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ExittheLemming 
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Joined: October 19 2007
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 Posted: January 26 2010 at 02:52 |
 micky wrote:
have never...ever understood the Relayer fascination... I love the album.. who doesn't. It simply kicks ass.
that is the problem though.. Yes was not a 'down some Jack Daniel's, put on Relayer, then go bang the neighbors wife' kind of album..
of their classic albums... it is the un-Yes album out there. Sort of odd to consider it their masterpiece.. considering it runs contrary to what makes Yes... Yes. The whimsical... obtuse lyrics... powerful keyboards. Most importantly.. the emphasis on songwriting over instrumental skill. Classic Yes was when the instruments were interwoven into great ..well written songs. That is why Wakeman left.. many have said he would have hated Relayer... and didn't come back to Yes until they started writing 'songs' again and got back to what made Yes great..
not to say that people can't love it.... but to try to be objective.. hard is that is for some people. No way it can be considered their 'masterpiece'... as far as a masterpiece... pff... could be any number of albums .. Ctte, Fragile, TFTO... those albums represented what Yes was.. to perfection.
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You don't fancy giving us an example of an album that does fit that description do you ? (I'd buy it tomorrow)  I'm not a massive Yes fan but would certainly consider Relayer as their best album (probably because it's the least 'wacky dust' lyrics wise, Moraz contributes a jazzier loose limbed sensibility and erm..it really doesn't sound like the defining over-fussy 'Yes' at all)
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halabalushindigus
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Joined: November 05 2009
Location: San Diego
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Points: 1438
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Posted: January 26 2010 at 02:57 |
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Yes, without hearing all of it, I would say that "Relayer" is their masterpiece. Why? Well, children, the year is 1978, I'm at a concert at Anaheim Stadium featuring GENTLE GIANT, PETER FRAMPTON and YES so Frampton does his thing, right, and it starts raining hard when YES comes on the stage and just BLOWS!! away the crowd a freaking 20 minute assault of controlled frenzy. All I know is that people were leaving in DROVES with the rain and all that plus the relentless musical attack. I mean, I got bummed, I couldn't understand the music, it was just a musical assault that obliterated everyone. That's Relayer. Nothing comes close to this masterpiece. Nothing. Not Genesis not King Crimson. The music I heard that night in the rain from YES at Anaheim Stadium just tore my face off.
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assume the power 1586/14.3
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fuxi
Prog Reviewer
Joined: March 08 2006
Location: United Kingdom
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Points: 2459
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Posted: January 26 2010 at 03:00 |
Raff wrote:
Without going into the 'masterpiece' question (which, in my opinion, is mostly a matter of personal opinion, as it's very difficult to measure objectively), I will say that Relayer has always left me cold. I can recognize its greatness, but it does not move me as their 'trilogy' does - as I've made it abundantly clear in my review of the album. I would also go so far as to say that I prefer both Going for the One and Drama to it. Great music, stellar musicianship.... but ultimately cold.
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Raff, for once I disagree with you. In my view, RELAYER is Yes's "completest" masterpiece.
I once placed CTTE on an equal footing, but I must have played it too much, for now CTTE leaves me cold - at least the title track. On RELAYER, I find all three tracks exciting, multi-colored AND deeply moving. (In "Sound Chaser" the guitar solo is the moving bit, in case you wonder. )
Parts of YES ALBUM and FRAGILE are masterly (e.g. "Starship Trooper" and "South Side of the Sky") and I guess you could make a case for DRAMA, which I invariably enjoy (not GFTO, though - that's too noisy and too sentimental) but none of these come across as being as "well-rounded" as RELAYER.
As for TALES, well its original "first side" is delightful...
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uduwudu
Forum Senior Member
Joined: July 17 2007
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Points: 2601
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Posted: January 26 2010 at 04:23 |
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Relayer is a fantastic album. A very easy to get war theme fits the music power and dynamics with a directness not reaily apparent on Tales. Tales is probably my favourite of the lot but it's not an obvious album in terms of it's lyrical focus.
