yes (drama)

Great album. Run through the Light being a relative low point for me.

I bought this around 1985, and in fact, the only Jon Anderson fronted Yes I'd heard had been 90125, at that point. I didn't know much about the band at that time. Drama was just a stand alone, very good album, which I enjoyed thoroughly on its own merits.

After I'd listened to more "classic" Yes, I lost some love for Drama, but in recent years I have revisited this album, and do now consider it to be one of their finest, or certainly at least one of their most enjoyable.

Machine Messiah can't be faulted. Squires bass playing and bass sound, complimented by White's deep drums, lifts this track into the air, where it cruises along with the best of the bands 'rockers' A brilliant composition.

Man in a white car gives us time to catch our breath before the Yes machine takes off again. It's a strange interlude which has always intrigued me, and is in complete contrast to the tracks that sandwich it, but it always worked, even back in the day when I was a raw arse metal head!

Does it really happen may be favourite track on this album. That funky bassline and glistening keyboard parts are irresistable. The reprise of that keyboard riff at the end, I'm ashamed to say, I missed for the first few years of listening to the album, as I'd lifted the needle from the record prematurely in anticipation of Side 2.

Into the Lens was the first track I heard off Drama, courtesy of Tommy Vance on the BBC Radio 1 Friday Rock show in the early 80's. My initial response was WTF is this?? My friend and I joked that the singer sounded like he was in the Buggles or something. Turned out he was. Anyway, later listens confirmed my love for this slice of 'Horney' quirkiness.

Run through the Light sounds like an after thought to me. The track they needed to complete the album. Unfair perhaps. It has its moments, but it never really moved me.

Tempus Fugit is simply brilliant, wit it's soaring bassline and guitar riff. It's urgency and energy, and phasey vocals, drifting across my headphones. Another classic Yes rocker.

4.5 stars.

I have a love hate relationship with Drama.  I think it is time to give it a spin again...

To my ears, Drama was the band's last "great" album.

Machinemessiah wrote: Like it a lot. Perhaps I'm a bit of a hardliner proghead (or for whatever reason) but at the end of the day Drama is the only Yes past 1974 I listen to regularly, with the exception of 'Wonderous Stories', that I listen through Classic Yes. Don't know if I'm necessarily a big fan of Trevor Horn on vocals, but he surely does a great job, and it adds to the different sound.

TenYearsAfter wrote: A reviewer once wrote on PA: If you listen to the album without prejudice, you'll have to admit Drama is a very good progressive rock album even without the distinctive voice of Jon Anderson. Jon and Rick Wakeman left in 1979." Well, that is a nice thought, but how about this one (from above):"Drama is a stupendous record. It sounds unlike any other Yes album, thanks to those two guys. But it doesn't stop there. Howe is positively on fire. But wait! There's more! Chris Squire's tracks are a veritable bass clinic. It's essential Yes. People who pretend Drama doesn't count because of that line-up are weirdos." So after reading these two pretty authorative conclusions, is it still possible to consider Drama as not a good Yes album? Am I prejudiced, or a weirdo? Or should I take these reviewers less seriously …. just thoughts.

I’ve made a similar complaint re: King Crimson’s Lizard. But to answer your question, probably weirdo.

Edited by patrickq - June 26 2019 at 23:47

Edited by TenYearsAfter - June 26 2019 at 21:21

I like both Drama and FFH. IMO Drama is an incredible album. BTW the Return Trip version of FFH (Drama line up) to me sounds a little bit too overpolished.

Like it a lot.

Perhaps I'm a bit of a hardliner proghead (or for whatever reason) but at the end of the day Drama is the only Yes past 1974 I listen to regularly, with the exception of 'Wonderous Stories', that I listen through Classic Yes.

Don't know if I'm necessarily a big fan of Trevor Horn on vocals, but he surely does a great job, and it adds to the different sound.

I’ll probably always prefer Bill Bruford, but Alan White is also great on this one. Of all Yes albums, Drama is probably the most rhythmic (on a scale of melodic to rhythmic, that is).