Progarchives, the progressive rock ultimate discography

YES

Symphonic Prog • United Kingdom


From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website

Yes picture
Yes biography
Active since 1968 with varying formations - Two major hiatus between 1981-1983 and 2004-2008

YES formed in London (UK) in 1968 with Jon ANDERSON (vocals), Chris SQUIRE (bass, vocals), Peter BANKS (guitar, vocals), Tony KAYE (keyboards), and Bill BRUFORD (drums). Well-known and influential mainstream progressive from the 1970's, and still around in some form ever since, they were highly influential in their heyday, especially notable for the really creative "Relayer", which included at the time Swiss keyboardist Patrick MORAZ who replaced Rick WAKEMAN

During the 1970s, YES pioneered the use of synthesizers and sound effects in modern music. Driven by Jon's artistic vision, they produced such timeless, symphonic-rock masterworks as "Roundabout," "Close To the Edge," and "Awaken". In the 1980s, YES pushed new digital sampling technologies to their limits, selling millions of records and influencing a generation of digital musicians with classics like "Owner Of A Lonely Heart" and "Rhythm Of Love". Moving through the 1990s and into the new millennium, the band keeps expanding its boundaries by using the latest hard-disk recording techniques and, most recently, working with a full orchestra to create their genre-defying music.

YES gained large popularity with their brand of mysticism and grand-scale compositions. "Fragile" and "Close to the Edge" are considered their best works as it's symphonic, complex, cerebral, spiritual and moving. These albums featured beautiful harmonies and strong, occasionally heavy playing. Also, "Fragile" contained the popular hit song "Roundabout". This was followed by the controversial "Tales from Topographic Oceans" LP, which was a double album consisting of only four 20-minute length suites centering on religious concepts. Also, "Relayer" was their most experimental, yet grandiose and symphonic. They broke up, until the new jewel "Going For The One" and its incredible "Awaken" was issued in 1977. In later years, YES would go through many transformations. There were other very good YES albums after "Going For The One" ("Drama", "Keys To Ascension" and surprisingly "The Ladder") but this is the last great album.

These...
read more

YES Videos (YouTube and more)


Showing only random 3 | Show all YES videos (10) | Search and add more videos to YES

Buy YES Music


YES discography


Ordered by release date | Showing ratings (top albums) | Help Progarchives.com to complete the discography and add albums

YES top albums (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

3.28 | 1590 ratings
Yes
1969
3.35 | 1652 ratings
Time and a Word
1970
4.31 | 3295 ratings
The Yes Album
1971
4.46 | 4038 ratings
Fragile
1971
4.68 | 5054 ratings
Close to the Edge
1972
3.92 | 2764 ratings
Tales from Topographic Oceans
1973
4.38 | 3468 ratings
Relayer
1974
4.06 | 2362 ratings
Going for the One
1977
3.01 | 1784 ratings
Tormato
1978
3.78 | 1963 ratings
Drama
1980
3.05 | 1840 ratings
90125
1983
2.57 | 1346 ratings
Big Generator
1987
2.52 | 1228 ratings
Union
1991
3.07 | 1135 ratings
Talk
1994
2.06 | 990 ratings
Open Your Eyes
1997
3.27 | 1153 ratings
The Ladder
1999
3.73 | 1292 ratings
Magnification
2001
3.42 | 1255 ratings
Fly from Here
2011
2.31 | 754 ratings
Heaven & Earth
2014
3.20 | 277 ratings
Fly from Here - Return Trip
2018
2.91 | 303 ratings
The Quest
2021
3.42 | 212 ratings
Mirror to the Sky
2023

YES Live Albums (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

4.37 | 1090 ratings
Yessongs
1973
3.68 | 589 ratings
Yesshows
1980
2.31 | 301 ratings
9012Live: The Solos
1985
4.04 | 611 ratings
Keys to Ascension
1996
3.95 | 580 ratings
Keys to Ascension 2
1997
2.64 | 171 ratings
Something's Coming - The BBC Recordings 1969-1970
1997
3.60 | 249 ratings
House of Yes: Live from House of Blues
2000
3.88 | 217 ratings
Live at Montreux 2003
2007
4.22 | 355 ratings
Symphonic Live
2009
3.37 | 52 ratings
Astral Traveller (The BBC Sessions)
2010
3.53 | 165 ratings
In the Present - Live from Lyon
2011
3.56 | 93 ratings
Union Live
2011
2.81 | 85 ratings
Like It Is: Yes at the Bristol Hippodrome
2014
4.10 | 49 ratings
Songs from Tsongas: 35th Anniversary Concert
2014
4.51 | 122 ratings
Progeny - Seven Shows from Seventy-Two
2015
3.08 | 89 ratings
Like It Is - Yes at the Mesa Arts Centre
2015
3.26 | 103 ratings
Topographic Drama: Live Across America
2017
3.98 | 100 ratings
Yes ft. ARW: Live At The Apollo
2018
3.08 | 69 ratings
Yes 50 Live
2019
3.78 | 23 ratings
Live at Glastonbury Festival 2003
2019
3.11 | 52 ratings
The Royal Affair Tour: Live in Las Vegas
2020
3.43 | 14 ratings
Live Radio '69 / '70
2021

