YES

Yes -Tor -Mato

Tormato is the album with which Yes closed out the extraordinary decade that saw them reach the peak of progressive music and become the legendary group they are today. Tormato is an album I have a special affection for, as it was my entrance into this great band. Although many consider it mediocre, I've always found it extraordinary?not quite on the level of Close to the Edge or Fragile, but far better than what the band would go on to produce in the mid-eighties.

Tormato came after a glorious period for the band. They had just recorded an incredible album Going For The One and completed an extremely successful tour. By then, Yes was already considered one of the best bands in the world, almost on the same level as giants like Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath. That's why, when they entered the studio to record Tormato, Yes had carte blanche to do whatever they wanted.

It's important to place ourselves in the historical context of 1978. The musical landscape had changed drastically. It wasn't just disco anymore?punk and new wave were now dominating the market and leaving a strong impression. Yes wasn't punk or new wave, but people still liked them. The Police were the band of the moment?everyone liked them, and many wanted to be like them.

After Going for the One, which featured the return of the band's prodigal son Rick Wakeman, things seemed to remain stable?at least on the surface. The problem was that the band had no new music composed. Everything they had was discarded, as the members couldn't agree on the sound they wanted for this new record, which already had a working title: Yes Tor, named after some hills near Dartmoor, Devon, close to where Steve Howe lived.

The cards were on the table, and the players were ready. Wakeman arrived at the studio with a range of new polyphonic keyboards, which significantly reduced the amount of gear he needed. The Polymoog and the Birotron would come to define the album's sonic character. Meanwhile, Chris Squire had discovered the Mu-Tron pedal, which gave his bass a distinctive, more modern effect?closer in line with the evolving sounds of the time. Steve Howe opted for single-coil guitars to create a sound that was softer yet more piercing.

Production duties were handed back to Eddie Offord, who hadn't worked with Yes since Relayer in 1974. This album wasn't just another record?it felt more like a reunion of old friends, eager to show off their new toys but lacking a clear direction. As the days passed and ideas floated in and out, the sessions turned increasingly frustrating. Chris wanted to sound like The Police, Alan White was pushing for a heavier rock vibe, Steve aimed for something more experimental, Rick wanted to explore his new keyboards, and Jon Anderson?curiously?didn't even want to sound like himself. He was trying for a deeper tone, searching for something different.

After those endless sessions, very little could be salvaged. The material was taken to Eddie Offord, who ended up abandoning the project because he found it dull and uninspired. Eventually, the band had to take over the production themselves. Slowly, out of that chaos, Tormato began to take shape. But why Tormato, if the album was supposed to be called Yes Tor?

Although the original plan was to have Roger Dean design the cover, he never really connected with the band's vision this time. Instead, as with Going for the One, Yes contacted Hipgnosis again. The final concept came from a photo featuring a smashed tomato, which immediately struck a chord with the band. It symbolized their frustration, mockery, and protest toward the whole recording process. For years, it was believed that the band members themselves had thrown tomatoes at the photo in anger. In truth, it was Aubrey Powell from Hipgnosis who hurled tomatoes at his own creation, frustrated after it was rejected by other bands. Yes empathized with that gesture, and Yes Tor becoming on Tormato.

The music on Side one opens with "Future Times / Rejoice", composed entirely by Anderson, whose lyrics here are unusually direct. The track features Chris Squire using the Mu-Tron pedal, adding that now-iconic touch to his bass tone.

"Don't Kill the Whale" originated from a bass line and acoustic guitar part created by Squire, which Anderson developed further using a poem he had written. The lyrics were inspired by a TV program about saving tigers, which led him to write about whale conservation. Their friend Terry Doran also played a role in sparking the theme. Wakeman added a Polymoog sound resembling whale calls, which shaped the track's unique identity. The song was an instant hit and it was the first major hit for the band since Roundabout.

