The Yes Album by Album Thread (Part 2)

Rabin may have kind words publicly, but I sincerely doubt he feels kindness in any way, shape or form inwardly.

Please don't go down the "sour grapes" path. I doubt Jobson had any reason to lie. I think the bigger revelation here may be that Kaye played very little on the albums, and was ghosted on the tours ( a la Bon Jovi).

 

thank you for the link.....this quote explains a lot about 25 years ago and today

"Several weeks later, back in the U.S. where I continued to work on the considerable Yes repertoire, I did finally receive a phone call from someone—it was the manager who had been given the unceremonious task of informing me that Tony Kaye was re-joining the group and would be sharing keyboard duties with me. No discussion, no conferring… a done deal. And the reason? They needed three original members to put to rest a dispute with Brian Lane (their old manager), Steve Howe and Rick Wakeman regarding the legitimacy of the new band using the ‘Yes’ name. My youthful instincts were reawakened, there were red flags waving, and sirens going off... why was I doing this exactly? Still no call from anyone in the band, no discussions of alternate remedies, no apologies, just take it or leave it… so I hearkened to the words of their own song and chose to ‘leave it.’
Of course, the album and world tour went on to enormous success; Tony Kaye’s playing was supplemented by another player hidden off-stage; and the embarrassingly lame video had to be edited at the insistence of the BBC (to remove the disgusting ‘maggot’ scene), during which time they also removed as many of my scenes as possible.
Thanks, guys. All in all, the most disrespectful and unpleasant of all my band experiences (as brief as it was), and, with the occasional derisive remark from Squire or Allan White still showing up on the internet, one that still causes me undeserved anguish, embarrassment, and regret."

Squire just runs a business and couldn't care any less about the art. Today's band shows it is just a sales job to make money. I knew from watching Kaye he wasn't playing anything on those tours.

 

I think it would seem odder to have a quick fade out after LDR. That never sounds right to me since the two really go together. I've heard radio do it and, well, no thanks.

 

Rabin on Kaye and the "under the stage" keyboardist rumours:

From this interview: http://innerviews.org/inner/rabin.html

 

You're welcome. For those who are painfully unaware, Squire has had major issues since the mid-70s. It's a shame, because for my money, he was once one of the most talented rock bassists out there.

 

I wish they would come up with a mix of "Long Distance Runaround" with a cold ending. It would feel right and make musical sense right after that upward swoop after "...waiting for the sunshine" and before Howe's echo-y arpeggios. The two songs really have nothing in particular to do with each other and they don't need to be joined at the hip the way they are. It made sense in the context of Fragile, but not so much otherwise.

 

And Andy Newmark is a great drummer.

 

It could be easy--if you think of the ending without The Fish glommed onto it, it could be very similar to the end of And You And I or Yours Is No Disgrace.

edits because tablet

 

Animation by Jon Anderson

Released June 1982

Produced by Jon, Neil Kernon and Tony Visconti

Jon Anderson - vocals, acoustic guitar
Stefano Cerri - electric bass
Clem Clempson - guitars
Chris Rainbow - vocals
Simon Phillips - drums and percussions
David Sancious - keyboards

A few highlights-

Animation
Has a very 80s vibe to it but still a nice song IMO. I like the synths in the lead ins to the verses. Neat lyrics that are about childbirth.

Boundaries
A protest song that is very folky sounding centering around a D-G folk progression. Nice melody.

Surrender
A nice reggae tinged tune that has a great ascending melody that leads to an almost childlike melody in the chorus.

Much Better Reason
Another very 80s sounding tune arrangement wise. Somber sounding A minor verse. Some nice Brazilian percussion tinges by the great Simon Phillips.

I like this album but do not listen to it often. The players on it are great and are tight as can be....kind of unusual sounding for Jon. The album has yet to see a decent release on CD.

 

Up Next-

 

another good album (I am a fan of the man) how can any album that has David Sancious on it be anything but a good listen?

 

Maybe the fact that Chris Squire complied it has something to do with it!

 

Maybe edit in a track list to the official Animation post before the window closes?
(since your write up doesn't mention every track)

 

Animation by Jon Anderson

Released June 1982

Produced by Jon, Neil Kernon and Tony Visconti

Jon Anderson - vocals, acoustic guitar
Stefano Cerri - electric bass
Clem Clempson - guitars
Chris Rainbow - vocals
Simon Phillips - drums and percussions
David Sancious - keyboards

1. "Olympia" (4:58)
2. "Animation" (9:07)
3. "Surrender" (3:53)
4. "All in a Matter of Time" (3:06)
5. "Unlearning (The Dividing Line)" (4:56)
6. "Boundaries" (3:20)
7. "Pressure Point" (3:20)
8. "Much Better Reason" (4:27)
9. "All Gods Children" (4:25)

A few highlights-

Animation
Has a very 80s vibe to it but still a nice song IMO. I like the synths in the lead ins to the verses. Neat lyrics that are about childbirth.

