WONDEROUS - A TRIBUTE TO YES [AKA: THE REVEALING SONGS OF YES]

Seeing as how Adam Wakeman will have been hearing music by Yes since he learned how to listen, there is probably no-one more suitable for putting together a tribute album. Joined by Lee Pomeroy on bass, Ant Glynn on guitars, Richard Brook on drums and his dad as guest keyboard player on a few numbers, he has picked nine classic songs. Of course the trick is picking the right vocalist as Jon Anderson is not exactly as easy act to follow, yet at the same time the songs have to stand up on their own not just as shallow copies.

The first three songs were quite good, with opener "Revealing Science Of God" (Steve Overland) being probably the best. But my attention was drawn by the fourth, which is a superb version of "Roundabout" with Judie Tzuke on vocals. The music was spot on and the use of a female singer with the talents of Judie gave the song quite a special take.

However, even that didn't prepare me for the next song, "Going For The One". Musically it started fine, with some great slide guitar, but Damian Wilson struck the first note perfectly and the passion and power of that first line, "Get the idea cross around the track" as he went down the scale, was more than even the writer could manage. Damian is surely one of the greatest vocalists never to have hit the big time, maybe the time is right for a come back, and he is suited perfectly to this song.

Both Damian and Judie make appearances again (with "And You And I" and "Wonderous Stories" respectively), which are also worth hearing, but because of those two songs alone, this is an album that every Yes fan must get.

Originally appeared in Feedback #63, July 01