The Yes Album by Album Thread (Part 3)

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Ken_McAlinden, Aug 21, 2014.

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  1. Ken_McAlinden

    Ken_McAlinden MichiGort Staff Thread Starter

    Location:
    Livonia, MI
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  2. Rose River Bear

    Rose River Bear Senior Member

  3. warewolf95

    warewolf95 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Greenville, SC
    Seeing as I was no longer able to quote people in regards to Howe and his Homebrew series of albums, I shall start off part three of this amazing thread by saying that anyone that calls themselves a Yes fan should get the Homebrew cds. Its basically a Steve Howe version of The Beatles Anthology with each volume covering a different chronological time for him.

    There are many Yes/Yes-related tracks and demos on the discs - well worth checking out for the Keys To Ascension material :)
     
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  4. Rfreeman

    Rfreeman Senior Member

    Location:
    Lawrenceville, NJ
    Confused, why can't you quote people any longer
     
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  5. Aggie87

    Aggie87 Gig 'Em!

    Location:
    Carefree, AZ
    ?
     
  6. Rose River Bear

    Rose River Bear Senior Member

    I need to get the Homebrew stuff myself. I have heard most of them.

    I will not be able to post anything in the thread until this Monday due to travel. Yesyears is up next. No problem discussing the set ahead of me posting anything...that is if anyone cares to discuss it. :D
    I realize for many here, the good stuff has passed by but hopefully most will still join in.
     
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  7. Rfreeman

    Rfreeman Senior Member

    Location:
    Lawrenceville, NJ
    I never got the set and am interested in learning more about it. Figured it was mostly redundant since I have the core catalog, but I know it had a few rarities.
     
  8. warewolf95

    warewolf95 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Greenville, SC
    The 90s was actually full of good stuff - you just had to wade deeper in the mire on occasion to get to it :)
     
  9. warewolf95

    warewolf95 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Greenville, SC
    I don't know myself - It wasn't that quoting wasn't working but rather that the quote button itself was entirely gone. Whatever.... :)
     
  10. bangdrum6

    bangdrum6 Forum Resident

    In general I like the Union album. When I listen to it I separate the ABWH tracks from Yes West and find it has a much better flow and concept. If nothing else I find the ABWH selections can be viewed as a very colorful Anderson solo album. I like the Elias production and soundscapes as well, as I like the Jonathan Elias album released around the same time called Requiem for the Americas which features Anderson on a couple tracks as well as other guests musicians. I like The More We Live Let Go pretty much and Miracle of Life. The tour I enjoyed for the most part with stellar versions of some classics. Yours Is No Disgrace towers above all other versions. Heart of the Sunrise the same, can not be topped, Bruford at his finest. And You And I a complete workout, grand and beautiful. Long Distant Runaround crisp and accurate. Awaken monumental. Roundabout excellent. Starship Trooper very well done. These Classic tunes are the highlights and I feel are Yes at their zenith. Track down the Union Live DVD set or one of the many bootlegs or Youtube uploads. Just a big shame we didn't get CTTE. It was only played once at Lake Placid on July 14th 1991. Please someone turn up an audience recording. Its the only time Bruford and Squire ever played that song to an audience. Perhaps there are rehearsal versions. A very rough tape does exist from a sound check from late June. Its very chopped up and only hints at what it could have been.
     
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  11. Mike B

    Mike B Forum Resident

    Location:
    New York City
    I got into Yes in the late 90s. Keys To Ascension was happening at the time

    while I was discovering their classic material and learning to hate 80s

    sell-out prog like 90125.
    While listening to all that stuff and catching up on their discography at

    the time, the late 80s/early 90s period got lost.
    This thread is causing my first listen of the ABWH studio album and the 2nd

    ever of Union.

    A shame this thread got to this part while I was on vacation so I can only

    add a few scattered comments.

