The Yes Album

I like their sound palette. Nothing particularly groundbreaking or spectacular but I like it. 3.3

Just not my favorite genre

yes kamma losa

Yes get so much better than this, and also so much worse. It’s fine

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.

At first I thought, "Yeah again?" But I get it. A nice experimental album.

Yes

I like prog rock, this one not so much... "ive seen all good people..." and "starship troopers..." were my favorites but as an album is kind of repetitive and not in the interesting progressive rock way, instrumentation is good but overall excesive.

3.5

Hipster bullshit.

I think I might actually be kind of a Yes fan. It feels like everything should go against that. I don't tend to like overly long songs with excessive soloing and I've never really thought of Prog as a genre that I like. But I'll be darned, I enjoyed listening to this. Prior to this the only song that I really knew was Roundabout (Thanks Rock Band 3), but I just found myself listening and enjoying, taking in the skill of the players and the lush vocal harmony. I'll probably go back and give this another listen at some point.

This is the type of progressive rock album that caused such a vehement reaction from punk. Musical prodigies recording self-indulgent songs with no additional substance, that (majestic) chord progressions, impossible drum fills. The acoustic guitar-based songs sound good, though. I may trigger some genre enthusiasts and even some contradictions (I love Led Zeppelin and Rush), but this album is definitely not for me.

Vrhuuuuunski album, ne mogu vjerovati da mi je ovo promaknulo! Nisam slušala njihovu stariju diskografiju i jednostavno ne mogu vjerovati da je to iz isti Yes iz 80s. Prva stvar na ovom albumu mi definitivno ulazi u top 10 stvari po kvaliteti, baš jebena jebena stvar!! 4/5,8.5/10

In my high school there were not a few brown paper text book covers that were bedecked with renditions of the Yes logo. And, yes, it's a great logo. For some inexplicable reason the only Yes album I bought was Tormato. And I loved it. And I bought zero Yes albums after that. Didn't even indulge in the catalog. I was also stunned when my college roommate, who had such impeccable underground and cult tastes, and was responsible for my artistic awakening, turned out to be a Yes fan. So, here we go. Into the first Yes album that matters, apparently. It's 1971. We are just 16 years removed from "Rock Around the Clock". That hurts my brain to think about. 13 years prior to "The Clap", Chuck Berry was invigorating the world with his expansion of Sister Rosetta Tharp. And here is Steve Howe blowing people's minds in a pub. While listening to "Starship Troopers" I found myself thinking about Tom O'Horgan and Experimental Theater of the 70s. This suite would fit in perfectly into that world. Is "I've Seen All Good People" the proggiest folk song ever or the folkiest prog song? I can't tell. It still sounds fresh and interesting 55 years later. Well, maybe not fresh. But certainly interesting. Do I get a little weary towards the end? Yes. "Perpetual Change" was the one that did me in.

Ei yhtään mun juttu

ok

Why tho

It's so prog.

Prog often goes one of two ways. Either it's great storytelling set to music and mind-blowingly beautiful or it's inconsequential noodling with fractured lyrics here and there. Yes is the latter. Songs/Suites mostly ranging from 6 to 9 minutes in length that go on and on and on. Saying in 7 minutes what could have been said in 4 is not a flex. Top Track = Clap

Have to be in the right mood - but great music with an adventurous angle.

Meh

Steve Howe's first album with Yes, and everything levels up. That Gibson 175 conjures a majestic cathedral of tone. Quite crisp, indeed...yet in need of some grime, a little danger, a shake of chaos to disturb all this cosmic order.

It sounds like every other progressive rock album from that era. While there are some interesting moments and fine solos, it often drags and becomes a bit boring.

Didn't absolutely hate this, as I expected. It's decent but not something I would revisit 3*

Enjoyed this. It’s a wild ride!

I say Yes to this album - pretty decent!

ok. Typical Yes where my brain tunes out on it's own but it's not bad.

This is a good record. It remains interesting from top to bottom and doesn't lose the listener. There are multiple parts where the instrumentalists go in different directions as they explore the song and take their parts but they do manage to stay on-theme and bring it back. This experimentation is what Yes and ultimately, prog rock, is about. This is a solid example of all that Yes has to offer.

My Project voyage through the world of prog rock is telling me that if you really must listen to prog, you could probably do worse than listen to Yes. It's still got all the things that make it one of the most objectionable genres in artistic history, but it's reined in sufficiently to mean that you can actually enjoy the songs, instead of want to go back in time and encourage Ted Heath to pass a law to ban guitar solos, synths and capes.

I understand why people would like it. It's not for me.

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.

Yes

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

A fun, classic rock romp. It gets exploratory and jazzy, at times, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. An enjoyable affair.

Killer bass riffs and tone. Songwriting is fine but doesn't do much for me. Pleasant enough but not finding it very memorable

Ništa posebno preloše niti predobro, ali prije da ga ne bih opet poslušao nego da bih

A entertaining and exciting prog rock album that manages to keep you hooked the whole way through with harmonized vocals and exciting instrumentation

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

good instrument, singing annoying All good people

This was great!

Yes? Yes! Proving that a track less than 8 minute long just isn't worth the bother.

Surprisingly fun. All Good People is good enough for a star on it's own.

1) Yours is No Disgrace: Coming back to this after listening to the whole album, it is maybe the only song I truly like. While jam-bandy, it feels like it has progression/transformation, without being lame/cheesy, notwithstanding the key change towards the end. 2) The Clap: Would I rather contract the clap or listen to the Clap on repeat forever...Idk. 3) Starship Trooper: Too jam bandy by a mile, but I do like the outro guitar riff that starts around ~6 mins in. And then the guitar solo that comes in the last ~2 min, chef's kiss. And the drums just make it harder. Maybe the first half was worth it. After listening to the album through and coming back to this a second time: it's growing on me, a ton. There's more going on here than aimless noodling. Still kinda annoying at times early on, but the back half is fire. 4) I've Seen All Good People: I guess it would be worse if they couldn't play their instruments or sing. They're solid musicians but this is why I don't like jam bandy. 2nd listen: f'%k, even this song is growing on me. 5) A Venture: great opening, nice groove with good rythmic synch among the instruments. If this was the only jam bandy track on the album I'd love it. 6) Perpetual Change: I do not like this, even on 2nd listen. Comically bad lyrics and whatever the bridge thing is that sounds like a marching band takes over for 10 secs, just no.

