Random Artist Feature: Yes

8/14/16 2:30AM

24 minute video which again, longer than I'd prefer, but would almost rather do 1 longer than 2 shorter I suppose. Lot of ground to cover, etc.



6/28/16 6:24PM




Yes
Time and a Word
The Yes Album
Fragile
Close to the Edge
Tales from Topographic Oceans
Relayer

Significant Albums: Yes - Relayer (1974)

This is my favorite Yes record. Patrick Moraz is a very big reason for that. The wall of sound he created on this was really, like no other I've ever heard. I wonder how many synth/keyboard tracks were used on "The Gates of Delirium?" Maybe dozens.

I guess I'm not going to try and give my entire history with the band Yes with this, but I can say, originally I never got totally into Yes. I liked Roundabout and a few of their other tracks, and then I checked out Tales from Topographic Oceans and was more or less turned off.

Maybe a year or two later, I ended up picking up Close to the Edge, Fragile and this album, and had all of them inside the Jukebox cd player I got from Best Buy. And I often would fall asleep listening to music at random on that thing. I had a dream or two where some of their music seemed to be in, in the background, etc. Close to the Edge I recall specifically. But I think it was at that point, I was convinced to invest the time into their music more so.

That was probably around 1999 or 2000. And then I met some friends, 1 specifically, from being on KFAI, named Creighton. Creighton and I attended Nearfest together along with some other friends named Tim and Gino. And of course we'd listen to music during the non-concert time periods, and I specifically remember Tim playing Relayer, and "The Gates of Delirium" specifically, a handful of times on those trips. I think it may have partially had to do with the fact Yes were on the "Masterworks" tour in 2000 and played TGoD, and then I think the next year they played it as well (with an Orchestra/String section?). And I remember the show in Chicago was free and we went on KFAI just after Nearfest and Tim mentioned that show.

Sadly, I did not end up seeing shows on either of those tours. It was a budget thing, but I'd be lying if I didn't admit to regretting it.

So, I just ended up listening to this record a lot in that time period. I listened to a lot more Yes in the early 2000's than any other time. But this album I just seemed to go back to the most. I kind of see it as Yes at their most virtuosic, at least "The Gates of Delirium" was. And it was their most experimental while still not losing focus for the song/part/melody etc.

TGOD is just a trip. It features quite complex/multiple-tracks of guitars and keyboard textures that at times almost sound like guitars. It's a roller coaster really. And at times a battle of sound and echo or call-and-response between Howe, Moraz and even Squire at times.

Lyrically, I know it's some-of, if not the darkest stuff Jon Anderson has ever written. My Yes-savant friend John mentioned when we played it on KFAI, how the Vietnam war likely served much inspiration/influence for the lyrics.

"Listen, should we fight forever...
Kill them, give them as they give us..
The fist will run, grasp metal to gun"


The whole battle section is intense and heavy. I think the way it is so heavy, made me grasp onto it like I would progressive metal. Even though John would call it more in the Jazz-Rock vein. I just always hear the different sections getting more intense and layered so-to-speak, which makes it come across louder and thus, heavier to me.

And of course it all closes with the gorgeous ballad section of "Soon," which is just so fitting. It may be my favorite Yes ballad of sorts anyway.

But, so I was at that point, being floored by TGoD and then got to taking in both "Sound Chaser" and "To Be Over," which were both quite different tunes from TGoD, but they seemed to work really well on this record.

Moraz also was featured largely on "Sound Chaser", and it admittedly, has some of the oddest use of minor keys, at least within the composition of a Rock song. The whole "cha cha cha, cha cha" at 1st I thought was cheesy, but then started to enjoy more and more. And like on Gates, it seemed Steve Howe uses refrains and echoes to the songs advantage. It almost sounds like a Jimmy Page approach. I guess I'm a sucker for a guitar texture, when it sounds cool, used to its fullest.

And the rhythms are almost dance-able in a way.Squire and White I think get overlooked on this album.

"To Be Over" is very unlike the other two pieces on here, but works really well as the last act of this record. It's a gorgeous piece that I never find drags or overstays its welcome. The pacing and tone is perfect. The pedal-steel guitar is anthemic I kind of see it as the happy closing chapter to this journey. The way To Be Over introduces the uplifting moods, it's almost spiritual. Yes often can get deep, almost too deep for me like on a track like "Awaken." But on "To Be Over" the balance of enlightening instrumental tones and how the vocals are used, never gets too deep for me. The vocals are kind of less is more in that sense, especially the way the keys and guitars make more or less every second of this song. The ending even with the background chants with the pedal-steel is as enjoyable a part of the whole record.