YES Videos (DVD, Blu-ray, VHS etc)

3.73 | 201 ratings
Yessongs (DVD)
1973
3.21 | 126 ratings
9012 LIVE (DVD)
1985
4.11 | 102 ratings
Yesyears (DVD)
1991
3.72 | 56 ratings
The Union Tour Live
1991
2.97 | 64 ratings
Greatest Video Hits
1991
4.42 | 12 ratings
The Best Of MusikLaden Live
1999
3.62 | 137 ratings
House Of Yes: Live From The House Of Blues (DVD)
2000
3.72 | 149 ratings
Keys to Ascension (DVD)
2000
4.59 | 354 ratings
Symphonic Live (DVD)
2002
3.11 | 83 ratings
Yesspeak
2003
2.43 | 93 ratings
Live in Philadelphia 1979
2003
3.15 | 43 ratings
Inside Yes 1968-1973
2003
3.63 | 106 ratings
Yes Acoustic: Guaranteed No Hiss
2004
4.31 | 199 ratings
Songs From Tsongas: 35th Anniversary Concert (DVD)
2005
3.46 | 82 ratings
Live 1975 At Q.P.R. Vol. 1
2005
3.38 | 75 ratings
Live 1975 At Q.P.R. Vol. 2
2005
3.62 | 62 ratings
Yes (Classic Artists)
2006
3.97 | 149 ratings
Montreux 2003 (DVD)
2007
3.86 | 54 ratings
Yes - The New Director's Cut
2008
3.86 | 52 ratings
The Lost Broadcasts
2009
3.25 | 40 ratings
Rock Of The 70's
2009
3.92 | 74 ratings
Union - Live
2010
3.18 | 15 ratings
Live Hemel Hempstead Pavillion October 3rd 1971
2013
3.63 | 51 ratings
Yes ft. ARW: Live At The Apollo
2018

YES Boxset & Compilations (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

3.52 | 20 ratings
2 Originals of Yes
1973
3.12 | 255 ratings
Yesterdays
1975
3.76 | 212 ratings
Classic Yes
1981
3.32 | 131 ratings
Yesyears
1991
3.51 | 88 ratings
Yesstory
1992
2.89 | 94 ratings
Highlights: The Very Best of Yes
1993
4.48 | 196 ratings
Keys to Ascension (Volumes 1 and 2)
1998
2.63 | 38 ratings
The Best of Yes
2000
3.59 | 521 ratings
Keystudio
2001
2.81 | 31 ratings
Yes-today
2002
4.27 | 134 ratings
In a Word
2002
2.70 | 46 ratings
Extended Versions - The Encore Collection
2002
2.89 | 39 ratings
Roundabout: The Best of Yes - Live
2003
3.19 | 114 ratings
Ultimate Yes: 35th Anniversary Collection
2003
2.17 | 79 ratings
Remixes
2003
2.60 | 32 ratings
Topography: The Yes Anthology
2004
3.26 | 159 ratings
The Word Is Live
2005
3.75 | 32 ratings
Essentially Yes
2006
3.80 | 5 ratings
Rhino Hi-Five: Yes
2006
3.39 | 23 ratings
Collection 2CD: Yes
2008
3.45 | 10 ratings
Wonderous Stories: The Best of Yes
2011
3.23 | 11 ratings
Original Album Series
2013
4.13 | 66 ratings
Progeny: Highlights from Seventy-Two
2015
4.79 | 64 ratings
The Steven Wilson Remixes
2018
3.29 | 76 ratings
From a Page / In the Present - Live from Lyon
2019
3.11 | 9 ratings
YesSingles
2023

YES Official Singles, EPs, Fan Club & Promo (CD, EP/LP, MC, Digital Media Download)

