MUSIC REVIEW: Yes - Yessongs

"Live majesty."

I didn't think that Yes' supra-complex, textured studio recordings preceding this live set would be translated effectively to the live setting. It's not perfect, but the inadequacies created by the limitations of playing live are part of Yessongs' charm. And while the songs are occasionally missing small ingredients that flesh them out so well on the studio versions, the band's heaving energy more than makes up for it. You can especially hear it in Jon Anderson's singing. His voice is often delicate on studio albums, but here he's surprisingly powerful, singing full-force over his equally lively buddies, who jam with fervor exploding from their instruments. And man, there are lots of jams! Songs are often extended by five minutes or so for soloing, and although many would find it tiring, I think the intensity makes it totally exciting.

The songs cover three of the band's best albums: The Yes Album, Fragile, and the progressive monster Close to the Edge. This is the best lineup the band had (Anderson, Howe, Wakeman, Squire, Bruford/White), all of whom clearly feel the deeply spiritual, stirring nature of their music. Their most recent studio album, Close to the Edge, is especially well-represented, which is a marvel given the complexity of the music. The 19-minute title track is as beautiful and moving as the studio rendition. "Siberian Khatru" has tenfold the zeal. Disappointingly, "And You and I" is notably weaker than the studio version because Howe uses an electric guitar throughout, not the acoustic, which sucks away some of the original's subtle textures and simple charm.

Perhaps the most exciting songs come from The Yes Album. "Perpetual Change" blasts off after a lengthy jam interlude in the middle, returning to the exciting verses and impelling on Squire's rumbling bass lines. Wakeman's solo on "Starship Trooper" is killer, and when Howe came in with his lead, the crowd must have been slain. Fragile too gets covered well. After a stunning excerpt from Wakeman's "The Wives of Henry VIII," the band moves into a high-energy version of their biggest hit to that point, "Roundabout." "Heart of the Sunrise," with exciting drum & bass interplay and emotional vocals, makes for one of the best moments on the album.

Certainly the best live album from this era of progressive rock.

MUSIC COMMENTARY: Yes lyrics

I don't know what it is with people. They seem to think it establishes their "serious reviewer credentials" if they ridicule ostensible ridiculous sounding prog lyrics. Specifically, Jon Anderson's Yes lyrics. And more specifically, the lyrics from the amazing epic tune "Close to the Edge".

For example, some dinkus from Amazon:

"With Anderson the thing is to always enjoy his soaring tenor voice and forget about the inane lyrics; try explaining 'A seasoned witch could call you from the depths of your disgrace / And rearrange your liver to the solid mental grace / And achieve it all with music that came quickly from afar / Then taste the fruit of man recorded losing all against the hour.'"

Okay then, let's look at these lyrics. We will see they really aren't that retarded. They are just weird. Even though they were probably written after a few bong hits, we should be charitable and assume that Anderson did have a specific meaning in mind.

"A seasoned witch could call you from the depths of your disgrace."

Disgrace is a condition people find themselves from time to time. It is a state of ignorance, sorrow, dishonor, humiliation, or whatever. A witch...well, witches aren't necessarily evil. They are people who can draw upon powers beyond the natural world. Seasoned means to have been around for a while. So, you will be called from the depths of your disgrace, but you will not be taken from it. That's something you have to do yourself.

"And rearrange your liver to the solid mental grace."

This is the line for which Yes is most often ridiculed. But it's actually quite smart. What is the liver? Well, one of its functions is the detoxification of drugs, poisons, and endogenous toxins. However, these are physical maladies. There are greater impurities than those of the corporeal form -- like those of the mind and the spirit. Of course, the use of the word "liver" is highly metaphorical here; what's important is that we must purify our minds and spirits. Putting the first two lines together, we see that something will call us, so we can elevate to a state of mental/spiritual grace (which is the opposite of disgrace). (I think the adjective "solid" is just used to aver the strength of the mind.)

"And achieve it all with music that came quickly from afar."

What is this "music"? I think Anderson is only using this word in a metaphorical sense. It could be God (afar=not of this world; quickly=through prayer), or it could be some other form of spiritual revelation. Now I'm not sure on Jon Anderson's religious background, but he seemed like a pretty new-age-y spiritual fellow, so I think this makes sense. In any case, this line tells us that spiritual revelation, divine or otherwise, is the way to rise above the depths of disgrace. Another interesting point is music "came," not music "comes." This implies that this spiritual strength has been here all along for those who wish to seek it.

"Then taste the fruit of man recorded losing all against the hour."

Fruit...that's something we produce; it's the results of our efforts. Depending on where you see the song going from here, you might think that this fruit of man is virtues like love, benevolence, compassion...you know, all that good stuff. Unfortunately, many people have lost touch with virtues. There are many morally gray people in today's world. But rising up from the depths of our disgrace, we can again taste the righteousness of man's life. So without some kind of spiritual epiphany, we cannot get back on the right path.

That's my take on those four lines. There's so much more depth to the lyrics of this song, and I'd like to share it, but I don't have the time nor the space with the 1,000 word limitation. But hopefully this little review has given some of you something to think about -- hopefully you're reconsidering the idea that Yes' trippy lyrics have no value beyond their sound.

