The Yes Album

Yes Atlantic

In the current morass of rock music there are very few landmarks, but at last something new and refreshing has broken through the grey canopy slung between the heavies. Yes are not a new group, but it is this album that will thrust them into the prominence they deserve. These guys are not only competent musicians but also creative artists, and besides being able to attempt novelty, they succeed at it. It in this success in their creativity that distinguishes them, for while there are vast numbers of groups crashing the progressive scene, only a few of them are giving us real joy: Emerson, Lake and Palmer, Mark-Almond, Pink Floyd, perhaps Jethro Tull.

The musical backgrounds of the Yes musicians appear non-descript. Tony Kaye, who plays keyboards, failed admission to the Royal College of Music. Others dropped out of varsity or other bands. It is perhaps noteworthy that all read music — this belies earlier, more formal musical training, and I consider this a reason why they are able to attain such a high standard musically — they begin at the level others are striving for.

The album is superb in its conception, execution and production. The performance exudes confidence, and its clarity is remarkable. It opens with Yours is no Disgrace a longish track that is rhythmically adventurous. Kaye slips easily from Moog to organ and back, while Steve Howe performs well on both electric and acoustic guitar, though it is Chris Squire's pounding bass that attracts attention at first. The Clap a folk-style acoustic guitar solo from Howe recorded live in London is a superlative offering. Technically brilliant, it also holds your interest by its inventiveness and crystal transparency.

Two massive chords lead into Starship Troopers. It is on this track that John Anderson's vocal blending with Chris Squire is exhibited. It's not often on rock albums we hear singing as well controlled as this. Really, for vocal precision, this performance would be difficult to beat. A long phased riff carries this number to its conclusion.

Recorders arc used with great effect on I've seen all good people. The first part, with its adept vocals, is a beautiful song, near-perfect, from its delightful voices and cool rhythm to the bite of those recorders. Although full organ and bass come in later the performance never becomes heavy enough to drag. The organ builds great pillars of sound on which the lead guitar and vocals create distinctive ornaments.

A Venture is perhaps the least interesting number on the album, but it's short enough to prevent its boring you. Perpetual Change is more of the calibre of good Yes material, with rhythmic unorthodoxy and polished vocals. In the middle it breaks into a jazzy guitar figure that metamorphoses via an abrupt time change into a fast organ riff on which Moog is superimposed before the vocals reappear.

Good engineering, new material, and a sensitive performance make this album a refreshing delight compared with some of the crap that's been released lately. But by that I do not mean to imply that the Yes Album is good only in comparison with the hoi polloi — rather it is one of those albums that bear repeated listening and will stand as superb for their inventiveness, cohesion, clarity and unequaled musical ability;

— Zeke