Tales from Topographic Oceans Review

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(More customer reviews)I can imagine the time when this album first came out. Yes fans must have praised the album for its daring, its ingenuity, its LENGTH. Now I can imagine things ten years later, with rock critics ridiculing the album for everything from its mystic lyrics, pompous songwriting, indulgent musicianship... everything for which progressive rock has been derided. Even Yes' diehard fans have decidedly mixed feelings regarding this epic work. To them, it could be the pinnacle achievement of Yes' estimable career, or it could the be the most grandiloquent album EVER.
Time and time again I've tried to empathize with those who dislike this album, thinking that perhaps their criticisms have some merit. Still, I can't get over the fact that this is truly excellent work. I think the music is simply sublime, many of the most wonderful passages that Yes ever recorded. Not as cohesive as the epics on "Close to the Edge" (still my favorite Yes album), but certainly more dynamic, it takes countless listens to fully appreciate. Even 25 years after its release, I'm still finding new elements to this richly absorbing work.
It's all anchored by that awesome rhythm section of Alan White's drums and Chris Squire's mammoth bass guitar, while Wakeman's lush synthesizers add ambiance and depth, and Steve Howe's guitar artistry is sophisticated and engaging. Jon Anderson's trippy lyrics and soulful, radiant singing are topnotch. Although the lyrics are mostly confusing, I believe their meanings are meant to be vague. They rely on surreal and romantic imagery to generate feeling in the listener in musical context. It doesn't really matter because the lyrics attain an emotional connection regardless of what they are actually about. I've always believed that Yes' individual elements are impressive, but less important than the unified result of their efforts.
The songs could enjoin a complete review for each one, as each song is brimming with depth and complexity. "The Revealing Science of God" is absolutely spellbinding. From the moment you hear the unmistakable thematic development in the vocal section at the beginning, you know it's going to be something great. A mostly placid epic that occasionally drives into fast-paced energy. Approaching the song's finale, this one climaxes with a mind-bending solo from Wakeman. Cryptic lyrics focused on metaphysical objective values (I think; who really knows?) are tied some of the group's best arrangements.
"The Remembering" is a standout for Rick Wakeman. There's moments of fierce swirling synths and mellotrons, and him and Howe alternately repeat the song's main theme on different instruments. Lots of memorable melodies here, and the song gets pretty intense at times (like the "Relayer" passages).
"The Ancient" is the most difficult song to appreciate. Because most of the vocals are relegated to the ending of this 18-minute beast, its heavy focus on abstruse instrumentation bores many people. I can't help but be captivated, however. I'm a huge fan of music that implements Eastern influences, and this track is filled with them. Dominantly Middle Eastern, the band shows incredible versatility in their endeavor to underscore the idiosyncratic beauties of these cultures. Towards the end of the song, Howe's acoustic wizardry is displayed. Awesome!
"Ritual" is a sprawling piece that is very symphonic at times. A lengthy instrumental passage opens this one, and just when you think the track is starting to meander, it gets back on track. This one never gets too pretentious, and it's beautifully melodic and excitingly played and arranged. At the 15-minute mark, there's this unforgettable orchestral interlude with devastating percussion and harrowing strings (synthed, of course). The ending is gorgeous, with clean electric guitar/piano interplay and Anderson's delicate vocals.
Like complex jazz, some of Yes' music is far too esoteric to be appreciated by everyone. That's perfectly fine. I don't consider myself intellectually superior to the many who have no taste for this admittedly convoluted work of music. Still, it moves me, it engrosses me, and it never bores me. It may not tap the conventional spirit of music, but to me, that's part of what makes it special. I wouldn't want it any other way.
(If I've bored you, blame no one but yourself. You read the whole review, so it's your own damn fault! ;-)

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TALES FROM TOPOGRAPHIC OCEANS YESDisc 11 The Revealing Science of God - Dance of the Dawn 20:232 The Remembering - High the Memory 20:35Disc 21 The Ancient - Giants Under the Sun 18:372 Ritual - Nous Sommes du Soleil 21:33

