All YES Appreciation Thread

AtomicCrimsonRush wrote: I like Machine Messiah one of the best tracks during that difficult period of Yes.

I also love Machine Messiah, one of my favourite songs (though there are a lot of favorite songs from Yes). However, it's not exactly a track from the same period of Trevor Rabin.

Drama it seems receives faint praise, but I think it's a damn fine record. 

Like a lot of people I'm not entirely objective when I say this, like the people who heard 90125 at a young and impressionable age; I took my bike to the record store and bought it with my paper route money as soon as I noticed the ad in the paper.  But there's more to this album, objectively speaking now, than to 90125 to be sure.  Drama is a prog record through and through, the attempt to be radio friendly no more aggressive or egregious than anything ever done by the greats in the early 70s, and certainly fresher and "truer" than many of the goings-on in the old prog peoples by then.  You can say you miss Anderson, who doesn't?, and that it's not on par with the old Yes glory, okay fine.  But I say it's more on par with the 70's albums than anything that would come after it. 

Let me try to get back to objectivity.  The playing is all great and really rocks; it is sturdy, meaty stuff, not something a tribute band could just pick up in two seconds and play down without due attention.  Steve Howe is in fine form.  Squire's voice fits even with Horn's (great backing vocalist is Squire!!).  Who would have thought the keyboardist of the Buggles would kick ass all over the ivories (and molded plastics)?  The writing and arranging is the same hard work that a real fan of the symphonic sound longs for and relishes every moment of.  I know he didn't have the endurance for the live grind but, damnit, I like Horn's voice on the material. 

I was thrilled with the record then, and remain thrilled with it now.  If nothing else - if I said to you X great band is getting back together but filling in the roles of singer and keyboards will be... The Buggles - think how much worse this could have been?!  It's an excellent record without knowing that; add that and you have something of a phenonomenon. 



Edited by American Khatru - August 14 2009 at 06:10

^^  There ya go, that's the spirit.   Unabashed Drama supporters unite!

Now off to the job again...

J-Man wrote: lazland wrote: 90125 is an essential Yes album, IMHO. A completely new direction for the band that still managed to fuse together elements of the classic era that we all fell in love witj, and it clearly introduced a lot more fans to the band. Big Generator was a mess, simply because of the length of time taken to record and the feuds which were prevalent in the band. However, my favourite Rabin era LP has to be Talk, which is a great album, with huge prog elements, particularly on Endless Dream, a deliberate attempt at this lineups CTTE. I certainly like 90125 much more than BG, but I can't possibly say that it is essential. Don't get me wrong: it is a very good album, but almost all other albums I would suggest to a prog fan before this. I don't see how they used any elements from their classic period. That is progressive rock, where 90125 is an art-rock/pop album.

I meant essential in terms of understanding the history of the band, and the genre as a whole, rather than the music, although I do still rate this extremely highly. It is a damn fine, accomplished piece of pop/rock, with many prog elements.

progkidjoel wrote: lazland wrote: J-Man wrote: lazland wrote: 90125 is an essential Yes album, IMHO. A completely new direction for the band that still managed to fuse together elements of the classic era that we all fell in love witj, and it clearly introduced a lot more fans to the band. Big Generator was a mess, simply because of the length of time taken to record and the feuds which were prevalent in the band.However, my favourite Rabin era LP has to be Talk, which is a great album, with huge prog elements, particularly on Endless Dream, a deliberate attempt at this lineups CTTE. I certainly like 90125 much more than BG, but I can't possibly say that it is essential. Don't get me wrong: it is a very good album, but almost all other albums I would suggest to a prog fan before this. I don't see how they used any elements from their classic period. That is progressive rock, where 90125 is an art-rock/pop album. I meant essential in terms of understanding the history of the band, and the genre as a whole, rather than the music, although I do still rate this extremely highly. It is a damn fine, accomplished piece of pop/rock, with many prog elements. I agree 100% - In fact, the only reason I didn't give this album a 5 is because it isn't a masterpiece of Progressive music as such, but its still great!

 Thanks Joel - we are on the exact same wavelength.

I'm not saying I disagree- 90125 is a great album. I just don't find it essential.

I should note I will also give it 3 or 4 stars when I get around to it.

Big Generator on the other hand...

I'm listening to Beginnings by Steve Howe. That's right that his voice is not so good for lead vocals but somehow, I really like this album, great guitar playing obviously! :)

I've been listening to Yes for the last couple of weeks, and I really like them. Very cosmic and trippy in places, but so beautiful. I've only listened the albums from The Yes album to Tormato, and pretty much liked every single one of them. This is how I would rank them:

1. Close to the edge
2. Fragile
3. Tales from the topographic oceans
4. The Yes album
5. Going for the one
6. Relayer
7. Tormato

I was thinking about checking out Drama, but I can't get enough time. I'll listen to it sooner or later.

I go way way back with YES, and I saw them over 25 times back in the 70's, in SF at Winterland (no drugs sex and rock and roll of course). My favorite all time album is The Yes Album, followed by Fragile (is my age showing?). Tormato is the worse, but that is like saying cold lobster is not as good as warm lobster...