HOUSE OF YES: LIVE FROM HOUSE OF BLUES

When a band has been around as long as Yes, we should excuse them for releasing an album after every tour. Especially since the line seems to change for every tour. On this one, Rick Wakeman has once again opted out, and keyboardist/Yes fan Igor Khoroshev is in. While his keyboard patch selection is not as dynamic as Wakeman's, his performance on the classics is certainly up to par.

The live versions of songs from "The Ladder" are an improvement over the recordings on the good but not great studio album. I particularly like the prog-reggae of The Messenger. While the studio version is somewhat flat to me, this recording is quite vibrant.

The classic songs are mostly workmanlike, but Khoroshev's keyboards are mixed a bit too far down most of the time. Squire's bass seems to have more punch than usual. This may be because Billy Sherwood is often doubling the bass lines on guitar. Highlights are an extended version of Yours Is No Disgrace, a nice version of Awaken, and Owner Of A Lonely Heart, where the band stretches out the jam at the end.