A little Tormato blasphemy!

[Sunrise68]

Tormato was always my least favourite of the 1968-1980 yes albums, and until last week the only Rhino re-lease I didn't own. I mostly ended up buying it for the bonus stuff.

Nonetheless I thought it only fair to listen to the album proper a few times to see if my impressions have changed.

Wow! I actually like the album more than I thought I would. As has been noted by others the one really weak part is the keyboards. So many of Rick's sounds sound cheesy and dated, and he often sounds like he's playing on top of the other's music as opposed to with them.

I actually think that given the tightness of the guitars/bass/drums this would be a pretty good album if the keys were just completely mixed out.

Then I figured that as long as I was being blasphemous, what would have made this an ever better album was if Tony Kaye was playing keyboards! Imagine: organic sounds! chords! team playing! Tormato would be awesome if it had The Yes Album or Circa style keyboards and a bit more soul.

just a random thought... As it stands though I'm happy to see that Tormato is finally growing on me.

John P

[Jackaranda]

That's a very good post.

Two things killed this album: Bad production (it sounded like they were playing in a basement) and the keyboards. Tony being on the album...very interesting thought.

GFTO was so beautifully done, such a magnificent piece of work, it was hard to believe Yes could follow that with something so awful.

[relayeire]

I am also glad the album's growing on you... a lot of people don't care for Rick's Polymoog, but I have no issues with the sound... it helps define that album, which can be good or bad! it's different than CTTE or other albums, but it has a lot to offer... definitely a few problems, but not a stinker... I have a Tormato CD to listen to on the way home from work today - in about 90 mins!

[wolfhound]

I've always loved Tormato. Steve's guitar effects seem a bit noisy at times. I'm surprised that happened, but not the biggest deal. The album is an uplifting blast.

[CybrKhatru]

I really enjoy Tormato. The synth sounds grew on me.

[The Whale]

I love tormato I think what hurt it is that all the guys werent in to it 100% and you can hear that in the music. That and the lyrics are just awful as far as Yes lyrics go.

[Faceintheplace]

When I first got ahold of Tormato I had the vinyl, only liked a few songs and rarely played it. I first heard Tormato period out-takes on Yesyears and thought how come Abeline wasn't on Tormato, it's so much better than something like Circus of Heaven.

Then once I got the Rhino cd I was again thinking the cutting room floor stuff from the album's sessions is stronger than alot of what got on.

The promo film for On the Silent Wings reveals alot of the tension and frustration that was going on during the sessions.

[CybrKhatru]

Interesting how many "classic" albums are born from tense situations....

Looks like Yes had the opposite situation. Going For The One was recorded during a very sunny period in the band's existence, while Tormato suffered from tensions relating to creative direction.....

[Wakey's #1 Fan]

please don't hit me...but I really like the keys...*getting red*
never mind how bad Wakey is playing, I always love it... :lmao:

[Terry Shea]

Tormato was always my least favourite of the 1968-1980 yes albums, and until last week the only Rhino re-lease I didn't own. I mostly ended up buying it for the bonus stuff.

Nonetheless I thought it only fair to listen to the album proper a few times to see if my impressions have changed.

Wow! I actually like the album more than I thought I would. As has been noted by others the one really weak part is the keyboards. So many of Rick's sounds sound cheesy and dated, and he often sounds like he's playing on top of the other's music as opposed to with them.

I actually think that given the tightness of the guitars/bass/drums this would be a pretty good album if the keys were just completely mixed out.

Then I figured that as long as I was being blasphemous, what would have made this an ever better album was if Tony Kaye was playing keyboards! Imagine: organic sounds! chords! team playing! Tormato would be awesome if it had The Yes Album or Circa style keyboards and a bit more soul.

just a random thought... As it stands though I'm happy to see that Tormato is finally growing on me.

John PI've never understood this. I absolutely love the key sounds on this album, and they're many and varied. Polymoog, harpsichord, piano and even some spacey sounds.

Of course they could have just let Tony play Hammond on the album and make every song sound the same...:headset:

[Terry Shea]

That's a very good post.

Two things killed this album: Bad production (it sounded like they were playing in a basement) and the keyboards. Tony being on the album...very interesting thought.

GFTO was so beautifully done, such a magnificent piece of work, it was hard to believe Yes could follow that with something so awful.No, what killed the album was the awful album cover. It was still awful even after Rick tried to "fix" it.

[wolfhound]

No, what killed the album was the awful album cover. It was still awful even after Rick tried to "fix" it.
Well, it's better than a picture of some naked guy's butt ! :lmao:

[relayeire]

Well, it's better than a picture of some naked guy's butt ! :lmao:

and the shame is Hipgnosis, who designed the covers of GFTO and Tormato, did some of the greatest covers ever for other bands - Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, etc. they just couldn't do Yes... it was smart to return to Roger Dean with Drama... the two previous covers proved they shouldn't have tried to fix what wasn't broken...

[Faceintheplace]

That's what Steve Howe said about it too. He was against Roger Dean being replaced.

[Jackaranda]

Well the live versions of the Tormato songs sounded better than the album, but still....DKTW live has always been good, and OTSWF was good live also.

[yessound_chaser81]

It took a few listens before I could really appreciate Tormato for what it is....it's not my favorite Yes album by any means, but if I'm in the mood for it, it's great.

[relayerjim]

If you were around at the time as I was...
When Tormato came out it followed GFTO the last song on that album was Awaken. So yeah, after Relayer and GFTO it was a let down at the time.
Over the years it has grown on me and signals the end of my favorite time as a Yes fan, the Trooper years.
...so in the end I love it

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p74/relayerjim/YesFans/YesTrooper.jpg

[SadPreacher]

simply put...for me...Tormato sucks....

[Yesed]

Tormato is a great album, well produced in spite of the fact that the band itself produced it. Ricks keyboard work is great, but as always its hit or miss on the sound he chooses and in this case no one was there to balance out Rick and Steve.
Some incredible Yes moments on the album, but as Rick himself admitted, "It could have been a great album". That has always bothered me as to what he meant. What would he or they (the band) do differently. The music and ideas are there.
The Montrouex CD brought me back to Tormato, because of the excellent rendition of 'Dont kill the Whale'. Howe just makes you love that song all over again.
Talk about having a Yes moment, the 2003 concert does it!

[islandsofarabia]

Tormato was like five geologic fault lines about to break.

I love this album.

[MirokuLuvstheGirls]

I'm glad that it's growing on you, Tormato is really fascinating, if only to see how Yes's style kind of changed. I LOVE Chris's bass, it's the best I've ever heard on a Yes record. Gots to love those "wah-wah" sounds. It does take a few listens for you to appriciate it.

Also, a prog internet radio internet station is playing "Circus of Heaven". :lmao:


"Oh, it was OK! But there were no lions or tigers or clowns or..."


@ yessound_chaser: FLCL!