WE WILL SAIL TO THE EAST
AND ALL HANDS
SHALL RISE TO THE CALL
Olias of Sunhillow
is the
debut
studio album
by English
singer-songwriter
released in
the United Kingdom
on July,9th 1976
by Atlantic Records.
When the
progressive rock band
Yes
took a break
in activity
in August 1975
for each member
to record a
solo album,
Anderson,
having established himself
as their frontman,
decided upon
a concept album
that tells the story
of four tribes of
an alien race
and their journey
to a new planet
after their home
is threatened by
a volcanic eruption.
Olias,
a magician,
builds a spacecraft
named the
Moorglade Mover
and is helped by
fellow magicians
Ranyart and Qoquaq
to gather and carry
the population
to their new home.
The album was recorded
using a mobile studio
situated at Anderson's
country home in
Seer Green,
Buckinghamshire,
with himself as
the sole producer
and
Mike Dunne
as the engineer.
Musically,
the album features elements
of progressive rock
with psychedelic folk,
experimental electronics,
and world music,
and features
Anderson playing
every instrument,
which includes
a variety of keyboards,
guitars,
and percussion.
The track
"Ocean Song"
was performed live
at select shows
during Yes's
1976
North American tour.
Olias of Sunhillow
peaked at number eight
on the UK
Album Charts,
the best performing
chart position of
the solo albums
released by the band
at the time.
It reached number
forty-seven
on the
US Billboard 200.
The album received
generally favourable reviews
from music critics,
Since 2000,
Anderson has been
working on music
for a sequel album
entitled
The Songs of Zamran:
Son of Olias,
which centres around
the creation of
Earth's structure.
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