Tue Mar 23 2021
1
I'm punk innit so this sort of shit brings me out in hives, and it doesn't even have Rick Wakeman and his capes on it.
This is a Random Album Generator.
One album a day.
From the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.
The Yes Album
Yes
1971
- Album Summary
The Yes Album is the third studio album by English progressive rock band Yes, released on 19 February 1971 by Atlantic Records. It was the band's first album to feature guitarist Steve Howe, who replaced Peter Banks in 1970, as well as their last to feature keyboardist Tony Kaye until 1983's 90125. The album was the first by the band not to feature any cover versions of songs. The band spent mid-1970 writing and rehearsing new material at a farmhouse at Romansleigh, Devon, and the new songs were recorded at Advision Studios in London in the autumn. While the album retained close harmony singing, Kaye's Hammond organ, and Chris Squire's melodic bass, as heard on earlier releases, the new material also covered further styles including jazz piano, funk, and acoustic music. All of the band members contributed ideas, and tracks were extended in length to allow music to develop. Howe contributed a variety of guitar styles, including a Portuguese guitar, and recorded the solo acoustic guitar piece "Clap", live at the Lyceum Theatre, London. The album was a critical success and a major commercial breakthrough for Yes, who had been at risk of being dropped by Atlantic due to the commercial failures of their first two albums. It reached number 4 in the United Kingdom and number 40 in the United States, and was later certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America for surpassing one million copies. The album has been reissued on CD several times, and was given a Blu-ray release in 2014 remixed by Steven Wilson.
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Wed Feb 10 2021
5
Some grown ass white men have Dungeons & Dragons; I have classic Yes albums. Finally something I actually own! If this album is on the list in place of “Close to the Edge” that’s a shame, but I’ll take what I can get. Steve Howe is on my guitar Mt. Rushmore.
Mon Jul 05 2021
5
This is and has everything I love about so-called rock music: power.. melody.. mystery...great musicianship... catchy riffs... majestic yet accessible. Don't let the 4 rather long songs put you off if you've not experienced this before, and it may take some time to sink in but it's best listened either in headphones or fully immersed stereo - and loud! Starship Troopers is my personal favourite here but each track stands out for different reasons. Chris Squire's growly bass and band vocal harmonies are specifically individual standouts throughout. 9/10. 5 stars.
Wed Feb 10 2021
5
Yes has always been a great band to mellow out to and enjoy. I am enjoying these moments of discovery.
Thu Apr 29 2021
5
Fantastic! Already listened twice and will definitely be in regular circulation. Note: this is an album that is best listened to cover to cover.
Sun Mar 21 2021
5
A brilliant prog album that showcases Yes at their peak. It shows them moving away from making a regular album with 8 songs on it to having 6 songs where some are extended epics and others are quick and easy. Listened to this one before and it’s still easy to lose yourself in
Wed Jul 14 2021
5
Great stuff, I love they mix the bass hot. Great musicianship, solid guitar fills and solos.
Mon May 31 2021
5
An amazing introduction into progressive rock. I really enjoy the bass in the tracks because of how clear it is. There's nothing really else to say other than that it's one of the greatest albums of all time. Highlights: 1, 3, 4, and 6.
Mon Apr 12 2021
4
I really like a lot of prog rock and prog metal, and I know yes is a big part of that, but I've never been able to really get into them in the past. This album was better than expected, but the song I recognized 'all good people' was definitely the low point IMO. There were good instrumentals throughout and i found myself enjoying a lot of it, but feeling embarrassed by other cheesy pieces. It's a 3.5 that I will begrudgingly rank up to a 4 because I gotta back up prog as a genre.
Tue Nov 09 2021
3
The Yes Album is 'ok'. It is not bad, and there are some catchy moments where it is enjoyable as an afterthought, and then that is it: an afterthought that might slowly creep into your humming lexicon over years of exposure. It has that classic rock appeal in 2021 that would make this ideal for any rotation in some place like a garage or shared workspace. The music is benign, to put it nicely, and the vocals are easily ignored. It is prog-rock after all, and the whole ignore-me-while-I-am-over-here-doing-my-own-thing just bleeds from this album. So this listener will do just that, not even curious enough to wonder what it is that is being missed here.
