FLASH

this offspring from YES..had indeed their own style...that is to say..the style of Yes was partially thanks to Tony Kaye & Peter banks...as they were founder members of Yes. This record (and the 2 other outings from "FLASH")are actually their own "Yes-style" its...sort of...prog. with a fresh-Yes style.....the breaks,the singing..the lyrics. To make it short...if you´re into Yes (the first 2-3 albums)you will absolutely love this album..an probably the 2 next ones as well!! Though some might think that- the third album is a bit weak...i´d have to say i love it !!! FLASH!!!! Oh..yes indeed !!!

Having been shown the door to slam by the rest of his Yes colleagues, Peter Banks spent a stint in Blodwyn Pig (most likely after Mick Abrahams had left) then built up his own group, made mostly from previous acquaintance though Yes, The Syn, Mabel Greer's Toy Shop etc.. No big names, except for Tony Kaye, that also had received the pink slip from Yes. Well Kaye was apparently never really a full-member of Flash, since he had his own projects to mind, including a David Bowie tour and his very own Badger group. So for this debut album, the line-up is your classic prog quartet, plus the singing belter. Released in early 72 on the small Capitol offshoot Sovereign Records with a shameless panty Hipgnosis gatefold artwork, the album was definitely aiming the charts, as did the album-opening track, released as a single. Actually, it did work somewhat as they were fairly successful in the US, where tons of kids bought the album mainly on account of the artwork.

It's quite obvious that Flash chose to open with their album capitalizing on their Yes heritage and Small Beginnings is a good shot at it, as you could almost believe it, if it wasn't for Carter's voice. As mentioned above, this track would see a shortened version released as a single and shot up to n°29 in the Billboard. It's fairly clear as well that Banks listened intently to the Yes albums that his former group did after his leaving and he obviously felt he had something to prove on this and the next album. Indeed most of the tracks on these two albums have more to do with Yes Album or Fragile than they had with Time And A Word or the Yes debut, which might have been less obvious. Morning Haze is a mostly acoustic ditty with almost delicate harmonies (I'm not a fan of Carter's voice or his dumb lyrics). The 9-mins Children Of The Universe returns to the Yes mould, mainly on the strength of Kaye's organ (both him and banks also play the ARP synth), but both Benett (bass) and Hough (drums) are capable as both had previous jazz-band experiences.

Just two tracks on the flipside and the almost 13?mins Dreams Of Heaven opens the hostilities on a semblance of Heart Of The Sunrise, before breaking abruptly into hard-rocking riff, veering jazzy just after wards, before changing again tempo and climate. Undeniably the album's centerpiece. The closing Time It Takes can only pale in comparison, but it's got its charms as well, even if the vocal lines are fairly uninspired

I find this relatively uninteresting but then again I seem to be in a minority. This is just derivative prog rock to me with "affirmative" leanings, with somewhat technical capabilities, but arriving nowhere-close to their target of Yes. I think that a lot of Yes-nuts like this because of the guitarist Peter Banks and the keyboardist Tony Kaye (later in Badger which is better) had their second chance after having received the boot. I'd never found the group worthy of owning an album of theirs, but had borrowed them from buddies, and borrowed the albums from my library system in order to write these baffling blunders. Maybe I would've been kinder to this band had they used more progish covers instead of blatantly appealing to young sex-hungry and virgins males teenagers

This is the only FLASH`s album that I have. It was re-issued in CD by One Way Records in 1994, a label specialized in re-issues of out of print albums. I also have listened to their second album ("Flash in the Can", which I listened in a FM Radio station). This first album is better, because their second album lacks keyboards (piano and organ), but it has some synthesizers played by Peter Banks. Peter Banks said in one interview in 1994 (for the "Notes from the Edge" website, included in the yesworld.com website), that Tony Kaye was never an official member of FLASH. He was invited to play keyboards after he left YES in 1971 because the producer of the album wanted keyboards. So, FLASH was mainly a band formed by Banks, and in their first album Banks also composed most of the songs with singer Colin Carter, but also there are two songs by bassist Ray Bennett ("Morning Haze" and "Children of the Universe"), who became the main composer in FLASH`s second and third albums. Tony Kaye`s piano, organ and synth (Banks also is credited as synth player) are very good, but are more in the background, serving mainly as support.But the synth sounds very early 70s, dated, very "basic", used with the same sound for a few solos.Kaye plays a brief but very good organ solo in "The Time It Takes", the most "quiet" song in the album, with also a synth playing a "wind" sound in the background. Peter Banks`s guitars are very good in all the songs, being the main instrument, sounding with more "freedom" than when he was in YES. He also played a "classical guitar" in "Dreams of Heaven", maybe at the same time as Steve Howe in YES, as this album and "Fragile" were both recorded in late 1971. Ray Bennet was also a very good bass player, sometimes sounding "heavy" and "melodic" like Chris Squire and John Entwistle (and he also sang lead vocals in "Morning Haze"). Drummer Mike Hough plays a mixture of rock and jazz drums, sounding more in the style of Alan White than of Bill Bruford. Singer Colin Carter sounds for me sometimes like GTR`s Max Bacon, but he is also a good singer. There are some vocal harmonies similar to YES. The songs are very progressive, with a lot of changes. This album sounds similar to YES in some parts only. FLASH had their own style since the beginning.

