Customer Reviews

The More You Know

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

I like a couple of these songs...."Magic Love", "Heaven's Love"....but there's so much [junk] here! Jon brought in a producer, some guy that I nor anybody on the planet has ever heard of, to make this album. There's a lot of the drum machines, samples and whatnot; however, it's so tastelessly done, it's a very generic attempt at sounding 'modern'. The other reviewers were comparing this one to "City of Angels", perhaps in how it was done (bringing in musicians/producers for a more contemporary sound than what Jon is perhaps know for)....yet that album is much much better than this one. What a dud....stay away from this album. I only give it 2 stars because the lyrics themselves have a very positive message that music of today really needs.

Is it possible for Jon the release the exact same album twice? It seems he did. Just because I think In The City Of Angiles was 5 stars I give The More You Know 5 too.

One of Jon's best works. His voice is beautiful as ever. If you like his previous work you will love this one. A must buy!

No Anderson (or Yes) fan will enjoy this one the first time around. A sad shake of the head, and the thing goes into cold storage. Six months later, on second hearing, you hear something you didn't hear before. A few more times on rotation, and it begins to grow on you. I don't like Jon's reaching for gritty, tough-guy vocalisations -- and there are moments that simply don't ring true for that reason. But it's a wonderfully produced album, with quite a bit of original material that complements Jon's already eclectic solo collection quite well. The bottom line is that Jon is an experimental musician who has his musical fingers in a great many pies. Bravo for this daring venture into R&B...

This album is obviously misunderstood by most of the listeners looking for the standard crappy, monotonous new-age material that they might get from *other* prog rock solo albums. But this album has depth, dynamics, and rhythm, all while still conveying the important messages of compassion, understanding, and love. There isn't a boring track on this album. They go from the uptempo title track, to the emotional Sad, about the downtrodden of our planet, to the humorous Some TV, where Jon holds a conversation with his TV, opting to watch Soccer (football) instead of sensationalized violence on the news. Ya know, any singer could pull in a drum machine and try to turn regular songs into dance rhythms, but on this album, the Jocky brothers, obviously well-versed in this style, coordinate with Jon to create pieces that sound sincere, and made for this style. Give it a try. I think you'll like it.

It's been a busy time for Jon Anderson and a busy one as well for his fans what with several very varied solo projects, several new Yes albums and an incredible world tour with Yes. However, Anderson has a way of maintaining a high degree of sincerity and quality in all he does and this album is no exception. It is different from other things he does, a bit lighter, which makes it all the more welcome. This time he is working with a pair of brothers named Jocky that he met in Paris and his wife, Jane, and the result is a delightful r&b/reggae/hip-hop ambient/ kind of mixture that is current while at the same time seems fresh and I don't forsee it sounding dated. Jon Anderson is true to his message of unity and the responsibility of social conciousness along with personal growth, but there is a playful feel about this album also. Therefore, I think it is a great album for summer and tropical climes. I think it also has a wider appeal and those afraid of progres! sive ideals in music should consider this a good introduction into the world of Jon Anderson. It makes a great addition to any collection of Anderson/Yes music. A great album from a very talented and prolific artist.

...reach out as forward tastes begin to enter you...

I wasn't at all aware that Yes frontman - Jon Anderson had so many solo releases out. Tunes here I liked the most were "Magic Love", "Maybe", the title track "The More You Know", the somewhat catchy "Take, Take, Take", the emotional "Sad" and "Some TV". Line-up: Jon Anderson & Jane Luttenberger Anderson - vocals, Jeff Kellner - guitar and Bobby Jocky - bass & keyboards. Overall, nothing to get all stoked about - but an okay progressive 'vocal rock' effort.