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Review Summary: This is almost a perfect album. It marked the return of maestro Rick Wakeman and returned with one of the finest lines up of Yes. “Going For The One” is the eighth studio album of Yes and was released in 1977. The line up on the album is Jon Anderson, Steve Howe, Rick Wakeman, Chris Squire and Alan White. The album had also the participation of Richard Willams Singers’ female chorus and of Ars Laeta of Lausanne chorus recorded at Eglise des Planches in Montreux.
“Going For The One” was recorded and released after the band took a break to each member could work freely on their solo studio albums and release them. It also happened due to the official commitments of the band with their North American live tour with the aim of the band to present their previous and seventh studio album “Relayer”, in 1976.
It’s very interesting to note this album marks the return of their previous and best keyboardist, Rick Wakeman, who had departed in 1974, in the aftermath of the controversy of their sixth studio album “Tales From Topographic Oceans” released in 1973, which was the most controversial album of the group and which was also one of the most controversial progressive albums ever. This was only possible because of the departure of Patrick Moraz, their last keyboardist who only participated on their previous seventh studio album “Relayer”, released in 1974 and which made a terrific work on that album. That made this album comes up, in my humble opinion, with their best line up, with the exception of their drummer Alan White. Despite I love very much the work and style of White, I prefer Bill Bruford, which is for me, one of the best drummers of the 70’s, and which is also one of the best progressive drummers ever.
After working with Roger Dean on almost all of the covers of their albums, Yes have chosen, this time, Hipgnosis, to create the artwork for “Going For The One”. The album’s cover features the Century Plaza Towers in Los Angeles, also known locally as the Twin Towers. Unlike the Twin Towers in New York, fortunately, these twin towers still exist today.
Yes’ fans, for the most part, love the album. Rick Wakeman came back into the fold after the departure of Patrick Moraz, and once again the band began a new phase and seemed invigorated. The results were classic songs like the epic “Awaken”, the majestic “Turn Of The Century”, the gorgeous and melodic “Wonderous Stories”, the heavy prog rock of “Parallels”, and the driving progressive rockabilly of the title track. This seems to be a band that were set to defy the punk movement, and had come up with some of their strongest material. “Awaken” still remains as a concert favourite of the band and is one of the best epic lengthy progressive rock songs ever recorded. All in all, I think the sound here is very special. Allan White’s drums are crisp, Steve Howe’s guitar parts bursting with energy on the rocking cuts, the acoustic work breathtaking. “Going For The One” is also a fantastic vehicle for the vocal styling of Jon Anderson, and he soars above the mix on tunes like “Awaken”, “Turn Of The Century” and “Wonderous Stories”, like never before.
But beyond the general great quality of all tracks, I especially need to highlight the great masterpiece of the album, “Awaken”. “Awaken” is one of their greatest masterpieces and is also the great jewel of this album. This is my third favourite song of Yes, behind “Close To The Edge” and “The Gates Of Delirium”. Curiously, both Anderson and Wakeman said this is their favourite Yes’ musical piece ever. It’s even more curious the fact that despite Wakeman doesn’t have written the song, he mentions that he believes this is the Yes’ most paradigmatic piece of music ever. Anyway, this is a perfect Yes’ song, completely overwhelming with the individual and fantastic musical workings by all band’s members. Still, I think that it’s perfectly fair to detach the fabulous keyboard work of Wakeman on this track. Sincerely, I believe that it represents his best musical performance on the band, which is even more fantastic because he isn’t one of the composers of this unforgettable musical piece. The piece was composed by Anderson and Howe.
Conclusion: For me “Going For The One” is one of Yes’ best defining moments and the last of the albums of their truly golden era. There are some very strong songs on “Drama” too, but I consider that some glorious heights of “Going For The One”, especially “Awaken”, have yet to be reached again by them. For instance, the 16 minute “Awaken” ranges up with tracks like “Starship Trooper”, “Heart Of The Sunrise”, “Close To The Edge” and “The Gates Of Delirium” as one of Yes’ best moments. Maybe it’s not a classic album like “The Yes Album”, “Fragile”, “Close To The Edge”, “Tales From Topographic Oceans” or “Relayer”, but it still remains, for me, an excellent work. At least it’s, without any doubt, the last great album made by one of their best classic line ups, as “Tormato” is very far of be as good as “Going For The One” is. “Going For The One” is perhaps the most overlooked item in the Yes’ catalogue and is unfortunately with “Tales From Topographic Oceans” one of the two most underrated works released by them. It’s true that later we have also “Drama”, “Magnification”, “Keystudio” or even “Fly From Here”, but none of those albums have an “Awaken”.
