OPEN YOUR EYES

Open Your Eyes is the band's seventeenth studio album released in November of 1997. After the departure of keyboardist Rick Wakeman from the band yet again in 1997 both Chris Squire and Billy Sherwood set out to develop songs for an album by their own band, Conspiracy. This would ultimately catch the attention of their new management who suggested to use some of their material for a new Yes studio album. By the time Jon Anderson and Steve Howe would even get involved in the album there wasn't enough time for them to have any major impact on what was already written. Therefore, their overall creative input on the album is severely lacking to say the least. This review would ultimately prove to be one of the most difficult I have ever written due to the overall mediocracy found in virtually every track. This makes it difficult to decern any defining characteristics in the music besides a general like or dislike of it. Nevertheless, there are still a few moments found on Open Your Eyes that hint at brilliance but never fully reach it.

The first three tracks that open the album are unquestionably the most solid. The first track, New State of Mind, was one of the early tapes Billy Sherwood sent to Jon Anderson during the songwriting process. After Jon Anderson heard the track, he decided to record his vocals which would ultimately be included on the album. New State of Mind is an overall effective opener as it conveys the general sound that would be found on this album (at its best). The guitar is up-front and surprisingly powerful with numerous prog-inspired transitions and instrumental snip-bits. Furthermore, there are frequent harmonies found throughout the track which assist in giving the chorus a bit more power when necessary. Nevertheless, this track isn't anything mind-blowing or life-changing by any means; generally good but non- essential. The title track, Open Your Eyes, is up next and is definitely a highlight of the album. Even if this is a more pop-orientated track, it's a terrific pop-orientated track at that. Keyboardist Steve Porcaro provides additional keyboards which are laid-back yet impactful within the atmosphere. Additionally, I am glad to hear Chris Squire singing at various points such as harmonizing in the chorus while also having individual moments of prominence. Chris Squire also provides a truly solid bass line all through the track which is accompanied by Alan White on drums to create a powerhouse of a rhythm section. Universal Garden is the closest the band comes to recreating the classic Yes era on this album. It opens with pleasant acoustic guitar and dreamy keyboards from both Steve Howe and Billy Sherwood before Jon Anderson's vocals are introduced. From then on, the track switches between vocal melodies and guitar solos which incorporate various moods while continuing to build until it climaxes at the end. This creates a truly splendid moment on the album. Ultimately, I feel as if Universal Garden could have been given a more progressive feel if it were produced in the seventies. All the elements are there but they aren't fleshed out enough to reach their full potential. In actuality, this happens to be a problem with a majority of tracks found on the album. There are points in which the band could have incorporated a more progressive-orientated solo or section but instead choose to immediately jump back into the chorus as if they are out of their comfort zone. No Way We Can Loose is unfortunately a low-point on the album in which Yes engage in a forgettable bluesy number with cheesy harmonica thrown in by Chris Squire. Just take a look at the brilliant use of harmonica found on I've Seen All Good People, it doesn't compare. There are some solid keyboard additions from Igor Khoroshev in addition to pleasant guitar solos from Steve Howe but even that can't save this feeble attempt of a track. However, Jon Anderson's vocals when he sings "When we all realize that there are no differences" works quite well in combination with Alan Whites drumming to create a genuinely powerful moment. Nevertheless, the lack of strength or experimentation is quite disappointing, even Yesterday and Today off the band's debut album has more spine than this. Fortune Seller proved to be a somewhat difficult song to pin down, I believe this is mainly due to the everchanging nature of the track with moments of over-produced pop combined with elements of true progressive rock. The driving bass from Chris Squire is startlingly powerful in combination with the rest of the band having great instrumental performances of their own. Igor Khoroshev performs brilliantly on keyboards all over this track, certifying his inclusion as a full member on the band's next studio album. Igor Khoroshev also has an excellent Hammond organ solo at the four minute and fourteen second mark. The band continues with another impressive section found at the two minute and forty-nine second mark which displays a captivating dream-like melody that certainly should have been extended by at least a minute. Overall, this is yet another highlight of the album that displays the band at their most progressive. Even so, I feel as if this track could have been improved by removing some of the over-produced aspects found throughout.