"Close to the Edge"'s music is brilliant; it's absolutely brimming with tasteful complexity. Yet the composition works harmoniously to express the song's deeper meaning. Note how the song is cyclical (which corresponds with the "Seasons Of Man" theme), and the music moves from the oh-so-chaotic opening to a more melodious arrangement. The concord between music and lyrics is part of what scores the album five stars. Were it to only consist of the title track, it's still enough to qualify for the highest rating possible here at Amazon. "Close to the Edge"'s lyrics may be "inane," but they are still better than your average crap rock lyrics.

MUSIC REVIEW: Yes - Going for the One

"The last hurrah of Yes' classic prog."

Until recently, Yes had always been my favorite progressive rock band. They've had their ups and downs, but when they were good, wow...they were really something. Going For The One was the band's final moment of greatness, serving as a coda for their prosperous epoch of the 1970s, which began with The Yes Album several years before. After this record, Yes never did anything as consistent or interesting.

I never liked any of Yes' work as much as Close to the Edge, but Going For The One just might be my second favorite. For the first time since Fragile, we get songs under ten minutes, and the band again shows they don't have to put together a colossal epic to write great music. The title track has a killer vocal hook and Steve Howe playing a C&W-esque riff on steel guitar (I don't think many other prog rockers used that thing). "Turn of the Century" is a wonderful, elegant ballad as only Jon Anderson can do them.

It's clear that Rick Wakeman (who's back on this album) likes the organ. There's a lot of it on this album, and it was recorded at St. Martin's Church in Switzerland. You wouldn't think an hulking organ - generally ascribed to moments of beauty and majesty - could be a rock n' roll instrument, but Wakeman turns it into one. Just listen to "Parallels." It's definitely unconventional, which is part of what makes it so interesting.

The 15-minute "Awaken" is one of the band's best epics, and that's no mean feat, because they have a lot of great ones. After the opening piano segment, it goes into the usual Yes characteristics: many layers of synths, guitars and bass playing out complex melodies in a pseudo-orchestral fashion. Anderson's lyrics are strange as always, but the diction is delightfully spiritual, and his radiant singing - love it or hate it - is critical for this evocative and spacey song. The ambient middle instrumental section before the "Master of..." lines is one of Yes' most sublime moments. Anderson's busts out the harp for some appreciated flourishes that add considerably to the atmosphere and magic of the song.

The original recording's production sometimes had problems balancing the vocals and the instruments. There were frustrating moments when it was hard to make out what Anderson was singing if you didn't already know the lyrics. So, the remastered edition is a good bet.

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."

MUSIC REVIEW: Yes - Fragile

"Close to the zenith."

Behind all the Jon Anderson jokes, the derision from the critics, and perplexing lyrics is one of the best progressive rock bands ever. Fragile was the album that really concretized the band as an estimable member of the progressive elite. A few steps up from The Yes Album, Fragile has the band incorporating more complexity, and more ambition into their songs. With new recruit Rick Wakeman on keys, the band was slowly revealing the extent of their musical aspiration.

Not including the individually performed pieces, there are only four songs on this album. "Heart of the Sunrise" features a crushing rhythmic attack from Squire and Bruford, and combined with the quieter vocal passages, it makes for the most interesting song on the album. "Roundabout" proves that progressive rock can be catchy and fun. Squire shows incredible dexterity on the song's main bass lick, Howe's guitar simply rocks, and Wakeman's solo soars. It was the radio edit of this track that introduced a whole new legion of fans to Yes' music. They bought Fragile, liked the full version of "Roundabout," and liked the rest of the album. The individual pieces are interesting, although Bruford's is over so fast I barely realize it's gone by. Squire's "The Fish" (which shows just how versatile the bass guitar can be) and Howe's "Mood for a Day" (graceful, unaccompanied classical guitar) are my favorites of these.

With the next album, Close To The Edge, the band's progressive enterprise would flower completely and they'd create what I think is their best album. Although CTTE's greatness overshadows Fragile (and almost anything, for that matter), Fragile holds a special place in the Yes catalogue because of its fine balance of accessible songcraft and progressive elements.

MUSIC REVIEW: Yes - The Yes Album

"Prog greatness begins."

With this album, Yes asserted itself as a band that would quickly become one of the most important progressive rock bands ever. The Yes Album was the first in a string of stunning progressive albums (that ended with Going for the One) that all merit deference. While The Yes Album is not as experimental as Relayer, or as epic as Close to the Edge, the songwriting, while progressive, is still accessible and engaging. The addition of guitarist Steve Howe was significant, for he became one of the band's most important songwriters. Chris Squire's bass guitar is unique in sound and use. Is it a rhythm or a lead instrument? It's both, really. At the same time, Bruford's jazzy drumming, and Anderson's catchy vocals contribute to this great disc. And while keyboardist Tony Kaye isn't the virtuoso that is Rick Wakeman, his contributions work effectively in context with these songs, which are more subtle than, say, "The Revealing Science of God."

The album has its share of classics, from the grandiose and mesmerizing "Starship Trooper" to the hook-soaked "I've See All Good People." (Most people know the latter because Part I gets a lot of classic radio play...but they're missing the great jamming in Part II.) The songs are all fairly in-depth compositions but they are catchy as well. "Yours Is No Disgrace," with crazy lyrics and rockin' prog-i-tude, is one of the most exciting opening prog tracks of the 70s. More than 30 years after this album was recorded, I can listen to these songs and they still sound fresh. It really hasn't dated at all.