THE YES ALBUM

After a pair of mediocre albums, Yes dishes out this titan. They really find themselves here, probably mostly due to Steve Howe joining the band. This album begins a string of classics, but, to me, this one is the best. The Guitar and Bass work is top notch here.

Yours Is No Disgrace opens the album well. The solos in there are great, and the ending fade-up is one of my all time favorite Yes moments. After that, we get The Clap. It's a live guitar solo. It's a nice touch. Starship Trooper comes next. This is a classic. I think this is the best song on the album. It's just beautiful, and I love Jon Anderson's vocal performance on the track. The A side of this record is as good of a side that you can get, really.

The B side is a bit weaker then the A, but still awesome. I've Seen All Good People is one of Yes's best known tracks, and with good reason. Its light listening, which I like in this case. A Venture comes next. I think of the song as being like one scoop of ice cream next to two scoops. Sure, it's good, just not as good as the 2 scoops (the rest of the album). Things wrap up with Perpetual Change. It's like Yours Is No Disgrace, but not quite as exiting, and more chilled out. A fine finish.

All prog fans should have The Yes Album in their catalogue. It is probably the best introduction to the band, as well.