UNION

There's a special atmosphere when listening to this album. There's something about what it generated at the time that appeals to me. Union was born out of a marketing problem, sparked by the public's curiosity about the internal conflicts that had divided Yes into two factions: ABWH on one side, and Squire, Rabin, White & Kaye on the other. On one side, Anderson and company; on the other, Squire, Rabin and company. Both had similar successes: some out of tradition, others trying to present a new side of this old band. But one thing united them: they both belonged to the same band, Yes.

So the label executives, along with representatives from each member, acted as mediators and presented them with a project that sounded like a resounding success. They also gave them the freedom to invite other musicians and producers. Everything was managed by the label, which saw the words "success" and "money" everywhere. Eventually, everyone agreed, and that's how ABWH settled their differences with their now-friends in Yes. Since they were both recording their respective albums, they decided to combine them and create a single project.

The only thing that truly united both projects was Jon Anderson's immeasurable voice. To make things more enjoyable, Chris Squire added his unmistakable backing vocals to both albums... all was happiness and good vibes. On one side, ABWH presented: I Would Have Waited Forever, Shock to the System, Masquerade, Without Hope You Cannot Start the Day, Silent Talking, Angkor Wat, Holding On, Evensong, Take the Water to the Mountain, Dangerous (Look in the Light of What You're Searching For); and on the other side, Yes presented: Lift Me Up, Saving My Heart, Miracle of Life, The More We Live Let Go.

According to Alan White, Yes had approximately three months to finish their songs.

In fact, Yes only contributed four songs, which contradicted Arista Records' initial claims. This reinforces my opinion about Union: more than a lucky coincidence, it was a calculated marketing strategy. ABWH had been working for a long time on a project that seemed uninspired and lacking momentum, perhaps even doomed to failure. Perhaps that's why they decided to merge the two projects. The question remains. The truth is, as a fan, I couldn't have been happier when the album was released. Seeing the entire Yes family on a single album, and with a tour already scheduled with every member of Yes in history, except for Peter Banks and Patrick Moraz, was something historic and unrepeatable.

Roger Dean's cover is, in my opinion, the best in Yes history. A true work of art. An impressive list of collaborators : Jonathan Elias, Eddie Offord, Mark Mancina, as well as musical collaborators like Tony Levin, Jim Crichton, Billy Sherwood, and Steve Porcaro, to name a few. It felt like a party, a Yes party. But, of course, there were always problems and disagreements, which were eventually resolved during the tour. The camaraderie returned.

The end result was again mediocre. Good songs, great musicians, but a terrible sound: overcompressed, overprocessed, and lacking in warmth. The music is incredible, but the excessive production and effects undermine it. To my regret, this would mark the beginning of a sound that would follow Yes until now. it's distinctive, yes, but not warm. I'm not saying it had to sound like Fragile, but it should have had a certain organic feel that's missing here.

Union is what it is. It's the reunion of Yes and a tour that brought it all together. An album that didn't live up to anyone's expectations, but conveyed a beautiful meaning. It was the only great Yes reunion. And the music Well, to be honest: Who cares, Union transcends music and has a more esoteric meaning.

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