The unfortunate thing about this band was they were gone in a flash. They were that good, in my humble opinion, they were worthy of at least 3 more albums in addition to the 3 they produced. Not as tight as Yes the musicians were granted relative freedom to express themselves. Tony Kaye's role is weak, strictly background keyboards which possibly explains his departure after their inaugural album. The highlight of this album is Dreams of Heaven which is incredible, the sort of track you could listen to all day - avant garde intro, powerful vocals, great guitar solos - brilliant stuff. Small beginnigs and Children of the Universe ain't bad either. The remaining two tracks are melodic and enjoyable. If you're a 70s Prog Rock freak like myself and missed out on this gem, give it a whirl.

After his days in Yes and a very brief stay in Bloodwyn Pig, Peter Banks started Flash together with lead vocalist Colin Carter, soon to be joined by bassist Ray Bennett and drummer Mike Hough. Former Yes-colleague Tony Kaye agreed to play keyboards on this one, more as a special guest than as a proper member. So, the final result turned out to be pretty similar to "The Yes Album", regarding the melodic sensibility and the sense of excitement portrayed in the performances, but with a major presence of jazz swing and a general tendency toward working on a more concise number of musical themes. These elements make the listener aware of the caliber of Bank's input for the forging of the Yes sound: something that should be more acknowledge than it usually is. In fact, Banks seems to have found in Flash a proper vehicle for a freer expansion of his guitar skills and musical ideas, with Bennett acting simultaneously as the perfect companion for Hough and an effective partner for Bank's guitar riffs and harmonies. Bennett's role proves crucial in the foundation of a solid ground for the musical colours displayed by the guitar, the vocal melodies and the keyboards. Tracks, 1, 3 & 4 are the longest and most elaborated numbers. 'Small Beginnings' and 'Children of the Universe' are tight and cohesively structured, catchy enough to call the listener's attention, and complex enough to keep the progressive flame burning solidly. 'Dreams of Heaven' is the longest of the three, and also the least cohesive in terms of arrangement, but the jazz interlude jamming, the brief Spanish guitar solo that comes after the ad-lib opening, and the vocal melodies are really captivating - it seems as if the parts could shine brighter than the whole, while in tracks 1 & 3 the parts were fully integrated in the whole making it compact and fluid. The remaining two tracks are less ambitious, but not unattractive: 'Morning Haze' is a CSNY-ish acoustic piece with slight bluesy nuances, while 'The Time It Takes' is an eerie ballad in which the organ layers provide a proper landscape for Carter's introspective singing and Banks' soft picked leads. The whirling of a distant wild wind (played on ARP synthesizer) serves as a proper background for the fade-out, since it enhances the song's ethereal ambience. A great record this is, so it must be considered as an excellent addition to any good prog collection.

If nothing else, this record serves to provide listeners with a sort of answer to the hypothetical question, "What would Yes have sounded like had Peter Banks never left?"

The answer is, "Not too terribly different."

Howe and Banks have nearly congruent sets of influences, and oddly, very similar bags of riffs. This whole album has the weird feel of a Parallel Universe version of THE YES ALBUM. Of course, Tony Kaye's at the organ stool has a lot to do with that, but likewise Banks' guitarwork and arrangements are eerily similar to those found on THE YES ALBUM. On the other hand, Colin Carter, while a fine vocalist in his own right, is pretty far removed from Anderson stylistically. And the lyrics certainly lack Anderson's spacey charm.

Of course, this does look a bit pallid in the end when compared to its illustrious companion. But I don't accuse Banks of "imitating" Yes, nor cashing in on their success. He was IN Yes, so it's only fitting that his own band should sound similar.

This is an album clearly made in the shadow of that great progressive rock band Yes. However, unlike Starcastle and other such followers, Flash have a genuine excuse. The band was founded by Peter Banks and Tony Kaye, both of whom were unceremoniously ditched by Yes despite also being founder members of that esteemed group. While it's hard to dispute the fact that both Banks and Kaye were replaced by superior musicians (Steve Howe and Rick Wakeman respectively), neither deserved to be treated with such disrespect, and this album is an excellent riposte to their critics.

Flash preserves that sound of 60s Yes which somewhat ironically reached its zenith on 1971's The Yes Album. Small Beginnings in particular is an epic track which could have slipped quite comfortably onto that masterful album. It has all the hallmarks, with storming riffs (with some of Banks's best ever playing), an inventive rhythm section (bassist Ray Bennett and drummer Mike Hough), and even a nice organ solo from Kaye, while vocalist Colin Carter sounds very much like Yes frontman Jon Anderson.

The two other epics Children of The Universe and Dreams Of Heavens aren't quite as consistent but both have moments of great power. I love the break that occurs halfway through Children Of The Universe which leads into a Moog solo, with Banks then reasserting his general dominance of proceedings. Dreams Of Heaven is a piece that begins with some solo classical guitar by Banks before the whole band comes stomping through with a rhythm that screams Roundabout rip-off, but once again, around the 5 minute mark there are some excellent solo exchanges, with a breathtaking jazz solo from Banks a real highlight. The outro of this piece is also scintillating with Bennett and Hough propelled Banks to new heights.