But this is the whole idea. It' s not pop music (though the broad category is Poular Music - I mean pop as in disposable.) This stuff (Prog and Yes especially requires study and analysis much the same as (non comic) opera, symphonies, concerto and orchestral suites, jazz masterworks from Ellington, Miles, Coltrane. and Tales, Relayer and the other Yes suspects fall into this In Depth category.
Yes went on with Going For The One and the Keys material but Gates of Delerium has a unique ness that places it so evidently that this thread needed to be started.
The greatest? The last greatest (arguably the last could be GFTO). But Gates is so epic. It's probably on it's own, a superior condensed idea than any one of the individual tracks from Tales which is a better sum considering that the album (if you folow the lyrics is a cyclic narrative.)
Sound Chaser I've noticed gets a bit of a rough ride and To Be Over almost ignored. IMHO Sound Chaser absolutely electrifies. Wild Yes on fire like never before or since. To Be Over is an understated piece of charming lyricism with all the timeles beauty of a Turner.
Wonderful album.
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Dean
Special Collaborator
Retired Admin and Amateur Layabout
Joined: May 13 2007
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Posted: January 26 2010 at 05:10 |
uduwudu wrote:
The greatest? The last greatest (arguably the last could be GFTO). But Gates is so epic. It's probably on it's own, a superior condensed idea than any one of the individual tracks from Tales which is a better sum considering that the album (if you folow the lyrics is a cyclic narrative.)
Sound Chaser I've noticed gets a bit of a rough ride and To Be Over almost ignored. IMHO Sound Chaser absolutely electrifies. Wild Yes on fire like never before or since. To Be Over is an understated piece of charming lyricism with all the timeles beauty of a Turner.
Wonderful album.
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What?
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Snow Dog
Special Collaborator
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Joined: March 23 2005
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Posted: January 26 2010 at 05:25 |
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For me, Relayer is the geatest...or one one the greatest albums by anyone!
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Snow Dog
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Posted: January 26 2010 at 05:27 |
BaldFriede wrote:
Dean wrote:
BaldFriede wrote:
"Close to the Edge" is overrated, in my opinion. It is not a bad album, and I will give it four stars always, but it lacks bite. That bite is present on "Relayer" though, and it definitellly is my favourite Yes album.
"Close to the Edge" will, however, always be the preferred choice for lovers of symphonic prog. But that is probably the least favourite genre of mine, together with prog metal. You may wonder why I don't like prog metal when I like "the bite", but I actually believe that most prog metal bands bark a lot but don't really bite. Just playing loud and fast is definitely not what I mean by "bite".
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I agree wholeheartedly with your Yes opinions, though don't agree on the PM conclusion, or why you even mentioned it. |
I mentioned it to explain what I mean by "bite".
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Well you failed, I still don't know what you mean by bite and I don't recall any Prog Metal band describing themselves as having "bite".
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M27Barney
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Joined: November 09 2006
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Posted: January 26 2010 at 05:43 |
I have listened to TGOD Live (Shows) (mostly) - didn't particularly like side two of relayer so probably not listened to it since 1985 or something like that. Maybe I'll give it a spin - as it's only short !!!!
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esky
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Joined: March 12 2009
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Posted: January 26 2010 at 09:24 |
Relayer displayed a distinct blend of different styles that it is in a Yes catagory of its own. So what if Bruford or Wakeman weren't in on the proceedings. There were good reasons why they were not. If you recall, Bruford had had it with Yes after the recording of CTTE, and Wakeman had been disenchanted with TFTO. Relayer was the start of a new phase for the band that ended when Moraz, as he recalled it, was unceremoniously dumped by the band after the '76 tour. This is all to say that Relayer was the mid-career highlight for the band that would never be repeated in any other album.
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ko
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Joined: November 09 2009
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Points: 314
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Posted: January 26 2010 at 11:03 |
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Relayer is my fav Yes album. Really Prog masterpiece, in my opinion.