2.91 | 40 ratings
Sweetness / Something's Coming
1969
4.43 | 7 ratings
Looking Around / Everydays
1969
4.17 | 6 ratings
Sweetness / Every Little Thing
1970
3.51 | 24 ratings
Looking Around / Every Little Thing
1970
3.41 | 28 ratings
Sweet Dreams
1970
3.43 | 45 ratings
Time and a Word
1970
4.28 | 29 ratings
Something's Coming
1971
4.86 | 7 ratings
Yours Is No Disgrace / The Clap
1971
4.63 | 8 ratings
Yours Is No Disgrace
1971
4.13 | 8 ratings
I've Seen All Good People / The Clap
1971
3.52 | 57 ratings
Your Move
1971
3.51 | 30 ratings
Roundabout
1972
4.68 | 28 ratings
And You And I (Part 1 & 2)
1972
4.75 | 8 ratings
No (Opportunity Necessary)
1972
4.71 | 7 ratings
Yours Is No Disgrace / Your Move / Sweet Dreams
1972
2.97 | 60 ratings
America
1972
4.70 | 33 ratings
And You and I / Roundabout
1974
4.67 | 6 ratings
America / Yours Is No Disgrace
1974
3.40 | 27 ratings
Soon
1976
3.31 | 46 ratings
Soon - Sound Chaser - Roundabout
1976
2.60 | 20 ratings
Yes Solos
1976
3.74 | 48 ratings
Wonderous Stories 12''
1977
4.09 | 48 ratings
Going For The One 12''
1977
4.29 | 17 ratings
Turn Of The Century
1977
4.63 | 8 ratings
Release, Release
1978
2.79 | 60 ratings
Don't Kill the Whale
1978
4.11 | 8 ratings
Run Through the Light
1980
3.08 | 44 ratings
Into The Lens
1980
4.24 | 50 ratings
Roundabout
1981
2.41 | 51 ratings
Owner of a Lonely Heart (promo single)
1983
2.25 | 60 ratings
Owner Of A Lonely Heart
1983
2.73 | 45 ratings
Leave It
1984
2.91 | 27 ratings
Twelve Inches on Tape
1984
2.89 | 43 ratings
It Can Happen
1984
2.77 | 39 ratings
Love Will Find a Way
1987
2.25 | 44 ratings
Rhythm of Love (2)
1987
2.53 | 17 ratings
Rhythm of Love
1987
3.60 | 5 ratings
I Would Have Waited Forever
1991
3.33 | 27 ratings
Saving My Heart
1991
2.56 | 47 ratings
Owner of a Lonely Heart
1991
2.57 | 27 ratings
Make It Easy
1991
2.66 | 13 ratings
Yesyears - Sampler
1991
2.62 | 20 ratings
Lift Me Up
1991
2.65 | 30 ratings
The Calling
1994
2.67 | 3 ratings
State of Play
1994
3.60 | 5 ratings
Walls
1994
4.50 | 6 ratings
That, That Is
1996
4.33 | 6 ratings
America
1996
4.60 | 5 ratings
Be the One
1996
4.00 | 4 ratings
New State of Mind
1997
3.40 | 5 ratings
Open Your Eyes
1997
3.40 | 5 ratings
Open Your Eyes (radio edit)
1997
3.80 | 5 ratings
Homeworld (The Ladder)
1999
3.75 | 4 ratings
If Only You Knew
1999
3.75 | 4 ratings
Lightning Strikes - Collector's Edition
1999
3.22 | 9 ratings
Lightning Strikes (She Ay ... Do Wa Bap)
1999
2.88 | 74 ratings
YesSymphonic
2001
4.40 | 5 ratings
Selections from... In a Word: Yes (1969-)
2002
2.53 | 11 ratings
Selections from The Word Is Live
2005
3.09 | 74 ratings
We Can Fly
2011
4.36 | 11 ratings
To the Moment
2019
3.88 | 33 ratings
From a Page
2019
3.71 | 31 ratings
The Ice Bridge
2021
3.13 | 16 ratings
Dare to Know
2021
3.62 | 13 ratings
Future Memories
2021
3.82 | 11 ratings
A Living Island
2022
3.54 | 19 ratings
Cut from the Stars
2023
2.27 | 23 ratings
All Connected
2023
3.00 | 9 ratings
Circles of Time
2023

YES Reviews


Showing last 10 reviews only
 Talk by YES album cover Studio Album, 1994
3.07 | 1135 ratings

BUY
Talk
Yes Symphonic Prog

Review by TheyThem

4 stars I came to Yes through the side door. As a fan of bands like Genesis and Rush, I wanted something slightly more in keeping with my tastes as a young, budding audiophile. Rush and Genesis were bands I was hungry for in my formative years, but I always suspected there was something more. And I found them-that "more"-in Yes.

Bear in mind that I started with 90125 and BIG GENERATOR, both with mastermind Rabin overseeing most everything. I then moved simultaneously back and forth in time, to both the era of Howe and Wakeman (when almost everything they did was gold) and then into the 80's/90's, when Yes as a whole seemed start treading water as a band. Records like GOING FOR THE ONE, 90125, DRAMA and BIG GENERATOR hit the mark with regards to writing, arrangement and production. Plus, Yes always seemed to have that certain...something; something that twisted the ear, making the listener sit up and take note, as if to say, "Yes; we did that and made you aware. You have no choice but to keep listening." 90125 and BIG GENERATOR are really good, solid pieces of work, combining angular drumming, deep bass grooves, thunderous guitar workouts and heartfelt vocals, but one could sense that Rabin's Yes was "waiting" (pardon the foreshadowing) to make their ultimate statement, the one that would force the naysayers to sit up and be gagged. Folks, I do believe TALK is that statement.

