THE YES ALBUM

****1/2, really ! The vivid, optimistic YES mood brought them long live and huge success. In my reviews about seminal prog year 1970 development scene -please see GRACIOUS and CARAVAN "if I could" ones - I didn't mention "Yes Album", as I guess it was released in 1971 although in my vinyl is written it was recorded at Advision, autumn 1970. My favorites are "yours is no disgrace" (one of my all times YES favorite composition) and "starship trooper". The entire album flows well and I don't get bored.

Here at "Yes Album" the greatest prog band ever trajectory in fact begun. Many innovations appear here. Steve Howe invented violin like, Wa-Wa, clean and other guitar resources interplay which remains avant-garde and reference even nowadays; Squire brought to the front the bass guitar making it leading (particularly in "disillusion" cut) while in most bands the "bass" was only a complementary instrument. Virtuoso playing was exalted - ps: Tony Kaye would be replaced in next "Fragile" (1971*****) by Rick Wakeman - and the almost ala sacred chorus are also YES innovations.

For these inventions reasons I could give 5 stars to "Yes Album" which is almost as ground breaking as 1969 "in the court of Crimson King" and Colosseum "Valentine Suite" side long track. "Yes Album" brought uplifting music instead of "21st century schizoid" or more "intellectual" ones, probably one of the the reasons why YES got so popular. Acquiring my taste (yeah I love GG), I'll keep 4 1/2 stars to "Yes album" as there are not so adventurous intellectual voyages here like in MARSUPILAMI (1970) or GRACIOUS (1970) or the quite adventurous or "cult" art rock by KC "Lizard" (1970) and "Islands" (1971). Nice that KC made no concessions to friendly easier melodies, even after their 1969 "in the court..." huge success, instead KC kept steady in the orthodox research art trend !

By the way I watched a MOODY BLUES " the lost performane- live in Paris1970" DVD. I liked the mellotron and vocals, but compositions are in song realm, so to me it's not groundbreaking innovative prog music, it's nice but after some time it falls in sameness radio format songs limitations trap. So please don't forget others 1970 year pioneers MARSUPILAMI, VDGG, GRACIOUS, WEB, ELP and EGG merits !! I know Genesis "Trespass" you will not forget. In Britain 1971 the prog scene was extremely rich so there are many classics, but in the 1969 and 1970 albums are the prog origins.