YESSONGS

The reason Yessongs is not a five-star affair is that it suffers from one prominent flaw: It sounds horrible from a technical standpoint. Even for a 1973 recording, the quality is downright muddy. With that my only gripe, this is a phenomenal live set, and features some fantastic performances. Fragile is here almost in its entirety (from the group works, only "South Side of the Sky" is absent), and the masterwork Close to the Edge is here altogether. And other than "A Venture" and "Clap," The Yes Album is also represented in full. "And You and I" is subpar, mainly because Steve Howe uses an electric guitar throughout rather than a twelve-string acoustic. On more positive notes, the sound notwithstanding, I find the version of "Close to the Edge" better than the original: There is more power, and Squire's added notes make a subtle, but enormous difference for me. Rick Wakeman's solo spot is as spectacular as the cape he was wearing. He blends several excerpts from his greatest solo work as well as the main theme from Handel's Messiah and some quirky Western music. Speaking of Wakeman, the keyboard sounds on "Roundabout" are the best. As my very first Yes album, it was the one that acquainted me so many amazing songs, and for that, I will be indebted to it. I would not recommend it for someone unaccustomed to Yes unless that person could overlook technical imperfections; that said, there is no reason for a Yes fan to pass this one by.