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Various Artists (Concept albums & Themed compilations) - Yes, Friends and Relatives CD (album) cover

YES, FRIENDS AND RELATIVES

Various Artists (Concept albums & Themed compilations)

 

Various Genres

1.97 | 19 ratings

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Easy Livin
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator / Retired Admin
2 stars A family divided

"Friends and relatives" compilations have become a rather discredited way for band members or their nearest and dearest to promote their solo works on the back of the band name. This collection, being one of the first such ventures, offers a reasonable if somewhat eclectic mix of such material from the Yes family.

There are only a couple of tracks actually by Yes here, one to close each disc. Both are live tracks which were already available on the "Keys to ascension" albums (one from each). "Close to the edge" it goes without saying is magnificent, but if you have not heard Yes's highly imaginative cover of Simon and Garfunkel's "America", this is a good way to obtain it. With these two tracks alone running to half an hour, this album does have some credibility.

The rest of the tracks here are from the solo and side projects of the band's most illustrious members, with the exception of Alan White. Rick Wakeman is afforded the most space, his revised versions of "King Arthur" and "Journey to the centre of the earth" running to a further half hour between them. Indeed, his total solo allocation here is around 50 minutes! The other Wakeman tracks included are unfortunately more representative of the albums he made which did not come up to the high standards we expect of him.

Jon Anderson's songs are adequate while unremarkable, while Steve Howe demonstrates all to clearly why Anderson is the singer with Yes. Howe's solo interpretation of parts of "Topographic oceans" a reasonably interesting diversion though.

There are no Chris Squire songs as such, instead we have two from his wife Nikki's Esquire venture, while Bill Bruford's jazz based Earthwork's venture does nothing for me I am afraid.

In all, a rather pointless collection whose prime purpose seems to be to remind us that these guys are so much better as a collective unit than they are individually.

Easy Livin | 2/5 |

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