Best Yes Album

[frodoadventure]

What do you consicer to be Yes' best album? What album is your favorite?

[charl8e]

I voted for CTTE. A no-brainer. Because it is the album on which YES found their sound. Because the title track was a progressive step foward in pop music. Because AYAI still moves me. Because the weakest track (Siberian Khatru) is still better than most of the stuff recorded by most of the prog rockers. And because the album features the best line-up of YES writers.

But having said that, the recent tour has changed my perception of Relayer. Where once it would have been my 3rd or 4th favorite album, it is now a close second. Not just because GoD has truly come alive, after all this time, on the current tour, but also because this experience took me back to the album, and Sound Chaser -- perhaps the most radical and progressive track YES ever recorded. And then To Be Over, which so many people here seem to love, and which, as the years pass, sounds better and better. Like SC, it has a radical structure, even more so than the material on CTTE.

I would pick Fragile, The Yes Album and GFT1 next in a Top 5, but I wouldn't know how to order them. It depends on the day of the week. But these 5 albums are, in my humble view, clearly the cream of the crop.

[Keith Perks]

There are many albums that i like, all of them having songs that have or give me different feelings and thoughts, however given the "Desert Island Disc" scenario, i voted for Yesshows. My choice is based on the fact that on this album there are three of my favourite songs, Gates, Ritual & Parallels.

Relayer and CTTE would complete my top three. All three of these albums are always loaded into my CD multichanger in the car.

[Aragorn]

I was just about to vote for CTTE, and then I thought again. Even though it is probably my top Yes album, for me, The Yes Album is what started it all. It has several classics on it, Perpetual Change is becoming a new classic compared to the others. That song really ripped on this tour. YIND, Starship Trooper, IASGP? All Great. This is also the album that initiated us into Yesdom with Steve Howe, who has become THE Yes guitarist. His talent was showcased for us with Clap on this album.

I agree with charl8e in that Yes found their sound on CTTE, but to me The Album is where Yes got their foothold and did an album that was all of their own material.

[charl8e]

I do agree about The Yes Album, though. Maybe the sound comes to some kind of new level on CTTE, whereas perhaps they "found it" on TYA. I've always thought that Starship Trooper is the beginning, really...

[Aragorn]

Indeed. Starship remains one of my favorite songs, I was devestated when the show I attended this tour they did not play it. Perhaps on the second go-round here in the states I'll get to see it.

[charl8e]

Yes, Starship Trooper is the piece that contains the seeds of CTTE, Tales, Relayer, Awaken, and you can't say that about the other tracks on TYA, fabulous though they are... has anyone ever written about how Astral Traveller, Starship Trooper, and South Side of the Sky form a trilogy? I don't want to point out the Bleedin' Obvious (B.Fawlty), but not only do they have a common lyrical (space/travel) theme, but they also have clearly defined three-part structures and similar tempos and rhythms... you can easily segue between them and between different parts of them... so maybe AT was the "beginning"... or "For Everyone" (1969?), which contains the middle bit of Trooper...

[Dragonfly]

I would like to have voted for CLOSE TO THE EDGE for the same reasons charl8e described but chose not to. Just because it was the most ground-breaking - which it was - doesn't make it the best. My vote can only be for what I feel is the ultimate album by the band: RELAYER.

"The Gates of Delirium" is remarkable and has Jon pushing his own envelope wider than he ever did before or has since. On a strictly vocal level, the only other song he gets that raunchy on is "City of Love". On a lyrical level, he touches the pure evil that must exist in all participants in war.

"Sound Chaser" is the best song ever written by anyone anywhere. It's a song about the relationship between music and musician, between musician and audience. It's a pure artistic experience.

"To Be Over" is a beautiful song. It's the weakest link here while being considerably stronger than most of their catalogue - beautiful melodies and instrumental work, all very understated.

Dragonfly:yesbird:

"Counting form through rhythm electric freedom"

P.S. It really irks me when people include live albums in poles like this. If you're going to do that you may as well include every bootleg out there. You'd at least get some better choices. Bands like Yes and Gentle Giant have live bootlegs that are stronger than their official, live release. It's best to just stick to the studio offerings.

[luckyseven]

YEAH Right on. Soundchaser ROCKS

[frodoadventure]

Actually Dragonfly, I agree with you about the inclusion of live albums. I went ahead and included them because I had seen in other polls people saying, 'Where's Yessongs!?' So I figured I would give those people a chance to vote for that album (or other official live releases) if that was their favorite.

[charl8e]

Am almost persuaded by you, Dragonfly. GoD especially NOW sure looks like their finest hour... Sound Chaser best song ever? By anyone? You may well be right about that... To Be Over is the weakest cut, and as you say it is quite superb... As for the live albums, not only is it silly to include them in best ofs, but also -- YES haven't released a decent live album! Yessongs is a crappy recording. Yesshows isn't much better and features some dodgy material. And as for 90125 Live The Solos, or whatever it's called, I hate it. And I haven't even heard it!!! Don't need to... there's already enough garbage in the world... I think I'm going to invite you to cross the Bay Bridge sometime and we'll have a contest... bottle of champers, bag o' herb, and a stand-off: CTTE-v-GoD, SC-v-AYAI, SK-v-TBO. You might well win...

[raz]

Of the 70's stuff, has to be Close to the Edge....
followed ever so closely by Relayer... a 51-49% one there!
Since then, I think that the one I like the most is
a 50-50 between their last two....
The Ladder and Magnification, which I think compliment each other very well.

I like the two long tracks on KtoA, but the rest are just fillers to me...

Raz

[Yes Oz]

Very interesting results from the voting. On the Yescapade fans forum they ran a similar poll and i collated the results the other day. The top ones there were,
1. CTTE
2. Relayer
3. The Yes Album
4. TFTO

Three of that four are the top three in this poll. Of course I realise some of you have probably voted in both polls, but I still thought I'd share that with you all in case some of you haven't discoverd the Yescapade forum.

[bjm0rwo]

For me it has got to be Tales.Maybe because of the time in my life that I received it...I don't know,it's the one recording I never could get tired of hearing.My first copy was on 8 track.Boy did that NOT WORK! I quickly traded up for the vinyl. Brian

[Rogo]

... to find a weak spot on Tormato. It's perfect! It was one of the first albums I ever seriously listened to, and for me it's up there with Abbey Road... All the songs are marvels of tight songwriting, everybody plays their asses off, and the sound is exactly right! This record shows how the band find a very "dynamic" balance between the huge forces constantly pulling in five different directions. Just listen to the opening of "On the silent wings of freedom": Enormous energy, enormous restraint. Or the final chorus of "Onward": Not lush, not sweet, stark, but beautiful...

[bjm0rwo]

Wow! Abbey Road huh? You must hear something different on Tormato than I do.This is the alblum that chased me away for about 10yrs.from Yes.That's cool though,to each his own.I did like Onward and also Silent Wings of Freedom.I found the over-all recording kind of lacking in creative ideas through most of it.It seemed that there wasn't a total commitment from all members on this one. Abbey Road huh? Brian

[Rogo]

...but nobody told me at the time that Yes songs were supposed to be long and epic, that they were often called a 'symphonic' band etc. I'd never heard of Close to the Edge! Imagine going from not ever seriously listening to music, via the Tormato experience, to musical adulthood! I really struggled with that album for months, and it became my education. To me, its very 'faults' are beauties!

[bjm0rwo]

In a way I envy you.I probably would have thought the same as you if I listened to Tornato without any other reference.It must of been fun and challenging to catch up on their previous works.

[ANTIOCH]

The poll is as it should be."Close to the Edge" & "Relayer" tied.
These (2) masterpieces are the book-ends by which all other YES albums fit within ( in my humble opinion anyway ) and I guess it comes down to the classical influences of Rick Wakeman or the jazzified Patrick Moraz influence that dictates preference ; as both contain flawless , brilliant material.

(p.s.)
I recall watching "Relayer" played 'live' at The Hollywood Bowl on the summer solstace in absolute amazement.

[Original_Shifty]

Who voted for the first album as the best?

Good for you. I think this album doesn't get nearly the attention it deserves. What a debut album!!

[Yes Oz]

I enjoy the first album too. But I think your pushing the point to say it is "The Best". I'd put it high up the list, but couldn't say the best.

[Dragonfly]

I don't have the link handy (I think I found it at YesWorld) but there's a web page out there dedicated to DRAMA being the best Yes album ever.
:WH:
I'm guessing the most hits they get are from dumbstruck YesFans thinking, "This is a joke, right?" I love "Tempus Fugit", but best album? Not even close.

Dragonfly:yesbird:

"From the moment you tell me..."

[Original_Shifty]

Originally posted by Yes Oz
I enjoy the first album too. But I think your pushing the point to say it is "The Best". I'd put it high up the list, but couldn't say the best.

C'mon Oz, let's not harp on whoever voted for the first album as the best one. We wouldn't want to deter anyone from posting their opinions and make them shy away from voting the way they feel.

If this person feels that it's the best, then it's the best to them. I mean, look at the converstations that take place regarding Tormato and Drama. With those albums though there are a lot of people on both sides of the fence.

With "Yes", there's not a lot of discussion about it, and for a lone voice to stand and say this is the best, I think it takes a lot of courage.

(trying my best not to sound like a rant)

[Original_Shifty]

My #100th post....:clap:

Not sure where to put this piece, but figured as we were discussing what fans think is best and worst, this little ditty from the reviews site on Yesworld.

Venue: Milan, Italy, November 17
Posted by: Blue Bottazzi (boss@bluebottazzi.com)

I bought my first Yes album in 1973, and I still think that tracks from "classic" Yes albums are masterworks. It was a surprise and a pleasure to discover Keys To Ascension twenty years later: not only "classic" Yes were still alive and well, but live Keys is the best live album of the group. The Ladder is a great record too, keeper of joy and power and fun. Some songs from Ladder are the best from Going For The One. Magnification is even better.
So it is hard to explain my disappointment for Milan symphonic show. What I found was the resurrection of the worst attitude from the '70s... I never thought I had to attend again a drum solo in my life, not to tell timpani and a bass solo (!!!). I felt embarrassed.
The orchestra: not bad by itself, heavy arrangments on Yes songs, but completely hidden from the hubbub most of the time.
The keyboards: keyboards?!? Wasn't the orchestra supposed to substitute the keyboards on new arrangments?
The repertory: Gates of delirium is possibly the worst song ever recorded from Yes; Ritual is boring and it was even longer and haevy than on Tales album; Close to the edge was cold as stone. The concert didn't take off until the very end, with All Good People and Roundabout, the only two good songs of the show + Steve Howe's solo.
The musicians: Chris Squire was at best embarrassing, with is too loud bass line; Little Jon was making so much noise while his companions were playing, Alan looked like an haevy metal drummer. Steve was kind of a "fish out of water" in this company.
A bitter disappointment from a band I thought to be a favourite of mine...



:eeek: I Karumba!!! :jaw1:

Originally posted by Original_Shifty


C'mon Oz, let's not harp on whoever voted for the first album as the best one. We wouldn't want to deter anyone from posting their opinions and make them shy away from voting the way they feel.


I'm afraid I must agree with Oz on that one. It almost feels like either somebody clicked too fast before they realized what they did or there is a spy within our midsts. I really cannot imagine anyone who is interested enough in Yes, after searching out a Yesfans site would vote that the best album is Yes' first. That is not to say that the album is without merit but next to the greatest works of art of all time? I don't buy it.

If it is in fact true, show yourself and talk to us about your choice. I think it would make for interesting conversation.

[Original_Shifty]

I really don't know what to say, but I feel bad that some can't believe that a person would think this is the best album, not my personal choice by far, but anyone should be able to have their choice without needing to defend it.

My goodness, Original_Shifty, can't a person try to engage an interesting conversation without someone feeling threatened or expecting to be humiliated or picked apart? That's never been what I'm about and I'm a little taken aback by your comment. I only thought that given what we all know about all of the Yes albums, this would be an interesting topic to pursue. I find myself wondering what I might have said throughout my nearly 400 postings that would make you think that I was looking to attack someone? You have really hurt my feelings.

[Original_Shifty]

Didn't mean to hurt your feelings yessiree. I'm sorry for that, that was not my intention.

I just felt bad for the person who might have felt that the best album was the first one, and responses have been negative towards that.

Some things that were said by you were, "I really cannot imagine anyone who is interested enough in Yes, after searching out a Yesfans site would vote that the best album is Yes' first".

..and "It almost feels like either somebody clicked too fast before they realized what they did or there is a spy within our midsts"

The second comment seemingly minimizes this person's choice.

Again, I really was just commenting more on how I was feeling, and not actually scolding anyone or saying "shame on you". I guess in a nutshell, I was thinking, let's embrace the fact that someone loves the music on this first album, and just leave it at that, rather than asking him/her to explain themselves.

Maybe my writings skills aren't as good as they should be.