I’m officially old. I was past 40 by the time I became a dad. There’s hair growing from my ears. But even more important: I don’t hate prog anymore. Like any prog album, it’s all over the map — but also very clearly a record that came about a year after CSNY’s Deja Vu. Similar to The Dead’s American Beauty, the packed, doubled harmonies are so big in the recordings that everything else is dwarfed and tinny. Honest question tho: would it even be “proggy” if each song section went fully into a new track? Cf. tracks 3 and 4, which do the old “we’re so smart that our songs have several names.” Stray thoughts: - Track 1: I’ll go on the record and say that a single guitar line should never be panned back and forth like a shuttlecock. I don’t care how much coke the engineer did. - Track 2 is ridic. If only bc a live track in the middle of an album is 3-days-sleepless madness. - Fascinated by Ev’s grab from track 3 and now I want to find an 80s/90s musician that cites it as an influence.

I liked this more than I was expecting too. The songs were long but I enjoyed the way they changed as they progressed. Couldn’t face the super deluxe version though. The regular album I liked all the songs and would listen again. Fav song: Yours Is No Disgrace Least fav: A Venture

Quite like this album overall actually. Very long songs but didn’t feel like they overran. Quite liked the feel of the guitar too. Don’t like in deluxe albums how they just repeat the songs for the single version or something. Or that there is a 4 hour super deluxe version. So unnecessary. Specific rating - 4.2 Fav song- yours is no disgrace Least fav- perpetual change

Accidentally started from the wrong album cause they have albums called both "Yes" and "The Yes Album"- so I started the (correct) album already annoyed. It won me back a bit but I think there are too many 9 minute long songs. Favourite song: A Venture Least: Starship Trooper

A ton of interesting riffs that cover a ton of different styles over the course of the album. Doesn’t go off into full prog wankery for as long as a lot of the other prog rock albums on this list.

Never liked this specific genre, I understand those that like progressive, I respect the skill/talent, but it's definitely not my thing!!

Meh

No

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.

Progessive rock med fokus på smukke store kompositioner og blandet jazz, klassisk osv ind i rocken. Det er lange sange, så det er altid lidt svært at vælge et yndlingsnummer fordi der ofte indgår mange af dem. Der er mange af de her dynamiske skift så gør at man let bliver bevarer opmærksomheden. DEt er som om der hele tiden sker noget nyt, som jeg føler belønner at man godt kan sætte sig ned og lytte til det ene og alene for at se nye detaljer hver gang. Omvendt er det også meget melodisk ossv så man kan også bare have det i baggrunden. Minder mig lidt om rock opera på en eller anden måde? idk why. Nå men jeg synes det er godt, har anbefalet det til Mads fordi jeg tror han godt kan lide progerssive rock.

I wanted to like this more than I did. I enjoyed the musicianship of it, but it strayed a little too close to country/bluegrass-y on several occasions for my tastes. It’s not that it was bad, I think I just expected more. A disappointing effort by an exceptional band.

I like the vibe of this a lot, the sound is also great. However, it loses points because each song doesn’t have to be over 6 min…

I love Yes!

Never heard of this artist before, and was surprised they scored 3 albums across 2 years in this list! I guess I'll eventually learn why? First thing that came to my mind while listening — this is like if "Pinball Wizard" by The Who was 40 minutes long. Strangely, that's kind of my jam?! It reminds me of dad putting on some strange prog rock while we're road tripping, and I try to make sense of the sounds bombarding the cabin. This album's problem is excess. The "Yes, and..." of improv is taken to its extreme, while nobody in the creative process thought "No, but..." and it should be renamed "The Yes, And Album". When we have a nice instrumental groove, it has a few too many guitar solos jumping into the ether, but they rarely feature anything magical or even a call-and-response jam... Sometimes, the groove abruptly cuts into something else entirely until we find our way back to the preexisting groove, which has become miasma. That is to say, it's a disconcerting album experience. The artists encourage each other, "I like that, keep on layering!" and that goes on for what feels like forever. I just needed somebody in the band who has listened to Santana to take influence from him — why play many notes when few notes are better. It's between 2.5 and 3.5 — I think I'm generous today because I had to endure Golden Shower by Kacey Musgraves yesterday.

Yes on nimenä tuttu, mutta ainoa tuttu biisi bändiltä on ”Owner of a Lonely Heart” ja se ei ole tältä levyltä. Kuuntelin levyn ja tää oli liian progea mun makuuni. Ainoana hyvänä biisinä jäi akustisella kitaralla soitettu intrumentaali ”Clap”.

Definitely not my type of music

My kind of early prog, and continued to enjoy Yes for many years after.

J'ai pas la hype désolé

Solid album

Pucha, qué ganas decirle YES con todo a YES, pero terminó siendo un "depende". Amé como canción por medio de ese disco. Aunque de agradecen los contrastes en la escuchada.

3.5

Me pareció un álbum promedio. Creo que para ser una obra de la gran banda de rock progresivo "Yes" le falta mucha personalidad y cohesión. Me sorprendió que el segundo tema esté grabado en vivo, sacando de lugar la atmósfera que había generado el primer tema. No considero sea un mal álbum, para nada, la ejecución musical es excelente, pero en cuanto a experiencia de álbum me resultó un tanto irrelevante.

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

Enjoyable bit of prog on a Monday morning. As a child it seemed like Rick Wakeman was a formiddable presence on the TV. He seemed to be part of every panel show, quiz game on the box. And he was a bit annoying. For most of my early years I assumed that was his job. Only later on did I learn he was in a band called Yes, which I assumed based on his TV appearances, would be crap. So it was a pleasant surprised when I later learned that they were not crap at all.

Ajoittain mukavaa tiputtelua jossa mukana Beatlesiä ja muita rennompia biisejä

objectively not a bad album but deeply not my thing

Not sure what the fuss is on this one. It was fine.

