Open Your Eyes

[yarstruly]

I have been listening to Open Your Eyes quite a bit the last few days. I have to say that I really like it! Is it an all time classic Yes album? Well, no... but I think it is better than a lot of people on this site give it credit for being. I think it has some cool songs, and it is a nice change of pace. Am I the only YesFan on the site that actually likes this album?

[Original_Shifty]

You just might be yarstruly.

:cheers:

[yarstruly]

Well that's OK if I am :)

I have to make up my own mind about what I do or don't like!

[1yesfan]

I understand why many did not like it but I would make the 2nd person on this site that likes it.

[yarstruly]

Yeah!! I'm not alone!

[Joedude]

It's definitely not my favorite but I still like alot of the tunes on there. Besides, it's still better than alot of the schlock that comes out now as popular music.

[RobAdams]

I've changed my mind on this one. I really didn't like OPEN YOUR EYES when it first came out. It was my least favorite Yes album ever.

It's not in my top ten list, but I now like it a lot. I don't love it, but I like it a lot. It's the weakest of the new Yes music of the '90's. I think I even like UNION a little better.

[Martin Riley]

Well if you looked on the What are you listening to now thread you will see that I played this one yesterday. It's not great, but it's not bad either and definetely better in-car listening than sitting at home trying to take it in.

[bataisflow]

I actually don't mind this album. I didn't really like it when it first came out but guess whta there are some good songs on there. As much as Tormato gets bashed, I feel like it woulld have sounded better with a less produced sound ala Tormato. Yes during that album (and certain one's befroe it) got a little overbloated in the studio, IMHO they need to strip it down and jam alot more. If you read Howe's comments for NFTE he kinda agrees.

[Squireaholic]

I like OYE just fine. I happen to enjoy the ambient jungle/ocean sequence with the vocal stabs at the end of the CD. It makes me wish there was a remix of Yes with vocals only. IMHO, people forget what a powerful vocal group Yes is, and OYE highlights a lot of amazing vocal interactions.

[BredYes]

The good vocals, that's the only good point of this album. The song called shine is the most stupid Yessong ever. Really disappointing at the time. Ladder is better and Mag is much better.

[Dances w/PURPLE]

Truly, is there anyone on the planet who can sing like Jon? Limited range but oh what he does with it and the lyrics are part of the magic.

[Jackaranda]

At first I hated it, especially compared with Keys 2, the studio tracks. But there are times I can actually listen to parts of it and think "it's not THAT bad". Especially Universal Garden and the The Solution.

But I thought it was a weak 90's attempt to make another 90125. Billy Sherwood is talented, but he's not Trevor Rabin.

[brismike]

I have always liked OYE. From when it first came out up to the present time. It was disadvantaged in that it was released almost in the same week as Keys 2. I ordered both of them over the net from 2 different sources and they arrived in the post on the same day. "Somethings Coming" also showed up 2 days later .. :)) What a great Yes listening week that was lol. A drought followed by a deluge!

Anyway .. OYE has got only 1 weak track in my opinion, "From The Balcony" should have been left on the shelf. Everything else including "LoveShine", which has some terrific Squire vocals on it, and "Man in the Moon" are just wonderful to listen to. You must listen to this album, LOUD. I play it in my car with the subwoofer turned on full, gets afew looks going down the road . hahahaha .. have fun with it i say!

(ok i might be exagerating a bit about "Man in the Moon" lol.)

This album is dedicated to Billy Sherwood and long may it be listened to.

Mike Bentley

[yes_angel]

I'm not a a fan of OYE myself,I listened to it once and never picked it up again,perhaps I will give it another go at it.LOL

[illusion]

Open Your Eyes is a poor Yes album. It's one of those albums that makes my head go all funny. Weird sensation, I can't describe it.

OYE is emotionless for me. I don't care about talent. Emotion is what I want.

It sould have been called "The Trevor Rabin Funeral Album". In memory of Trevor's time in Yes they tried to do a Trevor-like album, but it sounded crap. (And I have made a Trevor CD with all the best Trevor tracks on, including an edited Endless Dream. I think the Trevor stuff is quite good now. Better than OYE, anyway)

[Jackaranda]

Originally posted by illusion
Open Your Eyes is a poor Yes album. It's one of those albums that makes my head go all funny. Weird sensation, I can't describe it.

OYE is emotionless for me. I don't care about talent. Emotion is what I want.

It sould have been called "The Trevor Rabin Funeral Album". In memory of Trevor's time in Yes they tried to do a Trevor-like album, but it sounded crap. (And I have made a Trevor CD with all the best Trevor tracks on, including an edited Endless Dream. I think the Trevor stuff is quite good now. Better than OYE, anyway)

Those are my feelings exactly. Now I will not criticize people who like it, Because Talk is one of my 3 favorite Yes albums and a lot of people don't like it...Jack

[yessing]

OYE is definitely not trash. Granted, It´s Sherwoods´era attempt at 90125, but if you can put aside that comparison and crank it up again you´ll find some goodies there. Only MHO. By the way, does anyone know whose idea was it to have that "ambiance" sequence at the end? I suspect it was Billy´s. I don´t know if I´m more amused or pissed off that it took me about 3 years to discover it by chance.
Peace.

[illusion]

I like Talk. It's the best Rabin-era album, definately. And I love some parts of Endless Dream. I'm even starting to like the hymn, even if it is a bit too long. I Am Waiting is great. So is Where Will You Be. The Calling is a good rock song.

Back to OYE. It's a weird one. It doesn't fit into an era at all - it's more like an era in itself. Much like Drama.

I will also not criticise people who like it. I'd say that (much like Drama, and possibly Yes/TAAW), your Howe/Rabin preference doesn't determine if you will like the album or not.

[yarstruly]

Wow! More people like this album than I would have thought from reading some of the posts that bash it on this board. It IS different, but that is a stenghth to me.

BTW, who sings the low harmony part on Man in the Moon? That is something I don't think I have heard on any other Yessong. Is that Sherwood?

[Dale Cleary]

When I first heard it I was surprised but at the same time it was good to hear Steve playing along side Jon and the rest.
Alhough I was expecting a bit more it was okay and I've listened to it quite a bit.
I think it makes their catalogue more interesting to because it's not all the one thing. 20 versions of CTTE would be a bit boring so it's good to have spice.
I find that the only album I have trouble with is Talk but I think it has something to do with the production as opposed to the music.

This is how I felt about Led Zep' years ago. Good music but I hated the productions. Maybe it's just my ears.