[bjm0rwo]

Shake hands,give each other a hug and make nice.(too much parenting,sorry!)

[Robert Shupe]

Isn't this like choosing a favorite child or pet. Just kidding.

I took the plunge and threw in my vote for Close To The Edge. It had the great musicianship of The Yes Album and Fragile as well as great experimentation and risk. It certainly paved the way for Topographic Oceans, Relayer and even Going for the One. If it had not been embraced by the fans one wonders if we would be here at this forum debating the issue. It is interesting as it is not always the first one I reach for but I would have to make it one of my desert island discs.

Robert Shupe

[lindil]

For me Gft1 has an energy and purity that Other albums have only in whole or in glimpses. While I love the intensity and dynamics of gates [my 2nd fav. yes piece] Awaken for me climbs higher up the mountain. Turn of the Century and Wonderous Stories and parralels [sp] are also perfect compostiions , and Gft1 is like Sib Kh and To be Over , excellent though w/ a bit over the top for the rest of the album. Wonderous Stories is the perfect unhit, it got a fair bit of play in the late 70's in the DC area and clued me into the fact that there was more to yes than the yessongs era.

I think getting out of England and into the Mountains, Wakeman returning and generally being at the prime of adulthood [the perfect balance of youthful enthusiasm and maturity] all come to gether to produce my all tame favorite album of any group anytime.

Awaken also happens to be , i heard in an interview w/ anderson , his fafvorite tune .

[YYY]

Since i was into YES when most of their albums were released,staring with the YES ALBUM. The sequence and growth in their early records in context of the era has always been imporrtant to me when evaluating their records.
CTTE was a milestone when it was released. Nobody in Rock or progressive Rock had achieved anything like it (in my opinion). All the Tommy's, Magical Mystery Tours & P. Floyds although great achievments in theri own right didn't compare to CTTE. Relayer in many ways is the sequel and more advance in many ways and would be my 2nd choice, but it only exist because of its predecessor. CTTE is it.

[YYY]

CTTE IS NO DOUBT THEIR GREATEST RELEASE!Especially in context of when it was released. I remember waiting for it to be released while about to enter High School from middle school.
Especially in context of the 60's-early 70's atmosphere of love,sex,drug,equality and psycedelia - we couldn't believe where this band had taken us. It was a new era of musical possibilities during a period of great adventurous musical achievements by other artist of the time.

[lindil]

CttE is an incredible album, marred in my opinion only by a couple of dated keyboard solo's by Wakeman.
I would probably rank it = w/ Gft1 if I had heard it when it came out, but for me it was 'merely' part of the great backlog of yes that I discovered from 78-80. I hreard CttE after Yessongs, and I thought all of the songs were awesome so the respective component albums were all excellent but... Jon Andersonm in a recent article on the Lord of the Rings mentions that he has tried to embody 'Elven' culture in all that he has done'[ a paraphrase] , I am of one mind w/ him on that . The spiriot that Tolkien's elves show and what we can glean of their art and music [he is quite descriptive of it] is very high and pure Awaken/Wonderous Stories/Turn of the Century are absolutely flawless and exhibit this 'High-Elvishness' more than any other electric [or semi-electric] really music I have heard, Happy the Man also can be up there, as can some recordings from the Windham Hill label.

lindil

[tr. as lover of song in sindarin]

[WhiteKnight]

Just like most, I voted for CttE. Perfection is playing. Tfto, Relayer, Yessongs are close up there, too. Next come Gtf1, TYA, Yesshows (I only have Yesshows on an old vynil, and thus I play it less, maybe it could rank higher if I had it higher quality).

WK.

[brismike]

I see someone has also voted for another generaly disliked album .. OYE !! .. :))

Mike

[charl8e]

Who voted for THAT? Billy S, i guess...

Better be careful charl8e, Original_Shifty doesn't like when a choice is questioned in this thread.

[Original_Shifty]

Ooh, was that an attempt to heart my feelings?

I'd expect nothing less.

No, I have no problem with someone asking who voted for what. What I do have a problem with is someone being asked to defend themselves or it being suggested that they made a wrong choice. Like was done in that other post.

Please spew your venom in another direction. Thanks.

Nope, just hoping to help out a fellow Yesfan to keep him from falling into the same pitfall I inadvertantly found myself in.

[Original_Shifty]

Whatever, yessiree......whatever.

[andriessen]

Yessongs is the best album ever recorded.

Ever since I first heard it in 1974 I have been listening to it over and over and it never tires.

Steve Howe's guitar work is unbelievable! Loud, melodic, crispy, everywhere.

Especially Perpetual Change and Yours is no Disgrace still give me the creeps and sometimes make me cry. Does anybody know that feeling?

Great this album now has its own forum. I do not often come across people with the same passion for this album as I do (and that, like me drive by home because Starship Trooper hasn't finished yet...)

Regards,

[The Fish]

Only 3 votes for FRAGILE ???!!! MY GOD!!!

[Flo]

The Fish,
That's what I was just thinking ! Fragile deserves much more. Nearly all the songs on that album are now classic Yes.

Hey Flo, Hey The Fish, I agree that Fragile is very very special. Sincerely, one of the wonders of the world. But when you only get to vote for one, then Tales it must be.

[Flo]

I voted for Close to the Edge but Fragile is a young Yes on the eve of recording their masterwork. I like Tales but can't put it first on my list. (Sorry Yessiree)

Yes, Flo, I know I am in the minority. But when we all die and cross over that bridge to meet our maker and hear Tales playing everywhere, then, then you'll all know I was right! hahaha

[Flo]

I hope this day does not come to soon. I want to hear many more new Yes albums.

Absolutely! More Yes recordings and more Yes live concerts and more Yes festivals (hope) and more Yes discussions and, well you get the picture...

But when you do get to the pearly gates, it's not going to be Gates that you will be hearing....

[raz]

OK, I've been reading all of this about Fragile so I played it again after a long time....... and it was soooooooooooooo enlightening.

My wife complained tho (as usual), but my kid loved it (mainly cos she was dancing about the front room with her dad).

All the long pieces were played to perfection, and all the shorter ones were so bliss....... i still, now, 2 days later, cannot get enough of "Long Distance Runaround - The Fish".... I'll be needing another fix of that soon!


All in all, listening to the album brought back memories..... and created new ones too!

Just thought i'd share that with ya!

Hey thanks raz! I can fully understand. Fragile is sooooo very wonderful!

[BrianD]

The problem is to choose just one......

Today I chose CTTE, another day it may be Fragile, on another TFTO, or Relayer and so on....

It depends on my mood

[raz]

Yeap Brian,

I'm with you on that one.... some days I just yearn for some Raw material from The Yes Album, others I want to hear that jazzy Time and a Word...... then on others I want to be lost in the imagery of Olias, or the Bass of Fish out of Water..... It depends on the mood I'm in, oh and also the other deciding factor who's at home with me.... therefore how loud I can play the music.... certain albums are just not worth the effort if they cannot be played at a volume to justify the music....

Raz

[ycantibu]

Maybe you lot can help me. Talk is the last Yes release I bought. I am a Trevor Rabin fan. I'd really like to give Magnification a try. However, I downloaded two songs, "Don't Go" & "Soft as a Dove", on a recommendation. Here is my problem though: I don't particularly like either one. "Don't Go" in particular drove me mad. The person recommended it because I am YesWest fan, but I just couldn't take it. "Soft as a Dove" was good for a bit, but I thought Jon's voice sounded a bit frail and thin to me. Then again, maybe that was the idea, sounding vulnerable. Or maybe I am just not acquainted with Jon's voice nowadays.

My favourite non-YesWest songs are "Madrigal", "Awaken", "Wonderous Stories", "On the Silent Wings of Freedom", "Turn of the Century" and even "And You & I." I even like some of Jon Anderson's work away from Yes.

Chris Squire singing with Yes is ok, but his voice solo drives me mad.

Songs, that if I ever hear again, may drive me to tear at my own flesh are "Roundabout" & "I've Seen All Good People." Yeah I know, classics, but overkill, ya know? Kinda like the "Lucky Man" syndrome.

Also, I don't hate Billy Sherwood or anything, but I did hear some clips from OYE many moons ago and wasn't into it. Didn't give it much of a chance, you see. I also like King Crimson & old ELP.

I'd like to give something after YesWest a fair chance. So, knowing the above information, can anyone give me any suggestions? Perhaps a couple good songs from each CD since Talk?

Thanks for the help, I appreciate it.

Hey there ycantibu! After Talk, huh? Well, I'd recommend buying ABWH and Magnification. And listen listen listen. Soft As A Dove sounds exceedingly delicate--more like some of Jon's solo works. Some people have had problems with it but I just love it. Perhaps when you hear it within context of the whole of Magnification, it will make a difference. Don't Go gives me problems too. But that's another whole long story. So I would recommend both of those for sure and recommend them highly.

[alieninvader]

Hi -

OK - so is anyone around here old enough to remember the original review from Rolling Stone magazine, for Close to the Edge, from September 1972?
It was reviewed in the same issue as Santana's "Caravanserai". Wow...
Does anyone have a copy of that review?

C.T.T.E. came out about 2 days before a bunch of us college sophomores from UCONN went to see them live in Hartford, CT. Edgar Winter's White Trash opened for them (also a fabulous forgotten band, but not one I would have chosen to open for Yes!). None of the record stores had yet received copies of C.T.T.E. before the concert, so none of us had heard it before going. Blown away was an understatement. Blown a-fxxxing-way. !!

If I were to select any five records from anyone to bring to the desert island, C.T.T.E would certainly be one of them. The others? Probably "Their Satanic Majesties Request" by the R.Stones, "My Goals Beyond" by John McLaughlin, the 1993 live album by Pat Metheny, and "Dead Cities" by Future Sound of London. Maybe also "Big Fun" by Miles Davis. "Caravanserai" by Santana....anyway....

I recently dragged out all my old LPs from the '70s and slapped on Yes. Independent of even knowing about this site, I also decided that "Relayer" and "Close to the Edge" were the best for back then. I am not familiar with anything newer than "I am a camera..." from Drama, I think - so I'm looking fwd to catching up.

-- Steve

Hey Steve, welcome! So glad you found us!

Yes, Close to the Edge is pretty special, alright. We love it too. Don't forget to get Magnification. It's great too.

Hope you come back often.

[alieninvader]

Everyone seems to have their favorite chunes. When someone says "that song isn't any good", I take it with a grain of salt. Maybe "what were they thinking!?!" is more in line.

FYI, Alan White & his (non-Yes) band have been playing at the Salmon Days festival on the first weekend in October, in Issaquah Washington (at least they did for '00 and '01). Salmon Days is an obscure little hometown street fair for the migrating salmon each fall - not exactly a world-renowned event. He must have a soft spot for the Seattle area, or maybe have a place around here somewhere...

Cheers-
Steve

Hey Steve, I could be wrong but I thought Alan lived in Seattle.

[raz]

Yes,

I heard that too. Alan does live around Seattle.

Raz

[crazedyesfan]

best yes album.....

hmm....that's a hard one...

i'd say close to the edge with tales in a close second

[grasshopper]

I'm going with YESSONGS as best but I still have yet to find a CD version that sounds as good as the old vinyl did. Even the remastered version doesn't sound as good as the vinyl. This is true with other albums as well. I think they must have used the vinyl as the master(or a few generations from it) instead of the original studio recordings.
Another picky Yes freek.

[raz]

I heared (and I fully whole heartedly apologie is i am wrong) that the guy who did the remasters, joe glastwort(?) was not a Yes Fan, and so could not really get the to the point.
they should have got Eddie Offord to do it!

[YesNY]

Like so many of you, I voted for CTTE (but I think I'll sneak back tomorrow and vote for Yesterdays just to give it some representation, and because "America" is so amazing). But I know I'll be on the outs when I say "To Be Over" is the absolute best song on the great Relayer album.

Anyone else struck by how poorly Fragile faired by comparison? If you were to poll people who like Yes, but only moderately so, I think this situation would be quite differntly. Dare I say CTTE in third place, trailing Fragile and even 90125.

Originally posted by YesNY
But I know I'll be on the outs when I say "To Be Over" is the absolute best song on the great Relayer album.

You would not be on the outs with me in that statement. That's the song I like the best too, though live, there is no comparison. Gates wins hands down.

Regarding America though, we have a difference of opinion. I've never really cared for it. I still hear Simon and Garfunkel even though Yes has totally revamped it. Not that there is anything wrong with them, it's just that when I want to hear Yes, that's all I want to hear.

[YesNY]

Originally posted by yessiree


You would not be on the outs with me in that statement. That's the song I like the best too, though live, there is no comparison. Gates wins hands down.

Regarding America though, we have a difference of opinion. I've never really cared for it. I still hear Simon and Garfunkel even though Yes has totally revamped it. Not that there is anything wrong with them, it's just that when I want to hear Yes, that's all I want to hear.

