IN THE PRESENT - LIVE FROM LYON

This album catches the band sounding their most vital and energetic for years. The additions of Benoit David and Oliver Wakeman well bedded in by this point, the energy and spirit of Yes and their erstwhile leader are evidently not as mutually exclusive as we might have previously assumed.

Having seen the now current line up twice on the 2011 tour, and thrilled at the addition of Geoff Downes, who knows how to get the right sounds under his fingers, I was unsure how Wakeman would sound. For the most part, I find him the weaker link of the two - not technically, he's a fine player, but the organ sounds are a bit plastic, and the moog doesn't have the balls it used to. Allied to the anaemic string part in the bass solo in 'Heart of The Sunrise' and in 'And You and I' (Downes using 'tron sounds for both), it's a bit of a let down on an otherwise first class live album.

The performances themselves far outstrip anything Yes have released in years, missing the all too evident studio reworking of Keys to Ascension, House of Yes, Yessymphonic and Tsongas. This is a live record, like Yessongs and Yesshows were. It's imperfections are part of it's charm. I say part of it's charm because in truth, there really aren't many of them at all.

A great live document of arguably the most turbulent period of Yes' long and distinguished career. One through which they've again flourished.

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