THE YES ALBUM

With "Fragile" as the training montage and "Close To The Edge" as the triumphant final fight, "The Yes Album" begins my classic Yes/Rocky Balboa analogy by acting as the trailer, offering a glimpse of what listeners had to look forward to in the next couple of years.

"The Yes Album" is really an extraordinary album, featuring 4 excellent tracks, "Yours Is No Disgrace", "Starship Trooper", "I've Seen All Good People" and "Perpetual Change". As for the other two songs, "The Clap" is a folk guitar Steve Howe instrumental that's a bit of a fan favourite but feels out of place on the album and "A Venture" is too short to really develop into anything memorable. Those aside, the rest of the album is amazing.

When "The Yes Album" was released, Yes had finally added on Steve Howe to their line-up and was just a keyboardist short of their classic incarnation, with Tony Kaye playing keyboards as opposed to the Rick Wakeman we know and love. Steve Howe's addition to the band was a pivotal moment for Yes and it definitely shows with the album's sound. By this point Yes had completely abandoned the jazz and psychedelic influence of their debut and were now into progressive territory. The album is unique, though, in that it retains a mix of rock, blues and folk they wouldn't touch on again later in their career. The result is a special transitional sort of album that captures Yes in a special incubation period and it sounds quite fantastic.

The album's four strong tracks are all masterpieces or close to it and each offers its own special flare. "Yours Is No Disgrace" features great keyboard lines and a political relevancy that Yes would never touch on again, with anti-war lyrics contrasting Vietnam and America. "I've Seen All Good People" is a great mix between accessible and progressive, with a catchy vocal melody, cryptic lyrics and blues rock soloing from Steve Howe. "Perpetual Change" brings nostalgic, feel-good guitar parts and a rhythmic middle section. "Starship Trooper" is the best of all, though. The most symphonic song on the album, this 3-part suite features beautiful fantasy lyrics, perfectly balanced instrumental arrangements, folk moments and "Wurm", one of music's greatest build-ups. This is really one to stand with Tarkus, Close To The Edge and Supper's Ready, a true early symphonic gem.

Honestly, as much as I love Yes's other albums, I would be completely happy if this Yes line-up had released a couple more albums like this one and then just called it quits. A masterpiece in the realm of "Close To The Edge" - 5 stars.