I've never heard "To Be Over" done live so I'll reserve judgement, though you very well could be right.

I don't hear much of the Simon and Garfunkel in the Yes version of "America", aside from the lyrics and some of the basic melody, of course. Dare I say if Yes changed the words, they could collect a songwriting royalty check on the song and make the Paul Simon attorneys work really hard to prove any plagiarism.

Needless to say, that scenario never happened. And fortunately Yes' songwriting has never borrowed liberally, intentionally or not. (But I will say "The Calling" melody sounds a little overly familiar. I'm thinking "Pina Colada' song, but maybe I just need to clean my ears.)

Originally posted by YesNY
I've never heard "To Be Over" done live so I'll reserve judgement, though you very well could be right.

You can get a real good feel for it in the Live at Qpr video. Check it out. It's really a must have.

[YesNY]

Originally posted by yessiree


You can get a real good feel for it in the Live at Qpr video. Check it out. It's really a must have.

Thanks. Though my brain is drawing a blank on this video.

Well it comes in 2 parts--Live at Qpr parts one and two. I have it on DVD. It's hard to find. You can get it at Now Hear This, an import record store in St. Louis. I'll try to find the link for you. You can also find it on e-bay. Yesterday they showed a couple for sale. Don't tell nightliner I mentioned that to you. It's just so hard to find.

What it is, is the live Relayer tour when Patrick toured with them. It's sooooo cool to see the band from waaay back then. That's how I remember them. There is a major problem with the audio though--just to tell you up front. I understand that it is on the original recording. They must have been high on something when they put it together. Even so, it's worth having.

I'm going on a search now for the website so you can order it if you'd like.

Ok, I found it: nowhearthis1@msn.com. Each disc costs $40.

[YesNY]

yessiree: Taking your forewarning about the sound to heart, I might take a pass on this one. By the way I can't find the website. Some pilot for game show is registered the "nowhearthis" name.

Just curious on how "To Be Over" came off. Strikes me as a song that might be difficult to do live. Does Steve strap on a sitar, so to speak, or is that sitar-like sound produced by another means? How did the vocal harmonies come off (hope the boys weren't too stoned for a paying crowd)?

Originally posted by YesNY
yessiree: Taking your forewarning about the sound to heart, I might take a pass on this one. By the way I can't find the website. Some pilot for game show is registered the "nowhearthis" name.

Just curious on how "To Be Over" came off. Strikes me as a song that might be difficult to do live. Does Steve strap on a sitar, so to speak, or is that sitar-like sound produced by another means? How did the vocal harmonies come off (hope the boys weren't too stoned for a paying crowd)?

I think I misspoke about the website, YesNY. What that address actually is, is the e-mail address to the store that will get you the DVD. They are very friendly and helpful and are willing to search for you for anything import. So if there is anything you are having trouble finding, e-mail them and they will do their best to find what you need.

I experienced To Be Over as underwhelming. I was surprised because I love the song so much. I have always wanted Yes to play it live but after seeing how it comes off live on that recording, well, I've re-thought my position. Not that I would argue with them about it or anything like that--if they wanted to play it, but it was not what you might call, charged. I think it translates better on the studio recording. Regarding the sitar, it's been a while since I saw it and cannot recall whether or not Steve used it. I don't think the boys were stoned and they looked great! The harmonies weren't disappointing--from what I can recall.

I can understand your hesitation but I still think it's worth having. Seeing the guys in their youth playing Relayer, well, that was pretty special for me.

[raz]

If I recall correctly, the instrument that Steve uses to get that 'sitar' sound is on a stand and he plays it whilst having another guitar on a strap over his sholder in the normal way. It's the same set up he uses for CTTE when he uses the "coral sitar'... could even be the same instrument... but I'm not sure about that.
As for the sound on that recording.... well it's poor for the first 20 mins or so, but after that it's OK... I mean, the first track is sound chaser, and although you can see Steve giving it Large on the guitar, the sound is very quiet.... but by gates its OK... either that or I got used to it...
YesNY, I would agree with Pat that the QPR shows are a must have, if not for the vintage of the show. It's a great set list, and Patricks solo, complete with candleabra on the Grand piano is really cool... Chris is great thru out the show, and altho the show starts in day light, by night fall the lights are awesome...
It has a 5 star recommendation from this reviewer!

[mrgone3]

Hey All!I know every YES fan has a favorite album.Some may say 90210 is the best.But if you are a YES fan and have a good representation of all their works and were to choose the one album that would ensure the bands place in the hall of fame,what would you choose?I pick CTTE because of the eclectic use of instruments that achieve a purpose.This is also their first theme album.And don't forget Jon's poetry.I do not think he has come close to the imagery that he mastered on this album.He bombards the listener with complete phrases and single words.And when you think of a Yes song to recite.Which album is it from?Of course Yessiree will recite Tales.That is a complete (GREAT)effort as well.And Relayer is up there with its unique styling..JOE

[grasshopper]

Just curious on how "To Be Over" came off. Strikes me as a song that might be difficult to do live. Does Steve strap on a sitar, so to speak, or is that sitar-like sound produced by another means?

I would image that Steve uses his old Danelectro Sitar/Guitar for this one? He uses it quite a bit and it is an original Dano which sounds much closer to a real sitar than the remade Jerry Jones ones. I found one just like Steves in a guitar shop in NYC when there for the Radio City show but unfortunately didn't have enough funds left after spending on all the prior Yes gigs before that show. It would be a nice guitar for Steve to sign but at least I got him to sign another Dano for me. Thanks Steve. You're the Best!

[gt76yesman]

but it's got to be <b>Close to the Edge</b>

[YYY]

Just a quick revelation on my part.
I never really took alot of time to listen to DRAMA. When it was first released and Jon wasn't involved, I simply considered YES to be over and done. I enjoyed the ride. Thank you every much.
but while at the listening booth at my local record shop, I listened to it again and found that their are some really great songs on it.
It also felt as if they were a free to be more playful and rhythmc less the influence of Jon. I know its a bit late but better late than never. But Nevertheless I then put on CTTE just for fun and immediately realized how superior YES in those days were. The intro always knocks my socks off. I hope they don't play it so slow LIVE, this time around.

Anyway CLOSE TO THE EDGE is the all time breakthrough progressive rock album of all time. A new chapter began (of what was possible) after CTTE. I think it hit every other Prog band like a Brick upside the head. Just simply mindblowing music

[grasshopper]

Can't argue that.
I love it when some younger person looks at me and says " Who is this playing?" when I'm playing CTTE and you see the amazement on their face for never before hearing the Real Deal.

[Yesfloyd]

quote-- Does Steve strap on a sitar, so to speak, or is that sitar-like sound produced by another means?

Steve also uses the sitar in CTTE in a few spots.

It would be very difficult for me to choose between CTTE, TALES, and RELAYER. I think ill choose all three!!! Many talk of CTTE as being the beginning to the super prog-yes sound and i think Relayer was the conclusion of that era. These albums along with fragile and the Yes album are IMHO the pinnacle of Yes music after that things sort of drop off (although GFTO and Tormato have some cool stuff....im thinking Awaken, Release, Circus of Heaven etc) I really cant get into anything after that until the most recent Ladder and Magnification stuff which is pretty cool.

[Mr. Holland]

In my opnion "close to the edge" is definetly the best as a whole, followed by "Fragile", i think, on which they expose not only their greatness as a band, but also as individuals.

Mind you, that if i had to make a top ten lists of songs, there would also be some eightees en ninetees material in it, but the problem with the albums from those areas is that they contain both great songs aswell as songs that, well to put it kindley, are really medium, so that is why they could never be (in my humble opnion) be voted as best albums.

[taper1]

I'm glad to see that YES are still making great albums. I have listened to "The Ladder" and "Magnification" quite a few times, both are solid efforts. My favorite out of all the YES albums has always been "Close To The Edge." I would rate it in my Top10 of all time.

[Neva]

I HAD TO VOTE FOR GOING FOR THE ONE. TURN OF THE CENTURY IS MY FAVORITE SONG. ONE OF THE GREATEST LOVE SONGS EVER WRITTEN BY ANYONE AT ANY TIME. AND AWAKEN (OR AS WE CALL IT HERE AWAKEMAN.) THAT LAST LINE ALWAYS MAKES ME CRY. "LIKE THE TIME I RAN AWAY I TURNED AROUND AND YOU WERE STANDING CLOSE TO ME." THAT SAYS SO MUCH.

[SisterBluebird]

Originally posted by andriessen
Yessongs is the best album ever recorded.


Great this album now has its own forum. I do not often come across people with the same passion for this album as I do (and that, like me drive by home because Starship Trooper hasn't finished yet...)



I listen to Yes all the time at work on my headphones, and I know this feeling very well. Many times I really really HAVE to go to the bathroom but I have to listen to a particular song to the end! Obviously Starship Trooper is one of them.

However, I voted for Going for the One because it is the first Yes record I bought. I am old enough that I should have discovered them sooner, but I was into other things in my teens and 20s and all I knew of Yes was the overplayed stuff I heard on the radio. Then I heard "Wonderous Stories" around 1979 or so on a very cool radio station in Buffalo NY, where I grew up, and went out and bought the record. I remember listening to it a few dozen times in a row with the huge stone-age headphones I had at the time and "Awaken" seemed - like what it must be like to die and follow that tunnel of light into heaven.

I've since come to know and love the rest of their music, but Going for the One will always hold a special place in my heart, like my first love.

[Sonoacustico]

Hello!

My vote is for RELAYER,
they began to develop their music, going upwards always, and then the RELAYER album was the highest point in the transition for my ears... after that they didn't go downwards, they just go to other places, like looking for something... GFTO is a GREAT album, but Tormato, is not very good to my ears, with a few exceptions.. the music there is in some cases very good, but the production is TERRIBLE IMHO... I also think DRAMA is a Great record too, only too short for my taste.

Greetings!

Claudio

[Margit]

For me there's no masterpiece as TALES FROM THE TOPOGRAPHIC OCEAN...it is YES' greatest work, divinely inspired.

It is difficult to vote for one album...it is easier to choose songs...for me, the best ones together with TFTO are Close to the Edge and Going for the One...and Magnification is also a very consistent album.

[Sonoacustico]

Hehehe, Hey Margit,
I think I've already had this argument with your private drummer before ;) hehehe

Well, I remember 10 years ago when someone told me "If you can dig the Topographic Oceans, your ears would be prepared for ANYTHING!!" I thought, "wow, it must be really dense!" I knew about the structure of the album, and I got it, and I loved it at the first listening!!! I said to myself "ummm, it was easier than expected!! now I'm prepared for everything!" :D well... the next thing I did was to listen to the RELAYER album, and it was a complete shock for my ears... :confused: :WH: :neverlear :jaw1: I couldn't understand what was happening in the whole album till I listened for the tenth time more or less... Man! that album was sooo hard to dig!! but, when I understood the musical scheme of it, I become to thought, WOW!!! this is one of the greatest albums of all time!!! :clap:

Ok people, nice to see you all, take care!!

Greetings!

Claudio

[Margit]

..I'm not talking about composition nor technical/musical aspects..I'm just saying that Tales touches my soul so so deeply..for me, it is the best album, I like the concept and the music evolution..it makes me fly far far away..that's all...I'm not a musician (I just sing a little bit) to make a deep analysis as you do..it sounds great to me, the whole album, and that's all!!

un abrazo compadre!!:cheers:

[Cerberus]

Again, just like the Whats Your Fav. J. Anderson question, I cant just choose a fav. YES project. I just cant do it!! Should I choose classic old school, or newer stuff.. *bangs head on screen*

Im sorry gang! I cant be forced to make a decision on "Whats Better Then What". I would rather shoot myself in the foot then make a choice!:shoot:

I love this band more then I can put into words gang. I have seen 45 shows as of the Milwaulkee & Chicago show.

That counts the 6 A.B.W. H. shows. They count, right???

[Dances w/PURPLE]

and coming of age...had to go with CTTE

[YYY]

I 'm very happy with the results. It appears that the votes are pretty much where I would expected them to be. CTTE is no doubt a perfect progressive album of all time. (prog- for lack of a better terminology) Also its great that TALES is high on the list. Although I a little disappointed that RELAYER didn't get more votes over GFTO. 'R' is simply brilliant work of art as well. But overall the polling results are very right on.

[yarstruly]

My vote was for CTTE, but I would follow it with GFTO, very closely, TYA, then Fragile as my Favorite Yes Albums....90215 Could be there if "Owner of a Lonely Heart" was removed....I am really JK about "Owner..." as someone pointed out in another thread, it really is a great song with some real 'progressive moments." However, on the other hand it is kind of repetetive, and definitely overplayed on the Radio.

CTTE and GFTO are my favorites though, they have all of the ingredients that inspire me the most!

I can honestly say that I really don't think Yes has made a "bad" album though...It's all relative. Even the "worst" Yes albums (BG, OYE?) are far better than 95% of the music out there IMO....

