Tormato vs Drama vs 90125

[brianos]

For my tastes:
1. Drama has stood the test of time for me. I definitely listen to this one all the way through more than the other two.

2. 90125 is excellent. It was the first tour I got to see, and a killer album.

3. Tormato is one of those albums I want to like but it never "clicked" with me. For me a letdown coming on the heels of GFTO.

[patrickq]

Yeah, 1983 was a bit of a letdown, but 90125 was a high point, as was Marillion's debut album, Jester's Tear, and maybe Elton John's Too Low For Zero (I may be giving Elton too much credit; perhaps it just seemed pretty good because his previous albums were lackluster). There were some gems amongst the dross though.

I have Script, but I haven’t listened to it for years. Sounds like I should. I had the singles from “2▼40.” They were fantastic. “Choc Ice Goes Mental” was one of the b-sides. Pretty weird stuff!

[pianozach]

90125 is, in my opinion, the best LP of 1983, edging out Synchronicity (Police), An Innocent Man (Billy Joel), Break Out (Pointer Sisters) and Touch (Eurythmics). And each of those was that artist’s best album, imo. Maybe 90125 is no Fragile or Close to the Edge or Relayer, or Drama for that matter, but to me it holds up well.

Yeah, 1983 was a bit of a letdown, but 90125 was a high point, as was Marillion's debut album, Jester's Tear, and maybe Elton John's Too Low For Zero (I may be giving Elton too much credit; perhaps it just seemed pretty good because his previous albums were lackluster). There were some gems amongst the dross though.

And then there was Pink Floyd (or, to be more accurate, Roger Waters and his back-up band) releasing The Final Cut, which I found to be almost unlistenable most days.

[patrickq]

90125 is, in my opinion, the best LP of 1983, edging out Synchronicity (Police), An Innocent Man (Billy Joel), Break Out (Pointer Sisters) and Touch (Eurythmics). And each of those was that artist’s best album, imo. Maybe 90125 is no Fragile or Close to the Edge or Relayer, or Drama for that matter, but to me it holds up well.

[pianozach]

It’s been said many times before but I feel like for a lot of us, when we were first introduced to the band, can make a big difference in our perspective regarding their music. My first exposure to Yes was in the seventies. 90125 hadn’t happened yet. I was fully immersed in the output of those ten true summers plus Drama. I felt that they were at the top of the heap, the best of the best. When I heard 90125, it was a disappointment. It didn’t take me on an exquisite journey of vast musical landscapes. It didn’t have the intricate interplay of all the musicians contributing their best parts and their best playing. It felt calculated, constructed and somewhat cold. It’s grown on me some, as has the rest of the Yes west material but nothing, to my ears, holds a candle to the supernova that Yes were from 1970 to 1980.

My first exposure to Yes was in the seventies as well. Fragile first, then CttE, TfTO, TYA, Relayer . . . I, too, was fully immersed in the output of those albums, plus Drama and Yessongs.

I, too, felt that they were at the top of the heap, the best of the best (well, maybe not so much GFtO and Tormato, but I still liked them a lot).

But when I heard 90125, I was elated beyond comprehension. I freakin' loved it (well except for City of Love, which was a bit 'duff').

[Enlighten]

Depends very much on one's taste. I find 90125 to be a vibrantly creative juggernaut. Just different than the vibrantly creative juggernauts from the 70s. I hear all sorts of layers and depts in the music, not to mention the incredible vocal harmonies.

It’s been said many times before but I feel like for a lot of us, when we were first introduced to the band, can make a big difference in our perspective regarding their music. My first exposure to Yes was in the seventies. 90125 hadn’t happened yet. I was fully immersed in the output of those ten true summers plus Drama. I felt that they were at the top of the heap, the best of the best. When I heard 90125, it was a disappointment. It didn’t take me on an exquisite journey of vast musical landscapes. It didn’t have the intricate interplay of all the musicians contributing their best parts and their best playing. It felt calculated, constructed and somewhat cold. It’s grown on me some, as has the rest of the Yes west material but nothing, to my ears, holds a candle to the supernova that Yes were from 1970 to 1980.

[Mr. Holland]

I bow to your rationality and practicality, Arno. What could I possibly be thinking? Yes being a vibrantly creative musical juggernaut is so 1970’s.

Depends very much on one's taste. I find 90125 to be a vibrantly creative juggernaut. Just different than the vibrantly creative juggernauts from the 70s. I hear all sorts of layers and depts in the music, not to mention the incredible vocal harmonies.

[Enlighten]

I can completely imagine Yes releasing such an album, which would have been in the discount rack after about a week after its release in that time, Followed by Yes being released from its record company contract.

I bow to your rationality and practicality, Arno. What could I possibly be thinking? Yes being a vibrantly creative musical juggernaut is so 1970’s.

[Mr. Holland]

Spot on, my friend and they tied the rope themselves.

Can you imagine if Eddie Jobson had worked out and they had done an album with him, with Rabin bringing his Jacaranda sensibilities to the table?

I can completely imagine Yes releasing such an album, which would have been in the discount rack after about a week after its release in that time, Followed by Yes being released from its record company contract.

[Davy]

Tormato is my favorite for sentimental reasons, but 90125 is the best album.

[Bill M]

I rather contrast the albums instead of voting.

In my opinion, Tormato is the most transitional album of the three. However, this transition strikes me as a clumsy one in its attempt at being more mainstream.

I see Drama as the last album of Yes' original iteration. It is somewhat a return to form in the tradition of The Yes Album with a new wave twist.

90125 is a new incarnation altogether. I don't think of 90125 as the follow up to Drama. 90125 was the follow up to YES being history.

[Enlighten]

1. Drama -Incredible.
2. Tormato - Some incredible songs, some duds, bad mix
3. 90125 - great production, some great songs, but a lot of it was Yes with one hand behind it's back... Or just being 80's cool.

Spot on, my friend and they tied the rope themselves.

Can you imagine if Eddie Jobson had worked out and they had done an album with him, with Rabin bringing his Jacaranda sensibilities to the table?

[gbh90125]

I dont see 90125 as a transitional album actually, more the rebirth of a great band. It's chock full of great songs, played by brilliant musicians and had an incredible production - one of my fav albums. Tormato was the closing chapter on Yes as it was and if it had Eddie offord producing it it would have been an incredible record. As it stand I do love it - it was the first Yes album I got on release ( i got it for my christmas '78), though i've never warmed to circus of heaven, the rest of the tracks are great. Drama is the only true transitional album as it stands alone between the last chapter ( Tormato) and the new beginning ( 90125). It sounds fantastic and the playing is spot on. there is a lot of energy on it but it sounds forced in places in terms of composition: the weakest of the three in my opinion.

[pjt]

1. Drama for me, it brought back Yes feeling again, last head in GFtO
2. 90125 it's a new incarnation, and not a continuation. I like it a lot, if not all equally, and Hearts, It Can Happen and Changes is worth it alone.
3. Tormato is a mish-mash of lost opportunities, it doesn't sound like a group of musicians anymore. Good ideas abandoned half way, and some very bad ideas IMHO. It was the biggest let down of a Yes album to me until H&E, now it's on par. But at least H&E wasn't a disappointment, since I didn't have any expectations, while after GFtO I had unrealistic for Tormato, lol.

[Somis Sound]

1. Drama -Incredible.
2. Tormato - Some incredible songs, some duds, bad mix
3. 90125 - great production, some great songs, but a lot of it was Yes with one hand behind it's back... Or just being 80's cool.