My opinion

[The Closer Edge]

To me The Ladder is there best album since Drama. This album could be considdered one of the classics for me. An excellent album and one of the best albums of all time.

$tephen

[Earl Grey]

The Ladder came out, right as I began my journey, my Wanderjahr with YES.

Up to that point, I went to tours with friends, lovers... It was always a social thing.

The Ladder happened to mark a moment of satori for me, a point where I didn't require the company of others to follow my heart's desire, whether in music or elsewhat...

One of my favorite memories is The Ladder at the HOB in Hollywood. 'Awaken' in particular...

An amazing time, there was no such thing as Yesfans at that point, so I danced the dance in the moment.

Now I never go to a Yesshow alone, the best is ahead!

I have a German 'Ladder' poster framed on my wall, one of my prized possessions!

Great thread Stephen, Days of wonder to you friend!

Earl:yesbird:

[Original_Shifty]

Do you know what I love best about The Ladder? My wife isn't into Yes, but I have to fight her for this cd sometimes. Infact I think she even listens to this cd more than I do.

Great CD and I really thought they were going to take the world by storm with this one. Not sure why it didn't pan out.

[CybrKhatru]

I remember being really into "The Ladder" when it came out. Homeworld in particular blew my mind! The Ladder shows were great too...we saw a great CTTE in Anaheim, and had a blast at the HoB Sunset. (Earlie, I bet we saw you and didn't even know it!) :lmao:

I also remember thinking that it would be the last Yes album.
I'm glad I was wrong on that count, although "Nine Voices" would have been a very beautiful way to go. Also, there wouldn't have been Magnification if that had been the case....

Haven't listened to the Ladder in a while; this is a good reminder to put it on!

---Matt

[gitsy]

For sure it's a great CD. I would say there best since the late 70's

[Roadkill]

A few years ago a trader sent me a sample disc of tunes from Keys, Open Your Eyes and The Ladder as the last Yes album I'd bought was Talk and I was curious as to what they'd done since then (unable to keep up with the lineup changes I'd given up on the band I'm afraid).

I thought Homeworld was amazing, beautiful, a return to form and proof positive that prog could still be done tastefully and sound relevant. I never did buy the album (I think the trader had said Homeworld was the only decent track on there) but it's on the list of things-to-get-before-I-die.

I was surprised, too, that it didn't raise their status. I think one of the great injustices was that radio stopped playing their kind of music a good few years back (I live in England) and I do believe lack of airplay can hurt album sales (many people believed the band had split up long before The Ladder).

It's a shame that the group pour all their energies into projects like The Ladder and Magnification and end up only preaching to the converted. If only their music could be heard by those "on the outside" I think they'd find a whole new generation of fans.

[Mostly Harmless]

This is my least favorite Yes studio album of all....right along with OYE.

[illusion]

I think its "Pop prog". It's very accessible.

I think it sounds a little like its something that Spocks Beard could have done.

[jtownyesfan]

This was quite the surprise when I finally got around to purchasing it. I agree that it is their best album after 1980.

[Merlyn]

Close To The Edge, Fragile, The Ladder, Anderson Bruford Wakeman & Howe, and maybe The Yes Album are my favorites.

Not a big Trevor fan I guess; to me that is a different band entirely. I am glad he kept them alive through the dark ages though.

[flep]

The ladder tour was the first time I ever saw Yes live.

February 14th 2000 Liverpool Empire (Valentines day).

I fell in love with Yes all over again that night.

Igow was a fantastic keyboard player.

The ladder is an excellent album with so many styles of music on it. :rcking:

[Original_Shifty]

The Ladder was a great album following the OYE disaster.

New Language, to me, is still the best song on this cd.

[GatesOfDelirium]

It's the best album they've done since 'Drama', imo. It manages to marry the prog and AOR styles pretty successfully (at times the AOR influence is a bit strong though- I like AOR but less so in Yes) most of the time. It seems as if they really tried to make an album their whole fan base would love and by and large, they succeeded.

[DC]

Nice album. I've not heard it in a while. I may have to have a listen later on. I think it is a very broad, world music oriented album.