Rhino Records have
released the first Yes album, re-mastered
from the original tapes (which improved
the overall sound of these recordings
one hundred percent compared to the very
inferior transfer done on the original
CD released in 1995 by Atlantic records),
re-created the artwork, added some extra
pictures from that period, included a
very informative essay by Yes expert Mike
Tiano, a complete lyric sheet, and six
bonus tracks tacked onto the end. Unlike
most bonus tracks that are just chucked
onto the end of a recording to try and
fatten it out, these are all worthy and
appropriate inclusions. All-round an excellent
job has been done here.
Yes' debut album was released in mid
1969, and to be fair, at first the band
did not make much headway commercially.
But that should not detract from the quality
of the music on this album. In 1969 Yes
was an ambitious group of young musicians
who were not afraid of experimentation.
The late sixties and early seventies were
a heady time in the world of rock music
as the kaftans and beads of psychedelic
were thrown off for the more down to earth
jeans and t-shirts of progressive rock.
This album catches these young musicians
at exactly this time with remarkable results.
Yes was made up of vocalist Jon Anderson,
whose high trebly vocals gave Yes their
distinctive sound. Chris Squire, whose
driving bass lines had been influenced
by the likes of John Entwhistle and whose
harmony vocals were the perfect compliment
to Jon's aural assaults. On lead guitar
was one of the best, aggressive, technically
adapt guitarists on the circuit, a certain
Peter Banks esq. All of whom had been
with the marvelously monikered 'Mabel
Greer's Toy Shop', but Mabel had run her
course and it was time to explore further.
Keyboard player Tony Kaye was easily coerced
away from the soft rocking Bitter Sweet,
and drummer's drummer Bill Bruford found
himself at a loose end having set his
sights a little low after joining Savoy
Brown. Not that there is anything wrong
with being the drummer in Savoy Brown,
just not the job for Bill Bruford. Bruford
was recruited through a Melody Maker small
ad.
With the lineup in place the band started
playing anywhere, anytime, any place.
Eventually coming to the notice of the
American based Atlantic Records. They
put them into Trident Studios in London
with house producer Paul Clay. Although
the band was not at first totally happy
with the situation, feeling that Clay
was a little old to appreciate fully what
their young heads were about, they soon
settled into the groove. They basically
laid down the contents of what they were
playing live onto tape. Most people do
not know that in the early days Yes was
something of a covers band, not the monstrous
overblown monster they were to become
with the likes of 'Close to the Edge'
and 'Topographic Oceans'. However, by
then the lineup had changed dramatically.
Now back in 1969 Yes was a hard edged
rock band with a penchant for turning
other people’s great songs, tearing
them apart and re-arranging them in startling
new style. (This is also the way the Rolling
Stones and the Beatles themselves started
out.) The first song 'Beyond and Before'
is actually a tune that was a staple Mabel
Greer's Toy Shop song, written by Chris
Squire and his old guitarist Clive Bailey.
It is everything an opening song should
be, immediately grabbing your attention
and showing off all the assets of the
band.
Next is one of Yes' famous cover songs
'I See You', the old Byrds chestnut, which
the band turned into a heavy keyboard
laden work out. 'Yesterday and Today'
is a beautiful Jon Anderson ballad with
sympathetic piano and vocal backing. 'Looking
Around' sees the band striding out in
fine style. Harold Land begins with a
jubilant major-key intro that leads into
the main song, a somber minor-key affair
about a man torn by the ravages of war.
One of the most thought provoking songs
to ever come out under the Yes banner.
Though the track eventually culminates
with what appears to be a dynamic conclusion,
the intro section resurfaces to close
the piece.
'Every Little Thing' is used to allow
the band to really put their heads down
and rock with Peter Banks given full reign
to show off his talents, dropping in the
riff from Daytripper to add further drama
to the song, whilst bringing the band
crashing all back in together. As the
title 'Sweetness' suggests, it shows off
the softer side of the band and Clive
Bailey gets another writing credit. ‘Survival’
is a fine Yes epic to bring the album
to a fitting conclusion.
There are six bonus tracks, a collection
of b-sides and singles plus two versions
of the Yes cover of a medley of songs
from West Side Story under the banner
of 'Something's Coming'.
It was sad to see what Yes would later
become, but in their early days, "what
a band"!
Buried by Mott the Dog
Dug up by Ella Crew
E-mail: review@mott-the-dog.com
