Description

UNPLUGGED AND STRUNG UP Nov 22nd 2013 is a backcatalog visit featuring interpretations ofSAXONtracks through orchestral accompaniment, acoustic revisions and rerecordings.UNPLUGGED AND STRUNG UP is your chance to hearSAXONdo some pretty killer overhauls on tunes such as 34Call to Arms34, 34Sacrifice34,34Crusader Orchestrated Version34, 34Just Let Me Rock34, 34Forever Free34 and 34Requiem34 plus orchestral versions of34Red Star Falling34and34Broken Heroes34along with acoustic treatments of34Coming Home34and34Iron Wheels34. Of the orchestral songs, the most impressive is34The Eagle Has Landed34with its dense layers of metal, synths and strings, all superbly mixed. Of the acoustic songs,34Frozen Rainbow34from34Saxon34is the most remarkable, stripped down to a gentle ballad with its twelve string textures and sensuous solo. The live acoustic version of34Iron Wheels34is one of the most poignant tracks on34Unplugged and Strung Up34, served as a biographical account ofBiff Byford’s father. Then the swampy moonshine slides of34Coming Home34from34Killing Ground34is a kneepumping bit of fun asSAXON’s tribute toRobert Johnsonand American delta blues.There are new takes of34Battle Cry34from34Rock the Nations34anda very string version of 34Militia Guard34, plus a remix of34Stallions of the Highway34, the latter two coming from the first album. These songs have been tweaked and rerecorded with extra layers. In the case of34Militia Guard34, there are traces of acoustic guitars filtering behind the main drive of the song, accenting it more than the original cut. Ray Van Horn, Jr.Blabbermouth Saxon LP is available for home delivery from Vinyl Records London, only £25