TORMATO

Ok well, for some odd reason I feel compelled to defend this album. Well, in all truth...there isn't an "odd reason" to be found. This album deserves to be defended as far as I see....and it really should be taken more seriously. Perhaps scathing music critiques just ride under my skin to such an extent that I feel justified in saying what I am about to say. This is the album (other than of course Tales) that people love to hate. I can't figure out why. Now I must admit that at first songs like Arriving UFO and Circus of Heaven seemed to me to be a bit trite and to an extent downright cheesy. But then I allowed my mind to be opened. I stripped away all the social baggage (because that's what it is) that require us to think that songs such as these are bad songs. They most certainly are not. Someone had mentioned Steve Howe's guitar playing......stating that it was annoying and not inventive. Well I don't know what album this guy was listening to but Steve Howe is one of the MOST innovative guitar players I have ever had the fortune to hear, and this certainly continues into and through the Tormato album. For anyone to say that his guitar solos on this album lacked "inspiration" is quite frankly garbage. NO ONE and I mean NO ONE plays guitar like Steve Howe. Release, Release MIGHT be an attempt at a catchy pop tune to some people with an uneducated ear, but speaking as a musician.....DO YOU REALIZE HOW COMPLEX THAT PIECE IS?!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?!?!?!.........Rhythmicly it is extremely DYNAMIC. POLYMETERS ALL OVER THE PLACE. I DARE anyone to find the beat in that piece cause YES does a masterful job at disguising the "true" beat, that is to say the downbeat. Another stated that Madrigal was boring.....HA!......Madrigal is a beautiful piece of music that is played deliciously. Oh and the chords they use in that piece are so gorgeous. Not to mention the beautiful word painting by Jon Anderson. Oh yeah by the way......just as a side note those who label Jon's lyrics as nonsense...anyone with half a brain can see that it's word painting and what beautiful word painting it is. A track thats not given alot of credit is the first track...Future Times?Rejoice. It is beautiful. Simply beautiful. Chris Squire is simply amazing (as always). What unique and just downright inspiring bass lines come that man's fingers. His bass lines aren't bass lines, they are more, much much more. They are melodic. Oh yeah and while I'm in fast thought here.....I do not know how anyone could call this album COMMERCIAL.....or even saying that it is an attempt at being commercial......HELLO PEOPLE.....you dont write songs like Madrigal, Arriving UFO, Circus of Heaven, Silent Wings of Freedom, and Future Times and think you're going to be commercial. Anyone who says this has lost their mind. Now dont get me wrong I'm not saying that this album is in the same league as Close to The Edge, Fragile, or Relayer...or even Tales From Topographic Oceans. All I'm saying , is that this album should be given more credit, and be seen NOT as standing shoulder to shoulder with towering giants like Relayer, but should be seen for what it is within itself. My whole deal is.....WHAT'S THE PROBLEM HERE?!.....The music is intelligent, complex, beautiful, daring, and innovative...all things we praise YES for. I mean what do we want...we bash them over the head for doing great albums like Tales from Topographic Oceans and then bash them over the head when they do albums like this. If the music isn't up to your liking then that's simply what it is...."NOT UP TO YOUR LIKING", but this certainly has nothing at all to do with the quality of music they are producing. HAHAHA trust me... this is NOT a bad album....like I said I myslef had to get use to some things on the album, but once I got used to it was able to really appreciate it. Give it a chance people.....listen to it a couple of times. For those who hate this album, you can do either of three things (as you can do with any piece of music)......1) GET OVER IT!!! 2) find out why you dont like a specific thing 3) Explore ways that help you to better appreciate something. Well folks, that's all I mean to say.....Have a great day!!