YES

Agreed that this album has the guitar-oriented Siberian Khatru and the famous title-track, and both are masterpieces of Yes and the genre in whole, but And You and I is, in my opinion, one of the worst songs ever written.

It's dull, in the vain of Wonderous Stories, which is also very dull, it has no soul AT ALL! It's acoustic-12-string-guitar-eighties, which sucks, and the lyrics are just plain cheesy. Gibberish cheesy. "And you and I, climb over the seas to the valley, and you and I reached for seasons to call.". That's one too many season in this album!

"A seasoned witch could call you from the depths of your disgrace, and re-arrange your liver to the solid mental grace!"

I would recommend this to all proggers, because it's an excellent addition to any prog music collection, but the only thing stopping me from giving this a five is the boring third of the album, AYAI.

4/5, subject to change in the future.

Things start off rather quietly in the title track, with some bird noises and running water slowly building up until the band comes in, full swing, to get the show really moving. And move they do. The beginning is a rather frantic passage, with everyone going a little bit nuts on their respective instrument. Near the three minute mark, things calm down a bit, and we're given a melody to hold on to via the guitar. Eventually, Jon joins in on vocals and the track continues on with Squire and Bruford being the great rhythm section we all seem to know (and generally enjoy). The track continues on until a change to a calmer, ambient bit around 8 or 9 minutes in. Nearly 10 minutes in, Rick comes in with chiming keyboards, then light vocals join in for a while, getting up and down. Things stay calm here for a while, the vocals are given a chance to shine until Rick comes in on the church organ for a bit of a solo. They trade back and forth for a little while, with Rick finally winning out and moving us into the next bit of the song. Bass and drums finally rejoin us as Rick switches back to a keyboard. Chris Squire and his Rickenbacker sound really help define Yes in my eyes. The track ends with "I Get Up", and then we're on to And You And I.

This song is a much quieter affair overall than the title track, and it starts the second side of the album. Mostly acoustic guitar from Howe and quiet keys from Wakeman to begin, with fairly minimal bass and drums. The song is more about the vocals to me than it is about the instrumentals. Near the three minute mark, Squire and Bruford get to play a bit more interesting snippet. Near the four minute mark, we get a nice instrumental bit, with Howe being in the spotlight here for me. Jon rejoins before long, and the track continues on. The riff from the song's introduction comes back for a bit, then changes up a bit and brightens the track up some. Eventually the rest of the band joins back in, and the track continues on until its end. It's a good song, but lacks some of the punch of the first and third tracks for me.

Finally, we come to Siberian Khatru, probably my favorite song on the album. The bass is good and chunky, the drums are active, Steve keeps guitar moving with a fun riff, Rick plays some tasteful keys, and Jon sings about whatever a Khatru is in his mind. Everything seems to work well on the song, and it seems to be just the right length. The rhythm section is probably my favorite part of it, if I had to choose. Not a surprise, though, as 1) I'm a bassist and 2) this is, as far as I'm concerned, the best rhythm section in symphonic prog.

Overall, the album is great, but as I prefer two other Yes albums over this one (Relayer and Tales From Topographic Oceans), I can't justify giving it 5 stars. I will, however, give it a healthy four star rating.

Songs:

Yours Is No Disgrace (4 stars) The lyrics seem to be about the folly of the efforts of the human race; and so your personal folly is no great matter. Staccato melody on guitar, bass and drums, then nice counterpoint from the organ. Then this shifts to a synth sound that is atmospheric. The guitar wraps around the beat like a rhythmic fairy. The bass swings away in the background with the same energy as previous albums but not so much in the foreground. At one point the guitar makes little melodic whines in counterpoint to vocal rhythm. The song returns to its original theme repeatedly in subtly different forms. In a more extended instrumental section after a guitar solos oscillating in left and right channels various progressive instrumental melodies play out which compliment the main theme. The guitar is heard in various ways. Although the overall variety of melodies is not great this long song does not seem long. Each section contains subtle variations which present and represent the themes in every changing ways. The overall groove is engaging and yet somehow stately.