Wed Mar 03 2021
2
Like rush but boring
Sat Feb 20 2021
5
Prog? Yes
Mon Jan 25 2021
5
Awesome!
Mon Apr 12 2021
3
Meh
Sat May 28 2022
3
The opening to Yours Is No Disgrace is such a jam. I'm less sold on the vocals to be totally honest, but everything in between is fantastic. I'm also enjoying the bass lines a lot. The more of the song I hear though, the less the vocals throw me off. But still, the guitar work >>> vocals in this track. The Clap is a nice breather after Yours Is No Disgrace. Starship Trooper is really funky, and I always appreciate a song with movements. The second movement is fantastic, I love the guitar in it. No thoughts, head empty, just vibes. I've Seen All Good People has some FUN organ work. One of my favorite instruments, honestly. Again, vocals aren't selling me, but the instrumental behind the track is amazing. The opening to Perpetual Change is AMAZING. I love love love it. Overall, this was a fun album, with a lot of insanely cool instrumental work that was hampered in my opinion by the vocals. If it was purely an instrumental album, I would have loved it so much more.
Thu Nov 04 2021
1
This fills me with dread. Again, I will try to shed any preconceptions before listening, but my impression of Yes is great cover art, terrible 10 minute prog noodling. And with that, I am met by 10 minutes of noodling in 'Yours is No Disgrace'. Imagine the worst excesses of Pink Floyd, but without the oddball charm of Syd Barrett's era, or the arthouse fury of Roger Waters' era. Essentially, David Gilmour's Floyd. Yuck. Then there's a noodly acoustic thing. It's innofensive but pointless. Now we're getting into serious prog with Starship Trooper, which has three sections listed. It's not based on Robert Heinlein's novel to the best of my knowledge, and therefore has nothing interesting about it. I've Seen All Good People also has three movements (said in the bowel sense of the word) but is shorter and marginally less painful. The middle of it sounds like Status Quo, and I would rather listen to Status Quo than this, and that is saying something. Something interesting happened at the start of Perpetual Change, but in keeping with the name it ended after 20 seconds. Then it went back to the same tired musician's music as it had before. Apparently this album's success stemmed from a postal strike meaning that only London chart returns could be processed in the week of its release, artificially inflating it's chart position. This makes sense of a lot of this for me. You can see why a lot of people hate Prog. I don't - Floyd, Hawkwind, Rush and Caravan bloody rule. This sort of noodly awfulness is why people hate Prog.
Mon Feb 01 2021
5
Great album
Fri Feb 12 2021
5
Tremendo album
Wed Mar 10 2021
5
Always been one of my favourites
Wed Jul 28 2021
5
easiest 6/5 of my life
Tue Nov 03 2020
4
Pretty decent album. had no idea "Your Move" was part of a medley.
Tue Jul 26 2022
4
This album takes me right back to my childhood. Yes was my dad's favorite band so almost all of these songs felt familiar. I never realized how much Southern influence there is in Yes's music until today's listen. I always just put them in the "prog" bucket and moved on but there's a lot of solid, southern, 70s groove here. It's fun. It's interesting. It's a little cheesy but that's alright. Overall, I really enjoyed it. Is it timeless? Not even close. Hence the 4 stars.
