Yes - The Yes Album

2003 remastered reissue of 1971 album includes three bonus tracks, 'Your Move' (Single Version), 'Starship Trooper - Life Seeker' (Single Version), & 'Clap' (Studio Version). Elektra/Rhino. Album Description

 Awesome album, and don't forget about Tony Kaye....
This is the album when "Yes became Yes". I usually don't like those comparisons, but this is one of Yes's best albums, and it was a real commercial breakthrough. It only has 6 tracks (at least on the original version), but they are 6 great tracks. It also has 4 of Yes's signature songs, Yours is No Disgrace, Starship Trooper, Your Move/All Good People, and Perpetual Change. The songwriting is top notch, and the interplay between the musicians (and the beautiful vocals) is really awesome. Many have said this is the quinessential Yes album (no pun intended), but many forget that Rick Wakeman wasn't on this album. Tony Kaye, the original keyboardist, was here and his keyboards blend in perfectly with the band. He isn't as techinically accomplished as Wakeman is/was, but his playing fit the group quite well. Sometimes I think Rick Wakeman, awesome keyboardist he is, didn't like being in a band situation. Keith Emerson, Wakeman's only real rival in the prog rock movement, was able to show off his chops a lot more in ELP than Wakeman ever did in Yes. But then Emerson, Lake, and Palmer was a power trio with Emerson the main focus, not a 5 piece band where the musical "burden" was shared more. I think Kaye doesn't get credit for shaping Yes's music more.

This is one of favorite Yes albums, incredibly complex, tuneful, and wonderful. It's extremely memorable, and the remastering job here is exemplary. March 25, 2008

 One of Yes' finest efforts
Although my favorite Yes record will always be 'Close to the Edge,' 'The Yes Album' is definitely a close favorite. This record demonstrates the group at their finest. Released in 1971, this is the last record keyboardist Tony Kaye would make with the group until 1983. It was also guitarist Steve Howe's first record with the group.

Kaye would be replaced by former Strawbs keyboardist Rick Wakeman. Wakeman would be featured on the reworking of Simon & Garfunkel's 'America,' which would be recorded for a special record called 'The Golden Age Of Atlantic.'

This record, though, does feature some amazing keyboards by Kaye. 'Yours Is No Disgrace' is one of my all-time favorite Yes songs. This is an enjoyable track featuring heavy organ by Kaye.

'The Clap' features great guitar work from Howe. This was recorded live at the Lyceum Theatre in London in 1970. This would become a concert favorite for years to come.

After 'The Clap,' the record rolls right into 'Starship Trooper,' which would become yet another concert classic. Chris Squire's bass is great, Jon Anderson's vocals are amazing, and this is, in my opinion, drummer Bill Bruford's best song behind the kit with the group.

'I've Seen All Good People' is played on classic rock radio stations all the time. And it's easy to see why. This song features great vocals from Anderson, and Kaye plays some mighty fine keyboards on this one.

'A Venture' is a nice deep cut that you never hear on the radio. In fact, you never hear it anywhere. It's a shorty, clocking in at 3:21, but it's an amazing song. It fits perfectly on this record.

'Perpetual Change' closes out the record. This song is 9 minutes of excellent music. The saying 'We saved the best for last' really goes in this case. What a way to close a Yes record!

The bonus tracks are great. You get single versions of 'Your Move' and 'Life Seeker' and the studio version of 'The Clap,' which features a part of 'Mood For A Day.' This is highly recommended for any progressive rock, classic rock or Yes fan. ENJOY!!! March 4, 2008

 It has always been "You're Move" hasn't it?
Another classic progressive rock album long lost in the attic and basement to boxes, moves and life in general that deserves to be re-visited. "You're Move" was a leap in the late 60's and ealry 70's after the acidity of woodstock. Yes one of the curators of such style formulated their expanding sound with others like "Heart of the Sunrise" and the "Siberian Kahtru" Certainly memories from the Cornell Fieldhouse! Worth another listen after all these years! February 29, 2008

 This was the Progressive Seed for me!
I believe I first heard some of these classic songs played by a very good cover band in a club in Cincinatti, Ohio back in the early 70's. I could not believe how much I really liked Yours Is No Disgrace and All Good People. This was a new sound and I was in heaven! I found out the tunes I liked were originally written by a "new group" named Yes. Once I located a copy of this album, my whole musical life changed. Thank you Yes. Highly recommended and one hundred stars! - Ciao October 12, 2007

 The beginning of classic Yes
Now here's where the Yes sound really begins. For one, the lyrics don't make a damn ounce of sense. They're inscrutamable! For another, the songs also started to get a lot longer: three of these songs run at about nine to ten minutes. Okay, 8:50 for "Perpetual Change", but who's counting? For a third, the songs started to have really long, mostly stellar instrumental passages. Steve Howe had joined and lent his amazing guitar skills to the group. Listen to his playing on "Yours is No Disgrace", probably the song that defines this album best. It's amazing. More than that, it's mind-bending. I also really like Tony Kaye's rapidly overlaying synthesizers in the introduction. Of course, the song itself is about nothing, but who cares? It's amazing. And I love hearing Steve Howe's famous acoustic guitar, so the acoustic country-blues "The Clap" is fun. I assume its title was inspired by misadventures with groupies on the road. But I'll never know for sure, because it's got no lyrics. Just Steve Howe playing acoustic guitar. Which is fine by me, because he's my debatably favorite acoustic guitar player. Then there's my favorite, "Starship Trooper". Holy schmorkovotch, that is a song! It's about absolutely nothing, but I don't care. Along with "Yours is No Disgrace", it is the pinnacle of all things Yes. Nonsense lyrics with references to sci-fi and stuff, psychedelic guitar part; acoustic guitar part; wonderful harmonized part; all kinds of weird synthesizer sounds. And then the ending where the guitars all go insane and duel against each other is sweet. The last song that totally rules is "I've Seen All Good People". For one, the title chorus is catchy. For another, the folky "Your Move" part is just gorgeous, what with the acoustic guitar, synthesized flute, organ, and harmonies. And then it kicks into a slightly funky, driving rock bit because it's Yes and none of their songs stay the same very long. That's when it gets to the famous "mantra section", where they repeat "I've seen all good people turn their heads and look away so satisfied I'm on my way" for three minutes or so while Howe solos and Banks plays what honestly sounds like a boogie piano. I even kind of like the infamous "Venture". It's not a great song, but it's listenable. It isn't bad. Even if the bouncy guitar part is a bit grating. The one song I don't like is "Perpetual Change", which is bad enough to knock the rating down a full star. For one, it's nine minutes long - perpetual is right. For another, the guitar tone is just some generic metal crap. I like metal if it's played well, and this is not played well at all. In fact, it sounds clunky. The tinkling piano during the barely audible verses also very much gets on my nerves. And there is no end to the goddamn thing. Thankfully, four of the tracks are stellar and one is pretty decent. Unfortunately, one is horrendous, insulting, and what have you. Still, this is Yes' first real "classic" album. Much better than the previous two, and one of my top 5 Yes albums. September 14, 2007

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