I probably will also think of Hawaii and in 2003, Yes played it there, (with a string section?), and I wanted to go, but also wanted to go to New York City to see Mike Portnoy play Led Zeppelin tunes. And it was in September I think, and going to Hawaii when it's warm in Minnesota seemed slightly less beneficial, than in say in January?. So, I went to see Hammer of the Gods in NYC instead, but damn, seeing Yes play "To Be Over" in Hawaii I'm sure would have been a memory I'd never forget.

Relayer, it just seemed/still seems to be the right length, approach to songs, textures, studio production. Despite Moraz replacing Wakeman and it only being the 2nd record with Alan White. I have always felt it just all came together, kind of when Yes was in transition, on the heals of the much polarized Tales. I also love the Drama record, so maybe for me, I find my favorite Yes, is the Yes when they aren't exactly like the Yes many people know and enjoy them for? lol

Maybe this album and that idea has something to do with a response to adversity? Or maybe it was having Patrick Moraz bring some new ideas to the band at that time?

Yes included 4 tracks of 20 minutes a piece on Tales, but this album only had 1 song over 20 minutes. In a way, it's sort of improving on the idea of Tales in some ways, in, instead of including 4 side-long pieces, just get all the best ideas into 1 side long piece? and then the other 2 pieces work as slightly shorter, but complement the 1 extensive piece? At least just from a comparison and reflection to their last record.

I also think it was kind of a studio experiment that worked extremely well, but when done live, maybe not so much. Gates is on Yesshows, and I have never found it to be as engaging as the studio track. Which ironically, most of the stuff on Yessongs, I like more in some ways. But, Bruford vs White, Wakeman vs Moraz live, etc. maybe had something to do with that.

Yes - Summer 2013 Tour includes a date at Mystic Lake!

They're playing 3 complete albums on their Summer tour as they have been doing this Spring tour.

The Yes Album
Close to the Edge
Going For the One
.
It's been quite awhile since Yes actually played in Minnesota, in the Twin Cities Metro Area. I think the last show was the 2004 Target Center show with Dream Theater.

Mystic Lake's website link
Now in order to get any special "presale" opportunities, you have to signup for the "Mystic Email Club" newsletter, which I did, begrudgingly. Although I am wondering/hoping my mom, who frequents Mystic, and at times gets deals/discounts on concerts there, will be able to allow me to save on tickets for this show. We'll see, but it will be nice to finally see them again, on Friday August 9th.





07/06 Paso Robles, CA Vina Robles Amphitheatre
07/07 Saratoga, CA Mountain Winery
07/09 Phoenix, AZ Celebrity Theatre
07/10 Anaheim, CA City National Grove of Anaheim
07/12 Las Vegas, NV Pearl Concert Theater @ the Palms
07/13 Jackson, CA Jackson Rancheria Casino Resort
07/14 San Diego, CA Humphreys Concerts by the Bay
07/18 Jackson, MS Thalia Mara Hall
07/19 Birmingham, AL BJCC Concert Hall
07/20 Huntsville, AL Von Braun Concert Hall
07/21 Atlanta, GA Symphony Hall
07/23 Charlottesville, VA nTelos Wireless Pavilion
07/24 Washington, DC Warner Theatre
07/25 Morristown, NJ Mayo Performing Arts Center
07/27 Holyoke, MA Mountain Park
07/28 Port Chester, NY Capitol Theatre
07/30 Montreal, QC Place des Arts
07/31 Westbury, NY Theatre at Westbury
08/04 Munhall, PA Carnegie Music Hall of Homestead
08/07 Cleveland Heights, OH Cain Park
08/08 West Allis, WI Wisconsin State Fair - Main Stage
08/09 Prior Lake, MN Mystic Lake Casino
08/10 Mt Pleasant, MI Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort
08/12 Indianapolis, IN Murat Theatre @ Old National Centre

Yes - Fly From Here (2011) (1.0)

6/13/11 3:50PM
Single "We Can Fly"



not bad, but since it's 4 minutes and the whole song/suite is like 24 minutes, it's hard to tell how good this will be. I will say, Benoit David doesn't sound bad, almost like a slightly lower version of Trevor Horn.

6/3/11 12:08PM



2:54 Sample of "Fly From Here." I haven't heard it since I'm at work. L8ter.


