I just made an awesome car-tape!

[haroldthebarrel]

I just made an awesome tape! One side has Time and a Word on it. The other has Magnification! It's cool because you really see the contrast in the sounds of the orchestra, and I swear it almost sounds like those who wrote for orchestras years ago didn't know what those that do today do. Of course this isn't true, but it sounds like it. Whether it's the recording or the contemporary choice of melodies and such, MAG just sounds better.

But Time and a word is an under-rated album. Astral Traveller alone is enough to make it one of Yes' coolest records. I admit to not listening to this as much as Relayer and all, but I do think it's time this record got more recognition. Especially Live!

[yesskater]

Here here, Harold!!

And how can one not get into "The Prophet"? That is some SERIOUSLY intricate composing.

[briser]

I agree - I still dig this out and listen to it, even did last week.

[Dragonfly]

Yes needs to be cautious about using album titles for songs appearing on those albums. "Magnification" appears to be an anomaly here, but "Time and a Word", "Going For the One", "Big Generator" and "Open You Eyes" all share the distinction of being some of the least satisfying tracks on the albums whose titles they share.

"Time and a Word" takes the cake as, possibly, my least favorite YesTune ever. That's not to say I don't love this album. "Astral Traveler" and "The Prophet" - as haroldthebarrel and yesskater correctly point out - are two of the best songs the band did prior to the CLOSE TO THE EDGE album. These tracks are right up there with "Yours is No Disgrace" and "South Side of the Sky" which appear on the subsequent two albums. Though not nearly as long as "Yours is No Disgrace", "The Prophet" still strikes me as epic in nature. It travels a very circuitous route before the first vocals even appear. There's an awful lot to this piece and each bit is better than the last.

I often wonder what Jon and Chris would do given the chance to work with Peter Banks again. (And don't say "run". I know they're not friendly with him.) Much as I love Steve, I have to wonder what parts Peter wrote on these early works. He did some very dynamic and dissonant work - which I love. His vocals must have been at least as good as Steve’s as there are great harmonies on the first two albums.

Bill Bruford must be given his due on this album as well. "Then" and "Everydays" wouldn't be nearly as good without his drumming - classic stuff with tons of energy!

Dragonfly :yesbird:

[WhiteKnight]

I see this track is often disliked.

I first listened to it in its Yesshows version, and ever since, it has sounded like classic Yes to my ears.

The original version is a little more dated (strongly beatlesque) and of course not on the epic side, but I think it is a honorable member of the short, relatively simple family (e.g., Onwards, Holy Lamb, Nine Voices, Wonderous Stories, etc. - well, yes, WS is a great one at that).

One funny thing is that my elder brother (who introduced to me Yes) used to call this kind of songs "Jon Anderson Christmas songs", like, "We've got the new Yes album... where's the Jon Anderson Christmas song on it?"

Only several years later did I discover that JA had actually recorded a whole album of Christmas songs......

WK

[jcostello]

I like both of the first two Yes albums, although I don't listen to them as often as most other Yes. I usually pull them out once or twice when spring hits, because they work well as a soundtrack to sunny and/or warm days. I've liked the song "Time and a Word" a lot more since 1989, when Jon performed it on the ABWH tour. It's a simple song, but I think it's one of Yes' most beautiful love songs.

Peace, Love, and One Hopeful Romantic's Opinion,

John C.

P.S. I also like the Symphonic Music of Yes album, and I've thought about doing a mix tape with it and Magnification, but I haven't tried it yet. Another idea: I just got "Revealing Songs of Yes: A Tribute to Yes," which has Rick and Adam Wakeman and a bunch of people I've never heard of doing Yes songs, and I've thought about mixing some of those with the three Masterworks "bonus" tracks that come with Magnification. I'll let you know how well that experiment goes.

[Robert Shupe]

Harroldthebarrel - Great idea on putting Magnification and Time And A Word on the same tape/CD.

Now Let Us Review This One

Overall -

There was certainly an improvement in this sophmore effort. The album has a feel of potential to come. In many ways some of the ideas on this work were on that edge of breaking through to something bigger and better. One must wonder what more this record could have been. The orchestration idea would have been fine if it had been a sold idea with all the Yes members. Magnification had the benefit of the Yes members being in full support. None the less the orchestration has some strong moments. Like the first album two songs were covers while the rest were originals showing Yes breaking even more new ground.

