Reviews (page 2 of 12)
The music was really good in my opinion I reccomend it to anyone who wants a new taste in music
Prog is 100% my favorite genre. What can I say, I can’t get enough of proggy noodling. Perpetual change is a masterpiece in my opinion. Tied for second on this album are Yours is No Disgrace and I’ve Seen All Good People.
Very familiar with this YES album, had it on tape in the 80s and listened a lot to it and still recalled every note. Thought I had it on cd/vinyl but that was Close to the Edge. I like this album much better than a lot of later albums, although never listened that much to those. To me this is a perfect prog/symphonic rock album. 5/5
WOW!!!! WOW!!!!!!
Very theatrical. Wasn’t fully convinced at first but ended up being one of my favorite discoveries in this project. That’s why it gets 5 stars
Too short!
yiiiiipppeeeeee
Wow. This is one of those albums I’ve seen plenty of times and thought I had a pretty good idea what it was going to sound like. I knew “All Good People” and expected just similar songs (but of lesser quality). I wasn’t prepared for how well balanced the whole album would feel, blending in more traditional folk song-writing and even some Piedmont-style blues into this rollicking masterpiece.
Wow! What a talented band. I love this album. It's so dynamic, the harmonies are absolutely beautiful, and the band is incredibly tight.
Probably their best album.
Man they knocked it out of the park with this one. Solid all the way through, it is a masterpiece of prog rock.
Good classic rock album!
My uncle introduced me to Yes in my formative music years and this is the Prog Rock band that opened my eyes to the genre. A host of others are in my rotation now, but this album showcases some of the true greats on their instruments.
oh wow!!!
I never would've called myself a fan of prog rock and I've found both previous Yes albums (albeit chronologically later and more typical prog) to be quite self-indulgent and over-the-top. That said, I thought this was absolutely brilliant. I know I've heard it before. Dad loves Yes. But I've never sat and properly appreciated this in its entirety for myself and I am already looking forward to the day he replaces his LP with the CD and needs someone to take it off his hands. I feel like here, we're in a stage where they're still dabbling in the grey area between long-form guitar-first, organ-tinged rock and the full-on 18 minute prog epics of Close To The Edge. I found great moments in that album but had to work harder and wait longer for them. Here, they abound on Starship Trooper, I've Seen All Good People, Yours Is No Disgrace; they're all 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘵 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 great riffs, rather than the great riffs feeling like they'd been hidden within the long movements of their later works. There's something I can't quite explain about the fat, huffing bass guitar that carries this along which really pleases my ears. Then combine that with some stellar electric and acoustic guitar lead work, and excellent vocal harmonies and I realised that this was starting to tick a lot of boxes in my musical wheelhouse. Structurally, it feels like a journey with some fantastic stops along the way. A lot of prog albums are designed to feel like journeys, but not all of them succeed in making the scenery just as rewarding as the destination. Too many of them feel like they meander too much along the way. With The Yes Album, not once did I find myself asking 'are we there yet'? - I was too busy enjoying the ride.
Great album.
So, I have a bit of a personal anecdote for my review today. Yes is a very important band to me. Completely by coincidence, I stumbled upon them several years ago and instantly fell in love. When I asked my Mom if she was familiar with the band, she simply laughed and mentioned how she had grown up with it herself and was a massive fan. My musical overlap is usually pretty 1 to 1 with my Mom, so I was a little surprised she had never played me any Yes when I was a kid, but I find it hilarious that it would still end up finding its way to me anyway later in life. Progressive music quickly became my favorite musical genre in my late teens and has remained my favorite genre ever since. If there's a song that's like 10-30 minutes long, chances are I'm going to love it. The weird Prog songs that literally include chapters. That's my shit. "The Yes Album" has 2 of them, and you can be sure they're both already in my playlist. However, my favorite song on this one is actually "Yours Is No Disgrace", specifically for a specific section towards the end that always gets stuck in my head. I don't really know how to describe it. It's the moment that kind of sounds like a record scratch. Speaking of the chaptered songs though, the way they just quickly morph into completely different tone shifts and somehow end up still working are amazing. Yes is not a band for everyone, and I would completely understand if not everyone "got it", if you will. However, I get it, and I love it. The longer the song, the trippier the song, the better. The lead singer has such a cool, almost soothing voice, and the rest of the band just come together and give you something special for a very reasonable 41 minutes. Anyway, this is my second of 3 Yes albums I have rolled for this project, following the much more accessible Fragile, both of which hilariously came out the same year. Imagine coming out with 2 unbelievable bangers back to back in the same year like that. That's quite a feat. Anyway, Yes is one of my favorite bands, and this album is no exception, so of course it's getting a 5 from me. The bot has been feeding me heat all month, I'm still worried I'll hit a losing streak of garbage soon. Until then though, this is an easy 5 from me. Another of the easiest 5's I'll have.
This is great! I should listen to more prog-rock! 5/5
maybe the best fucking album ever?? Fr tho I'd heard "I've seen all good people", but not most of the rest of the album. Kinda blew me away how much I've been missing
Yes
愛死了幹
I love this album! Saw them in the 70’s with Allman Brothers and Edgar Winter Group.
This is one of those albums I’m sure I’ve never listened to before, but I somehow recognized certain sections. It reminds me of my dad, of what he would’ve listened to and embodied when he was younger than I am now. Maybe I heard this in the womb! Omg!
Groovy baselines, overall great, added a song to my playlist
I didn’t need to listen to this because I’ve listened to it several times before thanks to my Apple Music somehow always playing it when shuffling from my library.
Yours is no disgrace- amazing song,so many nice parts,it is almost 10 minutes but every second is worth it,9.5/10 The Clap- amazing acoustic song,9/10 Starship Trooper- Also an amazing atmospheruc song,9.2/10 I’ve seen all the good people- another amazing song,9.5/10 A venture-9/10 Perpetual change- 9.3/10 Whole Album: 9.25/10
wild how much like RUSH this sounds, did not realize how they originated that prog sound first super creative and fun
- Banger, one of my favorite prog rock albums - No skips - The Wurm guitar solo can feed families - Yes should've gotten described more as space rock, or at least this album
Yes is still good after half a decade of listening to them.
Even when they're not doing something crazy ambitious, Yes can still make some great jams
Pre Listen: YES Notable Tracks: Yours Is No Disgrace - Putting your anti-war song front and center, right at the height of the Vietnam War, is incredibly respectable. I'm happy this band was part of that movement. Song is a banger too. Starship Trooper - Tied with the song mentioned below as my favorite track. The lyric "Loneliness is a power that we possess to give or take away forever" lives in my head rent free, and I try to keep it in mind on a daily basis. The ending "Würm" of this song is such an amazing piece of psyche-rock. I've Seen All Good People - Tied with the song mentioned above as my favorite track. A song about Chess making me feel things about the greater world and myself as a whole? The lyric "Don't surround yourself with yourself" is another one I try to keep in mind as much as I can. Amazing. Catchy too. A Venture & Perpetual Change - Listening to this album again reminded me these songs aren't on my playlist. I will be downloading them post-haste. Post Listen: This is one of my top albums of all time. It's the sort of album you can listen to over and over again, and it stays fresh. It has the sort of lyricism that leaves varying interpretations upon each person, have generally positive messages behind it, and just overall leave me feeling good. The changes in tempo, mood, instrumentation, and overall direction throughout the album makes it feel almost cinematic to me. The only critic I have is that the band struggles to stick the landing on a few songs, resulting in some awkward endings to a few tracks. I relate completely. Yes' sound is unbelievably unique, I can't say I've found another band that even comes close really. I would kill to have Steve Howe's skill on a guitar, electric or otherwise. I want to gush more about this album, but I'm trying to keep all my reviews around a similar length. 5/5. Perfect Album.
cool progressive music! love it!!!
Yes? Yes!
Apologies for leaning into the joke too hard but this album is a big YES for me
What a splendid album to start the day with! And it's my birthday too! First of a run of three perfect Yes albums, my favourite era from my favourite band. First one for Steve Howe, who gave us all The Clap with this one (just read that back.... I think it's OK!). Last one for Tony Kaye until his return for 90125. Much of this album became standard live Yes material for the rest of their career (and still is). Chris Squire's thundering Rickenbacker stamps its signature tone all over these classic tracks. I just think it's a perfect album. This won't be a surprise to anyone who follows my social media meanderings.
