Time and a Word

That topic makes me want to buy it for Christmas.

bucka001 wrote: richardh wrote: Time And A Word has too much of the cheese factor to be taken seriously.     Easy Livin wrote: I think Anderson's singing is the weakest point of the album (unlike later Yes offerings).   I would have to respectfully, but seriously (!), disagree. There may be a bit of a dated vibe to certain aspects of the album, but some would say that real cheese lies in the pomposity of parts of Tales From Topographic Oceans, etc. I also think Anderson's voice sounds great on TAAW. There was still some low-end balls to his voice, before it just became stuck in a high-only register (i.e. Tormato, Going for the One, etc).   Frankly, I love TAAW. It's my absolute favorite Yes album of all time. Astral Traveller, Sweet Dreams, Then, all of them. Great. Tony Kaye is on fire on this album (his intro to The Prophet is gothic, dark, swirling, and stunning). But my favorite is their version of Everydays. The strings on this... probably my favorite arrangement for strings on a rock song, up there with anything on Nick Drake's classic album Bryter Later. On Everydays, the strings are really melacholic and even creepy in parts. Beautiful.   I can see why this album isn't considered classic Yes because stuff like Roundabout and Close To The Edge (great songs in their own right) is what made their career, and TAAW is nothing like that. But, it's wonderful for what it is.

I like the album and find it enjoyable to listen to while I drive.  However, I love the first one more.


Edited by javajeff - December 23 2010 at 13:04

I don't listen to the album much, but the title track is one of the best songs Yes ever did. 

Seriously, it's incredible. Listen to it now.

I like that song.

See my login ;)

By asking "why does everybody hate..." the album, It sounds like you think it ought to be rated higher. I agree, it is a great album, and probably should be rated at least a little higher. I really love it too: I bought it listened to it constantly for a couple of months--actually wore out the CD. Thing is, though, when compared to Close to the Edge, Fragile, and the Yes Album, TAAW just isn't as good, and is probably not a "classic", it's their second album, so it still has some developmental moments. When I get around to writing a review, I'll give it 4 stars.

Just an extra item of interest: I think I remember reading an interview with Geddy Lee (in one of those guitar magazines) about a year ago, where he said that the strong bass on TAAW was one of his favorites, (and perhaps influenced him...or something to that effect). Anybody else read or heard of that too?

A debate with the legendary Maani, I feel like I've run into a time warp!

Whether or not the bands wanted the orchestration is largely academic, it is the reaction of the fans which matters. In both cases (Beatles and Yes), the general reaction was/is not favourable. Personally, I actually enjoy both albums.

Right, but somehow, even if the orchestra sounds like it has been lost and got into the wrong studio and tried to make the best of it, it sounds great nevertheless. Sometimes bar pianos sound better than Steinways. This Yes studio orchestra has a funny sound and the record sounds a bit underproduced, but the result is, funny enough, breathtaking. A bit like inventions that were made accidentally.

Edited by Moogtron III - January 06 2011 at 04:07

Easy Livin:

maani wrote: I always felt that those arrangements were original to - and, as noted, central to - the original songwriting.  In fact, I can't even hear that when I listen for it specifically and try to "force" myself to believe they were an afterthought.