Clap [Live] (4 stars) This is a guitar solo played live somewhere to a small group of people. The genre seems to be country or folk. It has a good pace, rhythm, the chords and plucking blend together gracefully showing up the great dexterity of the guitarist's fingers. The song acts as a kind of palette cleanser between the two longer songs which flank it lightening the tone a bit.

Starship Trooper: Life Seeker/Disillusion/Wurm (5 stars) The lyrics seem to be invoking a familiar Yes theme of the "hidden glories" of life. Contrasting qualities of summer and winter (as in "Yours is no Disgrace"), the visible and invisible help to describe a mystical perspective which is self-consciously realized by the vocalist it seems. "Life Seeker" begins with a heavy bass theme and lighter guitar counter theme. At first this first movement of the song avoids settling into a beat. Then an instrumental bridge brings us into a rhythm and a different lyric with nostalgic references. The bass plays with muscle under the melody. In "Disillusion" the acoustic guitar takes over and the vocals are rhythmic. This second movement finds its way after an instrumental bridge to a melody from the first movement building until it releases into the third movement "Wurm". "Wurm" is a repeated series of three minor chords which seem to descend and ascend with a kind of dark, demonic quality. Gradually the various instruments build up an intensity which eventually erupts into a furious guitar solo. The first two movements of the song seem to joyfully anticipate the third movement like an extended joyful prophet announcing the coming of an awesome power. The way the instruments represent this arising/descending power is a wonder to behold and if you are caught by the deep mystery of this song you probably forever hold it in high esteem.

I've Seen All Good People: Your Move/All Good People (4 stars) In the politics of life you may not be well respected but make your moves as you would make them and karma and your love will prevail...so say the lyrics. More rhythmic vocals create a stark and energetic intro to this two part song. Soon the acoustic guitar and a heartbeat bass come in for a relaxed vocal section. There is a pan flute or synth flute sound as well to add flavor. The vocals harmonize and there is some doo-wap that adds further punch. Layered vocals with lead and a countering background are also employed. Eventually a cathedral organ comes in to darken and intensify the mood. The organ climaxes and then there is a silence...after which the second part of the song kicks in with a swing-rock rhythm. The same single lyrical line with which the song began is now repeated...a very long sentence sang in a rhythmic way. The guitar lays down a blues flavor. Once again the organ and bass come in with dark intensity and the same vocalizations fade away with a more profound energy.

A Venture (3 stars) The lyrics seem to be about living your life and not separating yourself from others; to control your passions utterly is to breed addictive behavior. The Beatlesque rhythm of this song passes quickly and ends with an interesting off kilter instrumental jam with the guitar and the bass and the piano frolicing around each other.

Perpetual Change (4 stars) The vocalist seems to be having a discussion with someone who thinks that consciousness is everything...that we control ourselves, even our destiny. But deep inside we are moved by forces greater than us. This song also features a staccato instrumental intro, a strong hammering fanfare. Then is shifts down into a laid back bluesy rock rhythm where the vocalist comes in. The song flows even as it changes through matching shades of color; from militaristic to swing to blues and back again perhaps reflecting the title of the song elegantly. Then comes a brief instrumental section which suddenly transforms into a march-like, complex, clock-work like phrase that winds up and builds energy. A keyboard sound comes in to tie it all off. Then back to vocals with a heightened sense of energy applied to a repeated lyrical section. Then seems to breakaway from its twists and turns with a atmospheric vocal/instrumental coda of yet another flavor although this too is playfully interrupted a couple times with another staccato phrase.

Your Move [Single Version] (2 stars) Cut down version of the album song.

Starship Trooper: Life Seeker [Single Version] (2 stars) Sounds the same as the corresponding portion of the same song on the album.

Clap [Studio Version] (2 stars) Slightly longer version of the album song. It is enjoyable to hear the song more clearly in a studio context. There are some differences in the song showing that the song would be played slightly differently at times. For me the live version flows more naturally, but this may be due to that version's greater familiarity.

