Forum Home Forum Home > Progressive Music Lounges > Prog Recommendations/Featured albums
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed - Yes: The Ladder (1999)
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Events   Register Register  Login Login

Yes: The Ladder (1999)
 Post Reply Post Reply Page  <1234 6>
Author
Message Reverse Sort Order
  Topic Search Topic Search  Topic Options Topic Options
rushfan4 View Drop Down
Special Collaborator
Special Collaborator
Avatar
Honorary Collaborator

Joined: May 22 2007
Location: Michigan, U.S.
Status: Offline
Points: 66588 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote rushfan4 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 16 2020 at 18:04
Also, the poster on my office door.
Back to Top
rushfan4 View Drop Down
Special Collaborator
Special Collaborator
Avatar
Honorary Collaborator

Joined: May 22 2007
Location: Michigan, U.S.
Status: Offline
Points: 66588 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote rushfan4 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 16 2020 at 17:59
I remember when The Ladder first came out was around the same time I got my first computer and was definitely one of the first times I went on line.  I seem to recall that I was listening to the Stanley Cup Finals on-line, quite possibly the game that went to triple overtime and ended on a controversial goal by Brett Hull...but I digress.  I was definitely an internet n00b but I remember knowing that they were releasing Homeworld (The Ladder) that night so I was super excited when I was able to find it and listen to it.  I pretty much like everything that Yes has done no matter which line up.  There's is just a sound that I really enjoy. 

P.S. if you want to see a Yes live video that is super fun, you should check out Symphonic Live.  They play with an orchestra and it just looks them and the orchestra are having a blast playing that night.
Back to Top
AFlowerKingCrimson View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: October 02 2016
Location: Philly burbs
Status: Online
Points: 18941 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote AFlowerKingCrimson Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 16 2020 at 16:57
Originally posted by Squonk19 Squonk19 wrote:

It's a reasonable late-period album with some good tracks, but a touch inconsistent too. I saw them on that UK tour, but the classic period still dominated the set list. I read that Bruce Fairburn was trying to get the band to go back to their 70s style - but really it came up short (he sadly died during the mixing process, so not sure if that played a part or not). In hindsight it stands up better than other later albums (don't get me started on Heaven and Earth or Open Your Eyes!), but I think it was a missed opportunity. Both it and Magnification were on the verge of something greater, but didn't quite pull it off.

I don't think that was Bruce's goal really especially since Yes already revisited their 70's sound on the two keys to ascension albums that came before it. Maybe he just wanted to move them away from the poppier open your eyes and so if that was the case he succeeded. I actually prefer the ladder to magnification. For one thing I don't see how the ladder could have been improved upon based on what they were obviously going for on this record. With magnification I think the orchestra could have been done differently. To me it sounds like the orchestra was recorded in another room. That's ok if it was as long as it doesn't sound that way but to me it sounds too distant. Rick said he wished he was involved and I agree he probably could have done something different with it.
Back to Top
Squonk19 View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: April 03 2015
Location: Darlington, UK
Status: Offline
Points: 4789 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Squonk19 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 16 2020 at 16:46
It's a reasonable late-period album with some good tracks, but a touch inconsistent too. I saw them on that UK tour, but the classic period still dominated the set list. I read that Bruce Fairburn was trying to get the band to go back to their 70s style - but really it came up short (he sadly died during the mixing process, so not sure if that played a part or not). In hindsight it stands up better than other later albums (don't get me started on Heaven and Earth or Open Your Eyes!), but I think it was a missed opportunity. Both it and Magnification were on the verge of something greater, but didn't quite pull it off.
“Living in their pools, they soon forget about the sea.”
Back to Top
Psychedelic Paul View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: September 16 2019
Location: Nottingham, U.K
Status: Online
Points: 43447 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Psychedelic Paul Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 16 2020 at 13:43
Originally posted by ToANMusic ToANMusic wrote:

Right on! I think I first started frequenting around 2010 or so, so you and are probably pretty close in lurking age. Either way, a warm welcome to us both! How has your year been so far on here?
I've had an amazing year and joining ProgArchives is one of the best decisions I've ever made. Thumbs Up
 
Barely a day goes by when I don't discover an amazing "new" album here, just like the day I discovered The Ladder album for instance. Smile
Back to Top
ToANMusic View Drop Down
Forum Newbie
Forum Newbie
Avatar