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The-time-is-now
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Joined: November 05 2008
Location: Belgium
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Points: 2060
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Posted: January 26 2010 at 13:18 |
moshkito wrote:
Epignosis wrote:
Not only the greatest of Yes's masterpieces, but the greatest album in all music.
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Thanks Ep ... indeed one of rock music's greatest albums ever ... this is a symphony for the ages by people of our day and age ... too bad that some folks don't enjoy "music" ... unless it has "Hit" written all over it, and folks like Rick Wakeman are not big enough to accept that they composed something original ... but he still thinks that Grieg ... or whoever he wants to cop on his keyboard ... are better ...
Without a doubt one of the top ten ... totally original ... and beginning to the end, non stop and non compromising ... and there you have it ... a beautiful work ...
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Hey, what's this ? I often read in the posts sentences like : "Yeah, us 40-50-...-year-old guys we know prog is the ultimate music".
But guys ! What about young proglovers ? I'm 21 and I discovered prog one year and a half ago !
OK, young ones around me tell me I'm 'out', but I don't care !
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 One of my best achievements in life was to find this picture :D
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The-time-is-now
Forum Senior Member
Joined: November 05 2008
Location: Belgium
Status: Offline
Points: 2060
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Posted: January 26 2010 at 13:20 |
moshkito wrote:
Epignosis wrote:
Not only the greatest of Yes's masterpieces, but the greatest album in all music.
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Thanks Ep ... indeed one of rock music's greatest albums ever ... this is a symphony for the ages by people of our day and age ... too bad that some folks don't enjoy "music" ... unless it has "Hit" written all over it, and folks like Rick Wakeman are not big enough to accept that they composed something original ... but he still thinks that Grieg ... or whoever he wants to cop on his keyboard ... are better ...
Without a doubt one of the top ten ... totally original ... and beginning to the end, non stop and non compromising ... and there you have it ... a beautiful work ...
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Hey, what's this ? I often read in the posts sentences like : "Yeah, us 40-50-...-year-old guys we know prog is the ultimate music".
But guys ! What about young proglovers ? I'm 21 and I discovered prog one year and a half ago !
OK, young ones around me tell me I'm 'out', but I don't care !
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One of my best achievements in life was to find this picture :D
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Bitterblogger
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Joined: November 04 2007
Location: United States
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Points: 1719
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Posted: January 26 2010 at 17:09 |
Kashmir75 wrote:
I like the trinity of The Yes Album, Fragile, and Close to the Edge myself. |
If you add Tales and Relayer, there's a string of five works that no one (except maybe the Beatles and Zeppelin) can beat.
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Bitterblogger
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Joined: November 04 2007
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 1719
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Posted: January 26 2010 at 17:14 |
halabalushindigus wrote:
Yes, without hearing all of it, I would say that "Relayer" is their masterpiece. Why? Well, children, the year is 1978, I'm at a concert at Anaheim Stadium featuring GENTLE GIANT, PETER FRAMPTON and YES so Frampton does his thing, right, and it starts raining hard when YES comes on the stage and just BLOWS!! away the crowd a freaking 20 minute assault of controlled frenzy. All I know is that people were leaving in DROVES with the rain and all that plus the relentless musical attack. I mean, I got bummed, I couldn't understand the music, it was just a musical assault that obliterated everyone. That's Relayer. Nothing comes close to this masterpiece. Nothing. Not Genesis not King Crimson. The music I heard that night in the rain from YES at Anaheim Stadium just tore my face off. |
I'm sure you meant 197 6. Don't forget Gary Wright. He was on in between GG and PF. And were you able to get to the field? It was the best rock day I'll ever have. I even camped overnight to get a good spot behind second base.
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ghost_of_morphy
Prog Reviewer
Joined: March 08 2007
Location: United States
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Points: 2755
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Posted: January 26 2010 at 17:38 |
Bitterblogger wrote:
Kashmir75 wrote:
I like the trinity of The Yes Album, Fragile, and Close to the Edge myself. |
If you add Tales and Relayer, there's a string of five works that no one (except maybe the Beatles and Zeppelin) can beat. |
I'm not sure I'd add Tales and Relayer to that mix. I might add GFTO, though.
