As much as we all may be relieved that 2020 is finally coming to an end, it's perhaps a bit difficult to get into the seasonal spirit in our pandemic environs. So I thought I'd try to remedy that with some Christmas music, and a wish for all my readers everywhere to be safe and well this holiday season.
I've previously blogged regarding holiday music which Trevor has been associated with, and I wanted to take a closer look at Jon Anderson's 1985 holiday-themed album 3 Ships, which has Trevor guesting on guitar along with Elliot Easton of The Cars. And I will also note that I was inspired by the most recent episode of Yes Music Podcast, wherein Kevin and Mark discussed their impressions of the album as relevant to the season. But my primary curiosity beyond how it sounds and how well it has aged has to do with how much Trevor content there is.
There are two versions of the album: the original, and then a 2007 reissue by Voiceprint which includes five bonus tracks from other existing releases. It might be difficult to recognize the release as a Christmas album from the cover...but can we talk about how Jon looks like he's 14 on the (original) back cover? Give that art director a Grammy already!
The album is a mix of traditional songs and originals, both religious and secular. I would say based on the character of those bonus tracks included in the reissue that the original release was definitely aiming for more of a popular demographic rather than a traditional holiday vibe. Although some of the songs don't seem particularly Christmas-y, as there is more of a World music spin on a few such as "Forest of Fire" and "Day of Days," it's easy to apprehend the overall sentiment. This is Jon at Peak Twee, supported by a youthful choir on many of the tracks and lots of airy crystalline synths everywhere. It's a pop album, but Jon's voice is expansive enough to embrace pop in as supple a fashion as any other genre he has encountered.
Of the traditional songs, I would say my favorite is "O Holy Night" as it's been a favorite of mine since I first heard Nat "King" Cole perform it on The Christmas Song as a child, but it's particularly inspired here, featuring a lovely solo from gospel star Sandra Crouch. There are a couple of strong pop songs in "Easier Said Than Done" and "How It Hits You" but I'm more in favor of "Forest of Fire" with its' atmospheric jungle ambiance.
As for Trevor, I would say he definitely plays the solo on "Where Were You?" but that's it. And it's a cool solo, rather bombastic, suitable for the anthemic vibe of the song.
There may be other parts throughout the album but certainly nothing particularly recognizable. For example, I would be much more likely to credit the guitar on "Easier Said Than Done" to Elliot, as it sounds more like his style. This is despite what we see in the video for the song, which features footage from the sessions at Crystal Sound and so they are both spotted therein (and a funny thing to notice is Trevor getting his makeup touched-up at the two-minute mark, because he's barely in the video and we only see him from the side or the back). It's also nice to see Frankie Banali, but again, just briefly.
It's all '80s all the time, thanks to Roy Thomas Baker's sparkly production, but in a tasteful way. It's very polished, Jon is sounding great, very fun and upbeat and is a solid inclusion on any holiday playlist.
And since the album is an artifact of the 1980s, for those of us feeling not only nostalgic for the holidays but for that particular heyday, here's a (somewhat silly) MTV tie-in video for the title track. Jon's outfit is...wow. I'm trying to imagine what the legacy of 9012Live would have been if he'd worn something like that in Edmonton.
