YESSONGS

"Yessongs" is perhaps the most famous progressive rock live record ever, that didn't came from out of nowhere though. It acclaimed a legendary status worldwide as a live observation by the pioneers of symphonic prog. It included on three lp-sides all the essential music from their breakthrough "The Yes Album" (with Tony Kaye on keys) and their symphonic masterpieces (thankfully Rick Wakeman in wide parts) "Fragile" and "Close To The Edge", with which the band reached worldwide attention and huge fame. The sound quality of the original recording was in a disappointing analog sound and in comparison with the recording to the three studio albums a bit weak, which reduced the pleasure to listen this fantastic live album in some few sound-technical aspects. The huge Yes fan felt nowhere disturbed by this though.

With this digitally remastered double cd version, you'll get an superior sound to the original recording, where the pure power and virtuosity of the band to this time is very well presented. The nice booklet contains 4 big stunning beautiful artwork-pictures by Roger Dean (the one and only representative prog-records-artwork-painter of it's time). In comparison with the 23 years later released double live album "Keys To Ascension", the sound is harder and wilder on "Yessongs", but I perfer the more mature and routined sounding versions of "Siberian Khatru", "Heart Of The Sunrise" or "Roundabout" on the also brilliant "Keys To Ascension", but that's more a matter of taste.

Fact is, that all in all this is the most stunning live album of Yes and probably the complete prog history and no prog collection can be considered complete without it. Get your copy now if you don't already got one - But look for the digital remastered edition from Atlantic, because of the superior digital sound quality.

Rating: 9.5/10 points = 97 % on MPV scale = 5/5 stars

point-system: 0 - 3 points = 1 star / 3.5 - 5.5 points = 2 stars / 6 - 7 points = 3 stars / 7.5 - 8.5 points = 4 stars / 9 - 10 points = 5/5 stars

Essential: a masterpiece of progressive music

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