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Magnification Review

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(More customer reviews)First , let me qualify this review by stating briefly that I am a professional sound engineer/producer with numerous CD projects to my credit (though none exceptionally ambitous), and a long-time fan of progressive rock music as well as a great variety of other genres. I first sampled the new album by downloading the MP3 for "We Agree" I was sitting at my studio console and decided to give the track a listen through my old-school but trusted JBL 4311 studio monitors. I was immediately impressed by the overall excellence of the recording, which without doubt sets a new standard for quality in audio production for a "popular music" group. As the track progressed I could not help but become emotionally involved in the movements presented by the orchestral arrangements and when it was all over I simply sat quietly in amazement, overwhelmed by he entire experience. The entire piece lasted but a few minutes and left me feeling as though I had just sat through a great film, or read a good book. I felt moved to tears...something no piece of music has ever done to me in my 40+ years. Undoubtedly, it doesn't' hurt to have a film score arranger collaborate on the tracks, but that alone is not a recipe for success! My curiosity aroused, wanted to experience the entire album ASAP but not as a MP3 translation of the real thing...It wasn't enough to simply go and find all the songs on the net and download the goods...I had to actually buy the album because I wanted to hear it as it was intended to be heard!!! Record Companies take note!!! When your product is this good you stand to lose a lot less money to the Napsters of the world. There is nary a weak moment on this album and in this reviewer's opinion is at the cutting edge of anything Yes has released since their early days. Along with the overall sonic excellence...It simply has to be heard! Put on your best headphones, turn the lights down and the volume up, and prepare to be transported.....No, you probably can't hum or whistle the "Hit Single" on your way to work, but as a collective piece of work it simply has to be experienced. The arrangements compel the listener to simply surrender to the moment and be carried into a world of audio fantasy that plays out in one's imagination. It would be a shame to have to be subjected to a video of any of these pieces as it would more than likely remove the listener/viewer somewhat from their own interpretation of the superbly crafted imagery woven into the fabric of this work. This is the best constructed album I have had the pleasure of listening to in years! but it shouldn't end there...plans are in the works to release "Magnification" on DVD audio in 5.1 mix! Should this indeed be realized, audiophiles take note: I predict the DVD audio release of this album will set the standard by which all others shall be judged for some time to come! And I will buy the DVD as well!
In short, a must-have album for any YES fan, and for anyone who is even remotely interested in audio production and arranging ... you can't afford to miss this! A real pleasure cruise....
Oh.... if you want music to dance to....you have probably never heard of YES anyway.....

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Yes - Yessongs (1994) Review

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(More customer reviews)The value of this DVD of the group, shot in December 1972 at London's Rainbow Theatre, depends entirely on your perspective -- Yes music fan or technophile.
While it is true that the audio (uncompressed 48k 16-bit PCM) is barely above bootleg quality and the video is grainy and contains some ticks and scratches, this movie captures the group in their prime and is valuable to those interested in the early 70's period -- especially those of us that were too young to see them live.
The camera work is good and captures, in colorful, moody closeups, each band member doing their thing. At several points in some of the songs ('Close To The Edge' in particular) images of microbial life are introduced, enhancing the organic qualities of the music.
The musical performance is excellent with especially good guitar work from Steve Howe.
While certainly not a candidate for showing off your new DVD player to your friends, Yessongs is a valuable document of the group in the early 70's.

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Experience the pure power of Yes on their 1973 world tour, featuring the classic lineup of Jon Anderson, Steve Howe, Chris Squire, Rick Wakeman and Alan White. London's Rainbow Theatre reverberates with the energy of the legendary rock group as they perform many of their signature mood pieces from the "Fragile" and "Close to the Edge" albums. You haven't seen this classic rock group until you see them live. Songs: Your Move/I've Seen All Good People, The Clap, And You and I, Close to the Edge, The Six Wives of Henry VIII [excerpt], Roundabout, Yours is No Disgrace, Starship Trooper [excerpt].

