90125

This album might not sound like the Yes of the 70s, but then again, when it was released, the 70s were over, having given way to the 80s. The sound and atmosphere of 90125 is poppy and perhaps slightly commercial, but while many consider this a sign of an artist having sold out, an alternative interpretation is that of an artist that has developed or been reincarnarnated (and in a sense, Yes had been reincarnated). I tend to go with the latter definition, and I do actually think this album is a quite progressive affair.

Compared to a lot of the pop/rock releases of the 80s, 90125 is miles ahead in many ways. Most of the compositions, including 'Owner of a Lonely Heart', are, while shorter than many of Yes' earlier compositions, fairly complex, adventurous and sophisticated at the same time, making use of the music technology that was available in the early 1980s. 90125 creates an almost perfect balance between musical, lyrical and vocal complexity and sophistication on the one hand and catchy sing-along-chroruses (like in 'Waiting for the Night' and 'Owner of a Lonely Heart') and simple, catchy power chord driven guitar riffs. Even the hyper poppish 'Our Song' displays this equilibruim. It is this balance that, in my view, earns 90125 a full handful of stars.

Among the tunes that are worth several listens are 'Owner of a Lonely Heart', 'It Can Happen', 'Changes' (which is my favorite), 'Leave It', and 'City of Love'. All of these tunes desplay the above-mentioned equilibrium, containing both highly accessible pop-element and more unusual progressive elements (at least seen in the perspective of the pop music of the early 1980s). 90125 is not just an essential part of any prog rock collection, it is an essential part of any rock collection in general. It is highly recommended for anyone who likes rock music.