ANDERSON BRUFORD WAKEMAN HOWE

After all those years where this CD went out, here is my view. And I must add that this was the very first CD I bought, even though I also have the vinyl edition ! Is it because of that very first meeting with the new support, that I love this CD ? Or because it is a Yes-alignment ? The opinions here on this AWBH music are quite diverse and sometimes diametrally opposed; it is however the interesting part of reviewing : reading the support from the points of view...

Well, I did love that music for a very long time. And it appears to me to be still an essential prog opus, when it is listened with 'symphonic' prog ears ! I would distinguish between an 'essential' and a 'masterpiece' here, but the problem is those two characteristics belong to the same category. Why is it essential ? Each track is very very different from the others, easy to listen, with musical constructions being huge from every instrument, guitar and keyboards mostly, and the special voice of Anderson (the other instrument here). There are some very light tracks, "Themes" and "Teakbois", made almost for generating party music on the CD. And very sensitive ballads, "The Meeting" and "Let's Pretend", characterized by fabulous partitions of keyboard. And serious subjects "Fist of Fire" and "Birthright" well brought by short but nice compositions. And the true prog tracks "Brother of Mine", "Quartet" and "Order of the Universe", with each displaying various moods : the first one being more a classic prog-epic, the second (my favorite) reaching classical music with various distinctive parts, and the third being more powerful.

I just feel there is about no weak track on this modern "Yes" variation. And I do not consider comparing this to other Yes Projects or CD's because I figure it has its own identity, all governed by much interesting music in my ears. I would say it is more than an excellent addition to a prog music collection, not a masterpiece, but certainly an essential opus to have. So... Something between 4 and 5, pointed right near the 5-mark !