"Madrigal" is a short, delicate piece driven by Wakeman's harpsichord, written at Anderson's suggestion to explore the madrigal form of English evening song.

"Release, Release", originally titled The Anti-Campaign, was co-developed by Anderson and White and reflected the social and political unrest of the time. The song features automatic double tracking on drums and a live crowd sample?allegedly from a football match?to energize the instrumental break. It caught the attention of Atlantic Records president Ahmet Ertegun, who even suggested the whole album follow its more straightforward rock sound. Anderson later admitted the song was difficult to perform live due to the vocal range it demanded.

On the other side starts with "Arriving UFO", a sci-fi-inspired track based on a theme Anderson developed after watching Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Wakeman composed the instrumental midsection.

"Circus of Heaven" tells a whimsical story aimed at children, complete with unicorns, elves, and a circus arriving in a quiet Midwestern town. The story was inspired by Ray Bradbury and was something Anderson shared with his son Damion, who voices the child at the end. Musically, the song is notable for Squire's reggae-style bass line.

"Onward" is a lush ballad written entirely by Squire, featuring orchestral arrangements by Andrew Pryce Jackman. Squire considered it one of his best compositions, and it was later revived on stage in 1996 with a new acoustic intro by Steve Howe called "Unity".

Finally, "On the Silent Wings of Freedom" closes the album on a high note, built around Squire's bass with a distinctive Mu-Tron Envelope Shaper effect, giving it a driving, pulsating energy.

As a side note, some original cassette and 8-track editions included a hidden track called "Richard", written by Anderson. Though it was omitted from later reissues.

In the end, Tormato it is a fascinating record in the Yes story. It's an album born from frustration, and experimentation, but it still carries moments of brilliance musical extremes hated by many and loved for others. While it may not reach the heights of their masterpieces, it reflects a band trying to adapt, to evolve, and to remain true to themselves in a rapidly changing musical world. For some, it's a misstep. For others? like me?it's a misunderstood gem, full of character, tension, and charm. And above all, it marked the last time this classic lineup would record together until much later, making Tormato both an ending and a turning point in the history of Yes. I still believe that this record needs more love from the fans.

A Good Drama

I don't think I need to write an introduction for this album on Prog Archives, since it already has 190 reviews and comes from a classic progressive rock band. But a little history never hurts. After a long, two-year tour, Yes closed out a successful decade during which they released several landmark albums. However, the recording of Tormato was a complete disaster, and the resulting album left not only the band but also many fans?and especially the label?deeply dissatisfied.

That's why the band, with its classic lineup and taking advantage of Rick Wakeman's return, planned a tour covering their entire 1970s discography. Each show lasted between two hours and 45 minutes to well over three hours. Despite the length, the tour was a success, and Yes re-established itself. Perhaps it marked the end of an era for the band?or even the band itself. The dilemma, along with the failure of Tormato, put Yes in a difficult position. In fact, none of the classic members responded when Chris Squire and Alan White reached out to discuss the band's future.

At that point, Squire, Howe and White began rehearsing on their own. despite everyone's hopes, it didn't work out. Each time Squire headed to rehearsals, "Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles played on the radio. He thought it was terrible?but there was something about the song that stuck with him. Howe left, and Squire and White were jamming alone.

One day, Squire began playing the hit song of the moment. White followed, laughing. In the middle of the jam, they stopped to talk. White said he liked the middle section and thought it had something. Squire felt it too and that's when he realized it might be a good idea to talk to Atco Records.

Squire, accompanied by Brian Lane his dude close friend, manager, and owner of the studio where Yes used to rehearse arranged a meeting with The Buggles. It turned out that Trevor Horn already knew Squire quite well, and they agreed to start working together, bringing in Horn's counterpart, keyboardist Geoff Downes. However, Horn made one thing clear: if it was going to be a Yes album, it had to include Steve Howe, whom Horn saw as the key member responsible for the classic Yes sound. Squire contacted Howe, who was finishing a short tour for his latest solo album. Howe agreed, but with one condition: that the album be produced by Eddie Offord the classic producer who hadn't worked with Yes since Relayer in 1974.