Wed Aug 23 2023
4
When this album popped up for me on my tracker for the 1001 albums, I audibly said "Yes!" aloud. I love Yes. I have loved Yes for a long time, and had a big prog rock phase a while back. The Yes Album is an interesting one for me, because I always knew of its existence, but I wasn't sure when I would go back to give it a listen. I'm glad I was given the excuse to check it out, given my love for Fragile and Close to the Edge. I see this as the Meddle of Yes' discography. It acts as the point where you can see when they find their footing. Steve Howe had made his way into the band, which is easily one of the best things they could have done for themselves. And the energy that would carry them forward into having one of the strongest runs of albums in the 70's shows up here. John's voice is as beautiful as ever, Chris Squire's signature bass sound is delightfully sharp, Steve's guitar work is amazing, and Bill's drum sound is so bright and snappy, which fits his style of play perfectly. I see this album as their Meddle, and I see Starship Troopers as their Echoes. It may not be as ambitious, but it shows them experimenting with their longer, multi-phased song structures they would become known for. Specifically the section titled "Würm". This part is so heavy and psychedelic, and has one of the best jams Yes has ever done period. Easily the most striking moment on the whole album. I have to speak on one gripe I have with this album though. I think Tony Kaye does a fantastic job as the keyboardist up until this point. But just like how Steve Howe was an addition the band needed to succeed, Rick Wakeman is in the same boat. Although technically not with Yes until after this album was released, I can feel the gap left when he is not the one behind the keyboard. He is probably the single greatest prog keyboardist of all time, and maybe just in general across all rock music, and that golden age lineup of Anderson, Squire, Howe, Wakeman and Bruford is absolutely unbeatable. I think for the first album from Yes that can truly be considered a substantial piece of work, that set them on the map and would help them become one of the leading bands in the progressive rock movement of the 70's alongside other giants like King Crimson, Rush and Pink Floyd, they did a stellar job.
Fri Apr 30 2021
3
A lot more psychedelic than i expected. Lots of nice picky accoustic stuff like Leo Kotke then goes to space-age psych. Not sure it works together as a coherent album, but whatever... it was an enjoyable listen.
Mon May 31 2021
3
This album is the epitome of Yes: oddly long songs that are only connected through the key and some sporadic lyrics. The rhythms and sounds make each song feel like a road trip through the mountains, and even though I don't like how lengthy they are, I can appreciate it. Favorite track: The Clap
Tue Sep 28 2021
3
The album starts with a loud declaration of 1971 sounds - Hammond organ, Rickenbacker bass, then a burst of beedly-beedly guitar playing and finally the banked harmonies of Jon Anderson. Some very nice and intricate guitar work on The Clap. And next is the full experience of Yes making progressive rock on Starship Trooper. I find the whole album very bitty - very well-executed, but so many disparate ideas cut and shunted together. I can hear definite Beatles echos in here, especially on Perpetual Change
Mon Nov 01 2021
3
Yes is one of those bands you either connect with or you don’t. They’re incredibly talented and their music doesn’t really have any flaws per se. The most you can ding them for is a little self-indulgence (ahem, "Perpetual Change"), which is true of a lot of bands of their genre/era. Short and sweet review, this album is really good, but I didn't connect with it as much as I did with Close to the Edge. It includes two of the all-time great, must-hear tracks from the band, “I've Seen All Good People” and “Starship Trooper.” The inclusion of the live instrumental "The Clap" was a weird choice that I don’t think served the overall album very well. Fave Songs: I've Seen All Good People, Starship Trooper, Yours is No Disgrace, A Venture
Mon May 09 2022
3
Instrumentally, Yes are a fine group and this is displayed on the album via lengthy suites, featuring plenty of guitar and keyboard interplay. Vocally, they're a bit iffy, there's some nice harmonies, but I feel they lack a strong lead singer for the material. Jon Anderson sounds like he would be better off singing in a pop group. I quite enjoyed 'Your Move', which is the first part of 'I've Seen All Good People' plus the solo Portuguese guitar instrumental 'Clap' (recorded live) displays the technical prowess of guitarist Steve Howe. Overall it's well above average, but there are better prog albums. That is quite a cool album cover though.
Wed Feb 24 2021
2
Meh
Sun Nov 14 2021
2
A Yes album, even The Yes Album, doesn't feel like a Yes album unless Rik Wakeman and Roger Dean is involved. Now, that's piffle. This is clearly a Yes album, it sounds exactly like Yes, the songs are firmly in the Yes scool of lyricism and thematics, and whereas Roger has become inseparable from Yes, Rick Wakeman's been in and out of them more often than the crew of HMS Queen Elizabeth with your mum. Now, I am not a Yes fan, I subscribe to the standard that Yes were bloated and bizarrely inane, despite the grandiosity of their lyrical and musical conceits. I understand that the fans consider Starship Trooper one of their monuments, and I acknowledge that the last movement of it has a proper driving frug. And that occasional frug is the best of Yes. However, between each instance of frug there's about 15 minutes of quite boring, quite charmless noodling. But how would a band like Yes grasp the aesthetic of less being more? They're Yes, not the Ramones.