Album:

On Yes' third album there is an elegant coordination of the various instruments. The guitar is a stronger player in the mix with a wide variety of styles. Somehow the sound of the album is more open making each instrumental contribution more approachable. The songs themselves have an improved sense of craft in that the musical ideas within a song seem to fit together more coherently. Admittedly, I've heard this album so many times that at first it was hard to really hear it, but taking a critical approach to it has reawakened some of my original appreciation for it. This album shows how Yes has taken a leap of confidence in their song compositions as they seem to have combined simplicity with complexity in an optimal way.

Yes seems to have left their 60s pop sound far behind and defined a new level of sophistication within their own repertoire. With this album they join Genesis, King Crimson and Emerson, Lake & Palmer in what is fast becoming the then new genre of Progressive Rock.

MP3 recommendation:

I have no good MP3 highlights to recommend. As usual for me I don't get much out of the extra song versions.

Yes' TALES FROM TOPOGRAPHICAL OCEANS has been both derided and championed for the same quality ? aspiring to touch the sun. Fueled by the band's greatest success (CLOSE TO THE EDGE), it is the band's most ambitious work, reaching for the highest heights the band will ever attempt. The flip side of that tricky coin is the evil "P" word (pretentiousness), but prog fans have always known that uber-talented musicians pushing their boundaries to the limit will sometimes step beyond the line. Like Icarus, the band ignores the warnings of the wise and we share with the band both in the intensity of the fire and the singe of their burnt feathers.

TFTO was released in 1973, and Genesis' two-disc, similarly ambitious / excessive concept album LAMB LAYS DOWN ON BROADWAY came out not long after in 1974. While the two discs sent the two bands in opposite directions in terms of commercial success, I find them to be remarkably parallel albums in many ways. Both are fueled by extremely cerebral and spiritual concepts coming from their lead singer. In the case of TFTO, it was Jon Anderson's adoption of a group of teachings from Paramahansa Yogananda's AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A YOGI. In parallel with the hippies' search through Eastern Religious thought as they aged, Anderson stayed true to his roots. But just as Peter Gabriel's separation from his bandmates during the writing of the LAMB weakened the album and the band, Anderson and Steve Howe's domination of the writing of TFTO cost the album some power and the band Rick Wakeman.

There is one huge difference between the albums, however. THE LAMB abandons the lengthy song structure of the band's previous work and instead has many focused songs. Some are weak, some strong, and a few are among the best work the band ever did. Yes, however, took a different path. They created what essentially is an 80 minute suite comprised of four 20 minute parts. TFTO is one of the most symphonic and epic pieces of the classic prog era. For good or for bad, its defining characteristic is its length.

Luckily for me, my first listen to this album was on an extended airplane ride where I just sat back uninterrupted with my headphones for the entire work. Like a classical piece, the album is meant to be a continuous experience with movements and when you listen in this way, I believe it works quite well. Sure, the band takes their time letting some parts evolve, but I've gotten bored much more easily during some classical pieces which also extend over a longer period of time.

There are so many great moments on this album, and they vary so much. The slide guitar over the frenetic rhythms to open "The Ancient" to the sunny moods of the opener to the grand vocals in the finale of "Nous Sommes de Soleil," join so many phenomenal moments of music. There are little allusions to previous pieces, the most obvious being Howe's quotation of the signature melody of "Close to the Edge." Howe gets in his classical moments, grumpy Wakeman adds some powerful synth solos and mellotron pads, and newcomer Alan White holds down the rhythm transparently.

A few very important things are lacking on this album, though. The first one is intensity. Listening to RELAYER's "The Gates of Delirium" midway during my day of continuous sampling for this review, I realized how, well, mellow TFTO is compared Yes' other work. There aren't any sections that really rock. Similarly, there is a lack of tightness in the composition that Yes displays elsewhere. While some openness and space to explore can be fuel for great music, Yes gets away with trying such difficult music on other albums precisely because of the tightness of the composition. The title song from CTTE is a perfect example of that tightness at its most perfected. "Gates of Delirium" strikes a nice balance between composition and exploration. On TFTO, the explorations simply overrun the compositions. Some really enjoy these moments, and other bands also have albums made up entirely of this experimentation. I like it when I'm in certain moods, and frankly, when I have the time to let it sink in. But that time and place are inherently limited. Most importantly, TFTO just doesn't transport me to that higher plane that CTTE does. When it comes close, it just can't hold me there. It is for that specific reason that it misses masterpiece level.

