Was Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe a Failure?

I agree with an earlier poster that this material was great live - AWBH were closer to Yes than the 90125 incarnation earlier in the decade.

twosteves wrote: emigre80 wrote: No. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlGHklW_ZII    Next question. I'm Alive is so good---and so was the video mix of the song.

I've always liked this album, regardless of the fact that it's always been compared to the rest of the classic yes catalog (something inevitable I guess). I love the music and the concept of reviving somehow the classic yes sound, away from the 80's Trebor Rabin's influence that yes was running on at the time.

chopper wrote: maryes wrote: In my humble opinion, although   ABWH ( with the  remarkable exception of "The Birg Dream" )   stayed far from my expectations ...the album have another problem ... the quality of sound is pitiful : Tony Levin / Bass and Stick is almost inaudible and Wakeman's Keyboards suffocates Howe's guitars ( it's enough  listen the first  track "Themes" ) ! True, but what really annoys me is Bruford's drum sounds. Let's just say its "of its time".

Intruder wrote: Wow!  People have a much higher opinion of the AWBH album than when it came out.  At the time, it was considered a travesty of near GTR proportions, another nail in the band's coffin......80s dreck dressed up as Yessongs.  I bought a one dollar copy from the bins a while back and gave it a few spins and now I'd consider it one of the better post-Drama Yes albums.  Not saying much, I know, but it's an album with a reputation that has improved over time.

Yeah, I can stomach it much better now.  At the time, the guys I know hated it....in fact it may have been one of those discs that sailed high over a local parking lot.  I can still remember one of my friends launching Oldfield's "Earth Moving" airborn with disgust.  We didn't do one star ratings then....it was more personal.  Now we're a bit more diplomatic. 


Edited by Finnforest - August 29 2016 at 20:36

It was a relatively fine offering of Prog as it existed in 1989. At the time, I was totally blown away by this album (except for Teakbois) - nowadays, I still admire it (think I'll give it a spin after The Moodies) but not as much as back then. And, get this - I enjoy Union a notch more !!! There, I said it, even with its dozen or so session keyboardists alone.
.........just spinning ABWH now. Definitely has its Pop-music elements but still sounding really good. And for those who think Levin is buried in the mix - he sounds in fine form - just remove the cottonwool from your ears.....
Birthright (my favourite tune from day one back in 1989) is superb. Kevin's (f**king iPod won't allow me to type Tony's surname...) Stick just growls during the intro......

Edited by Tom Ozric - August 30 2016 at 01:13

It certainly did afford a degree of cleansing release that clicking a star does not...

We didn't do it all that often, usually we just sold the stuff we didn't like.  But I can recall a few times when more drastic measures were employed. 

rushfan4 wrote: Sounds like micky's CD toss out the car window subsequently reviewed by the tires of multiple trucks and cars.

Did that once or twice with CDs and cassettes, but it lacks the wondrous sound of satisfaction that only vinyl splattering on asphalt can provide. 

I really liked the album when it came out - haven't listened to it in years - the one thing I remember is that I used to wish that the "long lost - brother of mine" chorus was in 15 - one measure of 8 and one measure of 7 - just take out that one beat and it could have been pop-prog genius!

miamiscot wrote: Finnforest wrote: Intruder wrote: Wow!  People have a much higher opinion of the AWBH album than when it came out.  At the time, it was considered a travesty of near GTR proportions, another nail in the band's coffin......80s dreck dressed up as Yessongs.  I bought a one dollar copy from the bins a while back and gave it a few spins and now I'd consider it one of the better post-Drama Yes albums.  Not saying much, I know, but it's an album with a reputation that has improved over time.   Yeah, I can stomach it much better now.  At the time, the guys I know hated it....in fact it may have been one of those discs that sailed high over a local parking lot.  I can still remember one of my friends launching Oldfield's "Earth Moving" airborn with disgust.  We didn't do one star ratings then....it was more personal.  Now we're a bit more diplomatic.  Tormato suffered that fate at my hands the day it came out. By the time AWBH came out I was more or less immured.

It's fun, isn't it?  Did you get it up there pretty high?