Yes on aina mennyt mukavasti taustanauhana ja tosi kovia lekoja tullut bändiltä. Oon aina tykännyt tämmösestä "kokeellisesta" progressiivisesta musasta ja tätäkin levyä kuunnellessa olisi varmaan sienet avannut tätä vieläkin enemmän (ikinä en ole sieniä nauttinut). Tosi kivoja sävelkulkuja ja syntikka-kitara "keskusteluja" tälläkin levyllä. Silti ei tälle millään voi yli kolmosta antaa...

Kyllähän tämän kuunteli, mutta aika keskinkertainen albumi. Ei erityisen hyvä, muttei erityisen huonokaan. Mennään tylsällä kolmosella.

Kyllä kyllä! Ei ollut kyllä mistään kotosin. Ekan biisin jälkeen oli jo ihan liian KYLLÄinen ja oli todella tuskaa jatkaa eteenpäin. Vaikka kylläkin progesta tykkään, nii tämä ei kyllä uponnut. Pitkästyttävää ja KYLLÄstyttävää eikä mistään oikeen meinanut saada kiinni. Tällanen kokeellinen paska pitäs jättää pöytälaatikkoon muhimaan eikä tuoda albumiksi asti. Ehkä jossain happopäissään voisi edes vähän nauttia.

Paikoin ihan jees meininkiä, vähän turhan 70-lukulaista omaan makuun.

Olisin kovasti halunnut pitää tästä levystä enemmän, mutta ei vaan jotenkin biisit innosta sitten yhtään, enkä oikeen keksi mikä siinä on, vaikka kuuntelin levyn kahdesti.

Kyllähän pippeliproge aina maittaa. Tätä jeesmiesten levyä en oo aiemmin kuunnellut. Kai tässä on vähän vähemmän käsistä lähtevä meininki kuin pändin myöhemmissä 70-luvun albuumeissa. Hyvä levy kaikilta osin ja sellaista mitä kuuntelisi ihan vapaaehtoisestikin, jos menojalka tän tyyliseen polveiluun vipajaisi. Ihan ei pippelöinnin taso saavuta vielä sitä pistettä, että täydet pointsit kehtaisi antaa.

Rehellisesti nyt maanantaina ei edes muista perjantaina kuunnellusta albumista mitään, paitsi että jotain progea se oli. Ei juuri napannut.

Ihan jeppis

Aika raskasta soutua omiin korviin. Vähän semmoista kikkelijatsia koko levy. Ei kyllä jäänyt fiilis että haluaisi lisää Yesiä kuunnella. Ei nyt kuitenkaan mitään ihan täyttä paskaa, niin kakkosella mennään

Their third album. Prog Rock. This one is wonderfully complicated and catchy at times. Inevitably though we get the indulgent masturbatathon that is ten minutes of noodling. In fact we get it on track one. The talent is obviously extremely high here. There have been other Prog albums on this list I have surprisingly really enjoyed. For me, this one is okay. I'd give a 2.5 but happy to round up to a solid 3.

Forgot how good that is.

Another Yes album I should be all over but somehow leaves me a little cold.

Solid NO from me

Classic rock with some songs that run upto 10 mins. Favorite track: starship troopers other picks: yours is no disgrace, I've seen all good people, clap

Um disco gostoso de ouvir

I have tried yes before, but couldn’t get into it. Appreciate guitar work more and more though, and this album also seemed to be a better introduction then I’ve had before. Honestly want to dive into their whole catalog now. This is a 4.5

Never listened to this album - interesting sound.

Vibed more with their harmonies over anything else. Enjoyable overall!

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.

Man, you guys really like Yes, huh?

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.

Great opening track, but the rest was nothing special. I'm sure this is an unpopular opinion but I actually prefer Limp Bizkit's cover of Behind Blue Eyes.

No thank you - you really have to like this prog/classic rock sound to endure some of these 8 minute songs

NOOOOOOOOOOOO

I've not listened intently to albums before this one, but even without listening to them, The Yes Album feels like a band that finally struck gold: epic instrumental passages that radiate confidence with cheerful and joyful singing. All landmarks of a critical moment of everything clicking together. An "Eureka!" moment, if you will. "Yours Is No Disgrace" and "Starship Troopers" are the main highlights, but an underrated song in my opinion is "Perpetual Change," which showcases the band's elation. It's a grand finale that unites the entire band as one. I can only imagine how the studio must have felt after recording each passage. Probably only a tenth of the joy I experienced while listening to this. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I usually like the 70's vibe but never managed to get into this album

Better than I expected. Typically found the middle of the songs a bit forgettable but some big build ups at the end of songs sounded great.

3.5

A bit too much for me.

Enjoyable listen. Not my favorite but they're well accomplished and the album is impressive.

Decent music, but could use some editing and more hooks.

Pretty good

un bel discone anni 70.

Was okay. But probably won't listen again

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 love the goofiness of prog rock. But even for me, most of these songs are a couple mins too long. Seems like sometimes another musical section was added just for the hell of it. But still, pretty pleasant listen.

It's a solid album, Yes is always shooting for Mozart and usually ending up around Salieri

I don't know what it is about this band, but I can't say no. Even with their too long songs that could be reasonably broken-up, I still Yes to more music, especially this era of the band. This is probably their tightest album, although Fragile is also pretty great.

Hyvää kevyempää progee! 3/5

Tällä kertaa enemmän synaa mut vieläkin toimii Kyllä

3.5 - Good

This album was a wild ride. Psychedelic prog rock with instrumental acoustic breaks that sound like you’re running through the English countryside? I’m here for it! Apparently Yes falls way off later in their discography but this one was very entertaining.

More like the FUCK Yes Album. I mean that in a good way.

Интересное, необычное звучание и не слишком однообразные песни. 7 из 10.

Wow, every track on this album was solid. Although I like prog, Yes has always been a band that I did not like. Most albums are pretty weak overall, but I think this one was solid end-to-end.

Can see now this was influential, but would be okay never hearing this again 2/5

Nothing particularly entrancing about the album. The noodling songs that make up this album wander around and don't have poignant messages or chords to me. At the same time, there's nothing particularly negative about them either. Its mid, as they say. Favorite song: A Venture

I enjoyed this, but knowing what Yes would go on to make, it is definitely not their best work. Still a solid listen Fav Track: Yours is no Disgrace 6.9/10

Accurate name cos the album makes me go YESSS cos the music is good. Hehe. I like prog rock

this progressive rock was already better than the last one. nothing mind blowing for me. but i did not mind it on the background.

