THE YES ALBUM

I never saw The Yes Album as more than a collection of great compositions. Some might say that it's all that you'll ever need in an album but I'm more into thematic albums, which might explain why I generally dislike compilation releases.

There is no doubt in my mind about the great quality of this release but it's entirely based upon the two great compositions Yours Is No Disgrace and especially Starship Trooper. The rest of the album is great but too unstructured for me, with fun but ultimately pointless fillers like The Clap and A Venture. I've Seen All Good People is a nice track that actually gets even better in the live setting, but the weird contrast between a folk-like style here and lengthy Symphonic Prog masterpieces does ruin it a bit for me. Perpetual Change is a close descendant of the two lengthy tracks on side one, except I never enjoyed this tune as much as those other two. There is a certain lacking here that I honestly can't explain, so I'll leave it at that.

I've always enjoyed the very revealing album cover of this release for showing me exactly how things were in the Yes camp at the time. The main bulk of the band were Steve Howe, Chris Squire and Jon Anderson, all standing up, while the empty chair next to Kaye and Bruford symbolized, to me, the fact there were "adjustments" needed to be made and those guys were not in a favorable position. In other words, a completely hilarious picture! Overall, The Yes Album is the first Yes-release that is worthy of the legacy that this band has accumulated over the years. It might not be among my top three favorites but a step in the right direction is always appreciated!

***** star songs: Yours Is No Disgrace (9:36) Starship Trooper (9:23)

**** star songs: I've Seen All Good People (6:47) Perpetual Change (8:50)

*** star songs: The Clap (3:07) A Venture (3:13)