When to listen: On a boat? On roller skates? Moving in some way for sure. I really enjoy this album, I loved all the bridges and random interludes. Obviously very talents singers and musicians. Twas very much my jam.
Why did it give me this so soon after Fragile? 😭 Another absolute classic from the lads. Yours Is No Disgrace and Starship Trooper easily make it a 5 and the other songs only add to the experience
The Yes Album es una obra maestra de la riqueza sonora y la interacción humana. Lo que hace que este disco destaque es la fluidez entre sus integrantes; en piezas como "Perpetual Change", la interacción entre el piano y los requintos se percibe como una conversación entre amigos, natural y lúdica, lejos de la frialdad matemática. La llegada de Steve Howe aporta momentos brillantes como "The Clap", donde el virtuosismo de las guitarras resulta sumamente divertido. El contenido lírico y tonal es igualmente poderoso. "Yours Is No Disgrace" logra abordar temas profundos con una tonalidad y mensaje luminoso, mientras que la emblemática "Starship Trooper" se mantiene como una pieza hechizante e inspiradora que invita a una verdadera expansión mental. Por su parte, "I've Seen All Good People" ofrece una dualidad esperanzadora pero agridulce, lo que la hace sentir más real y humana dentro de la grandiosidad del rock progresivo. Es un álbum donde la genialidad técnica se pone al servicio de la emoción y la trascendencia.
Yes
This is such the style of music I like, I could see myself putting this on at anytime
With music like this, wear all the capes you want
Yes.
YES
Me gustó mucho debí decir. Ideal para escuchar mientras laburas y queres algo medio arriba pero no tsnto
Давно їх не слухав) Ранній Yes прикольний.
Amazing album. I love yes
Yes might be one of my favorite groups of all time, so seeing them pop up was a delight
Yes, all good people should give this album a 5. Stanky bass, so many diverse sounds.
Is The Yes Album Yes's best album? Until recently, I would have probably said "No way!" In high school, when I was in my prog rock phase, I was adamant that Fragile and Close to the Edge were the peak of Yes, and I don't remember any particularly strong feelings about The Yes Album. But everything changed a few weeks back when I got Fragile on this site. I was surprised and disappointed to find it no longer appealed to me. I found it overindulgent, cacophonous at times, and strangely paced, with only a few songs really holding up. When I got The Yes Album today, I was bracing myself for disappointment, though I took comfort in the fact that it's never been an album I really loved. And then, as I listened to it, and remembered song after song, singing along, enjoying the shifts and changes, I found that I was truly enjoying The Yes Album. It was like walking into Narnia—but like, if I'd already been to Narnia, and had forgotten how awesome Narnia was. So many great moments throughout the album. "I've Seen All Good People" may be my favorite Yes song of all time, and relistening after so many years only affirmed that. The unfortunately mistitled "The Clap" is another highlight, a real showcase of Steve Howe's abilities. I remember spending hours trying to tackle it at 50% speed when I was 17. "A Venture" is another excellent entry. I don't know. I kind of love all of it. I think sometimes fans of prog rock are way too afraid to enjoy music. They need to feel clever. So they gravitate toward the more esoteric, the more virtuosic, the more unenjoyable works. This is why Fragile and Close to the Edge are often considered their greatest albums. But I've always been partial to 90125, often derided by the proggiest of progheads. And today, I am ready to make a declaration: Is The Yes Album Yes's best album? Yes!
5/5
Love love love this album. I could listen to Squire's bass tone and mastery all day long. Unlike some prog rock bands who are all over the place in terms of the musical themes and genres they embrace, Yes is of a more singular focus. This leads them to greater heights, soaring over all the other pretenders stuck on the ground below.
Highlights: Yours is No Disgrace, Starship Trooper, I’ve Seen All Good People, A Venture and Perpetual Change. I have listed 5 of the 6 tracks on this album as highlights. For that reason I have to give this 5 Stars.
A+
A classic. Top twenty all time prog album
Masterpiece. ❤️
A classic!
16/03/25 a banda verde do consentimento yours is no disgrace é interessantíssima, mas eu sou suspeito pq gosto dessas coisas viajonas e experimentais (vulgo rock progressivo) (não que não seja mega bem feito tbm) a voz dos caras tbm é foda pink floyd se fosse feliz e leve e esse violão sunshine and rainbows em the clap life seeker foi louco demais, prog rock para a vida violão festinha country em disillusion esse solo em wurm não tem nada a ver com nada, mas o fato de ele estar ali e contribuir para uma experiência mega viajona já é muito foda as harmonias de voz desses manos são do caralho tbm your move tá me fazendo ascender all good people blues vibes, esse final épico a venture não é viajão que nem as outras, mas é um arroz e feijão do rock sensacional a sonoridade do álbum é muito bem definida, os elementos são os mesmos mas não fica repetitivo - perpetual change me provou isso muito bem esse solo chefão de videogame vibes no meio da música, cinema entendo quem acha chato, eu tbm acho rush chato por exemplo mas pra mim prog rock é um dos gêneros que funciona de forma mais subjetiva (que dá para ser chata obviamente) não esperava, mas; 10/10 - foi uma ótima surpresa
this on the other hand is so directly up my alley it is insane.
Yes rules!
Not my favourite Yes album, but I love Yes
YES! YES! YES!
A powerful rock record, a more straightforward effort from these masters of prog, resplendent with riffs and iconic vocal harmonies and imagination. Undeniably great rock music.
Huge fan. Likely one of the strongest debut albums ever.
un album solido y completo, me gusta la guitarra de the clap, la letra de starship trooper. me gusta que sean canciones largas, es algo que hoy en día se está perdiendo. noté la referencia a lennon en i’ve seen all good people
Yes.
great
Absolute music
I love
When I was young Yes we're my favourite group, for a time. For pure nostalgia alone I loved this album and it does contain some great tracks.
Feels a bit like the shaped of prog to come. You can hear what came before and the beginnings of things that bands like Rush would run off with a few years later. The band also emerges as something better than the noodly prog that preceded it. It feels like the band really starts here.
Love this album, grew up listening to it quite a lot on bus rides home from high school. Some of Yes's finest guitar playing from Howe. Starship Troopers and Perpetual Change are some of my favorite songs ever. Everything else is still a banger. Yes!
in hindsight this is somewhat of a transitional album, their first album with howe and their last album before wakeman. but looking at the context of the release, and the brazen confidence of the album title, its hard to not see it as an intentional magnum opus, and this recklessly sincere cosmic ambition is so illustrative of why yes is likely my favorite classic prog band. this is also the album where they full lock in their hyper-melodic instincts, imbuing their technicolor instrumental chops and anderson's increasingly inscrutable (but still strangely emotionally affecting) lyrics with such a lush and muscley capital m Musicality that can go toe to toe with even their more "accessible" periods. of their prog albums this is likely the most approachable...catchy songs blown up to massive-feeling scale, hippie sweetness and hard rock heaviness, discipline and indulgence in nearly equal measure. honestly one of the big problems with the whole 1001 is a severe deficiency in prog...guess we needed to make room for more britpop records!!!
What a jawdroppingly amazing album this is. Every time I put it on, it blows me away. The diversity, from acoustic country-ish or Iberian guitar pieces over the big slabs of prog rock to almost jazzy tracks, beggars belief. As does the complete control heard on every note out of every instrument. Staggering. Yes, please!
Yes is one of the "real" rock bands I started listening to as an early teen. When I was about 12 years old (1974ish) a friend started to teach me how to play guitar. Roundabout was the song he initially played for me, and I thought it was so cool. He loaned me his copy of Fragile and I was hooked. I convinced my parents to buy me that album as well as today's album and I played them constantly and memorized them. I had a neighbor who was into prog rock, who then introduced me to other artists of the day. None of the others impressed me the way Yes did. At some point in the next few years I moved on to discover other bands and genres, and Yes kind of got left in the dust. I was very excited to listen to this today, as I haven't played the album in a very long time or really listened to Yes in a very long time. I hoped that I'd be able to go back to the feelings I had about it as a younger teenager. I am very happy to report that I really enjoyed it, singing along to all of the songs (aside from The Clap of course) and smiling the entire time, anticipating the time signature changes and the various instruments coming in as they did. I hoped I wouldn't find it corny and dated and I didn't. The lyrics weren't really the point back then, and still aren't. I really want to jump into Fragile now...
