Yes apreciation thread..

Maybe I'm doing really recognisbile and worthless apreciation threads, cause everyone knows the bands that I'm doing, but I'm just so bored and the forum lately is quite inactive, so I'll do this for fun but seriously, cause like I really can never show my knowledge to anyone except for my brother, father, mother and one friend, I want to spread it here even though everyone knows this by hard I suppose.

A masterful symphonic band?...Yes!

Guide:

Their masterpieces/groundbreaking albums:The Yes Album(a very accesible album, with classics from Yes), Fragile(another accesible album with other very well-known songs), Close to the Edge (magnum opus, a more difficult in some way to get in, with 3 classics and a masterpiece of total prog), Tales from Topographic Oceans(a controversial album? Okay, but still is awsome, as hard as CTTE to get in), Relayer(the last of the trilogy of monster epics, IMO there most difficult album to get into, a real adventure)

To start with:The Yes Album or Fragile. If you are used to long epics you may start with Close to the Edge directly.

You liked Close to the Edge follow the trilogy with: Tales from Topographic Oceans and Relayer.

Bored (in some way), want more:Going for the One (for some great others not so, but still really worth) Drama (still an album that I don't enjoy, but for plenty of fans it's a great album, with Steve's voice) Yes (their debut, completly different to their symphonic prog sound, but still really good and you can know how it all began), Time and a Word (don't really like it, but if you liked their debut this can be apreciated)

For fun?: 90125(very accesible album of pop tunes, with a special touch from Yes, a loved one from many Yes fans), Big Generator (from the same vein as their previous but weaker), Talk (modern and heavier guitar, from the same vein as it's predessors but heavier).

Want something from now but progy:The Ladder (a mix of pop/alt/ and great prog songs), Keystudio (a really great come back, with giant epics), Magnification (my fave from the new ones, with slightly pop and alt sound and full of new prog with a magnificent orchestra)

Avoid!:Union, Open your Eyes, Tormato(??)

p0mt3 wrote: Relayer is the best thing Ye sever managed to make. CttE is overrated greatly, everything else is hit or miss with me. I think their 'legend' is much more enjoyabel to talk about then their albums are to listen to, but that's only my opinion. I think everything between Fragile and Relayer (including those albums themselves) is the material that everyone should remember and treasure, because it all went downhill from there, unfortunately. A shame too, because the could have become something special, I mean there was cleatrly so much fresh and original material waitring to get out that was never fully realized. I think the constant pressure form the record label to play conventional music plus the never-ending revolving door of in-and-out band members ultimately took a toll on Anderson's creative juices.

Where's The Yes Album, how can you not like it?!??!!
Drama is pretty good despite the vocals.
Going for the One is quite good too.
Their debut is a lover of mine, but for this one is more subjective.

In my personal opinion (changed from last week after a relisten or two):

5 Stars - Close To The Edge, Tales From Topographic Oceans

Close To The Edge is the perfect example of studio dedication to getting an album just right. Anderson's lyrics reach the level of enjoyable, and he and the band do not make the mistake of throwing in tacky attempts at ideas.

It was the perfect introduction to Yes for me, and, in my opinion, their best effort that I've heard.

Tales From Topographic Oceans really showcases the experimental side and the musicianship of Yes. White provides a couple of superb drum solos, and the opener is one of the greatest tracks ever recorded. A couple of weak spots, but they can be overlooked in context, I think.

Not recommended for a starter, since I hated it until I got into the right mindframe to listen to it as a whole. The remaster's a little annoying, since you have to dash to the CD player to avoid the damn bonus auditions on the end.

4 Stars - Going For The One, Fragile
3 Stars - The Yes Album, Relayer

I'll expand later.

Reading your Trespass review now..

micky wrote: cacho wrote: Avoid!: Tormato(??) why do you recommend avoiding Tormato?

Cause from my subjective point of view it's not a farewell album, it may be a fallen step for new people that's entering to Yes.

But I reply this thread is something I did cause I was bored, I reply again I did seriously but for fun.

micky wrote: I see what you are doing... carry on my son!

Why do you laugh Ain't I your son?

cacho wrote: micky wrote: I see what you are doing... carry on my son! Why do you laugh Ain't I your son?

Well... we are  looking for a new son.. Rico... our oldest is flying the coup...   so his mother and I are always on the look for new adoptees

NaturalScience wrote: Here's my appreciation of Yes, which I have stated several times on this forum:  in my prog searches, I have yet to find a band with the excellence of output that Yes produced from 1970-1977.  I have made excellent finds on this site; indeed, the entire Canterbury genre is a gold mine, but to me Yes is the prog pinnacle.  I enjoy all the albums from that period every bit as much as I did when I discovered them close to 20 years ago.

well said  brother

micky wrote: NaturalScience wrote: Here's my appreciation of Yes, which I have stated several times on this forum:  in my prog searches, I have yet to find a band with the excellence of output that Yes produced from 1970-1977.  I have made excellent finds on this site; indeed, the entire Canterbury genre is a gold mine, but to me Yes is the prog pinnacle.  I enjoy all the albums from that period every bit as much as I did when I discovered them close to 20 years ago. well said  brother

Tonight I listened to Close to the Edge for the first time in a while.  Man its even better than I remember! Siberian Khatru is still my favorite track though.  That opening riff sort of comes out of nowhere and isn't really a Yes type riff, and then they bring on the whoop ass even more a few seconds later!

Following CTTE I put on Tales just to give it another chance.  I have only been able to enjoy the second half, and even then I was still a bit iffy on it.  TONIGHT IS THE NIGHT THOUGH! I love friggin' TALES! My god, what have I been missing out on! Everything on that album is glorious.  The keyboard solos, Howe's wonderful harmonic phrasing and progressions,  Jon's strange lyrics and vocals.  Alan White brings it to the table too.  I mean I liked the guy before, but on this album he shows he is just as good a drummer as Bruford and now one really needed to worry about his departure.