I didn't realize I was such a Yes fan.

Standouts The Clap I've Seen All Good People

Each song on this album feels like 3 different songs in one. A buy one get two free kind of deal. 4/5 Since the guitar is amazing on this album

Fine but kinda forgetful

A couple good songs on this one!

Technically very impressive. Dont like the music

Great album Virtually no skips Sounds just like that typical 70-80s rock music

Solid album. It's prog but not too prog.

Surprisingly good. Proggy without being too weird.

Right off the bat, if you don’t like prog you will not like this album. Now that’s out of the way, I thoroughly enjoy this album, the excessiveness that people don’t like about prog I really like because people who are skilled musicians can show us how skilled they are and this album has this in buckets, fun grooves provided by squire and bruford and great guitar work by howe. The one thing stopping this album being a top contender is that some of the longer songs with multiple sections I found were a bit abrupt changing into them and not as smooth as they could be

Album was definitely interesting went from straight up prog-rock at times with all the synthesisers in the world, to acoustic jams. Definitely a group of solid musicians, and though I prefer my vocals a little less high pitched, I won't hold that against them.

There’s always a fine line for prog rock between pretentious and cool music. This really walks that line but maybe that was also for the time period since bands like Metallica were doing hard cut overs for transitioning between sections. Anyway, overall it was alright.

Really enjoyed listening to this one. Whole album was short in the number of songs but each song was unique and had great instrumental. Loved the harmonies too. Highest rating I’ve given up to date.

I liked it!

Decent listen

Decent listen but not really something I would choose

Fantastic prog rock album! Listened to it many times!

Yes?...uh no

not my icecream

Ok. Sounds busy like the Who.

More 70s glam exploration

Sounds like 1971!

See all good people is a banger. There are some very good performances. I feel like they’re figuring out their Emerson Lake and Palmer together this together yet.

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.

Sonically cool prog rock album!

It was fine

YES!

I've already listened to Yes' album 'Close to the Edge', which I thought was good but lacked consistency in terms of re-listening appeal. A bit too experimental / parts of songs that just hung around for too long. Listening to 'The Yes Album', the opening track 'Yours Is No Disgrace' is good but is immediately followed up by a incredibly dragging acoustic track. Less re-visitable content on this album than on 'Close to the Edge' but not necessarily *bad* content.

TWO 4 ALBUMS INA ROW I’ll stop listen

There's a lot of cool stuff here. The organ sound is great, and the harmonies are so unique and beautiful. However, I find myself wishing some of the songs were tighter or even broken into smaller songs. Of course, that wouldn't be Yes, then, would it? Standout Track(s): Yours is No Disgrace, I've Seen All Good People

Really surprised how much I liked this. Great musicians, great voices. 4.5 dropping to a 4 just because I’m rarely if ever going to put it on myself, but definitely enjoyed it all the way through.

Cool early prog rock album, super creative writing, performances, and vocal harmonies.

There was the occasional moment I almost liked

Yah I’m starting to realize that while im not a die hard Stan for Yes, I might be a pretty big fan nonetheless. This album was nearly perfect, only a few songs that I didn’t care for, but 6/8 is a good ratio. As always they are just sorta fun and silly while coming across like they are taking themselves seriously. I also think a big part of that is because they take the instrumentation so seriously and it shows cause as always the best part of Yes is the music. The vocals are perfectly acceptable.

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.

This has been the most difficult album to rate so far. On first listen, it would veer back and forth between terrible, self-indulgent prog rock and great harmonies, often several times on the same track. I gave it several tries and it sounded better but still not all the way through. There were times when I could have rated this one star and others where it was closer to a 4 or a 5. I am going to settle for 3 stars. I generally like complex albums that reward repeated listens. I am undecided whether this justifies further listens. There is too much other great music to listen to.

good stuff

Lenge siden eg har hørt da. Da e et stykke fra Fragile, men litt Yes slår sjelden feil

Not very good. Almost parody prog rock with long intros and indulgent instrumentals.

I’ve known this album since I was a kid; it was one of my dad's favorites.

mi è piaciuto

A nice start of a career, already displaying some of the features that were then remarkeably enhanced in Close to the Edge, Fragile and Relayer. Yet, far from the brilliancy of their next albums. People may call this type of Progressive Rock over pretencious and show-off, well, I prefer to see it as people expressing their musicality and musical savvy in a free and excentric way.

Alors pourquoi, mais pourquoi ils avaient besoin de chanter toutes les chansons en harmonie ?

6/10 From a technical standpoint, this is a really great album. The quality of the playing is excellent, and they’re a really tight unit. They also create some really great soundscapes and interesting sound palettes, particularly for a record from 1971. But I found that, while I appreciated the technicality of the music, it often didn’t really connect with me on an emotional level, or really have much in the way of memorable motifs that hooked into my brain. They also have a tendency to go wandering off (pretty typically for prog, I suppose) and lose reference to the core thrust of the track here and there. When they allowed themselves to work a little more tightly to a fixed centre, things were better, even when that centre shifted throughout the track like it does over the duration of Starship Trooper’s three parts. There were some sections of these tracks that were superb, and I did find certain instrumental flourishes really grabbing me, but my interest also ebbed and flowed a little too much for things to fully connect. Yours Is No Disgrace - A great attention grabbing intro that messes around with meter and rhythmic emphasis, and then we dive into some proper spacey driving music. It’s really cool. The vocal harmony section is nice enough, but didn’t really grab me, and then they fire back into it. It’s so tight and the playing is so good. The arpeggiated leads are particularly good. Some of the ideas and playing are very good, but things do lull a bit and drift slightly too far away from the core ideas for my tastes. When it’s good though, it’s great. The Clap - This is a nice little piece, with the ebbing and flowing of the tempo really adding a bit of interest to the feel. Supremely talented playing, obviously and reminds me a bit of those old school delta blues players. It doesn’t really have much in the way of a memorable tune, but as a technical exercise, it’s great. Starship Trooper: a Life Seeker, b. Disillusion, c. Würm - Technically, three tracks. This concedes the need for a more central hook to riff around and it benefits from it. They still get to go weird and experiment with effects and synth lines, but things have a more grounded centre. The middle section blends this idea with some of the frantic, technical acoustic playing of The Clap and then the staggered vocal harmonisations build a great bed of sound. The slow build of the final section adds a lot of grit to things and there’s some really great drumming in particular in there. Even though this track did wander about a bit and touch on a load of ideas, it felt more centred and focused than what has come before. I've Seen All Good People: a. Your Move, b. All Good People - This has gone quite folksy. Again, it feels like there’s a bit more focus here. It’s a pretty slow build. Some of the vocal rhythms are pretty nice. And then we hit a bluesy swinging development. Solid playing again, but I’m struggling to be massively engaged by it for longer periods while it noodles away. A Venture - This has a nice lilt to it. Again, I find myself admiring the technical nature of it rather than being emotionally engaged. While a lot of the surrounding instrumentation is great, the central vocal theme to this just doesn’t grab me, and then the piano solo bit is just a bit boring. Sounds like a banging guitar solo is about to happen when they fade out too. Perpetual Change - This feels like it’s calling back to the opener with its intro, but it doesn’t develop into something quite as driving. Again, there are some great bits in here. When they get to the call and response vocal part, that’s really nice, but it does, on occasion, become a bit meandering and listless. But there is some fantastic playing. And the bit where it just starts panning the whole track to the left before pilling more stuff around the stereo field is really great.