The two shorter pieces are quite different in style from the storming epics. Morning Haze is a laid-back acoustic jam, with Banks playing some beautiful acoustic guitar, strong vocal harmonies too, while The Time It Takes is a moody, atmospheric ballad full of volume swells, guitar and keyboard washes and the sound of waves hitting the shore. It works surprisingly well as the album closer.

I would recommend this strongly to any prog fan in general, and deem it absolutely essential for those who enjoyed the first three Yes albums. ... 78% on the MPV scale

When guitarist Peter Banks (and Tony Kaye) had to leave Yes after their second album ('Time And A Word'), Banks formed Flash; a band who made three albums in 1972 and 1973, of whom this self-entitled one was the first one. Meantime, Yes created their three historic albums that became the all time top of progressive rock. With Steve Howe and Rick Wakeman instead of Banks and Kaye, the style of Yes became more rock-oriented, and their music became more mature. (There's a big difference between 'Time And A Word' and 'The Yes album', like there's a big difference between 'From Genesis To Revelation' and 'Trespass'.) The more rock-oriented style of Yes can easily be subscribed to the influence of new guitarist Steve Howe, who was more rock-oriented than Banks was. Flash however shows how Yes would have been when Banks wouldn't have left Yes. 'Flash' is an album with music that is certainly comparible to the music of 'The Yes Album', but with less exposed individual virtuosity, and with a much more progballad-like atmosphere - like from the sweet ballads like 'Yesterday and Today', 'Sweetness', 'Clear Days' and 'Sweet Dreams' from 'Yes' and 'Time And A Word', allthough with much more "body". Come to think of it, maybe the most important diiference between Yes and Flash lies in the vocals, as Colin Carter is an "ordinary classic" progsinger (like Max Bacon was in GTR), while Jon Anderson' voice is an unique extra instrument in Yes. I wouldn't call it Art Rock (like it is catagorised in PA): it certainly is symphonic prog-rock from the seventies, like Yes in that time; especially on this first album, with its contributions of Tony Kaye on keyboards. (Who "helped" only on the first album; he was never an official member of Flash.) After 'Time And A Word', Yes could go into two different directions, as we now know. Themselves they went into the well known one; Flash went into the other one: underestimated, and known by too little. Because of this historical context, four stars is the proper rating: it's a very good album, not a masterpiece, but for it's position in prog history it must be a part of any serious collection!

As I read the reviews for this album, I find that they are all slightly deceptive about the Flash sound.

Of course Flash had strong roots in Yes. But the Flash sound does not harken back to A Time and a Word (except for Dreams of Heaven), and neither does it echo the new style that Yes established beginning with the Yes album, wth one exception (that being that parts of Dreams of Heaven seem to foreshadow the "word pictures" that Jon began including in Yes lyrics, most notably in Siberian Khatru.) In fact it sounds like they took off from Time and a Word and then started moving in the same direction that Camel was to follow in a year or two, but with a nod towards the early prog band Fantasy.

Nevertheless, this is excellent prog. Peter Banks has really cleaned up his playing and Kaye is still at the height of his skills. Ray Bennett adds a lot to this grouping, with his strong bass and acoustic playing.

Dreams of Heaven is an epic as worthy of mention as anything else that other prog groups have released. It's a great piece of music that I enjoy often. Children of the Universe is another extremely strong song.

Sadly, Flash was quickly to fall back into mediocrity. But they started out great. 4 stars.

Flashy!

Flash tends to get compared to Yes, which is not strange since two ex-Yes members are in this group; Peter Banks and Tony Kaye. When Banks was replaced by Steve Howe he formed this group and Tony Kaye (who was replaced by Rick Wakeman at the same time) joined him.

There are some similarities between Flash and the first two Yes albums but it also bears some strong similarities to The Yes Album, I would say. Especially on the first track here, Small Beginnings, this song is not very far away from Yours Is No Disgrace in its style. The music of Flash also sometimes reminds me of the band Nektar.

The guitar work of Peter Banks is very good here, perhaps even a bit flashy at times, and it has clearly improved compared to his playing on Time And A Word. However, Banks guitar sound is not at all as distinctive and unique as that of Steve Howe. Tony Kaye has also expanded his horizons, while coming from only playing Hammond organ and piano he also plays a Moog solo in Children Of The Universe. Certainly not Wakeman-flash, but it adds to the piece.

Another similarity with Yes is in the tendency towards Yes-like harmony vocals. However, the actual lead vocals are very different compared to those of Jon Anderson, which gives some uniqueness to this group. There is nothing wrong with the vocals here, but they are not very distinctive (again, similar to the vocals by Nektar).

The material is melodic and strong and everything is very well performed. Judged as a successor to Time And A Word this is indeed a very good album. But in comparison with The Yes Album, Fragile and Close To The Edge, however, this falls very far behind - but then again, in my opinion, almost everything falls very far behind those incredible masterpieces! While Yes evolved with each subsequent album, Flash seems to have been stuck somewhere between Time And A Word and The Yes Album. But that is not a bad place to be stuck in and they do also add their very own touch to it making it worthwhile for all Prog fans.