Lyrically there is a theme of Time that is not discussed much in reference to this album. The tracks explore different ideas of time such as the past, the present, the future, today, ans so forth. The theme is strong on this album and is reflected in the title. This may seem like an obvious observation but it is not not one talk about.

Production values are lacking on this album in my opinion. The guitar mix is far to low. Peter B. has complained about this but it should also be stated that the low mix is obvious.

The Orchestration - The orchestration is fine and even a musical asset. However, one may ask was it a full orchestra or a few session musicians. It is hard to tell but I bet it was only a few session musicians. Jon A. has even said "They were session men, but they did not sound like they wer really up. They were just doing there job." Imagine how it would have been if they had a full committed orchestra like Magnification or like The Moody Blues on Days Of Future past. None the less, for the nice orchestra sounds on this album Tony Cox (orchestra arranger )certainly deserves some credit here.

No Opportunity Necessary, No Experience Needed - A strong and energetic song to begin the album. The Big Country opening is certainly exciting. Great bass line. It also fits into the lyrical theme of the album. Lyric Theme Fit - Look at where you are today and wake up and be.

Then - Great drumming by Bill on this one. A highlight of the album musically with nice dynamic volume contrasts. Lyric Theme Fit - The start of a new kind of day is within us. Today will soon be then.

Everydays - A nice musical mood is established. Moves from a soft river flow to a faster pace once again showing the great dynamic range of Yes. Tony K. has some great organ work on this one. Lyric Theme Fit - Every day's a killing time. A minute to you is the same minute to me.

Sweet Dreams - This is a great and solid song that should have been the single from this album that they should still be playing.
Lyric Theme Fit - Console The Future, Provide The Past, Born Inside You Born To Last. Very positive very nice.

The Prophet - Fantastic compostion on this piece. Yesskater put it well. Nice changes and great pacing. Very underrated song in the Yes canon. Lyric Theme Fit - One is responsible for oneself and one's beleif.

Clear Days - Jon Anderson may be the only Yes member on this tune. It sounds like just Jon and the orchestra players. Although the orchestration is very nice on this piece it may be the weakest track on the album. Lyric Theme Fit - On a clear day we will love together. We all long for those emotionally clear days when it just works. We should embrace them when they come.

Astral Traveller - Arguably the strongest piece on the album. It has a nice jam to it. Peter is very strong on this cut. Lyrical Theme Fit - We should always look to and embrace the future. Space Cowboy/Astral Traveller may we all be. It is also my favorite from the album.

Time And A Word - Lyrically, this piece wraps up the whole album theme nicely. Whiteknight had some great observations on this piece. I love Rick's keyboard work on the live KTA version of this song. Anyway, it is clear this piece works for some and not for others. It works for myself.

To Peter Banks - Thanks for two great Yes albums. Your contributions are noted and remembered.

Robert Shupe

John C. - Did you ever do you tape mixings?

[RobAdams]

I think the KTA 2 version of TIME AND A WORD is absolutely beautiful, and I've always been luke warm on that song. The album TIME AND A WORD is almost always underrated. I need to find it on CD somewhere...been a while. The material is far better than the recording mix allows us to hear. I'd like to hear it remixed with the orchestral instruments toned down slightly and the band's instruments more up front.

Also, am I the only one who hears a bit of the "Schindleria Praematurus" theme in THE PROPHET?

[jcostello]

Originally posted by Robert Shupe
John C. - Did you ever do you tape mixings?

Yes, this summer I tried a couple of things. "The Revealing Songs of Yes" worked well as filler on a tape with the Masterworks live tracks. "Close to the Edge" and "Gates of Delirium" fit nicely on side one with the Yessymphonic tour version of "Long Distance Runaround," and after starting with "Ritual" on side two, I used "Awaken," "Revealing Science of God" and "Roundabout" from "Revealing ..." as filler. It makes for a nice Yes and Yes-related mix tape, although I still wish that "Awaken" was longer.

Another mix that I would recommend trying is to take the Yessongs from "Rick Wakeman's Greatest Hits" and the new Yessongs that you get from last year's "Two Sides of Rick Wakeman" (most of the Yessongs are the same as the "Greatest Hits" songs, but you get a couple new songs to play with), and intertwine them with "Magnification," to create "YessymphonRick." You get Yes without Rick mixed with Rick playing Yessongs without Yes, which isn't as cool as Yes WITH Rick, of course, but still makes for interesting listening.

