Surveyed as an entire, the Sure catalog is the final word hodgepodge: symphonic prog, heavy jazz fusion, area rock, synth-pop, new wave and classical guitar showcases.
Naturally, the members’ solo work darts round even extra — in the event you hearken to all the pieces chronologically, it’s possible you’ll expertise a wild free jazz recording (like a few of Invoice Bruford’s improvisations with Dutch keyboardist Michiel Borstlap) subsequent to a new-age atmosphere that calls to thoughts a therapeutic massage parlor foyer (Jon Anderson). On condition that stylistic vary, it is powerful to rank all of it — an issue solely compounded by sheer quantity. Most of those guys have been prolific, each throughout and after their time in Sure.
To make our listing extra digestible, we established some unfastened guidelines: specializing in formally launched albums the place the musician is both on the marquee (say, Chris Squire’s Fish Out of Water) or is an apparent bandleader (like Steve Howe within the Steve Hackett collaboration GTR); attempting to keep away from initiatives the place the billing is usually a branding concern; and whittling down the pile by eliminating solo instrument works, soundtracks (sorry, Rick Wakeman) and all information primarily comprised of covers or reworked materials.
Then there’s the final word guideline: We checked out music from “basic” ’70s members — Anderson, Howe, Wakeman, Bruford, Squire, Alan White, Tony Kaye and Peter Banks — who performed on a number of Sure LPs.
With the disclaimers out of the way in which, let’s rank each Sure solo album from worst to greatest.
Sure Solo Albums Ranked
From failed pop experiments to symphonic prog masterpieces.
