RELAYER

After Tales, Rick Wakeman decided to leave because he wasn't behind the project and he felt did the all he could so he left, in steps Swiss keyboardist Patrick Moraz previously of Refugee and Mainhorse to take his place and he brought about another element to the keyboards. The Yes line-up now consisted of Jon Anderson, Chris Squire, Steve Howe, Patrick Moraz and Alan White(not the classic line-up but this line-up came up with an undisputed classic recording). What do I have to say about Relayer?? It follows the same template as Close To The Edge but it's definitely crazier and more bombastic than its predecessor/ brother known as Close To The Edge. I think this album is yet another masterpiece by the Yes men. I will talk about it. By now it has become tradition to have Roger Dean's legendary art work(just take a look at that album cover!!!) it became tradition for early Yes to have that legendary art work

Here is the track listing for this bombastic and dynamic album

1. Gates Of Delirium- This song is split into three parts, The Prelude which is the first few minutes, it sets the song up for you then afterwards the Battle ensues(King Crimson eat your hearts out), this section is absolute bonkers, with all the instruments going to battle hear that guitar from Steve(it makes your ears bleed!!!!), then Soon concludes this great epic, it's just so great and emotional it has Steve guitar work crying, Steve's guitar cries on the last piece of the song, and Jon delivers vocally with so much emotion, words cannot describe how much I love this d*** song, I love it that's all I can say 10/10

2. Sound Chaser- This one is crazy jazz bonkers and experimentation done right (you hear that King Crimson!!!). Steve Howe is in all his glory on this piece, really everyone goes bonkers on this piece, Chris is abusing his bass, Alan is going berserk on his kit, Patrick lays down the law with an insane keyboard solo, and Jon obviously with the "Cha Cha Cha" This song goes completely insane towards the end with the 'Cha Cha Cha Cha Cha", this song changes up on you like a mother******, it's crazy and insane, I love it 9.5/10

3. To Be Over- This song ends it all as it is entitled To Be Over, it's got everything you want from Yes really, a great masturbatory solo from Steve Howe that goes on and on (I love it) and a great tender keyboard solo from Patrick, it's got so much emotion it's almost laughable. This song ends that crazy/ experimental era of Yes, I feel that this song is deathly underrated, it gets almost no love whatsoever from where I'm from, you don't have to be high to enjoy this masterpiece of an album(as I'm not, I'm straight edge and proud of it).10/10

I can't stress enough how much I love this era of Yes music(it's practically an out of body experience), we got one more album to review before the 70's end that I consider to be the end of Classic Yes but this one ends this era for sure and its yet another great recording

It's a close second to Close To The Edge, I could flip a coin with this one and Close To The Edge for my favorite Yes album and I'll be OK with either one

Overall it's a 29.5/30 , which out of 10 constitutes to darn near 10/10 , I'll rate it 10/10 or 5 star perfection. Peace out!!!!!!!!!!!!