90125

Groovy lil pop album by former 70's prog giants that turned a whole new generation of hip kids onto the existence of "prog," because even though "Owner of a Lonely Heart" and "Leave It" are definitely "pop" songs in essence, there was something a bit different about them, this sure ain't the Cars and it ain't 867-5309 either, but what is it?

Well, for starters it's a hell of a lot better than Asia (which is loathsome) and WAAAAYYYY better than Phil Collins era 80's pop Genesis...I don't care how well Phil is channeling Peter Gabriel on "Mama" or whatever, that Genesis might as well stick a saxophone in its nethers and play Kenny G through it because to these ears there's not a lot of difference between the two.

But we are here to discuss "90125" by Yes, which is this record which is a really great record! I know that it's not CTTETOTOTAWTYA but so what? By this point in the 80's most prog bands were really, really out of touch, coming across as goofy wannabe new wavers without the first idea of what the hell new wave (which isn't even a real genre) was...Let's face it none of the prog masters made anything half as progressive as "Remain In Light" by the Talking Heads or anything near as cool as the Von Lmo Lp. There was nothing going on in the prog world at this time that was half as interesting as Chrome (Really, that Chrome isn't on here under space rock is a shame, Listen to "Red Exposure" for instance, truly progressive and future seeing on the highest level!) or even Television. But what Yes did was take a 70's niche genre and take it to the masses with a slick, clean 80's sound while somehow managing to not sound like a bunch of goofy bastids trying way too hard to be "hip."

"90125" is an excellent pop album, and there're enough prog touchstones to keep those who are into that sort of thing (all of us here, I'm sure) at least somewhat amused. Head and shoulders above so much of the pop that surrounded it, I think this is a classic album, maybe not prog in the strictest of terms, but still interesting, experimental and at least they are trying to stay in touch with their original musical vision enough to not alienate all of progdom (they failed it seemed).

I would listen to this album four hundred times a day without being able to get up to use the bathroom before I would listen to Marillion again. In fact I need to make sure there's a bathroom close by if ever I am forced to hear Marillion again. Why? "90125" is prog putting on pop clothing and running around the mall, where as Marillion is really just the worst of 80's crap pop pretending to be much cooler than it really is. At least the lyrics on this album aren't all about how displaced the lead singer feels because his childhood sucked.

This album is also better than "Tormato" because at least there seems to be some sort of passion and drive here, where as "Tormato" sounds like a tired, tired band making tired, tired music. I just don't hear the major decline in Yes' 80s albums that all the seventies Yes lovers hear. Jon Anderson singing goofy yet earnest lyrics about transcendence? Yes! Cool keyboard lines? Yes! Fake sounding drums that are still really good? Yes! Memorable hooks, angelic vocal melodies, and a couple longish songs? Yes! I think if this would have had a Roger Dean cover it would have a Three and a Half at least. That's why it's getting a Four, that and the fact that I really do love this album.

At least it doesn't have a stupid space ship shaped like a guitar on the cover. That would be lame.

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