Tue Nov 16 2021
2
I guess my take on Yes hasn't changed much from what I listended to "Close to the Edge". The band is clearly talented, the production is over the top good, and there is no doubt that the band has a huge following and has influenced countless other bands and artists. For whatever reason, I personally just can't connect with the music. It feels showboaty and a bit sterile. There were moments in the latter half of "Yours is No Disgrace" and "Starship Trooper", where I picked up on something, but the whole vibe still feels like it's at an arm's length. Another review wrote that it was like rush, but boring, and I think that sums it up perfectly.
Sun Dec 12 2021
2
The energy of this album jumps all around the place. I can hear its influence in the synth-pop that happened in the decades to come and even a bit of 90s alt folk rock. I wasn't especially grabbed by this album but I respect its craftmanship.
Fri Jul 29 2022
2
I am not a fan of prog, not a fan. Did not hat e this as much as I expected; The B3 keyboards of Tony Kaye is far less pretentious and widdly-widdly than the subsequent synthesizer overkill of Rick Wakeman. New boy Steve Howe hasn't gone full prog yet, either. This still sounds like a rock band, as opposed the the over-arranged clever-clogs, full blown progressive of the 70s that was right around the corner. As with all prog albums, moments of rock and roll appear, only to be lost in a swamp of tedium. All talk and no bloody trousers. Even Classic Rock magazine thinks this album is not up to par (but could have been., and they _like_ this stuff. According to wikipedia, they were on the verge of being dropped by their label, but avoided this by using an opportunity to manipulate the charts to goose the release until it got its own sales legs. prog: it's the emperors new music.
Wed Feb 24 2021
5
sick riffs
Tue Jan 26 2021
5
Country music could do better. Half of the songs were garbage
Thu Jun 24 2021
5
Uno de los pocos discos de progresivo de los grandes bandas del progresivo normie que se puede escuchar. Buenísimo.
Wed Aug 11 2021
5
Kicking off the trilogy of albums where Yes were at their most powerful creatively, The Yes Album is a classic of prog rock. A perfect balance of bass, keyboards, guitar and drums, with insane hippie vocals and some fantastic harmonising bringing it all together. The mammoth opener Yours Is No Disgrace is a sign of things to come, with Yes laying the ground work for their future prog epics. A fantastic song in its own right, it lets all the members shine, especially Howe and Anderson. The ending section of Starship Trooper is one of my favourite pieces of music, with the whole band building towards musical ecstasy. The dueling guitar solos at the end are a highlight The fantastic harmonising I mentioned really shines through on I've Seen All Good People, with Anderson, Squire and Howe nailing the three-part harmony. My only real issue with the album is all but 2 of the tracks fading out instead of working out a "proper" ending, but it's not really much of a detraction.
Sat Aug 14 2021
5
I really enjoyed this album. I’m not terribly familiar with Yes but I’m glad I gave this a listen. There is a lot of jazz and classical influence and the album is structured into several mini-suites that challenge the rock form.
Wed Aug 25 2021
5
Excellent
Tue Sep 28 2021
5
Gefällt mir echt gut. Kam mir nach dem ersten Durchhören etwas richtungslos vor, daher gleich noch mal gehört. Nee, ist einfach nur ideenreich, seehr geil.
Sat Oct 09 2021
5
rEALLY gOOD
Thu Oct 21 2021
5
Великолепно!
Wed Jan 26 2022
5
Ótimo disco! Chamou-me atenção, principalmente, as faixas "Your is no disgrace", "I've seen all good people" e "Perpetual change".
Fri Feb 11 2022
5
classic
Mon Feb 14 2022
5
Omg omg One of my very favorites
Sat Feb 19 2022
5
Grooves hard
Sat Mar 05 2022
5
Yes!
Mon Mar 07 2022
5
I LOVE YES!!!!!!!
