GOING FOR THE ONE

The last great album of the Big Three of prog (Yes, Genesis and Pink Floyd) and, in my opinion, the weakest.

But worry not! This is still a good album with some good, and very varied moments. However, it doesn't quite do as much for me as 'Wind & Wuthering' by Genesis or 'Animals' by Pink Floyd.

Going For The One: Dramatic Prelude/Opening. The title track is a strong, dynamic opening. 5 and a half minutes of pure rock, Jon Anderson's voice is raw and strong, not like his usual soft approach which will follow on the subsequent tracks. It is a fun song to listen to, but doesn't go very far. 8/10.

Turn Of The Century: Soft Epic. A gentle, pleasant mostly acoustic gutiar based track, not a lot to dislike about it really. For some it may be so soft it is unforgettable. 6/10.

Parallels: Mini-Epic. A highlight, that's for sure. An epic cathedral organ opening with some screaming guitar from Steve Howe is complimented reassuringly by Chris Squire's mighty bass. An instantly unforgettable track, which has quite a catchy melody line. Might be little more than a glorified, proggified pop song, but a damn good one it is! 8/10.

Wonderous Stories: Hit/Pop Material. Oh dear. A terrible, boring, sickly sweet pop song. Led by Steve Howe's lute(?) and Jon Anderson's soft, sweet voice, this Christmas song goes nowhere fast. Similar in places to 'I've Seen All Good People' but nowhere near as good. Synth work from Rick Wakeman is also grim here. 3/10.

Awaken: Epic. Epic in the most epic sense of the word! A terrifyingly Yes-like song filled with positive energy and a rich, fulfilling vibe. The track really has to be heard to be known, just as with any other epic Yes track. In a typically Yes way, Jon Anderson sings an opening over minimal instrumental work until a musical structure builds up about a minute and a half through. From here on, the piece never ceases to evolve. Wonderful musicianship all round here, creating a strange, spiralling atmosphere which builds up to many a magnificent apex with more signature Wakeman cathedral organ. Around halfway through the piece becomes a quiet, mysterious track with more organ work from Wakeman, strange, mildly annoying jingly sounds and monumentally low guitar playing. at around 10 minutes, the pace picks up, Steve Howe returns to his former glory and the piece begins it's final spiral towards the end. My words cannot describe this song, nor any, which is why I leave you with the advice to buy this Yes album, along with Pink Floyd and Genesis' 1977 efforts, to hear the last great prog album from the peak year of progressive music. 9/10.