MUSIC REVIEW: Yes - Relayer

"Perplexing, daring, awesome prog."

Yes continued to ride upon their surging undulation of progressive ambition with Relayer, the most experimental of the band's disparate catalogue. As a fan who enjoyed the subtle beauty of Tales From Topographic Oceans, I initially found Relayer's abstruse music opaque and puzzling, in a sense that I couldn't 'get' the songs. After awhile, though, things began to click, and I now find Relayer to be one of the most interesting of all progressive rock albums.

The side long track here is the phenomenal "The Gates of Delirium," which is perhaps progressive rock's most evocative composition. It goes beyond the above any traditional approach to rock in a sense that it - for the most part - forsakes melody and "ROCKING" to generate vivid images and tell a (generalized) story. Innovative in its use of instruments, the song summons forth images of battle: the cacophony of clashing steel, cries of distress, the razing of buildings, et cetera. The percussive assault of Alan White's drums is astonishing, serving as the fundament for the dense tapestry of sounds that invokes the lucid image of war. It's quite amazing; close your eyes and let yourself become inundated in the intricate weaves of instrumental violence. When the dissonance comes to an end, a quiet, ethereal passage concludes the song. Here, Jon Anderson's delicate vocals soar with an ineffable heavenly quality that gives me shivers. Many know this last part because it was made into a single-edit, but believe me, it loses its punch when not preceded by the lengthy span of chaos.

The weird "Sound Chaser" follows. Here, new keyboardist Patrick Moraz's jazz influence is very evident, and Squire's adroit bass and White's meticulous drumming tear through the mix. This song, too, often trifles with dissonance, but with a different effect. This song is peppy and almost fun, and the vocals are catchy and almost evoke Yes Album melodies. Howe's solo is dangerously close to jarring with that grating pitch, but otherwise this is a neat song.

The album finishes with the soothing piece "To Be Over," a quiet aria that can lull me to sleep. Not because the song is boring, not at all. The vocal melodies are radiant, and the arrangements engaging. But the song is so peaceful and gives me a profound sense of mental solace. This song makes me feel like I'm floating...ahhh...

Since Relayer is something of an acquired taste, I think it takes at least five listens to understand the music. Then it probably takes at least a dozen listens to begin appreciating the depth of each composition. It's an involved piece of work, but well worth the effort to make it "stick."