[PeterCologne]

To me it has the most music on it - but arranged with much sense and warmth - the most musical adventures, beautiful melodies, wonderful rhythms, the best guitar-performancec ever on all three tracks plus those best keyboards ever on a Yes-Album: Patricks work.

And I just try another Top-Ten-Yes-Album-List. It is a tough try and can change from month to month.

1: Relayer

2: Tales from Tophographic Oceans

3: Talk

4: The Yes Album

5: Big Generator

6: Close to the Edge

7: 90125

8: Drama

9: Fragile

10: Magnification

Greetings

Peter

[Nautilus]

Top Album: CttE by a slim but crucial amount.

My top ten Yes albums list is (right now) something like this:

1. CttE

2. Drama (seriously!)

3. Relayer

4. Fragile

5. Tales

6. Tormato

7. Magnification

8. 90125

9. GFTO

10. BG

Incidentally my top ten albums of all time list is something like this but with Animals and Abbey Road somewhere up there.

[PeterCologne]

Originally posted by Nautilus
Top Album: CttE by a slim but crucial amount.

My top ten Yes albums list is (right now) something like this:

1. CttE

2. Drama (seriously!)

3. Relayer

4. Fragile

5. Tales

6. Tormato

7. Magnification

8. 90125

9. GFTO

10. BG

Incidentally my top ten albums of all time list is something like this but with Animals and Abbey Road somewhere up there.

...I like, that you put Drama on number two. Tough, but why not. It is a fantastic album. Your list is another proof for the fascination of Yes: They had so many incarnations and they all were/are more or less wonderful. And those big albums like CTTE and Tales were "just" two steps - though Masterworks - in a long and adventureous joumey.

And yeah, I agree, Animals is not only the best Pink Floyd album, but also some of the best music ever released.

Greetings
Peter

[Mr. Holland]

Actually I think that a personal favorite top ten changes whenever you have listened to a vieuw albums frequently and later on there are some other albums you listen to frequently and so on, and so on.....but I have to say that CTTE is really my alltime favorite:

1. CTTE
2. Fragile
3. the Yes Album
4. Magnification
5. GFTO
6. the Ladder
7. Talk
8. 90125
9. Tormato
10. Drama

Opposite to almost every other Yes fan, I'm not that big a fan of Tales, sorry......

[yesrocks]

CTTE which we have all been lucky these past few tours!!! Oh yes>>>

[Gustavo]

It's interesting to compare this poll with the Green Dolphin one.

They list the albums in this order:

CTTE
Relayer
Tales
Fragile
GFTO
The Yes Album
90125

[Danz]

The best 3 albums of Yes all time are: Close To The Edge, Fragile and The Yes Album.
In no particular order.
And witch album I like the best? Yessongs.
It has all the great songs from these 3 albums in a live more perfect arrangement then the studio versions.
Ok, the studio version is perfect, but live sounds just better, on yessongs anyway.
And I like bass and drum solo's.
I also like Relayer & Yesshows.

[RobAdams]

I've decided that my favorite Yes album is whatever one I'm listening to at the moment. They have music for every mood.

[Earl Grey]

I seem to have the trinity of CTTE Relayer and Going For The One right now. They interchange in order as my favorite.

I couldn't part with any YES album though.

Earl:yesbird:

[PO]

I had to think, too! I might have said Close to the Edge, but I don't like the way some of it is played in the studio. I would like to have seen them re-record it after the Tour. Some of the arrangements were better than the studio on Yessongs, and in a lot of cases so was the instrumentation. Close to the Edge was "first" in line, but it was immature. AY&I needed no maturing. Siberian and CTTE did.

The times I have covered those tunes we usually used components of live versions, and so does Yes. Yes can always play Tales exactly as the studio version. All earlier releases matured as the band did.

Tales from Topographic Oceans was mature the day it was released.

[Earl Grey]

Interesting idea Paostby...

What about YES recording a new studio album of their old songs?
Jethro Tull did this (And did this... And did this!) to great effect.
I want a studio album of new originals, but this could be a fun side-project...

Earl:yesbird:

[BrianD]

Originally posted by Earl Grey
Interesting idea Paostby...

What about YES recording a new studio album of their old songs?
Jethro Tull did this (And did this... And did this!) to great effect.
I want a studio album of new originals, but this could be a fun side-project...

Earl:yesbird:

Earl - I would only be interested in a new studio album of old songs if they were to use completely different arrangements or possibly a different Yes member's interpretation of the song. For example, I would like to hear Jon sing Tempus Fugit and Steve & Rick to do their interpretations of several Rabin era songs. Otherwise I can't see the point.

If they only want to slightly revise a song, then do it live and put it out that way. For example, the lengthened section on Ritual with Steve's guitar and Jon singing nous somme du soleil before the main lyrical section commences. I would hate to see them re record Ritual just for relatively minor changes like that.

[Dances w/PURPLE]

A BEST? I voted by this was a hard one. It's like what is your favorite album ever? >>the one I burned of all my personal favorites, done in MOODS, so I have about five of them

[sambha]

I love my album "Close to the Edge" and also the other ca. 20 albums of my yes collection. Also I have many solo albums of yes artist - my favorite of Jon's albums is "OLIAS OF SUNHILOW" and "CITY OF ANGELS".
Most pride to have a special in my possession is "THE WHITE ALBUM" (Live) one of only 1000 copies!

THE WHITE ALBUM
Amsterdam Concert Hall 1972 - Hollywood Bowl 1975

Amsterdam Concert Hall 1972
1. I Have Seen All Good People 7:30
2. Hearts Of The Sunrise 9:53
3. Rick Wakeman Solo 7:44
4. Long Distance 4:38
5. Yours Is On Disgrace 8:06

Hollywood Bowl 1975
6. The Gates Of Delerium 22:20

[Jackaranda]

I think that one day I might say Yessongs is the best, another I may say Relayer, and another day I may say GFTO or Talk.

There is just so much, from so many different era's and line-ups, that to pick one is very difficult for me. I chose Yessongs because that's the greatest live playing I've ever heard on an album, but again, there is just so much.....Thanks guys!!!!

[tardistraveler]

OK - Think I posted here once before the crash.

But, here goes. CTTE is my favorite studio album. What follows that probably goes like, Tales, GFTO, Magnification, Relayer, Fragile, TYA - the order may switch around a bit!

And I agree with Jack - Yessongs is the best live set!

Paostby - an interesting comment about the studio version being less mature. I've never really thought about it that way; however, I have found that there are passages on live versions that I enjoy more than the studio version - that's why I love Yessongs so much!

[Gato]

If forced to choose one and just only one, it's got to be Close to the Edge. But then I'd start mentioning Gates, Tales... and so many other ones!

[Mr. Holland]

Originally posted by tardistraveler
Paostby - an interesting comment about the studio version being less mature. I've never really thought about it that way; however, I have found that there are passages on live versions that I enjoy more than the studio version - that's why I love Yessongs so much!

That is probably what makes Yes unique (one of the many things) is that songs, no matter how old, keep growing. They keep changing little things, keep making other arangments for songs. Yessongs is a greats live album, but there are some other examples to of when a live version is even better then the studio version, in my personal opnion.
I like the Keys version of "Starship Trooper" very much, because of fast part they play within "Wurm". "Awaken" has never sounded better then on the Union tour. "Homeworld" on the HOB cd is better then the studio version. HOB also inlcudes probably the best live version of "Yours is no Disgrace", just to name a few......

[TNyesfan]

Steve's fiery playing (this is Steve's magnum opus), the magnificence of the church organ , the utter originality of all the songs makes this album the one I play the most. This recording represents the best in composition and performance of the band members individually and as a whole.

[Ron Drummond]

Wow -- my first attempt to post this head's-up just now vanished!

Hey people, somebody's cheating on this poll. The number of votes cast for Ctte and TFTO has increased by a huge amount in a matter of days, and TFTO for the very first time ever has pulled 20 votes ahead of CttE. I mean, the number of votes cast has almost doubled in a few days, and this poll is over a year and a half old. No way! It's been tampered with!

(And much as I love CttE, I wouldn't mind at all if some other Yes album beat out CttE, just for a little variety. But not by cheating! Something's screwy here!)

[1yesfan]

No one can change votes. What may be happening is that I have the site set to allow non members, guests, vote on any poll on the site. In that case the site would track them via a IP, if they are on a provider that changes IP everytime they log onto the provider they could then vote again since the site does not have that new IP logged. There are a couple other way this could be happening, nothing I can do about it.

[Dances w/PURPLE]

Do we have money running on this? hahaha...I don't think so.

Me thinks there's a glitch somewhere. I did the fuzzy math and at 10 posts per page x 10 pages gives us 100. CTTE has 113.
Maybe people voting and not posting a response too. Could have happened when we had the open forum.

[Ron Drummond]

Originally posted by dancesw/purple
Me thinks there's a glitch somewhere. I did the fuzzy math and at 10 posts per page x 10 pages gives us 100. CTTE has 113.
I don't understand the fuzzy math. And CttE does NOT have 113 votes now, it has 93 -- TFTO has 113. See -- you're so used to seeing CttE on top, you mis-read it! :-)

What I remember is that I looked at this like two or three days ago, no more than that, and CttE was winning by about one-third over the next highest. Ctte had numbers in the 70s or so, and TFTO was in the 40s or something like that. And that's after a year and a half of voting. Now look at it!

Oh well. I always thought these polls were silly, anyway. Imposing heirarchies on works of art -- it might be fun, but if we take them too seriously they end up diminishing our appreciation of everything.

The greatness of one work of art does not diminish the greatness of the works around it -- it enriches the works around it, it enriches the whole field of experience in which we encounter anything. That could be said better, but I think it's true. None of these things happen in a vacuum, and if they did, they'd just choke to death, or swell up and explode -- Ooof! Wait a minute!

The primal cause of the Big Bang discovered at last! The universe was once a great work of art existing in a vacuum. And it swelled up out of its own inflated sense of self-importance and went blewy and -- wah-lah! -- stars and galaxies and planets and epic Yes songs and discussion boards and cheaters too, all flung outward into the endless void!

Yes, but the question then becomes: WHICH great piece of art was it that gave rise to the entirety of manifest creation? Let's post a poll on THAT!

[BrianD]

Originally posted by Ron Drummond

Oh well. I always thought these polls were silly, anyway. Imposing heirarchies on works of art -- it might be fun, but if we take them too seriously they end up diminishing our appreciation of everything.



I agree that polls about works of art are silly - except they are means towards an end. They actually get people to think and discuss different issues. I don't worry about the numbers, only the discussion because thats where the action is!

[Earl Grey]

I love it.

'TALES' is the winner here.

And I contend...

OH MY GOD!
~~~~~~~

Everything within me says TALES TALES TALES...

But the truth is...

'Close To The Edge' wins.
~~~~~~


C'mon peeps! Be real here...

CTTE IS the 'perfect album'.

TALES is a close third (RELAYER! RELAYER!).

That's just me. Which means nothing, really

CTTE
RELAYER
and TALES.

Don't forget 'Fragile'.

OR: 'The YES Album.

The Holy Quuintrangle.

Now: where's that tree I was going to hug?

:ele:

[R'tanys]

I can't believe GFT1 only has 39 votes. What a bunch of :poop:;)

[tommc]

This vote goes to CTTE.
Hard to believe that Fragile gets so shortchanged in this poll. My theory is that people are so accustomed to hearing Roundabout on the radio and in concert that they are sick of it. This does not diminish the greatness of the song. HOTS and SSOTS are awesome and were clear highlights of the last tour. Perhaps it is more cooler or out there to vote for Tales over Fragile. As a huge Yes fan I truly appreciate Tales and RSOG is one of my favorites but better than Fragile? Not even close.

1. CTTE
2. Fragile
3. GFTO
4. Relayer
5. TYA

[dexy]

1. Tales
2. CTTE
3. Relayer
4. TYA
5. GFTO

It seems a shame to leave out Fragile and Tormato (both albums I love) but there you go, maybe next week, month, year the list will be different, although Tales will always be my number one.

[THE ONE 7]

¡HELLO, LET ME TELL YOU I'M PROBABLY THE ONLY YESFAN FROM MY COUNTRY (COLOMBIA), I MEAN THE ONLY CRAZED YESFAN FROM THIS PLACE, AND JOINED THE SITE JUST A FEW DAYS AGO; HOWEVER, I'D LIKE TO TELL YOU AS A MUSICIAN, MY FAVOURITE ALBUM IS, FOR MUSICAL REASONS, RELAYER. SEE YA LATER, THANKS.

[tardistraveler]

Hey, welcome to the site, The One 7! Glad you found us! I think you'll find that we're a friendly group of people here, so come back soon and post often!

[Dale Cleary]

Fragile.

So many votes for Tales....?
There is no accounting for taste. :D

[bender]

Close To The Edge.

I think it is their most "complete" album.

