TIME AND A WORD

This is actually a pretty good album. The symphonic yes has Yet to show itself, but "Time and a Word" is, although very little "prog", an enjoyable album by a very immature band. Think psychedelic pop with string arrangements and Bass and Organ as the most interesting instruments. Opening track rocks especially hard, a very enjoyable cover with a very sing-along friendly chorus, but many songs contain interesting section, especially "everydays" with the slight freak-out in the middle (although it is only just saved from being ruined by the string arrangements).

Since this was before the elegant musicianship of Steve Howe and Rick Wakeman and before the sophisticated, ambitions songwriting of Close to the Edge, most of the songs have a somewhat clumsy feel, and the extremely heavy organ makes it very obvious that the strings really shouldn't be there. Another major difference between early- and later-year yes is that, at this time, the lyrics of Jon Anderson actually make sense and concern very regular things, compared to what one might be used to after hearing some of the later Yes-albums. Vocally, he also has a slightly lower pitch than we are used to.

Overall, a good album by a prog band still a few years from it's peak.