ANDERSON BRUFORD WAKEMAN HOWE

This is, and most definately is not, a Yes album. Obviously with Anderson, Brufurd, Wakeman and Howe around playing, writing, and singing, it sounds a lot like Yes since it's basically 80% of the classic lineup. But that missing 20% (Chris Squire) is HUGE. Don't take this as a swipe against Tony Levin, he's amazing on bass and stick, but the key, in my opinion, to the Yes sound is Squire. Not just his bass (absolutely unique and immedeiately identifiable) but his vocals make the Yes sound.

That said, much of this work sounds uninspired. Not bad, but not good either. Except for Long Lost Brother of Mine, which fits in nicely into the Yes pantheon of greatness, the rest of the album is...well, pedestrian. Some songs have high points, but it seems to me that they have a tendency to meander. Technically, this is well played, overproduced, and underwritten.

The worst thing about this album was the follow up --Union, where the Anderson, Brufurd, Wakeman and Howe team sounded absolutely insipid to the point that they overdubbed extra keyboards, guitar, vocals, etc., until all recognition of Yes-ness was lost.

Get Anderson, Brufurd, Wakeman and Howe to complete your collection, but don't get this if you are only mildly interested in Yes.