BIG GENERATOR

Ok so I gave 90125 four stars. I liked the freshness of the material and the way they mixed in some prog sensibilities with the pop hooks. So what in the hell happened here? Well we all knew sooner or later there would be a power struggle due to the fact that they had two alphas in the band. When this new Yes started, Chris Squire and Alan White gladly handed the artistic reigns over to the new young guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Trevor Rabin. On 90125, Jon Anderson entered the project in the final hours and really didn't have a lot of time to force his ideas into the fold. By the time they got around to creating Big Generator the two silverbacks went head to head. Jon Anderson wanted to go back to being non-commercial and Trevor Rabin wanted the opposite. But that wasn't the only problem. They had trouble recording in Italy and had to move on to LA to finish the album after Trevor Horn left and finish producing the record themselves.

As a result of all of this and some questionable decisions, the music itself suffered. At the time of BG's release I will admit that I was somewhat satisfied with it as a fan but I was such a fanboy in those days and time really did a number on it.

1. Rhythm Of Love. 3/10 An above average pop song for the 80's. That is saying little though. In the Yes canon it's close to being a total disgrace. After the promising vocal intro we get that ugly 80's arena rock sound. The lyrics? Yes were now doing sexual innuendo.

2. Big Generator. 3/10 It's like a twisted up Owner of a Lonely Heart. I actually liked this when it came out but I laughed my face off while listening to it recently. I kind of like the lyrics though. It seems in some way based Jon Anderson's criticism of big record companies.

3. Shoot High Aim Low. 7/10 Here we get Alan White playing the same pattern as the bassline from Mr. Mister's Broken Wings. (Am I the only one who notices this?) But I actually like this one. Jon Anderson and Trevor Rabin trading lines in the verses and the tune has a nice dreamy feel to it.

4. Almost Like Love. 1/10 A nice drum intro that leads us into a bad song. It also has latter day Genesis-like horns. Execrable.

5. Love Will Find a Way. 3/10 A very bland song. A Rabin penned mid-tempoed song about love finding a way.

6. Final Eyes. 5/10 A Rabin era Yes attempt at a new "And You And I." Not even close. No terrible but did not age well.

7. I'm Running 1/10 I don't even know what to say here. The longest song on the album is also the worst. The musicianship is there but it has terrible Caribbean feel to it. Yikes!!

8. Holy Lamb. 5/10 Here Jon Anderson sounds like he is in his element...vocally. Singing about the harmonic convergence. I have always felt that the song wasn't finished and it probably wasn't.

So unfortunately, Big Generator was pretty much an artistic failure. As it turn out it was commercially as well. Consequently all of this led to Anderson leaving and forming ABWH (Be gone you ever piercing power play machine, cutting our musical solidarity...I am out of thee with a vengeance!)