What Horn didn't know at that point was that Jon Anderson, the other fundamental piece of Yes, would not be part of the lineup.

And so, Squire convinced him that he would be the vocalist on the project, and Horn finally accepted. The band began working in New York, but they were broke, so Lane approached Atco Records to request a $200,000 advance. Initially denied, after some tough negotiation he managed to secure a better deal?$400,000. It was the first Yes album that started with a cash advance.

The album consisted of several Squire,Howe and White songs, along with others they had been rehearsing on studio, for a few weeks. Horn suggested including a Buggles song, "Into the Lens," as a potential promotional single. Although the Yes version was less commercial, it had the potential to bridge the prog world with the pop world.

Unfortunately, Offord's return as producer proved to be a disaster. He was going through a difficult emotional period, and his erratic behavior led the band to keep him on only as co-producer. His most valuable contribution came specifically on "Into the Lens." The production was eventually taken over by Hugh Padgham, then a young and relatively unknown figure who would later work with Sting, XTC, Genesis, and Phil Collins. As soon as work began under Padgham, everything started to feel easier and more relaxed than expected.

For example, Machine Messiah was rehearsed and recorded in just one day. The next day, inspired by Trevor Horn, they began work on White Car. Does It Really Happen? was a track originally rejected by Yes during the Going for the One sessions, but it was a personal favorite of Alan White. Side two opens with the masterful version of Into the Lens. Run Through the Light was one of the songs from the Squire and White era, but reworked in the studio?especially by Howe. Finally, Tempus Fugit was a song that originated in 1979 from a kind of Squire-Howe-White project.

Yes also worked on additional material during the recording sessions, though much of it remained incomplete. This included "We Can Fly from Here" and "Go Through This," which were later performed during the 1980 tour and eventually released on the live compilation The Word Is Live. "We Can Fly from Here" was later expanded into a 20-minute suite on Yes's 2011 studio album Fly from Here. A third track, "Crossfire," was also later released on another compilation.

The album's sleeve was designed by Roger Dean his first artwork for a Yes album since Relayer in 1974. When Dean was commissioned for the project, he already knew the album's title and approached the design with what he described as "an intuitive approach" to match the tone and spirit of the music. The title Drama was not chosen at random. It reflected the turbulent period the band went through before and during the making of the album the internal tensions, lineup changes, financial struggles, and the emotional weight of trying to rebuild Yes without Jon Anderson. It was, quite literally, a drama both musically and personally.

And yet, despite the odds, Drama stands as one of the most unique and underrated records in the Yes discography. It may lack the spiritual voice of Anderson, but it compensates with a renewed energy, tighter arrangements, and a bold fusion of progressive complexity with new wave flair. Horn and Downes brought fresh textures, and the core of Squire, White, and Howe delivered powerful performances. Songs like Machine Messiah and Tempus Fugit are now considered essential by many fans.

Over time, the album has gained respect, especially as listeners have re-evaluated it without the burden of its original context. It marked both an end and a new beginning?an experimental chapter that captured a band in transformation. Drama may have started in crisis, but it emerged as a reinvention.

This is a good album. To realize this, you only have to trim the four tracks recorded by "West Yes". OK, there are no great songs like in "Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman Howe", but it sounds good to me (especially if you skip the four songs mentioned). Of course it's a little sad to listen to the entire album and notice the lack of coherence. (IMHO the two solo Ravin songs are the worst on the CD). My other complaint is the production by Jonathan Elias, who believed that session musicians could sound better than Wakeman and Howe (Who the f''k did he think he was?). Having said all that I can add that I really like "I would have wait for ever", "Masquerade", "Without Hope" and "Angkor Wat", even "Evensong" is interesting (not at the level of "Indiscipline" but it's OK). I like Bruford's drumming much more than the one on ABWH album. This in not an album to listen to weekly but it leaves me with a pleasant feeling.