I agree with others that this is part of the core of prog music, and should be part of the library of all prog fans. But it is a late addition. It takes work, and the rewards are going to be subtle. It is an excellent album, just not one of the masterpieces of prog.

But now that I've gathered these shorter songs from different sources I'm finally able to review this album. How about it ? Well, of course it's at least very good, the three longer songs are huge classics although in all honesty I have to say I'm completely through with Roundabout. It's their biggest hit in early 70's but because of that and also because the song has been played most on the radio and I know it for over 35 years now I'm afraid I'm done with it. The song hasn't really proved to be tenable to me. I almost can't stand to hear it by now, it's become a bit tedious to be honest.

How about the other two ? South Side of the Sky is much more tenable and simply a better song and composition in my opinion. It's less accessible and due to that less likely to get boring after many listenings. I think it's a typical 4 star song to me. Excellent but not quite of the same masterpiece status as their huge epics. And actually same thing goes for Heart of the Sunrise as far as I'm concerned. Maybe even slightly better. This one never gets boring and is probably in my Yes top 5 songs of all time. Near masterpiece that is. Let's say 4,5*.

The shorter songs are not too exciting I'm afraid. Mood for a Day is a nice acoustic guitar track by Howe on his own. Long Distance Run Around is pretty famous for such a short track and always enjoyable. The Fish is a bit monotonous with also here Howe in leading position this time accompanied by the band. The other three are more like nice intermezzo's but can hardly be masterpieces with such short length. But these short songs almost ruin the high rating for Fragile. After all it's in the end just two out of nine that are truly excellent to me so I could be tempted to give three stars. But that would almost be disrespectful and not really justified either I feel so I will give four but rounded up.

Songs:

No Opportunity Necessary, No Experience Needed (4 stars) Organ, strings and bass play an openning fanfare that sounds like a theme for a Wild West movie. The bass is groovin' throughout the song. The instrumental mid-section is rockin' with the band and the orchestra moving as one. The lyrics suggest some kind of wake up call to be positive and not dwell on the negative; as a Christian I hear an indirect reference to Jesus in the lyrics as well.

Then (3 stars) The lyrics describe the conditions and qualities of how a better world on earth with heavenly overtones of greater experience and mutual cooperation will come to pass. Dramatic strings accent the song's pensive tone until the chorus opens up the mood to a mild rapture. Then a long instrumental section revs up the energy before it slows way down into a serene jazzy space. The previous lyrics are repeated against this mellower background while the bass plays jazzy phrases. The song abruptly ends with an explosion of brass and brass aftershocks.

Everydays (3 stars) The lyrics seem to hint at the many joys and wonders that seem all but buried in the mundanity of everyday life. This is presented to a laid back swing beat and jazzy vocals; la- de-da. Then the word "day" which ends a lyrical stanze is repeated with eerie instrumental sounds hinting at something about to break to the surface. The dull illusion fades as the instrumental section comes in on an intense hi hat. Then a staccato bass and organ melody followed by a guitar jam. Then organ and orchestra join in eventually climaxing...and the song returns to its dull world vision; la-de-da, de-da. Both this song and to a lesser extent the previous one have the quality that they attempt to take the listener on a journey somewhere in short order and back again; and these songs have the little extra length to help accomplish that journey without it feeling too rushed. These are signs of a definite impulse towards the grand progressive rock songs Yes would later create.

Sweet Dreams (3 stars) Dreams can bring you out of any hole you may fall into says this straight-forward pop song. The bass is out for a rigorous stroll hear and pumps a great deal of rhythmic energy into this song giving it almost a march-like feel. The other instruments hunker down and provide the background to the vocals and bass.