[O.Gumucio]

Fragile y Close to the Edge son fantásticos, pero hay mucho material bueno para olvidar los otros.
Han escuchado ultimamente On the Silent Wings of Freedom de un disco poco famoso Tormato, va mi recomendación

O. Gumucio

[tardistraveler]

Hola, O.Gumucio!

Sorry, my Spanish is sketchy at best, but I wanted to welcome you to the site!

[O.Gumucio]

I really feel at home in this site, I usually write in my own languaje, I hope yesfans dont mind.

This is the first time I get envolved in a music fan community, in my country its not easy to find many people who likes Yes or even know them.

I find very interesting how people from all over the world, write almost any thing always taking Yes as the center of conversation.

For many year I found myself alone about my deep connection to Yes music, Yes lirics and Yes special dimension.

Thank you for welcoming, I really feel at home.

O. Gumucio

[tardistraveler]

Thanks for your reply, O. Gumucio.

We are happy to have you here, and it is fine if you "habla espanol".

I read Spanish better than I speak it, so I have been able to understand your posts.

We are glad you are here, and I see that you have found some of our other Spanish-speaking members too.

[maninawhitecar]

I voted for Close To The Edge.....but Fragile is right up there too...this is way to difficult!

[Third]

I went with Close To The Edge.

[SallyKhatru]

I choose the Ladder, cause this was the album that made ma become a yesfan. Because the stuff is easy this was a good one for me to get closer to the music and all the albums which are more ambitious. This is one of the best albums for all beginners. Meanwhile I´m listening to Yesmusic for mor than 6 years and I don´t have any problems with songs like Revealing Sience of God or That that is. They´re soooo beautiful.
But whatever they do. I´ts so great.
I think also Keys to Ascention1+2 are good to show what they´re able to play.
never stop that

[leqin]

All of them

[Teresa]

I started collecting in the early ‘70’s, so I am pretty much familiar with all the Yes releases.

I chose Going for the One. I basically based this on these three points:
1. Awaken (Need I really say more?)
2. Wonderous Stories
3. I think the band was happy. Rick had rejoined. They sound like they are relaxed and having a good time while recording by the album.

While narrowing down to GftO, I must add that I have become somewhat addicted to Magnification. I find several songs popping in my head when I least expect it thus urging me to once again to listen to it.

The fact that I have the enhanced DVD adds to the experience. I recommend it to all! Although Rick is not on this one, the orchestra helps to make up for his absence.

[ranyart]

The best is yet to come!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
and until then you can keep on listening to the other stuff, as the music for the most part is timeless.......................:cheers:

[tardistraveler]

Hi, Teresa, and welcome to YesFans! Great first post! I love GFTO as well - it is SO hard to choose a favorite Yes album - and you're right about Mag - the songs just keep popping into your head. It has become a definite favorite as well.

Hope you come and visit us again soon! Post often!

[lrs]

This is an impossible question, but one that is therefore very stimulating and prompts alot of discussion and thinking. I find that for different reasons different albums stand out for different reasons.

Going for the One has two of the most mind-numbingly beautiful songs ever: Awaken and Turn of the Century. So I often think of that as number 1.

Tormato i find to be the most innovative and "efficient" the band seems to be at the height of their game and can create feelings and originality instantly on this record.

TFTO is probably the most evenly consistent record every part is a pleasure to listen and does not suffer from some parts seeming to be weaker than others.

The earlier records all seem indispensable in that Yes is unthinkable without them.

For the purposes of the poll I willgo with GftO.

Mike

[jimtim45]

I voted for all of them........CTE just beats GFTO and TOTO because it was the album,when first released,made me realise that YESMUSIC was going to be important in the history of rock.Apart from that there isn't a weak moment in the whole album.The album nurtured the potential shown in Y.A.and Fragile(both great albums}

[SallyKhatru]

Hi teresa,

you´ve already had the welcome.
But also from me: great post.


Good piont that :
,,I think the band was happy. Rick had rejoined. They sound like they are relaxed and having a good time while recording by the album."

But there would be other albums with the same feeling. How many times did he return???:-)

No but really you made me think about GFTO again. I love it lots.
Thinking of Wonderous Stories and Going itself makes me happy.
Always when I think of Awaken I out it in order with Keys to Ascension, because the first time I heard it was there.
I´m not old enough so I didn´t have the chance to buy GFTO when it was released, but 30 years later:-)

Have a great time with all here.
Mostly they´re pretty friendly.

[Tonydess]

I was very pleased to see that TFTO was just under CTTE in best album.I've enjoyed TFTO ever since the first time I heard it back in 1985.I also think Yesshows is their best live album.The only thing they are missing from that live album is Close to the Edge.

[Würm]

I voted for CTTE, simply because it doesn't have one bad song on it. The only imperfections I can see on the entire album are the lingering near-silent section between Total Mass Retain and I Get Up I Get Down, and the attention-losing section of Siberian Khatru(When Jon sings bluetail, tailfly, etc.).
I'd rate Relayer a close second due to my personal dislike of To Be Over, and I'd put TFTO third because of the sheer abundance of interesting musical ideas. The other three classic '70s Yes albums are on equal footing below my top three.

[SuperTrooper]

My vote for the best album is Fragile. Followed by Close to the Edge, and the Yes Album. These albums defined the Yes sound we all look for.

[SallyKhatru]

Good point Super trooper,
but I think that doesn´t mean the other albums are not we are looking for. These three are the main ideas all the other CD´s fit to somehow.

[Timmo]

"Relayer" only got 62 votes?!?!?!?!? Only just ahead of "Going for the One?"

I'm shocked, speechless and more than a little appalled (well, not really!).

I don't think Yes has done anything ever that tops "The Gates of Delirium." As good as "Close to the Edge" is, "Gates" tops it.

Maybe it's the discordancy of "Relayer," it doesn't go down nearly as easily as CTTE or GFTO.

The launch.com description of "Relayer, although short, is priceless:

"By far the most aggressive album of Yes's classic period, enough to drive some early fans away. Gentle fairy-rock it ain't."


Tim
Venice, CA

[Mr. Holland]

What strikes me as pretty odd now, is that I started a thread "Which is the best studio album the current line-up has done". GFTO is in 1st place and TFTO in second........so seeing that it would be logical if in this thread GFTO would be ahead of Tales, however in this thread TFTO is so far ahead of GFTO. How can this be? Have people changed their minds over the last few months?? People that voted for Tales on this thread are voting for GFTO on the other?
Strange, strange, strange.........

[illusion]

The Rabin era fans prefer GFTO, then.

[Mr. Holland]

The Rabin era fans prefer GFTO, then.

That doesn't make much sense to me, because it is not only Rabin era fans voting on the other pole, it's the same mixture as on this pole........

[headrott]

Tales has got to be number one for me. Although the song "CTTE" is my favorite by quite a bit. We are , however talking about a collection of songs and how they fit together and create an album as a whole. The best album that does this by YES (IMO) is Tales.

Greg

[Dantalion Rides Again]

Don't think I've ever posted to this thread before, but apparently I chose CTTE as my favorite.

I really can't get over the poll results though! Tales is favored 4:1 over The Yes Album? And 7:1 OVER FRAGILE? I love Tales and all, but this isn't what I expected the general consensus to be.

Geez. You think you know someone.

[Mr. Holland]

Tales has got to be number one for me. Although the song "CTTE" is my favorite by quite a bit. We are , however talking about a collection of songs and how they fit together and create an album as a whole. The best album that does this by YES (IMO) is Tales.

Greg

Goes to show how different opinions can be and how different people listen to music. I personally think that Tales is one of the least coherent Yes albums. Allthough the subject of the lyrics might be a binding factor, I think musicly every piece totally differents from the other 3. I think CTTE is a much more coherent album, as is TYA or 90125.

[Marco78]

Close To The Edge Is The Best Album
Fragile Is Close Second
Tales From Topographic Oceans Is A Very Special Album, Creatively Unrepeatble, But A Little Prolix, Excessive.

[Teresa]

What do you consicer to be Yes' best album? What album is your favorite?
This has been and continues to be a fun thread and I really like the graph! :funmeter2

Suggestion: How about a graphic poll on each Yes recording along the same lines as this one, but with a 'Yes' or no answer on if we love all or most of it? Of course individual posts could elaborate. I would be pretty interested in the numbers. It would be especially interesting on how many of us find a lot of good in the Union recording. I am not putting down the 1970's purist. I have been a huge fan since 1972. But I would love to see a visual on recordings such as The Ladder. Perhaps some fans have albums in their collection they’ve never really given a chance and want to give another try, just to find they love it!
I realize there are some similar poll threads, but I would like to see a graph showing how many recordings are loved by us.

Just like Yes, the Yesfans site is never boring. :thumbs:

[fragile34]

it's between close to the edge, tales, and relayer for me.

[Timmo]

it's between close to the edge, tales, and relayer for me.

Relayer, Close to the Edge, The Yes Album, Fragile, Tales, GFTO and Tormato.

In that order. And Relayer is a HUGE #1.

TIM
Venice, CA

[omark]

I vote(d) for Gft1. I can't help it if most of you don't agree. A few years ago most people thought the "world" was flat. (kidding around ... kind of) Gft1 has great depth, power, and variety to it, and obviously the boys were at a peak in their development. Does anyone care to recall that a huge portion of CttE was pieced together after recording? They had to *learn* how to play it 'cause they didn't really play it wholly in the studio. I will, however, refrain from rating their albums further. It does come down to taste, as well as a matter of the "when-and-where" you experienced the music the first-time around. Peace, Mark C.

[Scooty]

1) Relayer 2) Going For The One 3) Close To The Edge
4) Yes Album 5)Fragile 6)Tales 7) Tormato

[CordofLife]

Hmm, its really an hard choice for me, I love most of the albums listed. I am going with The Yes Album, I just have a thing for it, maybe because it has "Starship Trooper" and "I've Seen All Good People" on it. Two great songs.

[YYY]

Its still hard for me to quantify YES's best music (which was definately during the 70's) except to say that GTFO & Tormato are my least favorites.

Relayer, CTTE and Tales run a close first place but
"The YES Album & Fragile are simply classics in their own right. They win the most charming, playful, delightful and uplifting of all their records

[moonchild]

Well I'm gonna stick to CTTE...cause when I think back to my childhood, that album has a solid place in my history...and I couldn't have slept without it for a year or so there..I had one of those turntables where you could pull the arm back and it would repeat all night long...

[inside_out]

Close to the Edge.
There is no question.

[Amy]

Going for the One

[brian6660]

I have to Go for the One

[Mr. Holland]

This is the score up to the previous post.....

01. CLOSE TO THE EDGE [ 173 ]
02. TALES FROM TOPOGRAPHIC OCEANS [ 144 ]
03. RELAYER [ 70 ]
04. GOING FOR THE ONE [ 54 ]
05. THE YES ALBUM [ 33 ]
06. YESSONGS [ 29 ]
07. FRAGILE [ 22 ]
08. TALK [ 10 ]
09. MAGNIFICATION [ 09 ]
10. 90125 [ 08 ]
11. DRAMA [ 05 ]
12. TORMATO [ 04 ]
13. YESSHOWS [ 04 ]
14. THE LADDER [ 04 ]
15. TIME AND A WORD [ 02 ]
16. BIG GENERATOR [ 02 ]
17. KEYS TO ASCENTION 2 [ 02 ]
18. OPEN YOUR EYES [ 02 ]
19. YES [ 01 ]
20. KEYS TO ASCENSION 1 [ 01 ]
21. YESTERDAYS [ 0 ] UNION [ 0 ] LIVE FROM THE HOB [ 0 ]

What strikes me as pretty odd (could be that I've mentioned this before, didn't read all the posts on this thread again) is that Tales is firm in the lead here over GFTO, while in a thread/poll I set up "What is the best studio album the current line-up has done", GFTO is in the lead over Tales........

[Timmo]

This is the score up to the previous post.....

01. CLOSE TO THE EDGE [ 173 ]
02. TALES FROM TOPOGRAPHIC OCEANS [ 144 ]
03. RELAYER [ 70 ]
04. GOING FOR THE ONE [ 54 ]
05. THE YES ALBUM [ 33 ]
06. YESSONGS [ 29 ]
07. FRAGILE [ 22 ]
08. TALK [ 10 ]
09. MAGNIFICATION [ 09 ]
10. 90125 [ 08 ]
11. DRAMA [ 05 ]
12. TORMATO [ 04 ]
13. YESSHOWS [ 04 ]
14. THE LADDER [ 04 ]
15. TIME AND A WORD [ 02 ]
16. BIG GENERATOR [ 02 ]
17. KEYS TO ASCENTION 2 [ 02 ]
18. OPEN YOUR EYES [ 02 ]
19. YES [ 01 ]
20. KEYS TO ASCENSION 1 [ 01 ]
21. YESTERDAYS [ 0 ] UNION [ 0 ] LIVE FROM THE HOB [ 0 ]

What strikes me as pretty odd (could be that I've mentioned this before, didn't read all the posts on this thread again) is that Tales is firm in the lead here over GFTO, while in a thread/poll I set up "What is the best studio album the current line-up has done", GFTO is in the lead over Tales........