And clearly Yes's msterpiece is Close to the Edge.
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halabalushindigus
Forum Senior Member
Joined: November 05 2009
Location: San Diego
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Posted: January 26 2010 at 17:42 |
Bitterblogger wrote:
halabalushindigus wrote:
Yes, without hearing all of it, I would say that "Relayer" is their masterpiece. Why? Well, children, the year is 1978, I'm at a concert at Anaheim Stadium featuring GENTLE GIANT, PETER FRAMPTON and YES so Frampton does his thing, right, and it starts raining hard when YES comes on the stage and just BLOWS!! away the crowd a freaking 20 minute assault of controlled frenzy. All I know is that people were leaving in DROVES with the rain and all that plus the relentless musical attack. I mean, I got bummed, I couldn't understand the music, it was just a musical assault that obliterated everyone. That's Relayer. Nothing comes close to this masterpiece. Nothing. Not Genesis not King Crimson. The music I heard that night in the rain from YES at Anaheim Stadium just tore my face off. |
I'm sure you meant 1976. Don't forget Gary Wright. He was on in between GG and PF. And were you able to get to the field? It was the best rock day I'll ever have. I even camped overnight to get a good spot behind second base. |
yes it was 1976 with Gary Wright, remember when Yes came on? Unbelieveable musical assault. I was, in fact, right at second base, in the rain
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assume the power 1586/14.3
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Garion81
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Joined: May 22 2004
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Posted: January 26 2010 at 17:55 |
Bitter Blogger wrote:
halabalushindigus wrote:
Yes, without hearing all of it, I would say that "Relayer" is their masterpiece. Why? Well, children, the year is 1978, I'm at a concert at Anaheim Stadium featuring GENTLE GIANT, PETER FRAMPTON and YES so Frampton does his thing, right, and it starts raining hard when YES comes on the stage and just BLOWS!! away the crowd a freaking 20 minute assault of controlled frenzy. All I know is that people were leaving in DROVES with the rain and all that plus the relentless musical attack. I mean, I got bummed, I couldn't understand the music, it was just a musical assault that obliterated everyone. That's Relayer. Nothing comes close to this masterpiece. Nothing. Not Genesis not King Crimson. The music I heard that night in the rain from YES at Anaheim Stadium just tore my face off. |
I'm sure you meant 1976. Don't forget Gary Wright. He was on in between GG and PF. And were you able to get to the field? It was the best rock day I'll ever have. I even camped overnight to get a good spot behind second base. |
It was a great show and after PF left then so did all of the 13-15 year old girls. That is who you saw leaving. 
So after that it was easy to get on the field and I bought my ticket that day. Stood about 25 feet away from Pat Moraz side of the stage. Don't remember any rain that day at all. It was July in Southern California that would have made headlines. That would have sucked bad too. Had just seen Gentle Giant headline their own show a few weeks prior to this at the Shrine so was bit disappointed in their 45 minute set with no lights.
As for Relayer it has always been my favorite. Close to the Edge is good but like Raff doesn't connect with this one, I don't connect with it. I also thought Fragil a bit uneven. (Can you tell yet Yes wasn't one of my favorites) I have seen them 4 times though so I do appreciate them.
Edited by Garion81 - January 26 2010 at 19:06
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"What are you going to do when that damn thing rusts?"
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gentlegraaf
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Posted: January 26 2010 at 19:57 |
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"Relayer" is for sure one of their masterpiece, also I got a place in my heart for "Close to the edge" I got it for Christmas back in 1980 from my favorite cousin Brigitte and love it eversince...
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yazi1990
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Posted: January 26 2010 at 20:47 |
i agree
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Neil Peart
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Posted: January 27 2010 at 07:46 |
I think my fav Yes album is Relayer, mainly because of "Gates fo Delirium"! What a great synphony! 
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Relayer: The Yes Masterpiece?
