GOING FOR THE ONE

Going for the One for me and for many other Yes fanatics is the return of Yes to it's classic Symphonic sound, leaving the new ideas Tales From Topographic Oceans and Relayer offered behind. Rick Wakeman once again on board may seem to be a bonus, however he features a few changes on the keyboards, leading to some un-substancial synths and some over-dose of the church organ, unlike his stunning moog runs featured on Tales From Topographic Oceans or majestic organ on Fragile and Close to the Edge. The rest of the band is still in good shape, though not extraordinary as it was in Relayer or Close to the Edge, for example Chris Squire doesn't feature any jaw-dropping bass lines neither does Steve Howe shine on his electric guitar, both have the exception on the song Parallels, though not that's it's a great song either.

When it comes to the song-writing from Going for the One, just like the band's delivery on this album, it's nothing beyond Yes standards and it can be questioned if it's even on Yes standards. Songs like Parallels and the title track are simple structured rock songs featuring prog-used keyboards like the already mentioned synths and church organ, though for me both sound pretty unbearable on here. Then there's Wonderous Stories, as very well Robert(Epignosis) stated, it's very much alike Your Move from The Yes Album, the acoustic guitar, the keyboards, the vocals, all sounds way too familiar, while not necessary being bad per se.

Then there are the two supposedely highlights, Turn of the Century and Awaken. The former being a long, gentle acoustic-driven song, with Steve doing some nice guitar passages while Jon delivering some angelical vocals. Though got to admit I frequently get asleep while listening through the middle of it, it's just so soft, gentle, all perfect for the quietness, that there's nothing that obtains very much my attention. On the other hand there's Awaken, the last highly acclaimed epic from Yes. It introduces itself very epic-like with the elegant piano from Rick, though it's just a brief illusion of the perfection created on Close to the Edge. The main problem for me of the epic is that half of it is plain boring, with a floating non-entertaining church organ leading most of the second boring half, with few energy and deliverance from the band members. However, the first half of it is certainly worthy of mention with Steve delivering some inspired, powerful and engaging guitar lines which are able to obtain my attention and make me raise the volume.

As a whole Going for the One is on the boderline of not being up to Yes classic Prog standards, while not having bad tracks as Tormato will have, the material from here while sounding as if the Yes who made Close to the Edge is here, because it really is here, still doesn't get anywhere near that perfection neither at least a status of greatness without considering Close to the Edge or any other previous album.

Overall, a good, consistent album in decent material, yet with the line-up it features much more is expected than this IMO. Recomended after having heard all the albums that are before this one, yes that includes their debut and Time and a Word.

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