Mon Mar 14 2022
5
Awsome
Wed Mar 16 2022
5
Yes is one of my all-time favorite bands. I don't know how many times I have listened to this album before, and I have listened to individual tracks from the album at least a dozen times more than I've listened to the album as a whole. "Yours is No Disgrace" is a great way to start off the album. Bill Bruford (drums) and Chris Squire (bass) lay down a foundation and provide a propelling force through the whole song. There are great examples of what Steve Howe (guitar), Tony Kaye (keyboards), and Jon Anderson (vocals) bring to the mix. There is a reason that all 5 members get song writing credit for the first track. Most of the album fits in the same mood. Steve Howe's instrumental "Clap" feels out of place between "Yours is No Disgrace" and "Starship Trooper". "A Venture" is a little weak as well, but none of the songs are bad. The rest of the album is great. I will listen to this album again.
Tue Mar 22 2022
5
Brilliant writing and musicianship.
Wed Mar 23 2022
5
Classic album. Love every bit of it. A
Fri Mar 25 2022
5
Solid psych rock
Thu Mar 31 2022
5
Their best work imo
Thu May 19 2022
5
Yes, that’s the name of the band. Listen to Roundabout. It will blow the classical music out your butt!
Fri May 20 2022
5
Sure, I could try to be objective here. So many criticisms could fairly be levelled at Yes and all they represent: excessive, bloated prog with overly academic philosophising. In albums like this one, there’s often more focus on showing off instrumentally than concise songwriting, and don’t even get me started on those outfits. Could any music be less cool than this? The fact is, “The Yes Album” has long been one of my favourite albums of all time. In my teenage years, the band had already started to look like the mythical creatures they might have sang about. Prog still lived in a dark and secret place, vanquished from the mainstream, and hearing this band for the first time felt like unlocking a whole new language. When I listen now, I still get a kick out of the intro to “Yours Is No Disgrace”, with the whole band giving it their all. The perfectly paced “Wurm” sequence at the end of “Starship Trooper”: one of the best build-ups in rock. The harmonies and countermelodies used in “I’ve Seen All Good People”, enough to give the Beatles a run for their money. The thrilling instrumental break in “Perpetual Change” when we get two totally different recordings overlapping, panned hard left and right before the main hook returns. Any gripes people could have with prog rock are executed so well here, with such energy and enthusiasm that it’s hard not to just enjoy the ride. What’s more, “The Yes Album” captures the band in their more accessible early stages. It’s pre-Rick Wakeman and his myriad of keyboard solos, when the rot started to truly set in. While there might be many instrumental passages here, all of them hang on to some choppiness. It’s easier to be breathlessly swept along, rather than constantly checking the time and getting sick of the noodling. Chris Squire’s trebly bass is deliciously high in the mix, forming one of Yes’s many hallmark sounds. Guitarist Steve Howe had only just joined the band and does incredible work, from the duelling guitars at the climax of “Starship Trooper” to live acoustic showcase “Clap”. I’ve written this review as an unapologetic classic prog fan. I’m long past the point of trying to get anyone else into Yes, but I’ll snap up any opportunity to talk about why I love them.
Fri Jun 03 2022
5
Rating this album low would be like saying you don't like music, there is just so much variety throughout. Phenomenal performance and tight, especially for Prog.
Fri Jun 03 2022
5
Just so, so good. Yes yes yes yes yes.
Thu Jun 23 2022
5
Great album and the first of the classic trilogy of albums. From 3 part harmonies to blistering solos and bombastic bass lines this album doesn't disappoint. Rick Wakeman joins on the next album and the band really takes off.
Tue Jun 28 2022
5
yesss very good
Tue Jul 12 2022
5
Prog rock goody
Sun Jul 17 2022
5
Yes
Fri Aug 05 2022
5
It’s not even 7.30 am yet and this album has had me in tears three times already ! It’s hugely emotionally nostalgic for me as we played it all the time when we were first going out with each other. Yes is my favourite supergroup, even over Pink Floyd and so for these reasons and more it has to have 5* and I will continue playing it for the rest of the day !