Everything that made Yes such a hit in the seventies and eighties (the tight playing, the dexterous arrangements, the gorgeous melodies, the no-BS production) is sent kicking and screaming into 1994, when grunge (yak) ruled the charts and if you were caught sporting a 6/4 time signature (I'm looking at you, Dream Theater), you were dragged unceremoniously. So it might come as zero surprise to find that this record bears some hallmarks of the genre, such as a more stripped-down aesthetic, heavier guitars, throatier vocals (the vocal arrangements on "I AM WAITING" are particularly stunning) and a tendency to push the keyboards to the background, leaving Kaye's Hammond to ride the mix untrammeled.

But is the record any good? Let's look beyond the obvious pun, shall we? YES (I'm screaming); the record is really good. Let's discuss some individual songs. "The Calling" kicks things off with some effects-tweaked acoustic guitar that leads into Jon's patented multi-tracked wall-of-sound vocals. Things quickly become heated when the acoustic becomes electric and the other three decide to bum-rush the song. Listen to the combo of Kaye's hot Hammond, White's pummeling percussion, Rabin's swooping slide and Squire blistering bass and try not to salivate (I have napkins if you need them). The mid-song break is worth the price of admission alone. "I Am Waiting" is, in both feel and sound, a glorious power ballad that bands like Tesla or Cinderella would have killed for, but no band could have written it except Yes. The syncopation of drums, guitars, bass and keyboards is stunning and spot-on. Anderson is, as always here, at his heart-on-sleeve best, singing these quasi-mystical lyrics and boring his way into the soul for a spot of tea and a nap. And Rabin's lead break is...delicious (chef's kiss).

"Real Love" is straight-up thunder, from the shimmering intro to the hammering choruses; hooks abound and rarely stop coming. "State Of Play" is, after the first three tracks, somewhat silly froth, but it works as a rest stop, especially after how in-your-face the first few songs are. This track is-not gonna lie-a bit of a mess, mixing some really booming drums (poor Alan is doing his best here) and with Anderson's fast-moving mouth, yet Anderson seems to come off a bit strident here, so perhaps try to ignore him (difficult to do, I know, but easier to do when the track is this frothy) and focus on the quickly shifting arrangement instead.

While I would hardly consider this a masterpiece (nah, fam), this DOES get a lot of play on my phone. Why? It's not perfect, but it presents Yes in a time of consolidation; sadly, Rabin would pack up his six-string after this one, and while that's a bit of a gutpunch, if this was his farewell, then it was a hell of a high note to go out on. All told, this is fun.

 Relayer by YES album cover Studio Album, 1974
4.38 | 3468 ratings

BUY
Relayer
Yes Symphonic Prog

Review by ken_scrbrgh

5 stars Presently, in response to the multifarious, heinous, and gut-wrenching global realities of today, I'm listening to an indomitably pertinent album, Yes' 1974 "Relayer."

Inspired by Tolstoy's "War and Peace," what more applicable composition exists than "The Gates of Delirium," both lyrically and musically, to the present mess we call "The Human Condition?" In "Sound Chaser," Anderson, Howe, Moraz, Squire, and White present an aesthetic in search of the foundations of musical expression. With "To Be Over," the band further develops its explorations of death begun in "Close to the Edge." Born from the lyrics of "The Remembering" from "Tales from Topographic Oceans," 'Relayer" encapsulates a high regard for human history and a piercing honesty regarding the "double-edged sword" we call humanity.

My first exposure to "Relayer" came in the summer of 1975 during a one day stint painting the inside of a clinic in Downtown New Orleans. A professor with Tulane's Medical School, one of our best friend's father had hired a group of us soon-to-be high school juniors to spend a day painting. I don't recall how well we painted, but I do remember the fascination I had hearing what I would learn to be the climactic battle passage of "The Gates of Delirium."

Not "to put the cart before the horse," but the "Gate" towards which "Delirium" moves could very well be the soundtrack to the climax of "The Lord of the Rings" in "The Return of the King" when Sauron realizes the one ring of power not only has been, "under his nose," in Mordor, but also has descended to its destruction with Gollum into the fires of Mount Orodruin. The interplay between Moraz's synthesizers and Howe's Telecaster and steel guitars captures the potency of any triumphant, military breakthrough. Surely, the rhythm section of Squire and White provides the bastion upon which this feverish apex occurs.