Que deleite fue escuchar este álbum de inicio a fin. La calidad de músicos que tiene Yes es genial y sumado con el nivel de producción que tiene el disco, este se vuelve un viaje muy divertido de escuchar. Las líneas melódicas de cada instrumento (la voz incluida) se presentan como capas de distintas texturas tan diferentes pero tan bien ensambladas y ordenadas que el resultado es increíble. Ahora, se nota que lo trabajaron en una granja. Me gusta el toque granjero que le meten, el progre también puede sonar granjero. Y hablando de eso, me encantaron las canciones con instrumento solo, de eso va el progre justamente, amplificar la virtuosidad del instrumentista y exponer el verdadero potencial de cualquier género o estilo. Muy buen disco.
Nice cock? Affirmative
So good I listened twice
One of the all time best when it comes to Prog Rock!!!
5/5 inquestionável
This is my reason for doing this. I'd got a prejudice against Yes but hadn't really listened to their stuff. This is really good, maybe not something I'm going to get obsessed by, but can definitely see myself hunting down a best of
Great! I was originally a bit intimidated by a Prog album, but this was fun and I will definitely explore some more of this band. I listened to most of this album twice and got a lot more out of the second listen.
The exact sort of prog weirdness I love. Innovative rhythmically and musically, especially with Bruford on percussion (especially considering that Bruford eventually ends up with King Crimson for a spell, lending his talents to even better prog weirdness).
Their best one!
You know it was great Especially A Venture Such a good album
The consummate Yes Album!
This album is labeled as “progressive rock”. I honestly really do enjoy this listen, and am going to add some songs into my daily listens. The songs are kind of long, but otherwise I really enjoy this new style of music, and can see myself listening to more like this. I like the vocals and the instrument blend.
Any album with songs over 5 minutes eat
Fundamental prog-rock album. Very enjoyable: fat loud bass, funky psych, good storytelling, virtuose guitar playing. Released in 1971 (same year as Who's next), likely to have inspired: Camel (73), Supertramp (76), ...
FUNKY POPPY ROCK love love love I’ve seen all good people makes me feel like I’m floating and my life is worth living
Hell yes. Love the harmonies, love the variety, love the musicianship. Love love love.
Classic rock
The beginning of prog!
bruh
Great Album and stellar guitar work by Steve Howe!!
Incredible album, the lead vocals, the lyrics, the keys. I’ve seen all good people fucking rocks
Own this: ✅ Love this: ✅ 5 stars for me, it's been too long since I've revisited Yes.
Me habia olvidado de lo bueno que era.
YEEESSS!!! YEEEESSS!!! Ok, c’est bon, j’ai retrouvé la fois envers ce générateur, parce que cet album kick des culs! Je peux bien chialer sur les choix d’albums de la liste, mais Yes c’est fait très bien représenté, avec la trinité Yes Album/Fragile/Close to the Edge, avec le Yes Album qui amorce l’aventure musicale du band dans le monde du prog rock. Je pourrais copier coller les mêmes louanges des deux autres albums, mais ça serait redondant, surtout qu’il y a une certaine excitation du debut de quelque chose de grand en formation present sur le Yes Album, un peu comme Meddle de Pink Floyd. Parfait album, 5/5. — Ok Cyrile, j’ai survécu à ma semaine! Donc il s’est passé pas mal d’affaires depuis notre dernier entretien, principalement que j’ai changé de job! J’étais pigiste avant, donc je pouvais me permettre d’écrire de plus longue review disons, mais maintenant je travaille pour l’agence de pub Publicis Montréal, une filiale de l’agence française! C’est vraiment une cool de place, mais je suis arrivé directement en plein dans le rush des fêtes, donc j’ai comme qui dirait pas chômé! Bon, ça y est, j’ai fuité mon propre Face Reveal, la classe, quoi. Parlant de la Classe Américaine, je suis infiniment reconnaissant envers la culture française d’avoir pondu ce joyaux de flim. C’est de loin mon film préféré de tout les temps, je l’ai écouté 13 fois en tout (et je serais dû à une réécoute prochainement). D’ailleurs, je retourne souvent voir le script en ligne pour aller mémoriser certaines lignes, c’est presque maladif mon affaire! C’est ce que j’aime le plus de la Classe, le texte est tellement bon et étonnamment complexe! À chaque visionnement, je catch 2-3 blagues que j’ai loupé les fois d’avant, et ça m’a pris jusqu’à ma 4e écoute pour vraiment comprendre l’intrigue principale (mon premier visionnement était vraiment confus, j’y comprenais vraiment « que dalle! ») Pis ce qu’il n’aide vraiment pas avec mon addiction, c’est que j’ai contaminé mes amis avec la fièvre de la classe, ça fait 6 ans que nos discussions sont ponctués des meilleurs répliques du flim. Bon, je devrais retourner à la musique peut-être… « Et oui. Je m’énerve. » Merci aussi pour les bons mots de Corvette, c’est un de mes projets universitaires préférés, ça m’a aussi permis d’aller à mon premier festival d’animation à Ottawa! C’est vrai que j’ai de la misère à me rendre compte que j’ai presque fini ce défi de malade mental. Malgré tout, l’excitation reste palpable à chaque fois que mon prochain album est révélé, un peu comme une machine à sous (faut pas que je rentre dans un casino, moi). J’ai quand même vraiment hâte de me lancer dans la user list, j’ai l’impression qu’elle sera beaucoup plus diversifiée au niveau des styles, époques et d’origines culturelles. Ce challenge est vraiment engravé dans ma routine, je veux pas l’abandonner tout de suite! D’ailleurs, t’aimes bien la user liste, toi qui est la dedans debut presque un an? Le lien entre Kollaps et Funny Games est assez primale: les deux oeuvres te garde sur le cran, dans un état de paranoïa constant. C’est pas tant dans le message que dans la vibe elle-même (aussi, ça faisait genre une semaine que j’avais écouté Funny Games, j’avais encore du stress résiduel!) Btw, on parle de films depuis tantôt, est-ce que t’es un assez gros amateur? Personnellement, j’ai autant d’intérêt pour le ciné que pour la musique, sinon même un petit petit peu plus! Je trouve l’analyse de film plus simple, ayant plus de connaissances dans le monde visuel et des histoires, je serais vraiment curieux de voir s’il y a un générateur de 1001 films à écouter avant de mourrir (mais impossible que j’écoute 1 film par jour pendant 3 ans 💀) Aussi, j’ai vu que tu as vraiment trippé sur Mister Robot, j’adore ce show! Oui, l’écoute active de la Bossa Nova ne doit pas être HYPER stimulante, selon moi sa force réside en écoute passive. Il en faut de la musique de background, subtile mais classe, qui rythme inconsciemment les discussions! Aussi, parfait pour laisser ton esprit surfer sur tes songes dans une meditation, ou bien lock in au travail. Un ptit moment de faiblesse sur Reign in Blood? Ça arrive au meilleur d’entre nous, moi même je me suis pas résigné à mettre un 1/5 à Kid Rock ou bien Chocolate Starfish des Limb Biskit, les deux tanguant dangereusement sur un 2 instable 😂 Pour le jazz-fusion japonais, on est sur du Weather Report infusé de surf rock, de Big Band, de rythme complexe, de virtuose de guitare électrique, des supers basselines turbo funky et des partitions de drum qui ferait de l’ombre à plusieurs drumer adulé en occident. On tombe parfois dans le kitch, peut-être, mais il y a tellement d’énergies positives et une joie de vivre dans la prestation des musiciens que tout se pardonne. Avant que je te quitte, je te relance encore Angine de Poitrine, surtout qu’ils ont tease un nouvel album dernièrement. Je suis sûr que tu vas capoter! Sûr ce, si on se réécris pas d’ici là, joyeux Noël et bonne année! Émile
Loved this. As a huge Genesis fan, this hit hard
has so many unexpected twists and turns, you can't help but drop your jaw at the rawness and power of the instruments! fucking rocks!
Probably my favourite prog rock album.
an absolute rock masterpiece
Давно не слушал это альбом, отличный, с удовольствием вернулся к нему.
another album worthy of this list.
The only words you need to review a Yes album are "Yes", "more" and "please".