ccr/beegees geschrammel

I’ve seen all good people caught my ear.

Technically impressive but emotionless

Yes is another one of those bands that came to my knowledge way to late in life. Or maybe it came to me at the right time, I wouldn't have understood them otherwise. Now I enjoy them in reverse: I realize how they inspired so many musicians I've been listening to for many years.

No

Ein Meilenstein für Yes, aber nicht ganz makellos. Die Einführung von Gitarrist Steve Howe bringt frischen Wind und technische Brillanz, besonders in Tracks wie „Starship Trooper“ und „The Clap“. Dennoch leidet das Album stellenweise unter Überlänge und repetitiven Passagen A. Ambitioniert und kreativ, aber nicht durchgehend fesselnd – ein solider, aber nicht überragender Prog-Rock-Einstieg.

Progressive Rock - Jam band-esque with long instrumental. A lot of the strumming also feels kind of folksy. This is the least offended I have been by super long solos due to the variation in the sound.

I mean...C'mon 5

another prog rock masterpiece from Yes

pretty sick 3.5ish

That sure was music

è stato difficile arrivare alla fine di questo album. noioso

A classic, but not their best. Still, this pre-wakeman era was incredible.

Oh yay more prog

3.5

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) ★★★★★

I miss some of the longer epics on their subsequent albums. Still great. 4 stars

Despite my overall indifference to progressive rock, I think this is a really good album. I've always liked the "I've Seen All Good People" suite, especially "Your Move". I'm a little more mixed on the "Starship Trooper" suite, but "Life Seeker" is pretty awesome. I think I prefer this slightly to *Fragile*, but they're pretty similar in quality for me. 4 stars.

2.5

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.

Pretty interesting and unique sound of rock. A little repetitive but still interesting.

okay

A good rock album. Not much else to say- it's not really up my alley, and I found it a bit boring.

I quite liked this. Yes just makes great albums, especially the early ones.

I actually have some tolerance and patience for prog rock and find it the natural progression for a lot of melodic verse-chorus-verse songwriting because let’s face it, you do tire of the structure’s limitations. You can find yourself with a plenty good half a song and just want to head off in some other direction and see where else things go instead of a simple bridge/return...it’s just that a lot of prog rockers didn’t have a great gift for melody, let alone have a damn thing of interest to say, but they sure could play a lot of very conventional music very well. Built to Spill, Fugazi, Radiohead, Pile, even prog contemporaries like The Who and Zep all can or could do multi-part epic songs, fusing together bits they’d long abandoned, yet neither their/their audience’s attention wavers. All that said, the individual parts of “I’ve Seen All Good People” are still pretty appealing, so when the prog structure works for one of the ne plus ultra prog groups, it’s successful thanks to the components...still can’t help but feel cheesy as hell when the bluesy B. section starts off, but whaddyado. Otoh I just gave this album’s follow-up a cursory listen and exhaled “God this suuuuuuucks” after 8 long ass minutes.

May have sounded like Phantom Island, but can't say for sure.

Each of these songs sounds like they had a thousand ideas and tried to cram them all in at one time. A bazillion notes and riffs. I feel a little sorry for the producer who had to track and mix all of this. The bass is front and centre and seems to be leading the band. Some nice guitar tones to pick from the thousands on offer. Although I wouldn't say I'm a prog fan, and can certainly see myself exploring some more Yes albums.

Good

- I’m trying to appreciate it. Albums like this are almost the definition of a “trip.” They take you to another world, with a weird story. It’s meant to be experienced and imagined, not bopped along to. - But then again, I can’t think I’m gonna sit down and experience this again. Maybe I need to sit and listen with the lights off.

Upon seeing The Yes Album on my screen I wasn't particularly excited. I have never been a huge fan of prog rock except for Rush and In The Court Of The Crimson King (which, yes, I should listen to more King Crimson). But I cannot let my hatred for Pink Floyd get in the way of other bands' shine, and so here I am giving this a shot. And WOW, what a great time this was. Upon the first few notes I was greeted with that same nostalgic & epic goodness that I get from 2112's Overture. Yours Is No Disgrace feels like the opening of an awesome space cartoon, and despite its long runtime is so diverse and interesting that it just simply doesn't get boring. The Clap was also a very nice time, I am a sucker for these kinds of acoustic songs, even though the decision to include a live version is a bit odd. Then we get Starship Trooper, which also did not disappoint. Especially the last bit where it basically turns into proto-shoegaze was so incredibly enjoyable. Like Yours Is No Disgrace, it felt like a travel through space. I've Seen All Good People had that Beach Boys-esque charm to it in the first half, with really strong lyricism and satisfying songwriting, and the second half was just another nice prog rock passage. Both these songs never overstay their welcome and fly by before you know it. If anything, I wish these were longer. A Venture indeed felt like a venture, a pocket sized but a fun venture. Perpetual Change did kinda drag on around the end, but the first half was definitely memorable, and the guitar/piano rhythm motif that they repeat is so catchy and captivating. An incredibly solid prog rock record, one that I will happily add to my rather limited prog rock pallette.

