RELAYER

Relayer. Wow. D*mn. I bought this album not long after I had been completely hooked by the one two punch that is Fragile and Closer to the Edge. I needed more! I don't live near any fancy record stores so I decided to go out on a limb and just buy Relayer becuase it was there. I had heard some scary things about it from freinds and in my foolishness entierly neglected to read any reviews on it before purchasing it. But I thought, hah, if I can listen to Closer to the Edge nothing can stop me. I hadn't heard enough music then nor have I heard enough now to be able to judge the accuracy of such a lofty statement. What I go was much similar to my first experiences with Closer to the Edge, an fortress of sound. I was stunned. Where was the Yes from Closer to the Edge? I only later learned that Yes had undergone some serious changes before proceding to Relayer. When asked about it by my freinds I lied I said it was really good. The truth was I just didn't get it.This time I had a little more experience though and before sulking I remember how Closer to the Edge did the same thing some months earlier. This time I found the parts that had been the hardest assaults on the ears the first time through to be the coolest things I'd ever heard. Relayer and especially Gates of Delirium always makes it into my rotation. To tell the truth I have never been terribly paartial to the "Soon" portion of Gates, but the middle section which I like to call the racket might just be the most indespensible part of any Yes song I have so far hard the pleasure of hearing. The moral of the story (and I apologise for its windy qualities) never ever listen to a Yes album or for that matter a progressive rock album just once. I don't mean listen while you do home work or while you drive I mean listen and nothing else.