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Yes - Keystudio CD (album) cover

KEYSTUDIO

Yes

 

Symphonic Prog

3.59 | 521 ratings

From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website

kirklott
5 stars Folks, this is the long lost classic Yes album.

Recorded in 1996 by the classic line-up of Anderson, Howe, Squire, Wakeman and White, Yes triumphantly returned to its peak form of the early 70s: rich and complex song structures, extreme musicianship and soaring harmonies.

With its Beatles-like choruses and dizzying instrumentals, the 20-minute "Mind Drive" is one of Yes' best-ever epics, easily beating anything on Topographic Oceans. The other 20- minute epic, "That That Is," is equally excellent, featuring a giddy positivity and superb musicianship that builds and builds to a frenzied climax.

"Footprints" sounds like a distant cousin of "Roundabout", seething with emotion and strong instrumention. "This Train" is a crazy, mood-shifting prog workout that delights. The powerful "Children of Light" has a rap-like verse that merges into heavenly Steve Howe slide guitar solo. The only misstep is "Be The One," which has a chorus that sounds like a ballad sung by lonely Greek fishermen.

Unfortunately, this music never received proper promotion. Befuddled management, befuddled record labels, and befuddled band members originally buried these great recordings under totally unnecessary live tracks and then abandoned them like an unwanted puppy. Most Yes fans missed the best Yes album in 20 years. Fortunately Yes finally performed "Mind Drive" on its 2004 tour; since most fans had never heard the track before, it blew quite a few minds...

If you love early Yes, you'll dig this album.

| 5/5 |

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