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Yes - Tales from Topographic Oceans CD (album) cover

TALES FROM TOPOGRAPHIC OCEANS

Yes

 

Symphonic Prog

3.92 | 2823 ratings

From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website

prog058
5 stars An intelligent listeners masterpiece, or a great band being far too pretentious?

I take the former view. Although I don't believe it is quite as good as Fragile or Close to the Edge, it is very different from these former albums. It is a concept album for one. It is twice as long as the former two. The song writing is somewhat different. The sections aren't so readily definable. It begins with a kind a perpetual flowing melody with Jon Anderson and Steve Howe. Contrary to first listen, the songs are extremely well structured, and main sections recur multiple times throughout the movements.

I quite admire Yes for releasing an album such as this at their peak. Right after what is arguably the greatest prog album of all time. It cannot be argued that some of the vocal melodies and harmonies are some of the greatest of any Yes album.

I think the final movement, Ritual, is the best on the album. It progresses from one great musical section to the next. One has to listen to this album with patience to find what is beautiful inside it.

5 stars.

prog058 | 5/5 |

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