90125

Occasionally, perhaps only once or twice in a lifetime, an album of music is writen, recorded and released that remains as powerful and to the point over twenty years after it is originally released as it must have been upon original release. In the case of YES: 90125, it is album written and performed by a group of very talented muscians combined at perhaps the peak of their muscial prowess, and consiting of music that was not exactly what was what they were known for. Witness, if you will, the collaboration of Chis Squire, Alan White, Tervor Rabin, Jon Anderson, and Tony Kaye with producer Trevor Horn. Recently, for the small sum of $8.88 retail I was fortunate to pick up this rerelease/remaster and must ask myself, how could I have left this outstanding album unnoticed all these years. And, indeed wondered if this collection of music was truely over twenty years old. Not only is there no bum tracks here, but every song is a masterpiece in its own right. In particular, "Owner of a lonely heart" remains as haunting and timeless today as is was over 20 years ago. Perhaps it is partially because no new music style has come along that even comes close to what was being done by groups such as YES in the early 1980s. Perhaps it is because even those old war horses of Rock and Roll that are still around have totally lost their music creativity. The true brilliance of songwriting lyrics and harmonies is further exhibited in "Leave it." Those with any doubts need only listen to the acapella version as presented on the 2004 rerelease of this masterpiece of an album. While YES has undergone countless personel changes, each producing a different sound and music style of its own, this combination of past and somewhat more current members combine to give us an album of truely outstanding music, definitely worth much more than the small price I paid. For those of us who feel that music creativity has definitely been at at standstill for many years, I recommend a listen to this timely classic. For me, it has gotten my music creative juices flowing for the first time in many a year.