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!!!

“A venture” was def my favorite on this album. I’ve never heard this group, but I really like what they were doing here. Very melodic vocals reminiscent of music at the time “almost like yacht rock”, but the instrumental was something a bit different. The rhythmic beat, and lead guitar really bring it all together. Overall a strong 3.

I’m a fan of ‘Owner of a Lonely Heart” by Yes, but it was unfortunately not a part of this album. This was a good listen to explore more of what the band has to offer. I enjoyed the style and music, but didn’t ultimately pick any out to take with me.

Krautrock eher dR

I struggle with Yes - the keyboards and choral style of singing make it feel at times like I’m listening to the soundtrack to a carnival ride. So it went with this one. To be fair I was on a road trip with lots of people in the car and therefore didn’t pay my normal attention. I should come back and try again later. 3/5

Did Yes Duffy make an album?

Overall: 7/10 I got Fragile generated for me a long time ago and I must have been in a bad mood that day and wanted to take it out on Yes, cause I gave that album a 7/10 when it's easily a 9/10. I don't tend to change my ratings on this site so it'll stay that way. After listening to this album, I now know what a true 7/10 Yes album sounds like. The first thing I noticed was that the keyboard parts are less than satisfactory, and after looking it up I realized it's because Wakeman wasn't in the band yet. That's dissappointing. I do really like this album though. The vocals, drumming, and especially the bass are still all awesome. The guitar work is also a lot of fun but it's not really a big draw for me when it comes to this band. I think this album was a great stepping stone to get to the heights of Fragile and Close to the Edge. This is unrelated but Chris Squire was tall as hell. Fav Song: I've Seen All Good People

Lo voy a guardar para escucharlo otro día. Hoy ni lo pude analizar ni disfrutar. Solo fue ruido de fondo. Mal día.

Ok

6/10 Favorite: Starship Trooper

More like The No Album.

Old punk rock

on the 3rd song rn and im having a great time listening to it on the road :D. It's nice and calm so great for the current atmosphere. plus it reminds me of songs and artists i already like. The songs are a bit long which scared me at first but it switches up a lot, so it stays interesting, new instruments or rhythms are constantly added if you listen closely.

Some songs aren't bad, but overall I don't particularly like it

Meh-okish

3.7 Yes. Some really good early prog rock actually. The peak of the album is certainly the coda for starship troopers but tbf the rest of the album doesn't stray too far from that.

meh

po já é fato sabido que eu curto um prog né esse é mto bom n tem nem oq fazer..........

músicas gigantes intercaladas com músicas de tamanho normal mas funciona até que bem aqui, hein. esse é mais ""jazzistico"" que os outros, parece. eh bacana, mas achei o close to the edge melhor!

I cannot explain what makes me like one prog album versus another. I like peak Pink Floyd, really loved the first two Mars Volta albums, dig a few other things, but then I hear something like this and I want to jump out of my goddamn skin. There were a scant few of the longer instrumental sections where they had the guitars lead and the keys in support that I truly dug. But beyond that, I really hated it, and the vocals were nails on a chalkboard to me.

The Yay🤗 Album

A good reminder that we had the attn span for 8-10 min songs back in the day. This was a great album!

Did not make me feel much seemed kind of generic early 70s rock to me. I had not listened to Yes before, nothing special but by no means bad. Was quite to have in the background while writing but did not ever draw me in.

Chris Squire är kung! Vilket band! Perfekt balans mellan prog-krångel och rivjärn. Man vill bara höra mer! Fan va bra!!! Alltid intressant men aldrig påfrestande eller jobbig lyssning.

Meh

Decile Yes! a las drogas

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.

Nowhere near as good as close to the edge or fragile. Still solid prog though

I really dislike repetitive songs. This album was not repetitive. Very interesting and fresh

I listened to the original 1971 release (six tracks). Because Yes typically recorded lengthy songs, we never heard them on the radio in those days (except for Roundabout, a nine minute song which was edited down to three minutes for radio). Once AOR radio became mainstream we started hearing a lot more Yes. This is a good album with some familiar tunes, however not quite to a four-star level.

More like The No Album (I hope all the reviews say that). This album cover looks cool, like I'm about to enter A-to-Z Video* for a fun VHS tape. But I didn't like Yes's other album, so I'm not hopeful for this one, especially starting off with a 10 minute track. *I'm 90% this is what our local equivalent of Blockbuster was called, but it is seemingly impossible to find out via Google, like so many things I want to know D; Well, this album was slightly better than "Fragile", maybe just because my expectations were low. Still, it's a 2 for me. Highlights: "If the summer change to winter" is a rare subjunctive. Grammar win! 'Starship Trooper' has some good elements. I don't like it here because it makes the songs longer, but the concept of splitting a song into 2-3 named sub-parts (movements?) does appeal to me as a classical fan. I think Meat Loaf did this too, and maybe a few other 60s-80s artists, but it is something I haven't seen (yet?) in post 90s music, and would find charming. Lowlights: So many guitar breaks; melodies are mostly boring.

Favourite track(s): Yours Is No Disgrace; Starship Trooper Cool music, you certainly feel the passion in there. In the longer tracks, the instrumental changes tone (instruments, rhythm and the like) quite often, as if the band was trying out new and new ideas - perpetual change is a good was to describe it. Spanky guitars, electronic organ and fast paced drums all work really well. The tracks generally come back to the main motive, tying it together, even when a single track can last more than nine minutes. Still, I am missing passages that really blow me away and the experimental nature can make listening kind of exhausting as you never find the time to vibe to a certain passage.

Perfectly acceptable prog rock noodling.

Fantastic musicianship but obscure lyrics and odd vocal style made this album hard to like at all.

Wow! These guys are good at their instruments!

I have some small level of affinity towards the 70s hard rock and prog rock sound, but mostly don’t like this album. However, I’ve Seen All Good People is their best song, and it’s not close IMO. Toward the end of part A (around 2:50) the bass and organ finally come in on the last chorus and it’s a glorious moment in pop music. It raises this album from a 2- to a 3. That song is written around the vocal hooks and most of the others are not, so the virtuosity comes off as self- indulgence.

