RELAYER

After the bloated white elephant that was TFTO, Yes were back on track with the follow up- Relayer. Opening with yet another side long suite would have rung alarm bells for some Yes fans scared off by the overtly distended tracks off the previous album. Fortunately The Gates Of Delirium is easily the best side long track since Close To The Edge .Infact listening to those two tracks back to back exemplifies just how versatile Yes could be when they tried. The Relayer track could not be more different from CTTE. Whereas the earlier track is utterly bucolic, The Gates Of Delirium is positively aggressive in places especially the central instrumental section describing in musical terms the sheer chaos of war. The track also contains some particularly strong musical themes especially during the opening section.A superb slice of Classic Prog Rock Unfortunately side two is a but of a let down. Newcomer Patrick Moraz's jazz-rock tendencies dominate the opening track-"Sound Chaser" and I just find the track harsh and poorly structured. The final track "To Be Over" is pleasant enough but I cannot help but compare it unfavourably with "And You And I" from CTTE. Overall I would say Relayer is an excellent album - just not a bona fide Classic