RELAYER

Everything has already been said in the reviews about this masterpiece. It is complex and demands full attention, but it is also very rewarding. I listened to this album numerous times in the last 25 years and I was never bored by it. It also has a special story for me.

Somebody gave me a tape with CTTE and Relayer along with other tapes when I was 12 without telling me what was on the tape! I also never asked him! At the time I was into the emerging post punk and new wave music, listening mostly to the radio stations. For 3 years I listened to that tape countless times. I always liked side B (later I found out that on side B was Relayer) than side A. Many times I would just fast forward side A so I could listen to side B. I did not do any research about the band or the albums recorded on the tape (strange, isn't it?) probably because I knew no band or musician in my time could have done something like that. I thought that the unknown band was probably retired.I played the tape to some of my friends, but nobody knew about or liked that type of music. I thought that it was the greatest rock music ever written or played. Then I heard Owner Of The Lonely Heart on radio. In the meantime my musical preferences had changed and I didn't like that song, but that's how I found out that the band on the tape was Yes. Then I played side B of the tape to a school friend who was taking piano jazz lessons. Less than 30 seconds into the first song he said "Oh, my God, this is Relayer". And he laughed at my story. Later I bought the albums, then the CD's, but I still keep that tape around.

After all these years I still believe Relayer is better than CTTE, but both albums contain some of the greatest rock music ever. IMO, The Gates of Delirium is the greatest progressive rock piece (it can't be called 'song') ever written, and closer to classical music compositions than anything else in rock. Nobody has done anything like that after. Listen to this piece and realize how pointless is the revival of the 70's prog-rock by some bands in these days and why they were not able to create something as good as the greats of that decade.

What, you don't have this albums in your collection?!!! Stop whatever you're doing and buy this album right now!