What strikes me is that "Relayer" is less than half of "Tales."

TIM
Venice, CA

[Amy]

Hate Tales
Hate Relayer

Is there ANYONE out there who feels the same (besides Wakeman?)

[Timmo]

Hate Tales
Hate Relayer

Is there ANYONE out there who feels the same (besides Wakeman?)

Not me, they're my #1 (Relayer) and #3 (Tales), with #2 going to CTTE.

I guess it's humanly possible to hate "Relayer," but I'm having a hard time imagining it! I think it's one of the best pieces of music written in the 20th Century.

TIM
Venice, CA

[Bo Locks]

Hate Tales
Hate Relayer

Is there ANYONE out there who feels the same (besides Wakeman?)

Not hate but certainly think that Tales is weak. >shock!<
Relayer is really cold sounding (then and now).

Why is nobody voting for FRAGILE, their greatest moment?

[Amy]

Not me, they're my #1 (Relayer) and #3 (Tales), with #2 going to CTTE.

I guess it's humanly possible to hate "Relayer," but I'm having a hard time imagining it! I think it's one of the best pieces of music written in the 20th Century.

TIM
Venice, CA

I'm amazed at how many people like Relayer and Tales. Your comment has convinced me to give these 2 albums another shot. I haven't listened to them since the 70's. Maybe my adult ear will hear them differently than my teenage ear did. I will purchase both CD's and get back to you.

[rabinmovies]

my favourite is simply the TALK album. That album got me through some very difficult times. The amount of crying i did listening to the very beautiful ENDLESS DREAM was so relieving for my anxiety and depression. Every track is a classic on that cd, and no music has made such an impact on my life since TALK was released and i don't think no album ever will. RABIN/ANDERSON'S songwriting together is YES at it's best. The album still sounds a million years ahead of it's time.

[Timmo]

I'm amazed at how many people like Relayer and Tales. Your comment has convinced me to give these 2 albums another shot. I haven't listened to them since the 70's. Maybe my adult ear will hear them differently than my teenage ear did. I will purchase both CD's and get back to you.

I only recently re-listened to "Relayer" after YEARS, when the Rhino reissues came out.

Within the first three minutes of "The Gates of Delirium," I was crying, I'd forgotten how truly awesome this piece was. I was stunned by "Sound Chaser" and "To Be Over."

"Back in the day," I was playing piano and really into keyboard-driven music. Over the intervening years, I have become more interested in guitar-driven bands. "Relayer" is by far the most guitar-driven record from the "Classic Yes" period. Try concentrating on what Steve is doing through an admittedly bad mix and I think you'll be astounded, particularly during his "To Be Over" solo.

When I re-listened to "Tales," at first I liked it less than I had back in the 70s, but it has totally grown on me. A few nights ago I listened to it in its entirety, VERY LOUD on headphones. What on casual listening sounds fragmented becomes more cohesive the more you listen to it. Yes it rambles, and yes, it's repetitive, but there are SUBLIME moments, like the end of "The Remembering" ("Rainbows, sunlight, tell me...."), the rising and falling keyboards in "The Revealing Science of God," the final "Nous Sommes du Soleil" section of "Ritual." And I find "The Ancient," which I had never really liked, to be far more interesting after years of listening to more complex, dissonant and discordant music like later King Crimson.

"Relayer" is a harsh album compared to "Fragile" or "Close to the Edge," but it's not COLD. I think it's the most passionate music they ever wrote, and in some ways to me, more honest because it's NOT as relentlessly spiritual and optimistic.

Give it another listen.

TIM
Venice, CA

[Timmo]

Not hate but certainly think that Tales is weak. >shock!<
Relayer is really cold sounding (then and now).

Why is nobody voting for FRAGILE, their greatest moment?

See my thoughts on "Relayer" in the post just above.

To me, "Fragile" has three great songs. "Roundabout" has been SO overplayed, but it really is wonderful what is happening with the rhythm section. "South Side of the Sky" has always been a favorite, as has "Heart of the Sunrise."

But the record as a whole sounds to me very "in development." It portended the greatnesss of what was to come, while being both beloved in my house, and having some very strong material on it's own, I wouldn't call it "their greatest moment."

TIM
Venice, CA

[Amy]

"Relayer" is a harsh album compared to "Fragile" or "Close to the Edge," but it's not COLD. I think it's the most passionate music they ever wrote, and in some ways to me, more honest because it's NOT as relentlessly spiritual and optimistic.

Give it another listen.

TIM
Venice, CA

Already ordered the cd's. Have a lot of newer Yes music to catch up on, too.

[Amy]

Give it another listen.

TIM
Venice, CA

I just listened to The Gates of Delirium this morning.
I am absolutely blown away.
There is no question that my ears were significantly closed as a teenager.
So powerful - and such depth. Amazing. I cannot believe I missed this for what's probably half of my life. And "Soon" - OMG. Speechless.
Could the rest of the album only get better?
Wish I could listen to the whole thing right now, but not gonna happen. I'll have to take it one "song" at a time.

Unbelievable.

[Dantalion Rides Again]

Amy, that was a great post to read. Welcome to Yesfans (if I've not already welcomed you and then forgotten :rolleyes:). Reminds me of my first listen to Close to the Edge. I literally had to digest it one song at a time and give my brain time to breathe.

[Timmo]

I just listened to The Gates of Delirium this morning.
I am absolutely blown away.
There is no question that my ears were significantly closed as a teenager.
So powerful - and such depth. Amazing. I cannot believe I missed this for what's probably half of my life. And "Soon" - OMG. Speechless.
Could the rest of the album only get better?
Wish I could listen to the whole thing right now, but not gonna happen. I'll have to take it one "song" at a time.

Unbelievable.

Wait until you hear Steve's solos on "Soundchaser" and "To Be Over."

I had the same reaction that you did the first time that I heard "Gates."

It didn't hurt that I was flying on blotter acid either. Ah, the 70s!

TIM
Venice, CA

[tardistraveler]

Blotter acid - Tim you're a hoot!

Yeah, I remember such stuff.

Off-topic - I was watching "Family Feud" one night, when the question was "Name a kind of acid." I immediately thought "Purple haze, windowpane, orange barrel, etc." Of course, the answers were "citric, nitric, sulphuric, etc." Guess they didn't poll any ex-heads for THAT one! LOL

[Amy]

Wait until you hear Steve's solos on "Soundchaser" and "To Be Over."

TIM
Venice, CA

Now I remember why I was turned off to this album in the 70's. Sound Chaser. Just don't like it. There are some good parts, but as a whole doesn't do it for me. I suppose I don't listen to music intellectually enough. I tend to go for the more melodic stuff.

To Be Over - I love it! Such a vast contridiction on one album.

I need to listen again to Steve's solos on both. The first time I listen I try to just get the overall sense of the piece.

I realize how off topic I have led this thread. I was going to move this over to the Relayer forum, but upon reading some of the stuff there, I didn't want to risk someone's hand reaching out from the screen and smacking me in the face!

So as to get this thread back on track, I can only say that Going For The One and Close to the Edge still my favorites. Although....... Gates is so powerful and so much going on..........this gives me an idea for a new thread.

[Amy]

Hate Tales
Hate Relayer



Can I erase this - up here? ^
Did I say this?
I must have had some major hormonal problems as a teenager. Maybe it's because I didn't do drugs? I can happily say that this post will not be off topic.

I believe Tales is one of Yes's best works. I would put it in a category all by itself. It seems to me like it was their finest moment. I think what helps to make it this way is the length of the tracks. You don't get that frustrated "done already"? feeling. There's plenty of it. It is a masterpiece. I am pleasantly surprised at how much I like it.

It seems to be getting a lot tougher to pick a favorite. Now the only thing I've heard past Going For the One, is Open Your Eyes, Magnification, Key Studio (all of which I've recently purchased), and the little I remember from when I used to own Tormato and......what was the other one? Can't think of the title right now. Came out around the same time as Tormato.

That said, Going for The One is still my favorite - although I'm always tempted to say Close to the Edge.

Tim - Thank you. I have truly been awakened.

[moorglade mover]

I had a hard time deciding which one to vote for but ended up picking Close to the Edge, but my second choice was Tales. When I viewed the poll results, I saw I was on track with the majority. While I still believe that Close to the Edge was the best studio album by Yes, clearly Tales was the best live show I have ever seen by any group, without question. Saw it in Memphis. The song selection and the visuals on the stage and in the venue have never been equalled by anyone. Eddie Offord was responsible for much of the quality of that show and he appeared to be on some other planet as we saw him stroll through the crowd on his way to the sound board that night. We also noticed a button labeled "Birds In" that apparently they use to begin "Close to the Edge". These two albums along with Fragile and the Yes Album were made at a time when the group was at its creative best. I don't know this, but I believe that Eddie Offord had something to do with the quality of the production on each of these albums and I do not know when he was no longer involved with the group. Can anyone provide that information?

I'm just thankful that I was growing up musically at the same time as the group and was fortunate enough to have experienced this phenomenon called Yes from start to present. It has been a thrill to have lived through that time and to be able to re-live the best line up the group has been able to put together here in 2004. I can't wait to see what the visuals will do to enhance this tour!

So much for a post on the best Yes album. While we all may have our personal selections of which album is the "best" Yes album, it is clear that we all have chosen Yes as the best group. It is great to be in the company of those who have excellent taste in music!

Bill Magee:band:

[tardistraveler]

Hi, Bill! Welcome to YesFans! So glad you found us!

I saw that Tales show in Memphis too! The venue sucked - remember Cook Convention Center - totally flat room with a sea of chairs? But Yes as always was still magical!

Amy, glad you saw the light about Relayer and Tales - they are wonderful albums!

[soulsearcher]

Can I erase this - up here? ^
Did I say this?
I must have had some major hormonal problems as a teenager. Maybe it's because I didn't do drugs? I can happily say that this post will not be off topic.

I believe Tales is one of Yes's best works. I would put it in a category all by itself. It seems to me like it was their finest moment. I think what helps to make it this way is the length of the tracks. You don't get that frustrated "done already"? feeling. There's plenty of it. It is a masterpiece. I am pleasantly surprised at how much I like it.

It seems to be getting a lot tougher to pick a favorite. Now the only thing I've heard past Going For the One, is Open Your Eyes, Magnification, Key Studio (all of which I've recently purchased), and the little I remember from when I used to own Tormato and......what was the other one? Can't think of the title right now. Came out around the same time as Tormato.

That said, Going for The One is still my favorite - although I'm always tempted to say Close to the Edge.

Tim - Thank you. I have truly been awakened.
i'm so happy you are diggin tales right now.
i'm almost a little jealous at the new experience you are having since mine was like 22 years ago.

you are inspiring me to get out my triple fold album and lay on my floor and listen to the whole album, start to finish.

do you have the album..or the cd?

i think ALL yes albums should still be released on vinyl in addition to cd.
there are a lot of people who would buy them for the words and artwork.

it is so funny how yes is received.
i think it is true that the songs get better and better with each listen, as more thought and understanding are had each time.

it is truly like art ....where whether you like it or not is subjective, but after time some peices of art can be appreciated, even if they weren't liked at first.

[Amy]

Hi Denise,

I have the CD - with the bonus tracks. I didn't know one could still buy an album!

I chucked all my albums, not too long ago. My turntable broke years ago and I couldn't seem to find a place to purchase another one.

Of course, my cousin just informed me last month that you could get a stereo system with a turntable from......I can't remember the name of the catalog. Doesn't help much anyway, since I don't need a whole system!

Now, with the internet, one could probably find a turntable pretty easy.

So I am now albumless. So sad. But I did replace many of my albums with CD's.

I absolutely LOVE Tales. I have to listen to it EVERY DAY. I'm sure this will fade, but not too concerned!

It's getting harder to do chores now, with the concert only a month away. Finding it hard to concentrate on anything else but YES!

How I will be able to do anything the week before, is beyond me!

[Earl Grey]

It's really refreshing, hearing good things being said about TALES.

It gets a bad rap sometimes. Oftentimes.

I remember the reviews when it first came out.

I remember the latent review I read just the other day, some cretin holding up a Michelangelo, mistreating beauty as though it were this obscenity.
The voices in one's head that say, "You can't do THIS! It is sin to attempt to touch the heavens..."

I choose to ignore that whiney voice.

To be of the sun, to reflect...
To become that lumination of spirit and soul.
To spin spicules and wild unbounded rays of glory into a world over-run with petty trivialities and Wall Street standards.

TALES did well on the charts when it came out. Despite the critic's disdain.
Amazing.

I wonder if TALES would do well now, if it were a new release by, say Radiohead or some new breed.
Probably not, but then again...

