Yes - The Yes Album

This is the Yes album that I would recommend to people who like quality rock music, but aren't necessarily into prog rock. In short, it's their most tasteful album! It's full of plain good songs, with instrumental playing that is interesting and varied without ever being overblown or pretentious. The musicians all blend together perfectly - new guitarist Steve Howe interplaying nicely with Chris Squire's bass and the choppy organs of Tony Kaye. Anderson and Squire's vocal harmonies are pleasingly jazzy. It's all positive and uplifting - "Yours is No Disgrace" has a driving energy, while the contrasting sections of "Starship Trooper" are perfectly timed. "I've Seen All Good People" begins with an catchy strum full of cheesy (and outrageously hippy) chess metaphors, and ends with an equally infectious repeated vocal harmony theme.

The peace-and-love feel and the production might make it sound old-fashioned, but it's full of strong tunes and playing and absolutely no prog-rock bloat.

November 5, 2003

8 out of 10

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