The listener passes through this "Gate" into an almost ethereal, transcendent resolution to the profligacies of war. Although Anderson's vocals and Howe's steel guitar preside over this resolution, Moraz's backing synthesizer accompaniment girded by Squire and White's bass and drums solidify the sublimity of this passage.

If only the relatively linear journey of "The Gates of Delirium" could intimate a solution to the nefarious invasion of Ukraine by the daemonic "leader" of Russia.

At this point during the 70's, one would flip the LP of Relayer to side two, and enter the jazz inflected, forward looking "Sound Chaser." In the 1970's greater New Orleans area, WRNO-FM was the "rock" of the Crescent City. The management of this station chose Moraz's opening electric piano line supported by White's tuned percussion from "Sound Chaser" as its signature theme, never mind that the actual music of "Relayer" was too "dense" for airplay on this supposed "album oriented" station. However, in all fairness, WRNO was the home of what we would consider most "classic" rock.

Succinctly, "Sound Chaser" embodies the imaginative power of "Relayer" in words and musical action. Of all of Yes' music, "Sound Chaser" may be the piece in which the lyrics and music are truly intertwined. The focal point for the band is to perceive the look in its listeners' eyes. I wouldn't mind the band seeing the look in my eyes in response to Howe's landmark steel guitar solo towards the end of the piece. Moraz's frantic, jazz-inflected synthesizer follows. And, earlier Howe delivers what would be something like "Mood for a Day" on his Fender Telecaster. White's percussion is, to put it mildly, "muscular." And, the "skeleton" of the song is Squire's bass.

The final third of "Sound Chaser's" lyrics could be an autobiography of the band:

From the moment I reached out to hold, I felt a/sound, And what touches our soul slowly moves as touch rebounds./ And to know that tempo will continue/ Lost in trance of dances as rhythm takes another turn, / As is my want, I only reach to look in your eyes.

I am loath to assert one can ascertain one interpretation of its lyrics, but "To Be Over" advances a powerful equanimity in the face of human finitude:

After all your soul will still surrender. / After all don't doubt your part, / Be ready to be loved.

And, leading up to the above quotation is one of Steve Howe's most convincing steel guitar and guitar solos. "Childlike soul dreamer . . . ." might just sum up the thrust of the majority of Jon Anderson's lyrics and Yes' music. The goal requires we be "childlike" without being "childish." We have the power imaginatively to envision "better solutions to the realities of 'The Human Condition.'"

Most regrettably, the maze of human propensities lurches towards an end far more sobering, than even "childish" would intimate . . . .

 Yessongs by YES album cover Live, 1973
4.37 | 1090 ratings

BUY
Yessongs
Yes Symphonic Prog

Review by ken_scrbrgh

5 stars In the cultural history and endeavors of humanity, there are certain essential documents and traditions that are the bedrocks of our activity.

In Hinduism, among many traditions, there is the Bhagavad-Gita. In the Judaeo-Christian heritage, the Bible underpins collective and individual systems of belief, scriptural comprehension, theology, and ethics. In the Islamic world, the Koran is the prime mover. In the secular world of the United States, the Constitution serves this function. I would like to submit that, in the world of progressive rock live albums, "Yessongs" has come to embody this critical function.

There are other great live albums: Emerson, Lake, and Palmer's 1974, "Welcome Back My Friends to the Show that Never Ends . . . ." King Crimson's 1975 USA; 1977's "Seconds Out" from Genesis; and, 1978's "Bursting Out" by Jethro Tull (this is not an all-inclusive list . . . .) In 1972, Yes toured "Fragile" with Bill Bruford on the drums and, later, "Close to the Edge" with Alan White. Aspects of these albums and "The Yes Album" comprise the substance of 1973's "Yessongs."

Never strangers to audacity Yes chose to release a live album of the magnitude of "Yessongs" fairly quickly after achieving real success and notoriety. Formed in 1968, the band, relatively speaking and after a number of personnel changes, had not been in existence that long. In its original format as three 33 1/3 LP's with the elaborate Roger Dean artwork, "Yessongs" proved to be a formidable purchase during the mid-seventies. Early in 1976, as a high school junior, "Yessongs" was my first purchase of the band's music. However, following the success of "Roundabout," the ensuing popularity of "The Yes Album" in the United States, the release of "Close to the Edge," and the record collections of friends, I was fairly well familiar with the band.

Having a certain degree of chutzpah, Yes concerts began with a recording of the end of Stravinsky's Firebird Suite. In this appropriation of this excerpt from the music of Stravinsky, Yes basically was announcing the true emergence of progressive rock. But, you know, I think the possession of chutzpah is an integral force in the genre of progressive rock.

