The true successors of Yes

npjnpj wrote: Sorry, I've been following this thread and now I just have to butt in, enough is enough. The Flower Kings are nothing like Yes AT ALL. I feel very strongly that the TFK Appreciation Society is using this opportunity to plug their favourite band for all it's worth, regardless of content. Yes is (OK, was) a most fantastic band that not only produced wonderfully complex and at the same time melodic and (especially) rocking music, whereas no song, and i MEAN no song at all by TFK has any rocking quality or energy that could even remotely equal it. I don't doubt they're a fantastic band in their own right (already trying to rebuild bridges here), but their music is geared much more toward improvisation (which Yes never did) and endless noodling solos (which Yes never did either). Sure, some similarities are there, but only to Yes' quieter moments. Yes mainly used them as a bridge toward their next explosion of energy, but TFK seem endlessly stuck in these bridge sequences. Adfditionally I defy anyone to immediately identify any TFK song, after a short while they all sound the same. Yes' songs are immediately identifiable. Believe me, after all the hype on the appropriate forum threads I've tried to seriously get into them, but it's not long before terrible boredom sets in. If you like that sort of thing, fine. I can see the quality, although I have to be in the mood for it, but as a recommendation for someone looking for a new Yes? No way! As for recommendations: I'd probably have to go along with early Starcastle and Yezda Urfa, although both long defunct. Both these bands don't offer any continuation of the Yes style, but I consider them quite good copies. As for anyone carrying the flag to new horizons: I don't believe there is anyone.

You say "Not at ALL" and after that : "Sure some similarities are there"... I think you have made some valuable points in the difference between both, but you have made some exaggeration here saying that all songs sound the same. And i don't feel terrible boredom listening to FK's music. We are not saying that FK is equal to Yes, but try to find another band that is closer to Yes sound, and youre going to have tough time. The sound and compostions of Flower Kings are very different from Yes, but how can you hide the similarity of the guitar playing of Ronnie Stolt to Steve Howe. It's pretty obvious...

npjnpj wrote: Sorry, I've been following this thread and now I just have to butt in, enough is enough.

Ooo! What's happened? This should be interesting.......

The Flower Kings are nothing like Yes AT ALL

A totally ridiculous comment.

TFK have been massively influenced by Yes and very occasionally sound very similar.

In addition to this, they have a similar vibe and cosmic spiritual feel about them.

I feel very strongly that the TFK Appreciation Society is using this opportunity to plug their favourite band for all it's worth, regardless of content.

Your "very strong" feelings are letting you down.

Personally I'm just responding honestly to Roberto's question.

Yes is (OK, was) a most fantastic band that not only produced wonderfully complex and at the same time melodic and (especially) rocking music, whereas no song, and i MEAN no song at all by TFK has any rocking quality or energy that could even remotely equal it.

In your opinion.

I feel very strongly that you are completely wrong

I don't doubt they're a fantastic band in their own right (already trying to rebuild bridges here), but their music is geared much more toward improvisation (which Yes never did) and endless noodling solos

Personally I can't stand too much improvisation or "endless noodling solos". I would concede that TFK do occasionally do this in a live context but it's probably my least favourite aspect of the band.

(which Yes never did either).

What??

I literally fell asleep during a Chris Squire bass solo on the Drama tour.

Sure, some similarities are there, but only to Yes' quieter moments.

Eh?

You just said "The Flower Kings are nothing like Yes AT ALL"

Yes mainly used them as a bridge toward their next explosion of energy, but TFK seem endlessly stuck in these bridge sequences. Adfditionally I defy anyone to immediately identify any TFK song, after a short while they all sound the same. Yes' songs are immediately identifiable. Believe me, after all the hype on the appropriate forum threads I've tried to seriously get into them, but it's not long before terrible boredom sets in.

It is plainly obvious that you don't really know The Flower Kings very well at all.

If you like that sort of thing, fine.

I love it

I can see the quality, although I have to be in the mood for it, but as a recommendation for someone looking for a new Yes? No way!

I totally disagree

Just to clear this up: I don't dislike the Flower Kings, they just leave me completely cold. I object strongly to them being recommended as some sort of Yes replacement, that was and is the reason nof my post.

I have every studio TFK CD in standing on my shelf, and I have made every effort to find something of interest me there. I must have listened to each CD 8 to 10 times, but I find them sensationally uninteresting. Nothing ever happens and nothing ever goes anywhere. To my mind they just seem like beta-blocker music on a pleasant Sunday afternoon walk.

And when I said there were similarities in the quieter moments, I was just being nice. So there.

My pence: I have attempted to listen to FK  but they have failed to catch my attention. It may be my fault probably it wasn't the right moment, but basing on what I have heard I don't see any connection with Yes. Of course I haven't listened to them enough to say if that's true or not.

octopus-4 wrote: My pence: I have attempted to listen to FK  but they have failed to catch my attention. It may be my fault probably it wasn't the right moment, but basing on what I have heard I don't see any connection with Yes. Of course I haven't listened to them enough to say if that's true or not.

This is reasonable comment..

However, you concede that you "haven't listened to them enough to say if that's true or not".

I, on the other hand, have listened to all of their albums many, many times over the past 10 or 15 years so can state with more authority that they do actually have some sonic and spiritual connections with Yes.

octopus-4 wrote: My pence: I have attempted to listen to FK  but they have failed to catch my attention. It may be my fault probably it wasn't the right moment, but basing on what I have heard I don't see any connection with Yes. Of course I haven't listened to them enough to say if that's true or not.

same situation here ...

I consider The Flower Kings  true successors (but not imitators) of Yes,
having such similarities as

-strong emphasis on melodic side
-strong vocal harmony
-virtuoso musicianship from guitarist and keyboardist
-complex rhythm section
-little touch of jazz and avantguarde  (here is the difference, TFK is on jazzier side,
 Yes have only one "jazzy" album - Relayer )


also Transatlantic is somewhat similar to Yes

p.s. Glass Hammer and Echolyn also have some similarities with Yes, but primarily influenced by other bands: ELP and Gentle Giant, respectively




Edited by awaken77 - August 22 2011 at 09:26

Nov's Youtube link above illustrates my point perfectly, and I thank him for that:

The song starts and apart from some obligatory quieter parts in between and an uninspired solo here and there, it coasts along without anything really happening, no real dynamic anywhere.

Verse and chorus consist of about 2 chords each, and mainly it's just a succession of pretty but lame part followed by pretty and even lamer part, and repeat.

Where's any climax at all here, where's a build-up to anything at all?

We must be on completely different levels to one another; the example from that link, that's meant to showcase TFK's Yes-like qualities show, in my mind, precisely the way they don't cut it in the slightest.

Where the hell is any of the uplifting quality and dynamic that Anderson and co. manage to convey? Just friggin' nowhere! Does anyone really think that that song (and it's a typical example of any TFK tune, thank you again) shows any similarity to, for instance South Side of the Sky, Heart of the Sunrise, Starship Trooper, or even And You And I? I just don't hear it.

Oh, one more thing, I agree with the recommendation of Moon Safari, they're heading in the right direction, although the step from second to third album may indicate that they're taking a step away from the complexities inherant in Yes songs in their prime. Definitely worth keeping an eye on though, they're great!


Edited by npjnpj - August 22 2011 at 10:10

True successors to Yes?  Right now, it would be Jon Anderson and Rick Wakeman.   I'm looking forward to what they may spring on us!!

Here's a band trying to sound like Yes, but i don't think they are the true successor of Yes, Mostly similar in the vocal department, looks like Jon Anderson struggling to hit the high note!






Edited by rdtprog - August 23 2011 at 05:02