THE LADDER

This one by YES is a hit or miss type of album. The hits, ('Homeworld', 'Face To Face', 'New Language') are outweighed by the misses, (the rest of the tracks). Being the most progressive songs "Homeworld" and "New Language" will at times bring back fond memories of past glories. They may not achive or stand next to the classics from the 70's, but for YES and their fans, they at least gave it a go. My favorite track tho is 'Face To Face", bringing back memories of the 80's with a super-catchy chorus and a straight ahead rock vibe that could have been a single. May not have been a hit, ala "Owner of A Lonely Heart" being that it wasn't dancey enough, but it hit the right chords with me :-). What bothers me most is when Pope Jon takes the podium and pontificates lyrically. "Finally" and "The Messenger" make me cringe and stab the forward button eagerly. Jon bugs the heck out of me when he tries to be current, ugh! "If Only You Knew" is a decent ballad, and "Lightning Strikes" rocks harmlessly, neither hurt nor help the album. Overall, a fine album, good for fans of YES, but not essential at all for non-fans, or as a first taste.