In their approaches to their studied virtuosity with their various instruments, the exponents of progressive rock in the late sixties and early seventies arrived upon a great synthesis of a plethora of musical traditions. With Emerson, Lake, and Palmer, this was explicit: Mussorgsky, Copland, Bach, and Bartok. In the case of Yes, Simon and Garfunkel, The Byrds, Stephen Stills, the Beatles, and Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim influenced Jon Anderson and Chris Squire, with Squire also a product of the choral traditions of the Church of England. I would also like to mention Squire's genius as a bassist ultimately is a nod to "individual talent." When one listens to Steve Howe on "The Yes Album," he or she hears the influence of Django Reinhardt, Wes Montgomery, and Les Paul.

On the "Yessongs'" versions of "Perpetual Change, "Long Distance Runaround," and "The Fish, the listener hears the performance of Bill Bruford, largely influenced by the 1960's BBC2 program, Jazz625, Art Blakey, Joe Morello, Max Roach, and Ginger Baker. In 1968, Bruford placed an ad in Melody Maker in search of a band. Jon Anderson, then of Mabel Greer's Toyshop, answered this ad. In accepting Anderson's offered position, Bruford thought he was joining a jazz group. Responding to Squire's high-pitched, Rickenbacker sound, Bruford developed his "trademark," syncopated snare drum sound.

Although Rick Wakeman left the Royal College of Music to pursue work as a session musician (most notably employing the Mellotron in support of David Bowie on "Space Oddity"), he established his "pedigree" as a classically trained keyboardist through the "School of Hard Knocks." Indeed, during his "Yessongs" performance of "Excerpts from the Six Wives of Henry XVIII," Wakeman launches into a rendition of the "Hallelujah Chorus" of Handel's "Messiah," followed by an intense synthesizer and Mellotron solo. I recall a relatively contemporaneous article in "Downbeat" magazine in which the keyboardist Jan Hammer treats Wakeman's excerpts from the "Six Wives" with disdain. No matter: Hammer would go on to provide the theme for the NBC-TV series, "Miami Vice . . . ."

In July of 1972, following the studio release of "Close to the Edge," Bruford left Yes for King Crimson. With the "Close to the Edge" tour scheduled to begin at the end of July of 1972 in Dallas, Anderson, Squire, Howe, and Wakeman were put between the proverbial "rock and a hard place."

Enter Alan White, who famously learned Yes' repertoire in a matter of days. By July of 1972, White was a veteran of work (among many others) with John Lennon in the "Plastic Ono Band" and George Harrison on the "All Things Must Pass" album. During my high school days in the mid-seventies, the "prevailing wisdom" was the departure of Bill Bruford was a major loss to Yes. Not everyone agreed. Before and after school days from 1975?1977, one of my oldest and best friends and I would listen to cassette versions of "Yessongs" in the car. Now a successful native son of New Orleans and composer, my friend carefully pointed out to me the exactitude with which Alan White and Chris Squire worked with each other. Whether on "Yours is No Disgrace" or "Close to the Edge," White approached the drums with real dynamism and power. To this day, I think to myself, Alan really pounded the sh*t out of the drums . . .

Yes' performances captured on "Yessongs" exemplify the musicians' ability to present their music again without the "comforts" of the recording studio. To assert the music of Yes is, by and large, rather complex is an understatement. Arguably, the performances of "Perpetual Change" and "Close to the Edge" transcend their studio originals. Chris Squire and the rest of the band found a way to uncoil the "Fragile" version of "The Fish." Bill Bruford's drums on the studio version of "Heart of the Sunrise" are classic; Alan White discovered a means of building on Bruford's lines while effectively expressing his dynamism. Of course, throughout the performances, Jon Anderson's vocals, supported by Squire and Howe, dominate.

In 1996, Anderson, Howe, Squire, Wakeman, and White would meet again, almost a quarter of a century later, for three nights at the Fremont Theater in San Luis Obispo, CA, to re-ignite the magic for their "Keys to Ascension" live albums. But, as the Church of England is the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion, "Yessongs" remains the source of many performances that have followed.

 Close to the Edge by YES album cover Studio Album, 1972
4.68 | 5054 ratings

BUY
Close to the Edge
Yes Symphonic Prog

Review by samirigon

2 stars Sorry to everyone who claims that this album should be liked by everyone who calls themselves a prog listener, as I didn't like it at all. I have listened to the entire album and it felt like if I was listening to a 3h album, even tho it's just one hour long...

The album was extremely boring, as if someone took some cool two minutes songs and extended them in order to get two 10 minute songs, Siberia and You and I. It also sounded mediocre, as if instead of YES, some garage band was playing.

Overall, I didn't like the album, maybe it's not the kind of prog I'm used to listening, usually fast prog, and I may like it in the future, in that case I'll come back and edit the review.

