el doctor
08-24-2004, 06:51 PM
Yes
The Yes Album
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00007KWHN.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg
Released: March 19, 1971 (Atlantic)
For this recording, Yes was:
Jon Anderson: Vocals
Bill Bruford: Drums
Steve Howe: Guitar, Vocals
Tony Kaye: Keyboard
Chris Squire: Bass, Vocals
Tracks:
Yours Is No Disgrace (9:36)
Clap (3:07)
Starship Trooper: Life Seeker/Disillusion/Wurm (9:23)
I've Seen All Good People: Your Move/All Good People (6:47)
A Venture (3:13)
Perpetual Change (8:50)
"On a sailing ship to nowhere, leaving any place,"? is one great way to describe the nature and evolution of Yes. Sprawling, mystical epics from the band literally captured you and carried you on a sailing ship, and to where it was going was a mystery. Would you be witnessing a classic guitar solo? A rumbling bass line? Jazzy drumming? Sweet harmonies and melodies? Or maybe even sounds coming from a keyboard that could surely only come from a man who's sold himself to the devil? With Yes, you never know exactly what to expect. For their mastery of technicality, emotion, and uniqueness (along with a catalog of some damn good songs), Yes became one of the greatest progressive rock bands of the 20th century, and definitely holds the title of one of the longest lasting great bands as they've moved into the 21st century.
But before the progressive breakthrough of 1972's Fragile, things were a bit different. Piano, keyboard, and synthesizer wizard Rick Wakeman was not yet a member of Yes. The music itself was not yet at the level of full-blown progressive suites. The Yes Album actually plays a bit more like a classic rock album, but filled with rich organs, charming harmonies, and memorable sing-along lyrics (at times). The two previous albums, Yes and Time and a Word, were more psychadelic Brit pop-rock than progressive rock, with heavy influences from the Beatles (which at times was taken to the degree of emulation). One thing that Yes already did have established was lengthy, multi-part songs, as seen by the first track, "Yours Is No Disgrace". The short, staccato notes of its introduction quickly pull you in and board you "on a sailing ship to nowhere."? Anderson's vocals at times make no sense, although that's precisely the point. "Yesterday a morning came, a smile upon your face/Caesar's Palace, morning glory, silly human, silly human race,"? seems to have no lyrical importance. It is though a great example of the beginning of Anderson using his distinctive voice as just another instrument, where the lyrics are lush with imagery and literary devices, adding to the mystical and adventurous nature of the songs, such as the first song. "Yours Is No Disgrace" is simply an incredible song, with its memorable theme, soothing acoustic section, and chaotic guitar.
From the start of the album, Chris Squire's bass is extremely noticeable, which is a big plus. His talent shines through with all of the bass heavy tracks, which would feel incomplete without the definitive grooves. Take for example "Starship Trooper". Squire starts the song and keeps it soaring into all directions with his rumbling bass. There's of course plenty of other highlights of this medley. After an early build of Yes' classic prog sound in the "Life Seeker"? comes "Disillusion"?, a quick and light acoustic section that borders on bluegrass. It's the last section though, entitled "Wurm"?, that may interest most people. Steve Howe replaced barely-there guitarist Peter Banks for this album, making a very noticeable difference. Howes guitar is at the forefront for a lot of the album, especially in "Wurm"?. The new guitarist's talent shines as he lets out a memorable solo, showcasing his technical ability. This dramatic solo (one of the greats of all time) caps off this esteemed Yes classic.
Steve Howe's guitar also gets the spotlight on "Clap"? (originally mistitled as "The Clap"?). This live solo acoustic piece is cheerful with the intention of getting you to clap along. The Chet Akins country influence makes the song rather enjoyable. To mention some of the other members of the band, Bill Bruford's jazzy offbeat drumming (no pun intended) adds a flavor of style and class to all of the songs. It could be Tony Kaye's performance though that holds things back a bit. Unlike his future replacement's interest in exploring instruments and sounds, Kaye stuck to traditional piano and organ, not taking advantage of what technology had to offer. This is not to say though that he was a worthless component of the band. The piano introduction of "A Venture"? is impressive and classy, along with his playing towards the end of the song.
