Is it time to reassess Yes in the 1990s?

[downbyariver]

One thing that I feel is underappreciated about 90s Yes is their prolific creation and release of new studio albums even though they were past the era where their music could be expected to top the charts. They managed 5 albums in 10 years- not bad at all quantity wise. I'd be estatic if the band ever returned to that level of output.

Quality wise, I think this era falls beneath the peak decades of the 70s and 80s, but that's to be expected. Almost every band that was popular in the 70s and 80s saw a little bit of a dropoff in the 90s if they were still together. The question is: Was the music still good in general terms even if it couldn't match the almost impossibly high standards of decades past? I feel the answer is Yes. Did it still sound like the band that recorded those earlier albums? I would say Yes to that, too, the essential elements, quantifiable and unquantifiable that make something Yes were there.

There are plenty of good songs to found in that decade's output.

I would even say my two favorite 90s albums are better than my two least favorite 70s albums.

This is my ranking of the 90s albums:

1. Union
2. Talk
3. The Ladder
4. Open Your Eyes
5. Keys to Ascension

Over time, the main change I notice is that The Ladder climbed one spot in my evaluation. In the first few years I had it, it seemed a little cheesy, but eventually more and more songs jumped out to me as being of high quality and I began to rethink that, climbing to the percise middle of the Yes 90s pack.

While Open Your Eyes might not make a top five or top 10 list of my favorite Billy Sherwood albums (i.e. A lot of his non-Yes work is better), I still think it was a pretty creative attempt to reimagine Yes for a new era and that the level of criticism it gets seems uncalled for.

Where maybe my views differ the most from others is that Keys to Ascension might be my least favorite of Yes' 21 albums. Still, "Children of Light" is pretty catchy when it comes up on shuffle. Even the worst Yes album still manages to have some highlights, at least when one isn't listening to them very often.

[Chris2210]

I do find the idea that Union, OYE or [insert here] would be more palatable if approached with an open mind a bit annoying. To illustrate the point - as anyone who recalled my posts would know - I'm not the world's greatest Rabin fan. But my reaction to Union before knowing any of the tortuous history was that it was a really poor affair overall - with the exception of the Rabin tracks which I'd assess as fairly good pop/rock. I'd also place Talk as my second favourite album of the 90s [after Keys and once The Ladder started to pale on me a bit]. My preferences here would surprise me if I'd never heard the music since they'd go against my expectations.

But I find that if something catches my ear [Duran Duran's Ordinary World is a good case in point], it doesn't matter if I think previous work was piss-poor. I like [or don't] what I hear.

[Mr. Holland]

I do find the idea that Union, OYE or [insert here] would be more palatable if approached with an open mind a bit annoying. To illustrate the point - as anyone who recalled my posts would know - I'm not the world's greatest Rabin fan. But my reaction to Union before knowing any of the tortuous history was that it was a really poor affair overall - with the exception of the Rabin tracks which I'd assess as fairly good pop/rock. I'd also place Talk as my second favourite album of the 90s [after Keys and once The Ladder started to pale on me a bit]. My preferences here would surprise me if I'd never heard the music since they'd go against my expectations.

But I find that if something catches my ear [Duran Duran's Ordinary World is a good case in point], it doesn't matter if I think previous work was piss-poor. I like [or don't] what I hear.

Can you stop being so damn sensible?! It kills the discussion

[Homemade Parachute]

I do find the idea that Union, OYE or [insert here] would be more palatable if approached with an open mind a bit annoying. To illustrate the point - as anyone who recalled my posts would know - I'm not the world's greatest Rabin fan. But my reaction to Union before knowing any of the tortuous history was that it was a really poor affair overall - with the exception of the Rabin tracks which I'd assess as fairly good pop/rock.

Fair enough, we all have our own reactions. Myself, going all the way back to a stronger back and no internet 1991, without any real sense of whatever the hell was going on in the band, and coming off of the ABWH & Yesyears high, I really liked way more of Union than not. Some of the straighter AOR stuff didn't grab me — Shock to the System, Dangerous — and I'm not the biggest fan of Steve Howe solo acoustic number *as part of Yes band albums*, but there was lots to enjoy, some of which was just awfully fun and sunny in its own way — I Would Have Waited Forever, Silent Talking — and some of it actually quite exciting as it expanded the sonic palette of what the band could/would do — Without Hope, Holding On, Evensong (!), Take the Water… And that's just the ABWH/Cast of Thousands side!

Yeah, I wondered what the hell was going on with all the extra credits and what not, but when the co-producer is credited as a songwriter more often than not, it wasn't hard even in the naive daze of my youth to figure out what was going on. Regardless, I liked it, and still do, a lot. It might sound like its own greatest hits compilation, even (maybe even like Big Generator?), but if it doesn't have the focus of an album like ABWH or 90125, the songs are good, and that's good enough for me.

