GOING FOR THE ONE

I don't do much classic album reviews due to how I wanna look towards the future of progressive rock and see what it's all about rather than dwell on the past. However right now I do feel like going back in time a bit. Yes' discography is a wild ride, especially in the 70s. They are a very complex band that has a long and complicated history. In fact, out of any classic progressive rock band, they got it pretty rough, especially in the 80s and 90s. It's a complex world for Yes, both in their history and their music. The reason why I wanted to do this review is mostly cause I wanted to, and also because I relistened to Awaken which made me wanna relisten to this album again. It's just to have a little fun and re-experience a pretty good album.

The album starts with its title track, Going For The One. This song mixes the interesting complex musicianship of the band's other works back in the 70s while also shifting towards a more accessible sound. Obviously this accessibility would later lead to the band's fall from grace, but here it does sound rather good, if not a little cheesy, especially with Rick's piano playing. I'd say this is a perfectly acceptable title track for Yes standards, since everything is on point, with a little mix of something new in the mix. Overall pretty good stuff.

Turn of the Century is up next. Opposite from the title track, this is a spacey, acoustic ballad with little to no drumming or percussion. It takes a more laid back approach, going for a more spacious mix, almost like building an empty room. Everything doesn't go too complex in the song, but it does lead to the more symphonic side of Yes that many Prog heads like myself really appreciate. However I feel like this song simply goes a little too long for comfort. I do like the little solo near the 5 minute mark, but after that I feel as though it is merely stalling to where the song starts to feel boring near the end point. Not a bad song, just can get a little tedious.

Parallels combines the more pop rock feel of Going For The One and combines it with the symphonic stylization of Turn of the Century. It has a very fun sound filled with virtuosity and a fun attitude all around it, to create a great song. However this song has one thing that kinda gets on my nerves, and that is the organ playing. It is a very loud church organ that makes itself apparent in the first second. It's so loud, and as someone who likes the organ, this just feels excessive. Rick Wakeman is definitely notable for how almost excessive he is in Prog rock, as noted by some of his shows having ice skaters and thousand dollar props and sets, but he definitely isn't the type of guy to show off how good of a keyboardist he is, but I guess Parallels was the exception. I guess if you don't mind that loud organ, then this song isn't half bad, but when you absolutely hear it every second, it does get a little grating.

The next song is Wondrous Stories. What if The Beatles and Yes had a baby? Well this'll be the result, and dang is it pretty good. It's super bubbly and happy, yet showcases technical and melodic soundscapes. Basically put, this song is like you take the best of both worlds of the early 60s with the late 70s, you'll get this. It is a happy go lucky song, and I'd be hard pressed if this wasn't one of the songs that inspired the creation of the band Moon Safari, since this and that band's sound is pretty similar.

Now for the big one. Awaken is a 15 minute epic, and probably what this album is most known for. Every segment and minute are filled to the brim with virtuosity, complexity, and a compassionate feel throughout. This is definitely the band's last hooray before slowly, but surely, shifting away from their progressive roots into more pop driven (sometimes better or worse) tunes. I definitely love this track all the same, it has a ton of interesting tempo changes, moods, and an overall feeling of intrigue. This song was definitely made with love in a time where this style of music wasn't necessarily dying, but certainly losing its niche touch with the mainstream, to the point where some felt that it burnt itself out and withered into nothing. It is an awakening of the band that the times were changing, and either for the better, or for the worse.

I would not call this album a masterpiece, but I do see it as an important album from the band because it marked the tail end for the band's more complex sound that'd shift around to different styles and moods throughout the coming decades. It isn't perfect, but it does have great value.