rawdon@rex.cs.tulane.edu (Michael Rawdon) (01/17/90)
I recall someone talking last year about the album _Drama_ by YES; some people liking it, others hating it. Having recently bought and heard it, I give it an enthusiastic thumbs up! I find it better than _Fragile_ and _Close_To_The_Edge_ (Bleck!) and marginally worse than _90125_ (I'm not sure where the other YES album I've heard - _Big_Generator_ - its into this; I think I just don't take it seriously). Howe's guitar is some of his best, and while Trevor Horn's vocals aren't as good as Jon Anderson's in sheer tonal quality, he brings a lot of energy to the music that is lacking in Anderson's voice (except on _90125_). Excellent use is made of synthesizers, especially on "Machine Messiah", though it's not particularly better or worse than Rick Wakeman's, just different. The album works because of the feel of mystery it presents, rather than the overblown fantasy compositions spearheaded (apparently) by Anderson. A sense of restraint is apparent, and the album has more coherence to it, better unity of sound. This one has a place of honor in MY CD collection! :-) -- Michael Rawdon | Looking down on the smoke, on the factories Tulane University | 'Till the truth creeps up unseen New Orleans, Louisiana | They see themselves in the faces of their children rawdon@rex.cs.tulane.edu | And realize they too are part of the Machine ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- These opinions my own, and are not intended to represent any sort of objective truth, nor the opinions of any other individual or group. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
jtl@jolnet.ORPK.IL.US (Joe Lynn) (01/17/90)
In article <1850@rex.cs.tulane.edu> rawdon@rex.UUCP (Michael Rawdon) writes: > > {Regarding _Drama_, the Yes album:} >Having recently bought and heard it, I give it an enthusiastic thumbs up! >I find it better than _Fragile_ and _Close_To_The_Edge_ (Bleck!) and >marginally worse than _90125_ (I'm not sure where the other YES album I've >heard - _Big_Generator_ - its into this; I think I just don't take it >seriously). > This goes to show how times have changed. I was in college when Yes' _Drama_ was released, and everyone (many critics included) said that Yes had just bit the big one with the release of this album. _Drama_, of course, came hot on the heels of _Tormato_, the last album (for a while) with Anderson and Wakeman. (If you've never heard _Tormato_, consider yourself one of the lucky few.) I guess I'm just from the old school of Yes; the only Yes CDs I own are _Fragile_ and _Close_To_The_Edge_ (I disagree with the 'Bleck!' comment); I stopped listening to that band after _Drama_, especially since _90125_ just grated on my nerves. --Joe Lynn
brokaw@flamingo.weeg.uiowa.edu (Pete Brokaw) (01/18/90)
In article <2866@jolnet.ORPK.IL.US>, jtl@jolnet.ORPK.IL.US (Joe Lynn) writes: > > I guess I'm just from the old school of Yes; the only Yes CDs I own are > _Fragile_ and _Close_To_The_Edge_ (I disagree with the 'Bleck!' comment); I'd have to include _The Yes Album_ in the list of fine old Yes material (sounds fine on CD, too). How does _Close to the Edge_ on CD compare to the vinyl version (especially the original master LP)? Pete Brokaw, Weeg Computing Center, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242 brokaw@umaxc.weeg.uiowa.edu 319-335-5453
kudla@pawl.rpi.edu (Robert J. Kudla) (01/20/90)
In <2866@jolnet.ORPK.IL.US> jtl@jolnet.ORPK.IL.US (Joe Lynn) writes:
-> with Anderson and Wakeman. (If you've never heard _Tormato_,
-> consider yourself one of the lucky few.)
Jeez, why does every yes fan I've never met deplore Tormato? It was
the third album I ever bought by them (fourth actually, but I had lost
my copy of 90125 by then). It was their first album *ever* to go
Platinum, beating Fragile and Close to the Edge by three years and
90125 by 5. It marked their return to short, concise, rock songs with
a few exceptions. It was very heavy and dark sounding, and the cover
fit it perfectly. It makes ideal music for driving on overcast days.
It has the classic Don't Kill the Whale and Silent Wings of Freedom.
On the downside, it doesn't have any drawn-out masterworks like
Awaken, but it feels so *live*....
In short, it's not my favorite album but I'd rather listen to it than
"Yes" or "Big Generator", and is the closest Yes ever got to the
synth-heavy ABWH sound (though I think the latter is way
overproduced). It's a damn shame that it and Olias aren't on CD.
--
Robert Jude Kudla <kudla@pawl.rpi.edu>
"Famous? I'm not famous. People come up to me after a show and say
'Hey, Steve!'"
-Jon Anderson