GOING FOR THE ONE

The first track Going for the One is just brilliant, what makes it for me are Wakeman's keyboards, subtle but brilliant they give the song a kind of sci fi edge to it. Steve Howe guitar is rocking, with a rock 'n' roll influence on it. Chris Squires voice in the backround works excellently with Jon Anderson's unique vocals. Fortunately Steve Howe's voice is either absence or hidden in the music which is an added bonus ( I don't particulary like Howes singing). There is so much energy and dynamite in the song Anderson sounds terrific, its a good way to introduce a comeback album for Yes after several years absence with solo projects. Wakeman is back in the fold. This title track is definately a Yes classic.

Turn of the Century is a nice ballad again made magic by Richard Wakeman's keyboards. Howe is a fine guitarist (Yes I know I'm stating the obvious, all Yes members are virtuosos in this line up) he adds great classic guitar, which works well with Wakeman's keyboards. The production quality is top notch I can hear all the instruments and sounds. Howes electric guitar works well at the second half of this track. This piece is nice and soothing after the rocking Going for the One song, with a nice touch at the end of it.

Parallels is the Chris Squire song on this album, Richard Wakeman adds organs to this song with great effect and makes it stand out, it was definately a good decision on Wakeman's part. It has some enjoyable Steve Howe magic at the beginning with spacy sounding guitars. You hear some great bass work by Squire and some great percussion by Alan White in it, basically all the band members are contributing in their idiosyncratic way as only Yes can, with a fantastic ending, especially by Howe and Squire.

Wonderous Stories is another masterpiece, it was a minor hit on the British charts. Again Wakeman sreally shines on this piece with great malodys and harmonys on his keyboards, he makes it feel very ethereal. One of my all time favourite songs.

Awaken, arguably one of Yes's finest moments (they had many). A fifteen minute adventure of the imagination. A speedy Wakeman keyboard intro, then the song sounds spacy and takes you on this marvellous adventure with lines sung by Anderson "...I wish the sun would stand still." which adds to the dreamyness of the music, then Steve Howe comes in and makes it rock, this section of the song sounds a bit Led Zepish. The cheerful circusy sounding keyboards, then the quiet build up with great guitar parts by Howe and drums by Whiteto the end, this song is better than perfect it will take your mind to wonderful imaginative places, its sounds so divine at the end with wonderful choirs added. I strongly recommend this song (along with Going for the One and Wonderous Stories) to painters, sculpters and writers etc, since there is so much for your imagination to feed on.

As another critic pointed out that although for a first listen some of this album may sound more light weight than previous Yes albums it is fantastic for the reasons I mentioned above it will take your mind to heaven and back, it has many absolutely fantastic prog parts to it and arguably Yes's last great album. Absolutely an essential must have for prog fans.

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