    On the ABWH album, I am really liking the song Brother Of Mine for its old-

    school proginess as RRB pointed out, The Meeting for being the best Yes

    ballad since Wondrous Stories, and Quartet for cheekily dropping Yes song

    names in the lyrics. The good thing about Brother is that it has a catchy

    melody in some of it, and that was the best of classic albums- hooks as a

    part of the progmania.

    Then there is Teakbois which is terrible but still not as offensive as that

    Alan White song on his album. The rest is like, whatever, utterly

    forettable. Still, three hidden gems is more than I expected.

    I'm sure I'm not the only one who fanboys Tony Levin. A thrill to hear him

    in Yes despite the unfortunate Yes band squabbling that led to it.

    Thanks to One Louder for the clip of the Arista AIDS show. I dug that weird

    acousticy Sweet Dreams and watching Michael Douglas have to praise Yes with

    a straight face.

    There is a group called California Guitar Trio of three acoustic guitar

    players that studied under Robert Fripp. They do all sorts of funny covers.

    There is a live recording of them performing with Levin and they do Heart of

    the Sunrise. I guess Levin learned that during his time in almost-Yes.
     
  12. warewolf95

    warewolf95 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Greenville, SC
    I agree with your points of view on ABWH. Brother Of Mine is one of my favorite Yes tracks (ABWH is Yes, noone will dispute that, im sure :) )
    I really get reminded of And You And I when I listen to Brother Of Mine for some reason. BOM, the song itself (disregarding the production) would fit right onto Fragile or CTTE probably.

    Tony Levin had to know HOTS - it was a staple of the ABWH tour :)

    Teakbois sucks

    However, the Meeting might be my favorite Yes ballad, even more than Soon, Wonderous Stories or Time and a Word. I love it. :)
     
  13. Mike B

    Mike B Forum Resident

    Location:
    New York City
    Sorry for the messed up editing in my last post, y'all. Copy/editing disaster. To make up for it, here's a poll:
    What is the worst Yes reggae song?
    - Teakbois (ABWH)
    - Saving My Heart (Union)
    - Silly Woman (Alan White, Ramshackled)
    I'm gonna embarrass myself and say that compared to the other two, Saving My Heart ain't terrible. The reggae is- well "tinged" like RRB said. Like when Rush did it to good effect during the early 80s. It's not a great song but it's not offensive or borderline racisty like the other two.

    non-reggae related Union notes:
    Shock to the System could have been on Big Generator. I don't know if that is a compliment or not.
    I am seeing your criticisms that Masquerade is simplistic, but honestly I don't LOVE the solo pieces anyway so whatevs.
    I kind of like Miracle of Life? It's so uplifting and corny. Too long, though.

    Just a lead-in to the final song, a little breather. When bands started recording CDs, they were taking full advantage of the extended length, for better or worse, and lots of little extra tracks like that started popping up (i.e., skits on rap albums).

    Based on its reputation and your guys' posts, I was expecting a true aural horror show for Union but it's not, it's ok as far as middlebrow 80s rock goes. But it's just… meh. And maybe that's even worse. The great thing about Yes is that there is nothing like it, be its majestic best or indulgent corny worst, and this is just… there.

    FWIW, here's what I added to my Yes digital collection so far because of this thread:

    Drama- you guys kind of turned me around on it
    90125- had too much fun revisiting it even though I still think it's kinda lame but now it's like, good lame
    additional songs- Something's Coming, America, Yours is No Disgrace and Perpetual Change from Yessongs, Rhythm of Love (it's catchy, whatever dudes) and Love Will Find A Way 'cause I had the damn thing stuck in my head throughout my vacation you bastards.
     
  14. warewolf95

    warewolf95 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Greenville, SC
    Teakbois - is there really any serious competition against it? :)

    As far as good Yes reggae songs go, I know its 5 or 6 albums down the line, but The Messenger is great :)
     
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  15. walrus

    walrus Staring into nothing

    Location:
    Nashville
    I like all the Rabin tunes on Union. His best? Of course not, but "Lift Me Up" is still great, and the live version of "Saving My Heart" redeems it as a fun little reggae-tinged pop song with a killer chorus. "Miracle Of Life" is pretty average, but is worth it just for that intro.
     
