Customer Reviews

Time and a Word

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(28)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

"Time And A Word" (released in 1970) was The Yes' second album and in my opinion was a better album then their debut. It clearly shows the group experimenting with different sounds. Just listen to "No Opportunity Necessary, No Experience Needed" and "Clear Days" which utilize an orchestra. There are some great songs on this cd beginning with the above mentioned song "No Opportunity Needed...", "Then", "Sweet Dreams", and "Astral Traveller". Granted this album isn't as great as "Fragile" or "Close To The Edge", but then again they didn't have Steve Howe or Rick Wakeman. Interestingly, Howe appears on the cover of the U.S. release of "Time And A Word" but doesn't play on it. It wasn't until the next album "The Yes Album" (released in 1971) , that Howe replaced Peter Banks as guitarist. And Tony Kaye was later replaced by keyboard wizard extroardinaire, Wakeman. There are four bonus tracks included in this newly remastered cd. 1) Dear Father, 2) No Opportunity Necessary, No Experience Needed (Original Mix), 3) Sweet Dreams (Original Mix), 4) The Prophet (Single Version), all of which are a nice addition to the regular album song listing. The sound quality of this cd is much better than the previous Joe Gastwirt remasters which had no punch. This version has more bottom end, increased midrange and pumped up output level. There's also an eight page booklet included that has some colorful pictures of the group and lyrics to the songs. This is a must for all Yes fans or those who enjoy listening to seventies progressive rock such as Emerson, Lake & palmer, King Crimson, or Genesis.

The 2nd Yes album, 1970's "Time And A Word," saw the band add some orchestral arrangements to some of their songs. Some fans were turned off by it, and even Yes themselves now say they don't think the orchestral touches on the album worked completely (and the band would not take on orchestral accompanyment again until 2001's "Magnification"). Personally, I'm not bothered one bit by the orchestral flourishes. They don't *bury* the band, for heaven's sake, and I think they enhance the songs that they're used on very well. Yes themselves are still the main attraction throughout "Time And A Word," and the album is excellent. It features several of my personal favorite Yes songs, such as the amazing cover of Richie Havens' "No Opportunity Necessary, No Experience Needed," the captivating sounds of "Then," the perfect pop-rock of "Sweet Dreams," the supremely powerful rock of "Astral Traveller" (with a killer guitar riff from Peter Banks), and the great beauty of the closing title track. The band are in top form on "Time And A Word," as they also say goodbye to guitarist Banks, who would be replaced by longtime guitarist Steve Howe shortly after the album's release (SO shortly, in fact, that the original US album cover features a group photo with Howe, even though Banks is the guitarist on the album!). I've always loved "Time And A Word." It's a very strong Yes album, and I highly recommend it.

I always considered this to be one of Yes's most underrated efforts. The title track is a great song that is still on the band's playlist at concerts. The upbeat "Sweet Dreams" is my personal favorite. "The Prophet", "Then" and "Astral Traveller" are also excellent tracks. The new Rhino release with extra tracks is noteworthy for the bonus track "Dear Father" (formerly only available on the "Yesterdays" compilation) and the original UK only cover. This was the last album with Peter Banks, who was of course replaced by the great Steve Howe.

"Time And A Word" is one of the most underrated Yes albums, made at a time when they were still young, fresh and ready to rock. The jazz and classical influence becomes more prominent, although their sound was still formative and would fully gel on the next album, "The Yes Album". Nonetheless, there's some good stuff here and on a recent re-listen I found myself enjoying nearly every track. The obvious weak point, noted by most reviewers, is the orchestra, which is added to most of the songs and does not quite mix with the group's basic sound. This proved to be the case with all of the orchestral-rock albums released that year, a list that also included works by Deep Purple, The Nice and Pink Floyd. All of those artists would soon learn how to best express themselves through the use of a wider array of keyboards, although on "Time And A Word" the string backing works OK on the ballad "Clear Days" and the anthemic title track.

Not surprisingly, the two best songs are those without the orchestra, and they point squarely to the sound devoloped for the upcoming "Yes Album"--"Sweet Dreams" is a strong, melodic pop-rock song with an uplifting chorus, while the slightly psychedelic "Astral Traveller" features the soon-to-be trademark "cosmic" lyrics and complex instrumental interplay that would make them famous. "Astral Traveller" would even improve in live performance after Steve Howe joined the group, and is a song the band should reconsider adding to their live setlist (they have periodically reprised "Sweet Dreams" and the title track over the years).

"Time And A Word" is upbeat, positive music that stands in stark contrast to the music being made by today's youth. It was made by a band just coming out of the radical changes induced by the 60s and about to refine it into a classic progressive sound for the 70s. As such, it is a worthwhile historical curiosity--and might surprise you with a few good tunes in the bargain. You just can't beat the jazzy drumming, rumbling bass, hammond organ and clear-toned guitar stylings that marked their sound at this time, and of course if you like this you should love "The Yes Album", "Fragile" and "Close To The Edge".

Of all the Yes albums, this is probably the most neglected, falling between the overtly 60's Yes (album) and the prog cassic Yes Album. It's also unique in their back-catalogue because there's a very prominent string quartet and the occasional brass section on many of the tracks, which combined with Kaye's fab organ, frequently make the instrumental passages sound not dissimilar to some of the great jazzy easy-listening of the time - see the Sound Gallery compilation. Tracks like the apocalyptic Then and the fleshed out Buffalo Springfield cover Everydays most benefit from this treatment, but there's some great and somewhat atypical four minute songs here too, like the boppy Sweet Dreams, the anthemic Time and a Word, which I could imagine Oasis covering, and the storming Big Country (film soundtrack) sampling opener. This all sounds much less dated and hugely more invogorating than Topographic Oceans.