Kind of a grower (for me, at least), but its charms are instantly noticeable. Close to Edge makes itself known as a record that combines subtlety, technicality, melody, and detail more tightly than many of its compatriots. There is definitely a penchant for the enjoyable bits of prog to end up buried beneath overt displays of instrumental showmanship, but none of that is here, in my experience. Everything is good on this record, and the title track is probably the quickest-moving 18-minute song I have ever heard - a major achievement in my eyes . Every moment of that track meshes so well. It's undoubtedly a masterclass showing off a multi-movement prog composition. Roger Deans artwork also makes this such an iconic album. 5.0 it actually took me a bit to see the greatness but then it was revealed. It takes an incredible amount of talent to remember every note for shows and other performances.

Anthemic, catchy prog rock with pop sensibility - this is what Yes was all about during the 1980s, and yes, Jon Anderson is a necessary prerequisite for a successful Yes album. '90125' is, of course, the iconic and divisive 1983 Yes release, one of the band's commercial successes, and an album packed with universal radio hits that are still in rotation nowadays. Beloved for its sing-along choruses, great melodies and gorgeous vocal harmonies, and despised by angry prog snobs who are only willing to pay attention to an eighteen-minute-long flute solo or concept albums about spaceships and dragons, this recording remains definitive of its age, exemplary of musical fads and above all a very strong studio exercise that had ultimately produced an excellent collection of accessible songs that are sufficiently intricate to keep even the most pretentious listeners attentive for all the playful, quirky little details sprinkled all over.

This is the album where Trevor Rabin jumped on board and completely "shattered" the Yes world, in a good sense that is, while Trevor Horn took up all production duties, chiseling the excellent ideas of Anderson, Squire and Kaye, resulting in an album that is equally impressive, enjoyable and memorable, packed with great playing and generous, vivid musical ideas, equal amounts rock and pop tropes and having just the right amount of that prog pomp, definitive of all previous releases by the band. Needless to mention the influence and scope of great songs like 'Owner of a Lonely Heart', 'Changes', 'Leave It' or 'It Can Happen' as these songs have been firmly embedded into the collective memory of the extravagant and unpredictable history of pop music during the eighties. Less popular but no less interesting offerings like the instrumental 'Cinema' or the epic 'Hearts' grace the second side of the LP, and we could only conclude that the then-new pop-oriented direction of Yes only expanded their vocabulary and affirmed that this group of musicians are among the masters of songwriting, production and melodic gutsiness.

One of the many characteristics I love about Yes' music is that it blended classical elements into the rock format. It did take a while for Yes to catch on, as its first two albums were commercial failures and it was their third that basically ensured their lengthy career. The band's fourth, "Fragile" is one of their best for many groundbreaking reasons. It was the first to feature keyboard wizard Rick Wakeman (one of prog's best keyboardists ) and the first to introduce Roger Dean's surrealistic otherworldly artwork (after all, the two go hand-in-hand). A brave record, "Fragile" contained individual pieces that gave each member a chance to shine, as well as the group efforts such as "Roundabout" and "Heart of the Sunrise". The instrumentation was superb; I especially like Chris Squire's distorted bass on "The Fish" and Steve Howe is an exceptional guitarist whose instrumental showcases never cease to awe. "Mood For A Day" is a notable successor to the previous set's "Clap". "Fragile" deserves a place in every prog rock fan's collection and keep tabs on that splintering planet. for a fitting conclusion I say this, In the movie "School of Rock" a parent furious with the teacher (Jack Black) holds up a CD copy of Fragile and says "How is this homework". I would say because its a classic prog album that children around the world should hear. 4.5

I'll keep this short and sweet. Tormato contains some magnificent material (Onward), some very good material (On The Silent Wings Of Freedom) and some really decent material (all the rest of the album). However, it all suffers from a serious lack of competent production. I understand that the band probably felt that they were experienced enough at this stage and that they were up to the task of producing the album themselves but lets face it, they just weren't. Tormato really suffers from a lack of a good knowledgeable producer with a good head for sound. I'm a fan of the band in all its incarnations and I have all their albums as well as many of their live releases. Tormato is only for the likes of me, a fan. To others I would suggest, its not necessary that you hear this album. There are better things in life.

