Yes (Official Thread)

BikerDude

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I find Jon Anderson's solo thing Olias of Sunhillow just amazing.
I actually think it was Anderson's magnum opus.

Olias of Sunhillow is a progressive rock concept album which tells the story of an alien race and their journey to a new world (the story printed in the LP jacket calls it "the earth", lowercase 'e') due to a volcanic catastrophe. Olias, the title character, is the chosen architect of the glider Moorglade Mover, which will be used to fly his people to their new home. Ranyart is the navigator for the glider, and Qoquaq (pronounced 'ko-quake') is the leader who unites the four tribes of Sunhillow to partake in the exodus.

The album represented eight months of physical work, but it took two years from conception to release. Anderson used more than a hundred tracks in putting the album together, overdubbing strings, organ, harp and percussion.

Since Anderson produced Olias soon after Vangelis had auditioned to be a part of Yes, there has been widespread speculation that Vangelis contributed to the album.[citation needed] However, both Vangelis and Anderson have denied that they collaborated on the album.

Olias of Sunhillow is the debut studio album by English singer, songwriter and musician Jon Anderson, released in July 1976 on Atlantic Records. It is a concept album which tells the story of an alien race and their journey to a new world following a volcanic catastrophe. Anderson recorded the music and vocals himself.

 

PAN Nexus

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Re: The Yes Thread

No surprise there Fox, Yes is a polarizing band, there are not many people who are ambivalent, they either like them a lot or not at all.




Well, I've heard three different albums by them, myself, (their eponymously-titled first album, THE YES ALBUM, and FRAGILE) and, based on that, I've come to suspect that, much like Jethro Tull, their sound varied RADICALLY from one album to the next. :dunno:



I liked their debut album quite a bit. With their unique takes on the Byrds' "I See You" and the Beatles' "Every Little Thing" and their hard-rocking originals, "Beyond And Before", "Looking Around", "Harold Land" and "Survival", they really sound more like psychedelic rock than prog rock. Admittedly, the two ballads, "Yesterday And Today" and "Sweetness" are rather silly and McCartneyesque, but they're of little consequence, one way or the other. In a lot of ways, this album reminds me of Mott The Hoople's self-titled debut.



I like FRAGILE quite well, too. A classic concept album that, in a lot of ways, reminds me of The Moody Blues' EVERY GOOD BOY DESERVES FAVOUR album, although it's much harder-edged at points, and slightly less lyric-centered. The lyrics to "South Side Of The Sky" could, quite possibly, be Tolkien-inspired. Every time I hear it, I think of that scene in THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING where they're trying to climb up the side of that snowy mountain, and Saruman casts a spell to make it snow harder, so they have to turn around and go through Moria instead. But, then again, maybe that's just me. ;) At certain points on this one, including that song, they seem to be verging on heavy metal territory, which is just fine with me. :cool:



But, THE YES ALBUM, which I bought last, thinking I would like it, since I liked the other two, is a whole other kettle of fish: RANK, SMELLY FISH, IMO. :eek::uh: They just flat out lost me with that one. I can, perhaps, hear a little bit of their earlier sound in "Perpetual Change", but, honestly, all the other songs just sound like a bad acid trip to my ears. :(



Having heard that their second album was recorded with a full symphony orchestra, I don't much think I would like that one, either, but, I must admit, I'm a little curious about CLOSE TO THE EDGE. To those of you who have heard it, would you say it sounds more like FRAGILE or more like THE YES ALBUM? :fbp:
 

joe

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Well, I've heard three different albums by them, myself, (their eponymously-titled first album, THE YES ALBUM, and FRAGILE) and, based on that, I've come to suspect that, much like Jethro Tull, their sound varied RADICALLY from one album to the next. :dunno:



I liked their debut album quite a bit. With their unique takes on the Byrds' "I See You" and the Beatles' "Every Little Thing" and their hard-rocking originals, "Beyond And Before", "Looking Around", "Harold Land" and "Survival", they really sound more like psychedelic rock than prog rock. Admittedly, the two ballads, "Yesterday And Today" and "Sweetness" are rather silly and McCartneyesque, but they're of little consequence, one way or the other. In a lot of ways, this album reminds me of Mott The Hoople's self-titled debut.