No. 25 Fantastic! Already listened twice and will definitely be in regular circulation. The guitar riffs are amazing.
Awesome album - one of the finest examples of early prog rock, just as it was finding its legs, and well before it ascended to "dinosaur" status. Everything is tight and laser-focused, while still allowing space to really jam out on songs like Yours Is No Disgrace and Starship Trooper.
Everything I love about prog rock is on this album. It's funny that I never listened to Yes before, their hits are kinda cheesy. I grew up hearing it on generic classic rock radio. I can listen to Robert Wyatt with Soft Machine all day and now this.
That was an enjoyable listen. Just all around good music. Very 70's sound without sounding dated. The Clap caught my attention, and then I was hooked.
This album lives rent free in my head. Yes made "better" albums, but this is almost surely be the one I go back to the most. Holy shit, Starship Trooper? Go back and listen to that song again. Do it. Man, this album.
Absolutely perfect prog rock. Amazing writing, great harmonies. Easy 5
Masterpiece! One of my favorite albums! Live guitar in Clap is super. All other tracks are perfect too. Nice vocal, nice music. I love it!
Great album. Consistant all the way through. "The Clap" is such a cool piece to go second in the track listing. Bill Bruford is so smooth on drums. The bass has a great tone. Love Yes. It's weird to me rating Fragile as their lowest (4 stars, compared to this and Close to the Edge 5 stars) because it has their best songs by far. But I guess I couldn't name a single song off that record besides those 3, possibly 4, songs. Regardless Yes is great
Yeeeeees
Kings of prog
Excelente álbum de Rock progressivo. Não é algo que me dá vontade de escutar inteiro no dia a dia, mas negar seu valor é impossível. Celest Phoenixcall.
Album 945 of 1089 Yes - The Yes Album (1971) Rating : 4.75 / 5 After years of loving 20-minute epics and odd time signatures, I’ve recently started to wonder if my appreciation for prog rock was rooted more in nostalgia than in actual enjoyment. During this album project, I’ve mostly strayed from prog altogether - maybe a reflection of my own personality these days. I’ve got less patience for things that take too long to get where they’re going. But this album brought me back. A masterclass in musicianship and one of prog rock’s most rewarding listens. I was already familiar with “I’ve Seen All Good People,” but I had never sat down and taken in the full album. What a great listen. The musicianship is superb - precise yet full of feeling. The production and arrangements are layered just right, giving everyone room to shine without ever losing focus. And that bass… Chris Squire’s tone and playing are absolutely phenomenal. It ties everything together in a way that few bands ever achieve. This album reminded me why I loved prog rock in the first place - not for the complexity alone, but for the craftsmanship, the dynamics, and the feeling of being carried somewhere unexpected. Certainly one for the library, and a welcome reminder that some genres just need the right moment to click again.
How have I not listened to more Yes at this stage of my life? Incredible. Engaging from first song to last. Not too prog but great musicianship and banger tunes.
One of my favourite Yes albums. The sound of the band really finding their feet and the perfect balance between their sound on the first two albums and the deep self indulgence of their later work on Relayer and Tales From Topographic Oceans. The musicianship is superb and the album flows really well. Several classic Yes songs that remain templates to this day. Production is solid like all the Eddie Offord productions, further enhanced by recent remastering. This won’t be for everyone, but it is for me. Solid 5/5.
This felt like a collection of songs, rather than songs which fit together to make an album.. that being said, the majority was so ridiculously good
I love prog rock. This was a great listen. The production soothed my soul and the chemistry between the members is wonderful. Top 4: Yours Is No Disgrace, Starship Trooper, I've Seen All Good People, and A Venture 4.50-4.75/5
This was great!
Fragile and Close To The Edge can be described by great musicianship, great songwriting and great chemistry in the band. This one can be only described my some sort of magic. For me, this is THE Yes album. A lot of time in my life I felt depressed, but when I heared the first chords of Your Is No Disgrace, the black clouds above my head were dissappearing and Jon Anderson himself gave commands to the sun, so it would shine it bright and warm rays right on me.
Solid experimental album. Enjoyed listening. The only drawback was that none of the songs were very memorable, besides their length.
I love Yes!
My kind of early prog, and continued to enjoy Yes for many years after.
Moi aussi j'ai eu ma phase prog... China n'aime pas tant que ça donc quand j'en écoute c'est sur la table tournante du sous-sol le soir en lisant un livre tandis que China dort au premier étage.
Woooww je m'attendais pas à ça, on dirait que j'avais relégué Yes aux oubliettes depuis l'adolescence, quelle belle redécouverte! Le bon temps où j'avais un groupe de prog rock au secondaire et on voulait être les prochains Pink Floyd, Yes ou Genesis. Et on passait des heures à écouter et analyser les beats de drums, les transitions d'un thème à l'autre et les time signatures. Particulière frappé aujourd'hui des génies de Howe (les incroyables licks sur Yours is no disgrace) et Anderson
Forgot how good that is.
Sick. If CSN and Rush had a baby. I used to skip to the outro of Starship Trooper and a kid, still rocks. Tons of great moments, only skip would be The Clap.
Epic “rock” album here. Neat to read how they were nearly dropped all together by their record company and smashed this out of the park These guys crammed a lot into 40 minutes. I appreciated the live acoustic action (The Clap) and all the multi part prog rock jams. Killer opening track in Yours Is No Disgrace (sick guitar solo at the beginning). Cant help but smile whenever I hear all the John Lennon references (Instant Karma, Give Peace A Chance) in Ive Seen All Good People. Tasteful layering there.
My god this album is so good, I mean specifically Steve Howe. Yes is a band I've somehow really only know by name, despite this being right in my wheelhouse. There are so many moments on here where you expect them to go in one direction and they do something totally different - Yours Is No Disgrace, for example feels like it has the bones of a Boston song, but Howe's layering takes it to a totally different place. The Clap, similarly, is kind of totally out of place, and I would maybe put this track later in the album if at all, but throwing this ripping live acoustic track in the two spot is a pretty fun way to challenge the listener's assumptions - like what the hell is this? Lots of stuff on here that remind me of the early through composed, classical/jazz influenced stuff from Phish like Divided Sky or Reba. Moments on Perpetual Change (fav track) where Howe's tone and seamless switching between rock and jazz lines, reminded me alot of Nels Cline (Wilco's current lead guitarist). All great comparisons in my book. This is definitely prog rock done right - great new discovery for me. Excited to hear more.
Najs. Tega albuma še nisem, bolj sem Fragile in pa Close to the Edge preposlušala, ki sledita temu albumu. Album se začne s skor 10 minutnim perfektnim komadom, "Yours Is No Disgrace". Tako dolžino komada je pr Yes za pričakovat, kle ni presenečenja. Prou tko ni presenečenje, da je muska, preprost, odlična. Dinamična, raznolika - ni k da se 10 minut posluša eno in isto, komad gre skoz celo evolucijo in je brez dvoma Yes komad. Zaključ se pa k da te vesoljska ladja pozavga gor. In te fukne v "Clap", kjer ma akustična kitara tak hudomušn vibe, ampak očitno spretnost. (Ta se zaključ z aplavzom, as it should, honestly.) In smo že v "Starship Trooper: Life Seek" (a, vesoljski vibe se nadaljuje!). In ne morm, da ne bi začela razmišljat od filma Starship Troopers. Kokrkol, ta komad je spet skor 10 minut in te popelje na celo potovanje. I love it. (In, če pogledaš na wiki, je dejansko mišljeno, da ma komad tri dele.) Ok, ta komad pa poznam ("I've Seen All Good People"). Fak, kok je dobr. Spet je mišljen, kot da ima dva distinct dela. "A Venture" in "Perpetual Change" pripeljeta album do konca in js nimam pripomb.
Hot damn, this album goes. This feels like the definition of rock.
I listened to this album a lot when I was like 14. I was really into Yes, though I didn't like anything else that was remotely 'prog.' I'm not sure why that was, or what it was about Yes. But what's important right now is that, listening to this for the first time in at least a couple of decades, I still know every showy tempo change and silly cosmic lyric and virtuosic flourish by heart. I also grudgingly admit, to the delight of my 14 year old self, that this album consists of 100% bangers. Also, someone should make a loop out of that boom-bap beat on "Würm" and rap over it.