Flash still holds up pretty well in the extended Yes family-tree among band like The Syn, Badger, Asia, GTR, ABWH, Conspiracy, etc. But they are not at the very the top of my Yes-related top list.

If Peter Banks had stayed in Yes and Steve Howe had never joined, this album gives us a very good idea of what Yes would have sounded like. And what we hear is very good. But still, luckily Steve Howe did join Yes and the rest is history, as they say.

This album is recommended for Yes fans and fans of early Symphonic Prog. It took some time for me to realise how good this was, but now I see its beauty.

After leaving (or getting kicked out of) Yes, guitarist Peter Banks and keyboardist Tony Kaye formed this band. Not surprisingly, Flash sounds quite a bit like early Yes. The opening track Small Beginnings appears to have been written after numerous listens to Roundabout. The two songs have a very similar structure. And copying Yes' hit did Flash well. A single edit of Small Beginnings managed to get a reasonable amount of airplay back then.

Unfortunately, the rest of the album doesn't fare as well. While the tracks all still have a fair amount of that early Yes sound, the songs are all quite forgettable. And the recording quality is very rough.

But still, if you are a big Yes fan, this is a must.

2.5 stars, rounded up.

First Flash album selftitled from 1972 is to me a little underrated. like their second onea swell. Formed by two ex Yes members Peter Banks and Tony Kaye. This first Flash release sounds almost like The yes album but without the complexity of Yes album. Flash to me sounds a bit more rockier then Yes, but keeping the progressive elements on every piece. Tracks like Small Beginnings or Children of the universe are perfect Flash pieces, great and smooth in same time. I like that the pieces are complex enough not to become boring and are very well performed and written in same time. A good album in my book that worth 3 stars, but I don't think is their best out of 3. To me their most acomplished album is In the can, their second one, but I think I'm in minority here. So, a good album that worth be investigated for sure.

After being unceremoniously booted out of Yes, guitarist Peter Banks licked his wounds and set to work forming a progressive rock band of his own. Having been an integral member of Yes during their formative years, when they produced albums such as 1968's eponymous debut and it's orchestrally-themed follow-up 'Time And A Word', Banks was therefore well- versed in the rhythmic complexities of prog-rock. His distinctive guitar style had helped form Yes' very own musical identity and still to this very day Banks is considered one of the genre's foremost axemen. Despite being dumped by the band he helped found and replaced by Steve Howe, he remained positive; Flash was the result. Featuring another Yes refugee in the shape of ex-Badger member and Hammond organist extraordinaire Tony Kaye, as well as bassist Ray Bennett, drummer Mike Hough and vocalist Colin Carter, Flash sparked into life with this vibrant, self-titled debut album in 1972, the same year that would unfortunately see Bank's former employers release one of progressive rock's greatest records - the sublime 'Close To The Edge'. One wonders what kind of legacy 'Flash' would have if, say, it had been released a year or so later, but the fact remains that 'Close To The Edge' completely overshadowed pretty much everything back in 1972, and for good reason. However, despite the spectre of his old outfit hanging over him, Banks did manage to produce the goods; 'Flash' is a colourful and skilfully-played album with searing guitars and Carter's semi-screeched lyrics combining to impressive effect, and the album's eclectic nature means that it is much more than just another Yes-clone(here's to you you Druid and England). Though the album features just five tracks, pretty much all of them rock. 'Children Of The Universe' is suitably epic, with Banks impressive playing to the fore, whilst the beautifully simple 'Morning Haze' eschews the prog in favour of the rock with spectacular results. Only the over-ripe 'Dreams Of The Universe', with it's 13-minute running time, fails to truly set the pulse racing, but it still contains enough instrumental verve to fill most 'rock' albums several times over, with Ray Bennett's throbbing bass-lines particularly noteworthy. When compared to the true big beasts of prog, 'Flash' does maybe seem slightly lightweight. It lacks the complex nature of Yes' best moments, and, at times, comes across as more of a rock album than a creation of prog, but that's the nature of the genre. 'Flash' probably belongs in that second tier of great prog albums, alongside the likes of Pink Floyd's 'The Wall' or Gentle Giant's 'Free Hand', which is certainly no bad thing. It may not be brilliant, but Banks and co came pretty close. Recommended.

Since I heard FLASH for the first time, one question stay "hammering" in my mind; "Why Peter Banks was so limited in YES?... and I reply ... Is very difficult to understand !!! Although, I think which the progressive fans must be thanked for Steve Howe comes in YES, at the same time I recognize in Peter's work on FLASH a marvelous and skilled musician. Besides of this fact, he bring for his band other fantastic musicians, the bassist Ray Bennett ( with a style very similar to Squire ) and the drummer Mike Hough ( a Brufford's "apostle" ) , the vocalist Colin Carter ( a mix of Rod Stewart and Peter Gabriel) and Tony Kaye his "old partner" in Yes. In spite of this, the music of Flash is more close of jazz rock,. The great moments of this albun are in the track 1 "Small Beginnings", the track 3 "Children of the Universe" which presents a brief Kaye's moog solo and the track 4 "Dreams of heaven" the more progressive track in the disk. My rate is 4 stars !!!

