DRAMA

I love Yes and they are one of the truly great pioneers of the whole genre. I know, I'm not kicking any doors down by saying that but there are albums in their discography that are, rightly so, up for debate. The last album of the 70's ("Tormato") is decidedly one of those. The first one of the 80's is another. "Drama" is one of the underdogs of prog. A seemingly one-off event that sometimes gets treated in a less than amiable way. I am happy to say that most of the reviewers on PA seems to share my point of view.

The Yes of 1980 lacks both Jon Anderson and the maestro Rick Wakeman but boasts both Trevor Horne and Geoff Downes. By what might be surmised when listening to "Tormato" the steam seemed to have left the engine of the band and what remained was a more or less foul smelling puddle of only simmering liquid. Messieurs Downes and Horn seemed to gel perfectly with the three remaining members and obviously shared the same view on which path to take. The result is an invigorated and updated version of the mighty Yes. There is no denying this is Yes. A lot of the ingredients that made their albums so fantastic in the first place remains. Squires bass, Howes guitars and Whites drums. Enter new blood and the result is staggering.

It all begins with some of the heaviest pieces recorded by the band, "Machine Messiah". This is ten minutes of progressive bliss that gives homage to everything that came before but still sounds different and more in tune with the new decade. "Into the lens" is absolutely stunning in it's playful and bass heavy arrangement. Absolutely brilliant. As is the spacey "Run through the light" which offers us yet another of what ought to be a Yes classic. I love the vocal lines and the keyboards that adds such a sumptuous and scrumptious texture to the whole affair.

"Drama" falls very easily down the roadside and seems an anonymous affair and still it ranks, for me, as one of their best efforts. No, it might not be "Fragile" or "Close to the edge" but it is something else, which probably was needed in the light of everything. I love it. Hopefully you will too.