The next track, Man In The Moon, has to be one of (if not) the worst tracks the band has ever recorded that manages to take the definition of corny to a new level. The lyrics are especially dreadful with Jon Anderson singing "Round and round and round I go, when I stop no one will know" for what feels like an eternity. Luckily, Wonderlove is able to improve marginally from the last track. Despite this being a ballad at heart, it manages to be the longest track on the album clocking in at six minutes and seven seconds. The opening is quite good, but soon dissolves into a run of the mill pop-orientated track but still enhanced by the band's musicianship. Steve Howe also gets numerous wonderful guitar moments in addition to the vocal harmonies being particularly solid. From The Balcony is a Jon Anderson and Steve Howe duo that compliments the flow of the album particularly well. Steve Howe plays acoustic guitar while Jon Anderson sings the standard lyrics about love. It's nice, but nothing exceptional. The next track, Love Shine, is yet another corny AOR inspired track that doesn't go anywhere the band hasn't gone before on this album. It begins with a repeating keyboard melody before Chris Squire sings "Shine". After you hear Chris Squire sing "Shine" for the first time, you just know something does not sound right. I believe this is mainly due to the vocal effects applied to it. Unfortunately, that "Shine" is repeated multiple times throughout the song. In addition, Chris Squire's bass should have definitely been louder in the mix as he performs quite well on this track. I also believe incorporating at least one instrumental segment would have allowed the track to have a breath of fresh air. Somehow, Someday was originally intended to be released on Jon Anderson's solo album, The Promise Ring, but ended up as a track that would be included on Open Your Eyes. Because of this, there is the addition of Billy Sherwood's contemporary production touches. I have heard many people call this the weakest track on Open Your Eyes, but I would actually consider it to be a rather solid moment on the album. That being said, Alan White's drumming seems to be screaming for attention at points where they should have been calm. Steve Howe and Billy Sherwood's guitar also deserves particular credit. Especially the solo found at the four minute and eleven second mark that gives you a momentary glimpse at what a classic era Yes guitar solo sounds like. Finally, we have reached the last track on the album. To explain my feeling on this track, we are going to have to go back a few years. After hearing a few Yes album's I became instantly hooked by their music; looking for any Yes album I can find. After entering my local record store, I noticed a new Yes album on the shelf that I had not heard as of yet. The title was Open Your Eyes. After flipping the CD to look at the tracklist, I was immediately thrilled to see Yes attempting another epic with the nearly twenty-four-minute song entitled The Solution. As soon as I got home, I hauled out my CD player to begin listening to what I hoped would be a modern-day Yes masterpiece. Not too soon after beginning the album, I became quite disappointed with the albums pop-orientated direction after the fantastic Keys to Ascension releases. Nevertheless, I still expected my patience to be paid off when I would finally listen to another Yes epic at the end of the album. The track begins quite brilliantly with a tremendously powerful guitar melody which soon introduces Jon Anderson's gorgeous vocals. Chris Squire proceeds to sing superbly throughout as various prog elements are introduced. Furthermore, several instrumental sections are established that have been missing from most of the Open Your Eyes album. At this point, I was unbelievably enthusiastic to hear the track continue to expand into a multitude of sections as an epic by Yes commonly does. As I closed my eyes and began to get immersed in the music, the track goes quiet. At first, I thought this must be some very "progressive" transition the band were attempting to accomplish. Ten seconds soon turn into ten minutes as nature noises remain playing in the background with numerous glimpses of tracks found on the album begin to come in and out. You should have seen my face by the time the track concluded, this is unquestionably the biggest disappointment I have occurred throughout my journey in progressive rock. I was promised a nearly twenty-four-minute epic but instead was given a five-minute track with nineteen minutes of repetitive nature noises.

When evaluating the entire album, The Solution ultimately causes it to be nearly impossible to listen to from start to finish more than once unless you own the limited edition which excludes the extended version of the track. Furthermore, when taking in the rather unimpressive music that came before this it begins to sink in that this is truly the band's weakest album to date. Despite there being multiple tracks that are enjoyable at times, the album in its entirety is something I would only recommend the most invested Yes fan to listen to. Therefore, this truly disappointing album is best intended from Yes completionists. Open your eyes and discover you're not the only one, in disguise do you wonder when the change is gonna come?

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