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  16. NorthNY Mark

    NorthNY Mark Forum Resident

    Location:
    Canton, NY, USA
    I'm not sure "Teakbois" is reggae--more calypso or something, I would imagine. I'd never thought of "Saving my Heart" as being reggae either, though I can sort of hear it when I imagine a reggae beat being added; I always thought it was more gospel, as I could imagine a big choir singing along. In any event, I find "Saving my Heart" close to being tied with "Don't Go," "Hep Yadda," and the "Crossfire" section of "That, That Is" as the most annoying songs ever recorded by the band.

    As for "The Messenger." I agree that it is great for the most part, but for some reason, the bit where Jon sings "doot doot" before "together" (or perhaps it is a stuttering "too-too-together") is so annoying that it almost ruins the song for me,
     
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  17. JAG

    JAG Forum Professor with Tenure

    Location:
    Northeast USA
    A couple of things. I have been listening to a lot of random Yes music on my ipod. Perpetual Change from Yessongs is just freakin nasty perfect performed by the perfect band at the perfect time. I forget sometimes when you haven't heard it in awhile but it is the perfect example of the band I love and probably a great example of why I can't stand what they are today. Bruford is sooooo great!!!!!

    I also just picked up "the word is live" off ebay for 10 bucks.

    OK back to normal broadcasting.
     
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  18. Meng

    Meng Forum Resident

    Worth it for the first disc alone.
     
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  19. Aggie87

    Aggie87 Gig 'Em!

    Location:
    Carefree, AZ
    Interesting idea for a discussion - most annoying/worst Yes songs.

    "Don't Go" and "If Only You Knew" would be two at or very near my top spot.
     
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  20. warewolf95

    warewolf95 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Greenville, SC
    I like Don't Go, but it is without a doubt the cheesiest song they've done, I think. Steve's main guitar line....what?

    I think If Only You Knew is a lot better - I think I read somewhere that Jon wrote it about his wife, so at least its a lot more of a sincere type of song. A bit sappy, but not bad. A good try, let's put it like that.
     
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  21. Rose River Bear

    Rose River Bear Senior Member

    [​IMG]
    Yesyears

    Released August 1991
    Various Producers

    Some highlights-

    Something's Coming
    The box set booklet shows this as the mono mix which was the B Side of the UK single Sweetness. This is in fact the stereo mix. I believe the mono mix is on the Rhino expanded version of their debut album. Regardless, this is a killer track with Chris Squire leading the way through a tough as nails version of this tune from the musical West Side Story. Chris turns their version into a jazz/rock/classical hybrid with his trademark driving bass that focuses on everything "but" root and fifth notes.

    Then and Everydays
    Two BBC session cuts. Immaculate vocals and harmonies harmonies and some great organ work from Tony Kaye are a couple of the highlights on these two tracks.

    Amazing Grace
    Chris's take on the folk hymn. A good arrangement but not very inventive IMO.

    Vevey-Part One and two
    An odd one. The first part sounds like a fragment of the melody from Something's Coming. Part two is a trademark Jon sparse British like folk melody tune.

    Montreux's Theme
    Jazzy instrumental that sounds mostly written by Steve in the first half with a bunch of what sounds to me like 11th chords and follows with a pastoral section which showcases some variations on the theme.

    Money
    A rock and roll jam boogie with what sounds like a news broadcast floating throughout.

    Abilene
    A Steve Howe tune that was a B Side of the Don't Kill The Whale single. Steve runs thru a myriad of rock and roll guitar figurations from the 60s with some Chet Atkins type flurries interspersed.

    Run With the Fox
    Chris takes the lead vocals on this Xmas tune. Lyrics by Pete Sinfield.

    Make It Easy
    A Trevor Rabin tune. The verse section has a heavy metal vibe and the chorus has a pop feel to it. The chorus main riff sounds like Journey. I could have lived without this song on the set but I guess the Rabin era had to be given its due.

