Yesworld discography: recommended versions

[Frumious B]

https://yesworld.com/discography

I noticed the other day that the album entries on YesWorld now include recommendations on which digital version of a given album to get. The order of preference on YesWorld seems to be Steven Wilson remix (where available), 2003 Rhino, 2013 Japanese remaster. I know a lot of folks still very much prefer the original CDs from the 80s and a few albums have come out on boutique audiophile labels like Audio Fidelity and Mobile Fidelity. Also, Big Generator, Yessongs and Yesshows weren’t part of the 2003 remaster series, were part of the 2013 Japanese remasters and are also available as high resolution downloads along with the rest of the Atlantic era catalog. However, the most readily available physical CDs outside of Japan for those two live albums are still the 90s remasters, while BG had a “secret” remaster in the 90s as well which is still the CD you get if you click and order one off Amazon.

So does anybody have favorites? My core Yes catalog listening is still mainly the Rhino versions supplemented by the 2013 Japan remasters for Yessongs, Yesshows and Big Generator. The Wilsons are cleaner sounding, but I prefer that Offord mojo of the original mixes. I also have some of the audiophile reissues and a couple of Japan mini LPs from the early 00s.

[Kevin W]

I go for the Steven Wilson remixes of the classic 5 albums every time. Of the others I like the 2003 remasters. Haven't heard any of the Japanese remasters so would be very interested in people's views of them.

Just a worthy mention also for the remaster of the ABWH album from Esoteric as well. So much better than the first re-release of the album - was that even remastered? Have to say that every remaster I have from Esoteric - no matter which band or artist - has been excellent. I really rate their work.

[Frumious B]

I would welcome a remix of ABWH with a little less Wakeman and a little bit more Howe and Levin.

[Khatrooper]

Was BG’s secret remaster for the Yesyears or In A Word box sets?

[Homemade Parachute]

Sad:

[Homemade Parachute]

Was BG’s secret remaster for the Yesyears or In A Word box sets?

I think only here? https://yesworld.com/discography/yes...ums-1969-1987/

[Old Frothingslosh]

There are so many versions of these out there from over the years. The Rhino discs just sound too bright for me. I still like the original Atlantic issues in most cases

Of the "Classic Era" I like these versions best:

The Yes Album - Barry Diament's original Atlantic CD,

Fragile - Mobil Fidelity Sound Labs

Close To The Edge - Barry Diament's original Atlantic CD / The Steve Wilson. remaster is very good as well (bass is really front and center on this version)

Yessongs - Barry Diament's original Atlantic CD

Tales From Topographic Oceans - Barry Diament's original Atlantic CD

Relayer: The Flat transfer that was part of the Steve Wilson remaster deluxe set

Going for the One - Audio Fidelity SACD

Tormato - Barry Diament's original Atlantic CD

Drama- Barry Diament's original Atlantic CD

[Frumious B]

Was BG’s secret remaster for the Yesyears or In A Word box sets?

The “secret” remaster was 1991. They switched the rest of the world to the CD master of BG that had previously been used to manufacture the Japanese CDs.

[Frumious B]

Sad:

I think all CDs of Talk sound the same. The main differences are the extended bonus track of “The Calling” and “Endless Dream” being indexed as one track and not annoyingly split into three tracks as it was on my old Victory CD.

It is a shame that album is OOP.

[Homemade Parachute]

I think all CDs of Talk sound the same. The main differences are the extended bonus track of “The Calling” and “Endless Dream” being indexed as one track and not annoyingly split into three tracks as it was on my old Victory CD.

It is a shame that album is OOP.

Almost as sad, Fly From Here is either OOP or just unavailable digitally as far as I can see, having been replaced by Return Trip. Preferences aside, it feels like a part of Yes' history erased.

Other than that, I love that these availability notes are, well, available, it's a great feature I'd love to see more bands offer, because yeah, I'm really just trying to buy the music.

[Homemade Parachute]

I'm really just trying to buy the music.

(I felt old just writing that…)

[luna65]

The “secret” remaster was 1991. They switched the rest of the world to the CD master of BG that had previously been used to manufacture the Japanese CDs.

I'm curious about the documentation of this?

[Frumious B]

I'm curious about the documentation of this?

Here is the DR Database entry for the 1991 CD:

[Frumious B]

Hoffman thread:

[downbyariver]

It's neat how Yes World now includes the lineup for each studio and live album on each individual album page, complete with pictures of the performers and links. Good website design there. Perfect for a band like Yes that has always had a revolving cast.

As far as remasters and the like, I buy one version of each album and I'm done. If there is more than one master of a digital download available for purchase at the time I look to acquire the album for the first time, I listen to samples from both and pick the one that sounds better based on that.

That I buy a lot of Yes' live albums is sort of a tribute to how good I think the band is, as well as things like their lineup changes lending many of the live albums at least a moderately unique sound relative to the studio albums that go beyond just a guy in the production room messing with the levers and dials.

Though I don't buy more than one version of an album for any groups and artists anyway, with Yes and some other prog bands, a lot of times remasters like the Steven Wilson series risk the additional danger of falling into what for me is a bit of a trap, in that the preferences of a guy like Wilson are pretty much opposite my own. On the solo Wilson album I have, he uses a ton of variation in sound levels to the point where his vocals are often inaudible compared to songs from other albums I listen to on shuffle (Making them awkward fits into any kind of playlist or shuffle listen in general), and many times artists like to combine that with moments of really extreme loudness. So, you either set the volume low and miss large chunks of the song, or set it high and jump out of your seat in surprise as your eardrums sustain damage when it gets to the loud parts. Personally, I like stuff that has less of a range between the quietest sounds and the loudest sounds (and set the devices and software I use for playback to create that effect as much as they can in case the source doesn't build it in), which actually are more likely to be featured on the initial releases or early remasters where a label is involved that is actively pushing that, rather than later niche remasters done for people who tend to favor things the other way around.

Something I saw just recently with a non-Yes album was that the only version available for paid download of an 80s band doing an 80s album was remixed so the drums and bass weren't so out front, because that is the style now, neglecting that the only people who are really going to be interested in that album are people who like 80isms. I gave it a pass for the moment, at least. It basically took the 80s out of an album I was interested in because it had an 80s sound. The samples were very underwhelming.

I shudder to think what a Steven Wilson remix of Drama, 90125, or Big Generator would sound like, where a lot of the appeal was Chris Squire and Alan White at their best as a unit, and White playing in an 80s style with the drums out front. I could see Wilson taking a hatchet to that.

But on a larger level, I don't have the kind of income to buy multiple versions of all my albums where each of the versions only sounds mildly different from one another anyway. Get it right the first time, folks. I have all kinds of things I probably should be spending my money on other than music albums, but I really enjoy music, so I often buy music anyway, but I at least want each music album I buy to be one I legitimately don't already have. Every album purchase is either new music I don't already own, or, occasionally, a live album. Remasters aren't my thing unless they already exist when I look to buy an album and I choose between that and the original, or the original is no longer available.