Yes - Relayer

2003 remastered, reissue of 1974 album with redesigned booklet (digipak/slipcase), restored LP art, archival photos and new liner notes. Includes 3 bonus tracks 'Soon' (single edit), 'Sound Chaser' (single edit) & 'The Gates Of Delirium' (studio run-through). Elektra. Album Description

It hurts so good!

I excitedly placed this record on my turntable back in 1974, I was disappointed there was no Rick Wakeman on this album, but after their last 4 albums(TYA,Fragile,CTTE, & Yessongs) I was dying to hear their latest. I listened to it from beginning to end and thought 'what a piece of crap". I didn't listen to it for about a month, and then slowly I began to get it.
The first side 'Gates of Delirium' features some of Steve Howe's and Chris Squire's best work. The music is tight and dense. It churns and builds with power and feeling. Jon Anderson's vocals and lyrics harness the horror of war. It took months before I found out how to listen to this piece of music correctly.I now believe that 'gates' is one of their true masterworks.This song really rocks in a weird Yes way.
'Sound Chaser' that starts side two is played at breakneck speed, again it took a long time to figure out how to hear this tune. What a truly great rock and roll song.I can't imagine what the time structure is.Grab on to the bass line and enjoy the ride.
'To be Over' has some great 'nasty' Steve Howe guitar work. I found this album difficult to listen to for the first 10 times, and since then it has rewarded me with hundreds of hours of joy! Treat yourself!


July 5, 2008

The best Yes album-ever

For those of you who are looking for a Prog-rock essential album- this is it...Relayer shows the genius behind the music. May 10, 2008

Delirious & Accessible; Progressive Rock Lived On

Looking 3+ decades into the past, it appeared that progressive rock was on its last legs. Critics gleefully cited 1973's "Tales of Topographic Oceans" as bombastic nonsense brought on by the excesses of the success of progressive rock. Progressive rock was rapidly disappearing from the mainstream. However, progressive rock never died, it just became less visible, partially sunk by the weight of its concepts. It was in the waning years of progressive rock's greatest success that Yes released "The Gates of Delirium," an excellent album that backed away from the philosophical noodling of "Tales." This album proved that progressive rock had a lot more to say, if anyone was still listening.

The first track is "The Gates of Delirium," the longest song at nearly 22 minutes. The beginning of this song is delicate, almost tentative. I can almost imagine that the beginning of this song is a kind of apology to fans who failed to understand or enjoy the overpowering bombast of "Tales from Topographic Oceans." However, the beginning of this song is not an apology, but the quiet, peaceful beginning to a song of war, much like Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture." Indeed, the more I listened to this song, the more I found parts that matched "The 1812 Overture." Referring to the booklet included with my Rhino remastered version, I learn that this song was loosely based on "War and Peace" by Leo Tolstoy. Both "War and Peace" and the "1812 Overture" were inspired by Napoleon's invasion of Russia in 1812 and the events leading up to that invasion; similar source for motivation, similar, if different, outcomes.

The "battle" portion at the middle of the song is dramatic and sophisticated. Understanding that the song is about a war is helpful, but it takes little analysis to come to the realization that the middle portion is about conflict. The complexity of the music is a treat for progressive rock fans, though true enjoyment could take some time since the discordant threads that intrude through the middle portion of the song are initially disturbing. After gaining a better appreciation for the song, I finally came to enjoy the cacophony of the battle. The contrast of the battle with the first portion of the song and the last two portions of the song, which includes "Soon," heightens the song's drama even more.

Musically, the song is mixed. Steve Howe's guitar is brilliant. Jon Anderson's vocals are generally fine, though I thought he might have been reaching to the edge of his capabilities in a couple of places. Chris Squire's bass makes me long for the era when the bass guitar was more prominent than it typically seems to be now. I have read criticism of Alan White's drumming, but I find the criticism to be excessive. Alan White's drums are precise and accurate, and periodically intense to the point where the drums give this song a bit of a metal edge. My descriptions leave keyboardist Patrick Moraz.

Rick Wakeman was and is a phenomenal keyboardist. However, his keyboards sometimes overpower the other instruments. The change from Wakeman to Moraz was very noticeable. I appreciate that Moraz's approach to Yes's music was understated compared to Wakeman's, but I was accustomed to Wakeman. Moraz falls short for me. However, I do like the delicacy with which Moraz plays synthesizers. I also think that Moraz's synthesizers really helped the end of this track when Jon Anderson sings "Soon."

In summary, "The Gates of Delirium" is an incredible work that stands with the best music that classic progressive rock has to offer. The music and lyrics are accessible with minimal effort. The musicianship, especially the guitars, is fantastic. Jon Anderson really pushed himself vocally, but the result is enjoyable. Fans of classic progressive rock need this song in their collection.

The second track is "Sound Chaser." I enjoy this exuberant song that revels in joy and contemplation. One thing immediately stands out to me in this song, and that is Steve Howe's incredible finger work on his guitar. Though Steve Howe's guitar dominates much of this song, interlaced with Chris Squire's bass, the support from the other instruments reminds me of a much more realized version of "Moonchild" from "In the Court of the Crimson King." Alan White's drumming periodically reminds me of Chicago's "Motorboat to Mars." I even enjoyed Moraz's keyboards on this song. This song is essentially an instrumental with minimal vocals for spice. The only problem I have with this song is the "cha-cha-cha" vocal, which is fortunately brief.