Fri Aug 26 2022
5
Yes Bai Verging on the ultimate in prog rock, beautifully composed if maybe not quite as refined their next two iconic albums. There's not a single low point on the album, each of the songs exist in their own sci-fi-esque world, little vignettes into the fantasy world of Yes. The mastery each member of the band has over their instruments can only be admired, but all this feeds into a feeling I've had about Yes and other hyper precise music; that is only ever adds up to the the exact sum of its parts. Never transcending to the sublime, a ceiling of intricately planned excellence. No album has had a deeper disconnect between the album art and the feeling the music inside inspires. And there you're standing, Saying we have the whole world in our hands, When all you'll see, Deep inside the world's controlling you and me 4.5/5
Fri Aug 26 2022
5
sonzao massa demais
Tue Sep 06 2022
5
The first Yes album with Steve Howe on guitars. Legendary.
Thu Sep 15 2022
5
All time classic, prog rock close to its peak
Mon Oct 10 2022
5
Amazing!!! The range shown on this album is nothing short of spectacular. Absolutely loved listening to this. Favorite track: Yours is No Disgrace
Tue Oct 11 2022
5
Nice music
Tue Nov 01 2022
5
I dug
Tue Nov 22 2022
5
This is prog!
Mon Dec 05 2022
5
I just love this album so much
Tue Dec 20 2022
5
The first 'proper' album that I ever bought. Absolute stone cold classic and in the top 3 of all Yes releases in my opinion along with Yessongs and controversially for many, Relayer. Steve Howe's guitar playing - superb. Chris Squire's bass likewise. Just also love Tony Kaye's keys as well. Again, in my opinion the best keyboard player they ever had, which says a lot given that Wakeman and Moraz are extra special too. Nothing sweeter than Anderson's voice, and this is when Yes lyrics were still mainly of this planet. Mustn't forget Bruford too, a top quality drummer.
Wed Dec 21 2022
5
Fantastic. What a band, what a sound, such great writing and performance by everyone.
Fri Dec 23 2022
5
Quite beautiful. Great musicianship. Great bass tones, crystal acoustic guitar clarity for some reason. Also keys and synth sounds are also on point. These combined with the artistic rhythms and vocal harmonies are something that Yes definitely had down in this ear of the band. It's a safe 5 stars whilst not being my favourite of theirs.
Sun Dec 25 2022
5
Guitar virtuoso Steve Howe enters the fold, and at last Yes finally begin to understand what they’re capable of. Unorthodox arrangements and bewildering lyrics, Jon Anderson’s ethereal voice, Chris Squire’s delicate bass, Bill Bruford’s jazz-tinged drumming, Howe’s commanding guitar-all combine for a true prog masterpiece, and the start of a truly epic run for Yes.
Fri Dec 30 2022
5
This is the album where Yes became Yes. Sure, it wasn't until the next album that Rick Wakeman cemented the "Classic Yes" lineup, but this album is absolute prog rock perfection. The two previous albums suggested what Yes was going to become, but this album found the missing ingredient with the addition of Steve Howe. Not a weak track on the album. The first four tracks are simply amazing: Yours is No Disgrace rocks. It's about the Vietnam war, but you would probably never guess only by listening to the typical Yes-obtuse lyrics. The fantastic opening riff punches so much harder live, but sounds great here also. The song takes you on a journey of different styles, all fantastic. Then we hear Steve Howe's excellent imitation of Chet Atkins in Clap (as he says, "not THE Clap, thank you very much"). Then one of the absolute Yes greats: Starship Trooper. Man, those guitars - Steve Howe just tears through this song. The last part (Wurm) absolutely takes you into space - every member of the band is on the top of their game in this song (and let's take a moment to acknowledge Tony Kaye - kicked to the curb after this album but did an admirable job here). Of all the songs on the album, this one most shows where Yes was heading from here. I've Seen All Good People is a classic rock radio staple and has so many great moments: The first section has some of the best harmonies in a rock song and then you have to give tons of respect to the jam section at the end. A Venture is the weakest track IMO - not bad, but it has a lot to measure up to on this album. Finally, Perpetual Change is a solid track. It probably took me longer to get into this one than others, but nothing can compare to the first four tracks on this album. Absolutely perfect album and an easy 5.