Great I really enjoyed the album it's one of my favorites
237/1089 - When starting this project, I thought I didn't like prog or metal or West-Coast Hip Hop, etc. but I now realize that none of that stuff about genres or styles matters. I like good music and I don't like bad music.
good stuff
I’ve known this album since I was a kid; it was one of my dad's favorites.
mi è piaciuto
I mean...C'mon 5
another prog rock masterpiece from Yes
This is a long-standing five-star album for me. It's a coin toss between this and *Fragile* being my favorite Yes album. (No slight to *CTE*, that's way up there too) (10) ★★★★★
As Steven Toast from Toast Of London might say during a voiceover session, YES…YES… YES… YES… YES!!!! Instead of an irritated “yes” it’s much more of a pleased “yes” because is Yes at their classic-est and best. Yours Is No Disgrace is a most ridiculously soaring and sensational opener and probably their best track. Starship Trooper is another corker but really it’s the weird grinding outro Wurm that steadily transforms it into something extra special. Band are pretty much on fire throughout although it’s Tony Kay on keys and not the wizardly Rick Wakeman. His Hammond organ is way more primordial, clobbering, limited and basic but is so mighty and suits these songs perfectly. A dose of the Clap and a slight drop off near the end keeps this album from being a totally perfect 5.
Yes has been a favorite of mine since the 1st time I heard them many years ago. It seems however, that I have only listened to a small sampling of thier music. After reading the rather interesting history of the band I may need to explore the different Yes albums and see what unique sounds I have missed. As far as this album goes I enjoyed listening to all the tracks discovering songs I have never heard. 5 stars!!!
The Yay🤗 Album
В школі в мене був однокласник, який був фанатом гурту Yes і це був навіть мем в нас, бо більшість людей з нашої шкільної тусовки тоді слухали або нюметал або якийсь блек (така в нас школа була). Але особисто я завжди любив Yes причому як їхні ранні класичні альбоми, так і менш відомі типу tales of topographic oceans або більш попсові типу 90125. Конкретно Yes Album це період, коли гурт ще не скотився в надскладні структури і мега ньорд енерджі (рік Вейкман у костюмі чарівника і оце все, хоча до речі на цьому альбомі Вейкман ще й не грав), а натомість вдало працює з формою. Також треба відмітити Стіва Хоу і акустичну замальовку Clap. Коротше від мене тут точно 5 зірочок, я цей гурт слухаю вже більше ніж 20 років свого життя.
Prog fan here. Owned this one on vinyl. I don't listen to Yes as much as I used to, but I still like this one. Würm is the best; Perpetual Change a close second.
## In-Depth Review: Yes - *The Yes Album* (1971) **The Breakthrough:** *The Yes Album* marked Yes's critical and commercial breakthrough, establishing their signature progressive rock sound and proving they could thrive without original guitarist Peter Banks. It's the bridge between their psychedelic roots and the symphonic grandeur of later albums. **Lyrics:** * **Abstract & Optimistic:** Jon Anderson's lyrics focus on themes of unity, human potential, exploration (space, mind, spirit), and cosmic wonder ("Yours Is No Disgrace," "Starship Trooper"). * **Nature & Technology:** Juxtaposes natural beauty ("A Venture") with technology and space travel ("Starship Trooper," "Perpetual Change"). * **Less Fantasy, More Philosophy:** Compared to later albums (*Close to the Edge*, *Tales*), the lyrics are less fantastical and more grounded in humanist/philosophical ideals, though still abstract ("Life's a perpetual change..."). * **Vocal as Instrument:** Often, the *sound* and melody of Anderson's voice are prioritized over literal meaning, blending seamlessly into the musical tapestry. **Music:** * **Guitar Revolution:** Steve Howe's arrival is transformative. His eclectic style blends rock, jazz, classical, and country, showcased in intricate solos ("Yours Is No Disgrace"), acoustic virtuosity ("Clap," "The Clap"), and complex textures ("Starship Trooper: Würm"). * **Rhythmic Complexity:** Chris Squire (bass) and Bill Bruford (drums) form a powerhouse, polyrhythmic foundation. Squire's melodic, treble-heavy basslines are foundational, not just supportive. * **Keyboard Texture:** Tony Kaye's Hammond organ and piano provide rich textures, driving rock power ("Yours Is No Disgrace"), and atmospheric depth ("Starship Trooper: Disillusion"). Less flashy than Wakeman's later synth work, but highly effective. * **Extended Structures:** Moves beyond standard verse-chorus into multi-part suites ("Starship Trooper," "Perpetual Change") showcasing dynamic shifts, intricate interplay, and thematic development. * **Harmonies:** Complex, layered vocal harmonies (Anderson, Squire, Howe) are a defining characteristic. **Production (Eddy Offord):** * **Clarity & Punch:** Captures the band's live energy and intricate playing with remarkable clarity for 1971. Each instrument is distinct and powerful in the mix. * **Warmth & Space:** Analog warmth is evident. While not as lushly layered as *Fragile* or *Close to the Edge*, it creates a spacious soundstage allowing the complex arrangements to breathe. * **Live Feel:** Retains a sense of the band playing together in a room, contributing to its vital energy. **Themes:** * **Human Potential & Unity:** Belief in collective human progress and overcoming division ("Yours Is No Disgrace" - finding grace amidst chaos). * **Exploration:** Mental, spiritual, and physical (space travel in "Starship Trooper"). * **Change & Permanence:** The inevitability and beauty of change ("Perpetual Change"). * **Optimism & Wonder:** A distinctly positive, almost utopian outlook on the future and humanity's place in the cosmos. **Influence:** * **Prog Rock Blueprint:** Defined the template for 70s progressive rock: virtuosic playing, extended forms, complex structures, thematic ambition, and lush harmonies. * **Inspired a Generation:** Directly influenced contemporaries (Genesis, King Crimson evolved partly in response) and countless future bands across prog, art-rock, and metal (Rush, Dream Theater, Porcupine Tree, Opeth). * **Proved Commercial Viability:** Showed complex, ambitious rock could achieve mainstream success, paving the way for the prog boom. * **Guitar Legacy:** Howe's playing became a benchmark for rock guitarists seeking technical proficiency and stylistic diversity. **Pros:** 1. **Landmark Songwriting:** Every track is essential, packed with memorable melodies, riffs, and sections. 2. **Band Chemistry:** Peak early lineup synergy; Squire/Bruford rhythm section is phenomenal, Howe integrates perfectly, Kaye's keys are tasteful and powerful. 3. **Steve Howe's Arrival:** His diverse guitar work elevates the band to a new level. 4. **Perfect Prog Gateway:** Balances complexity with strong hooks and accessible energy better than almost any other prog album. 5. **Superb Production:** Clear, powerful, warm, and perfectly suited to the music. 6. **Timeless Energy:** Sounds remarkably fresh and vital decades later. **Cons:** 1. **Tony Kaye's Limits:** While effective, Kaye's Hammond/piano focus lacks the sonic versatility and virtuosic flair Rick Wakeman brought immediately after. Some find it slightly dated. 2. **Lyrical Naivete:** The optimistic, abstract lyrics can occasionally feel simplistic or dated to modern ears, lacking the depth of later Anderson collaborations. 3. **"A Venture" Slight Dip:** Though charming, it's sometimes seen as the least essential track compared to the monumental others. 4. **Raw vs. Refined:** Lacks the sheer symphonic polish and studio wizardry of *Fragile* or *Close to the Edge*. Some prefer the later grandeur. **Verdict:** *The Yes Album* is a cornerstone of progressive rock. It's not just historically important; it remains a thrilling, inventive, and supremely enjoyable listen. The songwriting is exceptional, the performances are electrifying, and the production captures the band's explosive creativity perfectly. While later albums reached greater compositional heights or sonic sophistication, *The Yes Album* achieves a near-perfect balance of ambition, complexity, and sheer listenability. Its influence is immeasurable, and its energy is undimmed. **Essential listening.**
awesome
A fab first album for a great band. A few tracks are better than others but all in all a great album.
Self-explanatory.
5/5
Favorite Track: Yours Is No Disgrace
I love this album. There are several eras of yes. It feels sacrilegious considering how high rick wakeman is regarded in the household I grew up in... But this is the best yes era. Pre-rick. This and time and a word have their best songs on them and for me this one pips it. If you came up with a riff, you could make a song. If you had 2 one could be a chorus, if you had 3 you could include a bridge. Every yes track here has like 19 and all of them are catchy, it's like a prog abba record. It's great and utterly ridiculous.