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.

4/5 - I needed to hear this, because I’ve never voluntarily listened to a full Yes album before. I enjoyed this much more than I thought I would. Maybe prog isn’t so bad after all. Lots of great instrumentation here obviously, but I also really liked the opening vocal hook in Starship Trooper. Adding this one to my rotation.

Kept waiting for the technical tuning exercises to end and the album to begin

Kinda odd sometimes, but fun!

Very nostalgic album for me; don’t know that I’d truly give it 4 stars, would prefer 3.5 but the nostalgia probably would bump it up.

I enjoyed this album more than I thought I would. In particular Steve Howe’s playing is captivating. I think this is Yes at their best. Leaning toward pretension but not crossing into completely inscrutable. Yes sir, I like it.

I just haven't gotten bit by the prog rock bug

good

Love Yes, this wasn't quite a 5 star album but was close.

7/10

## 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.**

Genre: Progressive Rock Maybe Yes’ 4th/5th best album, The Yes Album is still one I’d consider a prog rock classic. Doesn’t quite reach the heights of even their own later efforts, but it’s got some really incredible tracks. Yours Is No Disgrace and Starship Trooper are two of Yes’ best, and they’re on the same side of the LP. Tremendous work, but not their best. 4/5

Primer acercamiento a la banda. Me encanta como te va llevando a lo largo de los diferentes movimientos. 8/10

Good not my jam

Yes is so polarizing in terms of taste, as the global reviews will show. So I invite you to take a different perspective on this album, something other than "I don't personally like it therefore it's bad". Imagine you are about to die in 1001 days. You love music but you haven't listened to anything before in your life. You want to spend your precious last days exploring the best, the most interesting, the most unique of what is out there. You want to cover as many genres, themes, and styles as possible. One of those genres should be prog rock - a highly technical, strange, magnificent if sometimes chaotic sound. What better single example of prog could you listen to in your remaining 1001 days, but The Yes Album? Yes is at their absolute best here. The arrangements, song structure, variety, sheer instrumental skill, production quality and seamlessness - this IS the best example of prog we have. Whether or not it is to your personal taste, this work of art deserves a day of your listening. Four stars only because there are multiple Yes albums on this list and that is a shite move by Dimery. Silly human race!

I just don't get prog rock at all. I want to like it; while I appreciate the musicianship, it just doesn't click for me.

No.

Some good bits, some boring bits. Average overall.

Dope

I usually hate prog rock. This time I didn't. This sounds amazing to me. I blame this list.

Painful at the time, completely forgettable after

The no album by no

I'll give it a 3.5

An excellent display of musicianship here. Starship Trooper and I've Seen All Good People stand out for sure.

Just really good.

thoughts: very prog, very “music my dad listened to as i was growing up,” but honestly this was a very fun album to hear. songs: “yours is no disgrace”, “starship trooper”, “i’ve seen all good people” rating: 8.6/10

awesome

Yes！

A total classic, I'll never say no to some Yes.

A fab first album for a great band. A few tracks are better than others but all in all a great album.

Not THE Yes Album but The Yes Album still makes me say Yes (3.5/5)

Interesting prog

I struggle with Jon Anderson over the course of an entire album, but mostly dig what's happening musically even if it's not always stylistically my bag. As cliché as it is, though, "I've Seen All Good People" is such a fucking banger. 3.5/5

Some classic hits on here but not every song was a 5 star.

Self-explanatory.

Man, these guys can play anything and everything! And they do! All at once. Proving the old adage that just because you can do something doesn't mean you should.

Gave it a go and my younger self's taste in music is still quite similar to my contemporary, more reflective and mature reasoned opinions, it is still cocka da kick

Quality rock album. Last track dips a bit

5/5

I came to the conclusion that I'm not smart enough to really appreciate prog rock, or at least this album. I get the idea of trying to make rock sound super artistic, but this sounds just like a test or something. There were so many different parts in the songs that it often sounded really great, but then, all of a sudden, it didn't . Also why are there three 9 minutes long songs? I want to do some other things today besides listening to one song from Yes. Sometimes I felt like my brain was being circumsised. But I have to admire that I kinda liked Perpetual Change. In the end, I'm glad I listened to the whole thing, but I don't think I'm doing it ever again. Favourite songs - Perpetual Change, The Clap (just for the great finger picking)

Not for me lol! Maybe one song I could get into

yours is no disgrace - 8 minutes, use of spacial audio is very cool (I listened with headphones), a little bit of a dad music vibe to it which puts me off of it but is still overall really good, cool guitar riffs, personally I prefer more vocals and lyrics but I think this has a good balance of voice and instrumentals, more cool guitar riffs the clap - 3 minutes, very much plucky vibes to it which i like, different to the last song but i don't mind the switch up, no vocals? starship trooper - 9 minutes, electric guitar is back, tempo and time sig changes, more cool guitar riffs, drums are annoying me a bit (the changes are cool but i wish they were a bit more consistant), again cool spacial audio, very 70's I've Seen All Good People - 6 minutes, more vocals, a bit more repetitive than the others A Venture - 3 minutes, idek i was low key zoned out and nothing in particular stuck out to me Perpetual Change - 9 minutes, build up is good, again cool use of spacial audio (having one guitar and then slowly building up to both), sounds like something my grandparents would like, low key zoned out again Your Move [single version] - 3 minutes, again very my grandparents esk but in a good way, low key vibey Starship Trooper: Life Seeker - 3 minutes, just a short version of the original imo, still good if not better overall The Clap [Studio Version] - 4 minutes, sounds the same just not live idk, still very cool and impressive, riffs like that are a lot harder on an acoustic Overall rating - 5/10

9/10

Favorite Track: Yours Is No Disgrace

Did I like this album? Yes!

