DRAMA

I learned very well how to (love to) start musical arguments: Dream Theater/Tool are terrible, how Geddy Lee isn't great or important, Styx/Iron Maiden/Tubes are prog acts, and many others. You can bring out a real snob or loyalist. The "Yes sans Anderson" topic is the real biggie. This is an album that has sparked a thousand snits and rants, more like hollering-with-bad-breath-coming-closer-as-an-inch-from-your-face-attacks (since I came fresh out of one), on how "Yes isn't Yes without Anderson, man! The product is not represented, when you listen to "HotS" or "CthE" how can you NOT have Anderson sing it. Call the band 'No' from now on."

Eat me. The're just a band. They don't pay my bills or cry when family dies.

When I say this is my favorite Yes disc, or any discs without Anderson and/or Wakeman for that matter, may the gods help me that day. Having just come fresh off an argument over Drama (and Fly From Here) stating these are true Yes albums, all I can do is speak peacefully then nod in accordance with them when they go out of control because I don't like to fracture egos.

With knowing that the band became a band after the twin icons of British Prog waddled off drunkenly, belching from the pub, it make me quite happy. They returned to writing well crafted songs (albeit with a semi-rushed feeling), fuller production, more cohesive vibe, and new fuel in the names of Trevor Horn and Geoff Downs. No one else was happy. I think that pre-existing thought doomed it from the runway.

It's easy to mention the songs were all ready done, Anderson worked on them, The Buggles had a few done. People have ideas. They save them. That's how songs are made. The interjection of the whole firing away on, in this case, 5 cylinders, is what studio magic is. The players interpretation and skills.

An almighty ubiquitous 10 minute epic starts the album: "Machine Messiah". Heaviest Yes ever was and has everything. The lead vocal is not high as we would expect. We have Squire handling those parts.

"White Car" is a little vignette like Fragile would have. Tons of Geoff's keys, tympani, Howe playing lightly, and Horn singing about Gary Numan.

"Does It Really Happen?" is a nice and funky stomp with bass soloing at the end.

"Into The Lens" is another long player. As varied as the opener and a bit lighter with more flow, ambiguous stops, and harmonies.

"Run Through The Light" has some great bass playing... it's Horn. It's a cool mellow tune with an sweet odd meter.

"Tempest Fugit" is of the leopard they sing of. Springs out and rocks hard.

This is a heavy Yes album. It also came out when all the other Prog bands kinda stopped being Prog (Genesis, Gentle Giant, Camel). It was the last of a few.

Thank you, Yes! Thank you.