TORMATO

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.