Never realised YES was this good!

[illusion]

Listened to it earlier. So powerful for a young band. I've now decided that it's in my top 5 or 6 Yes albums. If theres anyone here who got hooked on this album I can see why.

[Original_Shifty]

I've always thought that this album never received enough kudos.

[RobAdams]

I love the first YES album. Consider what other groups were doing in 1969. YES were quite unique at the time - as they continue to be today.

[Faceintheplace]

Couldn't agree with you more, guys. Yes was a unique album for its time. The cover of "Every Little Thing" is one of Yes' most intense rock and roll moments. In songs like "Harold Land" you can defenitley hear the beginnings of Yes' classic sound. Yes have always been a great band from day one.

[yarstruly]

I LOVE that album! Beyond & Before has always been a favorite of mine.....

[Koko]

Well this was my 'Introduction' to Yes...and at the time it REALLY WAS "SO DIFFERENT" to what anyone else was doing at the time....and as someone has already proffered:

Things have carried on in that fashion ever since - YES!.

Yesterday and Today & Survival still blow me away...


Koko

[SonicDeath10]

survial!!!!!!!!!

yeah this and the next album are quite great. especially this one. the guitar work of peter banks receives a showcase it never would again and he's quite a powerful player. leagues different than steve but powerful. each band member is already a virtuoso, and even tony kaye plays some great keys and does what he does best: great organ riffs. a 9 out of 10.

[Nellsalot]

Right on. I haven't spent sooo much time on this message board but it seems like this album doesn't get enough credit. I really really love it, it's a wonderful listen and great in a different way from the later Yes works. Great rocking pop music, I love the harmonies and the classic keyboard sound. At times it sounds almost like late 60s lounge (which I love). I think it's the harmonies and the guitar style.

I wish there were more albums like this in the world. I also like Time and a Word a lot, everyone says the orchestra gets in the way but I guess I just think the orchestra is kind of funny in a good sort of way.

[Original_Shifty]

I'd like to hear a Time and a Word - naked (like Let It Be).

But back to the original intent of the thread, Survival is a great song and would love to hear it on the new tour. Ain't gonna happen, but I can dream can't I?

[SonicDeath10]

see the orchestra never gets in the way for me. i wish i could hear peter's guitar work mroe but it's cool to hear the orchestra on some parts. on some parts it works great.

[stevepenn]

It's a cool album. Beyond And Before is sonic. Squire's vocals shine on this one.

[Ryan]

I love this album too. Survival, Beyond and before, and Yesterday and today are my favorites.

[inside_out]

It's going to take a lifetime for you to see what YES music has to offer. This is only one of many. Best wishes on your travels.

[headrott]

Right on. I haven't spent sooo much time on this message board but it seems like this album doesn't get enough credit. I really really love it, it's a wonderful listen and great in a different way from the later Yes works. Great rocking pop music, I love the harmonies and the classic keyboard sound. At times it sounds almost like late 60s lounge (which I love). I think it's the harmonies and the guitar style.

I wish there were more albums like this in the world. I also like Time and a Word a lot, everyone says the orchestra gets in the way but I guess I just think the orchestra is kind of funny in a good sort of way.

I like your Love quote that you have from You Set The Scene! That is one of my top 10 favorite songs. Arthur Lee is a great song writer and Forever Changes is one of my top 10 albums of all time. Nice to see someone else is listening!

Greg

[Mike Watkins]

I've always loved their first album. Then, Survivial, and etc.
All great stuff. And it always brings back great memories.

[Earl Grey]

Imagine if a young contemporary band put out an album of such strength today!

We REALLY became spoiled, back in the 60s and 70s. I can't say I've heard any modern freshman album with such promise, chops or that illusive ineffable something that the album 'YES' presents us with.

YES was, IS, a wonderband like no other...
And for a first album, YES is inimitable.

What I think I love the most about this one is the 'vocal band' approach.
This, of course, changed very quickly: the instrumental elements became as important as the vocal elements, as YES became a genre all to themselves.

But this amazing first album is closer in scope to what Jon and Chris had originally envisioned for YES.
YES: the world's greatest vocal band.
Soon to become, simply, the world's greatest band. Period!

The first album is charming. I love it.

And the future, well...

Play 'YES' back to back with 'RELAYER': never has a band evolved so radically and amazingly in such a short period of time.
The only comparison I can think of is the evolution which took place for the FABS, between 'Meet The 'Beatles' and 'Abbey Road'.

This is saying quite a bit.
~~~~~~

'YES' is a fine album! Peter Banks didn't really get his due did he? Fine guitar arrangements that set the stage for Howe... Howe kept a lot of Bank's original ideas when he joined the band. We sometimes forget this.

'YES' is such a sublime moment, and you can just feel the hum of promise there... And the future was, and IS, sweetness.

Nice thread illusion!
I love this album as well.

:yesbird:

[Gerard]

I've just found this thread. Thought it was somebody finding the band for the 1st time, not the album.

This was my intro. to the band way back in '71. As I have posted elsewhere, Harold Land hooked me and Survival got me.

When I acquired a CD player, this was the first CD I bought. It just seemed the natural thing to do. Yes are my fave band, this was the 1st Yes LP that I heard and bought so it was only natural that it should be the 1st CD that I bought.

Have you seen that thread where people are giving this album 3/10? They really haven't heard enough music from 1969.

[Robert Shupe]

I have always liked this album. I bought it on vinyl after buying Yesterdays on casette at some point in the early 80's. That was a long time ago. Nostalgia makes me still keep the vinyl copy of that album.

I really liked it with Beyond and Before, Looking Around, and Every Little Thing being the first standouts to me. The great thing was Yes was doing music that they wanted to do and it was great and solid music. They were passionate and serious at the same time.

I absolutely loved the review on the back of the album. Hindsight, certainly shows the wisdom of Tony Wilson of Melody Maker.

I actually enjoy it more than Time And A Word. (Great idea about Time and A Word ... Naked) Peter's guitar is just too low in the mix.

Anyway, what a great debut album and great beginnings of things to come.

Cheers

Robert Shupe

[SallyKhatru]

There are some great songs on it and it shows the potential that the band has.

[Dale Cleary]

I liked it from the first listen.

[Mike Watkins]

I've always loved their first album. Then, Survivial, and etc.
All great stuff. And it always brings back great memories.
Well that was good, "Then" on the first album? Must try different drugs.

Now where'd I put that Floyd cd, time to hear Hey Jude.....

[Gabriel]

I enjoyed this album a great deal from when I first heard it; its a fantastic debut and in some ways, I actually prefer it to their second outing, Time and a Word!