Haven't reviewed Yes yet... this felt needed. In 1973 Yes released their most pompous, overblown, and over-the-top effort ever, Tales From Topographic Oceans. Although fans were now somewhat used to longer songs by Yes, four 20 minute songs was not what they had in mind. After the commercial disappointment and mixed reactions from fans, Rick Wakeman decided to leave the band in order to pursue his solo career. This left a large void in Yes, as Wakeman's lead keyboard work was a huge part of the band as we had been shown in such masterpieces like Close to the Edge and Siberian Khatru. The man to replace him was an entirely different type of player, one that would take Yes's sound to a new level that they had not seen before. Coming from a jazz background, Patrick Moraz was not as much of a lead player as Wakeman was, but he was perfect at completing everything that was going on.

By the time Moraz had joined the band, most of the material for the album had been written, so much of his influence is not shown with the exception of the frantic jazz-fusion bazed Sound Chaser. One huge characteristic of this album is that the guitar takes a very leading role along with the drumming, making Relayer the "Steve Howe/Alan White" show. Many of the sounds on Relayer are far more aggressive than previous albums with the guitar at center stage, which is by no means a bad thing. From the get go with The Gates of Delirium, Steve Howe shows us that his leadership can produce great tracks and a great Yes album in general.

This opening track is based off of War And Peace, and is divided into three (or four if you'd like) large sections. Kicking things off we instantly notice a more raw sound to this cd, with Steve Howe's guitar dibbling over a small Patrick Moraz background does a great job of emulating a buildup of some sort. Jon Anderson kicks in with his classic vocals, this time dealing directly with the topics war. Throughout this whole song, there is always a lot going on. Even at slower points, Steve Howe's guitar can run at a frantic pace, and Alan White's drumming is always at a top notch level. Moraz throws in his lead keyboard lines from time to time to continue driving the song forward. Then at 4:30 we see a repeat of keyboard line, but Moraz's genuious shines and we see an awesome intro to this line. After one more round of classic Jon Anderson, we begin to enter into the "battle" section. Starting with a guitar line that we have heard already, it becomes perfect when Moraz repeats the D minor chord from the behind and Steve Howe adds just a little bit more to put it over the top. The battle section is an intense fury of music, Chris Squire finally shines in this part putting in his best bass work, and Alan White comes in full force with perfect drumming alongside some quick Patrick Moraz keyboard work. Throughout this part quick changes come along as Steve Howe will go off on the guitar with a fantastic flurry of notes that is quickly succeeded by Moraz with more lines of keyboard goodness. Eventually this all explodes into one final burst that brings up an ascending keyboard line that just keeps climbing higher and higher until it finally shifts to Steve Howe, who puts it over the edge and sends into the section named "Soon". This section is a large departure from the earlier parts of the song in that it is entire soft, but it is also entirely beautiful. Jon Anderson's vocals shine here and round off this song, making The Gates of Delirium one of the greatest progressive rock tracks ever written. This song makes the album in my opinion.

