THE YES ALBUM

After two solid but pretty unspectacular albums the Yes formula finally clicked with the group delivering one of the early classic albums of the progressive rock genre. Gone was lead- guitarist Peter Banks, to be replaced by 23-year old former Tomorrow and Bodast axeman Steve Howe, and the new boy set about freshening up Yes' sound with his wildly inventive guitar style. Released in 1971, 'The Yes Album' would become the group's first big-seller and would also yield much critical acclaim, finally placing Yes amongst the big boys of British rock. The album even enjoyed minor success in the USA. Yes had, in effect, thrown of the shackles of mediocrity that had so far hindered their evolutionary arc and constructed an eclectic mixture of styles featuring expert craftmanship and superior musical ability. There is not a dud track on the album, with the sublime 'Yours Is No Disgrace' kicking things off nicely and setting a sonic trend that would fully develop over the course of the next decade. Anderson's soaring vocals and the multi-tracked harmonies compliment Howe's electric playing and Squire's throbbing bass effectively, and the group's instrumental verve is explored to the full on the epic 'Starship Trooper', a song featuring some more blazing guitar work from Howe. The album would also feature five individually-concocted pieces from each member of the band, with the pick of the bunch being Squire's hugely-impressive 'The Fish', a track constructed completely out of bass guitar sounds that has to be heard to be (dis)believed. A testament to not only their abilities as musicians but also their resolve and foresight, 'The Yes Album' was so good it stopped Atlantic Records from dropping the group and set Yes on their way to stardom. To this day it ranks as one of the band's best and also one of the high watermarks of the entire progressive rock genre. STEFAN TURNER, LONDON, 2010