I am a huge yes fan. And this album is fantastic. Incredibly original. Amazing musicianship. Best Yes album after Close to the edge. Starship trooper. Cmon. Sick. Yours is no disgrace!! Saw Jon Anderson and the geeks recently. Both songs were performed and were fantastic. One of my favorite albums of all time. 5 stars plus.
This was incredible! It was rock and roll but so neatly composed... I would def listen to this again.
despite all of the Everything about me, i've never really gotten into prog. i have no particular reason for that; i certainly don't abide by any of those thought-terminating clichés oft-touted against the form's defining eccentricities. anyone who has the misfortune of knowing me for long enough will recognize that the easiest way to get me to listen to a record or watch a film is to describe it as "pretentious" or "self-indulgent." i often—not always, but often—conceptualize art first and foremost as a way of really Seeing the artist(s), i desperately Want to hear their dumbest whims and fixations, i don't want artists to rein it in; i want everything, i want you. so yeah, i have no problems with prog. on top of that, i like theatre kid shit. i like impressive musicianship, i like solos, i like sprawling interminable length on both the micro (song) and the macro (album) level. i like concept albums, i like story songs, i like Flutes and Organs and Mandolins and shit. and i've listened to and enjoyed tons of works that circle the Periphery of prog. i like a lot of krautrock and psychedelia. i like the Devin Townsend albums i've listened to—the most classically prog rock styled record that i've actively listened to recently enough to have any real memory of it is Steven Wilson's raven that refused to sing, which is an album that i love dearly. so why haven't i gotten into prog? i literally just haven't gotten around to it. it's not actually complicated. this is an unnecessary indulgence of an opening paragraph. but i like to practice what i preach. it's got the songs, baby! oh yeah, it does! big revelatory standout for me is starship trooper, it's glorious. the melody is just Soaring, all three parts are interlocking and playing off one another, the band sounds fantastic, it's total bliss. the final part (called würm, because prog is the fucking coolest thing in the entire fucking shit) is so good it's this brilliant crescendo to a totally cartoonish and euphoric guitar solo. it rips. i got chills. aside from that track, i like the conspicuously-titled solo guitar rag, "the clap." i think that's a good collection of things for a song to Be. the first track is super strong as well. Chris Squire's bass immediately jumped out to me. i'd sort of known through cultural osmosis and the memetic status of roundabout that Yes had a very prominent and virtuosic bass player, but it's still something that immediately hit me from the start of my listen. i love the harmonies all over this thing too, of course. i always love harmonies. oh and there's a song here that's, like, about chess. or, y'know, it uses the imagery of the chess game as a metaphor to describe th—they wrote a song about chess!! i Love chess!!! five stars.
Unexpectedly good
Throwback, rollerskating
I am a big Yes fan, and I knew most of these tracks very well before listening to this album today, but I was amazed by 1) how much I loved the songs I hadn't heard before, and 2) the fact that all of these amazing songs were released on the same album. I listened to this twice and it was awesome, five stars.
Listens: 4 or 5 Standout tracks: I've Seen All Good People, Starship Trooper Added To Library: TRUE YES! Second Yes album on the list. I still think I like Closer To The Edge more, but this album is also quite excellent. I just love how "I've Seen All Good People" and "Starship Troopers" are like 2 or 3 songs in one with each part being significantly distinct from the others. I've heard "I've Seen All Good People" before but had never really known it was a Yes song, and so when it came on for the first time I was like Ohhhh shiiit.
This is the 154th album I’m rating. I've only heard Roundabout and that was because of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. Adding to my Playlist - Yours is no Disgrace, Clap, Starship Trooper, I've Seen all Good People, A Venture, and Perpetual Change. Not Adding to my Playlist - Nothing. Yours is no Disgrace - Just as good as Roundabout. Yes is a great band. All in all I liked 6/6 songs. Yes is great. Araki is right about them.
I love this album, only knew of Roundabout and Owner of a lonely heart and I generally enjoy classic Prog. These guys feels like a solid precursor to Rush, dream theater and a lot of other prog in this same vein. It’s pretty cool to see the evolution over decades and where some it came from. Enough pop and melody to stay interesting without sacrificing the experimentation.
Fuck, yes…Yes! I own several physical Yes albums, this one included. Fragile, Close to the Edge, or Relayer are probably still my favorites, but this a terrific album. Prog Rock can get weird, and that’s sort of the point, but this album perfectly tip toes that line where rock ends and prog begins. I always found Yes to be one of the more easily digestible prog rock bands because their long stuff never seems to linger, and they never go overboard with goofball instruments, I’m looking your way pan flute lovers.
A classic album showing off all the best elements of Yes' music. Virtuoso musicianship, complex but accessible song structures, great vocals and mysterious lyrics you can't help but sing, etc. I love this album.
More yes! Yes please :D
Hell yes, no we're talking! Not my favorite Yes album, but man is it an enjoyable listen. Relative to most of what I've heard so far here, this album is a f***ing 11 out of 5.
No question, a classic, both in music overall and in my cannon of progressive rock fandom. The inventiveness of tracks like "Yours Is No Disgrace", "Starship Trooper", "I've Seen All Good People", and "Perpetual Change" is really unmatched given the time period. Wonderful.
no queria que terminara. fabuloso.
Fantastic album
Phenomenal from start to finish
There are few perfect albums in this world. It would be a shame to ruin this one.
Sounds in the way i like! I love that it has 2 voices and strange sizes. Also sometimes it sounds like few boys are playing in the dad’s garage after school (in a good way)
Amazing Every song is grandiose and progressive, never boring and endlessly cool
I’m a sucker for this band. This album was a blast; I’ve seen all good people is still one of the greatest. That organ!
I was not happy to see this one come up. I expected some self indulgent experimental prog rock. Instead this an absolute banger. Will definitely be playing again
Still great!
PDB. Fantastic musicians playing fabulous music.
Fond memories of painting to this record with my first teenage crush.
found a new one I didn't know! amazing
Another great Yes album
This was great. I was listening slightly passively whilst working, but then I went back diving into each of the tracks and I found it all very enjoyable. I'm more familiar with their next two albums - but this seems to be a really underrated gem in their catalogue. Well I guess not underrated, its on the list. Fave Tracks: I think I liked elements of all of them 4.6/5
The opposite of yesterday's album in many ways (Surfer Rosa by the Pixies)... the Yes album is tight, meticulously produced, perfect harmonies before the age of pitch correction, and some virtuosic instrumental work.
oh yes
No Need to listen to this one. Know every note by heart I love it so much. Not my favourite Yes album but certainly in my top ten all time favourites and Yes are in my top three favourite groups. I bought this album day of release from the famous Record Bar, Wakefield. It was an album I was eagerly anticipating after getting into Yes through their previous album Time and a Word. I was not disappointed as there is lots of spine tingling climatic music to be heard. I was in a hostel in Wakefield whilst a Police Cadet where a friend of mine at the time and we would lay on our beds in the dark continually listening to this album. This is why I know the album so well. I am an unashamedly a Progressive Rock nut so like others of my kind I figuratively wear this album like a badge of honour and consider it a rite of passage to know intimately. Regular readers of my reviews (that’s me only) will know it was my birthday yesterday and I so much wanted a classic album like this but instead I got Ramblin’ Jack Elliot. But fortunately I am still very much in a birthday mood as I am off into Leeds soon so watch and applaud the mighty Leeds United parade their Championship Trophy around the City. No doubt “ I’ve Seen All Good People” will be reverberating around my head as I cheer my heroes. There could be no better soundtrack to join my love of football and music together. 5/5 5/5/25
One of my favorite eras in music history. There is something brilliant about the non-complicated mix combined with music mastery, and virtually no limitations in track length. Makes me miss the times I never experienced
Better than Coldplay!
Prog rock at its best.
Incredible!
Great debut from Yes.
Fuck it, I love Yes. “Starship Trooper” earns this album its 5. This isn’t even my favorite Yes album, that would go to Close to the Edge, but this one has so many of the elements that I love them for. Anderson’s voice, Howe’s guitar, Squire’s bass. All incredible. That guitar lick all over “Starship Trooper” is so delicious. Anyway, again, I technically don’t think this is a perfect album but I still loved it so much. ML #122.
