YES

Hey all progheads, time for yet another prog review. What is it now? Well, as the title suggests it is none other than Yes's self-titled debut, it was released in July 1969 I believe. What to say about it? Well, musically speaking it's a little rough around the edges and still not at that classic Yes level (it's the band's debut so they should be given the benefit of the doubt a bit). However, it does show some promise and a little bit of where the band will eventually lead to. I will give you a bit of a background now. The original band consisted of the following: Jon Anderson on vocals, Chris Squire on the bass, Bill Bruford on the drums, Tony Kaye on the keys and Peter Banks (their original guitarist) on guitar. I have already given you a bit a sneak peak at how I feel about the album haven't I (damn it, lol). Well, how do I feel about each individual track? Here we go! On to the review now!!

The track listing is as follows:

1) Beyond and Before - A nice opening track. The vocal melodies, drums, bass and guitar make for a good beginning track. 8/10

2) I See You - This is a jazzy and dynamic piece. It also a bit different from original track by The Byrds. In it, you could hear the great Bill Bruford work his magic. I like it a lot. 8/10

3) Yesterday and Today - Ahh, this one. I love it. Nice vocals from Jon. It's a rather delicate and sweet piece of music. 8/10

4) Looking Around - This is a good song but my least favorite on the album. I don't have much to say about it other than it's a good song. It doesn't really stand out (for me at least).7/10

5) Harold Land - This one is a damn good song. My favorite song on the album up to this point. Possibly my favorite on the album overall.10/10

6) Every Little Thing - I like this Beatles cover a lot. Grade A , it's a creative and different cover. 9/10

7) Sweetness - Another delicate number. I love it, it's a really sweet song, it lifts up your day and brings some sunshine in. 8/10

8) Survival - I like this piece a lot. It resonates with me (who doesn't resonate with it?). I especially love the "all that dies, dies for a reason to put it's strength into the season" bit. What a beautiful piece of writing. 10/10

Overall, this is a damn fine debut. A great start to an amazing band. However, it is not really considered to be a great Yes album (I agree, considering what the band would eventually accomplish) but it is a fun album (at least for me anyway). I feel that this was a really good album but because it pales in comparison to later Yes releases I will deduct a star! 4 solid stars!! Peace out!!