Album 5
The Yes Album
by Yes
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.
4 out of 5
Yours Is No Disgrace
The Clap
I've Seen All Good People
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