Gotta give ‘em 5 stars. Love Yes.
got it
Liked it more than I expected!
Awesome progressive Rock, felt like Pearl Jam and Magma and all the greatest!
Sweet prog and grouse acoustic playing, fuckin awesome
THIS SHIT FUCKS
10 out of 10 prog Rock album Beautiful vocals and melody
Steve Howe, Chris Squire, Jon Anderson, Bill Bruford, and Tony Kaye are so well put together on this album.
Big prog fan and Yes are the kings
Absolute classic
Greatness from front to back. Yes!!
Yes! Dit is top, gave progrock in een heel origineel jasje. Coole nummers, met samenhang, maar ook verrassende wendingen.
brilliance.
While not their best album, it is hard to find many prog albums better than this. Starship Trooper leads the charge, however, every song on this album hits in different way.
Obviously, we all know this is a classic album in prog rock history. When I first began my journey into prog rock, The Yes Album definitely stood out for me, especially in introducing me to the complexities and intricate arrangements that Yes and early prog rock are known for. On the flip side, this album is also easy to digest and makes sense of, which is why it’s a great starting point for any newcomer to the genre.
Arguably not as majestic or extraordinary as Fragile or Close To The Edge, but still a solid effort from one of the most divided-opinion bands of all time. I get it, they’re not for everyone. Very intricate and cerebral. But I love ‘em and have for a long time.
The musicianship is second to none. Great to listen to. So, back when the art-rock form started really going- two camps were formed. Were you a "Yes" or were you Emerson, Lake and Palmer. False binary choice to be sure, but such were the burning questions one had to confront in my teen years.
Love this album but it is somewhat of an acquired taste. Eclectic music at times and lyrics that sound good too it don’t actually say anything.
Prog rock that isn’t bloated or boring, instead it’s soulful and groovy.
Really enjoyed this album (listened to the Super Deluxe Edition with 4 discs). Appreciated that there were instrumental versions of the songs. Some of the different versions of the songs did just sound the same so wouldn't listen to the four discs all the way through again as that makes it a bit too repetitive. Probably will stick to Disc 1 and the instrumental versions. Did not know the band or any of these songs at all before this and will definitely return to these songs so it has been great to be introduced to new music I enjoy.
- An absolutely perfect album, arguably a masterpiece. -
suprisingly goofy, boppy, and enjoyable. Would return to
This came out in March of my sophomore year of high school. I’m not sure how it came to be such a big album for my peer group, since Yes’ first two albums were very different and not on our radar at all, more pop/Top 40, with covers of lesser known songs by The Beatles (Every Little Thing) and Buffalo Springfield (Everydays). We went back and discovered them after knowing/loving this album. This one was a huge favorite. Admittedly pretentious lyrics, but top notch songs, musicianship and vocals, fun to sing along with. Played a ton on 8 tracks in our cars, and on vinyl while we played cards. A solid 5, made my honorable mention list for my Top 10 Albums of All Time.
Oh my gosh, I haven't listened to this album in ages. I used to listen to a lot of Yes when I was in high school and those early 70's albums are masterpieces of progressive rock. It was really cool to reminisce about iconic songs like Yours Is No Disgrace and I've seen all good people. 5 stars of course!
Some of the best music from that time period. Yes and Emerson Lake and Palmer!
If you can handle long songs, which this day in age is not a given, this is some really incredible stuff. Lots of musical development and some incredible vocals. I saw another review call this Rush but worse, and I agree. They meant it in a negative way, but I mean it in a positive way. Rush, imo, is one of the greatest ever, and this holds up to them. This is pretty much everything that I love in an album. It's got great instrumentals, the vocals are locked in with each other, musical development within songs, and thematic ties throughout the album. It's getting saved for a re-listen later (probably getting added to the lawn mowing rotation). Favorite Song(s): Starship Troopers, I've Seen All Good People
clocking in a six tracks and forty some minutes, this was a nice little listen. Even though some of them run pretty long, I was never bored of anything I was listening to. I'm not much a prog rock guy but man this had some really good breakdowns and tone changes that keep everything interesting. Great entry, full stop.
I think I dig this progressive rock. Plus “I’ve Seen All Good People” is an all time classic
As a prof-rock youth I grew up on this album. It doesn’t get much better. The Steven Wilson remixes are worth a checkout also for sure.
not really my thing
Amazing!
The angle of the dangle is adversely proportionate to the heat of the beat. Classic prog. 5
Yyyeeeesssss!!!
12/2/24. Loved this! First time experiencing Yes, amazing instrumentation and guitar work. Will be revisiting this one again and again.
I already loved yes but this is the best I've heard
Beautiful funky guitars. Love it!
I’ve never been able to fully get into Yes. I think it’s a combination of John Anderson’s voice and the length of the songs. Whenever I think I like prog, I second guess myself due to my general lack of excitement for Yes. Oddly enough I really like most of Rick Wakeman’s solo material though. This album might be my favorite Yes album simply because it sounds more rough around the edges. It has a lot of country influences which I found surprising. This was Steve Howe’s influence. Also, I actually like Jon Anderson’s voice on I’ve Seen All Good People because he stays in a lower register for more of it. Some of Yours Is No Disgrace reminds me of early Rush which isn’t a bad thing and I like Clap even though it is an instrumental. It goes on a hair too long for me but Howe’s guitar playing is very interesting so I’ll give it a pass.
I love this album! Cool to discover that "The Clap" was inspired by Mason Williams' Classical Gas.
No notes just hard yes to yes
Classic prog rock album! Liked Songs Added: Yours Is No Disgrace Starship Trooper I've Seen All Good People Perpetual Change
Great album
9/10 I kind of loved this one. Two Yes albums so far, no sign of the twiddly unlistenable pretentious stuff that they seem to have an unfounded reputation for In reality this was a more fun and playful take on the hard and American rock of the time, played by amazing musicians and put together really well I’d take this over the self-serious US rockers any day Best: Perpetual Change
I did not use a private spotify session, I have this album on CD somewhere and used to play it a lot. Love the classics on this album and it helped me get into progressive rock.
Essential piece of rock history that serves as a perfect introduction to progressive rock for the listener. Excellent songwriting all-around, and the guitar work is masterful.
This is one of my favorite albums. I have always been a big fan of Yes and think this is their best. After reading other reviews (I read both the good and the bad ones to get others' perspectives on the music I like or don't like), I have a pet peeve. The acoustic piece by Steve Howe is called "Clap," not "The Clap." It was written to celebrate the birth of his son, not as an ode to sexually transmitted disease. Get it right people! A definite 5-star.
I love Yes. Yes’ music is fast, chaotic, and upbeat, the sort of music that takes over your body, makes you stand up and move around. Chris Squire on the bass is an absolute legend, and each member in the band is spectacular in their own right. Starship Trooper and I’ve Seen All Good People are my favorites in this album. The entire album is good, unlike Fragile which has some amazing songs and some skippers. This might be my favorite Yes album. Say what you will about Yes, I know this band will certainly not appeal to everyone, not even everyone who loves prog rock, but this band very much speaks to me.
YES <3
Prog good. Need more prog. Ugh.
Obviously, we all know this is a classic album in prog rock history. When I first began my journey into prog rock, The Yes Album definitely stood out for me, especially in introducing me to the complexities and intricate arrangements that Yes and early prog rock are known for. On the flip side, this album is also easy to digest and makes sense of, which is why it’s a great starting point for any newcomer to the genre.
Famous album. Important band.
This album is like if the layered harmonies of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young were ten minutes long and featured ripping guitar and bass and lyrics that still don’t really make sense to me. This is another one where my bias shows up. Another record that defined a moment in time for me (the first half of senior year of high school). I had heard Roundabout from that show with the sun karate and vampires and wanted to know what else that band had made. This lead me to hearing I’ve Seen All Good People and that was it. Starship Trooper is one of my favorite songs ever.
This was one of the first albums I bought and Yes were one of my favourite bands back in the day. This is still one of my favourite albums and one of Yes' best in my opinion. I am glad that Jenny and Tim still have my vinyl copy and my handwritten lyrics!
This is a very nostalgic album for me so I found it hard to listen to independently of my childhood memories of hearing my dad play prog rock. And why even try? I love the madness of prog rock, the musical themes and crazy long instrumentals. This is a pretty solid Yes album. Starship Trooper was a standout song to me.
