------------------------------------------------------- DECEMBER 5, 1981 ------------------------------------------------------- Source: Bill Rendall's Rock Music & Movie Reviews http://www.apex.net.au/~bill/yes.html Fragile - Yes By Bill Rendall I find it difficult to be objective about Yes. In their heyday in the early seventies they were my favourite band. In a short space of time they went from being lauded as rock innovators to being dismissed as rock dinosaurs. For many years after their fall from favour my memories of Yes were tarnished by the disappointment of their later albums. I also had problems with Jon Anderson's impenetrable lyrics. Only in recent years have I been able to reflect on the music of Yes in a balanced way. They were guilty of some of the worst self-indulgent excesses of the progressive rock era but in their better moments they made some brilliant music which pushed forward the boundaries of rock music. Yes introduced complex song structures to rock music. Other bands extended the length of rock songs by improvising over repeated patterns. Yes extended their songs through the use of changing themes and tempos in the style of classical music divided into movements. The band's first two albums fell short of their ambitions. Steve Howe replaced Peter Banks on guitar for their third album, simply titled The Yes Album. This album contained some great songs, such as 'Yours is no Disgrace' and 'Starship Trooper.' However, Yes felt that they couldn't fully realise their musical ideas with Tony Kaye as their keyboard player. Rick Wakeman was brought in as a replacement . Fragile is the first album Wakeman did with Yes and this marked the peak of their career. In particular I think 'Heart of the Sunrise' is the best song they have done. The quick staccato parts are reminiscent of the edgy '21st Century Schizoid Man' by King Crimson. Rick Wakeman contributes some majestic Mellotron to the slower parts. The focal members of most rock bands are the lead singer and guitarist, but not in Yes. Jon Anderson sings with a high and bland voice. It is pleasant but is like aural wallpaper. The abstract lyrics add to the soft focus effect. Steve Howe is a talented guitarist but plays in a restrained style, shunning showy lead breaks and heavy riffs. The focus of the classic Yes sound are the musicians who perform background support roles in most bands. The bassist, drummer and keyboard player. Wakeman is a virtuoso keyboard player and showman. He makes his presence felt with a vast array of keyboards. Chris Squire plays bass with the aggression and dominance of a lead guitarist. Bill Bruford plays drums with an inventive flair. For example, listen to 'Long Distance Runaround' where he hits the snare drum every fifth beat over bars of four beats. Also have a listen to 'The Fish' which is almost entirely bass and drums. Fragile was followed by Close to the Edge, which is also a very good album but shows signs of an imminent descent into self-indulgence. After Close to the Edge was recorded Bruford left Yes to join King Crimson. Alan White was recruited to replace him. White was a competent rock drummer but he couldn't match Bruford's crisp syncopated feel. The other members of Yes couldn't believe that Bruford would leave them at the height of their success. But their best music was behind them. They fell victim to the dreaded double album syndrome with their next recording venture, Tales from Topographic Oceans. Egos were out of control and the result was self-indulgent rubbish. This is the sort of album to play at parties when you want everyone to go home. I have actually heard it used for this purpose and I can vouch for its effectiveness. Rick Wakeman didn't like the direction the band were going in with Tales from Topographic Oceans so he too left the band. Wakeman had always been a bit of the odd man out as he liked drinking and partying while the rest of the band favoured a healthy vegetarian lifestyle. Wakeman was replaced by Patrick Moraz. The band soldiered on but to little avail. Wakeman returned to the fold on and off in subsequent years. Surprisingly Yes produced their best ever pop single in the eighties with 'Owner of a Lonely Heart' but otherwise their work after Close to the Edge has been unnecessary. The 1981 compilation album Classic Yes is a good summary of Yes's music. With the exception of 'Wondrous Stories' the songs are drawn from their three best albums. However, 'Roundabout' and 'All Good People' are live versions and are not as good as the original studio versions. Close Window YesInThePress.com For site comments, problems, corrections, or additions, contact YesinthePress@aol.com