Portraits (So Long Ago, So Clear)

AMG Review of Portraits (So Long Ago, So Clear)

Jim Brenholts
All Music Guide

Portraits (So Long Ago, So Clear) is a set of 15 pieces covering approximately 20 years of Vangelis' career. He is, undoubtedly, the most commercial electronic musician ever. He has recorded dozens of major motion picture soundtracks and dozens of delightful albums. This CD is an accurate cross section of those efforts. Vangelis is a brilliant musician. One of the major events of his career, however, was his unfortunate pairing with Jon Anderson, the vocalist from Yes. Anderson's high-pitched falsetto is an excellent compliment for that band's progressive rock & roll. As the accompaniment for the deep atmospheres and sequences of Vangelis' soundscapes, however, Anderson's vocals are grating and irritating. So, about two-thirds of this disc is excellent; one-third of it is a throwaway.