ANDERSON BRUFORD WAKEMAN HOWE

From the opening track to the last track, this is the long-lost Yes. If Yes had moved in this direction after Drama (I take the pre-Drama evolution as a natural issue, but I can't forgive Yes for 90125, Big Generator, Union, Talk and so on)-- it could make more masterpieces. The opening track Themes is a showcase of off-beat musicianship that was absent in Yes in the eighties. Electronic drums yes. The sound gives me a headache-- but I can't deny Bruford's wizardry. Wakeman, who went real dormant after 1977, seemed to have awaken at last. The off-beat style continues up to Fist of Fire. Both Brother of Mine and Order of the Universe brings back the original prog-flavour that was missing throughout the eighties. And I just love the melodies of The Meeting and Quartet. There are so many malodies and so much of musicianship in this album that I can't but rate this as a master-piece. Lyrically, Anderson wrote more sense in this album than before. Most classic prog bands are not really great lyrics writers; barring a few exception. Anderson has been always chasing devine issues many of the songs here are touching upon devine revelation.