Music was my first love.
John Miles (Rebel)
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Album Rating: 4.5
Continuing with my prog journey with Yes, here it's the natural follower to "Relayer". I think that "Going For The One" always was an overlooked Yes' piece. Maybe it's not a classic album as "The Tes Album", "Fragile", "Close To The Edge", "Tales From Topographic Oceans" and "Relayer" are but it remains, for me, an essential piece and one of my favourites too. It also remains, for me, the last album of their classic era.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
Nice job as always, e. This is in many ways my favorite Yes album. I like the title track, and I love all four of the other tracks, especially "Turn of the Century", which begins so quietly, then builds to a glorious conclusion.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
Thanks, Diva. I didn't know that this was your favourite album from Yes. That isn't a common thing, as you know. It's usually seen by many as a weaker work from the band, the beginning of the decline of Yes. As you know, I don't share that opinion. And above all, it's nice to see someone that also loves this album too. And I agree with you. This is an album without weak points and an album with long prog tracks.
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Pos'd of course.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
Thanks, ksoflas.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
While I didn't love Tormato (I didn't hate it either), I DID love Drama (although nowhere near as much as Going for the One). So I didn't feel that Yes really started falling off until 90125. (And even then, I don't know if "falling off" is exactly the right term -- they changed in a direction that I didn't care for nearly as much.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
I agree with you. There are many other albums of Yes which are also very good, like "Drama", "Magnification", "Keystudio" and even "Fly From Here" is very good too. Neither do I hate "Tormato". It will be my next review, so you'll see my point of view about it.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
I'm looking forward to it e.
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
It's true that ''Turn of the Century'' builds in a good manner, but not much is going on. And I don't like ''Parallels'' at all. ''Wonderous Stories'' is good but in Yes standards, it sounds like an unfinished song imo. It could be an epic song instead. I love the t/t and especially ''Awaken'', but it wasn't enough to make a difference. So my rating cannot be more than 3.5. I have Drama at a 4, and I definitely like it much better. Going for the One could probably be 4/5 at best, but dude...4.5/5 is quite a bit generous.
Good review, mate. I don't agree with your rating obviously, but you cover your points well. One typo at first paragraph; ''Montreux'' instead of ''Montreaux''
Another thing I would point out; You talk about ''Awaken'' rather often, here and there. But it's all fine in a way; It shows your love for the song ;)
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
Enthusiastic review, this album deserved one with a rating higher than the other two. I love it too from beginning to end. I can see why some could find Turn of the Century boring but I think it's a very beautiful and poignant song.
"And I don't like ''Parallels'' at all."
Ow, not even the part from 2:55 onwards?
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
I get off way before it. It's hard to breathe all the way through, it's even not funny. I don't know what they tried to do with that song, tbh. Too much loaded for my taste.
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
I see what you mean. Maybe listen from that point onwards and then work your way backwards? haha
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
Hahah but seriously, song has too many informations for its own good. On the other hand, ''Turn of the Century'' sounds like a grower...
Edit; Or maybe not...
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
@ Jethro
I knew already that you aren't a great enthusiast of this album. As you know you aren't the one and I respect that. For me, the album is very well balanced, without Weak points and with lenghty tracks with the exception of "Wonderous Stories", which is a very beautiful track.
About the rating, the album in general is a 4.00 like "Drama". Still, due to "Awaken", my third favourite track of Yes ever, I needed to push it a bit higher. This is the reason why I highlighted "Awaken" so much on my review. So, 4.5 is a fair rating, for me. And this isn't only my opinion on this site, Diva did the same. Besides, if you take a look to Progarchives you can see that "Going For The One" is one of best rated albums of Yes with 36% of 5 stars and 43% of 4 stars, in 1.826 ratings, much higher than "Drama" with 19% of 5 stars and 47% of 4 stars, in 1.526 ratings.
