GOING FOR THE ONE

A very fine album that came out at one of prog´s worst times (1977). Rick Wakeman´s return to the fold was big news in 76, but things changed a lot in the music scene in the space of an year. Nevertheless, it was a great return to form after some rather over the top works (Tales From Topographic Oceans and Relayer). Yes somehow found a balance between their sheer musicanship and some more accessible melodies, something they seemed to have lost after Close To The Edge.

The album as a whole is nearly flawless, and having only 5 tracks, it has something for everyone. At the time I liked the shorter songs a lot more than the long ones, like Awaken, but now I think Going For The One is an excellent prog album and it stood well the test of time. Although not as inspired as the classic albums of the early 70´s (which, by the way, would be asking too much), this is classic Yes and a must have for any prog fan.