Tales From Topographic Oceans is a timeless work.

The first time I ever listened, it sounded as though it had always existed.

It was bigger than me.

It was bigger than the front page news, Richard Nixon looming large, like a pendulum swinging out to toll an untuned bell at midnight.

Perhaps TALES is a contemporary album.
The times are similar.
And the music, it is bliss.

And we are of the sun, we LOVE when we play!

And TALES is what humans do when they reach for the stars.
It's nothing less than evolution.

Which is a sweet thing, and always wins in the end.

EG:yesbird:

[Full Tilt Boogie]

Sage words, dude! That said, I went, for all round 'Don't put that funk in my face!' arse-kick value, Going for the One! :D

[Koko]

CLOSE TO THE EDGE - Thee 'Finest' album/Recording of Music in the History of the Universe.

simple really - No Contest !

Koko

[label]

I had to go with Fragile based on Heart of the Sunrise.

Right behind it though,
Close to the Edge
The Yes Album
90125
and
Going for the One, even though I don't care for the title track.

[Gabriel]

It was a close call for me between Fragile, Close to the Edge and Going for the One, but I voted for Going for the One; not a weak track on this album, and its simply astonishing from start to finish and Awaken has to be one of the most beautiful songs i've ever heard. A show case for Jons fantastic voice.

[Stever]

I went with Relayer. I feel the Relayer was the full realisation of an unidentifiable "something" that began on Fragile, then built up as it carried through CTTE and TFTO. Relayer has been so central and played such a big part in my life that it's beyond being about a Yes thing. Since Yes is hands down my favorite band ever, and I think Relayer is their greatest achievement, that means I think Relayer is in fact THE best album of all time. By ANYONE. It is even better (to me) than Led Zeppelin 4, Dark Side of the Moon, Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, 2112, Close to the Edge, Hunky Dory, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road......(well you get the idea).

[mood for today]

GFTO it has it all. awaken------'nuff said

[cinderella]

Being a big fan of Trevor :hearts: I'd have to say that Talk is the best album, followed closely by 90125. :valintine

[Scooty]

Being a big fan of Trevor :hearts: I'd have to say that Talk is the best album, followed closely by 90125. :valintine



Wow...Im really surprised by your choices here..who woulda thought that you woulda' said that..I mean the chances...LOL...Im giving you a hard time..so kidding...Awesome picks....thanks for bein' here Cinderella...you have given the 3 or 4 other Rabinites hope. Ohh Did I say that!

90125 kicks butt..as does Talk which i truly believe gets a bad rap to this day..Incredibly emotional album...

Back on topic....GOING FOR THE ONE..hands down, no debate..dont even try to come after me..LOL

Scoot

[cinderella]

Originally posted by scootyes89

thanks for bein' here Cinderella...you have given the 3 or 4 other Rabinites hope.

:lol:You mean there are that many here?? I'm shocked!! I thought I was the only one. :lmao:

[BigGenerator]

Best one is Big Generator
90125 is my second favourite

[Full Tilt Boogie]

Best one is Big Generator
90125 is my second favourite


And with a name like yours? Who'd a guessed it?

[brotherofmine]

I would like to be contravertial. Aongside ABWH which cannot be counted as an official Yes album I would say Union is my favourite album (unpopular by bothe the band and fans) but it is a tremendous album. An awful lot going on with 8 in the band. 14 tracks which before I heard the album I was hesitant but even on the 4 / 5 minute tracks so many changes in the Yes style, not a bad song on the entire album, with the highlight being 'Lift Me Up'. Anyone who wondered what would happen when the driving rock of Rabin was combined with the versatile Howe here is the answer, it proves you CAN have your cake and eat it too.

[Mr. Holland]

I would like to be contravertial. Aongside ABWH which cannot be counted as an official Yes album I would say Union is my favourite album (unpopular by bothe the band and fans) but it is a tremendous album. An awful lot going on with 8 in the band. 14 tracks which before I heard the album I was hesitant but even on the 4 / 5 minute tracks so many changes in the Yes style, not a bad song on the entire album, with the highlight being 'Lift Me Up'. Anyone who wondered what would happen when the driving rock of Rabin was combined with the versatile Howe here is the answer, it proves you CAN have your cake and eat it too.

Am I right or not when I say you seem to be under the impression that all 8 members played on each track? If not I do not quit get your remark about Rabin and Howe combined. I mean, I agree with you that Lift me Up is a great track, but on the studio version it only features Rabin and not Howe. And another thing on the Rabin tracks it is Rabin playing, on the (ABW) Howe tracks however, there have been done a lot of overdubs by studio musicians, so you can't be sure where it is Howe playing and where it is not and the same goes for the parts of Wakeman.
I also like the Union album, but if there's ever been a misleading title for any Yes album, it was the title of this album. No uniting by the 8 members whatsoever......

[umgekehrt]

Hey I just realized that 4 people (including me) voted for Union! Who are you people? We could party!

[mattos]

Fragile+CTTE+Relayer+GFTO
the best 4 album I've ever heard!

[Mr. Holland]

I am really amazed by some of the contradictions in some poles. In this pole Tales is way ahead on Going for the One. However in the "What is the best studio album the current line-up has done?" thread, Going for the One is way ahead on Tales.
The same applies when looked at the Rabin era albums. Here Talk leads 90125, while in the "what's the best Rabin era album" thread 90125 leads over Talk.

Strange, strange, strange........

[Aluco]

I went for Yessongs. It has just about every important song from that time on the album, One of my top 3 live albums of all time.

[Awakened by the Gates]

I am really amazed by some of the contradictions in some poles. In this pole Tales is way ahead on Going for the One. However in the "What is the best studio album the current line-up has done?" thread, Going for the One is way ahead on Tales.
The same applies when looked at the Rabin era albums. Here Talk leads 90125, while in the "what's the best Rabin era album" thread 90125 leads over Talk.

Strange, strange, strange........
May depend on who is voting.Also may 'depend on the day'!There is no logic to voting anyway,is there?

[Mario1970]

A very hard selection! I have personally three favourites: "Yes Album", "Time and a Word" and "Yes". They were my first Yes CD's, remembering the first time I heard from them.

[Timmo]

I would like to have voted for CLOSE TO THE EDGE for the same reasons charl8e described but chose not to. Just because it was the most ground-breaking - which it was - doesn't make it the best. My vote can only be for what I feel is the ultimate album by the band: RELAYER.

"The Gates of Delirium" is remarkable and has Jon pushing his own envelope wider than he ever did before or has since. On a strictly vocal level, the only other song he gets that raunchy on is "City of Love". On a lyrical level, he touches the pure evil that must exist in all participants in war.

"Sound Chaser" is the best song ever written by anyone anywhere. It's a song about the relationship between music and musician, between musician and audience. It's a pure artistic experience.

"To Be Over" is a beautiful song. It's the weakest link here while being considerably stronger than most of their catalogue - beautiful melodies and instrumental work, all very understated.

Dragonfly:yesbird:

"Counting form through rhythm electric freedom"

P.S. It really irks me when people include live albums in poles like this. If you're going to do that you may as well include every bootleg out there. You'd at least get some better choices. Bands like Yes and Gentle Giant have live bootlegs that are stronger than their official, live release. It's best to just stick to the studio offerings.Relayer, Relayer, Relayer, Relayer, and Relayer.

Let me think about it. Well, let me see, RELAYER.

One of the best musics from the 20th Century.

What Dragonfly said.

TIM
Venice, CA

[cinderella]

Relayer, Relayer, Relayer, Relayer, and Relayer.

Let me think about it. Well, let me see, RELAYER.

One of the best musics from the 20th Century.

What Dragonfly said.

TIM
Venice, CA

So then you're saying you like Relayer, Tim. ;)




I like Talk the best.

[daniel sylvain]

Going for the one was to me the best album until we got their 2005 album....Finger crossed...

[mattquarterstein]

Fingers crossed ;)

My favourite is the Yes Album, but Close to the Edge, Tales and Relayer are transcedent. Hard to pick a "best". Each Yes album I like for a different reason.

[JimBob]

My favorite is Yessongs but Close To The Edge and The Yes Album are very close behind.

[Scooty]

Going for the one was to me the best album until we got their 2005 album....Finger crossed...


me too...fingers crossed..maybe if we all cross our fingers we'll get that album??..maybe? Please? you never know...


Scoot

Oh..favorite album today?

Close To The Edge

[Cyberian Khatru]

I'd have to say that it was a tough pick. my top (five) contenders were

Close to the Edge
Tales from Topographic Oceans
Relayer
Going For The One
Magnification

I can hear it now...

*vwwwwwwipp!* WHAT??? MAGNIFICATION? ARE YOU NUTS?

Well, yes, but that's entirely beside the point. I liked that album. Perhaps it's because I saw the tour before I had the album, and that tour was WELL executed! I really liked it.

Close to the Edge: Atmospheric immersion. Someone said that "Siberian Khatru" was the weakest one on the album. I don't think there IS a weakest one on the album -- they're all good. It's one of two albums on which I actually enjoy every single song, even though there are only three of them. The only other album to share that honor is Synchronicity, by The Police.

Tales From Topographic Oceans: A rock symphony in four movements, covering all four elements in a most openly spiritual manner:
The Revealing Science of God: Water
The Remembering: Air
The Ancient: Earth
Ritual: Fire
[I think I have that right...]

Relayer: Raw, unbridled intensity with a ballad at the end with its own section of intensity added. It's like listening to the equivalent of someone
on roller skis as they navigate streets, sidewalks, corridors of high schools, and a creek bed. Pretty bloody amazing if you think about it.

Going For The One: It's rare that I find an album that I can personally identify with. GFT1 was it for me from about 1983 to about 1987. It still remains one of my all-time favourites. Parallels was, to me, "The Weak One" on this album (I think that's because I heard the live version first on Yesshows, and missed the synths where the studio version has just massive organ work going on -- had the synths been present on the studio album, I think I could put that in the same category as Close To The Edge). Turn Of The Century and Awaken are SO much fun to play solo piano...

[Timmo]

Tales From Topographic Oceans: A rock symphony in four movements, covering all four elements in a most openly spiritual manner:
The Revealing Science of God: Water
The Remembering: Air
The Ancient: Earth
Ritual: Fire
[I think I have that right.]

I'd say RSOG is Air, and "The Remembering" is water. Last two I agree with.

TIM
Venice, CA

[Gabriel]

Given i've had a long time to warm to pretty much every album, its very hard for me to pick a favourite now! Somtimes it may be my original choices of Tales or GFTO and somedays it may be Fragile or CTTE or even Talk!

[paulovajao]

I Don´t Know Is The Same As Asking If You Believe In Pink Unicorns!!!lol!

[cmore]

Close to the Edge is the essential Yes record IMO.

[flep]

Looking at a few replies I belive your favourite yes album does change with each listen.

I love Tales, but then I love CTTE, but then I also love The Yes Album, and not forgetting Going for the One.

Oh this is too hard I need a lie down.

[rickweber]

Big Rick here again! Relayer's the one. Close To The Edge is right up there too. That's a tough one! It's like asking What's your favorite Beatles song? I have a favorite Yes album for every mood. Now I have a headeach! See what you did?

[chaz188]

It is impossible to pick a favorite album, there are so many that I love to listen to...but if I had to I would have to pick yessongs..The selection of music is great. CTTE is (in my opinion) one of the best tracks yes has ever done, & the live version is great.The opening (Firebird..SK, HOTS)is how they opened the 1976 show at Nassau Coleseum, Put on you headphones close your eyes and you are a concert from the mid 70s I also think "the yes album" is fantastic, Relayer,Tales, & the "CTTE" album would round out my top 5.

Chaz188

[JL]

I was checking this thread, on which I voted GFTO ages ago and stand by, and I am really surprised that Tormato and Drama are both in single digits. I love these albums. I would, however, put Tormato at 4 behind GFTO, Relayer and CTTE, and Drama at 7 after the above 4, Tales and Fragile. I guess I shouldn't complain about their low showings then. I just want to give those two an "honorable mention."

[Mind Driver]

Let's see......hmmmm.......well......I like......naah, just can't do it.

I like them all.

[The Whale]

I had to go with TTGO this album keeps me grounded in life. I don't remember the last time I didn't start a sunday morning with RSOG and a cup of coffee.

[pianozach]

I find it interesting that GOING FOR THE ONE is coming in fourth (I probably wouldn't rate it that highly) in front of 90125, an album with no flaws. I can only assume that "Awaken" pushed it so high. I would think that, album-wise that THE YES ALBUM, FRAGILE, YESSONGS, YESSHOWS, HOUSE OF BLUES, DRAMA, and even TALK would have rated higher than GFTO.

[JL]

I find it interesting that GOING FOR THE ONE is coming in fourth (I probably wouldn't rate it that highly) in front of 90125, an album with no flaws. I can only assume that "Awaken" pushed it so high. I would think that, album-wise that THE YES ALBUM, FRAGILE, YESSONGS, YESSHOWS, HOUSE OF BLUES, DRAMA, and even TALK would have rated higher than GFTO.