Fri Dec 30 2022
5
I remember the first time I heard this album. I bought the CD and put it on a boom box in my bedroom, hanging out with my girlfriend. It was the first Yes album I bought, and I only knew the 80s Yes sound that was played on MTV and pop radio when I was a kid. I already knew that I liked progressive music from the Pink Floyd and Rush albums that I was into, but this took it to a whole new level. Steve Howe became one of my favorite guitarists and that was mainly due to the impact of this album. It is and always had been my favorite Yes album. Chris Squire's bass line on “Yours is No Disgrace” still fills me with awe even decades after I’ve first heard it. The intense solo that keeps switching channels at the end of “Starship Trooper” used to get blasted in the car almost daily as well as the crazy speaker shifting solo in "Yours is No Disgrace" . This is another easy 5-star album. I probably didn’t even need to listen to it again because it’s etched in my brain but of course I did.
Fri Dec 30 2022
5
This is the start of Yes' classic run. The stuff that everyone who is even a casual fan knows starts here. "I've Seen All Good People," "Starship Trooper," "Yours Is No Disgrace" ... these are concert staples that would pretty much be in the bands' live setlists even now. I have heard them so many times in so many different line-ups, but this is the first group, the line-up that gave us these songs. I liked Peter Banks in the previous two albums, Time and a Word is really great. But The Yes Album is definitely brought up a level with Steve Howe. His guitar work is all over the place (but in a good way). I think the only things I dislike about the album are: 1) the ending to "I've Seen All Good People." It always feels like the record player is running out of battery power. Real lack of energy there. 2) "A Venture" fade out. The song itself is... okay, but the fade-out always made me wonder what happens if the song continued. But then, when you do get to hear the extended piece, it was probably good that they faded out after all. 3) Starship Trooper - the opening portion of Wurm always feels repetitive to me. Kaye's keyboard work could have been so much more. Live versions with Wakeman really show what this piece could have been in the studio. It's a shame here. So really, it's the ending of songs the band seemed to have a problem with. Something they would tighten up on their next album. But as it is, I'm nitpicking, because I would still listen to this album pretty much all of the time. I do get a little tired of "I've Seen All Good People," only because it was played on the radio WAY too much. Live versions work better for me, really. Still, a damn good album.
Tue Jan 03 2023
5
I don’t think we talk enough about how brilliant Yes is/was. Their harmonies are insane and the way they use their various instruments just blow me away every time.
Tue Jan 03 2023
5
This is my favorite Yes album, largely due to Starship Trooper, or more specifically, part C: Wurm. Might be my favorite 3 chord progression in all of rock. Steve Howe is a severely underrated guitarist. The thing that really gives Yes their signature sound though, are those super melodic basslines from Chris Squire. Love how they foreground it in the mix. Gives them a really dynamic, three dimensional sound.
Sun Jan 08 2023
5
cool
Sat Jan 28 2023
5
I loved it. It feels like good old classic rock. Great melodies, catchy riffs, and amazing voices. Overall just pure fun and excellent musicianship. You don't even feel the 9 min songs pass by...
Sat Jan 28 2023
5
Already listened
Mon Jan 30 2023
5
Another great album from Yes. I've seem all good people is probably their beat known and most popular song from this time period. But every song on this album is prog rock at its finest. Starship trooper, perpetual change, and yours is no disgrace are great songs. The clap shows off Steve Howe's guitar skills. Great album overall.