Joined: July 16 2020
Location: Baltimore, MD
Status: Offline
Points: 39 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote ToANMusic Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 16 2020 at 13:14
Right on! I think I first started frequenting around 2010 or so, so you and are probably pretty close in lurking age. Either way, a warm welcome to us both! How has your year been so far on here?
Back to Top
ToANMusic View Drop Down
Forum Newbie
Forum Newbie
Avatar

Joined: July 16 2020
Location: Baltimore, MD
Status: Offline
Points: 39 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote ToANMusic Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 16 2020 at 13:13
Exactly! Sometimes people praise bands for being creatively open minded, but then latch on to a certain inspiration that the band had for a time and end up losing out on all this new potential inspiration that the band is finding along their way.
Back to Top
Psychedelic Paul View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: September 16 2019
Location: Nottingham, U.K
Status: Online
Points: 43447 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Psychedelic Paul Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 16 2020 at 12:56
Originally posted by ToANMusic ToANMusic wrote:

Thank you! I've actually been a long time lurker of the site, but decided to make an account and get involved with the community. I sure hope so, it's deserving of all the love that Jon Anderson sings about Smile
 
I was a lurker here too for nine years until I took the momentous decision to finally join this friendly PA community just last year. Smile
Back to Top
AFlowerKingCrimson View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: October 02 2016
Location: Philly burbs
Status: Online
Points: 18941 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote AFlowerKingCrimson Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 16 2020 at 12:42
Typical Yes fan: "I like the old Yes. The progressive rock version. The prog version. The ladder? No, that's too different and too new agey.It's too different than their older stuff. They took too many chances on that one. I'll take the keys albums. Now that's the old Yes. That's prog!"

Does anyone see the irony here? Tongue
Back to Top
ToANMusic View Drop Down
Forum Newbie
Forum Newbie
Avatar

Joined: July 16 2020
Location: Baltimore, MD
Status: Offline
Points: 39 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote ToANMusic Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 16 2020 at 12:40
Thank you! I've actually been a long time lurker of the site, but decided to make an account and get involved with the community. I sure hope so, it's deserving of all the love that Jon Anderson sings about Smile
Back to Top
Psychedelic Paul View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: September 16 2019
Location: Nottingham, U.K
Status: Online
Points: 43447 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Psychedelic Paul Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 16 2020 at 12:22
Originally posted by ToANMusic ToANMusic wrote:

Totally agree with you, man. I found The Ladder to be a pretty emotionally engaging album that's resonated with me pretty hard over the years. It's a shame that it's so underrated. My guess is the stigma around later Yes albums may keep people from giving it the chance it deserves.
Welcome to ProgArchives! I see that you joined us just 1 hour and 43 minutes ago. Hopefully, this thread will give The Ladder album some of the recognition it deserves. It really is on the top rung of Yes albums. Smile
Back to Top
ToANMusic View Drop Down
Forum Newbie
Forum Newbie
Avatar

Joined: July 16 2020
Location: Baltimore, MD
Status: Offline
Points: 39 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote ToANMusic Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 16 2020 at 11:22
Totally agree with you, man. I found The Ladder to be a pretty emotionally engaging album that's resonated with me pretty hard over the years. It's a shame that it's so underrated. My guess is the stigma around later Yes albums may keep people from giving it the chance it deserves.
Back to Top
AFlowerKingCrimson View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: October 02 2016
Location: Philly burbs
Status: Online
Points: 18941 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote AFlowerKingCrimson Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 16 2020 at 11:01
Originally posted by Jeffro Jeffro wrote:

Originally posted by AFlowerKingCrimson AFlowerKingCrimson wrote:

^The horns are on "lightning strikes" not "it will be a good day."

Confused Well, what am I hearing It will be a good day then? Sounds like a "horn" of some kind. 