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Yes - Symphonic Live (2002) Review

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(More customer reviews)On November 21st and 22nd 2001 Yes visited the Heineken Music Hall in Amsterdam and gave 2 concerts ... the 2nd one ... was filmed and is now available on video and DVD. ... the DVD version [has] a beautiful mix of band and orchestra ... The DTS sound gives it all an extra dimension .
The concert starts with an overture by the orchestra, that is not visible at that moment. The background is a Roger Dean-like landscape.
After the intro the band starts with the epic Close to the Edge and, immediately, you sense the asset the orchestra is for this song. It brought tears in my eyes from emotion to see young orchestra members with such dedication to music that was written before they were even born. Also on screen there appear icons for animation in the background and there are multiple camera-angles in this song possible.
Next is Long Distance Runaround from the Fragile album with a beautiful orchestra opening that is really an asset to the song.
From the new album Magnification they played Don't go first. I think it's not their most powerful track of the album and it surprised me the song did it live very well.
In the Presence Off, also from their latest album, are, together with Dreamtime, my favourites. In arrangement and length it's a 2001 Yes semi-epic.
Then, oh my God, finally, after all these years, Gates of Delirium is been introduced. Together with C.T.T.E this is the mother of all Yes epics. Tom Brislin really showed his craftsmanship in the "war" part of the song. This is a perfect song to play with an orchestra and you can hear that they do a perfect job in the changeover from the "war" part to the "peace" part of the song .Soon oh Soon let's the song end in a sea of tranquillity. Multi-camera angles and animations of war are also visible during this song.
After this epic we are attended by maestro Steve Howe and he entertains us with his guitar virtuoso by playing two songs of his solo albums.
Another golden oldie is Starship Trooper from the Yesalbum. During this song the orchestra has leave of absence and immediately you get an "unplugged" feeling when they are not there. The harmonies are perfect in this song and the only drawback is the shifting from the 1st layer to the second layer on the DVD and the lack of the Wakeman solo on his moog during the end of the song because Brislin played it a little thin in my opinion.
Anderson states that the day before they played the next song for the first time live and he introduces the title track of their last album; Magnification. One of the highlights of their album and played perfectly on stage.
It's back to 1972 with And You And I. Played live a zillion times but never lost it's charisma. In the multi-camera angle you can see animation with 2 robots.
If you haven't seen this, you ain't seen nothing yet ; Ritual, from the "Tales" album is one of the four tracks of this double album and one of two, for me, accessible tracks. The drum part in the middle with Anderson, Squire, Brislin and White makes it an attraction of the first order. What an energy pours out of that song!
From the time of it's first release on the Yesalbum "I,ve Seen All Good People"has always been a great rock song that survived decades of rock history. So get up and boogie: as Anderson says in the intro to the audience.
... with all the cameras rolling, Steve had to make concessions and "Owner" was played before the last song from this evening; Roundabout from the Fragile album. During this song the stage is filled with all the members of the orchestra waving and dancing on the music and expressing their joy of being part of performing in timeless music by a timeless band.
Yes, what a wonderful, magical evening it was. Every bit of it captured on a perfect DVD.

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With a Symphony Orchestra: Universally admired for their considerable studioprowess, British Supergroup, Yes have also been most famous for their unparalleled live s hows.Yes pioneered the use of lasers, elaborate fantasy art inspired sets, "In-the-Round " revolving stages, the best sound engineering in the business and of course, their extrao rdinary musicianship.They've been blowing audiences away for over three decades.

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Drama Review

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(More customer reviews)The "Drama" album will always be somewhat of an oddity in the Yes catalogue, for no other reason that it is the only album in Yes' 35 years that does not feature leadsinger Jon Anderson. If, however, you can get beyond this, you will discover that "Drama", much like its predecessor "Tormato" is actually a lot better than belies its reputation.
The "Expanded and Remastered" version of Drama (16 tracks; 79 min.) starts of with the original 6 tracks of the album. Among the best tracks: "Machine Massiah" is a return to the 10 min. epic tracks of earlier in their career, albeit with the guitars much more upfront. "Into the Lens" is an 8. min. romper (and later was redone as "I Am a Camera" by the Buggles). "Run Through the Light", a minor hit, is a super-catchy power-ballad.
The bonus tracks go from the unnecessary (single versions of "Into the Lens" and "Run Through the Light") to the mildy interesting (instrumentals "Have We Really Got to Go Trough With This" and "Song No.4 (Satellite)", to the fascinating last 4 tracks. Those tracks are from the Roy Thomas Baker (famed for producing Queen era-"Bohemian Rhapsody") sessions with Jon Anderson and Rick Wakeman from the Fall of 1979 that eventually were abandoned. It gives a nice insight to what might have been the "logical" successor to "Tormato", but assuming that these tracks in fact were the best from those sessions, it's easy to see why the band didn't pursue them. "Golden Age" is the standout song of the four.
In all, I cannot give enough compliments to Rhino, which has done an absolute outstanding job not only with the "Drama" reissue, but with the reissue of the Yes catalogue in general. Lines notes, remastering, bonus tracks, it's all here. Even if "Drama" isn't on your top wish list of Yes albums, you'll nevertheless enjoy this particular reissue.

