GOING FOR THE ONE

After the amazing Relayer, Rick Wakeman returned to the band and so Patrick Moraz got the boot. That was, in my opinion, a huge loss since Moraz brought new and fresh ideas, such as jazz influences, that disappeared immediately after his departure. But I guess this fact only makes Relayer seem like an even better record, which is not a bad thing! The main concern is that Yes wouldn't be able to regain their past glories with Going For The One or Tormato and instead only made them seem more like the prog dinosaurs that they were at this point.

Once again, Jon Anderson and Steve Howe wrote most of the material in advance, just as they did on Tales From Topographic Oceans, leaving not much for the other members to contribute. This is something I despise since it totally contradicted everything that this band had accomplished by that point. What made things even worse was the fact that Going For The One actually achieved what its title implied and became a hit thanks to its sole hit Wonderous Stories. This only strengthened the band's ego and so all of the members stuck around for the next release only to disband a year later.

The sound that Anderson and Howe were going for with this release comes off sounding very dated to my ears and the only instances that work are entirely comprised of low key ballad moments like those on Turn Of The Century and Wonderous Stories. Awaken is a good track but, in my opinion, it doesn't come close to such classics as Gates of Delirium, Sound Chaser, South Side Of The Sky or Yours Is No Disgrace, just to name a few.

Overall, this album is not a favorite of mine and I even happen to prefer Tales From Topographic Oceans over it! Tormato might have been criticized for its dated sound, average performances and the general lack of ideas, but all this is clearly foreshadowed on Going For The One.

**** star songs: Turn Of The Century (7:55) Wonderous Stories (3:50) Awaken (15:38)

*** star songs: Going For The One (5:32) Parallels (5:58)