What makes Yes music so good?

I have just lined up my dbl Aqua vinyl of Heaven And Earth to spin........whilst not a landmark release, it's still a pleasure to listen to. Yes just are a phenomenal bunch of musicians, always chopping and changing, always, developing, often tackling new approaches to music. One of the first Prog bands I discovered back in the mid-80's.

Thinking back to my teen years when I first played them, perhaps more than any other band they had an ability to transport one to a fantasy landscape.  I think the combination of the music and the Dean imagery present on the huge posters I had, when combined with the lighting I had and my desire to escape high school problems, their music was pure escapism for me.  It was quite magical at the time.  Yessongs also played into that, being so long and full of mood and atmosphere, even the muddy sound that people criticism works in my opinion, providing mood, mystery.  I remember Yessongs being one of the best escapes. 

For that reason the band retains a special place, even if these days I mostly play only Topographic, Relayer, and the debut, oddly.  Those three still excite me, the others much less so now.  Perhaps just heard them too many time. 

I have just picked up Fragile, Union, and Tales From Topographic Oceans on CD at a really good price
I have been skeptical as to CDs (being a vinyl snob), but I really, really loved all of the CDs. The quality was excellent, even though they look to be pressed in the late 80's or 90's.

What made Yes so good? I think comparison to other "great" prog bands is adequate. For me, Yes has some strong elements of American music (Motown, Soul, Funk) mixed with jazz and romantic-era classical music and this is what makes their sound so unique. Also, there is a lot to be said about the musicianship, which is really one-of-a-kind, regardless of the line-up.

Icarium wrote: ALotOfBottle wrote: I have just picked up Fragile, Union, and Tales From Topographic Oceans on CD at a really good price I have been skeptical as to CDs (being a vinyl snob), but I really, really loved all of the CDs. The quality was excellent, even though they look to be pressed in the late 80's or 90's. What made Yes so good? I think comparison to other "great" prog bands is adequate. For me, Yes has some strong elements of American music (Motown, Soul, Funk) mixed with jazz and romantic-era classical music and this is what makes their sound so unique. Also, there is a lot to be said about the musicianship, which is really one-of-a-kind, regardless of the line-up. Sly Stone

Bill Bruford actually mentioned his influence on early Yes. In BBC Prog Rock Britannia I believe.


Edited by ALotOfBottle - May 17 2016 at 10:51

Just read Bill Martin's book!!

Well, Yes was the first prog band I heard and for years it was my favorite band until I ''cut the umbilical cord'' :D but they are still in the top 5, for sure! (I'm talking about their first albums here..anything after drama is bad for me) . I find their music so good because of the people in that band,the late  Chris Squire for me is easily the greatest prog bassist, not so much for his technique which is rather simple in comparison to other bassists of the same genre, but his imagination, his composing skills, (his voice!), his presence.. everything. Rick Wakeman, unbelievable technique, and the way he fuses classical baroque themes with pentatonics and chromatic scales and all these odd time signatures.. i'd say he is Jon Lord.2  :D Steve Howe, well that's another story, what i like about him is that he is much better at classical guitar than electric, and when he plays electric he kind of plays it in a classical way, and sometimes he will get sloppy, but I don't mind because it is a very interesting approach of electric guitar, it doesn't always work, but when it does, it's out of this universe! (close to the edge intro right?) The drummers this band has had are far out!  Bill Bruford? (he has worked with the greatests, and he was a member of KC on Starless and Bible Black, probably one of the best musical works ever!) And of course, I love the crystal clear vocals of Jon Anderson. I can understand why someone could not like the high notes and harmonies of  Anderson, but no one can say that he isn't one of the most skilled rock singers ever. To summarize, Yes was (and i say was because i'm talking about the Squire-Anderson-Howe-Bruford-Wakeman) the combination of 5 prodigies. Sometimes they would take it too far, and they would sound excessive .. too much. But on the other hand they have created amazing masterpieces , Close to the edge which is probably in the pantheon of prog albums, Fragile, whixh for me is one of the top albums ever, and even their early stuff  more psychedelic but still powerful, the yes album etc... In other words, they are awesome dude! that's why!

Every one in band gives a special aspect to style:
Squire created great riffs and easily transformed bass in a melodic instrument,
Bruford's jazz chops,
Howe's versatility, sound, sensibility and improvisation,
Wakeman's technique and many keyboards,
Anderson's catchy melodies, imaginative vocalizations, spiritual charisma ...

Together:
sum of parts is indeed amazing,
romanticism, different moods,
vocal harmonies,
"light" and "sun" in lyrics,
...

Roger Dean's art works.