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Japanese SHM paper sleeve pressing. The SHM-CD [Super High Material CD] format features enhanced audio quality through the use of a special polycarbonate plastic. Using a process developed by JVC and Universal Music Japan discovered through the joint companies' research into LCD display manufacturing* SHM-CDs feature improved transparency on the data side of the disc* allowing for more accurate reading of CD data by the CD player laser head. SHM-CD format CDs are fully compatible with standard CD players. 2009.--This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

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Omega Review

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(More customer reviews).
First off let's dipense with the following critiques...
1) They are old.
The alternative is to quit or die, so cool it with calling them old. They are old. We get it.
2) They have forgotten their Prog roots.
Asia is the only Pop/Prog band ever. That is what they do, so stop pretending that they should be YesELPcrimsonbuggles. They are Asia.
3) They are not as good as the 1980's.
In 1982 the critics hated even the debut hit "Asia" because it was too much Pop and not enough Prog. Additioanally, the "prog snobs" should hate it. In fact, they hate most everything that has melody, harmony or sounds good. Make no mistake this CD is well written, well performed, pure rock ear candy.
If you are an Asia fan, you already have the CD. If you are a casual fan and can't decide...buy it NOW! The music is classic Asia with better than ever sound quality. Listen with headphones and be prepared to be carried off to pop/prog heaven that only Asia can deliver. It just sounds good, check it out.
Wetton is singing better than ever, and as always the driver with his cutting bass. His amazing voice has gotten even richer. You cannot mistake the Steve Howe sound, and it is evident on every track especially "Emily". Palmer is spot on as always and really cannot be appreciated until you don the headphones. Downes fills the canvas behind Howe Wetton and Palmer. Downes, as always, is awesome on this CD.
On any CD I look for 2 to 3 strong tracks. Omega delivers 5! All are airtime ready, but won't get any. The haunting "There Was A Time" has a King Crimson sound and is the best "Proggy" song on the CD. "Finger on the Trigger, "Holy War", and "Listen Children" would all be hits if these were the 1980's. That said ALL TRACKS ARE VERY GOOD. Buy this CD. NOT The DOWNLOAD. GET THE REAL SOUND. (Rip it only if you must jog)
***** Track Ratings*****
1. Finger on the Trigger *****5
2. Through My Veins ***3
3. Holy War *****5
4. Ever Yours ***3
5. Listen Children *****5
6. End of the World ***3
7. Light The Way ****4
8. Emily (bonus track) ****4
9. Still The Same ***3
10. There Was a Time *****5
11. I Believe *****5
12. Don't Wanna Lose You Now ****4
For the first time since the debut ASIA in '82 the band chose an outside producer. Mark Paxman does a great job crafting the sound and is a great addition. The production quality is amazing. The harmonizing that Asia has always done sounds even better on Omega.
This is the BEST ASIA ALBUM. Asia's debut album will always be viewed (like Boston's) as the standard by which the rest are measured. I say the standard is now OMEGA! ENJOY!

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2010 album from the Prog Rock supergroup featuring all four original members: John Wetton (King Crimson/UK), Steve Howe (Yes), Carl Palmer (ELP) and Geoffrey Downes (The Buggles). While the band was an enormous success when they debuted in 1982, the original quartet fractured and Howe left in 1984. It wasn't until 2006 that the original foursome reconvened for a tour and then a new studio album in 2008.Two years on from that album, Omega finds all four members at a new creative peak. First pressing limited edition digipak including 1 bonus track!Frontiers.

