Review Summary: Despite lacking both Bruford and Wakeman, Relayer is one of Yes' very best efforts, and marks the end of their classic years.
There are always those two records that Yes is best remembered for:
Fragile and
Close to the Edge. The one that doesn’t nearly get mentioned as often is
Relayer, the 1974 album that had neither Bill Bruford nor Rick Wakeman performing with the group. Playing here are Alan White, Bruford’s replacement since
Topographic Oceans, and the Swiss-born Patrick Moraz on the keys, with the core of Jon Anderson, Chris Squire and Steve Howe still being intact.
Relayer is easily the most underrated Yes album, and belongs no lower than in their top three. It also unfortunately meant the end of an era. After this, classic Yes was over. The 80’s were creeping in, and they would change everything. The group would never make such amazing and inspirational music again. A massive shame, because
Relayer has a very different sound from the band’s earlier records, and could have been a great step in a fresh direction.
Immediately notable is Howe’s different, rawer guitar sound. Otherwise always dominated by the organist, he now goes all out, really earning the credit of 'lead' guitarist. Moraz has great chemistry with him, and coming from a jazz background, his work on the keys really did give Yes a new edge. It’s quite heavy on the synthesizers, giving the music an unique spacey effect that could have very well served as an inspiration for Camel’s
Moonmadness, released two years later. The keyboardist actually didn’t join the band shortly before the recording of the album, which is why his part of the sound could have been bigger, but careful listening reveals a lot of subtlety in his playing. Chris Squire is rumbling audibly with his great bass technique in the mix the way he should, but like Howe, Anderson also reaches a new high. His vocal performance here is often strongly emotional, and while is naturally high voice is potentially annoying, he gets the very best out of it in this recording.
Structurally,
Relayer is actually almost the same as
Close to the Edge: one central epic on one side, and two tracks about half its length on the other. Only the order of mood is different: instead of breaking with a calm track and ending with a more intense one, the middle track here is more aggressive and the closer more laid-back.
Sound Chaser, somewhat of a 'structured jam', contains similar elements to
Siberian Khatru, and
To Be Over, in its relative tranquillity, isn’t quite unlike
And You and I.
But of course, what
Relayer is first and foremost about is an epic song with even more fittingly epic title:
The Gates of Delirium, a near-22-minute piece based on Leo Tolstoy’s novel
War and Peace. It is fully amazing, and a worthy contestant for best Yes track ever made. As opposed to the stretched, similar-length tracks on
Topographic Oceans,
Gates is clearly and carefully structured, well-composed, and far more engaging. The prelude lasts about eight minutes, after which the
Battle section is entered: a superb display of musicianship that really ties the whole band together into a magnificent frenzy. The track eventually works towards the emotional ending section
Soon, focusing on the sad lament displayed in the vocals. You hear it the first time: you like it. You hear it again: you think you’ve realized how great it is. A third time, and you’re completely blown away.
The Gates of Delirium is a progressive masterpiece.
And if you follow up an epic of this level with two other fantastic tracks, you’ve made yourself a superb piece of progressive music. It’s almost painful how underrated
Relayer is, especially when you consider that the only Yes album that is undeniably better is
Close to the Edge (
Fragile may have the three classic epics but is, after all, not as consistent). Thinking the real Yes only exists with Bruford and Wakeman is ignorant because right here is a jewel that you must hear.
Relayer’s Yes was:
- John Roy Anderson ~ Lead Vocals
- Stephen James Howe ~ Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals
- Christopher Russell Squire ~ Bass Guitar, Backing Vocals
- Patrick Philippe Moraz ~ Keyboards
- Alan White ~ Drums, Percussion
TO BE CONTINUED...
