Maybe I'm finally starting to "get" Yes' TFTO.

You should never start to finally get an album.  Either you appreciated when you first heard it or your didn't.  The worst thing you can to is to try and force yourself to appreciate any album that doesn't suit your ears...

TFTO is the closest thing to an actual symphony to be found in prog rock.  In other words, it demands you sit, listen, and experience it.  I can't do Tales in passive way.

As I have said Love Tales--a very special album---love this website but can't believe that Tales is not considered at top 100 prog album but a lot of the stuff that is on there---including stuff in the Top 10---I wouldn't even consider worth more than a few listens---but taste is random.

Finnforest wrote: I noticed something on my most current listening that is perhaps just silly, but I have no problem embarrassing myself This time through it, I paid even less attention to lyrics than I normally do, just focusing on the music.  I'm not saying this was intentional by the band, but, the album sort of "feels" like it is mirroring the life cycle.  RSoG has these beautiful somewhat nostalgic melodies that evoke the feelings of childhood to me, wonder, naivety, innocence, mystery.  The Remembering would be young adulthood, adventure, falling in love.  In the Ancient the first half sounds like the stresses of midlife, sometimes jagged and painful while the lovely acoustic in the second half balances it out with what we love about our life.  And in Ritual we begin with that warmth that suggests an elder in a life well lived.  In the middle there is a break and then suddenly the harsh dissonance (by Yes standards anyway) of the percussion/breath sounds which could be representation of suffering and death.  Then breaking from that and closing melodically into the beyond/afterlife.  Again, not saying this was a theme of the bands, just saying that for me as a listener it works as a subplot.  And whenever artists are asked what their albums "mean", many dodge the question by saying variations of "it means whatever it means to our fans."  So I guess we're entitled to wonder about subplots.  Anyway, sorry for that.  Ducking the tomatoes now

Perhaps you might try listening to it while appreciating Thomas Cole's famous series:

I noticed something on my most current listening that is perhaps just silly, but I have no problem embarrassing myself

This time through it, I paid even less attention to lyrics than I normally do, just focusing on the music.  I'm not saying this was intentional by the band, but, the album sort of "feels" like it is mirroring the life cycle. 

RSoG has these beautiful somewhat nostalgic melodies that evoke the feelings of childhood to me, wonder, naivety, innocence, mystery.  The Remembering would be young adulthood, adventure, falling in love.  In the Ancient the first half sounds like the stresses of midlife, sometimes jagged and painful while the lovely acoustic in the second half balances it out with what we love about our life.  And in Ritual we begin with that warmth that suggests an elder in a life well lived.  In the middle there is a break and then suddenly the harsh dissonance (by Yes standards anyway) of the percussion/breath sounds which could be representation of suffering and death.  Then breaking from that and closing melodically into the beyond/afterlife.  Again, not saying this was a theme of the bands, just saying that for me as a listener it works as a subplot.  And whenever artists are asked what their albums "mean", many dodge the question by saying variations of "it means whatever it means to our fans."  So I guess we're entitled to wonder about subplots. 

Anyway, sorry for that.  Ducking the tomatoes now

As I've said many times before, Tales from Topographic Oceans is my all time favorite album.

From the first enchanting syllables, I knew there was something special about this one.  "The Revealing Science of God" introduces us to several themes, and each passage moves into the next with an imperceptible fluidity.  In its grittier moments, it pays tribute to the coda of "Siberian Khatru," while the Mellotron offers a refreshing sense of beauty.

The Remembering" shows Yes at their most bucolic and redolent.  Although the title of the piece speaks of remembering, the work gives us glimpses into the future ("Remember the Future?"); for example, triumphantly proclaiming the title of their next album, "Relayer!"

During "The Ancient," you will hear Howe wink at earlier phrases, such as how he sneaks in the main guitar motif from "Siberian Khatru" or how, during his classical guitar excursion, he includes the opening guitar riff from "Close to the Edge."

"Ritual" is a bright and uplifting contrast to the murky mystery of the third movement.  As the tension mounts in the middle, you will hear a reprise of the main melody from "The Remembering," and at the finale, there's the main theme from "The Revealing Science of God," only transformed into a minor key.

Finnforest wrote: Atavachron wrote: Congratulations, it's a treasure chest that takes awhile to unpack. Nice line David!

Atavachron wrote: Congratulations, it's a treasure chest that takes awhile to unpack.

octopus-4 wrote: I can't get into Relayer, instead.

Me too, except from 'Sound Chaser', I really like that track

I also agree with the OP, the second half is the best one IMO, especially 'The Ancient'


Edited by Meltdowner - January 17 2015 at 08:56

ProgSword wrote: I could never get through all of The Revealing Science of God. Still can't. Love skipping to Wakeman's kickass synth solo though. And The Remembering totally alienates me too. Those two songs have pretty much been my experience with the album. But finally giving the second-half of the album a chance, and wow. The Ancient and Ritual sound amazing! Can't believe I've put them off for so long. Maybe it's only a matter of time before the other two songs begin to click. Anyone else still give TFTO a crack from time to time hoping that it will finally be appealing? The decent rating this album has on PA always makes me feel guilty about not liking it...

it will...  if you cracked The Ancient.. the rest is a piece of cake.  That is almost universally considered the make or break movement (side) of the album. Those that miss the album often point to it, those that ADORE the album point to it.  Brilliant IMO but yes, it took years before I finally 'got' that one piece of music. It isn't easy listening.. the way a really good prog rock should be, it challenging a listener.  Because it does, and is the highest expression ever made of prog rock, it was bound to lose some listeners.  It was a risk to make, it was progressive rock. So progressive it even lost some 'fans' of it.

Keep listening to what you haven't caught yet... it eventually will.. and your life will be better for it.


Edited by micky - January 17 2015 at 08:42