THE YES ALBUM

The Yes Album is the third studio album released by Yes on February 19th, 1971. This album would mark a turning point for the band as this is considered to be their first "classic" album by most fans. The band's line-up remains the same as their previous album expect with one notably addition. Guitarist Steve Howe who had joined the band during the tour and promotion of Time and a Word, replaced Peter Banks in 1970. This would also be the last album to feature keyboardist Tony Kaye until the release of 1983's 90125. During this album in particular, the band begins to take on a more "progressive" approach to their music. At the time, Yes was at risk of being dropped by Atlantic due to the commercial failures of their first two albums. However, instead of taking their more music in a more accessible direction to reach a wider audience, they doubled down and made their most progressive album they had released so far. This album is a huge leap forward when compared to their two prior studio releases. Not to mention, there are so many iconic moments found throughout the album it becomes difficult to sort out which would be the most iconic moment out of all of them. In addition, this was the first album to not feature any cover songs which illustrates the band beginning to mature as songwriters. The Yes Album was a critical success and a major commercial breakthrough for the band. However, is all the praise valid? Is this THE Yes album?

From the first few seconds, you know you are in for something truly special. Yours Is No Disgrace is the first track and the album and it is a truly exceptional from start to finish. It originated from some lyrics written by Jon Anderson with his friend David Foster (Who played guitar on the track Time and a Word). This was then combined with other brief sections of music written by the band in rehearsals. Funnily enough, Steve Howe worked out the opening guitar riff on his own while the rest of the band took a day's holiday. Yours is no Disgrace has become somewhat of a classic song for the band that is performed during nearly every tour. A special mention also goes to Eddie Offord's mixing which is essentially perfect. It allows each voice and instrument to be separate and distinctive yet not out of place. There is also incredible musicianship all around, with Steve Howe particularly shining during the solo section. This is a perfect opening track that captivates everyone's attention with its stunning vocals and a driving rhythm section. The next track, The Clap, was recorded live at the Lyceum Theatre in London on 17 July 1970. It is a nice acoustic piece written by Steve Howe that remains to be one of the best acoustic pieces he has written to date. It was written in honor of the birth of his son, Dylan and in homage to Steve Howe's guitar hero Chet Atkins. It exhibits extremely good flow and never becomes dull. Starship Trooper is another highlight of the album, as it is yet another masterpiece almost reaching the ten-minute mark. It is music perfection with all musicians having their individual moments to shine throughout. Each section contributes uniquely to the piece as a whole while remaining to feel cohesive and well-paced. There is a live version of this track found on the band's live/studio album Keys To Ascension 1 that has become my go-to version of this track. It mostly remains the same for the first seven minutes or so, however, the Würm section receives the mind- blowing extended segment that I always wished the original had. If you are a fan of this track, I'd highly recommend checking this version out!

I've Seen All Good People is yet another iconic song that receives a lot of play during the band's live tours. In fact, I believe it works even better in a live setting. It is two-part track containing two completely different sections that oddly work together pretty well. These two sections are titled Your Move which was written by Jon Anderson and All Good People which was written by Chris Squire. The band incorporates impressive three-part harmonies throughout that put Jon Anderson's vocal talents on full display. Furthermore, Steve Howe plays superbly during the All Good People section as he performs a more classic rock inspired guitar solo. A Venture is a somewhat unusual choice for the album. Vocalist Jon Anderson wrote the track while in the studio which was then arranged by the rest of the band. Tony Kaye contributed to the jazzy solo towards the end while Steve Howe's guitar solo on the original recording was left off the final mix, which fades out just as it started. Chris Squire also supports the rhythm section wonderfully as his bass playing evolves to support the lead instruments. However, A Venture seems as if it would belong on their second studio album Time and a Word instead of The Yes Album. Nevertheless, it is an enjoyable track that works well as an interlude for the upcoming nearly nine-minute track. Perpetual Change is yet another masterpiece found on the album that was written by Jon Anderson and Chris Squire. It contains numerous interesting moments in addition to featuring a jazzy section found around the four-and-a-half-minute mark. Soon after, the band erupts into a section that infuses odd time signatures and an interesting reworking of a previous melody. Perpetual Change seems to have been somewhat overlooked by the band at the time, but receives more attention nowadays as the band plays it live during most of their recent tours. This is a truly great track with an incredibly moving chorus!

Now, after all of that, is this THE Yes album? In my opinion, YES! This was the launching point for the band's career as they would continue to create many more masterpieces over the next few years that would cement them as being masters of their craft. After this album, Tony Banks would be replaced by Rick Wakeman which begins the bands "classic lineup". It is an album that seems to be frequently dubbed a masterpiece by most of the community. I'll have to agree with that statement. "Battleships confide in me and tell me where you are. Shining, flying, purple wolfhound, show me where you are."

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