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24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Their last great album?, June 27, 2000
Along with "Close To The Edge", this is Yes at their very finest. This is when songs were over 16 minutes long not simply because they could be but because it takes that long to take you on one music's finest explorations. The musicianship, arrangement, emotion and atmosphere surrounding this work is inspired."Going For The One" is a lock-on tight, gutsy rocker with a healthy slice of slide guitar work from Steve Howe. "Turn Of The Century" is just beautiful, a haunting piece of work with possibly Jon Anderson's finest lyrics of his career. "Parallels" sounds huge, helped in no small way by Rick Wakeman's contribution on the Vevey pipe organ; the overall effect is magnificent. "Wonderous Stories" was my introduction to Yes when I was six years old. I was musically inclined and the haunting melodies appealed far more than the loud, brash, angry music that punk brought with it around that time. Twenty-three years later, it's still one of my favourite pieces of music and still for the same reasons - it inspired me to learn about music and to play an instrument. Then there's "Awaken". Personally, this goes beyond music. It is their most affecting, uplifting and involving work. It's long, goes everywhere, does everything and it's perfect. Zappa once said that writing about music was like dancing about architecture. That's fine by me... so, "Awaken" is the greatest palace ever built and the choreographer will be here in 15 minutes to celebrate its majesty. Yes don't appeal to everyone's taste; if you can't stand Jon Anderson's high-pitched vocal, all the great things I could say will mean nothing. But for the rest of us, it the reason we keep coming back to this band and we'll be endlessly forgiving. Not every album they've made is so deserving, but this is among the exceptions where I have no hesitation whatsoever is saying 5 stars is totally justified and if anything, an understatement. Essential.
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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An Overlooked Gem, May 1, 2004
Yes released this magnificent, often overlooked gem in 1977: a time when art rock was being scoffed at as pretentious and overblown. Punk had surged forth, and Johnny Rotten & Co. had a field day ripping Yes, Pink Floyd, Queen and others. It would appear during that time (at least during the making of this album), the members of Yes didn't give a darn about the trends of the day, as their usual cosmic, soaring, mystical aesthetic pervades the album in a big way (which is a good thing.)
The music on here is splendid - soaring, lush, illuminating -- an orgasm for the soul. Jon Anderson's vocals soar high, Steve Howe's guitar playing stuns as usual, and is very fluid, Chris Squire's (and Steve's) backing, majestic vocals blend magnificently with Jon's (and not to mention the man's bass playing), Rick Wakeman (who makes his return with Yes for the first time since 1973's _Tales From Topographic Oceans_) supplies his virtuosic, classically-oriented flourishes not just through synthesizers, but also a church organ, and other types of keyboards.
Alan White is possibly one of the most underacknowledged drummers out there. His drumming skills possibly go largely unnoticed due to the overpowering cosmic front brought on by the other members of the band. With this powerfully compelling, lush exterior Yes possesses, how could one possibly be fully aware of subtle nuances that are arguably beneath the surface? While many of us are being lifted higher to some heavenly place, it is all too common to miss the technical brilliance that is going on. Alan's drumming is the perfect example for this. While all of the cosmic stuff is knocking us sideways, Alan is in the background doing all sorts of creative and impressive things on the kit: his sense of time, the creative use (and placement) of the cymbals and snare hits during a certain meter, and other subtle things should not be taken lightly. This is just one of the many, many, many reasons why I think Yes are special: they possess technical brilliance, but they have something else as well -- something that's arguably even more powerful and intangible than their technical abilities.
The title track, while cosmic and grand, is quite raucous, mostly due to the steel guitar musings from Steve Howe. It can be grating at times, but it also helps to give the track a harder edge. The rhythmical quality of the vocals during the bridge (repeated once more before the ending) is quite creative and seductive. This, and more, help to lead up to the orgasmic, goosebump-inducing climax of the song, which feature choral effects from the vocal harmonies.
"Turn of The Century" is a smooth, mystical, ballad with a new age aesthetic. The lyrics on here are touching, and the soundscapes are ethereal and image-inducing as ever. Jon's vocals are outstanding as always. Sonic textures mostly brought on by Steve's musings during the middle of the track give way to the ethereal, majestic climax near the end of the song.
"Parallels" is written by Chris Squire, and is grand and soaring as ever. Rick's use of the church organ here certainly adds more of a mystical, spiritual and regal quality to the track. This track, while cosmic on the outside, is quite busy underneath it all. Check out the time changes, the multiple vocal layers, and the instrumentation that is going on all at once -- Rick's keyboard lines, Steve's guitar lines, Chris' basslines, and Alan's drumming.
"Wonderous Stories" is much like "Turn of The Century" -- a ballad with a mystical, new age aesthetic. Jon's vocals, as always, are precious and moving. Steve's guitar lines here are quite melodic, and what's impressive are how well they blend in with the rest of the instrumentation.
"Awaken" is classic. Like the rest of the album -- but more specifically, here -- it is almost impossible to put into account the effect it has on me. It's the 15-minute closer of the album, and boy, is it ever so good. Grand, lush, soaring, illuminating -- this track soars, and it shines as bright as the sun. The massive bed of sound just smothers your senses, and does not let go. Yes even got a church choir to add their voices in certain parts of the track. It is the most goosebump-inducing song on the album, and is also my favorite Yes song. There is quite a bit of stuff going on here -- the vocal harmonies are penetrating, the basslines tasteful, Steve's solos orgasmic. On a different listening session, when you're not being seduced by the powerful cosmic aura of this music -- or when you're trying your hardest not to be -- pay attention to the technical stuff going on in these songs. In this track, one of the many things I'd like to talk about is Alan's drumming: pay special attention to what Alan is doing on the drum kit, especially during the "suns high streams thru," "strong dreams reign here," and "star, song, age, less" sections of the track. It's quite nifty.
This is an excellent album from Yes. Highly recommended -- that is, if you are a Yes fan, own (and love) all of their studio albums, particularly from the 1971-1974 period, but do not own this. Don't pass it by.
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13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wakeman Returns, February 6, 2000
This is probably the best Yes CD with members Jon Anderson, Rick Wakeman (who had returned to Yes after leaving in 1974), Chris Squire, Steve Howe, and Alan White. With the exception of 2 songs, the shorter song format is favored here for the 1st time snce "Fragile". It starts with the title track with Howe playing a raucous steel guitar (definitely not like your typical country music!)! The next song "Turn of the Century" is a rare love song which is about as Victorian as you'll ever hear (also features some unique percussion work by Alan White). The next song is Chris Squire's motivational "Paralells", with Wakeman's bold procession on the church organ and Squire's melodious bass lines that follow. "Wonderous Stories" is the most peaceful song with Anderson's imaginative lyrics and Howe's acoustic guitar work. Finally, the masterpiece "Awaken" (this is the only song on GFTO which is over 10 minutes) features Anderson playing harp, Wakeman on the church organ (his playing makes you feel as if you're in a Cathedral yourself!), and Anderson closes the song with his spiritual epitath: "Like the time I ran away and turned around and you were standing close to me."
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