While it was the first display (or attempt) of the "true"? Yes sound, The Yes Album also produced the band's first Top 40 hit with "I've Seen All Good People"?, or more specifically, the "Your Move"? section. This section featured absolutely extraordinary vocals, with smooth harmonies and appealing lyrics. The second half of the song is much more rock driven and features the interesting repetition of "I've seen all good people turn their heads each day so satisfied I'm on my way,"? which gradually decreases in pitch. "I've Seen All Good People"? was one of the band's biggest hits and remains to be one of the fan favorites at concerts.
Above all, the most intriguing part of the album is "Perpetual Change"?. It's not as lengthy as "Yours Is No Disgrace"? and "Starship Trooper"?, yet it embodies the start of the long progressive suites that would come shortly after its release. Whereas the other longer songs on the albums are medleys, "Perpetual Change"? comes closest to a smooth flowing epic. Following the superb introduction, countless time, tempo and key changes occur along with the repetition of themes and style changes. The music is technically solid and unique, and elaborate, yet the song is still basic relative to future progressive masterpieces and maintains a good level of accessibility. If this still leaves the listener looking for more, the powerful, emotional, and inviting vocals will offer enough to satisfy the listener.
While many don't consider it up to par with some of the "classic"? Yes releases of the 70s, The Yes Album is an interesting look at the shaping and perfecting of the band's sound. Even though it is a progressive rock album, it's not overly self-indulgent and offers a high level of listenability. If there were to be one distinctive flaw to point out, it would be some of the songs seem like a few songs put together, although one may argue that these songs are appropriately labeled as medleys and still do offer a very enjoyable listening experience. Fans of rock music in general should be able to appreciate the exceptional instrumentals, interesting compositions, or marvelous vocals, if not all three. The Yes Album left fans in 1971 begging for more and wondering what could come next, and even today it leaves people with the interest of "What happens next?"
4/5
Recommended Songs:
Yours Is No Disgrace
Starship Trooper
I've Seen All Good People
Perpetual Change
The Yes Album
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00007KWHN.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg
Released: March 19, 1971 (Atlantic)
For this recording, Yes was:
Jon Anderson: Vocals
Bill Bruford: Drums
Steve Howe: Guitar, Vocals
Tony Kaye: Keyboard
Chris Squire: Bass, Vocals
Tracks:
Yours Is No Disgrace (9:36)
Clap (3:07)
Starship Trooper: Life Seeker/Disillusion/Wurm (9:23)
I've Seen All Good People: Your Move/All Good People (6:47)
A Venture (3:13)
Perpetual Change (8:50)
"On a sailing ship to nowhere, leaving any place,"? is one great way to describe the nature and evolution of Yes. Sprawling, mystical epics from the band literally captured you and carried you on a sailing ship, and to where it was going was a mystery. Would you be witnessing a classic guitar solo? A rumbling bass line? Jazzy drumming? Sweet harmonies and melodies? Or maybe even sounds coming from a keyboard that could surely only come from a man who's sold himself to the devil? With Yes, you never know exactly what to expect. For their mastery of technicality, emotion, and uniqueness (along with a catalog of some damn good songs), Yes became one of the greatest progressive rock bands of the 20th century, and definitely holds the title of one of the longest lasting great bands as they've moved into the 21st century.
But before the progressive breakthrough of 1972's Fragile, things were a bit different. Piano, keyboard, and synthesizer wizard Rick Wakeman was not yet a member of Yes. The music itself was not yet at the level of full-blown progressive suites. The Yes Album actually plays a bit more like a classic rock album, but filled with rich organs, charming harmonies, and memorable sing-along lyrics (at times). The two previous albums, Yes and Time and a Word, were more psychadelic Brit pop-rock than progressive rock, with heavy influences from the Beatles (which at times was taken to the degree of emulation). One thing that Yes already did have established was lengthy, multi-part songs, as seen by the first track, "Yours Is No Disgrace". The short, staccato notes of its introduction quickly pull you in and board you "on a sailing ship to nowhere."? Anderson's vocals at times make no sense, although that's precisely the point. "Yesterday a morning came, a smile upon your face/Caesar's Palace, morning glory, silly human, silly human race,"? seems to have no lyrical importance. It is though a great example of the beginning of Anderson using his distinctive voice as just another instrument, where the lyrics are lush with imagery and literary devices, adding to the mystical and adventurous nature of the songs, such as the first song. "Yours Is No Disgrace" is simply an incredible song, with its memorable theme, soothing acoustic section, and chaotic guitar.