It is incredibly hard to follow up a song like that, and the only track that could possibly follow it up is Sound Chaser. This extremely jazzy piece contains most of Moraz's influence on the album, and it obviously shows. We see some small improvising at the beginning before Steve Howe kicks in with a speedy guitar line, which then goes into the most frantic part of a song that I have ever heard. Between Jon Anderson's vocals, Steve's guitar, Alan White's drumming, Squire's bass and Moraz's keys, I cannot understand what the hell is going on in the verse, but I definitely love and think that it is amazing. Howe once again shows us his guitar flair with a solid solo in the middle, and the whole band shows their technical prowess in this track. Sure, the "cha cha cha's"

To Be Over is a much softer track with a lovely intro and some great pedal steel guitar all the way through. Not one member of the band really shines here until the Steve Howe show comes to town, although the vocal melodies really put a nice calm touch on the song, settling down the chaotic mood that was summoned from the previous two tracks. Steve Howe comes in with another guitar solo over top of a very atmospheric backing and keeps the guitar going until some more beautiful Jon Anderson melodies come back set up some Patrick Moraz noodling, and then the song finally ends on some light lead guitar work with some almost Christmas-like vocals coming about to bring a very wintry feel to the end of a classic album.

Any fan of progressive rock should pick this album up, as it is one of the two strongest Yes albums along with 1972's Close To The Edge, and is also one of the best progressive rock albums. The jazzy feel makes it unlike any other prog album and puts it above more generic sounding bands and works by Yes. Unfortuantely, this lineup would only last for this one album, as Rick Wakeman soon rejoined the band, and they began an effort to phase Patrick Moraz out of the band. On 1977's Going For The One, all that Patrick Moraz saw for his work with the band was being at the top of the "thank's to..." list. But many prog and Yes fans will never forget his great contribution to a great band. Also thank you Brufordfreak for reminding to review Yes.

I am a Korean who likes progressive rock.

두 번째 트랙, Sound Chaser으로 Yes의 7집을 시작합니다. 처음은 약간 기괴한, 전형화되지 않은 박자와 즉흥으로 연주하여 정신없이 지나갑니다. 마지막 세 번째 트랙, To Be Over는 마치 긴 여행을 끝낸 편안한 사운드를 제공해요. 서정적이에요. 이전과는 다른 사운드가 들리는 거 같습니다. 뭔가 표지와 비슷한 차가운 색이 보여요. 마지막 1-2분에 들리는 사운드로 분위기는 절정에 도달합니다. 두 번째 트랙과 전혀 다른 분위기로 대조시켜 더 분위기가 사는 거 같습니다. Yes의 음반이 좋은 이유 중 하나는 긴 시간의 곡이라도 멜로디 라인을 정말 잘 가지고 간다는 점이에요. 즉흥 연주도 절묘하게 붙이고요. 곡을 잘 나눕니다. 페달 스틸 기타가 굉장히 매력적입니다. 언젠가 인생의 마침표를 찍을 때, 이 곡을 듣고 싶어요. 이 음반은 과소평가 된 면이 없지 않아 있어요. 이 음반을 좋아합니다. 감사합니다.

I am a Korean who likes progressive rock.

프로그레시브 록의 특징 중 하나인 긴 시간의 곡이 가끔 지치게 할 때가 있어요. 첫 트랙, Close to the Edge는 그 긴 시간이 짧게 느껴졌습니다. 왜 그런지 생각해 봤어요. 곡의 구성이 미쳤습니다. 멜로디 라인은 그대로 살리되, 거기에 즉흥으로 연주를 붙이고 분위기가 점점 고조되며 절정에 이르러 변주가 기가 막힙니다. 곡을 정말 잘 나누었어요. 그리고 전체적인 음향이 듣기에 날 것 느낌이 나지만, 조화롭고 밝고 편안했어요. Jon Anderson의 목소리가 사실 처음에는 제 취향은 아니었지만 듣다 보니 좋아졌답니다. 프로그레시브 록 중 가장 좋아하는 곡이에요. 매일 들어요. 몇몇 곡들은 귀에 익숙하기까지 시간이 꽤 걸립니다. 하지만, 이 곡은 달라요. 처음 듣자마자 좋았어요. 왜 이 음반이 이 커뮤니티에서 가장 많은 사랑을 받는지 깨달았어요. 감사합니다.