OPEN YOUR EYES

This album has some good songs, despite it doesn`t sound like Yes in some parts. After helping Yes to record this album for contractual reasons (new management/new label) with most of the songs originally destined for a Squire/Sherwood album, I think that Yes felt obliged to include Sherwood in the line-up, but his role in the band was problematic for Howe particularly, who really didn´t want another guitarist in Yes.Sherwood is on guitars for most of the time, also adding keyboards. But this album is more pop rock oriented. The recording and mixing of this album are very good. The best songs in my opinion are:"New State of Mind", "Open your eyes", "No way we can lose" (with Howe`s "country guitar solo"),"Somehow, someday" (with very good acoustic guitars) and "The solution" (with the last two being the best of all, in my opinion). Igor Khoroshev added some keyboards in two songs and joined Yes as tour keyboard player. The tour for this album was the first time I saw Yes in concert in my country, and they only played "Open your eyes" from this album. In late 1997 (after Christmas), I went to a record shop, and I saw the "Keys to Ascension 2" and "Open Your Eyes" CDs, but I chose to buy "Keys to Ascension 2" instead, buying "Open Your Eyes" some weeks later.