GOING FOR THE ONE

The great thing about Yes is that each of their classic releases is bound to be your favorite at one point or another. Going For The One sneaks in on the tail of their most daring and challenging albums only to reveal itself as a spotless, shimmering gem. Following the more instrumentally leaning Relayer, this album abounds with shining vocals and gorgeously spaced-out harmonies, amidst some of the band's most breathtaking atmospheres of gentle beauty ("Turn Of The Century") as well as the requisite guitar-laced madness ("Parallels"). The real kicker, though, is "Awaken", which is the most tapped-in, trance-inducing music Yes ever made, and which despite all odds is unquestionably on par with the scary heights of the previous two albums. The band sounds positively possessed as they rip through one of their finest vocal and instrumental deliveries, and I couldn't imagine a more intense 15 musical minutes. With all this, Going For The One is one of Yes' true best albums, and should never be overlooked in favor of the standard fare -- and oh, Rick is back? If that matters to you, all the more reason to be excited.