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The Directors Cut (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)There are two complete yesshows in this 2dvd set. Both concerts were taken from Yes' 2003 European tour. The first of the two shows was recorded in Birmingham UK and is mixed with mini interviews of the band and the second is an outdoor show from the Glastonbury Festival. Excellent concerts of progressive rock from the classic lineup of Yes - Jon Anderson, Steve Howe, Chris Squire, Alan White & Rick Wakeman. If you like Yes you'll love these dvds.
The Setlist:
01) Siberian Khatru
02) Magnification
03) Don't Kill The Whale
04) In The Presence Of
05) We Have Heaven
06) South Side Of The Sky
07) And You And I
08) To Be Over
09) Clap
10) Show Me
11) Wakeman Solo
12) Heart Of The Sunrise
13) Long Distance Runaround
14) The Fish
15) Awaken
16) I've Seen All Good People
17) Roundabout

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From the footage of the 2003 world tour that didn't make into the original edit, we present 'Yes - The Director's Cut'.Recorded live during the 35th Anniversary World Tour, this is the 'wonderous' songs and the 'wonderous' stories of YES, the world's fi

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Yes: Classic Artists (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)One thing you could never accuse Yes of is restraint. The same band that gave us double albums consisting of four song titles has now released their `authorized' biography, and it is almost as overwhelmingly self-indulgent as "Tales of Topographic Oceans" - but I wouldn't want it any other way. I loved Yes in the `70s. They were such a unique animal that they stood apart from virtually anything else on the scene at that time, and to be sure, no other band ever really approached their combination of intelligence and overkill. The Roger Dean-designed cover for this package promises something extraordinary, as if the old band had somehow turned back the time machine to the days of their classic era. Of course, that would be impossible, but there are elements of this collection that revive old sentiments for the band most responsible for creating `progressive rock'.
Except for background and severely edited bits, the first disk contains virtually no music at all. Instead, the disk rambles on for three and one-half hours of interviews with virtually every bandmember. You could play "The Yes Album" six times in the amount of time it takes to view the interviews on disk one. "Gone With the Wind" is concise in comparison, but the interviews are nonetheless fascinating. Once you get past the visual image of how each member has aged (Chris Squire was almost unrecognizable to me), it becomes apparent that 200+ minutes of interviews is appropriate for a band known for its bombast and sprawling vision. Each member is extraordinarily honest and candid in their recollections, and amusing as well. The video is edited extremely well, switching from person to person with a continuity that allows us to see various aspects of the same story. It is wonderful to see each member speak with candor, and fans will get to know each bandmember in ways that were previously impossible.
As if that weren't enough, a second disk contains an additional hour or so of edited interview footage, which is complete overkill. Comparatively, the music content is paltry, with three vintage videos (that are hilarious in retrospect) and some low-tech, extraneous rehearsal footage dating from 1996. In short, the entire package revolves around whether or not you care to hear the bandmembers recount the convoluted story of one of rock and roll's most tumultuous bands. It is long (and long-winded), but it is also a wondrous story.B+Tom Ryan

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The story of Yes is as controversial as their music. The twists and turns of the band's career is now told for the first time in a series of exclusive interviews with Yes members past and present for this definitive and fully authorized DVD documentary. Praised and criticized for defining progressive rock, Yes have been surprising and delighting worldwide audiences for over five decades. On record and on stage, Yes created a fresh sound and striking visuals, blending genres and using state of the art technology to push boundaries, winning legions of new fans with each album. Tracing the musical journey from their debut album Yes (1969) until Magnification (2001) and beyond, the story of Yes is told by the members themselves in exclusive new interviews. The battle for recognition, the turmoil and upheaval, the stunts and pranks are revealed here and illustrated by archive performances, photographs and original music, including "Roundabout," "I've Seen All Good People," "Siberian Khatru" and "Owner Of A Lonely Heart." Produced with full cooperation from the band, this documentary captures the musical vision and craftsmanship that continue to make Yes one of the great pioneers of sound. 2-DVD set is packed with original music, rare and unseen photographs from personal collections, performance archive, music promos, and includes 20 page full color booklet.

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