From the start of the album, Chris Squire's bass is extremely noticeable, which is a big plus. His talent shines through with all of the bass heavy tracks, which would feel incomplete without the definitive grooves. Take for example "Starship Trooper". Squire starts the song and keeps it soaring into all directions with his rumbling bass. There's of course plenty of other highlights of this medley. After an early build of Yes' classic prog sound in the "Life Seeker"? comes "Disillusion"?, a quick and light acoustic section that borders on bluegrass. It's the last section though, entitled "Wurm"?, that may interest most people. Steve Howe replaced barely-there guitarist Peter Banks for this album, making a very noticeable difference. Howes guitar is at the forefront for a lot of the album, especially in "Wurm"?. The new guitarist's talent shines as he lets out a memorable solo, showcasing his technical ability. This dramatic solo (one of the greats of all time) caps off this esteemed Yes classic.
Steve Howe's guitar also gets the spotlight on "Clap"? (originally mistitled as "The Clap"?). This live solo acoustic piece is cheerful with the intention of getting you to clap along. The Chet Akins country influence makes the song rather enjoyable. To mention some of the other members of the band, Bill Bruford's jazzy offbeat drumming (no pun intended) adds a flavor of style and class to all of the songs. It could be Tony Kaye's performance though that holds things back a bit. Unlike his future replacement's interest in exploring instruments and sounds, Kaye stuck to traditional piano and organ, not taking advantage of what technology had to offer. This is not to say though that he was a worthless component of the band. The piano introduction of "A Venture"? is impressive and classy, along with his playing towards the end of the song.
While it was the first display (or attempt) of the "true"? Yes sound, The Yes Album also produced the band's first Top 40 hit with "I've Seen All Good People"?, or more specifically, the "Your Move"? section. This section featured absolutely extraordinary vocals, with smooth harmonies and appealing lyrics. The second half of the song is much more rock driven and features the interesting repetition of "I've seen all good people turn their heads each day so satisfied I'm on my way,"? which gradually decreases in pitch. "I've Seen All Good People"? was one of the band's biggest hits and remains to be one of the fan favorites at concerts.
Above all, the most intriguing part of the album is "Perpetual Change"?. It's not as lengthy as "Yours Is No Disgrace"? and "Starship Trooper"?, yet it embodies the start of the long progressive suites that would come shortly after its release. Whereas the other longer songs on the albums are medleys, "Perpetual Change"? comes closest to a smooth flowing epic. Following the superb introduction, countless time, tempo and key changes occur along with the repetition of themes and style changes. The music is technically solid and unique, and elaborate, yet the song is still basic relative to future progressive masterpieces and maintains a good level of accessibility. If this still leaves the listener looking for more, the powerful, emotional, and inviting vocals will offer enough to satisfy the listener.
While many don't consider it up to par with some of the "classic"? Yes releases of the 70s, The Yes Album is an interesting look at the shaping and perfecting of the band's sound. Even though it is a progressive rock album, it's not overly self-indulgent and offers a high level of listenability. If there were to be one distinctive flaw to point out, it would be some of the songs seem like a few songs put together, although one may argue that these songs are appropriately labeled as medleys and still do offer a very enjoyable listening experience. Fans of rock music in general should be able to appreciate the exceptional instrumentals, interesting compositions, or marvelous vocals, if not all three. The Yes Album left fans in 1971 begging for more and wondering what could come next, and even today it leaves people with the interest of "What happens next?"
4/5
Recommended Songs:
Yours Is No Disgrace
Starship Trooper
I've Seen All Good People
Perpetual Change