About typos you're right. My French isn't as good to see that mistake. But you my friend are like a fish in the water in this matter, lol. Thanks bro, I'm going to correct that, right now.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
@ Sabrutin
Thanks man. Yeah, definitely it deserved a better rating indeed. I'm very happy that you love the album too, as a whole.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
This is my sentimental favorite. It's the first Yes album I ever bought. If I could rate it a 4.3 I would. The organ sounds amazing here--so powerful--more than any of the others.
I think you are right to note the change of cover designers. I believe this album is a conscious change of direction for the band to head in a more commercial direction. Even though I agree with you and consider this the last of the string of 'golden era albums, the band is changing course and now headed towards 90125 and Big Generator. It's a transition album, but I think it combines the best of their past and future: prog and pop-rock.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
If there is one major complaint I have about this album, it's the production. I think the overall sound is a little too thick (or muddy), and it suffers for it. It sounds to me like after they recorded the album they chose one catchy element from the mix to feature crisply on the top, and then they pushed everything else down into a muddy mix. There's a lot going on underneath, but it's hard to decipher and appreciate it . . . Having said that, I love the songs! Turn of the Century is top-ten Yes for me. Anderson's lyrics of love, death and rebirth, always move me. It's like a little musical movie. Parallels kicks ass! That organ is like a tornado Spinning all the other instruments around with it's power. I love it! Awaken features more of that powerful organ. The interplay between the Wakeman's keyboards and Anderson's vocals is great. If I'm being totally honest, I will say that the ending of Awaken goes on a bit long for me. I would clip 1-2 minutes off the ending, but that is a small complaint.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
"This is my sentimental favorite. It's the first Yes album I ever bought."
This isn't my case. As I can remember, and I presume that I'm a bit much older that you're, my first contact with Yes was in 1974 or 1975 at school. It was with "Fragile", "Close To The Edge" and "Tales From Topographic Oceans" and I must say that I was completely smashed with them. Than I thought, what such a great band, what such great albums. So, Yes was one of the bands that helped to introduced me inside the great music. From what I can remember, my first purchases were "Close To The Edge", "Tales From Topographic Oceans" and "Relayer", all bought from several collegues on my school, all bought in a second hand.
"If I could rate it a 4.3 I would."
Don't worry about that. 4.0 is a great rating to this album. If it wasn't "Awaken", it would be my rating too.
"The organ sounds amazing here--so powerful--more than any of the others."
You're absolutelly right. This is the main reason why I gave this album a 4.5. The working of Wakeman is superb, especially on "Awaken". The sound of the Church organ is simply amazing. This is one of the most amazing things I've ever heard on any prog album.
"I think you are right to note the change of cover designers. I believe this album is a conscious change of direction for the band to head in a more commercial direction."
I really think we both are right. Those were times of changes, and I lived those times too. Those were times of punk and new wave and where prog was considered a genre too much elitist and Yes were considered one of the big representants of that genre and were called old dinosaurs. So, I've no doubts that they were pressed by their record label to change and be more commercial, more radio friendly. It would be more evident on "Tormato", which will be my next review, and even more on "Drama".
But we both agree again. Despite "Going For The One" can be considered a turning point in their career, it remains their last classic album, the end of a golden era. And maybe it combines the best of their past and future, prog and pop-rock. Still, it remains for me a great album.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
Sorry, Twig but I only now saw your second comment. It was a coincidence but I answered to you at the same time.
About the production I never felt that. But I'm going to be more attentive on the next listenings.
About the tracks and the performances we agree. All are great. In relation to "Awaken" I love the track so much that my intention is that it should never end.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
Nice review e210013. Very passionate as always. It's nice to see finally a good rating for this album. This album deseved that. Still, I would prefer that you have wrote more about the other 4 tracks too. Anyway, it's another great review man. Of course, have another pos.
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