DRAMA

I am perfectly capable of listening to this album without being prejudiced by the absence of Anderson and Wakemen. Just as I was able to give a fair shake to Genesis minus Peter Gabriel (although I much prefer the Gabriel era), I am also able to listen without bias to "DRAMA." Here's the real deal: this is better than "Tormato" which is the blackest mark on the career of YES (with the possible exception of "Union" and "Talk), but nowhere near the quality of "Close to The Edge," "Relayer," or the better moments of "Going For The One" (e.g., "Awaken"). There is a spiritual, sublime quality to YES's music that is missing on this album. The musicianship is efficient, but it never rises to the celestial plane of other YES releases. This is more along the lines of Kansas and Rush than YES, and, to my ears, that is not good enough from the band that gave us "Topographic Oceans" and other classics that took us on an adventure into the unknown. A laudable attempt...yes. Superior to the previous release...yes. A great YES album...no. I would prefer to give this album three stars but the designation "Collectors/fans only" is entirely appropriate for DRAMA. If you haven't got "The Yes Album, "Fragile," "Close to the Edge," "Topographic Oceans", "Relayer," or "Going for the One" buy those and don't get this until you've heard them. "Machine Messiah" and "Tempus Fugit" (a moderate radio hit at the time) are the best moments, here.