The More You Know

Jon Anderson | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 14, 1998)
• Original Release Date: April 7, 1998
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Cleopatra
• ASIN: B0000061AO
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 2.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #325,522 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Pleasant Yet Unmemorable, January 23, 2004

By 

Kevin Caffrey (Fredericksburg, VA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The More You Know (Audio CD)

I have most of Jon Anderson's solo albums, but after listening to _The More You Know_ when it first came out in the spring of 1998, I rarely ever put it on again. Recently, I pulled it out to see if I had made a mistake by not dedicating more time to it. And while there are a few noteworthy spots on the album, shelving it on my part was probably not a mistake.

Basically, _TMYK_ is in the vein of _In the City of Angels_, but not as focused. Consisting of Jon & his wife Jane on vocals, and the family team of Bobby and Francis Jocky on the musical arrangements, the album is pop and r&b influenced. Initially this sounds like a weird thing for Jon Anderson to be trying his hand at - but one look at his solo catalog tells you that this is what he likes to do. Certain songs such as "Say", "Magic Love" and "Maybe" work well; other songs such as "Take, Take, Take" and "Gimme Love" do not. The highlight of the album is a beautiful song called "Heaven's Love," which actually could've probably had a chance on Adult Contemporary radio if the record company had the initiative (funds?) to release it. It's typical Jon Anderson lyrics, but considering that in the mid-90s he was in an often-frustrating situation with getting Yes back on track, lyrics such as "Everything that comes to you each time, no matter how it ties, no matter how it breaks, no matter what it takes to know that you believe in you" take on a different meaning. In the same song, when he sings "Don't forget that you were made for loving," it reinforces the same things that Jon Anderson has been saying in his music since he first started out - and with his crystal clear vocals, this remains a beautiful thing. Aside from this one standout track, everything else varies from good to ok.

If you *loved* _In the City of Angels_, you'll probably find stuff to like on this album. If you detested it, and still yearn for the Jon of _Olias_ days, this will not be something you will like.

15 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars slop, June 24, 2000

By 

jason m. carzon - See all my reviews

This review is from: The More You Know (Audio CD)

With all due respect to Mr. Anderson, who has still has one of the most distictive voices in rock history, this album, the more urban-sounding 'The More You Know', is a ridiculous attempt at a more modern '90's ethno-pop sound which fails on most accounts. The main problem is a lot of these sappy lyrics, which are so uninspiring and sickingly sweet as to induce terminal nausea. It is hard for even the most open-minded of listeners(Yes fans or otherwise) to even get through this album. Jon's collaborators, the Jocky brothers(who would be better off without Jon or his Linda McCartney wife hovering around) are running the whole show here, with Jon adding little more than his lyrics and vocals and Jane Anderson doing little more than hovering around. I'm not against this sort of direction, all these urban grooves, rap-pop chanting and sequencers/samplers, but here it just doesn't sound interesting and again these sappy lovey-dovey lyrics about his wife aren't uplifting, they're annoying. This album has to be heard to be believed about how ridiculous it sounds, but don't bother. Anderson's more soul-influenced side worked to better results on his 1988 'In The City Of Angels' album. For more pop/r&b sounds from the amazing voice of Jon Anderson, get that instead. Other than the first two decent songs, which you can't help but tap to, there isn't really much here.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars City of Angels revisited, May 15, 2001

By 

Joe Delaney (Cypress, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: More You Know (Audio CD)

Pass this one by. Jon Anderson has put out some beautiful music but his brilliance is inconsistent. Some of his great cd's include 'Song of Seven', 'Animation', 'Three Ships', and 'Change we Must'. This disc is an attempt at R&B and has that slick, overproduced LA sound like In the City of Angels. Now if you liked that one, then give this one a try, but if you thought that was a weak effort by this living legend then save your money.