After his departure from Yes in mid-1970 and some brief appearances with Blodwyn Pig and Chris Harwood, Peter Banks met with singer Colin Carter and decided to form his own band.It was found in London during the summer of 71' under the name of Flash and the line-up became complete with Ray Bennett on bass and Mike Hough on drums.Original Yes keyboardist Tony Kaye was sucked by the band around the same time and was asked to join Flash, but he only appeared as a guest in the debut's sessions, before forming Badger.Flash'es first, self-titled album was recorded in November 1971 at the De Lane Lea Studios in Wembley with Martin Birch and Derek Lawrence as sound engineer and producer respectively, both were long-time collaborators of Deep Purple.''Flash'' was eventually released on Sovereign Records in February 72'.

With ''The Yes album'' already out, having a trully captivating sound, you can only think that Banks was partially influenced by his former band's innovative work, as the debut of Flash draws resemblances with the legendary album of Yes.The sound is dominated by tons of electroacoustic interplays, irritating Jon Anderson-like vocals, multi-vocal singing lines and frenetic changes between tempos with the guitar in the forefront.On the other hand Flash'es debut was much guitar-oriented with supporting performances on keyboards with Tony Kaye as a guest and Banks even handling some ARP synth flashes.So expect a YES-like style with lots of complex themes and shifting moods, showered by light acoustic flavors and discreet psychedelic moves.Flash combined the poppy sensibilities and some intense organ and synth runs with the emerging power and charm of Progressive Rock, the result was captivating compositions, always highlighted by Banks' complicated guitar lines and the trully dynamic bass playing of Bennett.The long tracks are quite great with more keyboard emphasis towards a more balanced sound and lots of jazzy plays on guitar, maintaing the rock component in a high level but also delivering a unique atmosphere filled with tricky plays.

Great debut by Flash, on the same level as ''The Yes album'' to my ears.Dense, guitar-driven Prog Rock with minor Pop and keyboard-based stylings, very interesting and strongly recommended.

As far as I can remember, Flash´s debut album was not released in Brazil. and therefore, only recently I could get a copy of this record to listen to. I really didn´t know that Tony Kaye (another ex Yes member) was playing in it (albeit credit as a guest). So, with two Yes members on board, a Jon Anderson sound alike singer and a bass player that emulates a lot of Chris Squire bass style, it is no wonder this CD sounds a lot like early Yes; a kind of a link between Time And A Word and The Yes Album. Even the vocal harmonies are very much like Peter Banks former band.

It´s easy to see why Flash didn´t make a big impact on the music scene. With Yes at its peak, who would give much credit to a lesser version of the original? Please, don´t get me wrong: although derivative, the music in here is very good and sometimes they even produce a few original bits, like the acoustic Morning Haze (sung by bassist Ray Bennett) or adding a little King Crimson arrangement to one of the songs to spice things up. But again, with such competition (Howe and Wakeman having joined Yes by then) they stood no chance from day one and critics were not very kind.

However, I think that fans of Yes will like this CD far more nowadays, especially if you like their early stuff. Banks and Kaye did contribute to the "Yes sound" a lot more than they got credit for. Although hardly essential, this is a fine album to listen to and show potential for greater things.

It´s only nostalgia, ok, but I like it.

REVIEW #10 - "Flash" by Flash (1972). 07/08/2018

Guitarist Peter Banks was unceremoniously expelled from the band Yes two months prior to the release of their second studio album "Time and a Word". Despite playing on the album, its cover featured a picture of the band which included Banks's replacement Steve Howe, although he never appeared on the album at all. Over the next couple years Yes would become a household name and a leviathan of progressive rock, releasing seminal albums such as "The Yes Album", "Fragile", and "Close to the Edge" with their new and far superior guitarist, who brought a classical style which helped define their sound. At this point it might seem like Steve Howe had always been the guitarist for the band, especially considering he's the band's sole remaining "original" member to this day on tour. As for Banks, he became an afterthought, quietly passing away in 2013 with very little fanfare. He did release some material following his expulsion from Yes, but mostly with his group known as Flash.

Flash was formed in 1971 by Banks and vocalist Colin Carter, who did some work with future Camel keyboardist Peter Bardens. Banks added a friend of his in Ray Bennett who he had knew since his time in Yes to play bass guitar, and then recruited Mike Hough to play drums. Initially desiring to be a standard prog quintet, after signing onto Capitol subsidiary Sovereign, the label expressed their desire for the band to add a keyboardist, making the band's lineup very similar to that of the now-immensely popular Yes. Banks would further recruit former Yes keyboardist Tony Kaye, who had also been unceremoniously booted by the band following "The Yes Album" to make room for Rick Wakeman. Both exiled musicians represented a more mainstream and rocking sound than what Chris Squire and Yes were pushing for at the time, and naturally Kaye appears as a featured keyboardist (not a part of Flash itself) for the band's self-titled debut album. In typical Hipgnosis fashion, the album cover is abstract, this time being a rather shameless drawing of a girl's upskirt. All that aside, Flash presents itself as a rather unscrupulous Yes clone, but unlike blatant rip-offs such as Starcastle and the like, this band actually features past members of the band, while still retaining the original sound which Yes captured on their first two albums. Furthermore, Flash serves as an indicator of how Yes would have went given it kept Banks and Kaye in the band rather than acquiring Howe and Wakeman.