Boundaries
A protest song that is very folky sounding centering around a D-G folk progression. Nice melody.

Surrender
A nice reggae tinged tune that has a great ascending melody that leads to an almost childlike melody in the chorus.

Much Better Reason
Another very 80s sounding tune arrangement wise. Somber sounding A minor verse. Some nice Brazilian percussion tinges by the great Simon Phillips.

I like this album but do not listen to it often. The players on it are great and are tight as can be....kind of unusual sounding for Jon. The album has yet to see a decent release on CD.

 

Like with 90125, I never liked all of the compression Rabin used in his rig. Just me I guess. Great player and songwriter though.

 

gosh I hate that guitar Jon used

 

I never tried to figure out what make it is. Looks like a Lucite Flying V of some make. I guess he plays it on BG but I can't tell where.

 

Ahh, just found this thread. Seeing that we haven't hit BG yet, here is my take on 90125:

Being only 19 and having found this album when I was 16 or so, I'm coming at this from the point of view of a youngin'

I adore this album. Seriously. I love every Yes album for different reasons because each one, mostly, is different from the last.

I listen to everything from Bob Dylan and The Beatles to Satyricon and Death, so I'm pretty damn open to any genre of music as long as its good music.

With 90125, I feel Yes simply made a great album. Not a massive artistic statement for the world or anything - simply a really good album with mostly great/enjoyable songs (if you are open to different types of music)

I've always personally loved Rabin and really feel he helped to save Yes. I mean, he wrote/ co wrote most of the album and majorities of the following three. Even Wakeman said he thought 90125/Rabin saved Yes. I agree about Rabin's often over-indulgence in regards to his playing on certain songs, but on the other hand, being a massive collector of live shows, the 90125 tour is one I listen to a LOT. The shows have a great balanced set and, aside from Rabin going nuts in YIND, they pulled off what 70s material thery performed, IMO.

The shows, to me, really sound great from the point of view of a band enjoying themselves and having fun on stage. Also, why the hell did they drop Perpetual Change?! It was played only 4 or 5 times and then it was gone - and they did it good! I would rather have that than Rabin "butcher" YIND, lol

If anyone has not heard Rabin's solo albums, if you enjoy 90125/Big Generator, I highly suggest you seek them out. Lots of great stuff. His first solo album from 1977 SHREDS.

Ok, off-topic, I know

Back to 90125 - I discovered Yes about 2 years ago and this is the album that hooked me. Period.

Having discovered music all alone without parents or outside influence, I tend to dive into artists' discographies at weird spots. For me, what it came down to was, as I stated before, it s simply a great album of enjoyable songs. No pretense about it - here's some songs that are pretty good, will have you singing along and that are damn enjoyable. Also, the album has one of the best flows of any album I've heard. Great sequencing.

I don't know what about this album made me like it so much but hearing it had a MAJOR impact on me. It was one of those albums where I could listen to it at least several times a week and still find myself enjoying it. The vocals on Leave It are mindblowing. Hearing that really messed with me

From there I moved onto, and subsequently fell in love with Big Generator (which I look greatly forward to defending) and Talk. I then moved backwards to the 70s.

90125 got me interested in Yes and if it wasn't for this album Id never've heeard CTTE or Relayer. Simple as that. Ok, I had an ongoing romance with The Yes Album at the same time as this, but 90125 was just....wooah Yes, I am biased


PS. Long enough already, but I just remembered that I may have fallen in love with 90125 to begin with because I saw the Director's cut version of 9012LIVE. Its only 9 tracks, but that is one of the most enjoyable concert vids I've ever seen and I watched the crap out of it around that time.

 

Some great observations and interesting facts about your "Yes History". I look forward to your comments from here on. Welcome to the thread.

 

1. Yes S/T

2.Time And A Word

3. The Yes Album

4. Yours Is No Disgrace Song Structure Breakdown

5. Fragile

6. Roundabout Song Structure Breakdown

7. Close to the Edge-Part I

8. Close to the Edge-Part II

9. Close to the Edge-Part III

10. CTTE Song Breakdown-The Solid Time of Change

11. CTTE Song Breakdown-Total Mass Retain

12. CTTE Song Breakdown-I Get Up, I Get Down

13. CTTE Song Breakdown-Seasons of Man

14. Yessongs

15. TFTO-Part I

16. The Revealing Science of God Song Breakdown

17. TFTO Parts II-IV

18. Relayer Part I

19. Relayer-Part II

20. Sound Chaser Song Breakdown

21. Relayer Part III

22. Yesterdays

23. Beginnings by Steve Howe

24. Fish Out Of Water by Chris Squire

25. Olias Of Sunhillow by Jon Anderson

26. Going For The One

27. Awaken Song Breakdown

28. Rick Wakeman-The Six Wives of Henry the VIII

29. Tormato

30. Drama

31. The Story of I by Patrick Moraz

32. Yesshows

33. Ramshackled by Alan White-Review by Mike B

34. 90125

35. Song of Seven by Jon Anderson

36. Classic Yes

37. Animation by Jon Anderson

 

