Need Yes Recommendations

The Band YES,................ I can't imagine being a YES fan and not liking anything the band did say up to 90124 when in actuality they were going to go with a different name for that line-up anyway. It was to be called Cinema. Aside form that. The early years up to Tormato or Drama if you like and starting with the YES Album are all essential for any YES fan. Personally, I would start with Fragile first. Fragile gives you a clue of what they would become but also gives you the earlier flavour. Fragile to me is the real transition album.

According with your original post my recommendations are:

1) Fragile

The first 2 records, then select tracks from the rest (find a friend who plunked down his $'s & owns those albums, then pick out your favorite individual tunes). 3-4 "best-of" cd-r's should do it...

Tales from Topographic Oceans is the best thing Yes ever produced. But I wouldn't take it as a starter album, I say start with The Yes Album and Fragile, work your way to CttE, Relayer then save the best for last.

I don't think I can say much more than others have already said before me, but there's my two cents. I agree on "The Yes Album" being probably the most accessible in Yes's output: all the songs on it are classics, but not as demanding as, say, the three tracks on "Relayer". Then, of course, you should go on to "Fragile" (more demanding, but still accessible) and the mighty CTTE. These are essential listening for anyone who really wants to know what Yes are all about.

As to the others, "Relayer" is undoubtedly a masterpiece, but much harder to get into (with the exception of "Soon", but that's a short episode) because of the strong jazz influences. I find TFTO boring after a while, and I think it should be approached selectively: listening to it in one take really kills attention. On the other hand, GFTO is one of my favourite Yes albums, although its harder sound may be a turnoff for some people.

I also like 90125, but I wouldn't actually recommend it to a Yes newcomer, as he or she could get the wrong picture.

Ghost Rider wrote: I agree on "The Yes Album" being probably the most accessible in Yes's output: all the songs on it are classics

I have to disagree. I've Seen All Good People is a slice of stupid Boogie Rock of the kind that Yes - thankfully - haven't done before nor since. It's an atypical song in their catalogue, and could give people the wrong idea.