TIME AND A WORD

Line-up / Musicians: - John Anderson / lead vocals, percussion - Peter Banks / electric & acoustic guitars, vocals - Tony Kaye / piano, Hammond organ - Chris Squire / bass, vocals - Bill Bruford / drums, percussion With: - David Foster / acoustic guitar (8), vocals (4,11) - Tony Cox / orchestral arrangements - Students of the Royal College of Music / brass, strings - Steve Howe / guitars and background vocals on the successive tour and videos

1. "No Opportunity Necessary, No Experience Needed" (4:47) not your most engaging song but quite fascinating from the perspective of Chris Squire's bass creativity. The vocals are surprisingly lackluster, mixed at a low volume, and flat-line monotonous. (The lyrics are immaterial to me: it is so much work for me to hear/comprehend lyrics; the vocal work, therefore, becomes, to my brain, another instrumental stream.) I like the orchestral elements used in fourth minute. Learning that this is a cover of a Richie Havens (and Jerome Moross) song unveils a lot about the essence of this song. (I theorize that Jon always much preferred singing and performing his/the band's own songs.) (8.6667/10)

2. "Then" (5:42) I've always liked this song: probably my #2 favorite from the 1975 retrospective, Yesterdays: it contains great vocals, great melodies, great instrumental "battle scenes" (brief and potent) especially between Chris and Tony--plus it has some great strings and brass inputs. Probably my favorite song from this album. Like a microcosm of some of the band's expanded "epics," it even contains a slowed down, sparsely populated, atmospheric finale. (9.5/10)

3. "Everydays" (6:05) opens with some cool orchestral work that is joined by some awesome jazzy organ, bass, and drum play. Even when Jon starts singing (a jazzy vocal delivery of a jazzy poetic lyric) the jazziness continues. I'm really digging this! It's rare to hear the band really commit to some serious jazziness. (P.S. I love all of the band members' long hair in the video--especially Bill's!) Even when the music goes all-instrumental it retains some of the jazz, rock, and classical fusion. Now that I know it was a cover of a Stephen Stills song, it all becomes a bit clearer. A top three song for me. (9.125/10)

4. "Sweet Dreams" (3:48) an attempt at the heavier, more VANILLA FUDGE/DEEP PURPLE/URIAH HEEP-like side of prog rock (before the HEEP had even released an album). Despite a catchy chorus, the song doesn't really trip the light fantastic (or show much of Yes' creative originality). (8.75/10)

5. "The Prophet" (6:32) opening with a long organ solo, it's not until the second minute that the orchestra strings join in. Chris and Bill jump on board around 2:30 and then we're off to a Yes journey with full strings worked oddly into the weave. It sounds as if we're in the theatre watching some stage musical! Now I know where Andrew Lloyd-Weber got all of his inspiration. (Just kidding.) It does seem like a rehearsal/warm up for their cover of "America" though. (8.75/10)

6. "Clear Days" (2:04) a nice 1960s Baroque pop song with Jon singing a light and airy folk vocal while supported completely by orchestral accompaniment. It's actually really cool--especially the orchestral arrangements. Makes me wonder who Tony Colton was--or who had the classical background and experience in order to write, arrange and chart the orchestra parts. Perhaps it was left to the students of the Royal College of Music who made up the brass and strings sections or to conductor Tony Cox. (4.625/5)

7. "Astral Traveller" (5:50) to my mind, this song sees the band move closer than ever before to the "mature" and uniquely-Yes form that the band was to achieve and maintain over the next few decades. Good song. Their most GENESIS-like song--especially in the fourth and fifth minutes. (9/10)

8. "Time and a Word" (4:31) a controversy (within the band) over who should play the guitar parts? (Apparently Peter Banks had not been dedicating enough of his time, energy, and attention to the band and its collective growth trajectory.) The band and/or producer had enough acumen to notice (and take advantage of) a pretty decent "hook" in the chorus. Very Let It Be-era Beatles-ish. (8.75/10)

Total Time 39:19

Remarkably absent from most of the album is any evidence of guitar--certainly nothing like Peter Banks' significant contributions to each and every song on the previous album--which is a huge shift from the band's debut album from the year before. Pete's lack of spotlight must reflect some kind of internal conflict among the band members or else a personal malaise within Peter as even in the band's video creations for each and every song there is nary a sign of Mr. Banks, only Mr. Howe.

Exit Peter Banks.

B+/4.5 stars; a distressingly-identity-lacking hodge-podge of music that still qualifies as a near-masterpiece of progressive rock music due to the tremendous growth in musicianship of three-and-a-half of the band's individual members.

Like their symphonic counterparts GENESIS with From Genesis to Revelation and Trespass, Time and A Word showed YES in their early development--not yet nailing down their distinctive sound(s) but very much on their way. "Then" (with its awesome video! [with Chris Squire playing the keyboards?!?!]), "Astral Travellor" and the title song are the most enjoyable/memorable songs for me from this album. The aforementioned trio of songs definitely put on display the awesome creativity to come while showcasing the amazing talent and skill these young musicians have. At this stage of the game (album #2) I think they were ahead of their countrymates. Albums number three, The Yes Album and"Nursery Cryme really put the two at the top of the heap. I still can't hear the CROSBY, STILLS, NASH & YOUNG similarities critics of the time were quick and frequent to point out. The chunky bass, prevalent organ, and high pitch of Anderson's lead vocal don't fit. Oh well.

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