Going for the One reviews

[Mr. Holland]

Lets act "Journalists". Put your review of this album in here......

[Ryan]

ok, i'll be the first.

This is my second favourite album of all time. Having said that, i'll go on with the review. It kicks of with my fall time favourite "short song". Its an amazing song. almost as good as awaken. Next is Turn of the Century which i have grown to love. Its a real big contrast from the first tune. Parellels is an upbeat church organ driven song, with the energy of the first track. Wonderous storys has kind of the same mood as TOFT, and really paints a picture in my mind. You know a song is good if it can do that. Who cares if the lyrics make sense? And then lastly is the epic track, Awaken which, well what can you say about it really? Well, the reason i really like it is because it rocks, but then it has a quite pretty middle part, and then it builds back up again. I love the "master of images" part. I'll try to sing it but just singing it to myself can be kind of hard because i think its really sincopated and stuff. I dunno. A perfect album. 10/10.

[RobAdams]

GOING FOR THE ONE, the ninth Yes album discounting the "Yesterdays" compilation, has built up a well deserved reputation as the last great Yes album of the 1970's. While it marked a return to shorter songs, the album provided us with one last Yes epic for the decade - the sixteen minute AWAKEN. This song is nothing short of amazing and spiritual. I can't imagine anyone hearing it without experiencing joy in their soul. The rest of the album features four shorter songs. The album kicks off with the catchy rocker GOING FOR THE ONE - featuring brilliant rock and roll pedal steel work by Steve Howe. It also features what I believe to be the highest note singer Jon Anderson has ever sung with the band. It has all the makings of a hit single - but never was. The next track is a hauntingly beautiful love song describing a man whose lover died and how she lived forever in his heart and in his art. The instrumental break is one of their finest, with keyboardist Rick Wakeman and guitarist Steve Howe playing off each other as if by telepathy. PARALLELS, the album's only song written by bassist Chris Squire, follows, and was the end of side one back in the vinyl days. This track is driven by Squire's brilliant bass and positive lyrics about the beginning of a new love. Side two began with WONDEROUS STORIES - a four minute piece that somehow manages to be delicate and majestic at the same time. The original album closes with the epic AWAKEN. The new Rhino remaster continues with a sequence of rehearsals and outtakes from the same period. My favorites are the early version of TURN OF THE CENTURY which includes a bit of Chris Squire's SILENTLY FALLING in the middle; and EASTERN NUMBER, which is a very early version of AWAKEN.

This album is among my favorites, and it gets a lot of play in my home and in the car as well.