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Panegyric has released the second in an ongoing series of expanded YES reissues, 'THE YES ALBUM' on
CD+DVD
and
CD+Blu-ray
sets, after the previous issue of 'CLOSE TO THE EDGE' (
CD+DVD
here,
CD+Blu-ray here
). 'THE YES ALBUM' holds a special place in my heart, it was my second "progressive rock" purchase (
'IN THE COURT OF THE CRIMSON KING' was my first
) at the impressionable age of sixteen, beginning my lifetime love of music without boundaries. 'THE YES ALBUM' has remained my favorite of their many, many releases, and in my opinion an album they have never topped. Every song but one is perfect, neither too long or too short, with not an ounce of self-indulgence or pretension, no matter what some misguided critics may say. I became an instant YES fan, caught up with their first two albums, and was later privileged to see them in concert numerous times during their 'CLOSE TO THE EDGE' and '
TALES FROM TOPOGRAPHIC OCEANS
' tours. Although I'm also a fan of those albums and keyboardist Rick Wakeman, I couldn't imagine anyone topping Tony Kaye's contributions to their first three albums, especially 'THE YES ALBUM.' The only thing that's kept the album from being 100% perfect was the shortness of Track 4, "A Venture" which was obviously faded out, seemingly due to the limitation of record technology at that time. I've always loved this track, finding it to be their most "Beatlesque," and now this deficiency has been finally rectified here with it's extended mix. The track's ending "jam" gains about a minute and ten seconds mostly showcasing Tony Kaye's jazzy piano and Bill Bruford's amazing timing with an actual ending, not a fadeout. It makes one wonder if the minute and ten seconds would've screwed up the record's pressing that much...well at least we finally have it. I only wish there was an option to listen to the original album with it inserted, but that can always be programmed......
Steven Wilson's 5.1 mix is a revelation. I'll leave all the "a-h-h-h" moments for you to discover yourself, but when you crank-up "Yours Is No Disgrace" (and you WILL want to want to crank it up) and start hearing things you never did before, Bruford's tapping drumstick during the "acapella" section, Howe's ping-ponging guitar during his scrunchy metallic scratch solos, Kaye's growling organ leaping at you like the tiger in APOCALYPSE NOW when you don't expect it, try not to wet yourself. Purists can relax, a terrific flat transfer of the original mix is here as well. Here's the lowdown on the contents......
The history:
THE YES ALBUM was originally released February 1971 as Atlantic SD-8283
Produced by YES and Eddie Offord, Engineered by Eddie Offord
The band (for YES virgins):
Jon Anderson - vocals, percussion
Bill Bruford - drums & percussion
Steve Howe - guitar (acoustic & electric), vocals
Tony Kaye - organ, piano, keyboards, Moog synthesizer
Chris Squire - bass, guitar, vocals
with Colin Goldring (from GNIDROLOG) - recorder on "I've Seen All Good People"
Both sets come in a gate-fold cardboard sleeve with the discs in their own cardboard sleeves as well, but I feel they should've also been poly-lined for the price. The booklet has liner notes by Sid Smith of KING CRIMSON fame, along with plenty of band and memorabilia photos. The album has a new stereo and 5.1 Surround Sound mix from the original studio masters by Steven Wilson and is fully approved by YES. The CDs on both sets contain:
The New Stereo Mixes:
1. Yours Is No Disgrace
2. Clap
3. Starship Trooper: a. Life Seeker b. Disillusion c. Wurm
4. I've Seen All Good People: a. Your Move b. All Good People
5. A Venture
6. Perpetual Change
with:
7. Clap (Studio Version)
8. A Venture (Finally! The Extended Mix)
The All-Region NTSC DVD and Blu-Ray sets contain:
The 2014 Stereo Mixes (24/96 MLP Lossless):
1. Yours Is No Disgrace
2. Clap
3. Starship Trooper: a. Life Seeker b. Disillusion c. Wurm
4. I've Seen All Good People: a. Your Move b. All Good People
5. A Venture
6. Perpetual Change
The 2014 5.1 Surround Mixes (24/96 MLP Lossless/dts 96/24):
1. Yours Is No Disgrace
2. Clap
3. Starship Trooper: a. Life Seeker b. Disillusion c. Wurm
4. I've Seen All Good People: a. Your Move b. All Good People
5. A Venture
6. Perpetual Change
Original Stereo Mixes (Flat Transfer from original master LPCM Stereo 24/192):
1. Yours Is No Disgrace
2. Clap
3. Starship Trooper: a. Life Seeker b. Disillusion c. Wurm
4. I've Seen All Good People: a. Your Move b. All Good People
5. A Venture
6. Perpetual Change
The "Alternate" Album (LPCM Stereo 24/96):
1. Yours Is No Disgrace (Live, London 1971)
2. Clap (Studio Version)
3. Starship Trooper a. Life Seeker (single edit)
4. I've Seen All Good People (Live, London 1971)
5. A Venture (extended mix)
6. Perpetual Change (Live, New Haven 1971)
The following tracks are on the BLU-RAY ONLY>
The EXCLUSIVE Blu-ray Features are:
Single versions, edits & live (LPCM Stereo 24/96):
1. Your Move (stereo single version)
2. Clap (mono single version)
3. America (Live, London 1971)
4. It's Love (Live, London 1971)
5. Your Move (mono single version)
New Stereo Instrumental Mixes (LPCM Stereo 24/96):
1. Yours Is No Disgrace
2. Clap
3. Starship Trooper: a. Life Seeker b. Disillusion c. Wurm
4. I've Seen All Good People: a. Your Move b. All Good People
5. A Venture
6. Perpetual Change
Needle-Drop (A/B UK vinyl transfer 24/96 LPCM):
1. Yours Is No Disgrace
2. Clap
3. Starship Trooper: a. Life Seeker b. Disillusion c. Wurm
4. I've Seen All Good People: a. Your Move c. All Good People
5. A Venture
6. Perpetual Change
The transfer of the original mixes are equally as revelatory, the best they've ever sounded. The "alternate album" is excellent, we get contemporary samples of the band live, the aforementioned long version of "A Venture" and a great studio version of "Clap" where Steve Howe keeps throwing in bits and pieces of the classical repertoire. Unfortunately, for "Starship Trooper" they chose it's useless single edit. The live "Yours Is No Disgrace" and "I've Seen All Good People" are the same recordings as on '
THE WORD IS LIVE
' but "Perpetual Change," with Bruford getting to take the obligatory '70's drum solo was recorded near the end of their last tour with Kaye. Here's hoping they someday release more material from that tour, fans would eat it up, warts and all. The Blu-ray only material is OK, you get three superflous mono single edits, the other two 'THE WORD IS LIVE' 1971 tracks ("America" and "It's Love"), instrumental only mixes of the whole album (YES karaoke!) and another take of the album, this time taken from a mint UK LP. If you don't have a Blu-ray player you're not missing much.......
Whew! An embarrassment of riches for sure. My ONLY nit-pick (hey, I'm a YES fan, there had to be one!), I wish they could've included the Beat Club and Musik Laden video footage found on
The Lost Broadcasts
DVD (which is missing the great B&W Beat Club live footage of "Astral Traveler" itself), but, hey, like I said, I'm a YES fan...... All kidding aside, this is a MUST HAVE for any fan of YES, and if you're a newbie, well, you'll find out what all the fuss was about. I'm a fan of YES' lengthier compositions for sure, but it's their concise mini-epics such as Tracks 1, 3, 4, & 6 on 'THE YES ALBUM,' "South Side Of The Sky" and "Heart Of The Sunrise" on '
FRAGILE
,' "And You & I" and "Siberian Khatru" on 'CLOSE TO THE EDGE' and "Sound Chaser" on 'RELAYER' that really floats my boat. Keep bringing them on Steve, personally I can't wait for "TALES" and '
RELAYER
'......
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