RELAYER

With the departure of keyboardist Rick Wakeman after Tales from Topographic Oceans, Yes had big shoes to fill. Luckily, the guy they found had big feet (sorry). He was Swiss musician Patrick Moraz. Relayer is stylistically similar to its predecessor, however it is not a double album, and features just one side-long track, the opening song "The Gates of Delirium". The song is loosely based upon Leo Tolstoy's Peace and War, as well as the then ongoing Vietnam War. Upon starting the song, you are immediately taken to another world. Moraz's droning synth, paired with guitarist Steve Howe's gentle harmonics and runs, creates an ethereal atmosphere. This intro leads into a triumphant middle section, where Moraz supports the music with optimistic leads. This slowly devolves into sounds of battle, until we reach the outro section "Soon", which is one of the saddest and most beautiful compositions Yes has ever created. "Sound Chaser" is initially jarring, and very King Crimson-like. The greatest part of this song is Moraz's jazzy solo, which adds a new and unexpected dimension to Yes's music. The final song is the peaceful and triumphant "To Be Over", which ends the album on a victorious note. The long and ambitious soundscapes of Relayer and Tales from Topographic from Oceans would not be revisited by the band for a long time, for better or worse. Going for the One was the exact opposite of this album, although it is amazing in its own right. The themes of Relayer have made it timeless, and I consider this album to be in the upper echelon of Yes's discography.

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