On the Mt. Rushmore of the great Prog Rock bands, you must include Yes on the list. When I listen to them, I feel as if I am hearing classical music plugged in. Combine that classical foundation with all of the elements of good rock and roll; blues, jazz, folk, bluegrass, and Yes hits home runs with sweeping symphonic suites. “The Yes Album” is an excellent showcase of this exquisite musical combo executed by musicians in top form. Only six songs long, this record showcases lengthy, complex compositions that still sound as vibrant and invigorating as they did 43 years ago.
Yours is No Disgrace starts the record with a bang. This 9 minute plus opener reminds me of a vast blue sky filled with big, fluffy clouds. Who doesn’t love a gorgeous, spring day with an amazing sky? Next comes the song that doesn’t quite fit on the LP; Clap. Even though I think it doesn’t flow well with the rest of the record, it does demonstrate the guitar virtuosity of Steve Howe. Starship Trooper picks up where Yours is No Disgrace leaves off. Howe again provides brilliant guitar work, Jon Anderson’s great falsetto voice soars, Chris Squire’s bass playing shines like it does throughout the entire album, Bill Bruford’s drumming keeps all of the different rhythmic changes while Tony Kaye completes the quintet with his keyboard contributions.
I think I’ve Seen All Good People may have been what first drew me to Yes. I like how the song is broken into parts; the first being practically acoustic with great vocal harmonies, a Yes trademark, and with not one but two recorders being played. Then, in part two, the band flips the switch and brings an upbeat throw down to the party. The hidden gem on “The Yes Album” is A Venture. It has a more quiet, but cool approach. I love the interplay of all the instruments on the exit ramp of the song.
Ladies and gentlemen, please fasten your safety belts and keep your arms and legs inside the ride until it has come to a complete stop. That seems an appropriate way to describe Perpetual Change. Using unusual and complex time signatures, this little ditty begins in 10/4 time, then throws in a few bars of 7/4(3/4+4/4) and ends up in a slow 3/4 kind of shuffle. At around five minutes in, an instrumental interlude goes into a brisk 7/8 meter. After about a dozen measures, it moves into the left channel or speaker. A gradual crescendo in the right channel brings a counter punch in a slow 14/4 that plays against the fast 7/8. Shortly thereafter, a guitar part enters in yet a third meter. Now there’s something you don’t hear every day.
When I listened to the cassette of “The Yes Album,” I would play side two first. In a way, I think the record plays better that way. I like Starship Trooper as the last number. In fact, I would 86 Clap altogether and flip side a for side b. Ha. Who am I to say really? What I can say for sure is that Yes brings it in spades.
365, Album of the Day 2014 