FLASH

If it weren't for the Yes connections, I would have passed on this group because their albums were always graced with very tasteless and unprog-looking covers. I guess Peter Banks felt the group needed artwork that's the polar opposite of Roger Dean to show they're more grounded than Yes. This was their debut, released not too long after Fragile, and with not just Peter Banks, but Tony Kaye on board, it's little surprise this sounds not unlike how Yes may have sounded like had Peter Banks stayed on board. Colin Carter at times sounds like Jon Anderson, and gets help with Ray Bennett on bass and Michael Hough on drums as well. And to my ears, despite the very extended solos found throughout the album it's still more grounded than Yes. I was really surprised that "Small Beginnings" was actually a hit as I never heard this song on the radio, and I'm old enough to remember how FM radio was like, to be honest I was too young to remember when FM radio was something like progressive FM rock radio, as opposed to the much more familiar AOR format that I grew up on. But this song does have that Yes feel, and it's a bit obvious. "Morning Haze" moves away from the Yes-template to a more acoustic piece, more in tune with the likes of Crosby, Stills & Nash (well a little) than Yes. "Children of the Universe" starts off sounding not much like Yes, but then as it progresses, the Yes sound does return. I am rather baffled about the ARP synthesizer (likely 2600 as it was still too early for the Odyssey) as Tony Kaye seemed at that time resistant of playing anything other than organ and piano, and the reason Yes replaced him with Rick Wakeman who had no trouble also using Moog and Mellotron. "Dreams of Heaven" again shows a Yes influence, but this is a really lengthy piece where Peter Banks really shows what he's capable of on guitar. "The Time it Takes" closes the album, and I love this piece. Not quite as Yes-like here, it's a nice organ-dominated ballad.

This was obviously the only album with Tony Kaye, he would jump ship to Badger. Regardless, it's not a perfect album, some of the solos tend to go on longer than needed, but I love how it sounds like a more down to earth version of Yes. Worthy of your attention, especially if you're a Yes fan.