GOING FOR THE ONE

I remember the expectation I had when my parents went to USA in 1977, they were going to bring me the first Yes album released since I was a prog fan and with the extra bonus of the return of Rick Wakeman, one of my idols. I spent the next two weeks counting the hours to receive my LP, until the "D" day came.

After a first listen I was absolutely disappointed (that's why I call it the "D" day), it sounded too light, the keyboards weren't as powerful as the ones Rick used in the previous albums but even worst Jon's voice was more acute and annoying than ever...... not even a Roger Dean's art cover. The result was that I hated "Going for the One" for the next 26 years, even when I gave the album a few more listens, my opinion wouldn't change until this year.

A few weeks ago and only to complete the upgrade of my Yes collection, bought the CD. Sincerely I don't love it yet (and I'm sure will never be among my favorites), but it sounds much more better than two decades ago, especially when compared with 90125 or Big Generator.

Still sounds as a light version of Yes but must accept some songs are pretty interesting even though IMHO it has a only one masterpiece and another very good track mixed with one cute tune, a mediocre rock song and a hit single.

The album starts with the title song which sounds as an attempt of the members to begin the album with a powerful song, but I don't believe they achieved what they pretended. It's true that Going for the One has many changes and strong guitar by Steve but that isn't enough to make a great track, lacks of the magic Yes had in their previous albums and the keyboards sound terrible. Only a mediocre rock track with almost no trace of Progressive Rock.

"Turn of the Century" is a pretty ballad ideal for Steve's acoustic guitar and Jon's voice, it's precisely the cute song I mentioned before but nothing more, 8.58 minutes is too much ends boring me after the fourth minute or so, the middle section keyboards and piano are pretty decent, much better than in the previous track, but again not enough.

"Parallels" is the first song that reminds me of the earlier Yes, Rick sounds almost as good as he used to and the guitar has that classic sound that was one of Yes trademarks. Also important to mention that before this track Chris Squire's bass was almost unnoticed as if he was in the lineup only to make his classic backing vocals. At last a very good song.

"Wonderous Stories" is another cute ballad, if you compare Yes Career with Genesis, this track would be the "Your Own Special Way" inside Going for the one, their first real hit single since Roundabout (without the class of the first one) but absolutely nothing else, Rick keyboards sound cheesier than ever and Jon's voice is too sweat for my taste.

The band reserved the best track to close the album (just before the listener falls asleep), comes a 15 minutes epic that deserves to be in a better album, at last Chris shows us what he's capable of, Jon doesn't sound too acute, percussion is precise, Steve is really great and Rick sounds very close to what he did in Criminal Record (well, both were released the same year). The middle section is simply perfect after the almost Baroque keyboards, Jon's voice melts gently, extremely beautiful touch with the soft bells and the spectacular keyboards solo. By large the best of the album and probably the last masterpiece Yes ever released.

How can I rate this album if I really love Awaken and find Parallels very good, but the rest of the album works as a sleeping pill? Well I'll have to give "Going for the One" three stars because the only essential track is the 15 minutes epic but if it wasn't for Awaken, I wouldn't rate this album with more than one star.