The Prophet (4 stars) Ah, the blazing, seering organ that starts this song is a great dose of keyboard wizardry, one that I haven't seen enough appreciation given to. The long, satisfying spell of an organ solo finds its way into a theme from Holst's "Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity". Then the guitar comes in to guide the energy down into a more flowing energy. The strings highlight the spiritual lyrics who tell of a man who speaks of a higher truth that is both personal and more than personal. The strings once again add drama and by the end of the song you have really rocked and rolled.

Clear Days (3 stars) Our happiness becomes clear in brief moments but those moments are in touch with eternity. Sweet strings and piano accompany these lyrics. The song ends with a more apprehensive tone.

Astral Traveller (4 stars) The lyrics seem to allude to out of body experiences in the form of efforts at literally soaring into the sky. The guitar sets the tone for the traveller. The singer's distorted voice suggests a transportation to another realm. Staccato rhythm throughout sets you up for the instrumental section which starts with baroque variations on a melody. This changes into a slow guitar mediation against the faster background. Then as the guitar rachets things up we come back to the original instrumental theme. Throughout this song there is a percussive quality that lends a unique tone. It begins to chip away at the 60s pop and jazz style into something more abstract and more like rock. The contrast between lyrical section and the instrumental section is not so stark as in many of Yes' other songs at this point.

Time and a Word (3 stars) This is straight-forward hippy love song sung with all due seriousness by a sincere believer. Like "Sweet Dreams" this song relaxes the instrumental muscles a bit. The chorus is surprisingly infectious and makes for an excellent closing song for the album.

Dear Father (3 stars) Lyrics seem to be about Jesus speaking with God, the Father, about his mission. He shows his human side, resisting His calling. The instrumentals and orchestra play a grand theme behind the vocals. The instrumental coda is nice with the orchestra as well ending the song with that 60s pop energy that will suddenly disappear on their next album.

No Opportunity Necessary, No Experience Needed (Original Mix) (2 stars) No stereo back and forth to the strings on the openning of this edit (which didn't seem to sound right on the album version of this song anyway). With a suppressed or absent orchestra other elements like organ and background vocals stand out more, but often not to good effect.

Sweet Dreams (Original Mix) (2 stars) Again background elements, in this case, backing vocals, are brought forward. There is additional guitar work in the solo which ends up making this song longer in spite of it being played a bit faster.

The Prophet (Single Version) (2 stars) Again a subdued orchestar reveals some sounds that don't quite mesh.

Album: As I felt in my review of Jethro Tull's "Benefit" this album by Yes makes an incremental improvement over the previous album. The songs have a more coherent, natural quality even as they attempt to reach out at times into contrasting musical moods. The band and the orchestra play well together, each with their own confidence. The serious song lyrics are somewhat deluted by the giddy energy of 60s pop and shaken up by the muscular thump of the bass. Yes was a band that seemed ready to break the bounds of pop-rock but still felt restrained to not so long songs and even doing covers. But by the time the year 1971 rolls around progressive rock will have entered its golden age and such restraints will be left far behind by Yes and the other giants of the still birthing genre.

MP3 recommendation:

Four stars (4 stars) 1. No Opportunity Necessary, No Experience Needed (4 stars) 2. The Prophet (4 stars) 3. Astral Traveller (4 stars)

Progtologists have long known that their beloved musical form had its roots in psychedelic rock, and yet the exact move from hippies to prog-heads has been a point of controversy for decades. After much debate, the missing link has been identified, and its name is YES. Not just the band, but the debut album itself, with its low budget cover art, heavy jazz influence and plenty of flower power. Some have claimed this album inspired Spinal Tap's first hit, though this author is fairly certain that entire band is based almost entirely on Deep Purple.

In all seriousness, this album may be the best example of "proto-prog" that exists. As Yes went on to be perhaps the main standard bearer of the prog genre, it is natural to look at their early work for the music form's roots. As it turns out, Yes produced some of the best psychedelic rock out there. Where rock and roll in general, and psychedelic rock specifically, could be quite loose and musically inconsistent, Yes' debut album displays great talent, honed compositions, and great consistency. If, like me, you like psychedelic rock, this is a near masterpiece. The harmony vocals are strong. The interplay of organ and guitar is superb. I would argue that what really sets this album apart is the jazzy playing of Bill Bruford. Already he's clearly far ahead of his peers, and the incorporation of his more complex rhythmic sense was integral in what was to come.

