TORMATO

Art is all about perspective. Remember Tales? That album is a fine example of that notion... those who expect arguably meaningless diversions in a family-pack will love it; who see it with humbleness will label it as pretentious and boring.

Something similar happens with Tormato. In my opinion, it shouldn't be taken so seriously. Leaving aside all motif or reason to shorten the songs, make them more melodic or accessible than other Yes albums, it's quite a fine record. My advice to people in this ambit would be to review each album as an individual work; we seem to lose the temper and become biased as we compare albums like these to CttE or TYA... It's the same band, with a different direction. Would it hurt to look at it from a different angle as well?

Future Times opens up the game. The synths at the beggining already sound like celebration, the lyrics making the usual Jon Anderson trip into space kingdoms and melancholy ...the tears that separate. Rejoice makes a reference to the ten years of glory in wich each present member of the band had a good share, diving in changing seasons and the usual roundabout-charged metaphors.

Don't kill the whale has a quite catchy startup guitar riff, high and bluesy, not like the usual Howe stuff. The vocals seem kinda screechy at first (in fact the whole song seems to be) but after the first listen they are quite easy to digest, and they talk of holy beasts and the morality involved in taking part of their death. The high-pitched guitar solo and the (this is me making an assumption) keyboards from Rick echoing agonizing whales are the sort of love-or-hate kind of embellishment a song often gives a chance. They're okay by me, quite conceptual.

Release, Release opens in the tradition of the previous song, with a sort of bluesy kind of riff. This could be your daily Yes song from the Fragile era when the background wasn't always filled with (cool) synth stuff, if only it was a bit slower- paced. It's like Tempus Fugit and Heart of the Sunrise having fun in a motel (by candlelight).

Arriving UFO is a laugh, love the simple bass-line, and the lyrics are quite singular, depicting the belief in UFOs. The synths recreate the clumsy arrival of a spaceship.

I personally love the idea of Circus of Heaven, this one goes for the Yes purists. Look at this metaphor... A father shows the child The Circus of Heaven, an amazing, spectacular parade of chimeras and angles, and whatnot, your lifetime experience... However, by the end of the journey, the kid wonders where were the clowns and elephants. Yeah, the phoenix and the flying carpets were quite a thunder, but after all, where is all the fun? Where's the clown throwing pies at others' faces? You could safely say that Tormato is Yes throwing a pie at the Close to the Edge era... It's just a laugh, mates. A good one.

Onward is one of those beautiful, poetic love songs, cooked with a Yes recipe. On The Silent Wings of Freedom is by far the most prog track on the album, lengthy (though still not classic Yes lengthy) and complex, take it as a message of assurance, Yes hasn't lost it's virtuosity, even when going by the easy road.

Expecting nothing else but a fine record, Tormato delivers one. It's fun, it's cute and it's humble too. Yes purists, relax. As I see it, this is the band taking a break... You can't always demand the same formula, as good as it can be. This is Yes having a picnic. Labeling it as a masterpiece would obviously be going over the board, but otherwise, what's the real crime here, anyway? Having fun?