    It Can Happen
    The "Cinema" version of the song that was released on 90125. I like this version because any song with Chris on lead vocals is usually a good thing.

    Love Conquers All
    A tune from the Union sessions. Not a bad tune overall but has a poor chorus IMO. Needs more work IMO.

    From Wikipedia

    Yesyears is a career-spanning collection of music by progressive rock band Yes released as a four-disc box set in 1991. It was compiled following the release of Union and Yes's departure from Atlantic Records, with whom they had been contracted since 1969 (and the offshoot label Atco Records since 1983). Yesyears covers the band's musical story from 1969's debut Yes to studio material recorded with Billy Sherwood following Jon Anderson's departure in 1988.

    One of the major attractions of YesYears was its inclusion of rare material, including many previously unreleased songs, and a full-colour booklet detailing Yes's history.

    A condensed version of this package, entitled Yesstory, would be released in 1992 on two discs.

    Yesyears was deleted in the late 1990s, preceding the release of Rhino Records' (five-disc) box set In a Word: Yes (1969 - ) in 2002. Most of the material found on Yesyears but not on In a word would surface on Rhino's reissues of Yes albums in 2003 and 2004.
     
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  22. Meng

    Meng Forum Resident

    The box set that got me into the first two albums, which I had pretty much ignored up to that point. I found I was playing the first disc more than the others combined.

    A full version of Vevey is performed on the GFTO sessions vid. Wakeman said he has the full version on audio, but nobody bothered to ask him.

    I'm Down is a fun inclusion.

    The 'news broadcast' in Money is actually Wakeman doing an impersonation of then Brit chancellor Denis Healey. As a Thatcherite Conservative, Wakeman had little time for Healey or the Labour Party.
     
  23. Rose River Bear

    Rose River Bear Senior Member

    Thanks for the info on Money. I always thought it was an actual clip of a Finance Minister and did not know it was Wakeman.
     
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  24. Rose River Bear

    Rose River Bear Senior Member

    Overall the mastering on the box set is pretty good. I always thought the Gastwirt remasters were OK on the ears. A little too much top end but passable.
     
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  25. One Louder

    One Louder Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Peterborough, ON
    I couldn't find if just now when I Googled it but there used to be a website for Tim Morse's Yesstories book that had unpublished chapters. One was devoted to the Yesyears box set.

    When Tim asked Peter Banks about Yes' cover of Something's Coming, Peter said he was proud of their arrangement of it and that the b-side version is a more accurate representation of what Yes sounded like in the early days than what you hear on the first two albums. Steve mentioned that if you listen closely to Montreux's Theme, you can hear a keyboard part from Patrick Moraz that they tried to remove from the mix to hear what it sound like without him, it wasn't a mix meant for wide release.

    I bought Yesyears with Christmas money when it was first released, partly because I was curious about the rare material and partly because a lot of my Yes collection was on used vinyl and cassette at the time. I also wasn't sure how much Yes I'd buy on CD so I figured having a large scale overview of their stuff would hold me for a while.

    I enjoyed having orchestra free versions of Then and Everdays and appreciated the inclusion of Abilene when I read in the liner notes that it was a UK only b-side. I also really liked the liner notes because it wasn't a total puff piece. Near the end of liner notes essay there was a quote from Jon about how he didn't like the way Yeswest was going and how he wanted out. Pete Frame's Yes Family Tree was a dizzying array of musicians and bands. Can you imagine what an updated version would look like?

    I frequently put Run With the Fox on my Christmas playlists. It incorporates the melody from the Sussex Carol which would have been like a return to roots for Chris as he sang in the St. Andrew's church choir when he was young. The original single had an instrumental version on the b-side. When Rick Wakeman had a show on Planet Rock, a UK satellite radio station, Chris came on one time to sing parody lyrics to Run With the Fox written by someone from the Yesfans message board over the instrumental b-side version. The parody lyrics were about how people always wind up getting socks for Christmas.

     
    Last edited: Aug 25, 2014
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