 Open Your Eyes by YES album cover Studio Album, 1997
2.06 | 990 ratings

BUY
Open Your Eyes
Yes Symphonic Prog

Review by Boi_da_boi_124

2 stars Review #157!

In almost no way do I find this album good, but I do find that this was an improvement over its predecessor, 'Talk'. Anderson's lyrics and vocals seem better and true to himself, and the instrumentation is about the same. No song stands out, though, which is why it gets a two-star rating from me. Even the Epic is boring! 3/4 of it is just sound. (Leave that to the Tangerine Dream and The Residents!) They really didn't try for any of this, but paradoxically, they did try even less for 'Talk'. Well, not every band is doozy-free. Yes gets a pass in my book since they are so prolific. So yes, this is for fans and collectors only. Prog on.

 Mirror to the Sky by YES album cover Studio Album, 2023
3.42 | 212 ratings

BUY
Mirror to the Sky
Yes Symphonic Prog

Review by A Crimson Mellotron
Prog Reviewer

3 stars Legendary British band Yes is back in 2023 with their 23rd studio album 'Mirror to the Sky'. Obviously with no original members left in the band, many like to argue to what extent this band could really can itself Yes, but such debates are too often, if not always, counterproductive, pointless, and utterly crass. The fact is that Mr Steve Howe, legendary guitar player is willing to keep the band alive and going strong, as this is their second release into the 2020s, some two years after 'The Quest', a record that was received positively enough.

What matters here is that this is finally a Yes album that could deserve enough attention to be considered a return to form. The band had boldly proclaimed themselves masters of the album craft, and I could by no means oppose such a statement, as 'Mirror to the Sky' is a well-written, finely composed and recorded album, working pretty well as one, too. Band members Billy Sherwood, Geoff Downes, Jay Schellen, and Jon Davison, who has co-written most of the record all contribute and play gracefully, adding a pretty fine album to the majestic Yes universe. This one is by no means able to foreshadow the band's all-time classics from the 70s and the 80s, but is a great exercise in trying to recapture that joyful and affirming spark of creativity that has always been associated with the name of Yes.

Opener 'Cut from the Stars' is an upbeat Davison composition that does a pretty good job of introducing this new album with some fine melodies and playing. 'All Connected' is for sure a nod to the years when Jon Anderson was the creative force behind many of the compositions of the band, not a bad track either. 'Luminosity' is fine, just a tiny bit overstretched in time. 'Living Out Their Dream' is a pretty nice highlight, sounds like something that has slipped away from the 'Going for the One' sessions. The 14-minute title track is perhaps the best event on the album, as Yes perform a longer track that works quite well as one, the playing is fantastic, the ideas on here sound fresh and modern, and every minute of this great epic is thoroughly enjoyable. Closing track 'Circles of Time' is one I found particularly corny, could have been left out as a bonus track, depending on who you ask. Speaking of bonus tracks, the second disk (featuring just three more songs) does not contribute all too much to the overall experience of the album, the songs there are in the same vein as the ones on the main disk, just more forgettable and repetitive.

Overall a very positive reception for this new Yes album, the band is trying to stay relevant and creatively focused, which is a great thing. The legacy of Yes surely lives on, and 'Mirror to the Sky' is a good album that aims to point out exactly this!

 Yes by YES album cover Studio Album, 1969
3.28 | 1590 ratings

BUY
Yes
Yes Symphonic Prog

Review by JakeTheGuitar2004

5 stars When you listen to this album, it's not quite got that Yes sound that everyone knows and loves. We've got Peter Banks on Guitar who's really great on here as well as the whole line up but not as great as the line up with Rick Waken & Steve Howe for numerous reasons.

A lot of the elements are present but not all of the elements are present, and there are also a lot of cover songs on here but for me it ranks high because Bill Bruford really puts a stamp on the music with his drumming having the influence of Jazz which is so important but also his approach to the sound on where and how he plays & hits the drums with his phrasing which made him the backbone of the band.

Brufords playing on this is really incredible for the late sixties man. He has that Jazz influence and is really fusing it with a Rock band and that's why it rates high in my opinion.

 Tormato by YES album cover Studio Album, 1978
3.01 | 1784 ratings

BUY
Tormato
Yes Symphonic Prog

Review by aging-connoisseur

4 stars What a joy and pleasure to write my first review for an album that just keeps ticking. A few quick questions. Have I listened to this album more than 5 times? Yes, many times over. Have I been a little disappointed in most reviews about it? Yes, but many are re-listening and starting to like it more. Tormato isn't a smooth listening album. On most albums, Yes has mastered the art of giving some rough moments to magnify the smoother ones. Tormato is an in your face, wonderful explosion of music with progressive rock equations that are meant to push the musical envelope at times. Does Tormato have any areas that could be called truly innovative and brilliant? In my opinion it does have a wonderful break in "The Silent Wings Of Freedom", where Howe and Squire bend sound down, and back up intertwining with precision. "Future Times Rejoice" is the opening song, and it is fast moving with bright sounds. It is actually done in two parts and really showcases the mastery of Squire. Great song

"Don't Kill The Whale" is the next song and is very experimental in the whale sounds that Wakeman produces. A very good and interesting song. I heard them perform it live in 2003 and it was great.