#DÍA 19: 1001 Discos Que Hay Que Escuchar Antes De Morir (English Translation Below) Sí, segundo álbum del día que hay que volver a coger ritmo. Yes es una banda con la que ya tengo mi familiaridad, principalmente con su LP Fragile, por el que me obsesioné en mi época de escuchar Prog. Ahora escuchando el “primer disco importante” de la banda puedo ver de dónde viene ese estilo que tanto me llamó la atención. Aún siendo menos ambicioso que los dos siguientes proyectos de la banda, The Yes Album es una muestra del talento de sus integrantes y el sonido con el que explotaron en los 70s, sorprendentemente espiritual y optimista pese a ser contemporáneo a la guerra de Vietnam. Obviamente los temas son bastante complejos musicalmente, cada miembro saca lo mejor de sí en su instrumento con pasajes de lo más virtuosos. Ya sea el clásico bajo rebotante de Chris Squire, que da color y movimiento a todos los temas de la banda; la fantástica e icónica voz de Jon Anderson, que además es reforzada con letras cargadas de espiritualidad y un sentido moralizador y antibélico muy fuerte, véase la canción de apertura; Steve Howe siendo una bestia en la guitarra, ya con The Clap nos demuestra cómo hasta sus primeras composiciones de jovencito ya estaban cargadas de personalidad; los toques mágicos y surrealistas que aportan los teclados de Tony Kaye, usando el mítico sintetizador Moog y ese órgano tan reconocible; y, por supuesto, Bill Bruford tras la batería, aunque pienso que se luciría mucho más en los siguientes álbumes de la banda y con King Crimson. En general es un LP genial para entrar a conocer de qué va esta banda, pero si ya has escuchado Fragile o Close To The Edge no sorprende tantísimo. Aún así, es sólido y una escucha muy amena, y no deja de ser Yes, por lo que es calidad. Favoritas: Yours Is No Disgrace, Starship Trooper, I’ve Seen All Good People, Perpetual Change Menos favorita: A Venture #DAY 19: 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die Yes, second album of the day — time to get back into rhythm. Yes is a band I'm already familiar with, mainly through their LP Fragile, which I became obsessed with during my Prog-listening phase. Now, listening to the band's "first important album," I can see where that style that caught my attention comes from. Even if it’s less ambitious than the two projects that followed, The Yes Album is a showcase of the members' talent and the sound that defined their breakthrough in the ’70s—surprisingly spiritual and optimistic, despite being contemporary to the Vietnam War. Obviously, the songs are musically complex, with each member bringing out the best in their instrument through some truly virtuosic passages. Be it Chris Squire’s classic bouncing bass, which brings color and movement to all the band's tracks; Jon Anderson’s fantastic and iconic voice, further reinforced by lyrics filled with spirituality and a strong moral and anti-war sentiment—see the opening track, for example; Steve Howe being a beast on the guitar, already showing in The Clap how even his earliest compositions as a young man were full of personality; the magical, surreal touches brought in by Tony Kaye’s keyboards, using the legendary Moog synthesizer and that very recognizable organ sound; and of course, Bill Bruford on drums—though I think he’d really shine more in the band’s later albums and with King Crimson. Overall, it’s a great LP to get into what this band is all about, but if you’ve already listened to Fragile or Close to the Edge, it won’t blow your mind quite as much. Even so, it’s solid and a very enjoyable listen—and after all, it’s Yes, so it’s quality. Favorites: Yours Is No Disgrace, Starship Trooper, I’ve Seen All Good People, Perpetual Change Least favorite: A Venture

Another album I had heart all the eay through! I always had a big soft spot for Seen All Good People / You're Move. Album itself is really cool- it blends a lot of different sounds together that I feel was unique for the time. Overall- probably a 3.5/5 to 4

All progressive rock roads lead to Rush, and I can see this album’s sound laying the groundwork for Rush’s immense success. Such an interesting choice to put a live (albeit very good) guitar solo in the second slot of a track listing otherwise full of studio recordings. I think that leads into the double-edged sword dilemma this record (and probably most prog records) has going for it: they seemingly throw in any old idea/melody/motif without restraint. Like, the first half of “Ive Seen All Good People” being a folkish song with the chorus ‘dont surround yourself with yourself’? Awesome. The second half suddenly becoming a yacht rock rambling jam? Probably coulda saved that for a bonus track. Or split them into two songs maybe? Which they kinda ended up doing! In a very weird roundabout way later on the album. I’m asking for structure/things that are ultimately unnecessary and arbitrary, but around the point of “Perpetual Change” I kinda needed it. The constant turn of one musical passage into another, the hard track panning. This was when the album was at its worst - seemingly begging you for your acknowledgment that this is a record that follows its own rules. At its best though, I feel like I’m locked into an avatar state where the record store dwellers before me (mostly gen x white guys) look down the line at me, and I too recognize the immensely impressive instrumentation, excellent chemistry, and powerful performances. 3/5, I have whiplash and am left in a daze with nothing to hang onto but I’m kinda impressed

yes

Leuk maar pakte niet mijn aandacht

3.5

A busy album at my house growing up. As Prog Rock goes, it’s a good listen. Unfortunately for me, it’s a reminder of my brother. He’s not dead, he’s just an asshole.

Nice

Very mid, can tell it’s of its time. I wouldn’t listen again but wouldn’t turn radio off if it came on

Hard work. I'm sure they are all great musicians but sprawling and ostentatious music, topped off with a grating singing style.

Interminable. But if you cut it down to just the good stuff you would end up with one 3 1/2 min track. Fell off after the first disc.

Couldn't get into this. Middle of the road.

Smooth prog rock. Great in the moment but I can remember it once it's done

Honestly don't know what to think of this album. Some of it is great, some of it is an acid trip

The Yes album? Yes yes yes. Liked it.

Este es uno de los primeros discos que compré en formato físico cuando empecé a coleccionar, por lo que me trae muy buenos recuerdos. Además, es uno de los primeros grandes discos de Yes (Yours is no disgrace, Starship trooper, I've seen all good people...). Siempre me ha gustado. 4'5/5

Yes yes yes! 8/10

My favorite yes album is close to the edge and that's one of my all timers. It's the most fun i've ever had with prog rock. So Yes is a band that is pretty cool. Out of that classic Yes trilogy this is prob the worst, but doesn't mean much it's super fun. 88/100

Complex but tuneful, with lots of playful and melodic moments that didn't exactly grab my attention but were fun to listen to

Not really my flavour