Flash's first album did see some surprising commercial success, largely thanks to the success of a edited single version of the opening track "Small Beginnings". In its original form it presents itself as a near ten-minute rocker, but for radio it was cut down to just over three minutes - both variants are good in their own respective ways. First impressions are pretty clear-cut; Flash sounds very similar to Yes, from the symphonic style all the way down to Colin Carter's voice, which is a slightly deeper clone of Jon Anderson's vocals. Musically it fuses the Yes album and Time and a Word into a concise hybrid, with a more rocking and accessible tone. "Small Beginnings" rose as high as #29 on the American Billboard Hot 100, while the album in its entirely followed close at #33. Given that the year of this album's release was 1972, it coincided with the popularity of Yes's "Close to the Edge" album, which took the world by storm and spawned several imitators. Listening to the single version of this song, it will omit the very progressive instrumental shifts and guitar escapades, opting rather to focus on Carter's vocals in a more succinct way that would work on the radio rather than on a deep cut. That being said, by listening to the edited version you are not missing much; while Banks does a lot of work on the guitar, none of it is particularly resonant, at least on this track. Kaye's keyboards are relegated to a backing act, reflecting the band's desire to follow the quintet style. Perhaps the greatest similarity to Yes comes at the end, when the wordless vocals come in alongside the synth, which provides that sublime sound similar to "Siberian Khatru".

Bennett takes over on acoustic guitar and vocals for the next song "Morning Haze", which apart from being a fine upbeat ballad, still retains that Yes acoustic tinge. It seems that Flash wanted to take Yes's more poppy sensibilities and use those entirely to compose their music. However, this album is still obviously progressive rock; if the three longer cuts did not already indicate that. "Haze" is only half as long as the album opener, and is a rather refreshing interlude, even if it hardly stands out as a takeaway on the album. We return towards more proggy and fast-paced tendencies with "Children of the Universe" which matches "Beginnings" at roughly nine minutes long. Here is where the album begins to pick up steam and allows itself to stand out; this piece features a rather comfortable tempo driven by the bass rhythm and Kaye's keyboards (he is allowed to do a Moog solo through the middle of this one). Just like the music, Flash's lyrics are like a watered-down version of Yes, with the band trying to retain the pretentious and philosophical lyrical style of Anderson. On "Universe" Flash emerges packing a punch with their music, combining the maritime guitar style of Banks with the symphonic vocals to make a song which despite approaching ten minutes, does not drag on like those written by obscure 70's prog acts.

Opening up the second side of the LP, Flash presents their strongest offering in the form of their longest piece, the nearly thirteen-minute epic "Dreams In Heaven" which I consider to be the biggest takeaway from this album. Opening up in a furor, the band shifts back and forth from outright rock to mellow acoustic passages before introducing the central musical themes of this song. Before exposing the lyrics, the band reveals a crescendo that reminds me a lot of the riff from Black Sabbath's 1973 song "Spiral Architect" off the album "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath", released a year later. I mean, it sounds remarkably similar, which wants to make me think that Sabbath was somehow influenced by Flash for that song, although it might be a trick of my imagination and/or pure coincidence. On "Heaven" Carter's vocals seem to diverge from those of Anderson's in terms of intensity, which is a promising sign given I can only handle so much of pure imitation. This is a pretty textbook progressive epic, with two lyrical sections book-ending a musically rich middle instrumental section that allows Banks to show off his refined guitar techniques. While I usually never go into obscure prog albums expecting to have legitimate takeaways that I could go back to far after I've made my review, "Dreams in Heaven" might very well last a decent amount of time on one of my playlists; the "Spiral Architect" motif and the intensity of the beginning and end serve as very listenable prog, which is very promising. My favorite part of this song follows the vocal bridge at around the eight-minute mark, when the tone of the song gradually grows sinister thanks to the heavy riffs of Banks, coupled with some jazz influences. Overall this is a track definitely worth giving your attention to. The album concludes with another mellow piece titled "The Time It Takes" which puts greater emphasis on the keyboards of Kaye than an acoustic guitar. The band makes use of the sound of crashing waves in order to conclude the album, which is a nice little touch that sort of salvages a rather weak closing track.

Flash's self-titled debut album is not bad at all; in fact it has a lot of good moments, something which surprised me given that solid obscure prog works from the 70's are few and far between. Nevertheless, this album is more mediocre than good, only being saved by the epic "Dreams In Heaven", and being hampered by the band's reliance on the Yes sound. Flash would release two more albums before abruptly breaking up in 1973, but even then those do not match up to the original in terms of innovation or commercial success. The band found a way to enter all their albums into the Billboard 200 album charts here in the States, which I found surprising - probably owing to the NSFW cover art. A fan of symphonic prog and Yes in particular should certainly give this album a listen, and even a more generic listener might want to give this one a go. As for my review, I will play it safe and give it a three-star (77% - C+) rating which is respectable for an obscure band. Basically a microcosm of the early Yes sound.