Another, less original idea is to take the setlist from the current tour (which wraps up tonight, so you don't have to care about the "spoiler" thing anymore) and do a mix tape in the setlist order, using either the studio versions of the songs (I don't have Steve Howe's "The Little Galliard"; which album is that from, anyway?) or live versions from previous tours (for "South Side of the Sky," unless you've got a boot or two from shows from the current tour, you'd use the studio version).

I haven't gotten around to mixing "Magnification" with "Symphonic Music of Yes" yet, but I will eventually.

Peace, Love and Happy Wakemanification to You!,

John C.

[BredYes]

Interesting thread. Two albums, same band, both with orchestra, but very different. Whiteknight: funny remark about the traditional Jon Anderson Christmas song. That's still true: think about If only you knew from the Ladder or Soft as a dofe from Magnification (with a beautiful arrangement). I prefer Mag in stead of Time and a Word. I like the first two songs of TaaW (No opportunity and Then). Astral Traveller is a nice tune, and beside the title song, one of the song they might play during a next tour because Steve Howe likes this tune and he even played a part of it during a masterclass session in the Netherlands a few months ago.
JCostello: I have the same spring feeling with TaaW: I only listen to it during spring. The first album (Yes) is a winter album for me: I fist listened to it when I was on winter holiday in Austria. It reminds me of snow. The little Galliard is recorded by Steve on his beautiful solo album called Natural Timbre. I can strongly recommend this fully acoustic album to every Yes fan and I opened a tread about this some time ago on the Steve Howe part of this site.

[Dragonfly]

Originally posted by RobAdams The material is far better than the recording mix allows us to hear. I'd like to hear it remixed with the orchestral instruments toned down slightly and the band's instruments more up front.There’s a classic Greatful Dead album, WORKING MAN’S DEAD that was released on DVDa that was mixed from the original masters. They found a track by Jerry on peddle steel which had never been heard before as it was mixed out of the album. Now, with the extra tracks available in the new format, this previously unheard track can be heard in its own channel. :D

That’s the treatment I’d like to hear on TIME AND A WORD. Mix Peter back in without losing the orchestrations we’ve always known. Clean up the mix as best as possible (allowing greater access to the subtleties in the work of one William Bruford) and give us a slide show of period photos, live and studio while we’re listening. Then, also include the "No Opportunity Necessary, No Experience Needed" black and white film and the "Astral Traveler" film (with Steve on guitar) as a bonuses!

Dragonfly :fly:

"Prophesy within your mind and you will work it out. Prophesy that some will die but only those who doubt. Then you'll never worry as sometimes you used to do. Just remember when you're gone there's someone after you, you."

[jcostello]

Some of these might not sound that great (and I haven't tried them myself), but they're possible, if nothing else:

Songs from the first two Yes albums with songs by Flash (the albums with both Banks and Kaye), or songs by Bodast and Tomorrow (the groups with Steve Howe before he joined Yes), or songs from some of the other pre-Yes groups with Yes members.

Songs from "The Yes Album" with Strawbs songs featuring Rick Wakeman or songs by Flash, or songs from "Two Sides of Peter Banks"

Songs from "Fragile" with songs by Badger (Tony Kaye's band after Yes)

Songs from "Tales from Topographic Oceans" with songs from "Close to the Edge" (Suggestion: Side one of "Tales" followed by first song on "Close," then side two of "Tales," second song on "Close," etc.)

Songs from "Relayer" mixed with Rick's "Journey to the Center of the Earth," or with Patrick Moraz's "i."

Songs from "Going for the One" mixed with songs from Patrick Moraz's solo effort from '77 (I can't remember the title), or with songs from "Tormato."

Songs from "Drama" mixed with songs from Jon Anderson's "Song of Seven."

Songs from "90125" mixed with songs from either of Asia's first two albums.

Songs from "Big Generator" mixed with songs from the GTR album.

Songs from "ABWH" mixed with songs from Chris Squire's "Fish Out of Water" solo album or with the ABWH tracks from the "Union" album

Peace, Love, and If You Try Any of These, Let Us Know If They're Any Good,

John C.