Sat Mar 04 2023
5
YES
Tue Mar 28 2023
5
Yes album Yes was one of my favorite bands in junior high and high school. I would listen to albums like tales of topographic oceans and close to the edge regularly and religously, but I haven’t listened to this in a super long time. Such a great band- they all have such a distinct sound and it’s totally unique sound they play play together. Maybe everyone thinks that about their favorite band but I can only think of a few groups that have that kind of thing. Chris Squire- I love his an iconic crunchy bass sound from that rickenbacker with a pick. The grit of the bass is the perfect contrast to Steve Howe’s clean guitar sounds. Also his lines are all perfect melodies. His mccartney- esque walking line on yours is no disgrace works so perfectly against the melody. His melodic playing on Starship Trooper is so great. Bill bruford- I love his playing at the end of Venture and the interplay with the bass and piano ( would love to hear what happens on the fade-out). The first time I ever heard that kind of thing was on Heart of the Sunrise when he does an almost drum solo over the groove before the verse and I still think of that it all the time. Steve Howe- such beautiful guitar playing and different from what most 70’s rock players were doing. He was the first time I heard volume swells and harmonics and I still associate those sounds with him. John Anderson- the dude has the voice of an angel. I have no idea what the lyrics mean but he writes great melodies that tie the epic compositions together. Their group vocal harmonies are great too. Tony Kaye- so many great sounds and textures. I love the organ and synth sounds. I like the Wakemans playing on his albums better but I think that tony kaye and Patrick Moraz albums. I hear people call Yes self indulgent and lump them in with other prog rock bands but I’ve always felt that they are in a lane of their own. I think they were probably just really nerdy guys who were intense about their music. I’ve always appreciated their attention to detail and I think they were In the pursuit of beauty and not perfection or complexity. This album still kind of sounds like rock music and you can hear them moving more towards the farther out stuff. by the time they got to close to the edge, tales, and relayer it was like you put on the record and you can get transported into the fantasy world of the roger dean painting album covers. They got so deep into the compositions and I think they really explored the possibilities of what can be created with rock instrumentation and their imaginations. It is sounds so collaborative too I’d be so interested to see what their process was like. This album is kind of the transitional album from earlier sounding yes ( your move) to stuff like Starship Trooper. Yours is no Disgrace- is a jammer I love the feel when the “sailing ships to nowhere” part comes back. The Clap- I always thought having a live solo track on an album was kind of random. I he does like 3 different endings on this one but they are all awesome. Starship Trooper- The finger picking part with the harmonies sounds so joyous to me. the three chord part at the end is such a great build. Rocks so hard and they add so many textures before the solo finally comes in. Your Move- probably the most accessible song from 70s yes. Love the John Lennon “all we are saying is give peace a chance” part in the bgvs. Cool cyclical modulating harmony at the end. The venture- cool tune but I tend to forget it because it is not as catchy melodically. Perpetual change- probably the most proggy song on the record it has two totally different grooves with two yes’s panned to opposite sides at the end -So wild.
Sun Apr 02 2023
5
Hell Yes
Sat Apr 08 2023
5
Album senza senso incredibile ogni traccia perfatta vibe immacolata
Sat May 06 2023
5
I’ve loved this album for a 100 years. If someone wants to be introduced to Yes, this is the album I would suggest.
Mon May 08 2023
5
A lodestone album. I can sing the guitar solos. When I need to indulge, it's this one followed by Fragile.
Sat May 27 2023
5
Awesome first song on the album to kick things off. The all good people is an absolute jam which I knew of but didn't know the name and honestly didn't really care for until hearing it on this whole album and now I have relistened to it 3 times. Such a great progressive rock album. I am happy that Yes finally got their breakthrough on this album after the third try of albums
Sat May 27 2023
5
Judging this album by it's cover I thought it was going to be some gloomy, droning songs; was not looking forward to it. I certainly did not expecting the first song to come out swinging like that. Certified jam right out of the gate. Listen to this one with headphones cause they really like to play with stereo. Some songs on here that I have definitely heard before like "I've Seen All Good People" This album rocked from start to finish. Encapsulates classic rock, but has a unique sound with a variety of instruments and a great voice.
Mon Jun 05 2023
5
There is such a thing as third times a charm. With The Yes Album, the titular band finally find their groove and step into the nascent program scene with a confidence that would guide them through the next set of pivotal albums such as Fragile and Close to the Edge. Yet The Yes Album is just as much of a beast as those albums, not just because it's the first of them but because of the seemingly urgent vibrancy that occupied the sounds coming out of them that is just persistent from start to finish. A yes to this album? Yes indeed.
Wed Jun 14 2023
5
Awesome album.
Sat Jun 24 2023
5
Неплохо
Wed Jun 28 2023
5
Disco maravilloso.
Thu Jun 29 2023
5
Induced a flash back
Sat Jul 01 2023
5
I know half the songs on this album, I'm delighted to learn the rest! The Kings of prog rock!
Wed Jul 12 2023
5
I did not finish it 😔 but the first like 2/3 are very good and I will finish it but busy day with work and pole vault. I do love some anti war propaganda music though. Yes is fantastic