When you're starting place is already better than virtually every peer, it's a good sign of things to come. And the seeds that are on this album are obviously what were developed into one of the signature sounds of the progressive rock movement. Chris Squire's bass sound is already in the forefront, active and an integral part of the arrangements. The use of multiple textures, often within the same song, is performed with ease. Many of Jon Anderson's signature melodic choices are already in place. There are places where the organ clearly looks forward to the more active role it will play. Peter Banks' guitar is extremely well done, but is rooted more in rock n roll than replacement Steve Howe's. (This change may have been THE key in the evolution of the Yes sound.)

I'm a hippie at heart and I really love this album, as you can see. YES is going to hold interest for any prog fan, but for those who love 60's music and prog, this is a must have.

The songs are all 20-minute long pieces that feel like an eternity. They lack variations in sound, and the main themes are repeted to the point of exhaustion. What a difference from the richness and originality of Close to the Edge, that never gets boring throughout its 18 minutes - actually, it's so compelling that you feel like pressing "repete" and listening to it as many times as possible - without never getting tired.

That is not to say that this album is absolute junk. You can spot good solos and melodies there and then. It has some beauty in it, but only it is ruined by its over-extended lenght. If I had to pick up a song as a highlight, I would go for The Ancient - Giants Under The Sun, instead of the more acclaimed Ritual - Nous Sommes Du Soleil, because The Ancient manages to explore some different sounds, and it has some beautiful acoustic parts and shows - to some extent - the true qualities of Yes. But then, again, the song would benefit from some editing. I always wonder how it would be if this were a single album and the songs limited to half their extention (that is, about 10 minutes). Then it would be an album worthy of Yes - still not a masterpiece, but not such a pale parody of the band's immense talent. But, at that time, the guys wouldn't settle for so little. It seems like they devoted so much to the concept that the beauty of the music was relegated to second place. Now, THAT is pretentious. Either this, or they were just genuinely empty of musical ideas - what would be understandable, after two groundbreaking, instant classics in sequence, in less then a year.

The best measure of the failure of Tales resides in observing its consequences. It's probably no coincidence that Yes fell slightly off the radar after it. They would soon be overshadowed by Genesis and Pink Floyd, who were reaching their peak at precisely the same point. Some say Rick Wakeman left the band on account for the failure of this project. I guess he had a good point. The remaining Yesmen themselves, luckly, fell to their senses and produced more down-to-earth, unpretentious albums (that is, by Yes standards). Relayer and Going for the One were neither double, nor conceptual albums. Yet, they summarize everything that is great about Yes - musicianship with creativity and the search for new sounds - while Tales summarizes everything that prog detractors love to hate about the genre.

I honestly tried to think of this as a "good, but non-essential" album, but it seems to me that only Yes fans will truly appreciate it. Even though Yes fans make for a great number of prog-rock fans, the observation wouldn't be less accurate: this is for "collectors/fans only".

Yes isn't about tricky instrumental showcasing, complex song structures or obscure lyrical content just yet. Every song here aims at creating a pretty melody over lush soundscapes and hippie sentimentals. In essence, it's Yes at their most 60's-ish and for my money, a rather boring affair.

There are still elements of future Yes glory here like Chris Squire's bass sound (especially on ''Harold Land'') and Yes's stellar vocal harmonies. It's not terribly bad; in particular, three of the last four tracks (''Harold Land'', ''Every Little Thing'' and ''Survival'') are quite stellar. However, songs like ''Sweetness'' and ''Yesterday and Today'' are too pretty for my tastes and the others are strictly non-essential in my eyes.

This album is reserved for the Yes-nut curious enough to figure out where they came from, or the bored Yes fan (like myself at one point) to acquire every album. It's an overall non- essential album.

Last words: If you get the right remaster, the bonus track ''Dear Father'' is worth a play or two.