"Madrigal", a 2 minute folkish sounding arrangement is next and doesn't disappoint as we get a little rest before the song that troubled the critics start.

"Release Release" brought a few negative writeups for absolutely no reason other than in the theme of the album, inserted a crowd getting loud when Howe does a wonderful little choppy lead. Brit's are funny people usually, and this was a great moment of humor IMO. But the song is absolutely incredible. Drives hard and fast the entire time.

The first song on side two is "Arriving UFO", which to me is an absolute great Progressive Rock song. Just like "Don't Kill the Whale", Wakeman gives us just an amazing taste of the many sounds he can create as Yes shoves this baby out into the seats and grabs us with "This is Prog,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,get it?,,,,,,,Just a great song.

"Circus of Heaven" is a slow building very wonderfully arranged song that proves the patience that is Yes. Excitement builds for a child watching a parade. Just a wonderful song, and Squire reminds us of his greatness.

"Onward" is the next song,,,,,,,,,,,,it is a slow song but very well arranged and well done. Like "Madrigal" before "Release Release", this lets us breath before "On The Silent Wings Of Freedom" starts.

"On The Silent Wings Of Freedom" is another good Prog song that gives us a different, intentionally sloppy and loose mix at the beginning, then moves to the brilliant moment of Howe and Squire intermixing before the tight last few minutes.

Tormato to me is a wonderful Tale of controlled rage by a band fighting the times of the future they see coming. There are no head scratchers on this album. It is an excellent work of music by masters that again, stepped out of the box and gave us another very good Progressive Rock production. The mix is indeed edgy and choppy at times, the music volume seems to drift as well, but the biggest most wonderful aspect of this album is it didn't sound like any other album they had done before; which is another aspect of their many layered great attributes. In my opinion, there are 5 excellent true Progressive rock songs on Tormato with Wakeman, Howe and Squire shining throughout. Yes the album seems rebellious at times but it seems planned. Alan White gives us some time-delayed snare slaps that are very creative. Anderson is his wonderful vocal self, and the vocal harmonies which add to most songs are evident. Good for Yes, good for our ears and hearts and good to hear a unique prog rock album that stands alone.

 The Steven Wilson Remixes by YES album cover Boxset/Compilation, 2018
4.79 | 64 ratings

BUY
The Steven Wilson Remixes
Yes Symphonic Prog

Review by jcdude

5 stars It is befuddling that this remix by Steve Wilson hasn't drawn the attention of more users. I am sincerely hoping that posting this review will encourage you, my fellow prog traveler, to listen to a true delight of your aural senses. Wilson's remixes of classic prog albums has been a staple of my discovery of classic prog and his remix of Tales from Topographic Oceans and Gates of Delirium on this compilation is a particular favorites of mine. I find that the remix and remastering Wilson's applied has brought out more subtleties in the mix and balances the instruments quite nicely. There are 5 albums included on the remix. Enjoy!
 Close to the Edge by YES album cover Studio Album, 1972
4.68 | 5054 ratings

BUY
Close to the Edge
Yes Symphonic Prog

Review by CygnusX-1

5 stars Honestly, I don't even have to write anything descriptive. Listening to the album is all you need to know that it is 5 stars all the way. But I have to have 100 words here, so I might as well continue. First of all, every musician on the album was a brilliant genius and in the top users of their instruments of the 70s, if not of all time. Secondly, the songs (there are three) on their own are amazing, from the gentler but not less incredible "And You And I" to the grooving prog rock song "Siberian Khatru," and of course the masterpiece, "Close to the Edge." All three songs are some of the greatest of all time, with the title track being so great it could be argued that it is the greatest prog song of all time (though I wouldn't necessarily agree with that). Overall, not only is this one of the most influential albums of all time, it is also one of the greatest, and essential to any music collection of any kind.
Thanks to ProgLucky for the artist addition. and to Quinino for the last updates

Copyright Prog Archives, All rights reserved. | Legal Notice | Privacy Policy | Advertise | RSS + syndications

Other sites in the MAC network: JazzMusicArchives.com — jazz music reviews and archives | MetalMusicArchives.com — metal music reviews and archives

Donate monthly and keep PA fast-loading and ad-free forever.