce
John Symon Asher "Jack" Bruce is a Scottish musician and songwriter, respected as a founding member of the British psychedelic rock power trio, Cream, for a solo career that spans several decades, and for his participation in several well-known musical ensembles...
. The single "All in a Matter of Time" is the most well known track, having been released as a single, although to limited success. The album was promoted with a successful world tour where Anderson would perform Animation songs as well as several Yes classics, mostly in medley form. A follow-up album Chagall was recorded but never released.
Animation was released on vinyl
LP album
The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
, but no CD
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
version was published until 2006, when a limited edition CD re-release of the album (with two bonus tracks) was issued by Opio Media.
One of the tracks of the album, "Boundaries", would later appear on other works by Anderson (entitled "O'er", on The Promise Ring), and Yes (entitled '"Somehow, Someday", on Open Your Eyes
Open Your Eyes (Yes album)
Open Your Eyes is the seventeenth studio album by progressive rock band Yes, released in 1997. The follow-up to the twin projects Keys to Ascension and Keys to Ascension 2, Open Your Eyes marked Billy Sherwood becoming an official member of Yes, following Rick Wakeman's departure.-History:Sherwood...
).
Tracks
- "Olympia" (4:58)
- "Animation" (9:07)
- "Surrender" (3:53)
- "All in a Matter of Time" (3:06)
- "Unlearning (The Dividing Line)" (4:56)
- "Boundaries" (3:20)
- "Pressure Point" (3:20)
- "Much Better Reason" (4:27)
- "All God's Children" (4:25)
Bonus tracks (CD edition)
- "The Spell" (11:40, previously unreleased)
- "Spider" (2:51, side B of the Surrender single)
Charts
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... Pop Albums |
176 |
| 1982 | UK Albums Chart UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
43 |
Performers
- Jon Anderson - vocals, acoustic guitar
- Stefano Cerri - electric bass
- Clem ClempsonClem ClempsonClem Clempson is an English rock guitarist who has played in a number of bands including Colosseum and Humble Pie.-Career:...
- guitars - Chris RainbowChris RainbowChris Rainbow is a Scottish rock singer and musician who had two minor hit songs, "Give Me What I Cry For" and "Solid State Brain" in the 1970s....
- vocals - Simon PhillipsSimon PhillipsSimon Phillips is an English jazz, pop and rock drummer.-Career:Phillips began to play professionally at the age of twelve in his father's Dixieland band for four years. He was then offered the chance to play in the musical Jesus Christ Superstar...
- drums and percussions - David SanciousDavid SanciousDavid Sancious is an American musician. He was an early member of Bruce Springsteen's backing group, the E Street Band, and contributed to the first three Springsteen albums, and again on the 1992 album Human Touch. Sancious is a multi-instrumentalist but is best known as a keyboard player and...
- keyboards
Additional performers: Jack Bruce
Jack Bruce
John Symon Asher "Jack" Bruce is a Scottish musician and songwriter, respected as a founding member of the British psychedelic rock power trio, Cream, for a solo career that spans several decades, and for his participation in several well-known musical ensembles...
, Dave Lawson
Dave Lawson
Dave Lawson is an Australian comedian and TV and radio personality. He is currently participating in a talk back radio segment on the Nova 100 Australian commercial radio station, and is also a regular performer on the stand up comedy circuit...
, Ronnie Leahy
Ronnie Leahy
Ronald 'Ronnie' Leahy is a keyboard player best known for his work with Jack Bruce, Jon Anderson, and Nazareth . He first gained recognition as keyboardist in the second line-up of Scottish band Stone the Crows. He also played in White Trash...
, Brother James, Billy Kristian, Bret Morgan, Blue Weaver
Blue Weaver
Blue Weaver is a British keyboard player, session musician, songwriter and record producer.-Biography:...
, Ian Wallace
Ian Wallace (drummer)
Ian Russell Wallace was a rock and jazz drummer, most visible as a member of progressive rock band, King Crimson from 1971 to 1972; but known best in the musical community with his contributions as a session musician on his drum kit.-Early years:Wallace formed his first band, The Jaguars, at...
, Delmay String Quartet, John Giblin
John Giblin
John Giblin is an internationally renowned session bassist who has worked with the following artists:*Eric Clapton, Sting, Mark Knopfler, Phil Collins * Peter Gabriel...
, Morris Pert
Morris Pert
Morris David Brough Pert was a Scottish composer, drummer/percussionist, and pianist who composed in the fields of both contemporary classical and jazz-rock music...
, Brazil Idiots.