5/24/11 1:21AM

Yesfans.com topic
Wikipedia page
Japanese Listing June 22nd Release (although July 12th is the Frontiers Records release Date)



1. Fly from Here - Overture
2. Fly from Here - Pt I - We Can Fly
3. Fly from Here - Pt II - Sad Night at the Airfield
4. Fly from Here - Pt III - Madman at the Screens
5. Fly from Here - Pt IV - Bumpy Ride
6. Fly from Here - Pt V - We Can Fly (reprise)
7. The Man You Always Wanted Me to Be
8. Life on a Film Set
9. Hour of Need
10. Solitaire
11. Into the Storm

3/15/11 3:19AM



This is the title of apparently their upcoming full-length, that is projected to be released in July.

"“At the moment, we just finished recording our first studio album since 2001,” Chris Squire said during a phone interview last week.


[...] [Which] would be called “Fly From Here.”


“It’s the title of the main song,” he said.


Squire also confirmed [...] Trevor Horn produced the album. The players, Squire continued, would be the same one attendees will see on stage when the band performs Friday [...]:


Guitarist Steve Howe, drummer Alan White, keyboardist Oliver Wakeman, lead singer Benoit David and Squire.


Except for one change.


At Horn’s insistence, “Fly from Here” will feature [...] Geoffrey Downes on keyboards, as opposed to Wakeman, Squire said.


“We have no exact date and the album is not even mastered yet,” Yes’ publicist responded via e-mail. “So unfortunately we have no information yet but was told it would be out sometime in July.”




Guitarist Steve Howe, drummer Alan White, keyboardist Oliver Wakeman, lead singer Benoit David and Squire."


"At Horn’s insistence, “Fly from Here” will feature [...] Geoffrey Downes on keyboards, as opposed to Wakeman, Squire said."

Chris Squire, Steve Howe, Alan White, Benoit David along with Oliver Wakeman and Geoff Downes as a guest. Trevor Horn produced it.

I'm going with this Wikipedia link, honestly, because a lot of the press and forum posts are frankly, too unclear and too long to weed through.

The "sequel to Drama" part of this has me curious, since Drama is my 2nd favorite Yes album, and with Downes and Trevor Horn involved, this may be the closest thing the band ever makes to that record.

Benoit David, the jury is out on, despite how well he can sing the Yes catalog live. If Trevor Horn actually does some singing on this album, I will be happy. The song "We Can Fly From Here" I guess is a song from the Drama-period that never was finished, nor was it included on the Drama remaster. But you can check it out here:



I guess it was included on the In A Word boxed set, one that I'm sure most Yes-aholics like a friend of mine, are very familiar with. But being a huge fan of Drama, it is rather cool to hear for the 1st time, despite the obviously lower production quality.

The fact they are re-recording it, and it's going to be an epic, of maybe 11 minutes? I can't deny my curiosity is raised.

Yes are a band who I love a good chunk of their studio work, but most of that, not being post-Drama.. The Ladder, some of the ABWH, and Keys 2 Ascension music ("Mind Drive" namely).

Their last album, 2001's Magnification while wasn't bad, I never got too into. Although it was better than most of their 80's and 90's albums I guess.

But without Jon Anderson and Rick Wakeman, I must admit, I was kind of skeptical about how good this might be. Even with my love of Drama. But now reading some things, and the inclusion of Trevor Horn and Geoff Downes, I must admit, I'm a little more optimistic here.

But I must add, all the *drama* with Yes and their lineup changes, along with even just trying to find some simple, concrete information with this, is frankly, a huge pain in the ass. C'mon guys! it shouldn't be this hard to find specific details about the band and this album.. All the fans on Yesfans.com along with progressiveears.com and some other places keep bickering and speculating things. Trevor Rabin is back? how many songs Downes may play on. Benoit David's role. Blah Blah Blah.

Throw me a fricking bone here I can report! lol. In most cases, it's not all that hard to find this stuff. But in Yes's case, there's way too many reports and opinions that conflict. Why do they always have to be the band with the Soap Opera and fans who all claim to know everything? lol.

I just roll-my-eyes from afar, and wait for the music, rather than get as bent out of shape as so many of their fans seem to do. Thank god.

Yes (the progressive rock band) in 3D?

link

this could be rather interesting (even without Jon and Rick). I wonder if more bands I am into would ever be able to do this. And whether it'll be a movie theater/imax deal, or possibly a web or dvd thing.