Tormato

Everyone seems to pick on this album almost as much as Big Generator. Why?

I'm a big fan of tormato. Don't Kill the Whale and a.Future Times/b.Rejoyce both got stuck in my head and that's what got me into yes in the first place. Release, Release is another great one and One the Silent Wings of Freedom is a great song. The rest aren't that bad. It's definately not one of yes' great albums but it doesn't deserve the critisism it gets, much like drama.

On the silent wings of freedom is an excellent song IMO and I have always like Release, Release and Madrigal is ok. The rest of the album doesn't do anything for me unfortunately no matter how many times I have tried to listen to it.

Not their best work obviously, nor is it their worst IMO but I do think some early Yes lovers hold this period accountable for the demise of the 'masters of prog' in the early 70s and possible despise the album unreservably as an act of protest.

The whole issue of likes and dislikes is so subjective though and I have often wondered how someone who would like the later Yes catalogue would not be able to appreciate their earlier work but then I guess it is vice-versa to a degree. It's a little like the polls on who is the best/worst singer or lyricist or guitarist etc

There are a few singers in prog which I personally think struggle to even sing in tune through a whole song let alone an album but they are reverred by others as virtual master singers so with music 'beauty is really in the ear of the beholder'. In fact prog listeners are in some ways comparable to jazz officianados because some people love traditional and hate modern or acid jazz etc

Very nice record, some odd sounds by Wakeman
with his experimental birotron thingy, but the last
album on which Squire's bass reigns. Pity, that.

Some good tunes, some apalling ones. The very nasty keyboard sounds courtesy of Wakeman's (thankfully shortlived) Birotron and a general move to a more accessible style make it hugely disappointing, and tracks like "Circus of Heaven" are unspeakable filth that should never have been permitted to be recorded. The first side's not so bad, I suppose.

Never cared for "On the Silent Wings of Freedom" though. Don't know why.

WillieThePimp wrote: Everyone seems to pick on this album almost as much as Big Generator. Why?

I like them both, always have, so its not me picking on them!

The album is okay but I can't get behind it because it's the beginning of Yes' downward slide.  A sad day. 

Snow Dog wrote: Salmacis72 wrote: I think it's great with the glaring exception of two of the worst songs they've ever done: "Circus Of Heaven" and "Arriving UFO'. Otherwise, lots of great material on it! But Wakey made a huge mistake with that birotron - yuck. Believe it or not Arriving UFO was my favourite song for a long time. It's just so joyous!

Add Circus Of Heaven to that also snow dog, Onwards and Silent Wings Of Freedom are my least favourite songs of the album. surely Future times, don't kill the whale are among my favourite Yes songs

You are a kind of YES omnivorous if you say Tormato is a nice album!

It's only a second-rate album. Fragile is a very nice album not Tormato!!!

MorgothSunshine wrote: You are a kind of YES omnivorous if you say Tormato is a nice album! It's only a second-rate album. Fragile is a very nice album not Tormato!!!

Hey I like Yes, so what? I would say Fragile was a great album, not nice!

Perhapps I'm Yes Carniverous?