The third track, which was the final song on the original vinyl album, is "To Be Over." After the complexity of the first track and the enthusiasm of the second track, this track provides a peaceful coda for "Relayer." The music is mellow and delicate. The vocals are smooth and mellow. Portions of the music transcend my ability to describe (which is how music should be). This song fits so well in the era in which it was created, surrounded by The Moody Blues, Pink Floyd, King Crimson and others who tried something different and expansive, unworried about whether the music could be packaged commercially. Those really were the days. Listen and remember.

This remaster also includes single versions of "Soon" and "Sound chaser." A studio run-through of "Gates" is the final track (Jon's vocals are unpolished and the music is good, with a couple of clunks); all nice stuff to have, but not mandatory.

I suppose every generation thinks their music was the best. Yet, as much as I keep looking now for what was then, when there was so much, it seems there is so little to find. How fortunate that this music is now timeless, forever available as CD's, MP3's and more. Here is music to lose yourself in, but only because you can find yourself in the music.

Enjoy!

May 8, 2008

Damn the torpedoes

Time has been kind to Relayer. Once maligned by fans and press alike for its uncompromising, complex soundpicture, this 1974 release has been given a fairer hearing by subsequent generations of fans. And quite right too. I suspect that many people (myself included, I'm ashamed to say) who originally slated the album as self-indulgent muso twaddle never really gave it a proper listen. Perhaps if we'd known what the crisp digital remaster was going to sound like, we'd been doing the Mexican wave instead of giving the thumbs-down.
Having said that, Relayer is definitely a departure from the tried-and-tested Yes formula of sunny, pastoral rock on which the band built up a huge fan base and record sales to match. After Close to the Edge, the group made a conscious decision to forego accessibility in favour of experimentation. Whereas Close to the Edge had been generally sunny and harmonious affair, Relayer is more chaotic and unhinged. And darker. And this is the key to appreciating Relayer - these songs take you to a darker place than previous Yes albums. The jazzier overtones makes this the most urban-sounding of Yes records (Sound Chaser wouldn't be out of place in a Dirty Harry soundtrack). Which brings us to new keyboard tickler Patrick Moraz, who took some flak for not being Rick Wakeman (a bit like Trevor Horn who five years later had to endure the wrath of disgruntled fans for not being Jon Anderson). OK, so there are no church organ fugues, baroque flourishes and Moog mayhem, but Mr. Moraz makes as valuable a contribution to the Yes line-up as his caped counterpart ever did. In fact, his tasteful arrangements allow space for Chris Squire, Steve Howe and Allan White to stretch out musically, and you can sense that the guys are having the time of their lives, ripping into their respective parts with gusto and damn the torpedoes. And the music press.
As a result this is possibly the most spontaneous sounding Yes album to date, but also takes the longest to get into.

In many ways, progressive rock had by 1974 reached the end of its experimental trajectory and exhausted the possibilities of chucking rock n' roll, classical, folk, jazz into the mixer and seeing what comes out the other end. At this time, ELP were releasing double albums entitled Works, taking self-importance and indulgence to farcical extremes. Just a year or so later, modern music would to go back to basics. 1976 - the very year Yes were doing the Relayer tour - the metaphorical torpedoes finally caught up Genesis and Pink Floyd and company and sent a whole genre to the bottom.
But all things considered, this is a nice package. And possibly the best Yes cover ever, AND you even get some extra toons thrown in for good measure, or how about a 'studio run-through' of Gates of Delirium? Works for me. March 8, 2008

Violent Yes....

After many (mostly critics) criticised Yes for their "indulgence" on Tales from Topographic Oceans, they said they were going to tighten things up on their next album. They didn't. They made a Tales from Topographic Oceans Jr. album called Relayer, and it's another great album from one of the top 3 prog rock groups of all time. There are only 3 tracks on the whole thing (one side long song and two 9 minute pieces on the other side, like Close to the Edge), and they all deserve to be included in the realm of classic Yes albums. The Gates of Delirium is, along with Going for the One's Awaken, one of Yes's greatest and most underrated epic songs. It's really a torrent of anger, melody, beauty (especially during the "Soon" part, which was edited as a single) and greatness. But the next song is the most intense, blistering song Yes ever recorded. Sound Chaser is just wild, employing techincal mastery and is probably the most free jazz song influenced Yes ever recorded. I can listen to it over and over again, and the unblinking tension never ceases to amaze me. To Be Over is almost a respite against the chaos of the first two songs, but it's quite beautiful and soothing, like Yes songs like Wonderous Stories and Time and a Word. The musicianship here is exemplary, some of the best that Yes ever did. Yes took a mini hiatus after this album, coming back with Going for the One in 1978, one of their better albums. This is one of my favorite Yes albums, along with Topographic Oceans and The Yes Album. February 22, 2008

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