[rabin105]

I feel the 90's was an attempt to combine 70's and 80's yes fans

some albums were more successful then others in doing that


that being said when I want to get nostalgic I do listen to the 90's stuff more often then not as that is what i grew up on

Talk being also my favorite yes album of all time due to it being the last album I listened to with my Father who died that year.

if I had to rank them

Talk
Open your Eyes
Keys 2
The Ladder
Keys 1
Union

I feel the 2000's are also an interesting decade as that reads like a choose your own adventure. as yes either released 1 album or 2 or 3 or if you want to get really crazy 4

the 10's also has a lot of great material sadly overlooked

[Chris2210]

Fair enough, we all have our own reactions. Myself, going all the way back to a stronger back and no internet 1991, without any real sense of whatever the hell was going on in the band, and coming off of the ABWH & Yesyears high, I really liked way more of Union than not. Some of the straighter AOR stuff didn't grab me — Shock to the System, Dangerous — and I'm not the biggest fan of Steve Howe solo acoustic number *as part of Yes band albums*, but there was lots to enjoy, some of which was just awfully fun and sunny in its own way — I Would Have Waited Forever, Silent Talking — and some of it actually quite exciting as it expanded the sonic palette of what the band could/would do — Without Hope, Holding On, Evensong (!), Take the Water… And that's just the ABWH/Cast of Thousands side!

Yeah, I wondered what the hell was going on with all the extra credits and what not, but when the co-producer is credited as a songwriter more often than not, it wasn't hard even in the naive daze of my youth to figure out what was going on. Regardless, I liked it, and still do, a lot. It might sound like its own greatest hits compilation, even (maybe even like Big Generator?), but if it doesn't have the focus of an album like ABWH or 90125, the songs are good, and that's good enough for me.

As you say - our own reactions - and while it's surprising to me those can be so dramatically different, I've learned it's not so unusual when it comes to this band. While Masquerade is probably my least favourite solo Howe piece on a Yes album, in this case I think it's the best track on the album - and I'd forgotten it simply on the grounds that when I think of it I don't think Union, which is strange, but perhaps a mark of how disparate the material is here. I think at least that's one thing we may agree on. I suppose one man's 'expanded sonic palette' is another's dog's breakfast of odds and sods.

But the Rabin songs aside, 'greatest hits' doesn't resonate at all with me because I think there's nothing else that could be a hit - even in earlier times. I think the project was a misguided attempt to produce something commercial or perhaps Hollywood style, heavily edit the 'script' to mould it toward a perceived market. Like a lot of Tinsel-Town celluloid camels, it succeeds most in betraying its art by committee sensibility. As I said earlier, I didn't know it was a Frankenstein's monster of an album at the time, but the roughly stitched together grave parts are all too audible.

Rabin's trio and Howe's solo are the product of a more honed, singular vision. Perhaps the integrity of that shines through or perhaps I just like the noise they make.

[Frumious B]

The 90s are the second best decade of Yes behind the 70s.

[rabin105]

The 90s are the second best decade of Yes behind the 70s.

Frum really... I am surprised by this comment to be honest

[yamishogun]

But the Rabin songs aside, 'greatest hits' doesn't resonate at all with me because I think there's nothing else that could be a hit - even in earlier times.

"Lift Me Up" was at #86 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and #1 for six weeks on their Rock Tracks chart which is maybe a minor hit even if it didn't enter the Top 40.

[1yesfan]

I recall the first time I heard LMU was on the radio. Made me some happy. Pulled into a gas station and some dude asked it that was YES, new YES.

[Soundwaveseeker]

I saw Yes live in late April 1991. before the Union album was released. I believe it came out a week or two later. They only played two tracks from it live then, Lift Me Up and Shock To The System. Lift Me Up I had heard on the radio prior to the show, so I knew that already. Shock To The System, on the other hand, was new to my ears then, and I remember thinking it was probably one of the Rabin-led songs because of its heavier rock energy. Much to my surprise, it's one of the ABWH ones. 'Miracle Of Life' on the other hand, one of the best songs on the album and one of their best 90's songs in general, sounds sorta older Yes. I think they have it in them to create in each others style.

[Davy]

Lift Me Up is still my favorite Yeswest track, despite some stiff competition. Maybe it was the time and place.

[Yorkshire Square]

Talk is my favourite Yeswest album (90125 is better, but that's different). Union has its moments and I absolutely love The Ladder (its a bit goofy in places, but it strikes me as a very honest work.

Keys is a bit too contrived, but I do like me some crack time now and then.

The 90s were good, I don't remember the first few years as I was having a bit of a lark. Then I got married, did some travelling and knuckled down at work. By 2000 I was 32 and had grown up. Joke! I still haven't. Now I can embarrass my 20+ year old kids... 😂😂

[Nut]

I love Talk and Both Keys are in heavy rotation. I know they are two different albums but I usually listen to the live sides followed by the studio sides of the Keys albums. It's like a complete snapshot of the band at the time. Talk Tour was a show that I got to take my whole family to.

[Soundwaveseeker]

Talk tour was the first with Billy Sherwood as an extra enhancement player. It's interesting that he went from side man to producer to guitarist to mixer to Chris Squire himself. He's held many positions in Yes.st of

I remember Talk tour was fun, heavy on the Yeswest material. I think they played half of 90125 and most of Talk. But only Rhythm of Love from Big Generator and nothing at all from Union. Too bad they couldn't squeeze in Lift Me Up, if they were going for a more YesWest-structured show. They had some sort of platforms on stage - in fact all the Rabin era tours had some sort of platforms and ramps. Union tour was in the round, I remember.