If it weren't for the Yes connections, I would have passed on this group because their albums were always graced with very tasteless and unprog-looking covers. I guess Peter Banks felt the group needed artwork that's the polar opposite of Roger Dean to show they're more grounded than Yes. This was their debut, released not too long after Fragile, and with not just Peter Banks, but Tony Kaye on board, it's little surprise this sounds not unlike how Yes may have sounded like had Peter Banks stayed on board. Colin Carter at times sounds like Jon Anderson, and gets help with Ray Bennett on bass and Michael Hough on drums as well. And to my ears, despite the very extended solos found throughout the album it's still more grounded than Yes. I was really surprised that "Small Beginnings" was actually a hit as I never heard this song on the radio, and I'm old enough to remember how FM radio was like, to be honest I was too young to remember when FM radio was something like progressive FM rock radio, as opposed to the much more familiar AOR format that I grew up on. But this song does have that Yes feel, and it's a bit obvious. "Morning Haze" moves away from the Yes-template to a more acoustic piece, more in tune with the likes of Crosby, Stills & Nash (well a little) than Yes. "Children of the Universe" starts off sounding not much like Yes, but then as it progresses, the Yes sound does return. I am rather baffled about the ARP synthesizer (likely 2600 as it was still too early for the Odyssey) as Tony Kaye seemed at that time resistant of playing anything other than organ and piano, and the reason Yes replaced him with Rick Wakeman who had no trouble also using Moog and Mellotron. "Dreams of Heaven" again shows a Yes influence, but this is a really lengthy piece where Peter Banks really shows what he's capable of on guitar. "The Time it Takes" closes the album, and I love this piece. Not quite as Yes-like here, it's a nice organ-dominated ballad.

This was obviously the only album with Tony Kaye, he would jump ship to Badger. Regardless, it's not a perfect album, some of the solos tend to go on longer than needed, but I love how it sounds like a more down to earth version of Yes. Worthy of your attention, especially if you're a Yes fan.

Review Nº 231

As we know, Peter Banks was an English guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and producer. He was the original guitarist of the bands Syn, Yes, Flash, and Empire. But, he became more known as the original guitarist of the famous progressive rock band Yes. But unfortunately, for him but certainly not for Yes, he became also known for being the first person to be fired from the ranks of Yes. When he was on Yes, Banks contributed with his lead guitar skills to the first two studio albums of Yes, "Yes" and "Time And A Word", was responsible for the name of the band and designed the original, pre Roger Dean, Yes logo. The problem begun when Anderson and Squire decided they wanted an orchestra backing the five musicians on their second album. It wasn't well received by Banks because the orchestral arrangements left the guitarist, as well as keyboardist Tony Kaye, with little to do, since strings replaced their parts almost note-for-note.

As soon as he left Yes, while he was occupying his time with mostly session work in the interim, Banks formed Flash, in 1971, with Chris Carter (lead vocals and percussion), Peter Banks (backing vocals, electric, acoustic and Spanish guitars, synthesizer and horn), Ray Bennett (lead and backing vocals, bass guitar and acoustic guitar) and Mike Hough (voice, drums, percussion and cymbals). The album had also the participation of Tony Kaye (synthesizer, Hammond organ and piano). There is some controversy over whether Kaye, who appeared on the first Flash album, was actually an "official" member of the group, or merely a guest. The confusion stems from the fact that Kaye is listed alongside the other members of the group on the back cover of the album. Still, interviews with Banks and Kaye confirm that, though Kaye was invited to join, he declined. So, he only participated on the album as a guest. With Banks on board, Flash released three studio albums, "Flash" and "In The Can", in 1972 and "Out Of Our Hands", in 1973, and two live albums, "Psychosync", in 1997 and "In Public", in 2013. But Carter and Bennett, released a fourth studio album in 2013.

It would may not become as a surprise that the music on "Flash" sounds quite much like to Yes. Besides, this was their debut album and represents their classic release too. "Flash" is an energetic progressive rock album in the vein of Yes' third studio album "The Yes Album" but with some differences and changes. Still, any lover of Yes will eat up many tracks on the album especially the lengthy tracks. There are also some shorter and relaxed tracks here, but it's of course in the long tracks the group really shines. The performance all over the album is good, and besides the excellent playing of both Kaye and Banks you'll also notice the powerful bass playing of Bennett, in the same vein of Squire. Whereas Yes has moved on considerably with the release of "The Yes Album" and "Fragile", "Flash" continued on from where "Time And A Word" had left off. So, somehow, we may say that "Flash" represents the continuity of the first Yes group and represents probably what Yes would be if Banks and Kaye would have continued as members of the band.

