New Yes Album, "Heaven and Earth" out July 8 (Part Two)

In the good ole days 9-11K sales got you released from your contract. It's really amazing and sad. these guys sold millions of records in the hay day. Now it's thousands. I would think that this new recording is actually losing money.

 

No excuse for that-- The album's under 50 minutes long.

 

FFH had inner groove distortion which I imagine is why they made the wise choice to spread this one out. They should have just gone for 45rpm and pulled in more of the audiophiles.

 

One of the 2,000 here. Haven't bothered to even listen to it yet based on the reviews. I'm sure I will eventually but it's not a priority. I do still buy CDs and own all the other Yes releases either on vinyl or CD or both, apart from some compilations.

 

It's a great album. You should pick it up today.

 

Not having listened to Fly From Here after the first few weeks I had it, having been underwhelmed by Yes's performances on that tour and one subsequent tour I saw with Davison, and hearing many people say this is way worse than that album have not whetted my appetite.

 

I'd say it's equal but different to FFH, which I also like a lot.

The more I listen to the new album the more it just sounds like classic Yes. I think the poor reviews are just from people wanting CTTE part 2, which this is not.

This is a collection of really enjoyable melodic songs with great performances and production.

 

I agree 100%! This album just gets better and better each time I play it. The musical bargain of the year. I got it on the release day for only $9.99 (thanks Amazon Prime!).

 

How many times are people going to trot out the tired old "oh, they're just disappointed because it's not another CTTE" canard? No one is expecting any such thing from Yes at this juncture in their career, certainly no one who has paid any attention to their output from the last thirty years. I would have been happy with another Fly From Here, material along the lines of "Into the Storm", something with a bit of a pulse to it.

 

Yeah, I passed on the pre-order for that reason. Doubt I'd ever spin that more than once. It's a 50-minute album, but the recording hardly has the kind of in-depth mix or dynamic range that would benefit from expanded grooves.

They probably heard the advance track posted and passed? Fly From Here was a significantly better record, based on the general consensus.

 

No, only 8 tracks. I guess it should be considered a good thing, not having too many minutes of music on one side.

 

I don't know, I think the vinyl sounds great. No sibilance or pops nice and clean. Maybe there is something to be said for this. I paid 19 Euros and it was well worth it.

 

I'm listening to the album for the first time and this thing is putrid. Easily one of the worst Yes albums since 'Big Generator'.

 

Steve Howe has millions of dollars and makes a ton on touring. Maybe if they put out a better album people may have purchased more copies. They're in the same situation any other band is (especially one of their age). People are interested in the live shows and "hits".

I enjoyed 'Fly From Here' but this new album is freaking terrible as a whole.

 

Rushing to judgement?
Can't take your opinion too serious, when you haven't played this album a few times, let alone commenting before finishing your first listen.

 

Good point. I'll retract my comments until after I finish the album.

 

So if he listens two more times and still hates it then what? I don't see why someone has to play it over and over again to form a legitimate opinion. Tell me what do you think of this? Rules are you have to listen at least three times beofre you an form a "respectable opinion"



Just a warning, this is not something you should actually listen to. Granted I only listened once and not all the way through.

 

Exactly. The drums are very "polite". There's some interesting things happening on "Subway Walls" but there's nothing else really like that on the rest of the album. Even on "Subway Walls" the bass is extremely low and has no presence or excitement, even during the bass "solo" parts.

 

Bless you. I'd refuse to listen to a youtube singer anyway. Albums I buy, I always give a few "spins" before damning it. lol Whereas singles...that's different.

 

The mix really isn't helping things. Between that and the two-songs-a-side vinyl, I passed.

 

Some people say it's way worse, but I have said several times, I think it's better.

 

Initially I wanted that too, more of a pulse, but this is new and different. This is more of a summer album. It's one of the few, perhaps only yes albums that is really relaxing and that is something really nice. I still think that the people who are dismissing this album have a juncture between what they expect and what the album is, because it's a really nice album!

 

OK, in fairness to the album, I'm listening again.

FIRST impressions for first listen in full:

The first 3 songs are the worst of the bunch. Bad lyrics, bad production, no interesting ideas. Absolutely putrid.

"To Ascend" is where the album gets somewhat interesting, or at least tries to get interesting. Then throughout the next songs, there's flashes of cool ideas that never get developed. (I'm basically parroting what others have said already, but it's all true)

"In a World of Our Own" sounds kinda cool, because they're clearly (to my ears) channeling The Beach Boys. It's a differently flavored song which I'm glad they at least attempted.

"Subway Walls" is definitely the most "developed" and interesting song of the bunch, and I would have been thrilled with an album full of that material with that strength. But again, "Subway Walls" in particular is severely handicapped by the production and playing by the band. The drums are buried throughout the album and are just "there" muffled in the background.

All that said, on second listen the album is not as bad as on first listen. I'd say there's 3 terrible songs, 1 standout song, and 4 semi-decent to decent songs.

 

Listen again and you'll like it more!

 

I'm still confused as to "why" this album had to be out within a particular timeframe. The rushed production on this is what is hurting the album.

That said, anyone else noticing a "jazz" vibe to this album?