Yes hit their stride with the album that would follow "Time and a Word," and I suspect I'm not alone in that this album did not find its way onto my turntable, or today into my CD player, as much as "The Yes Album" and those that followed. However, if you like Yes, this their second offering is worth having. Without Steve Howe, this band had not quite attained excellence, but there are fine songs here. "Then" sounds the most like a classic Yes song and features some excellent bass playing by Chris Squire. "Astral Traveller" and "Time and a Word" are nice songs. None of the songs drag, they are fine efforts, they just don't attain the greatness of the following albums.

The Rhino re-release is excellent. As usual, the Rhino liner notes and improved sound quality make it worthwhile rebuying this album. I recommend this CD for prog rock fans.

Yes is joined by an orchestra for their second album, the last for guitarist Peter Banks. The material is a continuation of the style defined by their debut with lots of great gems that typify the trends of the late sixties: cosmic lyrics, jazzy chords, lush harmonies, and a hot rhythm section. "Astral Traveller" is a great cut that could easily be at home on Stereolab's "Emperor Tomato Ketchup" cd. "Dear Father" (like "Survival" from the first LP) shows how Anderson can skillfully write a song that passes through epic chord and key changes, taking the listener on what feels like a long and pleasant voyage (something the band would expand upon once they worked their way into the Wakeman years). I'm very fond of the first two Yes records. They may not be as individualistic as albums like "Fragile" or "Close To The Edge," but they do a great job of summarizing some of the more interesting (and sometimes contradictory) trends of the late sixties with a gracefulness and logic that only a prog rock band could engineer.

If you already purchased the YES Original masters that were issued in the early 90's...the only thing you're gaining here are the bonus tracks...and you might want to talk to somebody who already scored these new remasters...to see if the liner notes are the same as the originals....as they tend to cut, add or mutilate the original package in an attempt to update.

I have every one of the original masters from the 90's and dont intend on parting with them...or investing in a complete new library...considering the sound on my existing cd's is excellent.

I'm apparently in the minority who find "poorly recorded" albums to be more interesting sometimes. Actually, I love the sound of this album - and it truly is progressive, especially for 1970. It is one of Yes's more unusual albums, and makes awesome use of dynamics and different recording techniques. I've been returning to this one several times over the past few days, which means there must be SOMETHING compelling about it. The use of volume pedal w/the guitar, the inventive orchestra arrangements, the quiet parts, it's f*@king fabulous (to me), but reading these other reviews, you would think it's nothing special. And I love the song "Time And A Word" - it's beautiful, Beatles-esque, and yes, atypical of their other material (so what). Let's hear it for confounding people's expectations! Isn't that what "progressive music" is about??

As everyone knows, Yes' second album, Time & a Word still hadn't established the band yet. Steve Howe was yet to be in the band, and Tony Kaye was to play on one more album before Rick Wakeman came in and really established them as one of the biggest and most important names in prog. It's a bit odd that the American cover (which is totally different from the more controversial UK cover) would show a picture of Steve Howe on the front cover (but then the album was released in the US a few months later after the UK release, by which Howe was a member). But I have to say Time & a Word is not a bad album at all. It's a bit strange to see the band adding an orchestra on some of the cuts during a time when they were still a struggling band. But it actually works quite well. Tony Kaye went for a much more powerful organ sound than he did on their 1969 debut, by adding a fuzz tone, which would serve him well on their next album, The Yes Album as well (but it's a bit strange he went back to the old 1969 organ sound when he teamed up with Peter Banks for their post-Yes band Flash on their 1972 debut). The album opens up with a cover of Ritchie Havens, "No Opportunity Necessary, No Experience Needed". The first thing you hear is the orchestra and organ. Not having heard the original, I can't compare it to the original, but it still sounds quite Yes. They also cover a Buffalo Springfield song, the Stephen Stills-penned "Everydays". I have heard the original, and I have to say the Yes version is quite the improvement. More atmospheric and dreamy, with an intense guitar solo from Peter Banks before going back to the way it started. Even if it was Yes covering this song, it's no mistaking the lyrics and a lot of the style is Stills, but with a more progressive bent that only bands like Yes and their prog contemporaries would do. "Sweet Dream" is a more straightforward number but a wonderful piece, perhaps the song most suited for radio airplay on this album. "The Prophet" is another favorite of mine. It starts off with the band and orchestra playing an excerpt of Gustav Holst's The Planets before the actual song kicks in. Here, the song has a more '60s feel than what one is used to from Yes, but still a wonderful piece. "Clear Days" is a nice, short ballad dominated by orchestra, while "Astral Traveller", often regarded as the album's high point, I tend to have problems with Jon Anderson electronically modifying his voice on this song, and it's with the instrumental section the song really takes off. The closing title track is a bit more folk-y, almost sing-along quality. To me Time & a Word is a truly worthwhile album, but since the band was still trying to get their sound developed, you are of course better off starting with their next three albums (The Yes Album, Fragile, and Close to the Edge) before coming here. Still a nice, historical album to have in your collection.