"Flash" is the eponymous debut studio album of Flash and was released in 1972. The album has five tracks. "Small Beginnings" is a very good track and it has a certain resemblance to "No Opportunity Necessary, No Experience Needed" which opened "Time And A Word". Banks provides a good guitar work supported by a nice drum rhythm of Hough and Bennett's upfront bass lines. Kaye's brief organ solo work and Carter's falsetto complete the all picture. "Children Of The Universe" returns to the bombast of the opening track. It has a tight and cohesively structure and is catchy and complex enough to call the listener's attention. This is a suitably epic with some Banks impressive playing. "Dreams Of Heaven" is centred around a nice guitar riff and chant like double tracked vocals, it's really an opportunity for Banks in particular to demonstrate his technical skills. This is the least cohesive track of the three epics, in terms of arrangement, but it still is really captivating. Of the two remaining tracks, "Morning Haze" is a much simpler track with the bassist also supplying the lead vocal. It has a sunny Caribbean vibe thanks to the dual acoustic guitar picking, but I can see nothing special on it. "The Time It Takes" is a dreamy ballad that attempts to capture the pastoral quality of Yes' "Sweetness". It does however benefit from Banks' familiar weeping guitar lines and Kaye's tasteful organ playing.

Conclusion: "Flash" is the continuity of first Yes and represents probably what Yes would be if Banks and Kaye would have continued on Yes. Of the original line up, two members are present, Banks and Kaye. About the other three, if Bennett plays in the same vein of Squire and Hough can do Bill Bruford's style drumming at moments, Carter isn't Jon Anderson. Besides, Banks isn't Steve Howe as a performer and composer. But above all, it lacks to Flash the creativity and the vision of Anderson and Howe. I always thought both were the main responsible for most of the best tracks on Yes. However, "Flash" is a nice album with some great moments. Whilst this album demonstrates Banks' unwillingness to relinquish the past, it also confirms his not inconsiderable input into the sound that shaped Yes' formative years.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

Based on its membership, Flash was a Yes spin-off band: guitarist Peter Banks and guest keyboardist Tony Kaye had each been dismissed from Yes in the couple of years preceding this, Flash's debut. But regardless of who was in the band, Flash sounds like it could've been a follow-up to, or at least a series of outtakes from, Yes's 1970 album Time and a Word.

The strongest songs here are "Small Beginnings" - - the album-opener and lead single - - and "Children of the Universe." Those two, along with the acoustic and almost folksy "Morning Haze," make up the more accessible first side. The second side opens with the thirteen-minute "Dreams of Heaven," which is twice as long as anything Yes had recorded with Banks. Despite its length, it doesn't seem overlong. The final song, "The Time it Takes," is the weakest.

Along with Two Sides of Peter Banks, Flash is probably Banks's best work outside of Yes, although to be fair, Flash is by no means a solo album. Banks co-wrote three of the songs with lead vocalist Colin Carter; the other two, "Morning Haze" and "Children of the Universe," were written by bassist Ray Bennett. I'd recommend it to fans of Yes's early work, and to those who like their early-1970s album-oriented rock with a progressive flavor.

(P.S. What am I supposed to think of the album cover? Perhaps that this is a gutsy band who cared not what politically-correct whimps thought of them?)

I think I am a dissenter on all things Flash. I love, love, love this band. And I don't think they sound like Yes, at least not post-Time and a Word Yes. I'm not familiar enough with Yes' first two albums to comment. Well, Flash was where early Yes exiles hung their hats; a resemblance would be logical. But to reiterate, I don't compare Flash and Yes. Flash is one of those unusual guitar-dominant prog. bands. I wouldn't consider Flash guitarist, Peter Banks, a grandstander though. Quite to the contrary, the vocals, guitar and bass create a rare synergy. It doesn't hurt either that Flash has the perfect production with Derek Lawrence aided by Peter Banks.

Let's start at the beginning, none too small. The debut album's hit and arguably strongest song drives the potted review. The antithesis of the stereotypical prog axe clinician, Banks always entertains with his plentiful and varied riffs. Some of the other songs on Flash's debut well illustrate Banks' general style. "Children of the Universe" is anchored by a special Banks riff used sparingly to great effect. On the solo to "The Time it Takes" Bank's so-called "spidery triplets" work their magic. The heartfelt songwriting on the Flash debut generates that warm, fuzzy feeling all over that this jaded reviewer rarely anymore experiences. I contemplate a six month rotation of recorded books in my CD machine. Then Flash resurfaces and throws a wrench in my plans.

"Morning Haze" is joyful jaunt where one can literally feel Ray Bennett's acoustic guitar weave the song space like a tapestry. The conga drums and Colin Carter's honey-like voice make this simpler song stellar. Carter should be more of a household name. He has a unique voice, indescribably so. Pure bliss, though.

"Dreams of Heaven" is the epic number here. A grandiose flourish of an intro sends it off. It explores different moods and transitions flawlessly between heavy and merely spirited sections. OK, here Carter's vocals are a bit Jon-Anderson-like in cadence and emphasis but still quite distinct from Yes. The jam in the middle is sublime fare, up there with the best of them. Its success is its subtlety. Soloing on this song, Banks kicks out some jazz licks. He's the one artist who can play on the jazz end and not send me sprinting toward the door. That's because he always keeps it fresh.

The time it takes to run through this album isn't even perceivable. This record is such pure mirth. What more can I say about the closer besides it being a beautiful, touching ballad?! Oh yeah, I can gush how the melody is brilliant. They don't make 'em like this anymore.