Great
A musical Disneyland. Not a full moment in this one. YES to this one!
5 stars, no questions
Wow, I'm glad this album came up. This was one of my all time favorites prog rock albums. I bought this CD at a second hand store some time in the mid 80s. This album grabs you from the first chords of Yours is no Disgrace. Starship Troupers is another classic. All Good People is a song that was played constantly on classic rock radio in the 70s and 80s. This great album deserves a 5!
Holy shit where has this been my whole life
It had a blend of Bob Dylan and Pink Floyd kinda vibe. I loved it
The nostalgia is certainly strong on this one. Big soundtrack to my high school days. It's because of this album I never would call Yes a prog rock band. And it's because of this album I'll always love this band.
This album is tremendous. It’s cheesy as hell. But the playing is so good and the compositions so epic I still get pulled into it.
great album! I enjoyed it. I've Seen All Good People is genuinely such a phenomenal song. Love Jon Anderson
Großartig!
In one word, awesome
magical
Such a good album. Wonderfully complex but still accessible, each song brings its own proggy flavor to the album to keep it fresh and engaging. My only wish would be that Starship Trooper was twice as long because it's so good, but oh well. Top tracks: Yours Is No Disgrace, Starship Trooper, I've Seen All Good People
I dig the Yes album. It's prog rock that feels like classic rock. I mostly love it for the sick guitar.
This is probably my favorite Yes album. I cannot pick a favorite song because it changes constantly. Honestly this album is low key (or high key) brilliant. Despite having multiple 8+ minute songs, none of them feel overly long, and that’s hard to do. This is on fairly regular rotation for me, and I don’t ever see that changing.
This was great. Love this and Close to the Edge. Great great great prog rock. Some of the best ever
yes
Yes.
A very CSN sounding album from Yes. I want to be too cool for them but alas I am not.
Yes generally gets a yes from me.
Kind of noodly and not particularly hummable but a nice listen.
I’m happy to see another Yes album, although I will say that my first exposure to Yes, the album 90125, is sorely missed. Back when I fell in love with that album I wasn’t so into the noodly progressive rock thing, so didn’t look back much at their catalog. I’m glad to do so now. This album is fantastic fun. As I’ve gotten older I’ve come to appreciate crazy multi-part opuses that ramble on with liberal organ and flute. While I was familiar with the much shorter radio-play versions of “I’ve Seen All Good People” the full version is pretty cool. While I will be sad to never hear later-period Yes on this list, I am still happy with the two we’ve gotten so far.
The beginning of an immensely creative and succesful era for Yes. If you hate prog, this is awful. If you love prog, this is delightful. Chris Squire on bass and Bill Bruford on drums really drive this record, with the angelic voice of Jon Anderson sprinkled on top.
The album where Yes truly began defining the band they were to become. The grandeur starts to show and especially the stereo mix on “Perpetual Change” is out of this world. Mix it up with the drumming of Bill Bruford (easily one of my favorites) and bass playing of Chris Squire and you have yourself a winner.
I have had this on vinyl for years. One of the all time great classics. Yes is beyond comparison
Steve Harris liked Yes so I liked Yes. I think some of their 70's albums are best ever in prog rock. This one is great. Makes me want to listen to Close to the Edge.
Progressive Rock is a genre that I've wanted to get more into for a while. And I feel like Yes is THE progressive rock band. I found their album Relayer on CD at the Chatham library annual sale, but I've never heard this one. Their musicianship is absolutely incredible and this album rips from front to back. I'll have to revisit this as well as their broader discography.
9/10.
Six track wonder! Still riding the wave of sixties optimism. Awesome opening, great rock organ sound. Such a nexus! A melting pot of stuff that came before and influenced stuff after. I hear The Who, Queen, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Zappa, Zeppelin, Small Faces, Chris Burnell gave me two Yes albums after hearing the school band as if to say "This is how it's really done."
Um rock progressivo de 9 minutos e 40 de duração, seguido por um solo de violão clássico, para então partir para um opera rock futurista. Só no lado A do álbum o Yes consegue mostrar toda sua versatilidade e capacidade musical em um álbum interessante, divertido, virtuoso e desafiador, sem deixar de ser palatável.
every yes album i have encountered just has the air of 'coolness' - the production, the musicianship, the performances just sound cool. on this album, they employ a lot more acoustic music than i would normally associate with yes, but it still works well and i love seeing their versatility and having it succeed. of course, the famous track on here ('i've seen all good people') is great, but to me the stars of this album are the bookends ('yours is no disgrace' and 'perpetual change') which are great early prog gems. look, you pretty much know what you're in for with yes, and i am totally on board with it.
Was a really good album with different sounds.
Ah yes, Yes. Say yes to Yes. Be a Yes Man.
That’s a guaranteed Yes top 5 for me. The first in their discography to have placed the group among the big players of the genre. It's very prog, certainly, but still with a certain restraint that suits them well. The guys focused on composition more than virtuosity and this resulted in powerful and spectacular pieces.
Great album
Yes
Cracking
Yes is really just prog Crosby, Stills & Nash. 5/5 no notes
fuck it its a 5
One of the best Yes albums (and their breakout), especially considering how early it was in their career. It is jam packed with staples of classic rock and examples of the best of prog rock. Out of the starting gate, there is Yours is no Disgrace, one of the earliest pop-prog songs that presaged later bands such as Boston. That doesn't mean the album is to like on the prog part though. There are two extended suites - Starship Troopers and I've Seen All Good People - that combine theatrics and virtuosity common to the prog rock format. The effects of The Yes Album were felt in future Yes albums, prog rock, and rock in general for years to come.
Deze lijst laat mij Yes toch herontdekken. Mijn beeld voorafgaand aan de 1001 was wellicht iets teveel gebaseerd op de jaren' 80 Yes. Maar net als Fragile wordt nu weer een prachtige gevarieerde reis geboden. Inmiddels heb ik Fragile een paar keer extra geluisterd. Door de afwisseling en sterke compositie blijft dat album interessant. Ik verwacht dat dat ook zal gelden voor dit album. Zet ik de albums naast elkaar, dan pakt Fragile mij meer. De tegenstellingen voelen iets verder uit elkaar en tegelijk is het net iets toegankelijker. Maar dat is wellicht gewoon doorontwikkeling. Dit is het studio-debut en dan zet je al gelijk zo'n volwassen product neer. Dan verdien je 5 sterren!
Yes, thus is the kind of prog I'm talking about!
Great album. Flows super well. No skips.
had this at age 13...loved it but was talked into trading this for Rush Caress Of Steel
"The Yes Album". Prog rock as I like it. Anderson's voice is, as always, exceptional. Then Yes' trademark vocal harmonies, the complex drumming/rhythm patterns, the melodic bass parts, and the guitar work of their new member Steve Howe made this the foundation for their later success.
Pretty amazing album, especially considering the time period when it was created when One Bad Apple and Knock Three Times were examples of the top 10 singles of the time. Really the birth of radio friendly progressive music. It makes me miss the days when bands could still be popular while recording albums that didn't fit into cookie cutter molds.
So I didn’t listen to this but I know I’ve heard it before and I know I liked it and so I’m giving it a five. Also, I want to reveal the next album and I don’t want too many “did not listens” in a row.
wat leuk, ja helemaal leuk, wist dat het goe dwas maar nooit geluisterd, maar ik ben fan, beng beng skiet skite nigga
The beginning of the "classic" Yes phase. An album without weaknesses.
Great album
Super album. Just love it.
I had never heard the album version of these tracks before, but had heard most of them live on Yessongs. This was fun to hear and enjoyed having the stage set for Fragile and Close to the Edge (both of which should be on this list)
I knew for a fact that I adore this album, but this was a great excuse to revisit it. And what an album this is. With a few longer pieces it is at the same time punchy, concise, explorative and vast in scope. The production sounds about five or so years ahead of its time. The musicianship is absolutley insane. If it hadn´t been for the strang guitar pieces in between, this could potentially be a perfect album (and those are not bad, just a bit odd). This is a blast that I need to revisit more often. Perpetual Change is a new favourite track of mine.
Pretty much an already a banger 60s, 70s 80s band this is of course a classic in the yes era of the band.
Equal parts David Bowie and doc Watson. Freaking awesome!