YES 1996-2001 Versus YES 2011-2023

[soundchaser09]

I feel this is a reasonably fair poll. 5 albums apiece in two eras after the commercial heights of the band.

KTA 1, KTA 2, OYE, TL, Magnification or FFH, H&E, FaP, TQ, MTTS

[pjt]

Let's see:
1) Good, Meh, Meh, Great, Meh
2) Good, Meh, Good, Meh, Great

Statistics don't lie*, I like YES 2011-2023 more**.

* They do
** I still like The Ladder the most of the bunch, but MttS is close second.

[Davy]

Now this is a poll I can get behind! There's some songs I like from '96 to '01, but I think the modern era trounces that period.

[patrickq]

See, this is a great forced-choice poll. From my point of view, it’s perfect because it’s difficult. I like OYE, Keys 2, and especially FFH. I’m going with 2011-2023 even though I feel like Heaven and Earth, From a Page, and the Quest are among the group’s worst.

[Enlighten]

Sorry but I’ll take subpar albums that feature Jon Anderson, Chris Squire, Alan White and a more spry Steve Howe over any of the tripe that this current lot are churning out.

[Soundwaveseeker]

hmmm, hard to choose - maybe the current era!

1996-2001 started kinda weaker with Keys/OYE but ended strong with Ladder/Magnification.

2011-now started excellent with the return of the Drama lineup of sorts with FFH and ended with a great new album I suppose, but the era was sorta squishy in the middle - though I like the squishy stuff too.

If Ladder/Mag/Fly & Mirror were released in succession, that would have been an ace run.

[Old Frothingslosh]

Could not vote as I really only enjoy 1 album from the lot, maybe 2

FFH is terrific (both versions)
The Ladder is decent but the I hate the production

The other albums don't do anything for me

[Gtkgasman]

Again. Another obvious pole answer. 1996-2001 - JA.

[Mr. Holland]

Again. Another obvious pole answer. 1996-2001 - JA.

For me it has little to do with JA.

I would rank the albums like this;

Magnification
The Ladder
FFH
KTA 2 studio tracks
Mirror to the Sky
KTA 1 studio tracks
The Quest
Heaven & Earth
Open Your Eyes

So based on that I chose option 1.

[Gtkgasman]

For me it has little to do with JA.

I would rank the albums like this;

Magnification
The Ladder
FFH
KTA 2 studio tracks
Mirror to the Sky
KTA 1 studio tracks
The Quest
Heaven & Earth
Open Your Eyes

So based on that I chose option 1.

Not a whole lot of argument here on your list. 👍. I’d have OYE above the JD albums. And I just received my MTTS yesterday - haven’t listened yet - but based on my obs of first few tunes, I’ll have it with the bottom three

Even being the JA fan I am, I love FFH Suite, and would put that as high as any single tune off any of the above albums for me. 👍👍. Of all those albums I put original FFH on the most often.

[Homemade Parachute]

I'll vote, but what I find interesting is how the narratives are similar but different: the 96-01 version of the band was a band flailing around a bit, trying to recapture a past glory, and repeated a lot of bad habits (Wakeman in, out, in again, out again) that still managed to knock out a pair of late-career masterpieces (although shocking to remember it wasn't necessarily that late: sure, 30 years by that time, but we're now seeing 50th and maybe soon 60th anniversary editions of a lot of albums); the 11-23 band has also flailed a bit, but in the last couple of years seems like they're building a better foundation, with better music (from more experience playing together, I think — H&E suffered from a tentativeness, like they weren't sure how they could mesh as a band with a new singer and writer), a better, more supportive label (esp. compared to the confusion of the late 90s), and are building momentum going forward. Not all of it works for me, but more and more of it does with each new album.

[YESOLA]

the album quality can be argued but that period of 96 - 2004 was my favorite time as a Yefan. Yes magazine said "Change they Must" in 94 or 95 and they did!

[Davy]

😊 I remember that when I got the next issue announcing the classic line-up, I was actually disappointed. We'd already gotten ABWH and Union and by 1995 I knew better.

[Enlighten]

the album quality can be argued but that period of 96 - 2004 was my favorite time as a Yefan. Yes magazine said "Change they Must" in 94 or 95 and they did!

I think we could use another “Change They Must” editorial circa 2023.

[Mr. Holland]

I think we could use another “Change They Must” editorial circa 2023.

In 1995 "change" ment; let's go back and rehash what once was, but not as good by some margin (kta studio tracks).....