If you are talking about the instrument in the beginning it sounds like a percussion type of instrument to me. I'm not really sure but it's definitely not a horn(as in a brass instrument). There might be a pan pipe in there somewhere though. All it says on the wikipedia page is "world instruments."
Back to Top
AFlowerKingCrimson View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: October 02 2016
Location: Philly burbs
Status: Online
Points: 18941 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote AFlowerKingCrimson Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 16 2020 at 10:50
And Bruce Fairbairn only worked on the Ladder because he died during the mixing stages of the album.
Back to Top
Psychedelic Paul View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: September 16 2019
Location: Nottingham, U.K
Status: Online
Points: 43447 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Psychedelic Paul Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 16 2020 at 10:27
^ That's probably the reason why producer Jonathan Elias only worked on that one Yes album. Smile
 
It's no wonder Rick Wakeman calls the "Union" album the "Onion" album, because it makes him cry every time he recalls recording it. Smile
Back to Top
Dellinger View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar
VIP Member

Joined: June 18 2009
Location: Mexico
Status: Offline
Points: 12813 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Dellinger Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 16 2020 at 10:11
Originally posted by Psychedelic Paul Psychedelic Paul wrote:

Originally posted by Dellinger Dellinger wrote:

Just have in mind that the concerts from the Union tour had just about nothing to do with the album. I think the only song they played from that album was Shock to the System, and besides that, mostly songs from the classic era and from the West line-up. And the Union album, of course, doesn't feature all the members at the same time, just some songs with the west line-up, and some with the ABWH line-up (though supposedly there was way too much involvement from session musicians). Just so that you have your expectations in the right place.

I heard that Rick Wakeman and Steve Howe were both understandably outraged when they discovered the producer of the Union album intended to overdub some of their parts with session musicians. Confused


As far as I know, he didn't intend to overdub some of their parts, but he actually did do so, and at least in the case of Howe, way too much of his parts . And even more, not only the producer, but also Anderson was involved in such a thing.
Back to Top
Jeffro View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: March 29 2014
Location: USA
Status: Offline
Points: 2201 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Jeffro Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 15 2020 at 10:48
Originally posted by AFlowerKingCrimson AFlowerKingCrimson wrote:

^The horns are on "lightning strikes" not "it will be a good day."

Confused Well, what am I hearing It will be a good day then? Sounds like a "horn" of some kind. 


Edited by Jeffro - July 15 2020 at 10:52
We all dwell in an amber subdomain, amber subdomain, amber subdomain.

My face IS a maserati
Back to Top
AFlowerKingCrimson View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: October 02 2016
Location: Philly burbs
Status: Online
Points: 18941 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (2) Thanks(2)   Quote AFlowerKingCrimson Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 15 2020 at 10:06
^The horns are on "lightning strikes" not "it will be a good day."
Back to Top
Jeffro View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: March 29 2014
Location: USA
Status: Offline
Points: 2201 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Jeffro Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 15 2020 at 08:21
Just listened to it and will now give my completely unwanted (I'm sure) thoughts

Homeworld - Only gets interesting after about the 4 minute mark but then gets much better. Overall, a good track to kick off the album
It Will Be A Good Day - What is this, soft jazz? Confused Does nothing for me and those horns sound very out of place for me on a Yes record. 
Lightning Strikes - Has a nice galloping beat. Fun song. Sounds like it would fit on 90125 or Big Generator
Can I? - I don't even know what to say Wacko "Can I" not listen to it please?
Face To Face - Sounds good. Sounds like it would get better on repeated listens
If Only You Knew - Dead I don't listen to Yes to hear sappy love songs (are there others? admittedly, I haven't heard the entire Yes catalogue)
To Be Alive - Nothing objectionable here but also nothing that makes me even remotely interested in hearing it again. 
Finally - I kinda like this one. Nice change of pace at about 3:20
The Messenger - Not bad. Might be worth another listen or two
New Language - Okay, now we're gettin' somewhere. This is more like it.
Nine Voices - "I workshopped this one and...snoozers!" Sleepy

I see that it has a 3.25 rating here. I'd give it 2.5 at best. I wasn't expecting classic 70s Yes here so it wasn't a case of being let down in that regard. It's just mostly, whatever, with a few bright spots.

My opinion of it might improve on subsequent listens but not sure I care that much. 


Edited by Jeffro - July 15 2020 at 08:22
We all dwell in an amber subdomain, amber subdomain, amber subdomain.

My face IS a maserati
Back to Top
miamiscot View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: April 23 2014
Location: Ohio
Status: Offline
Points: 3625 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (2) Thanks(2)   Quote miamiscot Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 14 2020 at 07:35
Great album. I'll say it again: great album.
The Prog Corner
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply Page  <1234 6>

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down



This page was generated in 0.297 seconds.
Donate monthly and keep PA fast-loading and ad-free forever.