DRAMA

This album was like a shock for the purist Yes fans, not only because the unthinkable absence of Jon Anderson but the inclusion of the pioneers of technopop "The Buggles". Beyond all prejudgments this was (still probably is) the last jewel of studio albums of Yes (check ratings in this site and you will not find any other better rated studio album until Magnification in 2001). Geoff Downes and Trevor Horn insert fresh ideas and an innovative sound to the band while Squire and Howe keep the reverberation and background effects good enough to maintain the Yes sound intact. "Does It Really Happen?" Is a clear example of this effort adding some of the "Siberian Khatru" combined with "The Fish", while Machine Messiah looked to me more experimental work for the Yes style. I am afraid this album has been underrated by the comparison of other great Yes albums and highly penalized by the inclusion of two members who apparently got nothing to do with prog music, but they were excellent musicians (Yes fans for years), and innovators in someway in another music trends. I do not have any fear to assign 5 stars to this album as a real masterpiece of the progressive world.