RELAYER

Perhaps their best after "Close to the Edge", "Relayer" displays a more epic style to it, not unlike the previous "Tales From Topographic Oceans" album although a bit earthier this time. The wonderful cover art gives a hint of what to expect on this album; adventurous and beautiful music with some really complex textures. Rick Wakeman left the band before this one, but was replaced by Patrick Moraz who does an interesting job here and gives the album a very nice flow without domenating too much. The musicianship is more or less flawless and the band sounds really fresh and in good form here.

The best cut here is no doubt "The Gates of Delerium" which is one of Yes' best tracks in their discography. This track has all a Yes fan can ask for, and competes with CTTE as the best Yes epic. "Sound Chaser" is another well-crafted track, this time with a more experimental style to it. A bit unusual, but it works extremely well. "To Be Over" is a nice ballad, though it doesn't really rech the heights of the two previous cuts, but still stands as a very good conclusion to the album. Overall, Yes fans should definitely get this one. Same goes for prog-rock fans in general. 4.25