I like FRAGILE quite well, too. A classic concept album that, in a lot of ways, reminds me of The Moody Blues' EVERY GOOD BOY DESERVES FAVOUR album, although it's much harder-edged at points, and slightly less lyric-centered. The lyrics to "South Side Of The Sky" could, quite possibly, be Tolkien-inspired. Every time I hear it, I think of that scene in THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING where they're trying to climb up the side of that snowy mountain, and Saruman casts a spell to make it snow harder, so they have to turn around and go through Moria instead. But, then again, maybe that's just me. ;) At certain points on this one, including that song, they seem to be verging on heavy metal territory, which is just fine with me. :cool:



But, THE YES ALBUM, which I bought last, thinking I would like it, since I liked the other two, is a whole other kettle of fish: RANK, SMELLY FISH, IMO. :eek::uh: They just flat out lost me with that one. I can, perhaps, hear a little bit of their earlier sound in "Perpetual Change", but, honestly, all the other songs just sound like a bad acid trip to my ears. :(



Having heard that their second album was recorded with a full symphony orchestra, I don't much think I would like that one, either, but, I must admit, I'm a little curious about CLOSE TO THE EDGE. To those of you who have heard it, would you say it sounds more like FRAGILE or more like THE YES ALBUM? :fbp:

More like Fragile. Close to the Edge is regarded as one or if not the most acclaimed prog album of all time.
 

Schmetterling

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Having heard that their second album was recorded with a full symphony orchestra, I don't much think I would like that one, either, but, I must admit, I'm a little curious about CLOSE TO THE EDGE. To those of you who have heard it, would you say it sounds more like FRAGILE or more like THE YES ALBUM? :fbp:


Hi there,

I was very interested to read your opinions given above and it goes to show that everything in music is down to personal taste and little else..

To elaborate on what you've written, as a long time Yes fan I would say that Yes have never for a single moment of their long career been anywhere close to heavy metal so I can't imagine how you came to that conclusion....

Regarding "The Yes Album" it was the first one I ever heard way back in the early 70s and to me it is a timeless classic : "Yours is no Disgrace" - which they opened the Union tour gig at Wembley Arena with - is one of my all time favourite Yes songs, and then we have "Starship Trooper" and of course "The Clap" which has always been Steve Howes big solo spot at the gigs. How can you not like this...??? the mind boggles. .. :ce: Personal taste I suppose.

I would say that if you really don't like this album as you say, then you will probably hate "Close to the Edge" which is one of their most acclaimed albums ever, but to the unititiated likely to be somewhat obscure sounding with only 3 long tracks "Close to the Edge" itself being the longest and covering an entire side of Vinyl. Having said that though I would never try to dissuade you from having a listen as it's right up there with "The Yes Album" and "Going for the One" in my own opinion. I personally think those are the best 3 Yes albums but others will tell you "Relayer" or Tales from Topographic Oceans" are better. Fragile is just OK to my mind but not as outstanding as the other 3 I mentioned. Again it's all personal taste, but in a nutshell I guess all the 70s albums are really the classics and what you might call the golden age of Yes.

Other 70s albums include "Tormato" which is just OK, and "Drama" which is crap"

There are also a fair few live albums to choose from although I wouldn't start with those.

1980s Yes albums are a different thing altogether, being a lot more commercial. They had a different guitarist in Trevor Rabin at that time who is a great songwriter and movie soundtrack scorer, and I like those albums too. It's all Yes but just a bit different. You might like them or you might not , I don't know, just go and have a listen I suppose. The main albums to listen to from the 80s are 90125 and Big Generator. I like "Union" too where almost all of the ex members got together to make an album and do a tour but a lot of people don't like it for some reason - personal taste again.

After the 80s there wasn't really much that was anything great form Yes as there was a lot of infighting and legal quarrelling going on but there was one very good album released in 1988 which technically and legally wasn't a Yes album as the band weren't allowed to use the name. It went under the name of "ABWH" which stands for Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman, and Howe and for all portents and purposes is a Yes album and a very good one. Tony Levin did all the bass work on that one and also did the tour with them at that time. Pretty fine and probably their last truly excellent album (again in my opinion only...:D)

Anyway I hope all this helps in your Yes quest..:cool:
 
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