I think this track is about the least Yes like thing they have released. Take away Jon Anderson's distinctive vocal tone and this could be absolutely anybody mediocre from that era. It also positively screams "I am painting by numbers trying to write a hit and create a stereotypical MTV video because I had a hit on my last album and the suits are making me try to write another, and even sent me to a songwriting course they found on the back of a matchbook, because they realize that first hit was a complete fluke."

Look, I am not a progressive rock snob. I am a huge fan of good pop and power pop, and could listen to groups like Abba, The Bee Gees, The Knack, Badfinger, The Monkees and The Partridge Family for hours on end and experience sheer delight. But this isn't even catchy it's just cliche. Sorry, but I got into Yes to get away from stuff like this.

This was the first Yes album I made a decision not to buy upon release, although I did pick it up decades later.

 

Thank you Perfect timing for me to jump on board. I've been reading through the massive Rolling Stones threads and wish I were around for some of them

 

Rfreeman - I definitely get the point you make and your views are totally valid, but I really love Love Will Find a Way. But then again, I'm the guy that LOVES Big Generator as much as Close To The Edge and Drama

I gotta say, BG gets bashed a lot but I really don't think it deserves half the crap it gets. The songs aren't bad at all for what they were aiming to be (90125 Pt. 2, per the record company's wishes, etc) and I think it is just as cohesive an album as 90125

Simply basing the album off of 90125 and not the Yes legacy from the 70s, while not excusing its flaws, I think can help one appreciate the album more. Think of it as if 90125 wasn't really Yes (I still prefer Cinema as a title for this incarnation and think it could've worked good) and was really the debut by Cinema. If this is a case of second album syndrome, it'd be the best damn case ever.

In all seriousness though, the biggest issue I think is the album's lengthy gestation period and all the politics surrounding its recording after the smash of OOALH/90125

Everyone wanted 90125 pt. 2 and well, thats pretty much what they got. In a good way. Its the sequel to the smash blockbuster, but no sequel is ever as good as the original. But this is one where it could be said it falls flat based on the expectations of a sequel alone.

The consistent production from 90125 to BG certainly helps the album, IMO, considering 1987 produced some HORRIFIC surrounding albums. By late 80s standards, BG sounds damn fine. I love the punch of Alan's drums.

Final Eyes
I'm Running
Rhythm Of Love
Love Will Find a Way
Shoot High Aim Low

That's 5/8 of the album and that 5/8, IMO, is as good as anything on 90125.

Big Generator
Almost Like Love
Holy Lamb

Those are three B-rate songs for the album, but are still damn enjoyable if you can let your artistic expectations fall to the side. I'd rate Holy Lamb higher, but it sounds like too much of a forced throwback to Soon and other 70s Yes tracks.

One thing I always see overlooked is the fact that they might've felt more comfortable using the Yes name again after the success of the previous album and started to throw in subtle prog bits/tendencies here and there. Shoot High, Holy Lamb, the instrumentation and relative complexity of Im Running.

I feel people expect too much from the album sometimes - what do you expect? 90126? I would too, but alas 'twas not to be. So, 5 great YesWest songs and 3 very enjoyable filler makes a pretty good B+ in my opinion.

If 90125 didn't exist and BG were in its place, I might even rate it higher for historical/contextual reasons, but, as I mentioned, the fact that this album tries so hard to be 90126 (and does so pretty good) really hampers it. Instead of progressing they got kinda forced into making it as is.

Still though, one of my top ten Yes album definitely - probably in my top 5 or 6 as far as personal enjoyment is concerned.

 

I enjoy Final Eyes, I'm Running, and Shoot High Aim Low, so the album has some redeeming features.
I guess that if someone can get joy out of Love Will Find A Way, then that's a net positive.
Do you like the video too?
Are you also a fan of We Built This City? That's about the closest thing to this tune, to my ears.

 

I don't mind the video. It's certainly not as bad as some other videos from the era *COUGHH* Kiss videos *COUGH*

I like We Built This City, but that production is godawful.....It does sound similar to LWFAW, and Starship and Yes both share a certain vocal prowess evident on both tracks, but LWFAW just sounds so much better sonically that its hard to mix them up to my ears