Favourite album out of these?

[soundchaser09]

Just a quick little poll out of interest as I rank all of these at a 7/10, compelling reasons for each to be the best IMO.

[Chris2210]

I do like some things on all those albums. But Tormato is, for all it is compromised, still the band in its great run - and there are things on that album that show them at the very top of their game.

[cybrkhatru]

Talk. But Tormato and Time and A Word right behind it.

[luna65]

Talk - and since I wrote a very long essay for the blog regarding that album, all the reasons are therein.

[Soundwaveseeker]

I voted Tormato, but I think I equally like Time & A Word and Talk, so it really is a tie between these three.

I suppose I'll rank them too:

1) Tormato
2) Talk
3) Time & A Word - the three "T" albums could change spots at a seconds notice.
4) ABWH
5) From A Page
6) Keys 2

[yamishogun]

1) Talk
2) ABWH
3) Time & A Word
4) Tormato
5) Keys 2
6) From A Page

[Mr. Holland]

Talk! It's no. 5 in my overall Yes albums ranking.

[ragtime]

I like them all, but as others have said, Tormato is part of the classic run.

[True]

I went with Tormato. But I think I would probably put Talk as my 2nd pick on this list. It's interesting to me that more people seem to enjoy Talk than I would have expected. I loved Talk when it came out but when I saw what a commercial disappointment it was I assumed I was the only one who liked it. I also loved the tours for both Tormato and Talk and was happy that they played a lot of material from those albums at the time.

[Yesed]

I'm sure Rabin is doing something someone is enjoying. I find his solo stuff boring and generic. Both him and Anderson are useless, musically, imo. Rick is the only one that seems to have production value, and hope for some good progressive rock output. The Red Planet is good, but missing something that maybe Jon or Trevor could have participated in, to make it "epic".

[Oldie on the Goldie]

I think Talk is the best overall album out of those, but not one of my favorites so I put KTA2 because I really like Footprints and Children of Light which feel more "Yessish" to me than anything on Talk.

[Oldie on the Goldie]

Speaking of Talk, I still find it puzzling that the album sold so poorly. I thought it was an excellent rock album - though an unusual one for Yes - that should've found broad appeal.

[Roundabob]

Talk is my favorite Rabin era album, but my top choice from this group of albums is Time and a Word. I really liked the debut album, but Time and a Word (the song), Then, Sweet Dreams, and other songs on T&aW gave me a glimpse of the future, and the enormous potential of the band. The Yes Album followed T&aW, and was another giant leap forward. Those were fabulous times.

[pianozach]

Speaking of Talk, I still find it puzzling that the album sold so poorly. I thought it was an excellent rock album - though an unusual one for Yes - that should've found broad appeal.

It sold poorly because Liberty Records didn't promote it in any way whatsoever. They were having financial difficulties, and folded soon after. The album is currently OOP, and isn't found on any streaming sites either (or at least the last time I checked).

TALK is almost always one of my Top 3 Yes albums, and is currently my favorite. I had my Talk CD in the car changer for three or four years.

Ranking the six offered up for comparison?

1) Talk
2) ABWH
3) Tormato
4) Time & A Word
5) From A Page
6) Keys 2

It's just a ranking. I like or love all of these.

I think that ABWH is a fabulous album, only knocked down for its poorly mixed bass.

Tormato is a fun album, but Circus of Heaven and Rick's birotron knocks it down two notches.

Time & A Word has some nice stuff, but the keys and guitar are often overpowered by the backing orchestrations.

I'm not really all that familiar with From A Page, but I've really liked what I've heard. I've a feeling I'm rating it poorly only because of its unfamiliarity.

Finally, Keys 2: It just seems slapped together, and has a lack of cohesiveness. It doesn't help that it's a hybrid studio/live album. There are some fabulous bass guitar sounds on it though.

[Soundwaveseeker]

Speaking of Talk, I still find it puzzling that the album sold so poorly. I thought it was an excellent rock album - though an unusual one for Yes - that should've found broad appeal.

I remember that came out on Victory Records in 1994. The label also had ELP and David Bowie's Tin Machine. Talk, In The Hot Seat and Tin Machin II: All three albums sold rather poorly and are seen as disappointments by some. Victory Records folded not too long afterwards I assume. I love Talk but radio was pushing the latest Nirvana album at the time. Never saw a video from the album and only might have heard The Calling maybe three times on the rock radio station. The tour didn't swing by my area until half a year later. But I was way into that album at the time. In 1994, Talk and Maillion's Brave were two albums that I noticed as making new sounds from both respectable bands. I though that in 1994 that this was the new 'progressive rock' - less traditional widdly stuff but more on the atmospheres and cinematic elements. Talk and Brave had those in vast amounts.