TALK

Talk was one of the first Yes albums I heard, and I only stumbled upon it by chance. It was in a bargain bin in my local supermarket, I think I paid only a few euros for it. Definitely one of the best bargains I've made!

I remember that I had Close to the Edge and Going For The One before this one, and I was at first a bit disappointed with it. The disappointment soon subsided when I listened to the album more. In fact, almost all of the songs are top notch. The music is of course different than on the albums from their heyday, but the songs are different in a very good way in my opinion. This album is full of soothing and relaxing melodies and soundscapes.

The only song I would classify as a filler is Walls, but it is still an ok pop song, with Rabin doing most of the singing. Rest of the songs are great in their own ways, but the absolute highlight is the epic Endless Dream which is right there with the best epics of Yes. And on the other songs especially the choruses are impressive.

Rabin and Anderson are the ones who steal the show with this album. Rabin's varied and classy playing is especially enjoyable. The others seem to take more of a backseat, while Squires playing is great as always. The production is impressive, but it almost sounds too clinical and clean. That's a minor point though.

Overall the album is a great one, but has its own flaws too (Walls, production, White being quite bland). 4 stars!