As one of the people who gave a vote to GFTO, I obviously couldn't disagree more. I can think of no flaws to speak of and think this is one of the 10 best albums of all time. It's cool that we value different albums. That's what makes Yes so special. Many bands have absolute consensus as to their best work. I believe that is not true with Yes because there is so much great stuff to choose from.

[pianozach]

As one of the people who gave a vote to GFTO, I obviously couldn't disagree more. I can think of no flaws to speak of and think this is one of the 10 best albums of all time. It's cool that we value different albums. That's what makes Yes so special. Many bands have absolute consensus as to their best work. I believe that is not true with Yes because there is so much great stuff to choose from.

Spoken like a true fan!

Maybe I'm not so keen on the album because it's missing a key "Classic Yes" member: Roger Dean!

Kidding!

I think I understand your liking the album. It's not that it's a bad album. I suppose I just thought that as far as ranking them, I felt that it was surprising that it's ahead of classics such as "Fragile" and "The Yes Album" as well as albums that I personally think are better and am more likely to listen to such as "Drama" and "Talk" and better playlists which are found on some of the live albums. As far as flaws go, GFTO does have that annoying slidy solo near the end of the title song (I always thought it was a synth, but now I'm not so sure . . . it also sounds like pedal steel to me now). It just sounds like someone out of ideas to me. . . .

When it was first released I was not terribly impressed with the very Tony Kaye-ish organ opening to Parallels, and Awaken put me right out (asleep, I mean. really. like a baby.) Of course, these two songs have grown on me over the years, but their initial impressions still color my ranking of the album. (I love Awaken and Parallels live).

But in honor of your opinion, I've put the album on, and I'm enjoying it just fine, thank you. :valintine

[slazman]

Another poll, another chance to restate my love for Tales

[scootwhoman]

Relayer to me represents the pinnacle of the Yes collection, a solid, dynamic composition, composed of three seperate songs. When "To Be Over" winds down to the last few notes, I have a sense of completeness, which I have found on no other album. The group acheived a unity of sound, with Patrick Moraz blending beautifully. As much as I like Rick Wakeman, I feel that he overpowered the rest of the group at times, drawing the focus onto himself instead of the music.

The themes on the album are incredibly timeless, expressing some of the quintessential emotions of the human existance, and ending with the admonition "After all, don't doubt your part, be ready to be loved."

It perhaps the least accessable of all the Yes albums, sounding to the untrained ear like cacaphony in places. When depicting war musically, the usual practice is to incorporate so-called 'marshall' music, the ordered marching of troops. Yes depicts war as it truly is, chaos beyond imagining, and the aftermath is the surrealistic, ethereal view of the survivor, looking across the battlefield strewn with dead and dying, questioning why death has not come to him, expressing the love of the light of life.

There are many songs in the Yes collection which I dearly love, but as a single composition, Relayer stands alone.

So say I.

[Timmo]

"Relayer" is one of the best pieces of music recorded in the 20th century.

[allpurechance]

As much as I love Relayer(just purchased the remaster,and what an amazing experience it is...),for me it's Close To The Edge.As a youth,this music changed my life.There isn't a bad moment on the entire album.I recently had a dream where I met Jon-I was clutching my original vinyl(it had these weird Starship Enterprise kinda blueprints superimposed in white on it----dreams,eh?!)and I can recall telling him(as he willingly autographed it with that irreplaceable grin of his...)..."Jon,this hit me like a ton of bricks when I was 15..."!...'course tomorrow,it'll be Topographic,or The Yes Album!!!...or...(!!!)

[Scooty]

I find it interesting that GOING FOR THE ONE is coming in fourth (I probably wouldn't rate it that highly) in front of 90125, an album with no flaws. I can only assume that "Awaken" pushed it so high. I would think that, album-wise that THE YES ALBUM, FRAGILE, YESSONGS, YESSHOWS, HOUSE OF BLUES, DRAMA, and even TALK would have rated higher than GFTO.

S'cuse me?? LOL!

90125..no flaws? (Our Song, City Of Love...) come to mind..90125 is ok, it has one of my fav Squire songs, It Can Happen...and Hearts is undeniably great..but flawless..I SO disagree..but that is what makes being a YESFAN fun..I find it so very fascinating the differences in prefrence to Yes music..its so refreshing to be able to disagree...and yet LOVE the same band!

GFTO..the only flaw I find is Turn Of The Century..Awaken IS the masterpeice of the album..

But GFTO is near perfection...

Talk..better than GFTO...Whaaaaa haaaaa haaaaaa..sorry, no. Its OK, but dang a far stretch from GFTO....again..fascinating what the differences are between fans of the same band :)

Drama...now there's where we agree Zach...Drama is the MOST underated album in the YES pantheon..case closed..and I do listen to Drama more than I choose to listen to 90125, GFTO, and many others...

See, I can end this post in accordance with ya!..;)

Oh, PS...Best Yes album today??
Close To The Edge
However this choice changes weekly..sometimes daily..

Scooty

[justyes]

Though the sound quality isn't the best I've voted for YesSongs.

[soundchaser_micheal]

Fragile is the one for me. It was the first album I ever listened to by Yes and plus I prefer Bruford over White although White is pretty good.

[Chris I]

My personal favorite is probably Close to the Edge. Not only is the writing, playing and overall sound quality superb, it also has enormous sentimental value for me (lots of childhood memories). The Yes Album is a very close second.

[owner]

it's really hard to say, because there are many great albums by yes.
i think my choice would be CTTE. it's title track is marvellous! but it's a close call between CTTE, Drama and GFTO. Come on guys, Drama is BIG! "Does it really happen" has the most amazing killer bassline i've ever heard. machine messiah is great and white car is a great intro for does it...! GFTO is magnificent with "Awaken" being one of the best songs ever!
so much for me :-)

[Timmo]

R E L A Y E R.

[allpurechance]

...(I think Timmo likes Relayer...lmaoOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooo.. .)...k, 3 way tie!...wait...!-make that 4 way(no,not THAT 4 way...lmaooooOOO)-Close To the Edge,Relayer,Topographic,The Yes Album...(Fragile's oh so close,particularly since on the remastering they've put America on there,at the end...)...(oh,& it turns out I've already voted in this poll...what in hell did I vote for?!...lmaoOOOOOOOOOOoooooooo--)...

[Timmo]

...(I think Timmo likes Relayer...lmaoOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooo.. .)...Jeez, what was your first clue!

LOL!

Relayer is one of the best musics written in the 20th Century.

I alternate between "Relayer," "CTTE" and parts of Tales as my "Best Yes Album."

But I always come back to "Relayer."

It's harder to like than "CTTE," but it's edginess is what I find endlessly endearing. Plus the fact that it's by far the most "guitar driven" Yes effort.

[allpurechance]

...yep!The Greatest Of All Steve Howe Performances,in studio,i.m.h.o.-The Yes Album(the 1st time),& Relayer.Yep!As for Relayer,what gets me about it is the way it just gets better over time.Sounds better now than it did 10 years ago.Sounded better then than it did 20 years ago.(etc.,etc.,etc.).To Be Over just continues to grow in my mind,rise in my estimation,it never stops doing this!Will it ever?!I certainly hope not!How wonderful is it,when music does this to you(us,me)?It's the stuff that creeps up onya...!...ya know?!....

[Whitefish]

Tales From Topographic Oceans got my vote. It has everything great about Yes on it.

[rickweber]

I think I voted for Relayer a while back on this thread. I'll stick with that. Why would anyone regard Turn of the Century as a "flaw"? I've always thought of it as the crown jewell of Going For The One.

[scootwhoman]

GFTO..the only flaw I find is Turn Of The Century..Awaken IS the masterpeice of the album..



Although 'Going For The One' was an attempt to placate Atlantic Records with some songs short enough for radio airplay, (the band was 'going for the One Big Hit', even avoiding the spacey Roger Dean art, which had become so strongly identified with Yes,) two songs on it stand out in the Yes pantheon: Awaken, and Turn Of The Century, I believe. Turn Of The Century was a major break from the material recorded between 1970 and '74, a romantic song, which Yes had not done since the album 'Time And A Word'. But this was not the average romantic song, not by a long shot.

The story of a sculpter creating a visage of his true love, only to lose her to illness, then seeking her in the sculpture, is magnificent. This is one of the few Yes songs where the lyrics are the most important part, and the band is not trying to produce a 'wall of sound'. But the song still sounds great at higher volume, because the band did not get lazy and just use an easy melody with few changes. Wakeman actually avoids stealing everyone's attention while still playing very solid music on a real piano, backing up the poignancy of the story beautifully. Jon's voice is a little weak perhaps for a song of this type, but he carried it off well, I think.

Personally, I consider the weak spot on 'Going For The One' to be 'Going For The One'. I get a sense of satire, or maybe sarcasm from the song, directed at a label which was demanding short songs for radio airplay. This in spite of the fact that the three previous albums had all gone gold, (and would eventually all go platinum), without a single bit of airplay except for a brutally edited version of 'And You And I'. (The edit used to cram that song onto a 45 RPM vinyl record was even worse!) However, I am eternally grateful for that radio edit, because it was that which caught my ear, and pushed me to go out and get a copy of the song. I bought a copy on a 45, found out it was warped, took it back, got another, found out it was warped, too, and decided to break down and buy the album. I had heard stuff on the radio by Yes previously, especially 'Your Move' but the accoustical, ballad-like style of the beginning of 'And You And I' was quite unique in 1972 rock and roll, which really made it stand out, which got me to actually hear what I was listening to. I was still more of a folk and classical listener at the time, and I didn't pay a lot of attention to what I heard on the radio.

Anyway, what I really wanted to say was that I think that 'Turn Of The Century' is in no way, shape, or form, a 'flaw'.

[Ryan]

Relayer, for all the reasons muscla said. In 12 bars of relayer, there is more than a lot of bands have in their entire carrer.

Not many bands can produce an album that is both mindblowingly complex, groundbreaking, and that still manages to kick incomprehesible amounts of ass.

oh, and if anything is going to count as a flaw on gft1, its parallels.

[Skyward]

oh, and if anything is going to count as a flaw on gft1, its parallels.

"Parallels" a flaw? Did I miss something here??????????????

[rickweber]

I guess if everyones taste buds were the same there would not be as many choices. We all like something different. Isn't life wonderful?

[Nairauqa]

An Interesting question.
So many sophisticated albums by YES although it should be said at times
it seems the band lost themselves in the intricacy of their brand of music.
For some, the ultimate crescendo's came and bewildered. For others the sophistication was everything it needed to be. So many different opinions of best Albums i'm sure. For me, I can never select one out from the selection they have provided us with.

[GoD57]

R E L A Y E R.


I think it needs to repeated! As often as we can, Tim.


Bill

[SonicDeath10]

oddly i put tales. I love tales, but i never considered it my favorite till just now. i was listenign to it and man... i can't believe the things they did on their. hyperactive geniuses.

[Hill St.]

I voted for CTTE.Only, because I kept it to studio albums.Had I included all releases it would be Yessongs.

[MoonGateClimber]

Aarg! Such a hard decision. On one hand you've got CTTE whitch is just a no-brainer. It is complete in every way. Then there is Tales with RSOG & Ritual...
I went with CTTE in the end.

[SonicDeath10]

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOING FOOOOR THE OOOOOONEEEEE....


isn't the best Yes album. Starting with the Yes album, every album gets 10 stars, all the way up to Going for the One. But others are better than it, or at leas ti like them more.

:)

[eYES]

ctte is probably my favourite studio album but yessongs is special for me. The Yes Album has to be the most important, Time and a Word the most underrated

[IDOLIZEYES]

studio: TFTO
live: Yessongs
latest: Magnification

[remembering]

Had to vote for Tales simply wonderful stuff. I like some of the other comments in this thread. Both Yes and Time are greatly under-rated albums. And has anyone ever pondered what would have happened if The Yes Album had not been so brilliant and 'Sold copies' as I believe thier recording contract was one the line with that one.

[SonicDeath10]

Yes lucked out on the Yes album: apparently, when it was starting to sell, their was a postage strike. because of this, no stores could send in their sales to indicate chart success. so, they went to Richard Branson's record store and this was in the neighborhood where Yes was most popular! So, the chart success is a bit of a fib, but it did sell well.

[inside_out]

Yes lucked out on the Yes album: apparently, when it was starting to sell, their was a postage strike. because of this, no stores could send in their sales to indicate chart success. so, they went to Richard Branson's record store and this was in the neighborhood where Yes was most popular! So, the chart success is a bit of a fib, but it did sell well.

If I was going to bring an album "hand delivered" this would be the one. It's that good.

[Timmo]

I think it needs to repeated! As often as we can, Tim.


BillI agree.

R E L A Y E R